2014 Seat Leon 5D tow

Transport and practical equipment
Removing the net partition
● Fold the rear seat backrests forward.
● Press the left or right release catch
››› Fig. 125 in the direction of the arrow 1 .
● Remove the casing from the support in the
direction of the arrow ››› Fig. 125 2 .
Fitting the net partition
● Fold the rear seat backrests forward.
● Fit the casing in the right and left supports.
● Press the casing into the left and right sup-
ports in the opposite direction to the arrow
››› Fig. 125 2 until it engages.
The red markings on the release buttons
should no longer be visible. WARNING
● Always secure objects, even when the net
partition is properly assembled.
● There should be nobody behind the assem-
bled partition when the vehicle is moving. CAUTION
Incorrect handling of the net partition could
cause damage. ● Do not “release” the net partition when
lowering it, as the net and other vehicle parts
could be damaged. Roll down the net parti-
tion by hand. Use of the net partition with the rear
seat backrests lowered
3 Applies to the model: LEON ST
Fig. 126
Assembling the net partition in the
rear seat backrests. Fig. 127
In the luggage compartment: net
partition hooked into the rear seat backrests. Fitting the net partition
● Fold the rear seat backrests forward. ●
Remove the net partition from the side sup-
ports.
● Place the net casing in the rail slots in the
direction of the arrows ››› Fig. 126 1 .
● Push the casing towards the left side of the
vehicle in the direction of arrow ››› Fig. 126
2 and as far as it will go.
● Check that the net is secure.
Pulling out and securing the net partition
● Pull up handle ››› Fig. 127 2 to remove the
net from the casing ››› Fig. 127 4 .
● Hook in the net partition on the right side
››› Fig. 127 3 (magnified image).
● Hook in the net partition in the left side
housing ››› Fig. 127 1 pulling the rod.
The net partition is properly assembled when
the T-shaped ends are firmly secured in the
corresponding housings ››› Fig. 127 3 and
1 .
Retracting the net partition
● Remove the rod from the housings in the
trims of the roof side members.
● Roll up the net into the casing ››› Fig. 127
4 lowering it with your hand.
»
117Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials

Operation
When accelerating, the gearbox automatical-
ly shifts up into the next gear shortly before
the maximum engine speed is reached.
If you select a lower gear, the automatic gear-
box will not shift down until there is no risk of
overrevving the engine.
When the kick-down feature is used, the
gearbox shifts down to a lower gear, depend-
ing on road speed and engine speed.
Driving tips The gearbox changes gear ratios automatical-
ly as the vehicle moves.
The engine can only start with the selector
lever in the position P or N. At low tempera-
tures, below -10°C (50°F), the engine can on-
ly start with the selector lever in the position
P.
Starting the vehicle
– Press and hold the brake pedal.
– Press and hold the interlock button (the
button on the selector lever handle), move
the selector lever to the desired position,
for instance D
› ››
page 133, and release the
interlock button.
– Wait for the gearbox to engage the gear (a
slight movement can be felt). –
Release the brake and press the accelerator
››› .
Stopping briefly – Apply the foot brake to hold the vehicle
briefly when stationary (for instance at traf-
fic lights). Do not press the accelerator.
Stopping/Parking
If the driver door is opened and the selector
lever is not in position P, the vehicle could
move. The driver message will be:  Gear
change: selector lever in the drive position!. Additionally, a buzzer will sound.
– Press and hold the brake pedal ››› .
– Apply the handbrake.
– Move the selector lever to position P.
Holding the car on a hill – Always apply the brake pedal firmly to pre-
v ent

the vehicle from “moving backwards;
if necessary, apply the handbrake” ››› .
Do not
try to stop the vehicle “rolling back”
b

y increasing the engine speed when a
gear is engaged (pressing the accelerator)
››› .
Moving off uphill in vehicles without Hill
start assistant* – Apply the handbrake. –
Once you have engaged a gear press the
accelerator carefully and disengage the
handbrake.
Moving off uphill in vehicles with Hill start
assistant* – Once you have engaged a gear, release the
footbrake and press the accelerator
››› page 147, Hill driving assistant*.
Driving down hills: in some situations (on
mountain roads or when towing a trailer or
caravan) it can be advantageous to switch
temporarily to the manual gearbox pro-
gramme so that the gear ratios can be selec-
ted manually to suit the driving conditions
››› .
On level ground it is sufficient to move the
selector lever to position P. On slopes, first
engage the parking brake and then put the
selection lever into the P position. This
avoids overloading the locking mechanism
and it will be easier to move the selector lev-
er from position P. WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ››› in Selector
lever positions on page 133.
● Never allow the brake to rub and do not use
the brake pedal too often or for long periods.
Constant braking causes overheating in the 136

Operation
– Take your left foot off the brake pedal. WARNING
● Always adapt your driving style to the traf-
fic conditions.
● Only use the launch control programme
when road and traffic conditions permit, and
make sure your manner of driving and accel-
erating the vehicle does not inconvenience or
endanger other road users.
● Make sure that the ESC remains switched
on. Please note that when the ASR and ESC
are deactivated, the wheels may start to spin,
causing the vehicle to lose grip. Risk of acci-
dent!
● After putting the vehicle into gear, the
“sport” mode of the ESC should be deactiva-
ted again by briefly pressing the OFF but-
ton. Note
● After using the Launch control programme,
the temperature in the gearbox may have in-
creased considerably. In this case, the pro-
gramme could be disabled for several mi-
nutes. The programme can be used again af-
ter the cooling phase.
● Accelerating with the Launch control pro-
gramme places a heavy load on all parts of
the vehicle. This can result in increased wear
and tear. Downhill speed control*
The downhill speed control function helps
the driver when driving down steep gradi-
ents.
Downhill speed control is activated when the
selector lever is in D/S and the driver applies
the foot brake. The automatic gearbox auto-
matically engages a lower gear that is suita-
ble for the slope. The downhill speed control
function attempts to maintain the speed at
which the vehicle was travelling when the
foot brake was applied (subject to the laws of
physics and technical drive limitations). It
may be necessary to adjust the speed again
using the foot brake in certain situations. Giv-
en that the downhill speed control can only
change down to 3rd gear, on very steep de-
scents the tiptronic mode may be required. In
this case, manually reduce the tiptronic to
2nd or 1st gear to use the engine brake and
reduce the charge on the brakes.
Downhill speed control is deactivated as
soon as the road levels out again or you
press the accelerator pedal.
On vehicles with cruise control system*
››› page 150 , downhill speed control is acti-
v at
ed when you set a cruising speed. WARNING
The downhill speed control cannot defy the
laws of physics. Therefore, speed cannot be maintained constant in all situations. Always
be prepared to use the brakes!
Inertia mode
The inertia mode enables the kinetic energy
of the vehicle to be harnessed enabling cer-
tain stretches to be driven without using the
accelerator. This enables fuel to be saved.
Use the inertia mode to “let the vehicle roll”
before, for example, arriving in a town.
Switching on inertia mode
Important: selector lever must be in position
D, gradients below 12 %.
–
Select, in SEAT Drive Profile*, Eco mode
››› page 169 .
– Tak

e your foot off the accelerator.
The driver message Inertia will be displayed.
At speeds higher than 20 km/h (12 mph), the
gearbox will automatically disengage and the
vehicle will roll freely, without the effect of
the engine brake. While the vehicle rolls, the
engine runs at idling speed.
Stopping inertia mode
– Press the brake or the accelerator pedal.
To make use of the braking force and switch
off the engine again, simply press the brake
pedal briefly.
138

Operation
Brake assist system
The brake assist system can reduce the re-
quired braking distance. The braking force is
automatically boosted if you press the brake
pedal quickly in an emergency. You must
keep pressing the brake pedal until the dan-
ger has passed.
Traction control system (ASR)
In the event of wheelspin, the traction control
system reduces the engine torque to match
the amount of grip available. This helps the
car to start moving, accelerate or climb a gra-
dient.
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
When the EDL detects wheelspin, it brakes
the spinning wheel and directs the power to
the other driven wheel. This function is active
up to approximately 100 km/h.
To prevent the disc brake of the braked wheel
from overheating, the EDL cuts out automati-
cally if subjected to excessive loads. The ve-
hicle can still be driven. The EDL will switch
on again automatically when the brake has
cooled down.
Tractor-trailer sway mitigation*
If the vehicle is pulling a trailer, it will control
the following: Tractor-trailers tend to sway.
When the swaying of the trailer is felt by the
vehicle and detected by the ESC, it will auto- matically brake the towing vehicle within the
limits of the system and mitigate the sway.
Tractor-trailer sway mitigation is not available
in all countries.
Electronic self-locking*/Selective torque
control*
When driving around bends, an electronic
self-locking intervenes. The front wheel on
the inside of the curve, or the two inside
wheels, respectively, are selectively braked
as required. This minimises the traction of
the front wheels, allowing you to take bends
with greater precision and neutrality. In cer-
tain circumstances, where roads are wet or
snow-covered, the respective system may not
intervene.
Multi-collision brake
In an accident, the multi-collision brake can
help the driver by braking to avoid the risk of
skidding during the accident, which could
lead to further collisions.
The multi-collision brake works for front, side
or rear accidents, when the airbag control
unit records its activation level and the acci-
dent takes place at a speed of over 10 km/h
(6 mph). The ESC automatically brakes the
vehicle, as long as the accident has not dam-
aged the ESC, the brake hydraulics or the on-
board network.
The following actions control automatic brak-
ing during the accident:
●
When the driver presses the accelerator,
the automatic braking does not take place.
● When the braking pressure through press-
ing the brake pedal is greater than the sys-
tem’s braking pressure the vehicle will brake
automatically.
● Multi-collision braking will not be available
if ESC is malfunctioning. WARNING
● The ESC, ABS, ASR, EDL, electronic self-
locking differential or selective torque control
systems cannot exceed the limits imposed by
the laws of physics. Always bear this in mind,
especially on wet or slippery roads. If you no-
tice the systems cutting in, you should re-
duce your speed immediately to suit the road
and traffic conditions. Do not be encouraged
to take risks by the presence of more safety
systems. If you do, an accident may occur.
● Please remember that the accident risk al-
ways increases if you drive fast, especially in
corners or on a slippery road, or if you follow
too close behind the vehicle in front of you.
The ESC, ABS, brake assist, EDL, electronic
self-locking and selective torque control sys-
tems cannot prevent accidents: risk of acci-
dents! 144

Driver assistance systems
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if
the brake fluid level is too low. The brake flu-
id level is monitored electronically.
Brake servo
The brake servo increases the pressure you
apply to the brake pedal. It works only when
the engine is running. WARNING
● Apply the brakes heavily to clean the brake
system only in a suitable traffic situation. Do
not put other road users in danger: there is
risk of causing an accident.
● Ensure the vehicle does not move while in
neutral, when the engine is stopped. Failure
to follow this instruction could result in an
accident.
● 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. CAUTION
● Never let the brakes “drag” by leaving your
foot on the pedal when it is not necessary to
brake. This overheats the brakes, resulting in
longer stopping distances and greater wear.
● Before driving down a long, steep gradient,
it is advisable to reduce speed and select a
lower gear. This makes use of engine braking and relieves the brakes. If you still have to
use the brakes, it is better to brake firmly at
intervals than to apply the brakes continu-
ously.
Note
● If the brake servo is out of action, for exam-
ple when the car is being towed, you will
have to press the brake pedal considerably
harder than normal to make up for the lack of
servo assistance.
● If you wish to equip the vehicle with acces-
sories such as a front spoiler or wheel covers,
it is important that the flow of air to the front
wheels is not obstructed, otherwise the
brakes can overheat. Hill driving assistant*
This function is only included in vehicles with
ESC.
The hill driving assistant helps the driver to
move off and upward on a hill when the vehi-
cle is stationary.
The system maintains brake pressure for ap-
proximately two seconds after the driver
takes his foot off the brake pedal to prevent
the vehicle from lurching backward when it is
started. During these 2 seconds, the driver
has enough time to release the clutch pedal
and accelerate without the vehicle moving
and without having to use the handbrake,making start-up easier, more comfortable
and safer.
These are the basic operation conditions:
● being on a ramp or hill/slope,
● doors closed,
● vehicle completely stationary,
● engine running and foot on the brake,
● besides having a gear engaged or being in
neutral for manual gear change and with the
selector lever at position S,
D or R for an au-
tomatic gearbox.
This system is also active when reversing up-
hill. WARNING
● If you do not start the vehicle immediately
after taking your foot off the brake pedal, the
vehicle may start to roll back under certain
conditions. Depress the brake pedal or use
the hand brake immediately.
● If the engine stalls, depress the brake ped-
al or use the hand brake immediately.
● When following a line of traffic uphill, if you
want to prevent the vehicle from rolling back
accidentally when starting off, hold the brake
pedal down for a few seconds before starting
off. » 147
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials

Operation
Note
The Official Service or a specialist workshop
can tell you if your vehicle is equipped with
this system. Start-Stop system*
Description and operation The Start-Stop system helps save fuel and re-
duce CO
2 emissions.
In Start-Stop mode, the engine will automati-
cally switch off when the vehicle stops, when
stopping at traffic lights for example. The ig-
nition remains switched on during the stop-
ping phase. The engine automatically
switches back on when required.
As soon as the ignition is switched on, the
Start-Stop function is automatically activa-
ted.
Basic requirements for the Start-Stop mode ● The driver door must be closed.
● The driver must have their seat belt fas-
tened.
● The bonnet must be closed.
● The vehicle must have travelled at more
than 4 km/h (2 mph) since the last stop.
● The vehicle cannot be towing a trailer. WARNING
● Never switch the engine off until the vehi-
cle is stationary. The brake servo and power
steering functions will not be completely cov-
ered under warranty. More force may also be
needed to turn the steering wheel or to brake.
As you cannot steer and brake in the normal
manner, there is a greater risk of accidents
and serious injury.
● Never remove the key from the ignition if
the vehicle is in motion. Otherwise, the steer-
ing could lock making it impossible to steer
the vehicle.
● To avoid injury, make sure that the Start-
Stop system is switched off when working in
the engine compartment ››› page 149. CAUTION
The Start-Stop system must always be
switched off when driving through flooded
areas ››› page 149. Stop/Start the engine
Vehicles with a manual gearbox
– When the vehicle is stopped, put it into
neutral and release the clutch pedal. The
engine will switch off. The warning lamp 
will appear on the instrument panel dis-
play. –
When the clutch pedal is pressed the en-
gine will start up again. The warning lamp
will switch off.
Vehicles with an automatic gearbox
– Use the foot brake to bring the vehicle to a
stop and keep the brake pedal pressed
down with your foot. The engine will switch
off. The warning lamp  will appear in the
di s
play.
– When you take your foot off the brake pedal
the engine will start up again. The warning
lamp will switch off.
Additional information related to the
automatic gearbox
The engine stops when the selector lever is in
the positions P, D, N and S, in addition to
when in manual mode. With the selector lev-
er in position P, the engine will also remain
switched off when you take your foot off the
brake pedal. In order to start the engine up
again the accelerator must be pressed, or an-
other gear engaged or the brake released.
If the selector lever is placed in position R
during the stopping phase, the engine will
start up again.
Change from position D to P to prevent the
engine from accidentally starting when
changing and passing by position R.
148

Driver assistance systems
Interrupting control Fig. 154
On the left of the steering column:
third lever for operating the Adaptive Cruise
Control. Important: the ACC is active.
Interrupting control during driving
● Move the lever to the position 3 . The
ACC
standby message is displayed to the driver.
or
● Br ak
e.
● To resume the programmed speed, turn the
lever to position 2 .
Interrupt speed control with the vehicle
stationary
Applies to vehicles with automatic gearbox:
● Move the lever to the position 3 . The
ACC
standby message is displayed to the driver. ●
To r
esume control, apply the brake and turn
the lever to position 2 .
WARNING
It is dangerous to activate control and resume
the programmed speed if the road, traffic or
weather conditions do not permit this. Risk of
accident! Setting the distance
Fig. 155
Control lever for: setting the dis-
tance. ●
To display the distance currently program-
med, briefly press the rocking button
››› Fig. 155
.
● To inc

rease/reduce the distance one level,
press the rocking button again towards the
left/right. The instrument panel display
modifies the distance between both vehicles. If the vehicle approaches another vehicle de-
tected in front of it, the ACC reduces the
speed accordingly and then controls the ad-
justed distance. If the vehicle detected in
front accelerates, the adaptive cruise control
will also accelerate up to the target speed
programmed at most.
The greater the speed, the greater the dis-
tance in metres should be
››› . We recom-
mend the setting Distance 3
. WARNING
With regard to distance setting, the driver is
responsible for observing country-specific
legislation. Message texts
 ACC not available
The system can no longer continue to guar-
antee safe vehicle detection and will be de-
activated. The sensor has lost its setting or is
damaged. Take the vehicle to a specialised
workshop and have the fault repaired.
»
157
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials

Driver assistance systems
Factors that may affect how the radar sensor
operates
If laser sensor operation is impaired, due to
heavy rain, spray, snow or mud, the ACC is
deactivated temporarily. The relevant text
message will appear in the dash panel dis-
play. If necessary, clean the radar sensor.
When the radar sensor begins to operate
properly again, the ACC will automatically be
available again. The message on the instru-
ment panel screen will switch off and the ACC
will be reactivated again.
ACC operation may be affected by a strong ra-
dar reverse reflection, for example in a closed
car park.
Trailer towing
When driving with trailer the ACC controls
less dynamically.
Overheated brakes
If the brakes overheat, for example after
abrupt braking or in long and steep slopes,
the ACC may be deactivated temporarily. The
relevant text message will appear in the dash
panel display. In this case, adaptive cruise
control cannot be activated.
Adaptive cruise control can be reactivated
once brake temperature has cooled suffi-
ciently. The message will disappear from the
instrument panel display. If the message ACC
not available remains on for quite a long time it means that there is a fault. Contact a speci-
alised workshop. SEAT recommends visiting
a SEAT dealership.
WARNING
If the message ACC ready to start appears on
the instrument panel display and the vehicle
in front starts up, the vehicle will start up au-
tomatically. In this case the radar sensor may
not detect obstacles on the road. This could
cause an accident and serious injuries.
● Before driving off, check that the road is
clear. If necessary, apply the brake. Monitoring system Front
Assist*
Introduction The Front Assist Monitoring system helps to
prevent rear collisions.
The Front Assist can warn the driver of colli-
sion hazards, prepare the vehicle for emer-
gency braking in case of danger, assist the
driver on braking and cause automatic brak-
ing.
The Front Assist is not a replacement for
driver awareness.Distance warning
If the system detects that safety is endan-
gered by the proximity of the vehicle in front,
it may warn the driver by means of a message
on the instrument panel when driving at a
speed of between approximately 60 km/h
(37 mph) and 210 km/h (130 mph)
››› Fig. 158 .
The w arnin
g moment varies depending on
the traffic situation and driver behaviour.
Pre-warning
If the system detects a possible collision with
the vehicle in front, it may warn the driver by
means of an audible warning and an indica-
tion on the instrument panel when driving at
a speed of between approximately 30 km/h
(18 mph) and 210 km/h (130 mph)
››› Fig. 158.
The warnin
g moment varies depending on
the traffic situation and driver behaviour. At
the same time, the vehicle will prepare for a
possible emergency braking ››› .
Critical warning
If the driver fails to react to the pre-warning,
the system may actively intervene in the
brakes when driving at a speed of between
approximately 30 km/h (18 mph) and
210 km/h (130 mph), generating a brief jolt
to warn of the imminent collision. »
161
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials