197
Wheels and tyres
Note
● We recommend having all work on tyres and wheels carried out by an
authorised SEAT dealer.
● We recommend using wheels, tyres, hub caps and snow chains from the
SEAT Original Accessories programme.
Tyre useful life
Fig. 131 Side view of
tyres with tread wear in-
dicators
Tread wear indicator
The base of the side of the original tyres on your vehicle show 1.6 mm high
tread wear indicators ⇒ Fig. 131. The position of these indicators is given
on the tyre sidewalls by the letters “TWI”, triangular symbols or other sym-
bols. The useful life of the tyres depends primarily on the following factors:
Tyre pressure values
Under-inflation or over-inflation will considerably reduce the useful life of
the tyres and impair the vehicle's handling. Therefore, check the tyre pres-
sure, including the spare wheel, at least once a month and before any long
journey.
Inflation pressures for
summer tyres are listed on a sticker inside the fuel
tank flap. The pressures for winter tyres are 0.2 bar (2.9 psi / 20 kPa) above
the summer values.
Always check the pressure when the tyre is cold. Do not reduce over-pres-
sure in warm tyres. The tyre pressures must be altered to suit notable
changes in the load being carried.
Driving style
Fast cornering, heavy acceleration and hard braking all increase tyre wear.
Wheel balancing
The wheels on new vehicles are balanced. Various factors encountered
when driving can cause them to become unbalanced, which results in vibra-
tion of the steering wheel.
The wheel must be rebalanced if a new tyre is fitted or if a tyre is repaired.
Incorrect wheel alignment
Incorrect front or rear wheel alignment causes excessive tyre wear, frequent-
ly on one side, and also impairs vehicle safety. If tyre wear is very irregular,
contact an Official Service.
Tyre damage
To avoid damage to tyres and wheels, only drive over kerbs or similar obsta-
cles slowly and at a right angle if possible.
Check tyres and wheels regularly for damage (punctures, cracks, blisters,
deformities, etc.). Remove any foreign objects embedded in outside of the
treads.
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications
214Self-help
–Switch the compressor off.
– If it is not possible to achieve an air pressure of 2.0-2.5 bar
(29-36 psi / 200-250 kPa), unscrew the tyre inflator tube 5
from the tyre valve.
– Drive the vehicle approx. 10 metres forwards or backwards, so
that the sealant can “spread evenly” in the tyre.
– Screw the flexible hose from the air compressor 5
back onto
the tyre valve and repeat the inflation process.
– If the pressure is still lower than specified, the tyre is too badly
damaged. The tyre cannot be repaired using the tyre sealant kit
⇒
.
– Switch the compressor off.
– Unscrew the flexible hose 5
from the tyre valve.
When a tyre pressure of 2.0-2.5 bar (29-36 psi / 200-250 kPa) is
reached then you can continue driving at a max. speed of 80 km/h
(50 mph)
Check the tyre pressure after 10 minutes of driving ⇒ page 214.
WARNING
● The flexible tyre filling hose and the air compressor may heat up dur-
ing the filling process. Risk of injury!
● Do not place the hot flexible tyre filling hose or hot air compressor on
top of flammable materials. Risk of fire!
● If the tyre cannot be inflated to a minimum pressure of 2.0 bar
(29 psi / 200 kPa) then the tyre is too badly damaged. The sealing prod-
uct is unable to seal the tyre . Do not drive on and obtain professional
assistance.
CAUTION
Do not use the air compressor for longer than 8 minutes at a time. Risk of
overheating! Before using the air compressor again, leave it to cool down
for several minutes.
Check after 10 minutes of driving
Check the tyre pressure after 10 minutes of driving!
If the tyre pressure is less than 1.3 bar (18.8 psi / 130 kPa):
– Do not drive on! The tyre cannot be sufficiently filled using
the tyre repair kit.
– See professional assistance.
If the tyre pressure is greater than 1.3 bar (18.8 psi / 130 kPa):
– Correct the tyre pressure again to the correct value (see inside
of the fuel tank flap).
– Carefully resume your journey to the nearest specialised work-
shop at a maximum speed of 80 km/h (50 mph).
Jump-starting
Introduction
If the engine fails to start because of a discharged battery, the battery can
be connected to the battery of another vehicle to start the engine. Suitable
jump leads are required.
