Safe driving
Safety
Safe driving Safety first! This chapter contains important information,
tips, suggestions and warnings that you
should read and consider for both your own
safety and for your passengers' safety.
WARNING
● This manual contains important informa-
tion about the operation of the vehicle, both
for the driver and the passengers. The other
sections of the on-board documentation also
contain further information that you should
be aware of for your own safety and for the
safety of your passengers.
● Ensure that the on-board documentation is
kept in the vehicle at all times. This is espe-
cially important when lending or selling the
vehicle to another person. Advice about driving
Before starting every trip For your own safety and the safety of your
passengers, always note the following points
before every trip: –
Make sure that the vehicle's lights and turn
signals are working properly.
– Check tyre pressure.
– Ensure that all windows provide a clear and
good view of the surroundings.
– Make sure all luggage is secured
››› page 81 .
– Mak
e sure that no objects can interfere
with the pedals.
– Adjust front seat, head restraint and rear vi-
sion mirrors properly according to your
size.
– Ensure that the passengers in the rear
seats always have the head restraints in
the in-use position ››› page 10.
– Instruct passengers to adjust the head re-
straints according to their height.
– Protect children with appropriate child
seats and properly applied seat belts
››› page 24.
– Ass
ume the correct sitting position. Instruct
your passengers also to assume a proper
sitting position. ››› page 6.
– Fasten your seat belt securely. Instruct your
passengers also to fasten their seat belts
properly. ›››
page 11. What
affects driving safety? As a driver, you are responsible for yourself
and your passengers. When your concentra-
tion or driving safety is affected by any cir-
cumstance, you endanger yourself as well as
others on the road
››› , for this reason:
– Always pay attention to traffic and do not
get distracted by passengers or telephone calls.
– Never drive when your driving ability is im-
paired (e.g. by medication, alcohol, drugs).
– Observe traffic laws and speed limits.
– Always reduce your speed as appropriate
for road, traffic and weather conditions.
– When travelling long distances, take
breaks regularly - at least every two hours.
– If possible, avoid driving when you are tired
or stressed. WARNING
When driving safety is impaired during a trip,
the risk of injury and accidents increases. Safety equipment
Never put your safety or the safety of your
passengers in danger. In the event of an acci-
dent, the safety equipment may reduce the
»
5
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
Operation
Manual gearbox Changing gears Fig. 91
Gear shift diagram of a 5- or 6-speed
manual gearbox When changing gear, always depress the
clutch pedal fully and keep it pressed down
to avoid excessive clutch wear.
In order to drive at an optimum RPM, follow
the gear change indications
››› page 32.
Engage reverse gear only when the vehicle is
stopped. On engaging reverse gear while the
engine is running, first wait a moment with
the clutch pedal pressed down fully to limit
gear shift noise.
The reverse lights switch on when the reverse
gear is selected and the ignition is on. WARNING
Never engage reverse gear when moving for-
ward. Risk of accident! Note
Do not rest your hand on the gear lever while
driving. The pressure of your hand could lead
to premature wear of the gear system. Automatic gearbox
Basic information The gearbox changes up and down automati-
cally. The gearbox can be set to
Tiptronic
mode. The gears can be changed manually in
this mode ›››
page 102 .
The en gine c
an only be started
in positions P
or N. If, on engaging the steering lock,
switching the ignition on/off or starting the
engine, the selector lever is not in these posi-
tions, the informative display will show Move
the selector lever to position P/N! , or P/N
is
shown on the general dash panel display.
At temperatures below -10 °C (14 °F), the en-
gine can only be started in position P.
Mov
e the selector lever to position P when
parking the vehicle on a flat surface. On a
slope, the handbrake should be firmly ap-
plied before moving the selector lever to the park position. This reduces the load on the
lock mechanism while making it easier to
move the selector lever from position P.
If, while the vehicle is moving, the selector
lever is accidentally moved to position
N, re-
le
ase the accelerator and wait for the engine
to idle before moving it back into position. WARNING
● Never press the accelerator when selecting
the automatic gearbox operating mode when
the vehicle is stationary. Risk of accident!
● Never move the selector lever to positions
R or P when driving. Risk of accident!
● If the vehicle is to be stopped with a gear
selected and the engine idling (e.g. waiting
or moving slowly at traffic lights), press down
on the brake pedal because the transmission
is not entirely interrupted when the engine is
idling and the vehicle will tend to start mov-
ing.
● Apply the handbrake firmly and put the se-
lector lever in position P before opening the
bonnet and working on the vehicle with the
engine running. Risk of accident! Strictly fol-
low the safety instructions ››› page 132, En-
gine compartment.
● When s t
opping on a slope (hill), try not to
stop the vehicle from moving by pressing the
“accelerator” with a gear selected. This could
overheat the clutch. If the clutch risks being
burnt due to this force, it would switch off 100
Advice
Checking coolant level Fig. 112
Engine compartment: coolant fluid
tank. The coolant expansion tank is located in the
engine compartment of the vehicle.
– Switch the ignition off.
– Open the bonnet ››› page 132.
– Read off the coolant level on coolant ex-
pansion tank ››› Fig. 112 . When the engine
i s
cold, the coolant should be between
marks B (min.) and
A (max.). When the
engine is hot, it may be slightly above mark A (max.).
If the coolant fluid level in the reservoir is too
low, this will be indicated by the red warn-
ing lamp illuminating on the general dash
panel ›››
page 35, Coolant level and tempera-
ture . However, we recommend checking
the coolant level directly in the tank. Coolant fluid loss
Any loss of coolant normally indicates a
leak.
It is not sufficient merely to top up the cool-
ant. The cooling system should be inspected
by an Official Service without delay. CAUTION
In the event of a fault that causes the engine
to overheat, contact an authorised SEAT deal-
er immediately, as this could damage the en-
gine. Topping up coolant
–
Switch the ignition off.
– Wait for the engine to cool down.
– Cover the cap on the coolant expansion
tank ›››
Fig. 112 with a cloth and
carefully
u
nscrew the cap.
– Refill the level of coolant.
– Screw the cap on again until it clicks into
place.
Do not use a different type of additive if the
prescribed anti-freeze additive is not availa-
ble, in the event of an emergency. In this
case, use only water and bring the coolant
concentration back up to the correct level as
soon as possible at an Official Service.
Always top up with unused coolant. Never fill the coolant tank above mark
A (max.)
››› Fig. 112 Excess coolant is forced
out of
the cooling system through the over-
pressure valve in the filler cap of the expan-
sion tank when the engine heats up. WARNING
● The anti-freeze additive and, therefore, the
entire coolant, are a health hazard. Avoid
touching the coolant. Coolant fumes are also
a health hazard. For this reason, always store
the coolant additive in a safe place out of the
reach of children. Risk of poisoning!
● If splashed into eyes, rinse immediately
with clean water and seek immediate medical
attention.
● Seek immediate medical attention if the
coolant is accidentally ingested. CAUTION
If the coolant cannot be topped up under the
given conditions, do not drive on. We rec-
ommend c
ontacting an authorised SEAT deal-
er, as this can damage the engine. 138
Advice
– Adjust the jack so that its claw surrounds
the jacking point on the door sill ››› Fig. 126
- B underneath the stamp on the door sill.
– Make sure that the base of the jack is en-
tirely supported on a flat surface and that it
is vertical ››› Fig. 126 to the point where the
c l
aw surrounds the jacking point on the
door sill.
– Continue to wind up the jack using the
crank handle until the defective wheel is
clear off the ground.
Anti-theft wheel bolts* Fig. 127
Anti-theft wheel bolt with adapter. On vehicles fitted with anti-theft wheel bolts
(one bolt per wheel) these bolts can only be
loosened or tightened using a factory-sup-
plied adapter.
– Pull off the hub cap or bolt cover. –
Insert the adapter B
››› Fig. 127 with its
t oothed s
ide as far as it will go on the inte-
rior toothing of the anti-theft wheel bolt A so that only the outer hexagonal is protrud-
ing.
– Fit the box spanner as far as it will go over
adapter B .
– Loosen or firmly tighten the wheel bolt
››› page 152 .
– Af t
er removing the adapter, replace the hub
cap or the anti-theft wheel bolt cover.
– Have the tightening torque of the wheel
bo
lts checked as soon as possible with a
tor
que wrench.
Note down the code number stamped on the
front of the adapter or on the front of the anti-
theft wheel bolt. You will need this number to
obtain a spare adapter from the SEAT original
accessories programme.
We recommend you always carry the wheel
bolt adapter in the vehicle. It should be stor-
ed in the vehicle tool kit.
Tyre repairs TMS (Tyre Mobility System)* The Tyre Mobility System is stored in a box
under the carpet in the boot.Using the Tyre Mobility System you can relia-
bly seal tyres damaged by foreign bodies,
provided that cuts or punctures are no larger
than approx. 4 mm in diameter. Do not re-
move the foreign bodies, e.g. bolts or nails,
from the tyre!
The tyre must be repaired immediately.
The repair made using the Tyre Mobility Sys-
tem
under no circumstances replaces
perm
a-
nent
tyre repair and should only be used to
drive to the nearest official service.
The Tyre Mobility System kit shall not be
used:
● If the wheel rim has been damaged,
● when the outside temperature is below
-20 °C (-4 °F),
● on slashes or punctures larger than 4 mm,
● if the sidewall of the wheel has been dam-
aged,
● If you have been driving with very low tyre
pressure or a completely flat tyre
● If the best-before date on the air can has
expired WARNING
Read and observe the safety warnings ››› in
Introduction on page 150.
● A ty r
e filled with sealant does not have the
same performance properties as a conven-
tional tyre. 154