Checking and refilling levels
parts of the engine. Before any work, re-
move ties and jewellery (necklaces, etc),
tie long hair back and tie all items of
loose clothing to your body to make sure
that they cannot be trapped by engine
components.
– Take extreme caution when operating the
accelerator and remain attentive. The ve-
hicle could move, even if the handbrake
is applied.
● Always make sure you have not left any ob-
jects, such as cleaning cloths and tools, in
the engine compartment. If any object is left
in the engine compartment, this could cause
malfunctions, engine faults and even a fire. WARNING
Refill liquids and certain materials can catch
fire easily in the engine compartment, caus-
ing a fire and serious injury!
● Never smoke.
● Never work close to places exposed to
flames or sparks.
● Never pour service fluids over the engine.
These fluid may ignite hot engine parts and
cause injuries.
● If it is necessary to work on the fuel system
or the electrical system, please follow the in-
structions below:
–Always disconnect the vehicle battery.
– Never work close to heaters, heat sources
or places exposed to flames or sparks. ●
Always keep a recently serviced and per-
fectly working fire extinguisher close by.
● Never cover the engine with additional in-
sulating materials such as a blanket. Risk of
fire! CAUTION
When refilling or changing service liquids,
ensure that you put the liquids into the right
tank. Making a mistake when refilling could
cause serious malfunctions and damage the
engine! For the sake of the environment
Service fluids leaks are harmful to the envi-
ronment. For this reason you should make
regular checks on the ground underneath
your vehicle. Take the vehicle to a specialised
workshop to be checked if you see stains, oil
or other fluids on the ground. Collect any
spilt service fluids and allow a professional to
dispose of them. Opening and closing the bonnet
Fig. 105
A: Release lever in the footwell on
the driver side B: Release lever on the bonnet » 145Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
Advice
Fig. 106
C: Bonnet securing rod in the bon-
net. D: Bonnet supported by the bonnet se-
curing rod Opening the bonnet
● Before opening the bonnet, make sure that
the windscreen wiper arms are in place
against the windscreen ››› .
● Pull the release lever 1 in the direction of
the arrow ›››
Fig. 105
A. The bonnet is re- leased from the lock carrier by a spring mech-
anism
››› .
● Lift the bonnet up slightly while pressing
the release lever 2
B
in the direction of the
arr
ow to completely open the bonnet.
● Take out the bonnet support rod from its
clip in the direction of the arrow 3
C
and
p
lace it in the corresponding open position
4
D
(arrow).
C
losing the bonnet
● Slightly lift the bonnet ››› .
● Take out the bonnet support rod from the
opening catch 4
D
and insert it into its clip
3
C
in the opening catch.
● L
et the bonnet fall from a height of 30 cm
into its clip; Do not
apply pressure!
If the bonnet is not correctly closed, open it
once again and close it correctly.
The bonnet is correctly closed when it is flush
with the corresponding parts on the body-
work. WARNING
If the bonnet is not correctly closed, it could
suddenly open while driving leaving the driv-
er without visibility. This could result in a se-
rious accident.
● After closing the bonnet, always check that
it is properly secured by the locking mecha-
nism in the lock carrier piece. The bonnet must be flush with the surrounding body pan-
els.
●
While driving, if you notice that the bonnet
is not correctly closed then stop immediately
and close it correctly.
● Only open and close the bonnet when there
is nobody within its range. CAUTION
● To avoid damage to the bonnet and to the
windscreen wiper arms, only open it when
the windscreen wipers are in place against
the windscreen.
● Before driving, always lower the wiper
arms. Engine oil
Introduction WARNING
Incorrectly handling engine oil can cause in-
jury and serious burns.
● Always protect your eyes when handling
engine oil.
● Oil is toxic and must be kept out of the
reach of children.
● Engine oil should only be kept in its origi-
nal packaging; the same goes for used oil un-
til it is disposed of. 146
Checking and refilling levels
●
Never store engine oil in empty food con-
tainers or bottles as other people may acci-
dentally drink it.
● Regular contact with engine oil can be bad
for the skin. If you come into contact with en-
gine oil, wash your skin with soap and water.
● With the engine running, the engine oil
gets extremely hot and can cause severe skin
burns. Always wait until the engine has fully
cooled. For the sake of the environment
Similar to the other service liquids, spilled
engine oil can be bad for the environment.
Collect these liquids in suitable containers
and dispose of them while respecting the en-
vironment. Warning and control lampsFlashesPossible
causeSolution
Engine oil
pressure too
low.
Stop the vehicle!
Switch off the engine. Check
the engine oil level, and if
necessary, refill with
››› page 148.
engine oil - If the warning in-
dicator flashes although the
oil level is correct, do not
continue driving or leave the
engine running. Otherwise,
the engine could be dam-
aged. Seek specialist assis-
tance. WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ››› in Control
and warning lamps on page 40. Engine oil specifications
Replacement engine oil must strictly comply
with the specifications.
The correct oil must be used to ensure the
correct operation and long service life of the
engine. The engine comes with a high-quality
multigrade oil that can generally be used all
year round.Only use an engine oil that complies to SEAT
standards whenever possible
››› . Only refill
engine oil using approved engine oil in ac-
cordance with the corresponding VW stand-
ard ( ››› table on page 147 ). All oils indicated
ar e synthetic multigrade oils .
Engine oils are being continuously further
developed. Technical services are constantly
updated with any modifications. SEAT there-
fore recommends that you have the engine
oil changed by a technical service.
Engines
Specifications of en- gine oil with a serv- ice dependent on
time/distance travel- led
44 kW - 55 kW Petrol en-ginesVW 504 00, VW 502 00
Natural gas engineVW 502 00 CAUTION
● Only use engine oils whose specifications
are expressly approved by SEAT. The use of
any other type of oil could cause engine dam-
age!
● No additives should be used with engine
oil. Any damage caused by the use of such
additives would not be covered by the factory
warranty. 147
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
Advice
Checking the engine oil level and
topping up Fig. 107
Marked engine oil dipstick Fig. 108
In the engine compartment: Engine
oil filler cap. Preparations
● Park the vehicle on flat ground so that the
engine oil reading is correct.
● The engine must be hot to be able to check
the engine oil level. Stop the engine and wait a few minutes for the oil to drain back into
the sump.
●
Open the bonnet ››› page 143.
● The engine oil filler neck can be recognised
by the symbol on the cap
›
›› Fig. 108 and
the dipstick by its coloured handle.
Check the engine oil level
● Pull out the dipstick and wipe it on a clean
cloth.
● Replace the dipstick, pushing it in as far as
it will go. If the dipstick to measure engine oil
has a mark, when you reintroduce it this
mark should slot into the corresponding
groove located on the upper end of the tube.
● Remove the dipstick again and check the
engine oil level ››› table on page 148.
● After reading the oil level, replace the dip-
stick in the tube completely.
Engine oil topping up ranges
Fig. 107Operations required depending on
the engine oil level:
Area ADo not top up oil
››› .
Area BYou can add oil, but keep the level in this
zone.
Area COil
must be added. After topping up the oil
level should be in area B. Adding oil after checking the level
Only add engine oil in small quantities and in
steps:
●
Unscrew the cap from engine oil filler neck
on the cylinder head ››› Fig. 108 . If you are
not s
ure where the cap is, request help from
a specialist.
● Only refill using approved SEAT engine oil
in small quantities (no more than 0.5 ltr)
››› page 147.
● To av
oid adding too much oil, each time
you add a quantity, wait until the oil has flow-
ed into the crankcase so that it can be meas-
ured with the dipstick.
● Check the oil level before adding any more
oil. Do not top up with too much engine oil
››› .
● When the oil level is in at least the
››› Fig. 107 B zone, insert the dipstick into
the tube fully to avoid engine oil escaping
when the engine is running.
● After topping up the oil, ensure that the
cap is screwed on to the filler neck correctly. WARNING
Oil could catch fire if it comes into contact
with hot engine components. This could lead
to a fire, explosion and severe injuries.
● Always ensure that after topping of oil, the
engine oil filler cap is correctly tightened. 148
Checking and refilling levels
This will avoid engine oil spilling onto hot
engine parts when the engine is running.
CAUTION
● If the engine oil level is above the area Ado not start the engine. Seek specialist assis-
tance. Otherwise catalytic converter and en-
gine damage may occur.
● When refilling or changing service liquids,
ensure that you put the liquids into the right
tank. Making a mistake when refilling could
cause serious malfunctions and damage the
engine! For the sake of the environment
The oil level must never be above area A .
Otherwise oil can be drawn in through the
crankcase breather and escape into the at-
mosphere via the exhaust system. Engine oil consumption
The consumption of engine oil can be differ-
ent from one engine to another and can vary
during the useful life of the engine.
Depending on how you drive and the condi-
tions in which the vehicle is used, oil con-
sumption can be up to 1 ltr./2000 km. In the
case of new vehicles, the consumption can
exceed this figure over 5,000 kilometres. For
this reason the engine oil level must be checked at regular intervals, preferably when
filling the tank and before a journey.
When the engine is working hard, for in-
stance during sustained high-speed motor-
way cruising in summer or when climbing
mountain passes, the oil level should pref-
erably be kept within area
››› Fig. 107 A .
Changing the engine oil The engine oil must be changed regularly ac-
cording to the specifications of the Mainte-
nance Programme.
Due to the problems linked with disposing of
used oil and the need for suitable tools and
special knowledge, always visit a specialised
workshop to have the engine oil and filter
changed. SEAT recommends taking your car
in for technical service.
Detailed information on the service intervals
is shown in the Maintenance Programme.
Engine oil additives make new oil darker after
the engine has been running for a short peri-
od. This is normal and does not mean more
frequent oil changes are required.
WARNING
If, in exceptional circumstances, you must
change the engine oil yourself, please note
the following: ●
Wear eye protection.
● Always wait until the engine has complete-
ly cooled to avoid being burned.
● Always keep your arms horizontal when un-
screwing the oil drainage bolt so that it does
not run down your arms.
● Use a suitable container large enough to
collect all of the used oil in the engine.
● Never collect engine oil in empty food con-
tainers, cans, bottles or other containers as
not all people are able to identify engine oil.
● Oil is toxic and must be kept out of the
reach of children. For the sake of the environment
Before changing the engine oil, find a suita-
ble location or service for proper disposal. For the sake of the environment
Always dispose of engine oil with the utmost
respect for the environment. Never dispose of
used engine oil in places such as a garden,
woods, drains, roads, paths, rivers and drain-
age systems. 149Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
Advice
Engine coolant Introduction WARNING
Engine coolant is toxic!
● Only keep engine coolant in its original
container, tightly shut and in a safe place.
● Never store engine coolant in empty food
containers or bottles as other people may ac-
cidentally drink it.
● Always keep engine coolant out of reach of
children.
● Ensure that the proportion of engine cool-
ant additive corresponds to the lowest out-
side temperature to which the vehicle will be
exposed.
● If the outside temperature is extremely low,
the engine coolant could freeze causing the
vehicle to stop. As this would also cause the
heating to stop working, vehicle occupants
without warm clothing could freeze. For the sake of the environment
Coolants and additives can contaminate the
environment. Collect any spilt fluids in suita-
ble containers and dispose of them in accord-
ance with legislation and with the utmost re-
spect for the environment. Coolant warning lamp
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.It lights
upPossible
causeSolution
Excessive en-
gine coolant
temperature. Stop the vehicle!
Stop the vehicle safely as
soon as possible. Switch
off the engine and let it
cool.
Insufficient en-
gine coolant
level.
¡Stop the vehicle!
Check the engine coolant
when the engine has
cooled and, if it is low, re-
fill with engine coolant
››› page 151.
Engine coolant
system faulty. Do not drive any fur-
ther.
Obtain professional as-
sistance.
FlashesPossible
causeSolution
Engine coolant
system faulty.Seek specialist assis-
tance. WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ››› in Control
and warning lamps on page 40. Note
On the display of the Portable Navigation
System (supplied by SEAT) ››› page 123 an en-
gine coolant temperature gauge can be seen. Engine coolant specifications
The engine cooling system is supplied from
the factory with a specially treated mixture of
water and, at least, 40 % of the additive
G 13
(TLVW 774 J). The engine coolant additive is
recognisable by its purple colour. This mix-
ture of water and additive gives the necessa-
ry frost protection down to -25°C (-13 F) and
protects the light alloy parts of the cooling
system against corrosion. It also prevents
scaling and considerably raises the boiling
point of the coolant.
To protect the engine cooling system, the
percentage of additive must always be at
l e
ast 40 %, even in warm climates where an-
ti-freeze protection is not required.
If greater frost protection is required in very
cold climates, the proportion of additive can
be increased. However, the percentage of ad-
ditive should not exceed 60%, as this would
150
Checking and refilling levels
reduce the frost protection and, in turn, de-
crease the cooling capacity.
When the coolant is topped up, use a mixture
of distilled water and, at least, 40 % of the G
13 or G 12 p lu
s-plus (TL-VW 774 G) additive
(both are purple) to obtain an optimum anti-
corrosion protection ››› . The mixture of G
13 with G 12 plus (TL-VW 774 F), G 12 (red) or
G 11 (green-blue) engine coolants will signifi-
cantly reduce the anticorrosion protection
and should, therefore be avoided ››› .
WARNING
If there is not enough anti-freeze in the cool-
ant system, the engine may fail leading to se-
rious damage.
● Please make sure that the percentage of
additive is correct with respect to the lowest
expected ambient temperature in the zone in
which the vehicle is to be used.
● When the outside temperature is very low,
the coolant could freeze and the vehicle
would be immobilised. In this case, the heat-
ing would not work either and inadequately
dressed passengers could die of cold. CAUTION
The original additives should never be mixed
with coolants which are not approved by
SEAT. Otherwise, you run the risk of causing
severe damage to the engine and the engine
cooling system. ●
If the fluid in the expansion tank is not pur-
ple but is, for example, brown, this indicates
that the G 13 additive has been mixed with
an inadequate coolant. The coolant must be
changed as soon as possible if this is the
case! This could result in serious faults and
engine damage. For the sake of the environment
Coolants and additives can contaminate the
environment. If any fluids are spilled, they
should be collected and correctly disposed
of, with respect to the environment. Checking the engine coolant level and
refilling
Fig. 109
In the engine compartment: Marking
on coolant expansion tank Fig. 110
In the engine compartment: Coolant
expansion tank cap If the coolant level is low, the coolant warn-
ing indicator will light.
Preparations
● Park the vehicle on even, flat and firm
ground.
● Allow the engine to cool ››› .
● Open the bonnet ››› page 143.
● The coolant expansion tank is easily recog-
nisable because of the symbol on the cap
››› Fig. 110 .
Chec k
ing the engine coolant level
● When the engine is cold, check the coolant
level using the side marking on the expan-
sion tank ››› Fig. 109.
● If the l
evel is below the “MIN” mark, top up
with coolant. When the engine is hot it may
be slightly above the marked area. »
151
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
Advice
Topping up the engine coolant level
● Always protect your face, hands and arms
from hot coolant and steam using a large,
thick cloth over the coolant expansion tank
cap.
● Remove the cap very carefully ››› .
● Only refill using new engine coolant ac-
c or
ding to SEAT specifications ( ››› page 150)
››› .
● The engine coolant level should be be-
tween the marks on the coolant expansion
tank ››› Fig. 109 .
Do not exceed the top level
of
the marked area ››› .
● Screw on the cap tightly.
● If, in the event of an emergency, you have
no coolant that is compliant to the required
specifications ( ››› page 150), do not use an-
other type of additive. Instead, top up with
distilled water only
›
›› . Then re-establish
the correct proportion of the mixture with the
correct additive as soon as possible
››› page 150 . WARNING
Hot vapours and coolant can cause serious
burns.
● Never open the coolant expansion tank if
steam or coolant is coming from the engine
compartment. Wait until you cannot see or
hear any steam or coolant escaping. ●
Always wait until the engine has complete-
ly cooled before very carefully opening the
expansion tank cap. Contact with hot ele-
ments of the engine can cause skin burns.
● When the engine is warm or hot, the cool-
ing system is pressurised. Do not unscrew
the cap on the expansion tank when the en-
gine is hot. Otherwise, coolant may spray out
under pressure causing burns and serious in-
jury.
– Carefully and slowly unscrew the cap an-
ti-clockwise, gently pressing down on it.
– Always protect your face, hands and arms
from hot coolant and steam using a large,
thick cloth.
● When refilling liquids, avoid spilling them
on parts of the engine and the exhaust sys-
tem. Spilled liquids could cause a fire. Under
specific circumstances, the ethylene glycol
can catch fire. CAUTION
● Top up with distilled water only. Any other
type of water may lead to considerable rust-
ing in the engine due to its chemical compo-
nents. This could consequently damage the
engine. If you have not used distilled water
but another type of water to top up the cool-
ant, a specialised workshop must immediate-
ly replace all of the fluid in the engine cooling
system.
● Only top up coolant to the top level of the
marked area ››› Fig. 109. Otherwise the ex- cess coolant will be forced out of the cooling
system when the engine is hot, causing dam-
age.
● If a lot of liquid coolant has been lost, wait
for the engine to cool down completely before
adding coolant. Extensive coolant loss is an
indication of leaks in the engine cooling sys-
tem. Have the engine cooling system inspec-
ted immediately by a specialised workshop.
Otherwise engine damage may occur.
● When refilling or changing service liquids,
ensure that you put the liquids into the right
tank. Making a mistake when refilling could
cause serious malfunctions and damage the
engine! Brake fluid
Checking the brake fluid level Fig. 111
In the engine compartment: brake
fluid reservoir, lid 152