Page 89 of 219

Driving
Key not authorised for the vehicle
If a key which is not authorised for this vehi-
cle is inserted in the ignition lock, it can be
removed as follows:
● Automatic gearbox : the key cannot be re-
moved from the ignition lock. Press and re-
lease the selector lever locking button. Key
can be removed from the vehicle.
● Manual gearbox : Remove the key from the
ignition. WARNING
Unsuitable or careless use of the vehicle key
could result in serious injury.
● Always take all the keys with you whenever
you leave the vehicle. If not, the engine could
accidentally be started and electrical equip-
ment such as the windows could accidentally
be operated resulting in serious injury.
● Never leave children or disabled people
alone in the car. Passengers could be trapped
in the car in an emergency and not be able to
get themselves to safety. For example, de-
pending on the time of the year, tempera-
tures inside a locked and closed vehicle can
be extremely high or extremely low resulting
in serious injuries and illness or even death,
particularly for young children.
● Never remove the key from the ignition if
the vehicle is in motion. The steering may
lock and it will not be possible to turn the
steering wheel. Note
● If the key is left in the ignition lock with the
engine off for long periods, the vehicle bat-
tery will run flat.
● For automatic gearbox vehicles the key can
only be removed from the ignition lock if the
gear selector lever is in position P. In this
case, press and release the selector lever
locking button. Starting the engineComplete operations only in the sequence giv-
en.
1.Press the brake pedal and keep pressed until
step 5 has been completed.
1 a.In vehicles with a manual gearbox: Press the
clutch pedal all the way and keep pressed un- til the engine starts.
2.Put the gearbox lever in neutral or the selector lever in position N.
3.Turn the key in the ignition lock to position
››› Fig. 79 2; do not press the accelerator.
4.When the engine has started, release the key
in the ignition lock.
5.If the engine does not start, stop the processand try again after one minute.
6.Release the handbrake when you want to be- gin driving ››› page 89. WARNING
Never leave the vehicle unattended if the en-
gine is running. The vehicle could move off
suddenly, especially if it is in gear, resulting
in an accident and serious injury. WARNING
Cold start sprays could explode or cause a
sudden increase in the engine speed.
● Never use start boosters. CAUTION
● An attempt to start the engine while driving
or starting the engine immediately after turn-
ing it off can cause damage to the engine or
starter motor.
● When the engine is cold, avoid high revs
and heavy acceleration and do not make the
engine work hard.
● Do not push or tow start the engine. Un-
burnt fuel could damage the catalytic con-
verter. For the sake of the environment
Do not warm the engine at idle speed; start
driving immediately if the visibility is OK.
This helps the engine reach operating tem-
perature faster and reduces emissions. » 87
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
Page 90 of 219

Operation
Note
● Electrical devices with a high power con-
sumption are switched off temporarily when
the engine starts.
● When the engine is started cold, there may
be strong vibrations for a few moments for
technical reasons. This is quite normal, and
no cause for concern.
● Natural gas engines always start up with
petrol, as a certain operating temperature is
required for running with gas. Once the re-
quired operating temperature is reached, the
engine will change to operate with natural
gas. Stopping the engineComplete operations only in the sequence giv-
en.
1.Stopping the vehicle completely
››› .
2.Press the brake pedal and keep pressed until
step 4 has been completed.
3.In automatic gearboxes, put the selector lever in position D or R.
4.Apply the handbrake firmly ››› page 89.
5.Turn the key in the ignition lock to position
››› Fig. 79 0.
6.With a manual gearbox, put the vehicle in first
or reverse gear. WARNING
Never switch off the engine while the vehicle
is moving. You may lose control of the vehicle
and there is a risk of serious accident.
● The airbags and belt tensioners do not
work when the ignition is switched off.
● The brake servo does not work with the en-
gine off. To stop, the brake pedal must be
pressed with more force.
● As the power steering does not work if the
engine is not running, you will need more
strength to steer than normally.
● If the key is removed from the ignition, the
steering may lock and it will not be possible
to steer the vehicle. CAUTION
If the engine has been driven at high speed
for a prolonged period of time, it may over-
heat when turned off. To avoid engine dam-
age, allow the engine to run for approximate-
ly 2 minutes in neutral before switching it off. Note
After stopping the engine, the engine com-
partment fan may continue running for a few
minutes, even when the ignition has been
switched off or the key removed. The radiator
fan is automatically switched off. Electronic immobiliser
The gear lock prevents the engine from being
started with an unauthorised key and the ve-
hicle being moved.
The vehicle key has a built-in chip. It auto-
matically deactivates the electronic immobil-
iser when the key is inserted into the ignition
lock.
The electronic immobilizer will be activated
again automatically as soon as you remove
the key from the ignition lock.
For this reason, the vehicle can only be used
with a genuine SEAT key with the correct
code. Coded keys can be obtained from SEAT
dealerships
›››
page 43 .
If an u
nauthorised key is used, the signal
appears on the instrument panel display. The
vehicle cannot be started in this case Note
The correct operation of the vehicle is only
guaranteed when original SEAT keys are
used. 88
Page 91 of 219

Driving
Braking and parking Introduction The assisted braking systems
are the elec-
tr
onic distribution of the brake force (EBV),
the anti-lock brake system (ABS), the brake
assist system (BAS), the electronic differen-
tial lock (EDL), the traction control (TC), the
traction control system (ASR) and the elec-
tronic stability control (ESC*). WARNING
Driving with worn brake pads or a faulty
brake system may lead to serious accident.
● If you believe the brake pads to be worn or
the brake system to be faulty, immediately
refer to a specialised workshop to check the
brake pads and replace the worn ones. WARNING
Careless parking can cause serious injury.
● Never remove the key from the ignition if
the vehicle is in motion. The steering lock
may engage and lock the steering wheel mak-
ing the vehicle impossible to control.
● Always park your vehicle so that no part of
the exhaust system can come in contact with
flammable materials (such as wood, leaves,
dried grass, spilled fuel, etc.).
● Always apply the handbrake when you
leave your vehicle and when you park. ●
Never leave children or disabled people
alone in the vehicle. They could release the
electronic parking brake, activate the selec-
tor lever or gear stick and start the vehicle
moving. This could result in a serious acci-
dent.
● Always take all the keys with you whenever
you leave the vehicle. The engine could acci-
dentally be started and electrical equipment
such as the windows could accidentally be
operated resulting in serious injury.
● Never leave children or disabled people
alone in the car. They could be trapped in the
car in an emergency and will not be able to
get themselves to safety. For example, de-
pending on the time of the year, tempera-
tures inside a locked and closed vehicle can
be extremely high or extremely low resulting
in serious injuries and illness or even death,
particularly for young children. CAUTION
● Special care should be taken when parking
in areas with high kerbs or fixed barriers. Ob-
jects protruding from the ground may dam-
age the bumper or other parts of the vehicle
during manoeuvres. To avoid damage, stop
before the wheels touch the barrier or kerb.
● Special attention is required when driving
through entrances, over ramps, kerbs or oth-
er objects. The vehicle underbody, bumpers,
mudguards and running gear, and the engine
and exhaust system could be damaged as
you drive over these objects. Warning and control lamps
It lights
upPossible cause
››› Solution
Handbrake ap-
plied.›››
page 90.
Fault in the brake
system Do not drive on!
Seek professional
advice ››› page 92.
Brake fluid level
inadequate. Do not drive on!
Check brake fluid
level ››› page 153.
Together with the
ABS control lamp
: ABS and EBV
do not function.
Do not drive on!
Seek professional
advice ››› page 92.
ESC* disconnec-
ted by system.Switching the igni-
tion on and off If
necessary, drive for a
short distance.
Fault in ESC*.Contact a special-
ised workshop.
Together with the
ABS control lamp
: Fault in the
ABS.
Contact a special-
ised workshop. The
vehicle can be
braked without ABS.
The battery has
been reconnected.››› page 154.
Traction Control
faulty or switched
off by the system.Contact a special-
ised workshop.»
89
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
Page 92 of 219

OperationIt lights
upPossible cause
››› Solution
Together with the
ESC* control lamp
: Fault in the
ABS.
Contact a special-
ised workshop. The
vehicle can be
braked without ABS.
Together with the
warning lamp :
ABS and EBV do
not function. Do not drive on!
Seek professional
advice ››› page 92.
FlashesPossible causeSolution
ESC* or ASR regu-
lating.Take your foot off the
accelerator. Adjust
your driving style to
the road conditions.
Traction Control
regulator operat-
ing.Take your foot off the
accelerator. Adjust
your driving style to
the road conditions.
Several warning and control lamps light up
for a few seconds when the ignition is switch-
ed on, signalling that the function is being
verified. They will switch off after a few sec-
onds.
WARNING
If the warning lamps are ignored, the vehicle
may stall in traffic, or may cause accidents
and severe injuries.
● Never ignore the warning lamps. ●
Stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible. WARNING
Driving with brakes in bad condition could re-
sult in a serious accident.
● If the brake warning lamp does not go
out, or if it lights up when driving, the brake
fluid level in the reservoir is too low or there
is a fault in the brake system. Obtain profes-
sional assistance immediately ››› page 152,
Checking the brake fluid level.
● If the brake warning lamp lights up to-
gether with the ABS warning lamp , the
regulation function of the ABS could be mal-
functioning. As a result, the rear wheels can
lock relatively easily when braking. If the rear
wheels lock this could result in loss of vehicle
control! If possible, reduce your speed and
drive carefully to a specialised workshop
close by to check the brake system. During
the following journey, avoid sudden braking
and manoeuvres.
● If the ABS warning lamp does not go out
or if it lights while driving, the ABS is mal-
functioning. The vehicle can only be stopped
using normal braking without ABS. The pro-
tection provided by the ABS is not available.
Visit a specialised workshop as soon as pos-
sible. CAUTION
Failure to heed the warning lamps when they
appear may result in faults in the vehicle. Handbrake
Fig. 80
Between the front seats: handbrake. Using the handbrake
●
Pull firmly in an upwards direction on the
handbrake lever while pressing the button.
● The handbrake is applied when the control
lamp lights up on the instrument panel
››› page 89 when the ignition is switched on.
R el
easing the handbrake
● Pull gently in an upwards direction on the
handbrake lever and press the lock button
››› Fig. 80 (arrow).
● Mov
e the handbrake lever downwards
keeping the lock button pressed. WARNING
The incorrect use of the handbrake may result
in a serious accident. 90
Page 93 of 219

Driving
●
Never use the handbrake to brake the vehi-
cle except in an emergency. The braking dis-
tance is considerably longer, because braking
is only applied to the rear wheels. Always use
the foot brake.
● Never drive with the handbrake gently ap-
plied. This can overheat the brake, affecting
the brakes system. This also causes prema-
ture wear on the rear brake pads.
● Never accelerate from the engine compart-
ment with the engine running and a gear en-
gaged. The vehicle could move, even if the
handbrake is applied. Note
If the vehicle moves at a speed superior to
6 km/h (4 mph) with the handbrake applied,
an audible warning is sounded. Parking
When parking your vehicle, all legal require-
ments should be observed.
To park the vehicle
Complete operations only in the sequence
given.
● Park the vehicle on a suitable surface ››› .
● Press and hold the brake pedal until the ve-
hicle comes to a standstill.
● Apply the handbrake firmly ››› page 90. ●
For an automatic gearbox, move the selec-
tor lever to position P
.
● Sw
itch off the engine and release the brake
pedal.
● Remove the key from the ignition.
● If necessary, turn the steering wheel slight-
ly to lock the steering.
● With a manual gearbox, engage 1st gear on
flat ground and slopes, or even reverse gear
on hills, and release the clutch pedal.
● Ensure that all passengers leave the vehi-
cle, especially children.
● When leaving the vehicle, take all keys with
you.
● Lock the vehicle.
Additional information for steep slopes and
hills
Before switching off the engine, rotate the
steering wheel so that if the vehicle should
move, it will be held by the kerb.
● On slopes, turn the front wheels so that
they are against the edge of the kerb.
● Uphill, turn the wheels towards the centre
of the road. WARNING
The components of the exhaust system reach
very high temperatures. This could cause a
fire and considerable damage. ●
Always park your vehicle so that no part of
the exhaust system can come in contact with
flammable materials (such as wood,
leaves,dried grass, or spilled fuel). CAUTION
● Special care should be taken when parking
in areas with high kerbs or fixed barriers. Ob-
jects protruding from the ground may dam-
age the bumper or other parts of the vehicle
during manoeuvres. To avoid damage, stop
before the wheels touch the barrier or kerb.
● Special attention is required when driving
through entrances, over ramps, kerbs or oth-
er objects. The vehicle underbody, bumpers,
mudguards and running gear, and the engine
and exhaust system could be damaged as
you drive over these objects. Information about the brakes
For the first 200 to 300 km, the new brake
pads
have not yet reached their maximum
br ak
ing capacity, and need to be “run in”
first ››› . The slightly reduced braking effect
can be compensated for by increasing pres-
sure on the brake pedal. While running in,
the f u
ll braking distance or emergency brak-
ing distance is larger then when the brake
pads have been run in. While running in,
avoid full power braking or situations requir-
ing braking performance. For example, in
heavy traffic. »
91
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
Page 94 of 219

Operation
The rate of wear of the brake pads
depend
s
t
o a great extent on the conditions in which
the vehicle is used and the way the vehicle is
driven. If the vehicle is used frequently in city
traffic or for short trips or driven sport style,
visit a specialised workshop regularly, more
frequently than advised in the Maintenance
Programme, to have the brake pads checked.
If you drive with wet brakes, for example, af-
ter crossing areas of water, in heavy rainfall
or even after washing the car, the effect of
the brakes is lessened as the brake discs are
wet or even frozen (in winter). At higher
speed, “dry” the brakes as quickly as possi-
ble by braking gently several times. Only do
this without endangering vehicles behind
you or any other road users ››› .
A layer of salt on the discs and brake pads
w i
ll reduce the effectiveness of the brakes
and increase braking distance. If you drive for
a prolonged period on salted roads without
braking then brake carefully several times to
eliminate the layer of salt on the brakes ››› .
If the vehicle remains parked for considera-
ble lengths of time, is used little, or if the
brakes are not used, there may be corrosion
on the brake discs and a build up of dirt on
the brake pads. If the brakes are not used fre-
quently, or if rust has formed on the discs,
SEAT recommends cleaning the pads and
discs by braking firmly a few times at a mod-
erately high speed. Only do this without en- dangering vehicles behind you or any other
road users
››› .
Faults in the brake system
During braking, if you notice that the vehicle
does not react as usual (that the braking dis-
tance has increased suddenly) it may be pos-
sible that there is a fault in the braking sys-
tem. This is indicated by the warning lamp
. Take the vehicle to a specialised work-
shop immedi at
ely and have the fault re-
paired. Drive at a moderate speed and be
prepared to use more pressure on the brake
pedal, and allow for longer stopping distan-
ces.
Brake servo
The brake servo only operates when the en-
gine is running and the pressure applied by
the driver on the brake pedal increases.
If the brake servo does not operate or the ve-
hicle must be towed, then the brake pedal
will have to be pressed with more force given
that the braking distance will be increased
when the brake servo does not operate ››› .
WARNING
New brake pads do not brake to full efficien-
cy.
● For the first 320 km, new brake pads have
not yet reached their maximum braking ca-
pacity, and need to be “run in” first. For this, to compensate for reduced braking efficiency
the brake pedal will have to be pressed with
more force.
●
To avoid losing control of the vehicle and
causing serious accidents, always take great
care when driving with new brake pads.
● When running in new brake pads, always
respect the safety distances between you and
other vehicles and do not cause situations re-
quiring extreme braking performance. WARNING
When brakes overheat, braking is less effi-
cient and braking distances increase.
● When driving on slopes, brakes can be
overloaded and overheat quickly.
● Reduce speed or change down a gear when
faced with steep and long slopes. This allows
you to use the engine braking effect and to
reduce the strain on the brake system.
● Non-standard or damaged front spoilers
could restrict the airflow to the brakes and
cause them to overheat. WARNING
Wet, frozen or salt-covered brakes take lon-
ger to engage and this increases braking dis-
tances.
● Test the brakes carefully.
● Dry the brakes, free them of ice and salt by
braking gently several times, when visibility, 92
Page 95 of 219

Driving
weather, and road and traffic conditions
permit.
WARNING
Driving without the brake servo may signifi-
cantly increase the braking distance and re-
sult in a severe accident.
● Never allow the vehicle to move forwards
when the engine is switched off.
● If the brake servo does not operate or the
vehicle must be towed, then the brake pedal
will have to be pressed with more force given
that the braking distance will be increased
when the brake servo does not operate. CAUTION
● Never make the brakes “slip” by pressing
the pedal gently, if it is not really necessary
to brake. Continuously pressing on the brake
pedal will heat the brakes. This could signifi-
cantly reduce braking power, increase brak-
ing distance or even result in the total failure
of the brake system.
● Reduce speed or change down a gear when
faced with steep and long slopes. This allows
you to use the engine braking effect and to
reduce the strain on the brake system. Other-
wise, the brakes may overheat and fail. Only
use the brakes to reduce speed or to stop. Note
Make use, when having the front brake pads
checked, and have the rear pads checked al-
so. The thickness of the brake pads should be
checked visually and regularly, by looking
through the openings in the wheel rims or
from underneath the vehicle. If necessary, re-
move the wheels to check them thoroughly.
SEAT recommends taking your car in for tech-
nical service. Changing gear
Introduction When reverse gear is engaged and the
ignition is switched on the following takes
place:
● Reverse lights light up.
● The rear wiper blade performs one move-
ment when the windscreen wiper is activa-
ted.
● If necessary, connect the parking distance
warning system. WARNING
Rapid acceleration can cause loss of traction
and skidding, especially on slippery ground.
This could cause loss of control of the vehicle
resulting in an accident and considerable
damage. ●
Use rapid acceleration only when visibility,
weather, road conditions and traffic permit. WARNING
Do not allow the brakes to “rub” for a pro-
longed period of time, or brake frequently or
for long periods of time. Continuous braking
heats up the brakes. This could significantly
reduce braking power, increase braking dis-
tance or even result in the total failure of the
brake system. Warning and control lamps
(red)It lights up
Fault in the auto-
matic gearbox.
Do not drive on!
Seek professional advice. Failure to
do so could result in considerable
damage to the transmission
››› page 97.
(yellow)It lights up
In the automatic
gearbox the
gears can en-
gage incorrectly.Switch the ignition on and off.
When the control lamp does not
light up, find the nearest special-
ised workshop and have the auto-
matic gearbox checked.
»
93
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
Page 96 of 219

Operation
(yellow)It lights up
The automatic
gearbox over-
heats temporari-
ly.Let the transmission cool with the
gearbox lever in the position .
When the control lamp does not
light up, find the nearest special-
ised workshop and have the auto-
matic gearbox checked.
It lights up
Place the automatic
gearbox lever in the
position
and do not
press the brake pedal.
Press the brake pedal to select
a gear range.
Together with the yel-
low control lamp for
the temperature of the
transmission
: the
automatic gearbox
overheats.
Press brake pedal and let the
transmission cool. Avoid
pressing the accelerator. When
the control lamp does not light
up, find the nearest special-
ised workshop and have the
automatic gearbox checked.
Together with the turn
signal display in the
instrument panel dis-
play: the automatic
gearbox lever is not in
the position
, indica-
tion to start the en-
gine.
Move the gearbox lever to the
position and start the en-
gine.
Flashes
An automatic gearbox
in the vehicle does
not guarantee that the
vehicle will not roll
away.Apply the handbrake.
Flashes
In the instrument pan-
el display, in addition
to the control lamp re-
questing the brake
pedal to be pressed
: indicated for start-
ing the engine.
Move the gearbox lever to the
position and start the en-
gine.
On the instrument
panel display: Whilst
driving in a forward di-
rection, try to move
the automatic gearbox
lever to the position
.
Stop the vehicle and move the
gearbox lever to the position in order to subsequently
change to the position .
On the instrument
panel display: The au-
tomatic gearbox lever
was placed in the po-
sition
or , but the
brake pedal was not
pressed.
Press the brake pedal, move
the gearbox lever to the posi-
tion
, and subsequently to
the required position or . When switching on the ignition some warn-
ing and control lamps light up for a short
time to check the operations. They will switch
off after a few seconds.Manual gearbox: engaging gears
Fig. 81
Gear shift pattern of a 5-speed man-
ual gearbox The position of each of the gears is shown on
the gear stick
››› Fig. 81 .
● Keep the c
lutch pedal pushed all the way
down.
● Move the gearbox lever to the required po-
sition ››› .
● Release the clutch pedal to engage clutch.
In some countries, it is necessary to press the
clutch pedal to the floor to start the engine.
Selecting reverse gear
● Engage reverse gear only when the vehicle
is stopped.
● Keep the clutch pedal pushed all the way
down ››› .
94