2014 Seat Leon SC lights

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
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

Driver assistance systems
●
Accelerate with caution on slippery surfa-
ces (for example, icy or snow-covered). De-
spite the control systems, the driven wheels
could spin, affecting the stability of the vehi-
cle: risk of accident! Note
● The ABS and ASR will only operate correctly
if the four wheels have identical tyres. Any
differences in the rolling radius of the tyres
can cause the system to reduce engine power
when this is not desired.
● The regulating processes of the systems
can make noises when they intervene.
● If the warning lamp  lights up, or  alter-
natively, there could be a fault ››› page 71. Switching on/off the ESC and ASR
Fig. 146
Centre console: Button for switching
on/off the ESC and ASR The ESC is switched on automatically when
the engine is started, and only works when
the engine is running and includes the ABS,
EDS and ASR systems.
The ASR and ESC function should only be
switched off in situations in which traction is
insufficient, among others:
●
When driving in deep snow or on surfaces
that are not very firm.
● To “free” the vehicle if it gets stuck.
Then switch the ASR and ESC function back
on.
Depending on finishes and versions, it is
possible either to disconnect only the ASR or
else activate ESC Sport mode.
ESC in “Sport” mode
Sport mode can be connected via the Easy
Connect ››› page 81 system menu. The ability
of the E
SC to stabilise the vehicle is limited;
the traction control system (ASR) becomes
disabled ››› .
The control lamp  lights up. For vehicles
with a driver information system*, the driver
will be shown the electronic stability control
(ESC) option: sport. Warning! Limited stability.
Disable ESC “Sport” mode
Through the Easy Connect system menu
››› page 81 . The warning lamp
 w
i
ll switchoff. For vehicles with a driver information sys-
tem*, the driver will be shown the
electronic
stability control (ESC) option: on.
Disable ASR
The Easy Connect system is used to switch off
the ASR ››› page 81. The traction control sys-
tem w

ill be disabled.
The control lamp  lights up. For vehicles
with a driver information system* the driver
will be informed that ASR is disabled.
Activate ASR
The Easy Connect system ››› page 81 is used
to switch on the ASR. The traction control sys-
tem will be enabled.
The control lamp  switches off. For vehicles
with a driver information system* the driver
will be informed that ASR is enabled.
Disconnection of the ESC
In some versions of the model, besides the
traction control system (ASR), the electronic
stability programme (ESC) can also be
switched off.
● Press the button  ››› Fig. 146 for approxi-
mat

ely 1 second to switch off the ASR func-
tion.
● Press the button  ››› Fig. 146
for approxi-
mately 3 seconds to switch off the Electronic »
145
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

Operation
WARNING
The intelligent technology in the ACC cannot
overcome the system's inherent limitations
or change the laws of physics. If used negli-
gently or involuntarily, it may cause serious
accidents and injuries. The system is not a re-
placement for driver awareness.
● Adapt your speed and safe distance to the
vehicle in front of you at all times to suit visi-
bility, weather, road and traffic conditions.
● Do not use the ACC when visibility is bad,
on steep roads, with several bends or in slip-
pery circumstances such as snow, ice, rain or
loose gravel, or on flooded roads.
● Never use the ACC when driving off-road or
on unpaved roads. The ACC has been de-
signed for use on paved roads only.
● The ACC does not react on approaching a
fixed obstacle, such as the tail of a traffic
jam, a damaged vehicle or a vehicle stopped
at the traffic lights.
● The ACC does not react to people or animal
or vehicles crossing your path or which ap-
proach you head-on in the same lane.
● If the ACC does not reduce speed sufficient-
ly, brake the vehicle immediately by applying
the pedal.
● 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. ●
If the vehicle continues to move involuntar-
ily after a driver intervention prompt, brake
the vehicle by applying the pedal.
● If the dash panel displays a driver interven-
tion prompt, adjust the distance yourself.
● The driv er shou
ld be ready to accelerate or
brake by him/herself at all times. CAUTION
If you have the sensation that the radar sen-
sor is damaged, disconnect the ACC. This will
avoid possible damage. If this occurs have it
adjusted. ● Repairs to the radar sensor require special-
ist knowledge and special tools. SEAT recom-
mends visiting a SEAT dealership for this pur-
pose. Note
● If the ACC system does not work as descri-
bed in this chapter, do not use it until it has
been checked by a specialised workshop.
SEAT recommends visiting a SEAT dealership
for this purpose.
● Maximum speed with the ACC activated is
limited to 160 km/h (100 mph).
● When the ACC is switched on, strange
noises may be heard during automatic brak-
ing cause by the braking system. Messages on display, control and
warning lamps
Fig. 150
On the instrument panel display: (A)
ACC temporarily inactive, vehicle detected in
front, temporary distance adjusted. (B) ACC
active, vehicle detected in front, temporary
distance adjusted. Status display
Indications on the display
››› Fig. 150 :
V ehic

le in front, the ACC is inactive.
1 152

Operation
ACC operation may be affected by a strong ra-
dar reverse reflection. This may occur, for ex-
ample, in a closed car park or due to the
presence of metallic objects (e.g. rails on the
road or sheets used in road works).
The area in front of and around the radar sen-
sor should not be covered with adhesives,
additional or similar headlights, as this may
negatively affect ACC operation.
If structural modifications are made to the ve-
hicle, for example, if the suspension is low-
ered or the front spoiler is modified, ACC op-
eration may be affected. So structural modifi-
cations should only be made by specialised
workshops. SEAT recommends visiting a SEAT
dealership for this purpose.
If work is done incorrectly on the front of the
vehicle, the radar sensor could be damaged
or lose its settings, and ACC operation may
be affected. So repair work should only be
made by specialised workshops. SEAT recom-
mends visiting a SEAT dealership for this pur-
pose. CAUTION
If you have the sensation that the radar sen-
sor is damaged or has lost its settings, dis-
connect the ACC. This will avoid possible
damage. If this occurs have it adjusted. ● The sensor may become damaged or lose
its settings when knocked, for example, dur- ing a parking manoeuvre. This may compro-
mise the system's efficacy or disconnect it.
●
Repairs to the radar sensor require special-
ist knowledge and special tools. SEAT recom-
mends visiting a SEAT dealership for this pur-
pose.
● Clean away the snow with a brush and the
ice preferably with a solvent-free de-icer
spray. Operating the Adaptive Cruise Control
ACC
Fig. 152
On the left of the steering column:
third lever for operating the Adaptive Cruise
Control. Fig. 153
On the left of the steering column:
third lever for operating the Adaptive Cruise
Control. When the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is
connected, the green control lamp  will
light up on the instrument panel, and the
programmed speed and ACC status will be
displayed
››› Fig. 150 .
C ondition
s for the adaptive cruise control to
be activated
● The selector lever must be at the D or S po-
sition or in the tiptronic selection track. In
manual gearbox any forward gear must be
engaged, except the 1st gear.
● In vehicles with manual gearbox, if there is
no programmed speed, drive at least at
30 km/h (18 mph).
Speed control
When the ACC is connected, speed can be
programmed and adjusted. The programmed
154

Operation
The following conditions may lead the ACC
not to react:
● If the accelerator is pressed.
● If there is no gear engaged.
● If the ESC is controlling.
● If the driver is not wearing his/her seat
belt.
● If several brake lights of the vehicle or elec-
trically connected trailer are damaged.
● If the vehicle is reversing.
● Driving faster than 160 km/h (100 mph). WARNING
There is a danger of rear collision when the
minimum distance to the vehicle in front is
exceeded and the speed difference between
both vehicles is so great that a speed reduc-
tion by the ACC will not suffice. In this case
the brake pedal should be applied immedi-
ately.
● The ACC may not be able to detect all situa-
tions properly.
● “Stepping” on the accelerator may cause
the ACC not to intervene in braking. Driver
braking will have priority over intervention by
the speed control or adaptive cruise control.
● Always be ready to use the brakes!
● Observe country-specific provisions gov-
erning obligatory minimum distances be-
tween vehicles. Note
● The programmed speed is erased once the
ignition or the ACC are switched off.
● When the traction control system (ASR) is
deactivated during acceleration or else the
ESC is activated in Sport* Mode ( ››› page 81),
the ACC switches off automatically.
● In vehicles with the Start-Stop system, the
engine switches off automatically during the
ACC stopping phase and restarts automatical-
ly to begin driving. Vehicles with an automatic gearbox
If the vehicle is equipped with automatic
gearbox, the ACC can brake the vehicle until
it stops completely if a vehicle in front of it
stops.
The ACC will still be available for a few sec-
onds. The vehicle will restart by itself if the
vehicle in front moves (traffic jam assistant).
Disconnection criteria
The ACC will switch off if the driver applies
the brake pedal or the driver's door is
opened.
If the vehicle in front remains stationary for
more than 3 seconds, the ACC will also
switch off for safety reasons.
In this case the
driver should take control and apply the
brake. In the latter case, when the ACC is switched
off with the vehicle stationary, the vehicle
has to be braked by the pedal, since al-
though the car is idling it can move, as there
is a gear engaged.
Restarting the vehicle with the ACC manually
The ACC can be activated again by moving
the lever to position
2
››› Fig. 154 . WARNING
Your vehicle can start up even if there is an
obstacle between your vehicle and the vehi-
cle detected in front. Risk of accident! CAUTION
● If your vehicle with ACC does not start up
as expected, you can drive off by briefly step-
ping on the accelerator.
● The Start-Stop system usually acts if you
are driving with ACC. 156

Operation
Deceleration until the vehicle has stopped
(only vehicles with automatic gearbox)
If the vehicle in front slows down and stops,
the ACC will also slow down and halt the ve-
hicle. After approximately 3 seconds the sys-
tem will inform the driver that he or she
should take control of the vehicle by means
of an audible and visual warning on the in-
strument panel.
Starting driving after a stopping phase (only
vehicles with automatic gearbox)
After a stopping phase the ACC may begin
driving automatically when the vehicle in
front drives off.
Overtaking
When the turn signal lights up before the ve-
hicle begins an overtaking manoeuvre, the
ACC accelerates the vehicle automatically
and thus reduces the distance from the vehi-
cle in front.
When the vehicle enters the overtaking lane,
if the ACC does not detect another vehicle in
front, it accelerates until it reaches the pro-
grammed speed and maintains it.
System acceleration can be interrupted at
any time by pressing the brake or moving the
third lever backwards ›››
page 154. Driving through a bend
On entering or exiting bends, the radar sen-
sor may no longer determine the vehicle in
front or react to a vehicle in the adjacent lane
››› Fig. 156
A. In these situations the vehicle
may brake unnecessarily or fail to react to re-
act to the vehicle in front. In this case, the
driver has to intervene by accelerating or in-
terrupting the braking process by applying
the brake or pushing the third lever back-
wards ››› page 154.
Drivin

g in tunnels
When driving through tunnels the radar sen-
sor may be limited. Switch off the ACC in tun-
nels.
Narrow or misaligned vehicles
The radar sensor can only detect narrow or
misaligned vehicles when they are within
range ››› Fig. 156
B. This applies particularly
to narrow vehicles such as motorbikes. In
these cases, you should brake as necessary.
Vehicles with special loads and accessories
Special loads and accessories of other vehi-
cles that jut out over the sides, backwards or
over the top may be out of the ACC's range.
Switch off the ACC when driving behind vehi-
cles with special loads and accessories or
when overtaking them. In these cases, you
should brake as necessary. Other vehicles changing lanes
Vehicles changing lanes a short distance
away from your own can only be detected
when they are within range of the sensors.
Consequently, the ACC will take longer to re-
act
››› Fig. 157 C
. In these cases, you should
brake as necessary.
Stationary vehicles
The ACC does not detect stationary objects
while driving, such as traffic tails or damaged
vehicles.
If a vehicle detected by the ACC turns or
moves over and there is a stationary vehicle
in front of it, the ACC will not react to it
››› Fig. 157 D
. In these cases, you should
brake as necessary.
Vehicles driving in the opposite direction
and vehicles crossing your path
The ACC does not react to vehicles approach-
ing from the opposite direction or vehicles
crossing your path.
Metal objects
Metal objects, e.g. rails on the road or sheets
used in road works, can confuse the radar
sensor and cause the ACC to react wrongly.
160