2014 Seat Leon 5D ESP

Air conditioning
● The air conditioner compressor has been
temporarily switched off because the engine
coolant temperature is too high.
● Another fault in the vehicle. Have the air
conditioner checked by a specialised work-
shop. Special Characteristics
If the humidity and temperature outside the
vehicle are high,
condensation
can drip off
the ev
aporator in the cooling system and
form a pool underneath the vehicle. This is
normal and does not indicate a leak! Note
After starting the engine, any residual humid-
ity in the air conditioner could mist over the
windscreen. Switch on the defrost function as
soon as possible to clear the windscreen of
condensation. Air vents
Fig. 140
On the dash panel: air vents Air vents
To ensure proper heating, cooling and venti-
lation in the vehicle interior, air vents
››› Fig. 140 1 should remain open.
● Turn the corresponding thumbwheel (de-
tail) in the required direction to open and
close the air vents. When the thumbwheel is in the

position, the corresponding air vent
i

s closed.
● Change the air direction using the ventila-
tion grille lever.
There are other additional, non-adjustable air
vents in the dash panel 2 , in the footwell
and in the rear area of the interior. Note
Food, medicine and other heat or cold sensi-
tive objects should never be placed in front of
the air outlets as they may be damaged or
made unsuitable for use by the air coming
from the air vents. 127
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials

Driving
Note
● If the selector lever lock does not engage,
there is a fault. The transmission is interrup-
ted to prevent the vehicle from accidentally
moving. Follow the procedure below in order
for the selector lever lock to engage again:
–With a 6-speed gearbox: press the brake
pedal and release it again.
– With a 7-speed gearbox: press the brake
pedal. Move the selector lever to posi-
tion P or N and subsequently engage a
gear.
● Despite a gear being engaged, the vehicle
does not move forwards or back. Proceed to
the next mode:
– When the vehicle does not move in the
required direction, the system may not
have the gear range correctly engaged.
Press the brake pedal and engage the
gear range again.
– If the vehicle still does not move in the
required direction, there is a system mal-
function. Seek specialist assistance and
have the system checked. Changing gears in tiptronic mode*
Fig. 144
Centre console: changing gear with
tiptronic Fig. 145
Steering wheel: automatic gearbox
levers The tiptronic gives the driver the option to
change gears manually.Changing gear manually with the selector
lever
It is possible to change to tiptronic mode,
both when the vehicle is stopped and while
driving.
– To switch to tiptronic mode, move the se-
lector lever from position D/S to the right.
As soon as the change is made the selector
level will be shown in the position M on the
instrument panel display (for example M4
means that the fourth gear is engaged).
– Move the selector lever forwards + to se-
lect a higher gear ››› Fig. 144 .
– Mo v
e the selector lever backwards – to
select a lower gear.
Changing gear manually with the gearshift
paddles*
The gearshift paddles can be used when the
selector lever is in the position D/S or M.
– Press the gearshift paddle + to select a
higher gear ››› Fig. 145 .
– Pr e

ss the gearshift paddle – to select a
lower gear.
– With the selector lever in position D/S, if no
paddle is operated during a short period of
time, the gearbox control system switches
back to automatic mode. To switch to per-
manent manual gear change using the
gearshift paddles, move the selector lever
from position D/S to the right.
»
135
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials

Driving
brakes. This could significantly reduce brak-
ing power, increase braking distance or even
result in the total failure of the brake system.
●
To avoid rolling back on gradients always
hold the vehicle with the footbrake or hand-
brake if you have to stop. CAUTION
● If you stop the vehicle on a gradient, do not
attempt to stop it from rolling by depressing
the accelerator when a gear has been selec-
ted. This could cause overheating and dam-
age the automatic gearbox. Apply the hand-
brake firmly or press the brake pedal in order
to prevent the vehicle from rolling back.
● If you allow the car to roll with the selector
lever in position N with the engine switched
off, the automatic gearbox will be damaged
as it will not be lubricated.
● In certain driving situations or traffic condi-
tions, such as frequently starting, prolonged
“creeping” of the vehicle or traffic jams with
continuous stoppages, the gearbox could
overheat causing damage! If the warning
lamp  lights up, stop the vehicle as soon as
possible and wait for the gearbox to cool
››› page 139
. Kick-down feature
The kick-down feature allows maximum ac-
celeration to be reached.
When the accelerator pedal is pressed right
down past the point of resistance at full throt-
tle, the gearbox will shift down to a lower
gear, depending on road speed and engine
speed. The upshift to the next higher gear is
delayed until the engine reaches maximum
rpm.
WARNING
Please note that if the road surface is slip-
pery or wet, the kick-down feature could
cause the driving wheels to spin, which could
result in skidding. Launch Control Programme
3 Valid for vehicles: with Launch-Control/6-Speed
DSG with diesel engines superior to 125 kW and
petrol engines superior to 140 kW.
The Launch control programme enables maxi-
mum acceleration.
Important: the engine must have reached op-
erating temperature and the steering wheel
must not be turned. The engine speed for launch-control is differ-
ent on petrol and diesel engines. To use the
launch-control you must disconnect the anti-
slip regulation (ASR) through the Easy Con-
nect system menu
››› page 81. The warning
lamp  will stay switched on or will flash
s
lowly depending on whether or not the vehi-
cle has a driver information system*.
On vehicles with the driver information sys-
tem, the ESC lamp lights up permanently and
the corresponding text message Stability con-
trol deactivated (temporary) appears on the
instrument panel to indicate the deactivation
status.
– When the engine is running, switch off the
traction control (ASR) 1)
.
– Turn the selector lever to the position “S”
or tiptronic, or else select the sport driving
mode from the SEAT Drive Profile*
››› page 169.
– Pre

ss the brake pedal firmly with your left
foot and hold it down for at least one sec-
ond.
– With your right foot, press the accelerator
down to the full throttle or kick-down posi-
tion. The engine speed will stabilise at
about 3,200 rpm (petrol engine) or about
2,000 rpm (diesel engine). »1)
Vehicles without driver information system: the
warning lamp flashes slowly/Vehicles with driver in-
formation system: the warning lamp stays on. 137
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials

Operation
 Gearbox: press the brake and engage a
gear again.
If the fault was caused by a gearbox with a
high temperature, this driver message will be
displayed when the gearbox has cooled
again.
Run-in and economical driving Running in the engine A new vehicle should be run in over a dis-
tance of 1500 km (1000 miles). For the first
1,000 km the engine speed should not ex-
ceed 2/3 of the maximum permissible engine
speed. In doing so, do not accelerate at full
throttle and do not drive with a trailer! From
1000 to 1500 km (600 to 1000 miles) you
can gradually increase the engine rpm and
road speed.
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 down.
How the vehicle is driven for the first 1,500
km influences the future engine perform-
ance. Subsequently, also drive at a moderate
rate, especially when the engine is still cold:
this will lead to less engine wear and tear
and will prolong its useful life. You should also avoid driving with the engine
speed too
low
. Change down to a lower gear
when the en
gine no longer runs “smoothly”.
If the engine revs too much, cut fuel injection
to protect the engine.
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.
140

Operation
Economical and environmentally
friendly driving Fuel consumption, environmental pollution
and wear to the engine, brakes and tyres de-
pends largely on driving style. Fuel consump-
tion can be reduced by 10-15% with an eco-
nomical driving style and proper anticipation
of traffic conditions. The following section
gives you some tips on lessening the impact
on the environment and reducing your oper-
ating costs at the same time.
Active cylinder management (ACT
®
)*
Depending on vehicle equipment, the active
cylinder management (ACT ®
) may automati-
cally deactivate some of the engine cylinders
if the driving situation does not require too
much power. When it is switched off, no fuel
is injected into these cylinders, hence total
fuel consumption may be reduced. The num-
ber of active cylinders can be seen on the in-
strument panel display ›››
page 74.
Foresight when driving
Acceleration causes the vehicle to consume
more fuel. If you think ahead when driving,
you will need to brake less and thus acceler-
ate less. Wherever possible, let the car roll
slowly to a stop, with a gear engaged (for in-
stance when you can see that the next traffic
lights are red). This takes advantage of the
engine braking effect, reducing wear on the brakes and tyres. Emissions and fuel con-
sumption will drop to zero due to the overrun
fuel cut-off.
Changing gear to save energy
An effective way of saving is to change
in ad-
vance to a higher gear. Running the engine at
high rpm in the lo w
er gears uses an unneces-
sary amount of fuel.
Manual gearbox : shift up from first to second
gear as soon as possible. In any case, we rec-
ommend that you change to a higher gear
upon reaching 2,000 rpm. Choosing the right
gear enables fuel savings. Select the highest
possible gear appropriate for the driving sit-
uation (the engine should continue function-
ing with cyclical regularity).
Automatic gearbox : accelerate gradually and
without reaching the “kick-down” position.
Avoid driving at high speed
Avoid travelling at top speed, whenever pos-
sible. Fuel consumption, emission of harmful
gases and noise pollution multiply dispropor-
tionately as speed is increased. Driving at
moderate speeds will help to save fuel.
Reduce idling time
In vehicles with the Start-Stop system idling
is automatically reduced. In vehicles without
the Start-Stop system it is worth switching off
the engine, for example, at level crossings and at traffic lights that remain red for long
periods of time. When an engine has reached
operating temperature, and depending on
the cylinder capacity, keeping it switched off
for a minimum of about 5 seconds already
saves more than the amount of fuel necessa-
ry for restarting.
The engine takes a long time to warm up
when it is idling. Mechanical wear and pollu-
tant emissions are also especially high dur-
ing this initial warm-up phase. It is therefore
best to drive off immediately after starting
the engine. Avoid running the engine at high
speed.
Regular maintenance
Regular servicing helps in saving fuel even
before the engine is started. A well-serviced
engine gives you the benefit of
improved fuel
efficiency as well as maximum reliability and
an enhanc
ed resale value. A badly serviced
engine can consume up to 10% more fuel
than necessary.
Avoid short journeys
The engine and catalytic converter need to
reach their optimal operating temperature in
order to minimise fuel consumption and
emissions.
A cold engine consumes a disproportionate
amount of fuel. The engine reaches its work-
ing temperature after about four kilometres
142

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

Operation
Stability programme (ESC), including the ASR
function.
● The ASR and ESC function are reconnected
by pressing the button 
›
›› Fig. 146.
● OR
: activate or deactivate the ASR or ESC
function in the Easy Connect system by
means of the button  and the function
buttons Setup and
ESC System .
WARNING
You should switch on the ESC Sport mode on-
ly if the traffic conditions and your driving
ability allow you to do so safely: risk of skid-
ding!
● With ESC in Sport mode, the stabilising
function will be limited to allow for a sportier
drive. The driving wheels could spin and the
vehicle could skid.
● If the ESC/ASR is deactivated, the vehicle
stabilisation function is not available. Note
If the ASR is disconnected or the ESC’s Sport
mode is selected, cruise control* will be
switched off. Brakes
New brake pads
For the first 400 km (250 miles), new brake
pads have not yet reached their maximum braking capacity, and need to be “run in”
first. However, you can compensate for the
slightly reduced braking effect by applying
more pressure on the brake pedal. Avoid
overloading the brakes while running them
in.
Wear
The rate of wear on the
brake pads depends
a great deal on how you drive and the condi-
tions in which the vehicle is operated. This is
a particular problem in urban traffic and
short stretches, or with very sporty driving.
Depending on the speed, the braking force,
and the environmental conditions (for exam-
ple, the temperature, air humidity, etc.)
noises may be produced on braking.
Wet roads or road salt
In certain situations (for example, on driving
through flooded areas, in severe downpours
or after washing the vehicle) the braking ac-
tion could be delayed if the discs and pads
are damp, or frozen in winter. In this case the
brakes should be “dried” by pressing the
brake pedal several times.
At high speed and with the windscreen wip-
ers activated, the brake pads will briefly
touch the brake discs. This takes place, al-
though unnoticeable to the driver, at regular
intervals to improve the response time of the
brakes when they are wet. The effectiveness of the brakes can also be
temporarily reduced if the vehicle is driven
for some distance without using the brakes
when there is a lot of salt on the road in win-
ter. The layer of salt that accumulates on the
discs and pads can be removed by gently ap-
plying the brakes a few times.
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for corrosion to
form on the discs and dirt to build up on the
brake pads if the vehicle is used infrequently
or the brakes are not used very often.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if
rust has formed on the disks, it is advisable
to clean off the pads and disks by braking
firmly a few times at a moderately high speed
››› .
Fault in the brake system
If the brake pedal travel should ever increase
suddenly , this may mean that one of the two
br ak

e circuits has failed. Drive immediately
to the nearest specialised workshop and
have the fault repaired. Drive there slowly
and remember that you will have to apply
more pressure on the brake pedal and allow
for longer stopping distances.
146

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