2014 Seat Leon 5D Owner's manual

Care and maintenance
A SEAT Official Service and specialised work-
shop will be able to inform you about options
for installing and operating radio transmitters
with a higher
transmitting power.
Mo
bile radio transmitters
Commercial mobile telephones or radio
equipment might interfere with the electron-
ics of your vehicle and cause malfunctions.
This may be due to:
● No external aerial.
● External aerial incorrectly installed.
● Transmitting power more than 10 W.
You must, therefore, do not operate portable
mobile telephones or radio equipment inside
the vehicle without a properly installed exter-
nal aerial ››› .
Please note also that the maximum range of
the equipment can only be achieved with an
external aerial.
B u

siness equipment
Retrofit installation of business or private
equipment in the vehicle is permitted, provi-
ded the equipment cannot interfere with the
driver's immediate control of the vehicle and
that any such equipment carries the  mark.
Any retrofit equipment that could influence
the driver's control of the vehicle must have a
type approval for your vehicle and must carry
the e mark. WARNING
Mobile telephones or radio equipment which
is operated inside the vehicle without a prop-
erly installed external aerial can create exces-
sive magnetic fields that could cause a health
hazard. Note
● The posterior fitting of electric and elec-
tronic equipment in this vehicle affects its li-
cence and could lead to the withdrawal of the
vehicle registration document under certain
circumstances.
● Please use the mobile telephone/radio op-
erating instructions. Care and cleaning
General information Regular and careful care helps to
maintain
the value of the vehicle. This may also be one
of the requirements for upholding any war-
ranty claims in the event of corrosion or paint
defects.
SEAT Official Services and specialist retailers
carry stocks of suitable car care materials.
Please follow the instructions for use on the
packaging. WARNING
● Cleaning products and other materials used
for car care can be damaging to your health if
misused.
● Always keep care products in a safe place,
out of the reach of children. Failure to comply
could result in poisoning. For the sake of the environment
● If possible, use environmentally friendly
products.
● The remains of car care products should not
be disposed of with ordinary household
waste. Vehicle exterior care
Washing the vehicle The longer substances such as insects, bird
droppings, resinous tree sap, road dirt, in-
dustrial deposits, tar, soot or road salt and
other aggressive materials remain on the ve-
hicle, the more damage they do to the paint-
work. High temperatures (for instance due to
strong sunlight) further intensify the corro-
sive effect.
After the period when salt is put on the roads
it is important to have the underside of the
vehicle washed thoroughly.
»
183
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials

Advice
Automatic car washes
Before going through a car wash, be sure to
take the usual precautions such as closing
the windows and roof. If the vehicle has spe-
cial accessories such as spoilers or a roof
rack or two-way radio aerial, etc., it is advisa-
ble to consult the car wash tunnel operator.
It is best to use a car wash without revolving
bristles if possible.
Washing the vehicle with a high pressure
cleaner
When washing the vehicle with a high-pres-
sure cleaner, always follow the operating in-
structions for the equipment. This applies
particularly to the operating pressure and the
spraying distance . Do not hold the nozzle too
c lo
se to soft materials such as rubber hoses
or seals. The same applies to the parking aid
sensors*, which are located in the rear bump-
er.
Do not use a nozzle that sprays the water out
in a
direct stream or one that has a rotating
jet for forcing off dirt.
Washing the car by hand
When washing the car by hand, use plenty of
water to soften the dirt first, and rinse off as
well as possible.
Then clean the vehicle with a soft sponge,
glove
or brush using only slight pressure.
You should start on the roof and work down. Special car
soap
should only be used for very
persistent dirt.
Rinse the sponge or glove thoroughly and of-
ten.
Wheels, sills and similar should be cleaned
last. Use a second sponge for this. WARNING
● The vehicle should only be washed with the
ignition switched off. Failure to follow this in-
struction could result in an accident.
● Do not clean the underside of chassis, the
inside of wheel arches or wheel trims without
protecting your hands and arms. You may cut
yourself on sharp-edged metal parts. Other-
wise, there is a risk of sustaining cuts.
● When washing the car during the winter
season: water and ice in the brake system
can reduce braking effectiveness: risk of acci-
dent! CAUTION
● Do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight –
otherwise the paint can be damaged.
● Do not use sponges, abrasive household
sponges or similar to clean insect remains.
This could damage the surface.
● Clean off stubborn dirt (insects, etc.) from
the headlights at regular intervals, for in-
stance when filling the fuel tank. The head-
lights should only be washed with water, do not wipe them with a dry cloth or sponge. It
is best to use soapy water.
● Never wash tyres with a jet that sprays the
water out in a direct stream. This could dam-
age the tyres even if the spray is kept at a
distance and only used for a very short time.
● Before washing the vehicle in an automatic
car wash, please make sure to retract the ex-
terior mirrors to prevent them from being
damaged. Electrically retractable exterior
mirrors must not be folded in or out by hand,
always use the electrical power control. CAUTION
● Before washing the vehicle in an automatic
car wash, please proceed as follows to lock
the wiper arms so that they are not moved to-
wards the top of the windscreen:
–the bonnet must be closed.
– switch the ignition on and off.
– press the windscreen wiper lever forward
briefly (windscreen washer function).
This will lock the wiper arms. For the sake of the environment
The car should only be washed in special
wash bays. These areas are prepared to pre-
vent oily water from getting into the public
drains. In some places, washing vehicles out-
side the areas intended for this purpose is
prohibited. 184

Care and maintenance
Camera sensors and lenses ●
Use a small brush to remove snow and a
de-icer spray to remove ice.
● Clean the sensors with a solvent-free prod-
uct and a soft, dry cloth.
● Moisten the camera lens using a standard
alcohol-based glass cleaning agent and
clean the lens with a dry cloth. In the active
lane assist*, the area in front of the lens is
norm al
ly cleaned with the windscreen wash-
er. CAUTION
● When you clean the vehicle with a pressure
washer:
–Stay a suitable distance from the sensors
on the front and rear bumpers.
– Do not clean the camera lenses or sur-
rounding area with the pressure washer.
● Never use warm or hot water to remove
snow and ice from the reverse camera lens,
as it could crack the lens.
● Never use abrasive cleaning agents on the
lens. Care and polishing
Care
Waxing protects the paintwork. It is time to
apply a
coat of good wax when water no lon- ger forms droplets
and rolls off the clean
paintwork.
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.
In the summer, you will find it is much easier
to remove dead insects (which accumulate
on the bumper and the front of the bonnet) if
the car has been treated with care products
recently .
P o

lishing
Polishing is only necessary if the paint has
lost its shine, and the gloss cannot be
brought back by putting on wax.
If the polish does not contain wax, a wax
product should be applied after polishing. CAUTION
● Do not use polishes and hard wax on pain-
ted parts with a matt finish or on plastic
parts.
● Do not apply paint polishes to the side trim
that runs around the panoramic roof and ends
on the windscreen. However, it can be treated
with hard wax. Trims
In respect for the environment, the silver-
plated trims on the body are made of pure
aluminium (they do not contain chrome).
Dirt or marks on the trim mouldings should
be removed with a cleaning product with a
neutr
a

l PH (do not use a chrome cleaner).
Body polish is also unsuitable for use on trim
mouldings. The intensive cleaning fluids of-
ten used before the car goes into a car wash
may contain alkaline substances, which can
cause dull or milky patches when they dry
out.
SEAT Official Services carry stocks of cleaning
products which have been tested for use on
your vehicle and are not harmful to the envi-
ronment.
Plastic parts Plastic parts are cleaned with a power wash-
er. If this is not sufficient, plastic parts
should only be treated with a special solvent-
free
plastic cleaning agent
. Do not
u
se paint-
work cleaners, polishes or wax on plastic
parts.
185
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials

Advice
Carbon components The carbon parts on your vehicle have a pain-
ted surface. They do not need any special
care and are cleaned just like any other pain-
ted part
››› page 183.
P aint
damage Minor damage to the paint, such as scratches
or stone chips, should be touched up without
delay
before the metal starts to corrode. Suit-
ab l

e touch-up brushes or sprays for your car
can be obtained from a SEAT Official Service.
The number of the original paint finish on the
vehicle is given on the data sticker
››› page 241
.
If corrosion is already visible it must be thor-
oughly removed by a specialised workshop.
Windows Clear vision is an essential safety factor.
The windscreen must not be cleaned with in-
sect remover or wax, otherwise the wind-
screen wipers will not function properly (jud-
dering).
Traces of rubber, oil, grease or silicone can
be removed with a
window cleaning solution
or a silicone remover. Wax residue can only be remo
ved with a special cleaner. Your SEAT
Official Service will be able to provide you
with more detailed information.
The windows should also be cleaned on the
inside at regular intervals.
Use a separate cloth or chamois to dry the
windows. Cloths used for waxing and polish-
ing contain residues that will cause smears
on the glass. WARNING
Do not use water-repellent coatings on the
windscreen. In bad visibility conditions (e.g.
in the rain, dark or with a low sun), these
coatings may cause dazzle: risk of accident!
Such coatings can also cause the windscreen
wiper blades to make noise. CAUTION
● Remove snow and ice from windows and ex-
terior mirrors with a plastic scraper only. To
avoid scratches caused by dirt on the glass,
the scraper should only be pushed in one di-
rection and not moved to and fro.
● The heating element for the rear window is
located on the inner side of the window. To
avoid damaging them, do not apply stickers
to these heating elements.
● Never use warm or hot water to remove
snow and ice from windows and mirrors. This
could cause the glass to crack! Wheels
The wheels require regular attention to pre-
serve their appearance. It is important to re-
move road salt and brake dust by washing
the wheels at regular intervals, otherwise the
finish will be impaired.
After washing, the wheels should only be
cleaned with an "acid-free" cleaning agent
for alloy wheels. This is available from SEAT
Official Services and specialist retailers. Nev-
er leave the cleaning agent on the rims for
any longer than specified in the instructions
before rinsing it off. If the wheel cleaner fluid
contains acid it can attack the surfaces of the
wheel bolts.
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
Please note when cleaning the wheels that
water, ice and road salt can impair the effec-
tiveness of the brakes; this can cause an acci-
dent. Exhaust tail pipe
It is important to remove road salt and brake
dust by washing the wheels at regular
186

Care and maintenance
intervals, otherwise the exhaust tail pipe ma-
terial could be damaged. To remove impuri-
ties, do not use rim, paint or chrome cleaners
or other abrasive products. Clean the exhaust
tail pipes with cleaning products that are
suitable for stainless steel.
SEAT Official Services carry stocks of cleaning
products that have been tested and ap-
proved for use on your vehicle.
Care of the vehicle interior
Radio display/Easy Connect* and
control panel* The display can be cleaned with a soft cloth
and a professionally available “LCD cleaner”.
Moisten the cloth with a small amount of the
cleaning fluid.
The Easy Connect control panel* should first
be cleaned with a brush so that no dirt goes
into the device or between the keys and
housing. Next, we recommend cleaning the
Easy Connect control panel* using a cloth
dampened with water and washing-up liquid.
CAUTION
● To avoid scratching the screen, do not wipe
the display with a dry cloth.
● To avoid damage, ensure that no liquid
goes into the Easy Connect control panel*. Plastic and leatherette parts
Plastic parts and leatherette can be cleaned
with a damp cloth. If this is not sufficient,
plastic parts and leatherette should only be
treated with a special solvent-free plastic
c l
eaner.
Te
xtile covers and trim parts Textile covers and trim parts (e.g. seats, door
trim) should be cleaned regularly with a vac-
uum cleaner. This will remove surface dirt
which could otherwise be rubbed into the
textile material during use. Do not use steam
cleaners, as the steam could carry the dirt
deeper into the textile material.
Normal cleaning
We recommend that you use a soft sponge or
a commercially available lint-free, micro-fibre
cloth for normal cleaning. Only use brushes
on floor coverings and mats, as other textile
surfaces could become damaged.
In the case of normal surface dirt you can use
a foam cleaner. Use a sponge to spread the
foam on the textile surface and to work it into
the material lightly. However, make sure that
the textile material does not become soaking
wet. Then dab off the foam with a dry and ab-
sorbent cloth (e.g. a micro-fibre cloth) andvacuum off any residue once the surface is
completely dry.
Cleaning stains
Treat drink stains (such as coffee or fruit
juice, etc.) with a cleaning solution for deli-
cate fabrics. This solution should be applied
with a sponge. If the stains are difficult to re-
move, a washing paste can be applied direct-
ly onto the stain and worked into the fabric.
The surface will then have to be wiped with
clear water to remove any residue left by the
paste. To do so, use a damp cloth or sponge
and then dab the stain with an absorbent
cloth.
Remove chocolate or make-up stains with a
cleaning paste (for e.g., soft soap). Then re-
move the soap with water (wet sponge).
A spirit-based cleaner can be used to remove
grease, oil, lipstick or ball point pen. Then
dab the dissolved grease or colour particles
off with an absorbent cloth or similar. You
may also have to treat the stain once more
using washing paste and water.
If the covers or textile trim panels are badly
soiled we recommend that you have them
cleaned by a professional cleaning company
with a shampoo and spray.
»
187Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials

Advice
Note
Open Velcro fasteners on clothes can damage
the seat upholstery. Make sure they are
closed. Natural leather
General information
Our range of leathers is large. The main type
used is particularly nappa in various forms,
that is, leather with a smooth surface in dif-
ferent colours.
The amount of dye used determines the ap-
pearance and properties of leather. If the
leather is left in a more natural state, it re-
tains its typical natural napped appearance
and confers excellent all-weather properties
to the seats. Fine veins, healed scars, insect
bites, wrinkles and a subtle variation in shad-
ing remain visible; these are the characteris-
tic features of genuine natural leather.
Natural napped leather does not have a pro-
tective surface coating of dye. It is therefore
somewhat more prone to damage. This
should be borne in mind if children or pets
often travel in the car, or if there are other
factors that could lead to damage.
Types of leather with a coloured surface coat-
ing are likely to be more resistant to damage.
This has a great advantage for day-to-day
use. However, this means that the typical natural characteristics of the surface are less
apparent, though this does not affect quality.
Cleaning and care
Due to the natural properties of the specially
selected hides employed, the finished leath-
er has a certain sensitivity to grease and dirt,
etc. so a degree of care is required in every-
day use and when looking after the leather.
Dark clothing (especially if damp or incorrect-
ly dyed) may stain leather upholstery on the
seats. Dust and grit in the pores and seams
can scratch and damage the surface. There-
fore leather should be cleaned at regular in-
tervals, depending on the actual amount of
use. When they have been in use for a certain
time, your car seats will acquire a typical and
unmistakable patina. This is characteristic for
leather as a natural product and is a sign of
genuine quality.
To maintain the value of natural leather you
should note the following points:
CAUTION
● Avoid exposing leather to direct sunlight
for long periods, otherwise it may tend to
lose some of its colour. If the car is left for a
prolonged period in the bright sun, it is best
to cover the leather.
● Sharp-edged objects on clothing, such as
belts, zip fasteners, rivets or similar, can also
leave permanent scratches and rough marks
on the surface of the leather. Note
● Use a suitable impregnating cream with ul-
tra-violet protection at regular intervals and
after cleaning. The cream nourishes and
moisturises the leather, keeps it supple and
able to breathe. A protective film will also
form.
● Clean the leather every 2 to 3 months and
remove fresh dirt as soon as possible.
● Remove stains from fresh ball-pen and oth-
er inks, lipstick, shoe cream and similar
stains as soon as possible.
● Preserve the colour of the leather. A special
coloured cream will renew the colour of the
leather when required and will eliminate dif-
ferences in colour. Cleaning and care of leather
upholstery
Natural leather requires an extra degree of at-
tention and care.
Normal cleaning
–
Moisten a cotton or woollen cloth with wa-
ter and wipe over the leather surfaces.
More stubborn dirt
– More stubborn dirt can be removed using a
mild soap solution (pure liquid soap: two
188

Care and maintenance
tablespoons dissolved in one litre of
water).
– Do not let the water soak through the leath-
er or penetrate into the seams.
– Then wipe off with a soft, dry cloth.
Removal of stains – Remove fresh water-based
stains such as
c
offee, tea, juices, blood etc. with an ab-
sorbent cloth or kitchen roll, or use the
cleaning agent from the care set for dried-
on stains.
– Remove fresh grease-based stains that
hav

e not penetrated the surface such as
butter, mayonnaise, chocolate, etc. with an
absorbent cloth or kitchen roll or with the
cleaning agent from the care set.
– Treat fat-based, dried-in
stains with grease-
dissolving spray.
– Treat less common stains on leather, such
as ball-pen and other inks, felt-tip pens,
nail polish, dispersion paint, shoe cream
etc. with a special leather stain remover.
Leather maintenance
– The leather should be treated regularly
(about twice a year) with a special leather-
care product.
– Apply these products very sparingly.
– Then wipe off with a soft, dry cloth. Should you have questions regarding the
care and cleaning of the leather upholstery in
your vehicle, we recommend that you contact
your SEAT Official Service. Our representa-
tives will be happy to advise you and tell you
about the product range for leather conserva-
tion, for example:
● Cleaning and care set.
● Coloured leather-care cream.
● Stain remover for ball-pen inks, shoe cream
etc.
● Grease dissolving spray.
● New products and further developments CAUTION
On no account use solvents (such as petrol,
turpentine), wax polish, shoe cream or simi-
lar materials. Cleaning Alcantara upholstery
Removing dust and dirt
– Moisten a cloth just a little
and w
ipe do
wn
the seat covers.
Removing stains – Moisten a cloth with lukewarm water or di-
luted white spirits.
– Dab at

the stain. Start at the outside and
work inwards. –
Dry the clean area with a soft cloth.
Do not use leather cleaning products on Al-
cantara seat covers.
You may use a suitable soap on dust and dirt.
Dust and grit in the pores and seams can
scratch and damage the surface. If the car is
left standing in the sun for long periods, Al-
cantara leather should be protected against
direct sunlight to prevent it from fading. How-
ever, slight colour variations will arise in nor-
mal use. CAUTION
● Do not use solvents, wax polish, shoe
cream, stain removers, leather cleaning prod-
ucts or any similar products on Alcantara.
● To avoid damage, stubborn stains should
be removed by a specialised workshop.
● On no account use brushes, hard sponges
or similar utensils. Seat belts
–
Keep the seat belts clean.
– For cleaning, use a mild solution of soap
and water.
– Check the condition of the seat belts at reg-
ular intervals.
»
189
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials

Advice
The retract function may not operate properly
in very dirty belts. Make sure that the inertia
reel seat belts are completely dry before al-
lowing them to retract. CAUTION
● Do not remove the seat belts from the vehi-
cle to clean them.
● Do not use chemical cleaning agents on the
seat belts, as this can damage the webbing.
Ensure that the seat belts do not come into
contact with corrosive fluids.
● If you find any damage to the belt webbing,
belt fittings, the belt retractor or the buckle,
the belt in question must be replaced by a
specialised workshop. Intelligent technology
Electro-mechanical steering Electro-mechanical power steering assists
the driver when steering.
Electro-mechanical power steering adapts
electronically to the speed of the car, torque
and t
urnin
g angle.
If the power steering should fail at any time
or the engine is switched off (for instance
when being towed), the car can still be
steered. However, more effort than normal
will be required to turn the steering wheel.
Driver warning lamps and messages  (in red) Faulty steering! To park the vehicle
If the warning lamp remains on and the driver
indication appears, the power steering could
be faulty.
Do not continue driving. Seek specialist as-
s

istance.
 (in yellow) Steering: System fault! You
may continue driving.
If the warning lamp comes on, the steering
could react with more difficultly or more sen-
sitivity than normal. In addition, when driving
in a straight line the steering wheel may be
off-centre. Drive slowly to a specialised workshop and
have the fault repaired.
 (in yellow) Steering lock: fault! Go to an
Official Service
The electronic steering lock is malfunction-
ing.
Go to a specialised workshop as soon as
possible and have the fault repaired. WARNING
Take it immediately to a specialised work-
shop and have the fault repaired: risk of acci-
dent! Note
If the lamp  (in red) or else  (in y
ellow)
lights up briefly, you may continue driving. Progressive steering
Depending on the vehicle equipment, the
progressive steering can adapt steering hard-
ness to the current driving situation. The
power steering only works when the engine
is running.
In
city traffic
y
ou do not need to turn so much
on p
arking, manoeuvring or in very tight
turns.
On the
road or on the motorway, progressive
steering transmits, for example, in bends, a
190