Driving
When the outside temperature is low, air re-
circulation mode improves heating perform-
ance by heating air from the interior instead
of cold air from the outside.
When the outside temperature is high, air re-
circulation mode improves cooling perform-
ance by cooling air from the interior instead
of warm air from outside.
For safety reasons, the air recirculation
should not be switched on when the air dis-
tribution control is set to the windscreen set-
ting . WARNING
In air recirculation mode, no cold air from the
outside enters the vehicle interior. If the air
conditioner is switched off, the windows can
quickly mist over. Therefore, never leave the
air recirculation mode switched on for a long
time (risk of accident). Note
When engaging reverse gear, the air recircu-
lation is connected automatically to prevent
the entrance of exhaust gases into the vehi-
cle upon travelling backwards. In this case
the symbol for air recirculation is not dis-
played. Driving
Starting and stopping the
engine Ignition key positions Fig. 131
Ignition key positions. Ignition switched off, steering lock
1 In this position
››› Fig. 131, the ignition and
the engine are OFF and the steering may be
locked.
For the Steering lock
to operate without the
ignition k
ey, turn the steering wheel until it
locks with an audible sound. You should al-
ways lock the steering wheel when you leave
your vehicle. This will help prevent vehicle
theft ››› .Switching the ignition or the glow plug
system on
2 Turn the ignition key to this position and re-
lease it. If the key cannot be turned or it is
difficult to turn from position
1 to position
2 , move the steering wheel from one side to
the other; this will release it.
Starting 3 The engine is started when the key is in this
position. Electrical devices with high power
consumption are switched off temporarily at
the same time.
Each time that the vehicle is restarted, the ig-
nition key must be turned to position
1 . The
repetitive start prevention lock of the igni-
tion prevents possible damage to the starter
motor if the engine is already running. WARNING
● The ignition key must NOT be removed from
the lock until the vehicle comes to a stand-
still. Otherwise, the steering could be imme-
diately blocked- Risk of accident!
● Always remove the key from the ignition
when leaving the vehicle, even if only for a
short period. This is especially important if
children or disabled people are left alone in
the vehicle. They could accidentally start the
engine or work electrical equipment such as
the electric windows, resulting in an acci-
dent. » 123
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Operation
●
Unsupervised use of the key could start the
engine or any electrical system, such as the
electric windows. This could result in serious
injury. CAUTION
The starter motor will only work when the en-
gine is stopped (ignition key position 3 ).
Electronic immobiliser
The electronic immobiliser prevents unau-
thorised persons from driving the vehicle.
Inside the key there is a chip that deactivates
the electronic immobiliser automatically
when the key is inserted into the ignition.
The electronic immobiliser will be activated
again automatically as soon as you pull the
key out of the ignition lock.
The engine can only be started using a genu-
ine SEAT key with its correct code.
Note
A perfect operation of the vehicle is ensured
if genuine SEAT keys are used. Starting petrol engines
The engine can only be started using a genu-
ine SEAT key with its correct code.
– Move the gearbox lever to the neutral posi-
tion and depress the clutch pedal thor-
oughly and hold it in this position for the
starter to turn the engine on.
– Turn the ignition key to the starting posi-
tion ››› page 123.
– Let
go of the ignition key as soon as the en-
gine starts; the starter motor must not run
on with the engine.
After starting a very hot engine, you may
need to slightly press down the accelerator.
When starting a cold engine, it may be a little
noisy for the first few seconds until oil pres-
sure has built up in the hydraulic valve com-
pensators. This is quite normal, and no cause
for concern.
If the engine does not start immediately,
switch the starter off after 10 seconds and try
again after half a minute. If the engine still
does not start, the fuel pump fuse should be
checked ›››
page 195, Fuses. WARNING
● Never start or run the engine in unventila-
ted or closed rooms. The exhaust gases con-
tain carbon monoxide, an odourless and col-
ourless poisonous gas. Risk of fatal acci- dents. Carbon monoxide can cause loss of
consciousness and result in death.
●
Never leave the vehicle unattended if the
engine is running.
● Never use “cold start sprays”, they could
explode or cause the engine to run at high
revs. Risk of injury. CAUTION
● When the engine is cold, you should avoid
high engine speeds, driving at full throttle
and over-loading the engine. Risk of engine
damage.
● The vehicle should not be pushed or towed
more than 50 metres to start the engine. Un-
burnt fuel could enter the catalytic converter
and damage it.
● Before attempting to push-start or tow a ve-
hicle in order to start it, you should first try to
start it using the battery of another vehicle.
Please observe and follow the notes on the
››› page 188, Jump-starting
. For the sake of the environment
Do not warm-up the engine by running the
engine with the vehicle stationary. Start off
immediately, driving gently. This helps the
engine reach operating temperature faster
and reduces emissions. 124
Operation
Do not use winter tyres all year round as they
increase fuel consumption by up to 10%.
Avoid unnecessary weight
Given that every kilo of extra weight will in-
c r
ease the fuel consumption, it is advisable
to always check the luggage compartment to
make sure that no unnecessary loads are be-
ing transported.
A roof rack is often left in place for the sake
of convenience, even when it is no longer
needed. At a speed of 100 km/h (62 mph)
and 120 km/h (75 mph) your vehicle will use
about 12% more fuel as a result of the extra
wind resistance caused by the roof rack even
when it is not in use.
Save electricity
The engine activates the alternator, which
produces electricity. With the need for elec-
tricity, fuel consumption also increases. Be-
cause of this, always turn off electrical devi-
ces when you do not need them. Examples of
devices that use a lot of electricity are: the
blower at high speeds, the rear window heat-
ing or the seat heaters*. Note
● If your vehicle has Start-Stop, it is not rec-
ommended th at
you switch this function off. ●
It is recommended that you close the win-
dows when driving at more than 60 km/h
(37 mph)
● Do not driv
e with your foot resting on the
clutch pedal
, as the pressure can make the
plate spin, more fuel will be used and it can
burn the clutch plate lining, causing a serious
fault.
● Do not hold the car on a hill with the clutch,
use the foot brake or hand brake, using the
latter to start. The fuel consumption will be
lower and you will prevent the clutch plate
from being damaged.
● On descents, use the engine brake, chang-
ing to the gear that is more suitable for the
slope. Fuel consumption will be “zero” and
the brakes will not suffer. Driving abroad
To drive abroad, the following must be taken
into consideration:
●
For vehicles fitted with a catalytic converter
ensure that unleaded petrol is available for
the journey. See the chapter “Refuelling”. Au-
tomobile organisations will have information
about service station networks selling unlea-
ded fuel.
● In some countries, it is possible that your
car model is not sold, and therefore some
spare parts are not available or the technical services may only be able to carry out limited
repairs.
SEAT importers and distributors will gladly
provide information about the technical prep-
aration that your vehicle requires and also
about necessary maintenance and repair
possibilities.
Adhesive strips for headlights
In countries where vehicles drive on the other
side of the road to your home country, the
asymmetric dipped beam may dazzle drivers
of oncoming vehicles.
To prevent dazzling, you must apply stickers
to certain parts of the headlight lenses. Fur-
ther information is available at any Technical
Service.
In vehicles with adaptive headlights, the ro-
tation system must previously be disconnec-
ted. To do this, please go to a specialised
workshop.
138
Care and maintenance
Products for vehicle maintenance
Car-care products are available in your Tech-
nical Services. Keep the product instructions
until you have used them up. WARNING
● Car-care products can be toxic. Because of
this, they must always be kept closed in their
original container. Keep them out of the reach
of children. Failure to comply could result in
poisoning.
● Always read and observe the instructions
and warnings on the package before using
car-care products. Improper use could cause
health problems or damage the vehicle. The
use of certain products may produce noxious
vapours; they should be used in well ventila-
ted areas.
● Never use fuel, turpentine, engine oil, nail
varnish remover or other volatile fluids.
These are toxic and highly flammable. Risk of
fire and explosion.
● Before washing your vehicle, or carrying
out any maintenance, switch the engine off,
apply the handbrake firmly and remove the
key from the ignition. CAUTION
Never attempt to remove dirt, mud or dust if
the surface of the vehicle is dry. Never use a
dry cloth or sponge for cleaning purposes.
This could damage the paintwork or the win-
dows of your vehicle. Soak dirt, mud or dust
with plenty of water. For the sake of the environment
● When purchasing products for your vehicle
maintenance, select the ones which are not
harmful to the environment.
● The waste from car-care products should
not be disposed of with ordinary household
waste. Observe the disposal information on
the package. Care of the vehicle exterior
Automatic car washing tunnel The vehicle paintwork is so durable that the
vehicle can normally be washed without
problems in an automatic car wash tunnel.
However, the paintwork wear depends to a
large extent on the kind of the car wash tun-
nel, the brushes used, its water filtering and
the type of cleaning and preservative prod-
ucts.
Before going through a car wash, be sure to
take the usual precautions such as closing
the windows and sunroof. There is nothing to
note apart from that.
If the vehicle has special accessories such as
spoilers or a roof rack or two-way radio aerial,
etc., it is advisable to consult the car wash
tunnel operator first.After washing, the brakes could take some
time to respond as the brake discs and pads
could be wet, or even frozen in winter. “Dry”
the brakes by braking several times. WARNING
Water, ice and salt on the brake system can
reduce braking effectiveness. Risk of acci-
dent. CAUTION
Before putting the vehicle through the car
wash, do not tighten the aerial if it is folded
because it can be damaged. Washing by hand
Vehicle washing
– First soften the dirt and rinse it off with wa-
ter.
– Clean your vehicle from top to bottom with
a soft sponge, a glove or a brush. Use very
light pressure.
– Rinse the sponge or glove often with clean
water.
– Special car shampoo should only be used
for very stubborn dirt.
– Leave the wheels, sill panels etc. until last,
using a different sponge or glove.
»
157Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Advice
– Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water.
– Dry the vehicle surface gently with a cha-
mois leather.
– In cold temperature
, dry the rubber seals
and their s
urfaces to prevent them from
freezing. Apply silicone spray to the rubber
seals.
After washing the vehicle – After washing, avoid sudden and sharp
braking. “Dry” the brakes by braking sever-
al times. WARNING
● Wash your vehicle with the ignition switch-
ed off.
● Protect your hands and arms from cuts on
sharp metal edges when cleaning the under-
body, the inside of the wheel housings etc.
Risk of injury.
● Water, ice and salt on the brake system can
reduce braking effectiveness. Risk of acci-
dent. CAUTION
● Never remove dirt, mud or dust if the vehi-
cle surface is dry. Never use a dry cloth or
sponge for cleaning purposes. This could
scratch the paintwork or glass on your vehi-
cle. ●
Washing the vehicle in low temperatures:
when washing the vehicle with a hose, do not
direct water into the lock cylinders or the
gaps around the doors, rear lid, or sunroof.
Risk of freezing. For the sake of the environment
To protect the environment, the vehicle
should be washed only in specially provided
wash bays, to prevent toxic, oil-laden waste
water from entering the sewer system. In
some places, washing vehicles outside wash
bays is prohibited. Note
Do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight. Washing the vehicle with a high
pressure cleaner
Be particularly careful when using a high
pressure cleaner!
– Always observe the instructions for the
high-pressure cleaner, particularly those
concerning the pressure and the spraying
di s
tance.
– Increase the spraying distance for soft ma-
terials and painted bumpers. –
Do not use a high pressure cleaner to re-
move ice or snow from windows
››› page 159.
– Never u
se concentrated jet nozzles (“rotat-
ing jets”) ››› .
– After washing, avoid sudden and sharp
braking. “Dry” the brakes by braking sever-
al times ››› page 126 . WARNING
● Never wash tyres with a concentrated jet
(“rotating nozzle”). Even at large spraying
distances and short cleaning times, damage
can occur to the tyres. This may cause an ac-
cident.
● Water, ice and salt on the brake system can
reduce braking effectiveness. Risk of acci-
dent. CAUTION
● Do not use water hotter than +60 °C
(+140 °F). This could damage the vehicle.
● To avoid damage to the vehicle, keep a suf-
ficient distance from sensitive materials such
as flexible hoses, plastic, soundproofing ma-
terial, etc. This also applies to bumpers pain-
ted in the colour of the bodywork. The closer
the nozzle is to the surface, the greater the
wear on the material. 158
Care and maintenance
Vehicle paint maintenance Regular waxing protects the paintwork.
You need to apply wax to your vehicle if water
does not form small drops and run off the
paintwork when it is
clean.
Good quality har
d wax products are available
at your Technical Service.
Regular wax applications help to protect the
paintwork from environmental contaminants
››› page 156. It is also effective in protecting
again
st minor scratches.
Even if a wax solution is used regularly in the
vehicle washing tunnel, it is advisable to pro-
tect the paint with a hard wax coating at least
twice a year.
Polishing the paintwork Polishing is only necessary if the paint has
lost its shine, and the gloss cannot be
brought back by applying wax. Polishing
products can be purchased in your Technical
Service.
The vehicle must be waxed after polishing if
the polish used does not contain wax com-
pounds to seal the paint
›››
page 159, Vehicle
paint maintenance . CAUTION
To prevent damage to the paintwork:
● Do not use polishes and hard wax on pain-
ted parts with a matt finish or on plastic
parts.
● Do not polish your vehicle in a sandy or
dusty environment. Caring for plastic parts
If normal washing fails to clean plastic parts,
clean them with approved solvent-free plas-
tic cleaning and care products.
CAUTION
● The use of liquid air freshener directly over
the air vents of the vehicle may damage plas-
tic parts if the liquid is accidentally spilled.
● Cleaning products which contain solvents
will damage the material. Cleaning windows and exterior
mirrors
Cleaning windows
– Moisten the windows with commercially
available, alcohol based glass cleaner.
– Dry the windows with a clean chamois
leather or a lint-free cloth. Removing snow
– Use a small brush to remove snow from the
windows and mirrors.
Removing ice – Use a de-icer spray.
Use a clean cloth or chamois leather to dry
the windows. The chamois leathers used on
painted surfaces are not suitable to clean
windows because they are soiled with wax
deposits which could smear the windows.
If possible, use a de-icing spray to remove
ice. If you use an ice scraper, push it in one
direction only without swinging it.
Use window cleaner or a silicone remover to
clean rubber, oil, grease and silicone depos-
its off.
Wax deposits can only be removed with a
special cleaner available at your Technical
Service. Wax deposits on the windscreen
could cause the wiper blades to judder. Add-
ing a window cleaner that dissolves wax to
the windscreen washer fluid prevents wiper
blades from juddering, but wax deposits are
not removed. CAUTION
● Never use warm or hot water to remove
snow and ice from windows and mirrors. This
could cause the glass to crack! » 159
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Advice
●
The heating element for the rear window is
located on the inner side of the window. To
prevent damage, do not put stickers over the
heating elements on the inside of the win-
dow. Cleaning windscreen wiper blades
Clean wiper blades improve visibility.
1. Use a soft cloth to remove dust and dirt
from the windscreen wiper blades.
2. Use window cleaner to clean the wind- screen wiper blades. Use a sponge or a
cloth to remove stubborn dirt.
Rubber seals maintenance If rubber seals are well looked after, they will
not freeze so quickly.
1. Use a soft cloth to remove dust and dirt
from the rubber seals.
2. Apply a specialist care product to the rub- ber seals.
The rubber strips on the doors, windows, etc.
will remain pliable and last longer if they are
treated with a suitable rubber care product
from time to time (for example silicone
spray). Caring for rubber seals will also prevent pre-
mature ageing and leaks. The doors will be
easier to open. If rubber seals are well looked
after, they will not freeze so quickly in winter.
Door lock cylinders The door lock cylinders can freeze up in win-
ter.
To de-ice the lock cylinders you should only
use spray with lubricating and anti-corrosive
properties.
Cleaning chrome parts 1. Clean chrome parts with a damp cloth.
2. Polish chrome parts with a soft, dry cloth.
If this does not provide satisfying results, use
a specialist
chrome cleaning product.
Chrome cleaning products will remove stains
from the surface. CAUTION
To prevent scratching chrome surfaces:
● Never use an abrasive cleaning product on
chrome.
● Do not clean or polish chrome parts in a
sandy or dusty environment. Steel wheel rims
–
Clean steel wheel rims regularly using a
separate sponge.
Use an industrial cleaner to remove brake
dust. Any damage to the paint on steel wheel
rims should be repaired before starting to
rust. WARNING
● Never wash tyres with a cylindrical jet. Even
at large spraying distances and short clean-
ing times, damage can occur to the tyres.
This may cause an accident.
● Water, ice and salt on the brake system can
reduce braking effectiveness. Risk of acci-
dent. Directly after washing, avoid sudden
and sharp braking. “Dry” the brakes by brak-
ing several times ››› page 126, Braking ca-
pacity and braking distance . Alloy wheel rims
Every two weeks
– Wash salt and brake dust from alloy
wheels.
– Use an acid free detergent to clean the
wheel rims.
Every 3 months
– Apply a hard wax compound to the wheels.
160
Checking and refilling levels
●
Fires, sparks, open flames and smoking are
prohibited. When handling cables and electri-
cal equipment, avoid causing sparks and
electrostatic charge. Never short the battery
terminals. High-energy sparks can cause in-
jury.
● A highly explosive mixture of gases is re-
leased when the battery is under charge. The
batteries should be charged in a well-ventila-
ted room only.
● Keep children away from acid and batteries.
● Before working on the electrical system,
you must switch off the engine, the ignition
and all electrical devices. The negative cable
on the battery must be disconnected. When a
light bulb is changed, you need only switch
off the light.
● Deactivate the anti-theft alarm by unlock-
ing the vehicle before you disconnect the bat-
tery! The alarm will otherwise be triggered.
● When disconnecting the battery from the
vehicle on-board network, disconnect first
the negative cable and then the positive ca-
ble.
● Switch off all electrical devices before re-
connecting the battery. Reconnect first the
positive cable and then the negative cable.
Never reverse the polarity of the connections.
This could cause an electrical fire.
● Never charge a frozen battery, or one which
has thawed. This could result in explosions
and chemical burns. Always replace a battery
which has frozen. A flat battery can also
freeze at temperatures close to 0 °C (+32 °F). ●
Ensure that the vent hose is always connec-
ted to the battery.
● Never use a defective battery. This could
cause an explosion. Replace a damaged bat-
tery immediately.
● For vehicles with the battery in the luggage
compartment: Check that the battery gas
ventilation hose is securely attached. CAUTION
● Never disconnect the battery if the ignition
is switched on or if the engine is running.
This could damage the electrical system or
electronic components.
● Do not expose the battery to direct sunlight
over a long period of time, as the intense ul-
traviolet radiation can damage the battery
housing.
● If the vehicle is left standing in cold condi-
tions for a long period, protect the battery
from “freezing”. If it freezes it will be dam-
aged. Checking the electrolyte level
The electrolyte level should be checked regu-
larly in high-mileage vehicles, in hot coun-
tries and in older batteries.
– Open the bonnet and open the battery cov-
er at the front ››› in Safety instructions
on working in the engine compartment on
page 166
›
›› in Warnings on handlingthe battery on page 174. For vehicles with
the battery under the spare wheel, open
the rear lid and lift the floor covering. The
battery is located next to the spare wheel.
– Check the colour display in the "magic eye"
on the top of the battery.
– If there are air bubbles in the window, tap
the window gently until they disperse.
The position of the battery is shown in the
corresponding engine compartment diagram
››› page 168 . The location of the battery in
the lug g
age compartment can be seen in
››› Fig. 152.
The “magic
eye” indicator, located on the top
of the battery changes colour, depending on
the charge state and electrolyte level of the
battery.
There are two different colours:
● Black: correct charge status.
● Transparent/clear yellow: the battery must
be replaced. Contact a specialised workshop.
Charging and changing the vehicle
battery The battery is maintenance-free and is
checked during the inspection service. All
work on the vehicle battery requires special-
ist knowledge.
»
175
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials