Page 181 of 240

Wheels
The tyres could also have the following infor-
mation:
● A direction of rotation symbol
● “Reinforced” denotes heavy-duty tyres.
The manufacturing date is also indicated on
the tyre sidewall (possibly only on the inner
side of the wheel).
“DOT ... 1103 ...” means, for example, that
the tyre was produced in the 11th week of
2003.
We recommend that work on tyres and
wheels be carried out by a Technical Service.
They are familiar with the procedure and
have the necessary special tools and spare
parts as well as the proper facilities for dis-
posing of the old tyres.
Any technical service has full information on
the technical requirements when installing or
changing tyres, wheels or wheel trims.
Note for Italy: A SEAT Service Centre should
be c on
sulted whether different sized wheels
or tyres to those originally fitted by SEAT may
be fitted, as well as the combinations al-
lowed between the front axle (axle 1) and
back axle (axle 2). WARNING
● We recommend that you use only wheels
and tyres which have been approved by SEAT for your model. Failure to do so could impair
vehicle handling. Risk of accident.
●
Avoid running the vehicle on tyres that are
more than 6 years old. If you have no alterna-
tive, you should drive slowly and with extra
care at all times.
● Never use old tyres or those with an un-
known “history of use”.
● If wheel trims are retrofitted, you must en-
sure that the flow of air to the brakes is not
restricted. This could cause the brake system
to overheat.
● All four wheels must be fitted with radial
tyres of the same type, size (rolling circumfer-
ence) and the same tread pattern. For the sake of the environment
Old tyres must be disposed of according to
the laws in the country concerned. Note
● For technical reasons, it is not generally
possible to use the wheels from other vehi-
cles. This can also apply to wheels of the
same model. The use of wheels or tyres
which have not been approved by SEAT for
use with your model may invalidate the vehi-
cle's type approval for use on public roads.
● If the spare tyre is not the same as the
tyres that are mounted on the vehicle (e.g.
winter tyres) you should only use the spare
tyre for a short period of time and drive with extra care. Refit the normal road wheel as
soon as possible.
Wheel bolts
The design of wheel bolts is matched to the
rims. If different wheel rims are fitted, the
correct wheel bolts with the right length and
correctly shaped bolt heads must be used.
This ensures that wheels are fitted securely
and that the brake system functions correctly.
In certain circumstances, you should not use
wheel bolts from a different vehicle, even if it
is the same model
››› page 155. WARNING
If the wheel bolts are not tightened correctly,
the wheel could become loose while driving.
Risk of accident.
● The wheel bolts must be clean and turn
easily. Never apply grease or oil to them.
● Use only wheel bolts which belong to the
wheel.
● If the prescribed torque of the wheel bolts
is too low, they could loosen whilst the vehi-
cle is in motion. Risk of accident! If the tight-
ening torque is too high, the wheel bolts and
threads can be damaged. » 179
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Page 182 of 240

Advice
CAUTION
The prescribed tightening torque for wheel
bolts for steel and alloy wheels is 120 Nm. Winter service
Winter tyres In winter conditions winter tyres will consid-
erably improve the vehicle's handling. The
design of summer tyres (width, rubber com-
pound, tread pattern) gives less grip on ice
and snow.
Winter tyres must be inflated to a
pressure of
0.2 bar (2.9 psi/20 kPa) higher than the pres-
sures specified for summer tyres (see sticker
on fuel tank flap).
Winter tyres must be fitted on all four wheels.
Information on permitted winter tyre sizes
can be found in the vehicle's registration
documentation. Use only radial winter tyres.
All tyre sizes listed in the vehicle documenta-
tion also apply to winter tyres.
Winter tyres lose their effectiveness when the
tread is worn down to a depth of 4 mm.
The speed rating code ›››
page 178, New
tyres and wheels determines the following
speed limits for winter tyres: ›› › max. 160 km/h (99 mph)
Q max. 180 km/h (112 mph)
max. 190 km/h (118 mph)
max. 210 km/h (130 mph)
In some countries, vehicles which can exceed
the speed rating of the fitted tyre must have
an appropriate sticker in the driver's field of
view. These stickers are available from your
technical service. The legal requirements of
each country must be followed.
Do not have winter tyres fitted for unnecessa-
rily long periods. Vehicles with summer tyres
handle better when the roads are free of
snow and ice.
If you have a flat tyre, please refer to the
notes on the spare wheel ››› page 178, New
tyres and wheels . WARNING
The maximum speed for the winter tyres must
not be exceeded. Otherwise, this could lead
to damage and risk of accident. For the sake of the environment
Fit your summer tyres again as soon as possi-
ble. They are quieter, do not wear so quickly
and reduce fuel consumption. S
T
H
Snow chains Snow chains may be fitted only to the front
wheels, and only for the following tyres:
175/70R14
185/60R15Chains with links not exceeding 15 mm
(including the chain closure)
215/45R16Chains with links not exceeding 9 mm (in-
cluding the chain closure)
215/40R17Chains with links not exceeding 7 mm (in-
cluding the chain closure)
Remove wheel hub covers and trim rings be-
fore fitting snow chains. For safety reasons,
cover caps, available in any Technical Serv-
ices, must then be fitted over the wheel
bolts.
WARNING
Snow chains should be correctly tightened in
accordance with the manufacturer's instruc-
tions. This will prevent the chains coming in-
to contact with the wheel housing. CAUTION
Remove the snow chains to drive on roads
without snow. Otherwise they will impair
handling, damage the tyres and wear out very
quickly. 180
Page 213 of 240
Technical features
WARNING
● Check the tyre pressure at least once per
month. Checking the tyre pressure is very im-
portant. If the tyre pressure is too high or too
low, there is an increased danger of accidents
- particularly at high speeds.
● If the tightening torque of the wheel bolts
is too low, they could loosen while the vehi-
cle is in motion. Risk of accident! If the tight-
ening torque is too high, the wheel bolts and
threads can be damaged. Note
We recommend that you ask your Technical
Service for information about appropriate
wheel, tyre and snow chain size. 211Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials