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
tank is “full”. Never attempt to fill beyond
this point, as this will fill the expansion
chamber. Fuel may leak out if ambient condi-
tions are warm.
The correct fuel grade for your vehicle is giv-
en on a sticker on the inside of the fuel tank
flap. WARNING
● Fuel is highly flammable and can cause se-
rious burns and other injuries.
–Never smoke or come into contact with
sparks when filling the fuel tank of the
vehicle or a spare fuel canister with fuel.
This is an explosion hazard.
– Follow legal requirements for the use of
spare fuel canisters.
– For safety reasons we do not recommend
carrying a spare fuel canister in the vehi-
cle. The canister could be damaged in an
accident and leak.
● If, in exceptional circumstances, you have
to carry a spare fuel canister, please observe
the following:
–Never fill the spare fuel canister inside
the vehicle or on it. An electrostatic
charge could build up during filling, caus-
ing the fuel fumes to ignite. This could
cause an explosion. Always place the
canister on the ground to fill it.
– Insert the fuel nozzle into the mouth of
the canister as far as possible. –
If the spare fuel canister is made of met-
al, the filling nozzle must be in contact
with the canister during filling. This
helps prevent an electrostatic charge
building up.
– Never spill fuel in the vehicle or in the
luggage compartment. Fuel vapours are
explosive. Danger of death. CAUTION
● Fuel spills should be removed from the
paintwork immediately.
● Never run the tank completely dry. Irregular
fuel supply can cause misfiring. As a result,
unburnt fuel could enter the catalytic convert-
er and cause damage.
● When filling the fuel tank after having run it
completely dry on a vehicle with a diesel en-
gine the ignition must be switched on for at
least 30 seconds before starting the engine.
Subsequently, when you start the engine it
may take longer than normal to start firing
(up to one minute). This is due to the fact that
the fuel system has to purge itself of air be-
fore starting. For the sake of the environment
Do not try to put in more fuel after the auto-
matic filler nozzle has switched off; this may
cause the fuel to overflow if it becomes warm. Petrol
Petrol types The correct petrol types are listed on a sticker
inside the fuel tank flap.
Only
unleaded petrol conforming to standard
DIN EN 228 may be used for vehicles with
c at
alytic converters (EN = “European Stand-
ard”).
Types of petrol differ from each other accord-
ing to the octane rating , for example: 91, 95,
98 RON (RON = “R
esearch Octane Number”,
unit for determining the knock resistance of
petrol). You may use petrol with a higher oc-
tane number than the one recommended for
your engine. However, this has no advantage
in terms of fuel consumption and engine
power. CAUTION
● Even one tankful of leaded fuel would per-
manently impair the efficiency of the catalyt-
ic converter.
● High engine speed and full throttle can
damage the engine when using petrol with an
octane rating lower than the correct grade for
the engine. 164
Checking and refilling levels
For the sake of the environment
Just one full tank of leaded fuel would seri-
ously impair the efficiency of the catalytic
converter. Petrol additives
The quality of the fuel influences the behav-
iour, power and service life of the engine.
This is why the petrol you use should carry
suitable additives already included by the
petrol industry, free of metals. These addi-
tives will help to prevent corrosion, keep the
fuel system clean and prevent deposits from
building up in the engine.
If good-quality petrol with metal-free addi-
tives is not available or engine problems
arise, the necessary additives must be added
when refuelling.
Not all petrol additives have been shown to
be effective. The use of unsuitable petrol ad-
ditives may cause significant damage to the
engine and the catalytic converter. Metal ad-
ditives should never be used. Metal additives
may also be contained in petrol additives for
improving anti-detonation ratings or octane
ratings.
SEAT recommends “genuine Volkswagen
Group fuel additives for petrol engines”.
These additives can be bought at SEAT deal- ers, where information on how to use them
can also be obtained. CAUTION
Do not refuel if the filler indicates that the
fuel contains metal. LRP (lead replacement
petrol) fuels contain high concentrations of
metal additives. Using them may damage the
engine! Diesel
Diesel* Diesel fuel
must conform to DIN EN 590 (EN =
“European Standard”). It must have a cetane
number (CN) of at least 51. The cetane num-
ber indicates the ignition quality of the diesel
fuel.
Notes on refuelling ›››
page 163.
Biodiesel* CAUTION
● Your vehicle is not designed to use biodie-
sel fuel. Never, under any circumstances re-
fuel with biodiesel. The use of biodiesel fuel
could damage the engine and the fuel sys-
tem. The addition of biodiesel to diesel fuel
by the diesel manufacturer in accordance with standard EN 590 or DIN 51628 is author-
ised and will not cause damage to the engine
or the fuel system.
● The diesel engine has been designed to be
used exclusively with diesel fuel conforming
to standard EN 590. Never refuel or use pet-
rol, kerosene, fuel oil or any other type of
fuel. If you accidentally fill up the vehicle with the wrong type of fuel, do not start the
engine. Seek assistance from specialised per-
sonnel. The composition of these fuels may
severely damage the fuel system and the en-
gine. Winter operation
Winter-grade diesel
When using “summer-grade diesel fuel”, dif-
ficulties may be experienced at temperatures
below 0 °C (+32 °F) because the fuel thickens
due to wax separation. For this reason, “win-
ter-grade diesel fuel” is available in some
countries during the cold months. It can be
used at temperatures as low as -22 °C (-8 ºF).
In countries with different climatic conditions
the diesel fuel generally sold has different
temperature characteristics. Check with the
Technical Services or filling stations in the
country concerned regarding the type of die-
sel fuels available.
»
165Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Advice
If you often drive short distances or if the ve-
hicle is not driven for long periods, the bat-
tery should be checked by a specialised
workshop between the scheduled services.
If the battery has discharged and you have
problems starting the vehicle, the battery
might be damaged. If this happens, we rec-
ommend you have the vehicle battery
checked by a Technical Service where it will
be re-charged or replaced.
Charging the battery
The vehicle battery should be charged by a
specialised workshop only, as batteries us-
ing special technology have been installed
and they must be charged in a controlled en-
vironment.
Replacing a vehicle battery
The battery has been developed to suit the
conditions of its location and has special
safety features.
Genuine SEAT batteries meet the mainte-
nance, performance and safety specifications
of your vehicle. WARNING
● We recommend you use only maintenance-
free or cycle free leak-proof batteries which
comply with standards T 825 06 and
VW 7 50 73. This standard applies as of
2001. ●
Before starting any work on the batteries,
you must read and observe the warnings
››› in Warnings on handling the battery on
page 174. For the sake of the environment
Batteries contain toxic substances such as
sulphuric acid and lead. They must be dis-
posed of appropriately and must not be dis-
posed of with ordinary household waste. Wheels
Wheels and tyres General notes Avoiding damage
– If you have to drive over a kerb or similar
obstacle, drive very slowly and at a right
angle.
– Keep grease, oil and fuel off the tyres.
– Inspect the tyres regularly for damage
(cuts, cracks or blisters, etc.). Remove any
foreign objects embedded in the treads.
Storing tyres
– When you remove the tyres, mark them in
order to maintain the same direction of ro-
tation when they are installed again.
– When removed, the wheels and/or tyres
should be stored in a cool, dry and prefera-
bly dark location.
– Store tyres in a vertical position, if they are
not fitted on wheel rims.
New tyres
New tyres must be run in ›››
page 134.
The tread depth of new tyres may vary, ac-
cording to the type and make of tyre and the
tread pattern.
176
Advice
●
Observe the expiry date of the contents of
the first aid kit. After it has expired you
should purchase a new one.
● The fire extinguisher must comply with le-
gal requirements.
● Ensure that the fire extinguisher is fully
functional. The fire extinguisher should,
therefore, be checked regularly. The sticker
on the fire extinguisher will inform you of the
next date for checking.
● Before acquiring accessories and emergen-
cy equipment see the instructions in “Acces- sories and spares” ››› page 155. Vehicle Tools
Read the additional information carefully
››› page 27
Some of the items listed are only provided in
certain model versions, or are optional ex-
tras. WARNING
● The factory-supplied jack is only designed
for changing wheels on this model. On no ac-
count attempt to use it for lifting heavier ve-
hicles or other loads. Risk of injury.
● Use the jack only on a firm, level ground.
● Never start the engine when the vehicle is
on the jack. Risk of accident. ●
If work is to be carried out underneath the
vehicle, this must be secured by suitable
means. Otherwise, there is a risk of injury. Note
The jack does not generally require any main-
tenance. If required, it should be greased us-
ing universal type grease. Spare wheel (temporary spare
wheel)*
The temporary spare wheel is stored under
the floor panel in the luggage compartment
and is attached by a thumbnut.
How to use the temporary spare wheel
If you ever have a punctured tyre or loss of
pressure, the temporary spare wheel is only
intended for temporary use until you reach a
workshop. Change it for a duty wheel as soon
as possible.
Please note the following restrictions when
using the temporary spare wheel. This tem-
porary spare wheel has been specially de-
signed for your vehicle, thus, it cannot be
changed with the temporary spare wheel
from another vehicle.
No other type of tyre (normal summer or win-
ter tyre) may be fitted on the compact tempo-
rary spare wheel rim.Snow chains
For technical reasons, snow chains must not
be used on the temporary spare wheel.
If you have a puncture on one of the front
wheels when using snow chains, fit the tem-
porary spare wheel in place of one of the rear
wheels. Fit the snow chains on the rear wheel
that you have removed and replace the punc-
tured front wheel with this wheel.
WARNING
● After fitting the temporary spare wheel,
check the tyre pressures as soon as possible.
Failure to do so may cause an accident. The
tyre pressures are listed on the inside of the
fuel tank flap.
● Do not drive at over 80 km/h (50 mph)
when the temporary spare wheel is fitted on
the vehicle: risk of accident!
● Avoid heavy acceleration, hard braking and
fast cornering: risk of accident!
● Never use more than one temporary spare
wheel at the same time, risk of accident.
● No other type of tyre (normal summer or
winter tyre) may be fitted on the compact
temporary spare wheel rim. 182
Technical features
Vehicles for certain export countries do not
have an identification plate.
Identification plate
The identification plate is located on the right
rib inside the engine compartment.
Vehicle data
The data sticker is placed on the inside of the
spare wheel well, in the boot and on the rear
cover of the Maintenance Programme.
The following information is provided on the
vehicle data sticker: ››› Fig. 207
Vehicle identification number (chassis
number)
Vehicle type, model, capacity, engine
type, finish, engine power and gearbox
type
Engine code, gearbox code, external
paint code and internal equipment code
Optional extras and PR numbers
Consumption values (l/100 km) and CO 2
emissions (g/km)
A Urban cycle consumption
B Out-of-town consumption
C Combined consumption and CO
2
emissions
1 2
3
4
5 Chassis number
The vehicle identification number can be
read from outside the vehicle through a view-
er in the windscreen
››› Fig. 208 . The viewer is
loc at
ed near the lower corner of the wind-
screen. The chassis number is printed on the
right water drain channel. The water drain
channel is located between the suspension
turret and the fender. To access the chassis
number, open the bonnet ››› page 166.
Information on fuel
consumption Fuel consumption and CO 2 emissions The consumption and emission details
shown on the vehicle data sticker differ from
one vehicle to another.
Vehicle fuel consumption and CO
2 emissions
appear on the vehicle data sticker in the
spare wheel well, inside the boot and on the
rear cover of the Maintenance Programme.
The fuel consumption and CO 2 emission val-
ues refer to the weight category assigned to
your vehicle according to the engine and
gearbox combination, as well as the specific
equipment fitted, and is only used to com-
pare between the different models. The fuel consumption and CO
2 emissions do
not depend only on the performance of the
vehicle, they can also differ from the estab-
lished values depending on other factors
such as driving style, road conditions, traffic
conditions, environmental conditions, load
and number of passengers.
Calculation of fuel consumption
The consumption values have been calcula-
ted based on measurements performed or
supervised by certified CE laboratories ac-
cording to the latest version of directives
715/2007/EC and 80/1268/CEE (for more in-
formation consult the European Union Publi-
cations Office at EUR-Lex: © European Union,
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/index.htm) and
are valid for the kerb weight indicated for the
vehicle. Note
In practice, and considering all the factors
mentioned here, consumption values can dif-
fer from those calculated in the current Euro-
pean regulations. Weights
Kerb weight refers to the basic model with a
fuel tank filled to 90% capacity and without
optional extras. The figure quoted includes
75 kg to allow for the weight of the driver.
»
209
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials