Checking and refilling levels
Check the water level in the windscreen
washer reservoir regularly and top up as re-
quired.
The container for the windscreen washer con-
tains the cleaning fluid for the windscreen,
the rear window and the headlight washer
system*.
● Open the bonnet ››› page 198.
● The windscreen washer reservoir is marked
with the symbol on the cap.
● Chec k
there is enough windscreen water in
the reservoir.
Recommended windscreen wipers
● For the hottest seasons we recommend
summer G 052 184 A1 for clear glass. Propor-
tions of the mixture in the washer fluid tank:
1:100 (1 part concentrate per 100 parts wa-
ter).
● All year round, G 052 164 A2 for clear
glass. Approximate proportion of the winter
mixture, up to -18°C (0°F): 1:2 (1 part con-
centrate per 2 parts water); otherwise, a 1:4
proportion of mixture in the washer fluid
tank.
Top-up quantities
The reservoir holds approximately 3 litres in
versions without headlight washer and 5 li-
tres in versions with headlight washer. WARNING
If the water from the windscreen washer does
not contain enough anti-freeze, it may freeze
on the windscreen and rear window, reducing
forward and rear visibility.
● In winter, ensure the windscreen washer
contains enough anti-freeze.
● In cold conditions, you should not use the
windscreen washer system unless you have
warmed the windscreen with the ventilation
system. The antifreeze could freeze on the
windscreen and reduce visibility. WARNING
Never mix an unsuitable antifreeze or other
similar additives with the windscreen washer
water. A greasy layer may be formed on the
windscreen which will impair visibility.
● Use clean water with a window cleaner rec-
ommended by SEAT.
● If necessary, add a suitable antifreeze to
the water in the reservoir. CAUTION
● Do not mix cleaning products recommen-
ded by SEAT with other products. This could
lead to flocculation and may block the wind-
screen washer jets.
● When topping up service fluids, make abso-
lutely certain that you fill the fluids into the
correct reservoirs. Using the wrong fluids could cause serious malfunctions and engine
damage!
● Not having windscreen wiper fluid reduces
visibility through the windscreen, and leads
to loss of visibility in headlights in models
with headlight washer. Battery
General information The battery is located in the engine compart-
ment and is almost
maintenance-free. It is
checked as part of the Inspection Service.
Nevertheless, check the terminals are clean
and have the correct tightening torque, espe-
cially in summer and winter.
Disconnecting the battery
The battery should only be disconnected in
exceptional cases. When the battery is dis-
connected, some of the vehicle's functions
are “lost” ( ››› table on page 206). These
functions will require resetting after the bat-
tery is reconnected.
Deactivate the anti-theft alarm* before you
disconnect the battery Otherwise the alarm
will be triggered. »
205
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Checking and refilling levels
exclusively to an earth on the bodywork
(–) .
– On ly
use a charger which is compatible for
use with 12 V nominal voltage batteries.
The charge must not exceed a voltage of 15
V.
– Now connect the battery charger to the
power socket and switch on.
– After charging the battery: switch off the
battery charger and disconnect the power
socket cable.
– Finally disconnect the charger cables from
the battery.
– Replace the battery cover correctly.
– Close the bonnet ››› page 199.
Important: Before you charge the battery
make sure you read the manufacturer's in-
structions for using the battery charger. WARNING
Never charge a battery that has frozen: re-
place battery! Failure to do so may lead to an
explosion. Note
Use only the terminals in the engine compart-
ment to charge the battery. Replacing the battery
The new battery should have the same speci-
fications (amperage, load and voltage) as the
used battery.
Your vehicle is equipped with an intelligent
power management system to control the
distribution of electrical energy
››› page 191.
The power management function ensures
that the battery is charged much more effi-
ciently than on vehicles without a power
management system. To maintain this func-
tion after replacing the battery, we recom-
mend that the replacement battery used is of
the same make and type as the original fitted
battery. To make proper use of the power
management function after the battery has
been changed, have the battery coded to the
power management mode at a specialised
workshop. CAUTION
● Some vehicles, for example those with the
Start-Stop system* are fitted with a special
battery (AGM-type or EFB-type battery). If any
other type of battery is fitted, the Start-Stop
function may be considerably reduced and
the vehicle may not stop on repeated occa-
sions.
● Make sure that the vent hose is always at-
tached to the original opening on the side of
the battery. Gases or battery acid can other-
wise escape and possibly cause damage. ●
The battery holder and clamps must always
be correctly secured.
● Before starting any work on the battery, al-
ways observe the warnings listed under
››› page 206, Important safety warnings for
handling a vehicle battery .
● Do not forget to replace the battery cover-
ings, where applicable. It is a protection for
high temperatures. This in turn extends the
vehicle service life. For the sake of the environment
Batteries contain toxic substances includ-
in g s
ulphuric acid and lead. They must be
disposed of appropriately and must not be
disposed of with ordinary household waste.
Make sure disconnected batteries cannot tip
over. Sulphuric acid could be spilt! 207
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Advice
Wheels
Wheels and tyres General notes –
When driving with new tyres, be especially
car
eful during the first 500 km (300 miles).
– If you have to drive over a kerb or similar
obstacle, drive very slowly and as near as
possible at a right angle to the obstacle.
– Check from time to time if the tyres are
damaged (punctures, cuts, cracks or
dents). Remove any foreign objects embed-
ded in the treads.
– Damaged wheels and tyres must be re-
placed immediately.
– Keep grease, oil and fuel off the tyres.
– Replace any missing valve caps as soon as
possible.
– Mark the wheels before taking them off so
that they rotate in the same direction when
put back.
– When removed, the wheels or tyres should
be stored in a cool, dry and preferably dark
place.
New tyres
New tyres do not give maximum grip straight
a w
ay and should therefore be “run in” by driving carefully and at moderate speeds for
about the first 500 km (300 miles). This will
also increase the useful life of the tyres.
The tread depth of new tyres may
v
ary, ac-
cording to the type and make of tyre and the
tread pattern.
Concealed damage
Damage to tyres and rims is often not readily
visible. If you notice unusual vibration
or the
car pulling to one side, this may indicate that
one of the tyres is damaged. Reduce speed
immediately if there is any reason to suspect
that damage may have occurred. Inspect the
tyres for damage. If no external damage is
visible, drive slowly and carefully to the near-
est specialised workshop and have the car
inspected.
Tyres with directional tread pattern
An arrow on the tyre sidewall indicates the di-
rection of rotation on single drive tyres. Al-
ways note the direction of rotation indicated
when mounting the wheel. This guarantees
optimum grip and helps to avoid aquaplan-
ing, excessive noise and wear.
Retrofitting Accessories
If you wish to change or fit wheels, rims or
wheel trims, we recommend that you consult
with a SEAT Official Service centre for advice
regarding current techniques. Useful life of tyres Correct inflation pressures and sensible driv-
ing habits will increase the useful life of your
tyres.
– Check tyre pressure at least once a month,
and also prior to any long trip.
– The tyre pressure should only be checked
when the tyres are cold. Do not reduce the
pressure of warm tyres.
– Adjust tyre pressure to the load being car-
ried by the vehicle.
– In vehicles with a tyre pressure indicator,
save the pressure of modified tyres
››› page 212 , ››
›
page 208.
– Avoid fast cornering and hard acceleration.
– Inspect the tyres for irregular wear from
time to time.
The useful life of your tyres depends on the
following factors:
Tyre pressure
Tyre pressure values are indicated on the
sticker on the inside of the fuel tank flap.
Insufficient or excessive pressure greatly re-
duces the useful life of the tyres and adverse-
ly affects vehicle performance and ride. Cor-
rect inflation pressures are very important,
especially at high speeds.
208
Wheels
control of the vehicle and a serious or fatal
accident.
●
If the warning lamp lights up, stop im-
mediately and check the tyres.
● If the tyres are inflated at different pres-
sures or if a tyre pressure is too low, this will
increase tyre wear, negatively affecting vehi-
cle stability and increasing braking distan-
ces.
● If tyres are inflated at different pressures or
a tyre pressure is too low, a tyre may be dam-
aged and burst resulting in a loss of control
of the vehicle.
● The driver is responsible for ensuring that
all of the vehicle tyres are correctly inflated
to the right pressure. The recommended tyre
pressure is indicated on the label
››› page 243.
● The ty r
e monitoring system can only oper-
ate correctly if all of the tyres are inflated to
the correct pressure when cold.
● Driving with tyres at the wrong pressure
can damage them and result in an accident.
Ensure that the tyre pressures of all the tyres
correspond to the vehicle load.
● Before starting a journey, always inflate
tyres to the correct pressure.
● Tyres with insufficient pressure are subjec-
ted to more flexing. Due to this, the tyre
could become excessively hot, causing tread
separation and also tyre blow-out.
● With an overloaded vehicle at high speed,
the tyres can overheat and burst resulting in
a loss of vehicle control. ●
Tyre pressures which are too high or too
low reduce the useful life of the tyre, affect-
ing vehicle performance.
● If a tyre has not been punctured and it does
not have to be changed immediately, drive to
the nearest specialised workshop at a moder-
ate speed and have the tyre checked and in-
flated to the correct pressure. WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ››› in Control
and warning lamps on page 71. Note
● If excessively low tyre pressure is detected
with the ignition on, an audible warning will
sound. In the event that there is a fault in the
system, an audible warning will sound.
● Driving on dirt tracks for a long period of
time or driving in a sporty style can tempora-
rily deactivate the TPMS. The control lamp
shows a fault, but disappears when road con-
ditions or the driving style change. Tyre monitoring indicator
Fig. 179
Instrument panel: warning of loss of
tyre pressure. The tyre monitor indicator compares wheel
revolutions and, with this information, the
tread of each wheel using the ABS sensors. If
the rolling circumference of one or more
wheels has changed, the tyre monitoring in-
dicator will indicate this on the instrument
panel through a warning lamp and a warning
to the driver
››› Fig. 179 . When only one spe-
c ific
tyre is affected, its position within the
vehicle will be indicated.
Loss of pressure: Check left tyre pressure!
Wheel tread change
The wheel tread changes when: ● Tyre pressure is manually changed
● Tyre pressure is insufficient
● Tyre structure is damaged »
213
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Advice
● The vehicle is unbalanced because of a
load
● The wheels on an axle are subject to a
heavier load (e.g. with a heavy load).
● The vehicle is fitted with snow chains
● The temporary spare wheel is fitted
● The wheel on one axle is changed
There may be a delay in the reaction of the
tyre
monitoring indicator or it may not in-
dic
ate anything under certain circumstances
(e.g. sporty driving, snow-covered or un-
paved roads, or when driving with snow
chains).
Calibrating the tyre monitoring
indicator Fig. 180
Glove compartment: tyre control
switch. After changing the tyre pressure or replacing
one or more wheels, the tyre monitoring indi-
cator must be recalibrated. Do the same, for
example, when the front and rear wheels are
swapped.
● Switch the ignition on.
● Store the new tyre pressure in the Easy
Connect system with the button and the
function button Setup
›››
page 17 or us-
ing the switch located in the glove compart-
ment* ››› Fig. 180 .
When driv in
g, the system self-calibrates the
tyre pressure provided by the driver and the
wheels fitted. After a long journey with varied
speeds the programmed values are collected
and monitored.
With the wheels under very heavy loads, the
tyre pressure must be increased to the total
recommended tyre pressure before the cali-
bration ››› page 243
. Note
● The tyre monitoring indicator does not
function when there is a fault in the ESC or
ABS ››› page 143.
● An err oneou
s indication may be given when
snow chains are in use because they increase
the tread of the wheel. Compact temporary spare
wheel
General information Fig. 181
Compact temporary spare wheel:
raised floor panel. The temporary spare wheel has been de-
signed to be used for short periods of time.
Have the tyres checked, and if necessary, re-
placed as soon as possible at a SEAT Official
Service or at a specialised workshop.
Please note the following restrictions when
using the compact temporary spare wheel.
The compact temporary spare wheel is de-
signed specifically for this model. For this
reason, do not use a temporary spare wheel
from a different type of vehicle.
214
Wheels
Removing the temporary spare wheel
– Lift and hold up the floor panel to remove
the temporary spare wheel ››› Fig. 181 .
– Turn the thumb wheel anti-clockwise.
– Take out the temporary spare wheel.
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.
● If you are driving using the spare wheel,
the ACC system could automatically switch
off during the journey. Switch off the system
when starting off. Extraction of the spare wheel in
vehicles with SEAT SOUND 10
speakers (with
subwoofer)* –
Disassemble the subwoofer's
floor panel
(c
arpet) as follows:
– LEON/LEON SC model: first, pull the carpet
in the direction of the backrest and then
pull it upwards to remove it. LEON ST mod-
el: lift and secure the floor storage com-
par
tment as explained in ››› page 121.
– Disconnect the subwoofer's speaker cable.
– Turn the sec
uring wheel anti-clockwise.
– Remove the subwoofer speaker and the
s
pare wheel.
– When replacing the spare wheel, place the
subwoofer speaker in the direction indica-
ted b
y the arrow and with the word
“FRONT” facing forward.
– Reconnect the speaker cable and firmly ro-
tate the securing wheel clockwise so that the subwoofer system and wheel are firmly
in place.
Winter service Winter tyres –
Winter tyres must be fitted on all four
wheels.
– Only use winter tyres that are approved for
your vehicle.
– Please note that the maximum permissible
speed for winter tyres may be lower than
for summer tyres.
– Also note that winter tyres are no longer ef-
fective when the tread is worn down.
– Af
ter fitting the wheels you must always
check the tyre pressures. The correct tyre
pressures are listed on the sticker on the
inside of the fuel tank flap ›››
page 208.
In winter road conditions winter tyres will
considerably improve vehicle handling. The
design of summer tyres (width, rubber com-
pound, tread pattern) gives less grip on ice
and snow. This applies particularly to vehi-
cles equipped with wide section tyres or with
high speed tyres (code letters H, V or Y on
the sidew
all). »
215
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Advice
the wheel condition and hub mounting surfa-
ces. These surfaces must be clean before fit-
ting the wheel. CAUTION
When removing/fitting the wheel, the rim
may hit and damage the brake disc. For this
reason, please take care and get a second
person to assist you. Tyres with compulsory direction of
rotation
A directional tread pattern can be identified
by arrows on the sidewall that point in the di-
rection of rotation. Always observe the direc-
tion of rotation indicated when mounting the
wheel. This is important so that these tyres
can give maximum grip and avoid excessive
noise, tread wear and aquaplaning.
If, exceptionally, it is necessary to mount the
spare wheel* in the opposite direction of ro-
tation, please drive carefully, as in this case
the tyre does not have optimum conditions of
use. This is particularly important when driv-
ing on wet roads.
To benefit from the advantages of tyres with
this type of tread pattern, the defective tyre
should be replaced as soon as possible so
that all tyres again rotate in the correct direc-
tion. After changing a wheel –
On alloy wheels: replace the wheel bolt
caps.
– On plate wheels: replace the wheel hubcap
››› page 217.
– Put the tools and jack back in the luggage
compartment.
– If the replaced wheel does not fit in the
spare wheel housing, store it safely in the
luggage compartment ››› page 114.
– Check the tyre pressure of the newly moun-
ted tyre as soon as possible.
– In vehicles fitted with a tyre pressure indi-
cator, adjust the pressure and store the
reading in the radio/ Easy Connect system*
››› page 212.
– The wheel bolts should be tightened to 120
Nm. Check the torque as soon as possible
with a torque wrench. Meanwhile, drive
carefully.
– Have the flat tyre replaced as quickly as
possible. Tyre repair
Tools, anti-puncture kit* The tools and anti-puncture kit* are stored
under the floor panel in the luggage compart-
ment.
To access the vehicle tools:
– Lift up the floor surface by the plastic han-
dle until it is fastened to the tabs on both
sides.
Depending on the vehicle equipment, the
tyre repair kit* is located under the floor pan-
el in the luggage compartment.
The tool kit includes: ● Jack*
● Wire hook for pulling off the wheel cov-
er* /wheel bolt cap clip.
● Box spanner for wheel bolts*
● Towline anchorage
● Adapter for the anti-theft wheel bolts*
Some of the items listed are only provided in
certain model versions, or are optional ex-
tras. Note
The jack does not generally require any main-
tenance. If required, it should be greased us-
ing universal type grease. 220
Advice
● Insert the key shaft into the opening in the
cover on the driver door handle from below
››› Fig. 194 (arrow) then remove the cover up-
w ar
ds.
● Insert the key shaft into the lock cylinder to
unlock or lock the vehicle.
Unlocking notes:
● The anti-theft alarm will remain active when
vehicles are unlocked. However, the alarm
will not yet be triggered ››› page 82.
● After the driver door is opened, you have
15 seconds to switch on the ignition. After 15
seconds, the alarm is triggered.
● Switch the ignition on. When the ignition is
switched on, the electronic immobiliser rec-
ognises a valid vehicle key and deactivates
the anti-theft alarm system. Note
The anti-theft alarm is not activated when the
vehicle is locked manually using the key
shaft ››› page 82. Manual locking of the doors with no
lock cylinder
Fig. 195
Locking the door manually. If the central locking system should fail to
work at any time, the doors with no lock cyl-
inder will have to be locked separately.
A mechanical locking device (only visible
when the door is open) is provided on the
front passenger door.
– Pull the cap out of the opening.
– Insert the key in the inside slot and turn it
to the right as far as it will go (if the door is
on the right side) or to the left (if the door
is on the left side).
Once the door has been closed it can no lon-
ger be opened from the outside. Pull the inte-
rior door handle once to unlock and open the
door. Manual release of the rear lid 3 Applies to the model: LEON/LEON SC
Fig. 196
Luggage compartment: access to
manual release. The rear lid can be unlocked manually from
inside in the event of an emergency.
– Insert the key in the opening in the lining
of the tail gate 1 and move the key in the
direction of the arrow until the lock is re-
leased.
228