Towing bracket device
●
With the engine running, the electrical
equipment on the trailer will be supplied with
power. Loading the trailer
Trailer weight / drawbar load
The trailer weight is the load that the vehicle
can pull
››› . The drawbar load is the vertical
weight of the tow hitch on the tow hitch ball
››› page 188.
The figur e
s for trailer weights and drawbar
load weights given on the data plate of the
tow hitch are for values of this model only.
The correct figures for your specific vehicle,
which may be lower than these figures for the
t o
w hitch, are given in the vehicle documen-
tation. The instructions in the official vehicle
documents take precedence.
For the sake of road safety, SEAT recom-
mends using the maximum allowed drawbar
load
. The handling of the combined vehicle
and trailer will be poor if the drawbar load is
too low.
The drawbar load increases the weight on the
rear axle, reducing the vehicle carrying ca-
pacity.
Gross combination weight
This figure refers to the combined weight of
the loaded vehicle and loaded trailer. Loading the trailer
The combined vehicle and trailer must be
balanced. Use the maximum drawbar load
authorised and do not overload the front or
the rear of the trailer:
●
Distribute loads in the trailer so that heavy
objects are as near to the axle as possible or
above it.
● Correctly secure the trailer load.
Tyre pressure
Inflate the trailer tyres according to the man-
ufacturer's instructions.
Inflate the towing vehicles tyres to the maxi-
mum ››› page 231. WARNING
Exceeding the maximum authorised axle
load, drawbar load or the gross combination
weight of the towing vehicle and trailer could
cause a serious accident with severe conse-
quences.
● Never exceed the specifications.
● With the actual load on the front and rear
axles, the maximum axle load should never
be exceeded. The weight on the front and rear
should never exceed the gross vehicle
weight. WARNING
If the load moves, the stability and safety of
the vehicle and trailer combination will be se-
riously affected and this could result in a seri-
ous accident.
● Always correctly load the trailer.
● Always secure loads correctly with suitable
and undamaged attachment rope or straps. Driving with a trailer
Adjusting the headlights
When towing a trailer, the front of the vehicle
may rise and so the dipped beam headlights
may blind other drivers. Use the headlight
range control to lower the cone of light. If you
do not have headlight range control, have
the headlights adjusted by a specialised
workshop. Vehicles with high-intensity dis-
charge lamps adapt automatically and do not
require adjustment.
Details of driving with a trailer
● If the trailer has an overrun brake, apply
the brakes gently at first and then, firmly.
This will prevent the jerking that can be
caused by the trailer wheels locking.
● As of the combined vehicle and trailer
mass, braking distances will be greater.
● Select a low gear before driving down a
steep hill to use the engine braking effect to »
185
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
Emergencies
Starting
7. Start the engine of the vehicle with the boosting battery and let it run at idling
speed.
8. Start the engine of the vehicle with the flat battery and wait 2 or 3 minutes until the
engine is “running”.
Removing the jump leads
9. Before you remove the jump leads, switch off the dipped beam headlights (if they
are switched on).
10. Turn on the heater blower and heated rear
w indo
w in the vehicle with the flat battery.
This helps minimise voltage peaks which
are generated when the leads are discon-
nected.
11.When the engine is running, disconnect the leads in reverse order to the details
given above.
Connect the battery clamps so they have
good metal-to-metal contact with the battery
terminals.
If the engine fails to start, switch off the start-
er after about 10 seconds and try again after
about 1 minute. WARNING
● Please note the safety warnings referring to
working in the engine compartment
››› page 214.
● The b att
ery providing assistance must have
the same voltage as the flat battery (12V) and
approximately the same capacity (see imprint
on battery). Failure to comply could result in
an explosion.
● Never use jump leads when one of the bat-
teries is frozen. Danger of explosion! Even af-
ter the battery has thawed, battery acid could
leak and cause chemical burns. If a battery
freezes, it should be replaced.
● Keep sparks, flames and lighted cigarettes
away from batteries, danger of explosion.
Failure to comply could result in an explo-
sion.
● Observe the instructions provided by the
manufacturer of the jump leads.
● Do not connect the negative cable from the
other vehicle directly to the negative terminal
of the flat battery. The gas emitted from the
battery could be ignited by sparks. Danger of
explosion.
● Do not attach the negative cable from the
other vehicle to parts of the fuel system or to
the brake line.
● The non-insulated parts of the battery
clamps must not be allowed to touch. The
jump lead attached to the positive battery
terminal must not touch metal parts of the ve-
hicle, this can cause a short circuit. ●
Position the leads in such a way that they
cannot come into contact with any moving
parts in the engine compartment.
● Do not lean on the batteries. This could re-
sult in chemical burns. Note
The vehicles must not touch each other, oth-
erwise electricity could flow as soon as the
positive terminals are connected. Towing and tow starting
Introduction When towing, always respect legal require-
ments.
For technical reasons, it is not possible to
tow a vehicle if the battery is flat.
If the vehicle comes with the Keyless Access
system, towing is only allowed with the igni-
tion on!
The vehicle battery drains if the vehicle is
towed with the engine switched off and the
ignition connected. Depending on the battery
charge status, the drop in voltage may be so
large, even after just a few minutes, that no
electrical device in the vehicle may work e.g.
the hazard warning lights. In vehicles with
»
255
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
