25
Before starting the engine
Prior to a journey... Before starting the engine
Tips for driving
Introduction
Depending upon how you expect to use your vehicle, it may a good idea to
protect the engine from below. A guard underneath the engine may help to
reduce the risk of damage to the lower part of the vehicle and the oil sump
when driving over kerbs, or along dirt tracks or rough roads... Before instal-
lation, SEAT recommends going to a SEAT dealership.
Additional information and warnings:
● Ensure you are correctly seated ⇒ page 47
● Transporting ⇒ page 95
● Starting, changing gears, parking ⇒ page 119
● Ecological driving ⇒ page 144
● Notes for the user ⇒ page 233
WARNING
Driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs, medication or narcotics
may result in severe accidents and even loss of life.
● Alcohol, drugs, medication and narcotics may significantly alter per-
ception, affect reaction times and safety while driving, which could result
in the loss of control of the vehicle.
Journey preparations and safe driving
Check list
For your own safety, for the safety of passengers in the car, and for that of
other road users, the following should be checked before and during each
journey
⇒
:
Check that the lights and turn signals operate correctly.
Check the tyre pressures (
⇒ page 210) and level of fuel
(⇒ page 171).
Ensure there is good visibility through all the windows.
Make sure that all objects and bags in the storage compartments, in
the luggage compartment and, where applicable, on the roof, are se-
curely fastened
⇒ page 95.
Ensure there is nothing obstructing the free passage of the foot ped-
als.
Use child retention systems appropriate for the child's body weight
and height
⇒ page 74.
Correctly adjust front seat, head rests and rear-view mirrors to suit
your height
⇒ page 47, ⇒ page 93.
Wear close-fitting shoes which do not prevent you from using the
pedals correctly.
The driver's floor mat should be fixed to the floor, leaving the pedal
area unobstructed.
Before starting out, ensure you are correctly seated and remain in
this position throughout the journey. This applies to all passengers
in the vehicle
⇒ page 47.
Vehicle diagramPrior to a journey...While drivingCare, cleaning and mainte-
nanceIf and whenTechnical specifications
26Before starting the engine
Check list (Continued)
Correctly fasten your seat belt before starting to drive and keep it se-
curely fastened throughout the journey. This applies to all
passengers in the vehicle
⇒ page 56.
Never carry more passengers than the number of available seats and
seat belts in your vehicle.
Never drive with impaired faculties (for example, due to medication,
alcohol or drugs).
Do not allow yourself to be distracted from the traffic, for example, to
reset or switch on a menu, by other passengers or to answer a phone
call.
Always try to adapt the speed of the vehicle and your style of driving
to the condition of the ground or the road and to weather and traffic
conditions.
Observe the highway code and speed limits.
On long journeys, rest at regular intervals (at least every 2 hours).
If carrying animals, make sure they are correctly restrained in accord-
ance with their weight and size.
WARNING
Always observe traffic regulations and speed limits and try to anticipate
traffic movements. Correctly anticipating traffic situations may mean the
difference between arriving safe and sound at your destination or having
a serious accident.
Note
Regular servicing of your vehicle not only helps to keep it in good working
order but also helps to ensure road safety. Therefore, please ensure the ve-
hicle is taken for service as indicated in the Maintenance Programme. If the
vehicle is subjected to hard use, it may require certain maintenance work
before the next service date. Hard use may involve frequent driving in traffic
jams or driving in dusty areas. For further information, please refer to a SEAT
dealership or a specialised workshop.
Driving abroad
Check list
In some countries, certain safety regulations and requirements are in force
relating to exhaust gas emissions, which differ from the technical character-
istics of the vehicle. Before travelling abroad, SEAT recommends you con-
sult a SEAT dealership about the legal requirements and the following
points:
Does the vehicle need technical modifications for driving abroad, for
example, adjustment of the headlamps?
Does the vehicle have all the tools, diagnostics equipment and
spare parts required for inspections and repairs?
Are there any SEAT dealers in the destination country?
For petrol vehicles: Is unleaded petrol available at the right octane
rating?
Are a suitable engine oil (
⇒ page 185) and other engine fluids com-
plying with SEAT specifications available in the destination country?
Does the Portable Navigation System (supplied by SEAT) function
⇒
page 222 in the destination country with the available navigation
information?
Are special tyres required in the destination country?
39
Opening and closing
Rear lid
Introduction
Additional information and warnings:
● Exterior detail ⇒ page 6
● Central locking ⇒ page 32
● Transporting ⇒ page 95
● Emergency locking and unlocking ⇒ page 244
WARNING
Careless and unsuitable locking, opening and closing of the rear lid can
cause accidents and serious injury.
● Open and close the rear lid only when nobody is in the way.
● Do not close the rear lid by pushing it down with your hand on the
rear window. The rear window could break and cause injury.
● Ensure the rear lid is locked after closing, otherwise, it may open un-
expectedly while driving. A closed rear lid should be flush with the corre-
sponding parts of the bodywork.
● Always keep the rear lid closed while driving to avoid toxic gases en-
tering the vehicle interior.
● Do not open the rear lid when there is a load installed, for example a
carrier system. Likewise, the rear lid cannot be opened when a load is at-
tached to it, for example bicycles. An open rear lid could close itself if
there is an additional weight on it. If necessary, press down on the rear
lid and remove the load.
● Close and lock both the rear lid and all the other doors when you are
not using the vehicle. Ensure that nobody remains inside the vehicle.
WARNING (Continued)
● Never allow children to play inside or around the vehicle without su-
pervision, especially if the rear lid is open. Children could enter the lug-
gage compartment, close the rear lid and become trapped. Depending on
the time of the year, temperatures inside a locked and closed vehicle can
be extremely high or extremely low resulting in serious injuries and ill-
ness or even death, particularly for young children.
● Never leave children or disabled people alone in the vehicle. If the ve-
hicle key or the central locking button is used, they may be locked in the
vehicle.
CAUTION
Before opening the rear lid, ensure that there is sufficient free space to
open and close it, for example if you are in a garage.
Note
On the display of the Portable Navigation System (supplied by SEAT)
⇒ page 222 can be seen if the rear lid has been left open or is not correctly
shut.
Vehicle diagramPrior to a journey...While drivingCare, cleaning and mainte-
nanceIf and whenTechnical specifications
47
Ensuring you are correctly and safely seated
Ensuring you are correctly and safely seated Adjusting the seat position
Introduction
Number of seats
The vehicle has a total of 4 seats: 2 front seats and 2 rear seats. Each seat is
equipped with a seat belt.
Additional information and warnings:
● Seat functions ⇒ page 54
● Seat belts ⇒ page 56
● Airbag system ⇒ page 65
● Child seats (accessories) ⇒ page 74
WARNING
An incorrect sitting position in the vehicle can lead to severe injuries or
death in the event of sudden braking or manoeuvres, collision or acci-
dents or if the airbag deploys.
● Before the vehicle moves, assume the proper sitting position and
maintain it throughout the trip. This also includes fastening the seat
belt.
● Never transport more people than there are seats with a seat belt
available in the vehicle.
WARNING (Continued)
● Children must always be protected with an approved child restraint
system suited to their height and weight ⇒ page 74, ⇒ page 65.
● Always keep your feet in the footwell while the vehicle is in motion.
Never, for example, put your feet on the surface of a seat or on the dash
panel and never put them out of a window. Otherwise the airbag and seat
belt offer insufficient protection and the risk of injury in the event of an
accident is increased.
WARNING
Before every trip, adjust the seat, the seat belt and the head restraints
and instruct your passengers to fasten their seat belts properly.
● Move the front passenger seat back as far as possible.
● Adjust the driver seat so that there is a distance of at least 25 cm be-
tween the centre of your chest and the hub of the steering wheel. Adjust
the driver seat so that you are able to press the accelerator, brake and
clutch pedals to the floor with your knees slightly angled and that the
distance between your knees and the dash panel is at least 10 cm. If your
physical constitution prevents you from meeting these requirements,
contact a specialised workshop to make any modifications required.
● Never drive with the seat backrest tilted far back. The further the seat
backrests are tilted to the rear, the greater the risk of injury due to incor-
rect positioning of the belt web or to the incorrect sitting position!
● Never drive with the seat backrest tilted forwards. Should a front air-
bag deploy, it could throw the seat backrest backwards and injure the
passengers of the rear seats.
● Sit as far away as possible from the steering wheel and the dash pan-
el.
Vehicle diagramPrior to a journey...While drivingCare, cleaning and mainte-
nanceIf and whenTechnical specifications
56Ensuring you are correctly and safely seated
Seat belts
Introduction
Check the condition of all the seat belts at regular intervals. If you notice
that the belt webbing, fittings, retractor mechanism or buckle of any of the
belts is damaged, the belt must be replaced immediately by a specialised
workshop ⇒
. The specialised workshop must use the appropriate spare
parts corresponding to the vehicle, the equipment and the model year. SEAT
recommends visiting a Technical Service.
Additional information and warnings:
● Adjust the seat position ⇒ page 47
● Airbag system ⇒ page 65
● Child seats (accessories) ⇒ page 74
● Accessories, parts replacement, repairs and modifications ⇒ page 222
WARNING
Unbuckled or badly buckled seat belts increase the risk of severe or even
fatal injuries. The seat belt cannot offer its full protection if it is not fas-
tened and used correctly.
● Seats belts are the most effective ways of reducing the risk of sus-
taining severe or fatal injuries In the event of an accident. Seat belts
must be correctly fastened when the vehicle is in motion to protect the
driver and all vehicle occupants.
● Before each trip, every occupant in the vehicle occupants must sit
properly, correctly fasten the seat belt belonging to his or her seat and
keep it fastened throughout the trip. This also applies to other vehicle
occupants when driving in town.
WARNING (Continued)
● When travelling, children must be secured in the vehicle with a child
restraint system suitable for their weight and height and with the seat
belts correctly fastened ⇒ page 74.
● Instruct your passengers to fasten their seat belts properly before
driving off.
● Insert the latch plate into the buckle for the appropriate seat and en-
sure it is engaged. Using the latch plate in the buckle of another seat will
not protect you properly and may cause severe injuries.
● Do not allow liquids or foreign bodies to enter the buckle fastenings.
This could damage the buckles and seat belts.
● Never unbuckle your seat belt when the vehicle is moving.
● Never allow more than one passenger to share the same seat belt.
● Never hold children or babies on your lap sharing the same seat belt.
● Loose, bulky clothing (such as a jacket) impairs the proper fit and
function of the seat belt.
WARNING
It is extremely dangerous to drive using damaged seat belts and could re-
sult in serious injury or loss of life.
● Avoid damaging the seat belt by jamming it in the door or the seat
mechanism.
● If the fabric or other parts of the seat belt are damaged, the seat belts
could break in the event of an accident or sudden braking.
● Always have damaged seatbelts replaced immediately by seat belts
approved for the vehicle in question by SEAT. Seat belts which have been
worn in an accident and stretched must be replaced by a specialised
workshop. Renewal may be necessary even if there is no apparent dam-
age. The belt anchorage should also be checked.
● Never attempt to repair, modify or remove a seat belt yourself. All re-
pairs to seat belts, retractors and buckles must be carried out by a speci-
alised workshop.
58Ensuring you are correctly and safely seated
The seat belt status is displayed for around 30 seconds when a seat belt in
the rear seats is fastened or unfastened. You can switch off this display by
pressing the 0.0 / SET
button.
The seat belt status flashes for a maximum of 30 seconds when a seat belt
in the rear seats is unfastened while the vehicle is in motion. An audible
warning will also be heard if the vehicle is travelling at over 25 km/h
(15 mph).
WARNING
Unbuckled or badly buckled seat belts increase the risk of severe or even
fatal injuries. The optimal protection from seat belts can be achieved only
if you use them properly.
Frontal collisions and the laws of physics
Fig. 37 Vehicle about to
hit a wall: the vehicle oc-
cupants are not wearing
seat belts
Fig. 38 The vehicle hits
the wall: the vehicle oc-
cupants are not wearing
seat belts
It is easy to explain how the laws of physics work in the case of a head-on
collision: when a vehicle starts moving ⇒ Fig. 37 it generates a certain
amount of energy known as “kinetic energy” both in the vehicle and in the
vehicle occupants.
The higher the speed and the greater the weight of the vehicle, the more
energy there is to be absorbed in an accident.
The most significant factor, however, is the speed of the vehicle. If the
speed doubles from 25 km/h (15 mph) to 50 km/h (30 mph), for example,
the kinetic energy is multiplied by four.
The amount of kinetic energy depends on the speed of the vehicle and the
weight of the vehicle and its passengers. The higher the speed and the
greater the weight of the vehicle and the vehicle occupants, the more ener-
gy there is to be absorbed in an accident.
Vehicle occupants not wearing seat belts are not “attached” to the vehicle.
As a result, in a frontal collision they will continue to move forward at the
speed their vehicle was travelling just before the impact until something
stops them! Because the vehicle occupants in our example are not restrain-
ed by seat belts, all of the occupants' kinetic energy has to be absorbed at
the point of impact ⇒ Fig. 38.
74Ensuring you are correctly and safely seated
Child seats (accessories)
Introduction
Before transporting babies and children in a child seat placed in the front
passenger seat, first completely read the information regarding the airbag
system.
This information is extremely important for driver and passenger safety, par-
ticularly that of babies and children.
SEAT recommends the use of child seats from the SEAT accessory pro-
gramme. These child seats have been designed and tested for use in SEAT
vehicles. You can purchase child seats with different mountings from a SEAT
dealership.
Additional information and warnings:
● Seat belts ⇒ page 56
● Airbag system ⇒ page 65
WARNING
Make sure children are properly belted in and correctly secured to avoid
severe or fatal injuries while the vehicle is in motion.
● Never use a rear-facing child seat in the front passenger seat if the
front passenger front airbag is enabled.
● Children up to 12 years old should always travel on the rear seat.
● Children must always be protected with an approved child restraint
system suited to their height and weight.
● Children must assume the proper sitting position and be properly bel-
ted in while travelling.
WARNING (Continued)
● Ensure the seat backrest is upright when a child seat is being used on
it.
● Do not allow the child's head or other part of his or her body to enter
the deployment area of the side airbags.
● Make sure the belt webbing is correctly positioned.
● Never hold children or babies on your lap or in your arms.
● Only one child may occupy a child seat.
● Please read and observe the child seat manufacturer's handling in-
structions.
WARNING
An empty or loose child seat could fly uncontrollably around the vehicle
interior and cause injuries in the event of an accident or sudden braking.
● When not in use while the vehicle is in motion, always safely secure
the child seat or store it in the luggage compartment.
Note
Replace the child seat after an accident, as it may have invisible damage.
75
Ensuring you are correctly and safely seated
General information on transporting children in the vehicle
Legal regulations and provisions will always take priority over the descrip-
tions of this instruction manual. There are different regulations and provi-
sions for the use of child seats and their mountings ( ⇒ table on page 75).
In some countries, for example, the use of child seats on certain seats in the
vehicle may be forbidden.
The physical principles and the forces acting on the vehicle in the event of a
collision or other type of accidents also apply to children ⇒ page 56. Howev-
er, unlike adults and youngsters, children do not have fully developed mus-
cle and bone structures. In the event of an accident, children are subject to
a greater risk than adults of sustaining severe injuries.
Given that children's bodies are not yet fully developed, child restraint sys-
tems must be used that are especially adapted to their height, weight and
constitution. There are laws in force in many countries that determine the
use of approved seat systems for transporting babies and children.
Only used authorised, approved child seats that are suitable for the vehicle.
Always consult with a SEAT dealership or a Specialised workshop should
you have any doubts.
Checklist
To transport children in the vehicle ⇒
:
Observe the legal requirements specific to each country.
For safety reasons, SEAT recommends that children under 12 years of
age are transported on the rear seats.
Only if you have no alternative should a child travel on the front pas-
senger seat
⇒ page 77. The safest place in the vehicle is on the
rear seat behind the front passenger seat.
Child must always use a child restraint system when travelling in the
vehicle. The child restraint system must be suitable for the height,
weight and constitution of the child.
Only one child may occupy a child seat.
Follow the user instructions from the child seat manufacturer and al-
ways keep them in the vehicle.
If the child seat is secured using the seat belt, guide the seat belt
through or around the child seat according to the instructions of the
child seat manufacturer.
Make sure the belt webbing is correctly positioned and that the child
is sitting properly.
The child seat should be installed on the rear seat behind the front
passenger seat so that the child can exit the car on the kerb side.
Do not leave toys or other loose objects on the child seat or on the
seat while the vehicle is in motion.
Specific child seat regulations for each country (selection)
Child seats must comply with the ECE-R 44
1)
regulation. You can consult ad-
ditional information at your SEAT dealership at the internet address
www.seat.es.
Categorisation of child seats according to ECE-R 44
Weight categoryWeight of the childAgeGroup 0up to 10 kgup to approximately. 9 months
Group 0+up to 13 kgup to approximately. 18 months
Group 19 to 18 kgapprox. 8 months to 3 1
/2
years
Group 215 to 25 kgapprox. 3 to 7 yearsGroup 322 to 36 kgapprox. 6 to 12 years
Not all children fit in the seat of their weight group. Nor do all seats adapt to
the vehicle. Therefore, always check whether the child fits properly in the
child seat and whether the seat can be installed safely in the vehicle.
1)
ECE-R: Economic Comission for Europe Regulation.
Vehicle diagramPrior to a journey...While drivingCare, cleaning and mainte-
nanceIf and whenTechnical specifications