
Advice
Automatic car washes
Always observe the instructions provided at
the automatic car wash. The standard pre-
cautionary measures prior to entering the car
wash should be taken to avoid damage to
the vehicle (close all windows, fold in exterior
mirrors). If the vehicle is fitted with additional
components (spoiler, roof-rack, aerial, etc.),
check with the car wash supervisor whether
these can enter the car wash ››› .
The vehicle paintwork is so durable that the
vehicle can normally be washed without
problems in an automatic car wash tunnel.
However, wear and damage to the paintwork
will depend on the type of car wash used.
SEAT recommends the use of car washes
without brushes.
To remove traces of wax on windows and to
prevent wiper blades from scratching, please
observe the following ››› page 197, Cleaning
windows and exterior mirrors .
Washing the car by hand
When washing the car by hand, use plenty of
water to soften the dirt first, and rinse off as
well as possible.
Then clean the vehicle with a soft sponge,
glove or brush using only slight pressure.
St ar
t at the roof and work downwards. Spe-
cial car shampoo should only be used for
ver
y persistent dirt. Rinse the sponge or glove thoroughly and of-
ten.
Wheels, sills and similar should be cleaned
last. Use a second sponge for this.
WARNING
Sharp components on the vehicle may cause
injury.
● Protect arms and hands from sharp edges
when cleaning the vehicle undercarriage or
the interior of the wheel hubs. WARNING
After the vehicle has been washed, the brak-
ing effect will be reduced (and the braking
distance increased) due to moisture (and ice
in winter) on the brakes.
● “Dry the brakes and remove ice” by braking
carefully. Ensure that you are not endanger-
ing other road-users or breaking traffic regu-
lations in the process. CAUTION
● The temperature of the water must not ex-
ceed +60 °C (+140 °F).
● To avoid damage to the paintwork, do not
wash the vehicle in full sun.
● Do not use rough sponges or similar which
could damage the surface to clean away the
traces of insects. ●
Never wipe the headlights with a dry cloth
or sponge, always moisten first. It is best to
use soapy water.
● Washing the vehicle in low temperatures:
When washing the vehicle with a hose, do
not direct water into the lock cylinders or the
gaps around the doors or roof. Locks and
seals could freeze! CAUTION
To prevent damage to the vehicle, please ob-
serve the following before entering an auto-
matic car wash: ● Compare the distance between the vehicle
wheels and the distance between the guide-
rails of the car wash to prevent damage to the
wheels and tyres!
● Switch off the rain sensor and the Au-
to Hold function before entering a car wash.
● Compare the height and width of your vehi-
cle with the available height and width when
entering and driving through the car wash.
● Fold in exterior mirrors Electrically retracta-
ble exterior mirrors must not be folded in or
out by hand. Always use the electrical power
control.
● To avoid damaging the bonnet paintwork,
rest the wipers on the windscreen after dry-
ing them. Do not let them fall!
● Lock the rear lid to prevent it from opening
unexpectedly while inside the car wash. 196

Care and maintenance
Notes for the user Labels and plates Some parts in the engine compartment come
from the factory with certificates of safety, la-
bels or plates containing important informa-
tion regarding the operation of the vehicle,
for example, on the petrol cap, on the pas-
senger's sun visor, on the driver door strut, or
on the floor of the boot.
● Never remove these certificates of safety,
labels or plates, and ensure they are kept in
good condition and are legible.
● If a vehicle part, bearing a certificate of
safety, label or plate, is replaced, the special-
ised workshop should attach the information
back in the same place.
Certificate of safety
A certificate of safety on the door strut states
that all the safety standards and regulations
established by the national traffic authorities
responsible for road safety were met at the
time of manufacture. It may also give the
month and year of manufacture, together
with the chassis number.
Warning of high voltage label*
There is a label close to the bonnet lock
which warns of high voltage in the vehicle's
electrical system. The vehicle ignition system complies with several standards, including
the Canadian standard, ICES-002.
Using your vehicle in other countries
and continents The vehicle is manufactured at the factory for
use in a particular country in accordance with
the national legislation in force at the time of
manufacture.
If the vehicle is sold in another country or
used in another country for an extended peri-
od of time, the applicable legislation of that
country should be observed.
It may be necessary to fit or remove certain
pieces of equipment or to deactivate certain
functions. Service work may also be affected.
This is particularly true if the vehicle is used
in a different climate for an extended period
of time.
As there are different types of frequency
bands around the world, you may find that
the radio or navigation system supplied at
the factory does not work in another country.
CAUTION
● SEAT does not accept liability for any dam-
age to the vehicle due to the use of a lower
quality fuel, an inadequate service or the
non-availability of genuine spare parts. ●
SEAT does not accept liability if the vehicle
does not comply in part or in full with the le-
gal requirements of other countries or conti-
nents. Radio reception and the aerial
The aerial of radio and navigation systems
fitted at the factory may be mounted in differ-
ent parts of the vehicle:
● On the inside of the rear window, next to
the rear window heating,
● on the inside of the rear side windows,
● on the inside of the windscreen,
● on the roof of the vehicle.
Aerials mounted on the inside of a window
can be recognised by the fine wires. CAUTION
Aerials on the inside of windows may be dam-
aged if knocked or if cleaned with corrosive or
acid cleaning products. Do not stick adhesive
labels over the heating elements and never
clean the inside of the rear window with cor-
rosive or acid products or other similar chem-
ical cleaning products. » 205Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Checking and refilling levels
carried out by a specialised workshop if you
are uncertain. Negligent work can cause seri-
ous injury. WARNING
If the vehicle moves unexpectedly, this could
cause serious injury.
● Never work under the vehicle if it has not
been immobilized. If you must work under-
neath the vehicle with the wheels in contact
with the ground then it should be parked on
flat ground, the wheels should be prevented
from moving and the key should be removed
from the ignition.
● If you have to work underneath the vehicle,
you must use suitable stands additionally to
support the vehicle, there is a risk of acci-
dent!. The jack is not intended for this kind of
work and its failure could lead to severe inju-
ries. WARNING
The engine compartment is a dangerous area
capable of causing serious injury.
● For all type of work, always take the utmost
precautions, work carefully and note the gen-
eral safety standards in force. Never take per-
sonal risks.
● Never work on the engine or in the engine
compartment if you are not familiar with the
necessary operations. If you are not sure
about procedures then visit a specialised
workshop to carry out the necessary work. Working incorrectly can cause serious inju-
ries.
●
Never open the bonnet if you see steam or
coolant escaping from the engine compart-
ment. This may cause serious burns. Always
wait until you cannot see or hear the sound of
steam or coolant coming from the engine
compartment.
● Always allow the engine to cool down be-
fore opening the bonnet.
● Contact with hot elements of the engine
and the exhaust system can cause burns.
● Once the engine has cooled, follow the in-
structions below before opening the bonnet:
– Turn on the electronic parking brake and
place the gear selector lever in P or the
gearbox lever in neutral.
– Remove the key from the ignition.
– Keep children away from the engine com-
partment and never leave them unsuper-
vised.
● 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-
ticlockwise, 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. WARNING
The high voltages of the electrical system can
give electric shocks as well as causing burns
and serious injury and possibly even death!
● Never cause short circuits in the electrical
system. The battery could explode.
● To minimise the risk of electric shock and
serious consequences while the engine is
running or starting the engine, note the fol-
lowing:
– Never touch the electrical wiring of the
ignition system.
– Never touch electric cables or the gas dis-
charge lamps. WARNING
In the engine compartment, there are rotat-
ing parts that could cause serious injury.
● Never place your hands on or near the radi-
ator fan. Touching the rotor blades could seri-
ously harm you. The ventilator works accord-
ing to the engine temperature and could start
suddenly even when the ignition is turned off
and the key is removed.
● If any work has to be performed when the
engine is started or with the engine running,
there is an additional, potentially fatal, safety » 215Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Advice
risk from rotating parts, such as the drive
belts, alternator, radiator fan, etc., as well as
from the high-voltage ignition system. Al-
ways work with the utmost caution.
– Always make sure that no parts of your
body, jewellery, ties, loose clothing and
long hair can be trapped by the rotating
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 with the electron-
ic parking brake activated.
● 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.
When disconnecting the battery, ensure
that the vehicle is unlocked otherwise
the anti-theft alarm will be triggered.
– 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. 162
In the footwell on the driver side:
Lever for unlocking the bonnet Fig. 163
Release lever to open the bonnet in
the radiator grille Opening the bonnet
The lever to open the bonnet can only be
used if the driver door is open.
216

Checking and refilling levels
● Before opening the bonnet, make sure that
the windscreen wiper arms are in place
against the windscreen ››› .
● Open the driver door.
● Pull the release lever ››› Fig. 162 in the di-
r ection of
the arrow. The bonnet is released
from the lock carrier by a spring mechanism
››› .
● Lift the bonnet using the release lever
››› Fig. 163 (arrow) and open the bonnet fully.
The bonnet i
s held open thanks to the gas
strut.
Closing the bonnet
● To close the bonnet, pull it down to over-
come the gas strut pressure ››› .
● Allow the bonnet to fall into the lock carrier.
Do not press down.
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. The bonnet must be
flush with the surrounding body panels.
●
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. Checking fluid levels
Fig. 164
Diagram for the location of the vari-
ous elements. From time to time, the levels of the different
fluids in the vehicle must be checked. Never
fill with incorrect fluids, otherwise serious
damage to the engine may be caused.
Coolant fluid deposit
Engine oil dipstick
Oil filler neck
Brake fluid reservoir
Vehicle battery (underneath a cover)
Windscreen washer fluid reservoir »
1 2
3
4
5
6
217
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Checking and refilling levels
Only use an engine oil that complies to SEAT
standards whenever possible ››› . If you
wish to maintain the long-life service dura-
tion, only engine oils approved for this serv-
ice according to the corresponding VW stand-
ard ( ››› table on page 219 ) may be used. All
oi l
s indicated are 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
Engine oil specifications
with LongLife servicewithout Long-Life service
Petrol enginesVW 504 00,VW 503 00VW 504 00, VW 502 00
Diesel enginesVW 507 00VW 507 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. Checking the engine oil level and
topping up
Fig. 165
Marked engine oil dipstick Fig. 166
In the engine compartment: Engine
oil filler cap. Preparations
● Park the vehicle on flat ground so that the
engine oil reading is correct.
● Stop the engine and wait a few minutes for
the oil to drain back into the sump. When the engine has cooled down, immediately check
the oil level and top up if necessary.
●
Open the bonnet ››› page 214.
● The engine oil filler neck can be recognised
by the symbol on the cap
›
›› Fig. 166
and
the dipstick by its coloured handle.
Checking 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 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 219.
● After reading the oil level, replace the dip-
stick in the tube completely.
Engine oil topping up ranges
Fig. 165Operations required depending on
the engine oil level:
Area ADo not top up oil
››› .
Area BAdd approximately 0.5 L of oil (1/2 quarter
of a gallon). The oil level can be in the zone
A
, but never above A.» 219
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Advice
Checking the engine coolant level and
refilling Fig. 168
In the engine compartment: Marking
on coolant expansion tank Fig. 169
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 214.
● The coolant expansion tank is easily recog-
nisable because of the symbol on the cap
› ›
› Fig. 169.
Check
ing the engine coolant level
● When the engine is cold, check the coolant
level using the side marking on the expan-
sion tank ››› Fig. 168.
● 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.
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 223)
››› .
● The engine coolant level should be be-
tween the marks on the coolant expansion
tank ››› Fig. 168 .
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 223 ), do not use an-
other type of a
dditive. 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 223 . 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. 224

Advice
It is not always possible to check the level of
the brake fluid, as in some models the en-
gine components make it difficult to see the
brake fluid reservoir. If you cannot read the
exact brake fluid level, consult a specialist.
The brake fluid level drops slightly when the
vehicle is being used due to wear of the
brake pads and the automatic readjustment
of the brake.
Changing the brake fluid
The brake fluid should be changed in accord-
ance with the instructions given in the Main-
tenance Programme. Have the brake fluid
changed by a specialised workshop. SEAT
recommends taking your car in for technical
service. This means that only brake fluid
complying with the required specifications
will be used. WARNING
If the brake fluid level is low or unsuita-
ble/old brake fluid is used, the brake system
may fail or braking power may be reduced.
● Check the brake system and the brake fluid
level regularly!
● The brake fluid should be changed regular-
ly in accordance with the instructions given
in the Maintenance Programme.
● When the brake fluid is used and brakes
are subjected to extreme braking forces, bub-
bles of vapour form in the brake system. These bubbles can significantly reduce brak-
ing power, notably increasing braking dis-
tance, and could result in the total failure of
the brake system.
●
Only used brake fluid that conforms to the
VW 501 14 standard, FMVSS 116 DOT 4
standard or even the DIN ISO 4925 CLASS 4
standard. Other types of brake fluid could af-
fect brake operation and reduce braking pow-
er. Do not use a brake fluid if the container
does not specify compliance with the
VW 501 14, FMVSS 116 DOT 4 or
DIN ISO 4925 CLASS 4 standards.
● The replacement brake fluid must be new.
● Always ensure that you use suitable brake
fluid. Do not use a brake fluid if the container
does not specify compliance with the
VW 501 14, FMVSS 116 DOT 4 or
DIN ISO 4925 CLASS 4 standards. WARNING
Brake fluid is poisonous.
● To reduce the risk of poisoning, do not keep
brake fluid in drinks bottles/containers or
similar. Other people could drink from these
recipients even if the contents are clearly
marked.
● Always keep brake fluid in the original con-
tainer; keep it correctly sealed and out of
reach of children. CAUTION
Brake fluid damages the vehicle paintwork.
Wipe off any brake fluid from the paintwork
immediately. For the sake of the environment
Brake fluid is an environmental pollutant.
Collect any spilt service fluids and allow a
professional to dispose of them. Checking and topping up the
windscreen washer reservoir with
water
Fig. 171
In the engine compartment: wind-
screen washer reservoir top Check the level in the windscreen washer
tank regularly and top up as required.
● Open the bonnet ››› page 214.
226