2014 Seat Mii light

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

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

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

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

Driving
Driving down hills
The steeper the gradient, the lower the gear
you will need to select. The lowest gears in-
crease the engine braking work. Never go
down hills with the selector lever in neutral
N .
● You shou
ld reduce speed accordingly.
● Place the lever in the position D to the left
on the Tiptronic shift gate M
››› page 96.
● Gently pull the selector lever back – to
change down a gear.
Starting when going up a slope
The steeper the gradient, the lower the gear
you will need.
When stopping on a slope with a gear range
engaged, the vehicle must be prevented from
rolling backwards by always pressing the
brake pedal or pulling the handbrake lever
up. When starting, release the brake pedal or
the handbrake ››› .
Kick-down
The kickdown system provides maximum ac-
celeration when the gear selector lever is in
the position D
, or in the Tiptronic position M
.
When the accelerator pedal is pressed right
down, the automatic gearbox will shift down
to a lower gear, depending on road speed
and engine speed. This takes advantage of the maximum acceleration of the vehicle
››› .
When the accelerator is pressed to the floor,
the automatic gearbox shifts to the next gear
only after the engine reaches the specified
maximum engine speed. 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 serious injury.
● Always adapt your driving style to suit the
flow of traffic.
● Only use the kick-down function or rapid
acceleration if visibility, weather, road and
traffic conditions so permit.
● Never put other road users in danger by ac-
celerating or with your driving style. CAUTION
If you stop on a hill with a gear range engag-
ed, do not try to prevent the vehicle from roll-
ing back by pressing on the accelerator. Oth-
erwise, the automatic gearbox may overheat
causing damage. Automatic gearbox malfunction
Back-up programme
When automatic gearbox warning and control
lamps light up on the instrument panel, there
may be a system malfunction
››› page 93. In
the event of some faults the automatic gear-
box functions using a backup programme.
When the programme is activated, it is possi-
ble to drive the vehicle, however, at low
speeds and within a selected range of gears.
With the manual gearbox, in some cases it is
not possible to drive with all the gears .
In all cases the automatic gearbox must be
checked at a specialised workshop.
Automatic gearbox overheating
The automatic gearbox can overheat with a
prolonged start up, or when stopping and
starting continuously. This overheating is dis-
played with a warning lamp  in the instru-
ment panel. Additionally, an audible warning
can be heard. Stop and let the gearbox cool
››› .
The vehicle moves forward or back despite
having selected a gear range
When the vehicle does not move in the re-
quired 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 »
97
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Operation
required direction, there is a system malfunc-
tion. Seek specialist assistance and have the
system checked. CAUTION
● When the gearbox is displayed as overheat-
ing for the first time, the vehicle must be
parked safely or must be driven at a speed of
more than 20 km/h (12 mph).
● When the warning lamp lights up and the
audible warning is heard, the vehicle must be
parked safely and the engine switched off.
Let the gearbox cool down.
● To prevent damage to the gearbox, driving
must only be continued when the warning
lamps are no longer lit up. While the gearbox
is overheated, starting up and driving, even
at a slow speed should be avoided. Recommended gear display
In some vehicles, the recommended gear for
reducing fuel consumption is displayed on
the instrument panel:DisplayMeaning

Optimum gear.

Recommendation to change up a gear.

Recommendation to change down a
gear. WARNING
The recommended gear display is intended as
a guideline only; it should never replace the
driver's attention to driving carefully.
● Responsibility for selecting the correct gear
for each situation continues to lie with the
driver, for example when overtaking or climb-
ing a hill. For the sake of the environment
Selecting the most appropriate gear for the
situation will help you to save fuel. Note
● The recommended gear display is switched
off when the clutch pedal is pressed.
● On the display of the Portable Navigation
System (supplied by SEAT) ››› page 123 the
recommended gear can also be seen. Run-in and economical driving
Running-in Please observe the instructions for running-in
new components.
Running-in the engine
The engine needs to be run in over the first
1,500 km. During its first few hours of run-ning, the internal friction in the engine is
greater than later on when all the moving
parts have bedded down.
How the vehicle is driven for the first 1,500
km influences the future engine perform-
ance. Throughout the life of the vehicle, it
should be driven at a moderate speed, espe-
cially when the engine is cold, as this will re-
duce engine wear and increase its useful life.
Never drive at extremely low engine speeds.
Change down to a lower gear when the en-
gine no longer runs “smoothly”.
Up to 1,000
k i

lometres the following instructions apply:
● Do not use full throttle.
● Do not force the engine above two thirds of
its maximum speed.
Between 1,000 and 1,500 kilometres, gradu-
ally increase power until reaching the maxi-
mum speed and high en
gine speeds.
Running in new tyres and brake pads
● Replacement of wheel rims and new tyres
››› page 158
● Notes on the brakes ››› page 89 For the sake of the environment
If the engine is run in gently, the life of the
engine will be increased and the engine oil
consumption reduced. 98

Operation
(25 mph) in fourth gear and at 50 km/h
(31 mph) in fifth gear.
In addition, “skipping” gears when shifting
up helps to save fuel, weather and traffic
conditions permitting.
Do not wait until the last moment before
changing gear. Only use first gear when you
move off and change to second gear quickly.
Avoid the kick-down function in vehicles with
automatic gearbox.
Vehicles with a gear display help to achieve
an economical driving style as the display in-
dicates the best moment to change gear.
Let the vehicle roll
If you take your foot off the accelerator, the
fuel supply is stopped and consumption is
reduced.
Allow the vehicle to roll without accelerating,
for example when approaching a red traffic
light. However, if the vehicle is rolling too
slowly or the distance is too long, the clutch
pedal should be pressed to declutch. The en-
gine will then operate at idle speed.
If the vehicle is going to be at a standstill for
a period of time, switch off the engine; for ex-
ample, while waiting at a level crossing.
Think ahead and “flow” with the traffic
Frequent acceleration and braking considera-
bly increase fuel consumption. If you think ahead as you drive and keep a safe distance
from the vehicle in front, it is possible to slow
down by simply lifting your foot off the accel-
erator. This eliminates the need for constant
braking and acceleration.
Calm and steady driving
Constancy is more important than speed: The
more you drive at a constant speed, the lower
the fuel consumption.
When driving on the motorway, it is more effi-
cient to drive at a constant and more moder-
ate speed than to be continuously accelerat-
ing and braking. As a general rule, you will
reach your destination just as quickly when
you drive at a constant speed.
The cruise control function helps you to ach-
ieve a constant style of driving.
Moderate use of additional devices
It is important to travel in comfort, but con-
venience systems should be used ecological-
ly.
Some equipment, when connected, increase
fuel consumption considerably, for example:
●
Air conditioning cooling system: If the air
conditioning system is required to cool to
significantly lower temperatures than the true
outside temperature, it will require a large
amount of energy from the engine. Therefore,
we recommend that the selected temperature for the vehicle is not too different to the out-
side temperature. It is a good idea to air the
vehicle before starting your journey and to
drive a short distance with the windows
open. Then you can close the windows and
switch on the air conditioning. Keep windows
closed when travelling at high speeds. Driv-
ing with the windows open increases fuel
consumption.
●
Switch off the seat heating when the seats
have warmed up.
● Switch off the heated rear window when it
is not moist or covered in ice.
Avoid short journeys
Fuel consumption is much higher when the
engine is cold, immediately after it has been
started. It takes a few kilometres of driving
for the engine to warm up and to normalise
consumption.
The engine and catalytic converter need to
reach their proper working temperature in or-
der t o minimi
se fuel consumption and emis-
sions. The ambient temperature has a deci-
sive influence.
Fig. 84
shows the difference in consumption
for the same journey at +20 °C (+68 °F) and
at -10 °C (+14 °F).
Therefore, unnecessary short journeys
should be avoided. Try to combine trips.
100

Driving
The vehicle uses more fuel in winter than in
summer, even when other conditions are the
same.
“Warming” the engine is not only forbidden
in some countries, but in practice it is techni-
cally superfluous as it is a waste of fuel.
Adjusting type pressures.
Having the correct pressure in your tyres
helps to reduce rolling resistance and, as a
result reduces fuel consumption. Increasing
the tyre pressure slightly (+0.2
bar/+3 psi/+200 kPa) can help to save fuel.
When you buy new tyres, make sure they are
optimised for minimum rolling resistance.
Use low friction engine oil
The use of low viscosity totally synthetic oils,
known as low friction engine oil, helps to re-
duce fuel consumption. These oils reduce the
resistance caused by friction in the engine,
they flow around the engine more quickly
and efficiently, particularly in cold starts. The
effect is particularly noticeable in vehicles
frequently used for short journeys.
Always check the engine oil level and ob-
serve service intervals (engine oil change in-
tervals).
When purchasing engine oil, always observe
legal requirements and ensure that the oil is
approved by SEAT. Avoid carrying unnecessary loads
The lighter the vehicle, the more economical
and ecological the driving style. For example,
an additional weight of 100 kg will increase
fuel consumption up to 0.3 l/100 km.
Remove any unnecessary objects or loads
from the vehicle.
Remove optional equipment and
unnecessary accessories
The more aerodynamic the vehicle, the lower
the fuel consumption. Optional equipment
and accessories (such as roof racks or bike
carriers) reduce the aerodynamic benefits of
the vehicle.
Therefore, we recommend you remove all op-
tional and unnecessary equipment and racks,
especially if you intend to drive at high
speeds.
Other factors which increase fuel
consumption (examples):
●
Fault in engine management.
● Driving on hills. WARNING
Always adapt your speed and the distance to
the vehicles ahead in line with visibility,
weather conditions, the condition of the road
and the traffic situation. Engine management and
exhaust gas purification
system
Introduction WARNING
The components of the exhaust system reach
very high temperatures. This could cause a
fire.
● Always park your vehicle so that no part of
the exhaust system can come in contact with
flammable materials (such as dried grass).
● Never apply additional underseal or anti-
corrosion coatings to the exhaust pipes, cata-
lytic converter or the heat shields on the ex-
haust system. Control lampsIt lights
upPossible causeSolution 
Fault in engine
management
(Electronic Power
Control).Take the vehicle to a
specialised work-
shop as soon as
possible and have
the engine checked.
»
101
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety