Driving
Starting diesel 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 position ››› Fig. 131
2 . The warning lamp
will light for en-
gine pr e-he
ating.
– When the lamp turns off, turn the ignition
key to position 3 to start the engine. Do
not press the accelerator.
– Release the ignition key as soon as the en-
gine starts. The starter motor should not
turn at the same time.
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 there are problems starting the engine, see
the ›››
page 188 .
Glo w p
lug system for the diesel engine
To avoid unnecessary discharging of the bat-
tery, do not use any other major electrical
equipment while the glow plugs are pre-heat-
ing. Start the engine as soon as the glow plug
warning lamp goes out.
Starting a diesel engine after the fuel tank
has been completely run dry
If the fuel tank has been completely run dry,
it may take longer than normal (up to one mi-
nute) to start a diesel engine after refuelling.
This is because the fuel system must elimi-
nate air first.
WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ››› in Starting
petrol engines on page 124. 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. You
should drive off as soon as you start the en-
gine. This helps the engine reach operating
temperature faster and reduces emissions. Switching off the engine
–
Stop the vehicle.
– Turn the ignition key to position ›››
Fig. 131
1 .
After switching the engine off, the radiator
fan may run on for up to 10 minutes. The fan
may also turn on again if coolant temperature
increases from accumulated heat in the en-
gine compartment or due to its prolonged ex-
posure to solar radiation. WARNING
● Never switch the engine off until the vehi-
cle is completely stationary.
● The brake servo works only when the en-
gine is running. With the engine switched off,
more strength is needed to brake. As normal
brake operation cannot be performed, risk of
accidents and serious injury may exist.
● The steering lock can be immediately
blocked once the key is removed from the ig-
nition. The vehicle cannot be steered. Risk of
accident. » 125
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Operation
CAUTION
When the engine has been running under a
heavy load for a long period, heat can accu-
mulate in the engine compartment and cause
engine damage. For this reason, idle the en-
gine for approximately 2 minutes before
switching it off. Braking and parking
Braking capacity and braking distance The efficiency of the brakes depends directly
on the
brake pad
wear. This wear depends to
a gr
eat extent on the conditions under which
the vehicle is operated and the way the vehi-
cle is driven. If you often drive in town, drive
short distances or have a sporty driving style,
we recommend that you have the thickness
of your brake pads checked by technical serv-
ices more frequently than recommended in
the Maintenance Programme.
If you drive with wet brakes, for example, af-
ter crossing areas of water, on days of heavy
rainfall or even after washing the car, the ef-
fect of the brakes is reduced as the brake
discs are wet or even frozen (in winter): in
this case, the brakes should be “dried” by
pressing the brake pedal several times. WARNING
Longer braking distances and faults in the
brake system increase the risk of accidents.
● New brake pads must be run in and do not
have the correct friction during the first
200 km. This reduced braking capacity may
be compensated for by pressing on the brake
pedal a little harder, which also applies when
the brake pads have to be changed further
on.
● If brakes are wet or frozen, or if you are
driving on roads which have been salted,
braking power may be lower than normal.
● On steep slopes, if brakes are excessively
used, they will overheat. Before driving down
a long steep slope, it is advisable to reduce
speed and change down into a lower gear or
range (depending on the type of transmis-
sion). Thus, make use of engine braking and
relieve the brakes.
● Never let the brakes “drag” by applying
light pressure. Continuous braking will cause
the brakes to overheat and the braking dis-
tance will increase. Apply and then release
the brakes alternately.
● Never let the vehicle run with the engine
switched off. The braking distance is in-
creased considerably when the brake servo is
not active.
● If the brake fluid loses its viscosity and is
subjected to heavy use, vapour bubbles can
form in the brake system. This reduces the ef-
ficiency of the brakes. ●
Non-standard or damaged front spoilers
could restrict the airflow to the brakes and
cause them to overheat. Before purchasing
accessories please observe the relevant in-
structions ››› page 155, Technical modifica-
tions.
● If a br
ake system circuit fails, the braking
distance will be increased considerably. Con-
tact a specialised workshop immediately and
avoid unnecessary journeys. Handbrake
Fig. 132
Handbrake between the front seats. The handbrake should be applied firmly to
prevent the vehicle from accidentally rolling
away. Always apply the handbrake when you
leave your vehicle and when you park.
126
Operation
WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle if you ac-
celerate on slippery road surfaces. Risk of se-
rious injury.
● Be particularly careful when using the kick-
down features on slippery road surfaces. With
a fast acceleration, the vehicle could lose
traction and skid.
● You should use the kick-down feature only
when traffic and weather conditions allow it
to be used safely. Gear-change indicator
3 Valid for vehicles: with a manual gearbox
The recommended gear for saving fuel is in-
dicated on the dash screen of certain vehi-
cles during driving.DisplayMeaning
The optimal gear is selected.
Changing to a higher gear is recommended.
Changing to a lower gear is recommended.
Information regarding the “cleanliness” of
the diesel particulate filter
The exhaust system manager detects that the
diesel particulate filter is nearly saturated
and contributes to self-cleaning by recom-
mending the optimal gear. For this purpose, it might be necessary to drive momentarily
with a high rpm
››› page 59. WARNING
The gear change indicator is only an auxiliary
function and in no case should be a substi-
tute for careful driving.
● The responsibility of choosing the correct
gear depending on the situation (e.g. over-
taking, driving up or down a slope or towing a
trailer) lies with the driver. For the sake of the environment
Selecting the correct gear can help to save
fuel. Note
The recommended gear display is switched
off when the clutch pedal is pressed. Run-in and economical driving
Running in a new engine The engine needs to be run in over the first
1,500 km.
Up to 1000 kilometres
– Do not drive at speeds of more than 2/3
the maximum speed. –
Do not accelerate hard.
– Avoid high engine revolutions.
– Do not tow a trailer.
From 1000 to 1500 kilometres (600 to 900
miles) – Speeds can be gradually increased to the
m ax
imum road speed or maximum permis-
sible engine speed (rpm).
During its first few hours of running, the in-
ternal friction in the engine is greater than
later on, when all the moving parts have bed-
ded in. For the sake of the environment
If the engine is run in gently, its life will be in-
creased and its oil consumption reduced. Running in tyres and brake pads
New tyres should be run-in carefully for the
first 500 km (300 miles). New brake pads
should be run-in carefully for the first
200 km.
During the first 200 km, you can compensate
for the reduced braking effect by applying
more pressure to the brake pedal. In case of
a sharp braking, the braking distance will be
longer with new brake pads than with brake
pads which have been run-in.
134
Driving
WARNING
● At first, new tyres do not give maximum
grip, and require running-in. This may cause
an accident. Drive particularly carefully in the
first 500 km.
● New brake pads must be “run in” and do
not have the correct friction properties during
the first 200 km. However, the reduced brak-
ing capacity may be compensated by press-
ing on the brake pedal a little harder. Environmental friendliness
Environmental protection is a top priority in
the design, choice of materials and manufac-
ture of your new SEAT.
Constructive measures to encourage
recycling
● Joints and connections designed for easy
dismantling
● Modular construction to facilitate disman-
tling
● Increased use of single-grade materials.
● Plastic parts and elastomers are marked in
accordance with ISO 1043, ISO 11469 and
ISO 1629.
Choice of materials
● Use of recycled materials. ●
Use of compatible plastics in the same part
if its components are not easily separated.
● Use of recycled materials and/or materials
originating from renewable sources.
● Reduction of volatile components, includ-
ing odour, in plastic materials.
● Use of CFC-free coolants.
Ban on heavy metals, with the exceptions
dictated by law (Annex II of ELV Directive
2000/53/EC): cadmium, lead, mercury, hexa-
v al
ent chromium.
Manufacturing methods
● Reduction of the quantity of thinner in the
protective wax for cavities.
● Use of plastic film as protection during ve-
hicle transport.
● Use of solvent-free adhesives.
● Use of CFC-free coolants in cooling sys-
tems.
● Recycling and energy recovery from resi-
dues (RDF).
● Improvement in the quality of waste water.
● Use of systems for the recovery of residual
heat (thermal recovery, enthalpy wheels,
etc.).
● The use of water-soluble paints. Catalytic converter To maintain the useful life of the catalytic
converter
– Use only unleaded petrol with petrol en-
gines, as lead damages the catalytic con-
verter.
– Do not let the fuel get too low in the tank.
– For engine oil changes, do not replenish
with too much engine oil ››› page 170, Top-
ping up engine oil .
– Nev er t
ow the vehicle to start it, use jump
leads if necessary ›››
page 188.
If you notice misfiring, uneven running or
loss of power when the vehicle is moving, re-
duce speed immediately and have the vehi-
cle inspected at the nearest specialised
workshop. In general, the exhaust warning
lamp will light up when any of the described
symptoms occur ›››
page 57. If this happens,
unburnt fuel can enter the exhaust system
and escape into the environment. The cata-
lytic converter can also be damaged by over-
heating. WARNING
The catalytic converter reaches very high
temperatures! Risk of fire!
● Never park where the catalytic converter
could come into contact with dry grass or
flammable materials under the vehicle. » 135
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
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
Care and maintenance
Alloy wheels require regular attention to pre-
serve their appearance. If road salt and brake
dust are not often removed, the aluminium
finish will be impaired.
Always use an acid-free detergent for alloy
wheel rims.
Car polish or other abrasive agents should
not be used for maintaining the rims. If the
protective coating is damaged, e.g. by flying
stones, the damaged area should be re-
paired immediately. WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ››› in Steel
wheel rims on page 160. Underbody protection
The vehicle underbody is coated to protect it
from chemical and mechanical damage.
The protective coating can be damaged when
driving. We recommend that you check the
protective coating under the body and on the
running gear, and retouch it if necessary, be-
fore and after the winter season.
We recommend that you go to your Technical
Service to carry out repair work and addition-
al anti-corrosion work. WARNING
Do not apply underseal or anti-corrosion
coatings to the exhaust pipes, catalytic con-
verter or the heat shields on the exhaust sys-
tem. The heat of the exhaust system or the
engine could cause them to ignite. Risk of
fire. Cleaning the engine compartment
Take special care when cleaning the engine
compartment.
Anti-corrosion treatment
The engine compartment and the surface of
the power unit are given anti-corrosion treat-
ment at the factory.
Good corrosion protection is particularly im-
portant in winter when the vehicle is fre-
quently driven on salted roads. To prevent
the salt corroding the vehicle, the entire en-
gine compartment should be thoroughly
cleaned before and after winter.
Technical Services
have the proper products
for cleaning and preservation as well as the
necessary workshop equipment. For this rea-
son, we recommend having this work per-
formed by them.
The anti-corrosion protection is usually re-
moved if the engine compartment is cleaned
with grease removing solutions, or if you have the engine cleaned. On commissioning
this work, ensure that all surfaces, seams,
joints and components in the engine com-
partment are given anti-corrosion treatment.
WARNING
● When working in the engine compartment,
always observe the safety warnings
››› page 166.
● Bef
ore opening the bonnet, switch the en-
gine off, apply the handbrake firmly and al-
ways remove the key from the ignition.
● Allow the engine to cool before you clean
the engine compartment.
● Do not clean, for example, the vehicle un-
derbody, wheel arches or wheel trims without
protecting your hands and arms. You may cut
yourself on sharp-edged metal parts. Failure
to comply could result in injury.
● Moisture, ice and salt on the brake system
may affect braking effectiveness. Risk of acci-
dent. Directly after washing, avoid sudden
and sharp braking.
● Never touch the radiator fan. It is tempera-
ture-controlled and could start automatically,
even when the key is removed from the igni-
tion! For the sake of the environment
Fuel, grease and oil deposits can be removed
when the engine is washed. The polluted wa-
ter must be cleaned in an oil separator. For
this reason, engine washing should be » 161
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials