82Lights and visibility
Lights and visibility
Lights Introduction
The legal requirements regarding the use of vehicle lights in each country
must be observed.
The driver is personally responsible for the correct use and adjustment of
the lights in all situations.
Additional information and warnings:
● Exterior detail ⇒ page 6
● SEAT information system ⇒ page 22
● Changing bulbs ⇒ page 266
WARNING
If the headlights are set too high and the main beam is not used correct-
ly, there is a risk of dazzling or distracting other road users. This could
result in a serious accident.
● Always make sure that the headlights are correctly adjusted.
● Never use the main beam or flashed headlamps as this could dazzle
other drivers.
Control lamps
lights upPossible causeSolution
Rear fog light switched on.⇒ page 84.
Fog lights switched on⇒ page 84.
Left or right turn signal.
The control lamp flashes twice
as fast when a vehicle turn sig-
nal is faulty.If necessary, check the vehicle
lighting.
Main beam on or flasher on.⇒ page 83.
Several warning and control lamps should light up for a few seconds when
the ignition is switched on, signalling that the function is being verified.
They will switch off after a few seconds.
WARNING
If the warning lamps are ignored, the vehicle may stall in traffic, or may
cause accidents and severe injuries.
● Never ignore the warning lamps.
● Stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible.
● Park the vehicle at a suitable distance away from the traffic ensuring
that the exhaust system is not in contact with inflammable material, for
example, dry grass, fuel, oil, etc.
● A faulty vehicle represents a risk of accident for the driver and for oth-
er road users. If necessary, switch on the hazard warning lamps and put
out the warning triangle to advise other drivers.
83
Lights and visibility
CAUTION
Failure to heed the warning lamps when they appear may result in faults in
the vehicle.
Turn signal and headlight lever
Fig. 55 Turn signal and
main beam lever in their
initial position
Move the lever to the required position:
Right turn signal.
Left turn signal.
Switching on main beam ⇒
. When the main beam is switched on,
the warning lamp is switched on in the instrument panel.
Switch on the flasher or switch off the main beam headlights. The flash-
ed beam comes on if the lever is pressed. The warning lamp will
light up during this process.
123
4
Push the lever all the way down to turn off the corresponding function.
Convenience turn signals
For the convenience turn signals, move the lever as far as possible upwards
or downwards and release the lever. The turn signal will flash 3 times.
The convenience indicators can be deactivated at a Specialised workshop.
WARNING
Incorrect use of the headlights may cause accidents and serious injury,
as the main beam may distract or dazzle other drivers.
Note
The turn signal only works when the ignition is switched on. The hazard
warning lights also work when the ignition is switched off ⇒ page 241.
Note
If any of both turn signals fails, the warning lamp will start flashing twice
faster than normal.
Note
The main beam headlights can only be switched on if the dipped beam
headlights are already on.
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85
Lights and visibility
WARNING
The side lights or daytime driving lights are not bright enough to illumi-
nate the road ahead and to ensure that other road users are able to see
you.
● Always use your dipped beam head lights if it is raining or if visibility
is poor.
Lights and visibility: functions
Parking light remains on both sides
If when switching off the ignition, the light control remains in the posi-
tion and the vehicle is closed from outside, both headlights, in addition
to the side lights and the rear lights will light up.
Daytime driving light
The daytime driving light consists of individual lights in the front head-
lamps.
When the daytime driving light is switched on, only the individual lights
come on ⇒
.
The daytime lights are switched on each time the ignition is turned on if the
light switch is in position .
Switching the daytime driving light on and off
To switch the daytime driving light on or off, it is necessary to fit or remove
the corresponding fuse. Ask for professional assistance for this.
WARNING
If the road is not well-lit and the vehicle is not clearly visible to other
drivers, there is a risk of accident.
● Never use the daytime driving light if the road is not well-lit as a re-
sult of the weather conditions and poor visibility. The daytime driving
lights are not bright enough to illuminate the road ahead and to ensure
that other road users are able to see you.
● The rear lights do not come on with the daytime driving light. A vehi-
cle which does not have the rear lights on may not be visible to other
drivers in the darkness, if it is raining or in conditions of poor visibility.
Note
The headlights, rear lights and turn signals may mist up temporarily on the
inside in cool or damp weather. This is normal and in no way effects the
useful life of the vehicle lighting system.
Adjusting the headlights
In those countries where vehicles drive on the other side of the road to the
home country, the asymmetric dipped beam may dazzle drivers of oncom-
ing vehicles.
For this reason, stickers may need to be used to cover the headlights when
driving abroad. For further information, please refer to a specialised work-
shop. SEAT recommends visiting a Technical Service.
Note
The use of stickers to cover headlights is only permitted over a short period.
To modify the direction of the headlamps more permanently, please take
the vehicle to a specialised workshop. SEAT recommends visiting a Techni-
cal Service.
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86Lights and visibility
Headlight range control, lighting of instruments and
controls
Fig. 57 Next to the
steering wheel: Head-
light range control
Headlamp height adjustment
The headlight range control ⇒ Fig. 57 is modified according to the value of
the headlight beam and the vehicle load status. This offers the driver opti-
mum visibility and the headlights do not dazzle oncoming drivers ⇒
.
The headlights can only be adjusted when the dipped beam is switched on.
To reset, turn switch ⇒ Fig. 57:ValueVehicle load status a)–Two front occupants, luggage compartment empty1All seats occupied, luggage compartment empty2All seats occupied, luggage compartment full3Driver only, luggage compartment fulla)
If the vehicle load does not correspond to those shown in the table, it is possible to select
intermediary positions. Instrument and switch lighting
When the side lights or dipped beam headlights are switched on, the light-
ing for instruments and controls lights up at a constant brightness.
WARNING
Heavy objects in the vehicle may mean that the headlights dazzle and
distract other drivers. This could result in a serious accident.
● Adjust the light beam to the vehicle load status so that it does not
blind other drivers.
Reading light
Button/ Switcheffect
Switching off the reading light.
Switching on the reading light.
Switches door contact control on (central position).
The reading light comes on automatically when the vehicle is un-
locked, a door is opened or the key is removed from the ignition.
The light goes off a few seconds after all the doors are closed,
the vehicle is locked or the ignition is switched on.
Note
The reading lights go out when the vehicle is locked, or a few minutes after
the key is removed from the ignition. This prevents the battery from dis-
charging.
98Transporting
Loading luggage compartment
Introduction
Always transport heavy loads in the luggage compartment and place the
seat backs in a vertical position. Never overload the vehicle. Both the carry-
ing capacity as well as the distribution of the load in the vehicle have ef-
fects on the driving behaviour and braking ability ⇒
.
Additional information and warnings:
● Airbag system ⇒ page 65
● Light ⇒ page 82
● Transporting ⇒ page 95
● Wheels and tyres ⇒ page 210
WARNING
When the vehicle is not in use or being watched, always lock the doors
and the rear lid to reduce the risk of serious injury or death.
● Do not leave children unwatched, especially when the rear lid is open.
Children could climb into the luggage compartment, close the rear lid
from inside and be unable to escape themselves. This could lead to seri-
ous injury or death.
● Never allow children to play in or around the vehicle.
● Never transport people in the luggage compartment.
WARNING
Unsecured or incorrectly secured objects can cause serious injury in case
of a sudden manoeuvring or breaking or in case of an accident. This is es-
pecially true when objects are struck by a detonating airbag and fired
through the vehicle interior. To reduce the risks, please note the follow-
ing:
● Secure all objects in the vehicle. Always keep equipment and heavy
objects in the luggage compartment.
● Always secure objects with suitable rope or straps so that they can-
not enter the deployment areas around the frontal or side airbags in case
of sudden braking or an accident.
● While driving, always keep object compartments closed.
● Do not place hard, heavy or sharp objects inside the vehicle interior,
in open storage compartments, the rear shelf or on the dash panel.
● Remove hard, heavy and sharp objects from clothes and pockets in-
side the vehicle and store securely.
WARNING
The transport of heavy object changes vehicle handling and increases
braking distance. Heavy loads that have not been stored or secured cor-
rectly could cause loss of control and result in serious injury.
● The vehicle handling changes when transporting heavy objects due
to a change in the centre of gravity.
● Distribute the load as uniformly and as low down on the vehicle as
possible.
● Store heavy objects in the luggage compartment as far from the rear
axle as possible.
CAUTION
Hard objects on the rear shelf could chafe against the wires of the heating
element in the heated rear window and cause damage.
106Transporting
Always check the weight of the base support, the roof carrier system and
the weight of the load to be transported and, if necessary, weigh them. Nev-
er exceed the maximum authorised roof load.
If you are using a roof carrier with a lower weight rating, you cannot trans-
port the maximum roof load. Do not exceed the maximum weight limit for
the roof carrier given in the fitting instructions.
Distributing a load
Uniformly distribute loads and secure them correctly ⇒
.
Check attachments
After fitting the base supports and the roof carrier system, always check the
attachments after a short trip or at regular intervals.
WARNING
Exceeding the maximum authorised roof load can result in accidents
and/or vehicle damage.
● Always respect the maximum authorised weight for the roof, the max-
imum authorised weight on the axles and the total maximum authorised
weight of the vehicle.
● Never exceed the capacity of the roof carrier system even if this is
less than the maximum authorised roof load.
● Secure heavy objects towards the front and distribute the load even-
ly.
WARNING
Loose and incorrectly secured loads can fall from the roof carrier system
causing accidents and injury.
● Always use suitable ropes and straps in good condition.
● Always secure loads correctly.
121
Starting, changing gears, parking
WARNING
Unsuitable or careless use of the vehicle key could result in serious in-
jury.
● Always take all the keys with you whenever you leave the vehicle. The
engine could accidentally be started and electrical equipment such as
the windows could accidentally be operated resulting in serious injury.
● Never leave children or disabled people alone in the car. They could
be trapped in the car in an emergency and will not be able to get them-
selves to safety. For example, depending on the time of the year, temper-
atures inside a locked and closed vehicle can be extremely high or ex-
tremely low resulting in serious injuries and illness or even death, partic-
ularly for young children.
● Never remove the key from the ignition if the vehicle is in motion. The
steering may lock and it will not be possible to turn the steering wheel.
Note
● If the key is left in the ignition lock with the engine off for long periods,
the vehicle battery will run flat.
● In vehicles with automatic gearbox the ignition key can only be with-
drawn with the selector lever in position P. In this case, press and release
the selector lever locking button.
Starting the engine
Complete operations only in the sequence given.
1.Press the brake pedal and keep pressed until step 5 has been completed.
1 a.In vehicles with a manual gearbox: Press the clutch pedal all
the way and keep pressed until the engine starts.
Complete operations only in the sequence given.
2.Put the gearbox lever in neutral or the selector lever in posi- tion P or N.
3.Turn the key in the ignition lock to position ⇒ Fig. 86 2; do
not press the accelerator.
4.When the engine has started, release the key in the ignition lock.
5.If the engine does not start, stop the process and try again af-ter one minute.
6.Release the handbrake when you want to begin driving⇒ page 134.
WARNING
Never leave the vehicle unattended if the engine is running. The vehicle
could move off suddenly, especially if it is in gear, resulting in an acci-
dent and serious injury.
WARNING
Cold start sprays could explode or cause a sudden increase in the engine
speed.
● Never use start boosters.
CAUTION
● An attempt to start the engine while driving or starting the engine imme-
diately after turning it off can cause damage to the engine or starter motor.
● When the engine is cold, avoid high revs and heavy acceleration and do
not make the engine work hard.
● Do not push or tow start the engine. Unburnt fuel could damage the cat-
alytic converter.
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124Starting, changing gears, parking
Changing gear
Introduction
When reverse gear is engaged and the ignition is switched on the following
takes place:
● Reverse lights light up.
● The rear wiper blade performs one movement when the windscreen wip-
er is activated.
● If necessary, connect the parking distance warning system.
Additional information and warnings:
● Detail of the centre console ⇒ page 12
● Instruments ⇒ page 17
● Braking, stopping and parking ⇒ page 134
● Parking sensor system ⇒ page 149
● Electronic power control and exhaust gases purification system
⇒ page 237
● Emergency locking and unlocking ⇒ page 244
WARNING
Rapid acceleration can cause loss of traction and skidding, especially on
slippery ground. This could cause loss of control of the vehicle resulting
in an accident and considerable damage.
● Use rapid acceleration only when visibility, weather, road conditions
and traffic permit.
WARNING
Do not allow the brakes to “rub” for a prolonged period of time, or brake
frequently or for long periods of time. Continuous braking heats up the
brakes. This could significantly reduce braking power, increase braking
distance or even result in the total failure of the brake system.
CAUTION
● Never make the brakes slip by pressing the pedal gently, if it is not really
necessary to brake. This will increase wear.
● Reduce speed or reduce the gear when faced with steep and long
slopes. This allows you to use the engine braking effect and to reduce the
strain on the brake system. Otherwise, the brakes may overheat and fail.
Only use the brakes to reduce speed or to stop.