Operation
Changing gears with Tiptronic* Fig. 131
Selector lever in Tiptronic position
(left-hand drive vehicles). The lay-out in right-
hand drive vehicles is symmetrically op-
posed. Fig. 132
Steering wheel with two paddle
shifts for Tiptronic The Tiptronic system allows you to manually
change gears in vehicles with an automatic
gearbox. When you change to the Tiptronic
programme, the vehicle remains in the cur- rently selected gear. This is possible as long
as the system is not changing gear automati-
cally due to a traffic situation.
Using Tiptronic with the selector lever
● Press the selector lever from position D to
the right int
o the Tiptronic selector gate ››› in Automatic gearbox*: selecting gears on
page 145
.
● Pr e
ss the lever forwards + or backwards
– to move up or down a gear
››› Fig. 131 .
U s
ing the Tiptronic with the steering wheel
paddle shifts
● In
D or S, move the steering wheel paddle
shifts ››› Fig. 132.
● Pu
ll the right-hand side paddle + OFF ›››
Fig. 132 towards the steering wheel to
s t
ep up a gear.
● Pull the left-hand side paddle –
››› Fig. 132
towards the steering wheel step down a gear.
If the paddles are not used for a period of
time, the vehicle leaves Tiptronic mode. CAUTION
● When accelerating, the gearbox automati-
cally shifts up into the next gear shortly be-
fore the maximum engine speed is reached.
● When reducing speed manually, the gear
box only shifts gear when the engine can no
longer exceed the maximum engine speed. Driving with an automatic gearbox
The gearbox changes gear ratios automatical-
ly as the vehicle moves.
Driving down hills
The steeper the gradient, the lower the gear
you will need. The lowest gears increase the
engine braking work. Never go down hills
with the selector lever in neutral
N.
● You shou
ld reduce speed accordingly.
● Press the selector lever from position D to
the right int
o the Tiptronic selector gate
››› page 146
.
● Gently pull the selector lever back to
change down a gear.
● OR:
reduce using the steering wheel pad-
dles ›››
page 146.
Bac
k-up programme
If all the selector lever positions on the in-
strument panel display are shown with a
light-coloured background, this means there
is a fault in the system. The automatic gear-
box will operate in back-up mode. When the
backup programme is activated, it is possible
to drive the vehicle, however, at low speeds
and within a selected range of gears.
For the DSG ®
dual clutch gearbox, in some
cases, this may mean that the reverse gear
does not engage . The gearbox should be
146
Driving
checked by a specialised workshop as soon
as possible.
Overload protection for the 6-speed DSG
gearbox ®
When the clutch is overloaded, the vehicle
begins to jerk and the selector lever position
indic at
or begins to flash. To prevent damage
to the clutch, this interrupts the power trans-
mission between the engine and the gear-
box. There is no more traction and it is not
possible to accelerate. If the clutch is opened
automatically due to overloading, press the
brake pedal. Wait a few seconds before start-
ing to move again.
Kick-down
The kick-down system provides maximum ac-
celeration when the gear selector lever is in
the positions D,
S or in the Tiptronic position.
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. Launch-Control Programme
The Launch-Control programme enables max-
imum acceleration while at a standstill.
●
Switch off the ASR ››› page 137.
● Press and hold the brake pedal with your
left foot.
● Place the selector lever in position S or Tip-
tronic.
● Press the accelerator with the right foot un-
til the vehicle reaches an engine speed of ap-
proximately 3200 rpm.
● Lift the left foot off the brake ››› . The ve-
hicle starts with maximum acceleration.
● Turn on the ASR after accelerating! 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.
● Only use kick-down and rapid acceleration
when weather conditions, surface conditions
and traffic conditions permit; accelerate and
drive in a manner that does not endanger
other road users.
● Please remember that the driven wheels
can slip and the vehicle can skid if the ASR is
turned off, especially on slippery ground.
● Turn on the ASR after accelerating! CAUTION
● If you stop on a hill with a gear range en-
gaged, do not try to prevent the vehicle from
rolling back by pressing on the accelerator.
This could cause overheating and damage the
automatic gearbox.
● Never allow the vehicle to move with the
gear selector lever in N, especially with the
engine turned off. The automatic gearbox will
not be lubricated and could be damaged. 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.
Information for “cleaning” the diesel
particulate filter
The exhaust gas system control recognises
when the diesel particulate filter is blocked,
»
147
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
Operation
and helps to clean it by recommending a spe-
cific gear for driving. It may therefore be nec-
essary to drive with the engine at an
exceptionally high speed ››› page 151. 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, climb-
ing a hill or towing a trailer. 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. 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
1500 km (1000 miles). During its first few
hours of running, 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
1500 km (1000 miles) influences the future
engine performance. Throughout the life of
the vehicle, it should be driven at a moderate
speed – especially when the engine is cold –
this will reduce engine wear and increase its
useful life. Never drive at extremely low en-
gine speeds. Always engage a lower gear
when the engine works “irregularly”. For the
first 1000 km or 600 miles, please note:
● Do not use full throttle.
● Do not force the engine above two thirds of
its maximum speed.
● Do not tow a trailer.
Between 1000 and 1500 kilometres (600 to
1000 miles) ,
gradually increase power until
reaching the maximum speed and high en-
gine speeds.
Running in new tyres and brake pads
● Replacement of wheel rims and new tyres
››› page 231
● Notes on the brakes ››› page 141 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. Environmental friendliness
Environmental protection is a top priority in
the design, choice of materials and manufac-
ture of your new SEAT.
Constructive measures to encourage
recycling
● Joints and connections designed for easy
dismantling
● Modular construction to facilitate disman-
tling
● Increased use of single-grade materials.
● Plastic parts and elastomers are marked in
accordance with ISO 1043, ISO 11469 and
ISO 1629.
Choice of materials
● Use of recycled materials.
● Use of compatible plastics in the same part
if its components are not easily separated.
● Use of recycled materials and/or materials
originating from renewable sources.
● Reduction of volatile components, includ-
ing odour, in plastic materials.
148
Driving
● Use of CFC-free coolants.
Ban on heavy metals, with the exceptions
dictated by law (Annex II of ELV Directive
2000/53/EC): cadmium, lead, mercury, hexa-
v al
ent chromium.
Manufacturing methods ● Reduction of the quantity of thinner in the
protective wax for cavities.
● Use of plastic film as protection during ve-
hicle transport.
● Use of solvent-free adhesives.
● Use of CFC-free coolants in cooling sys-
tems.
● Recycling and energy recovery from resi-
dues (RDF).
● Improvement in the quality of waste water.
● Use of systems for the recovery of residual
heat (thermal recovery, enthalpy wheels,
etc.).
● The use of water-soluble paints. Correct economical and ecological
driving
Fig. 133
Fuel consumption in litres per
100 km (mpg) at different outside tempera-
tures Fuel consumption, environmental impact and
engine, brake and tyre wear depend largely
on three factors:
● Personal driving style.
● Conditions of use (weather, road surface).
● Technical requirements.
Savings of up to 25% in fuel consumption
are possible with an appropriate driving style
and the adoption of certain simple tips.
Changing gear early
General instructions: The highest gear is al-
ways the most economical. As a guideline,
for the majority of vehicles: at a speed of
30 km/h (19 mph), drive in third gear, at 40 km/h (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. In
vehicles which have the Start-Stop function
on, the engine switches off automatically
when the vehicle is not moving.
»
149
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
Operation
CAUTION
Before entering an automatic car wash, al-
ways switch the Auto Hold function off, as it
could be damaged when the electronic park-
ing brake automatically engages. Start-Stop Function*
Fig. 136
Detailed view of the centre console:
Start-Stop function button With the Start-Stop system enabled, the en-
gine is automatically stopped when the vehi-
cle is at a standstill. The engine restarts auto-
matically when required.
The function is enabled automatically when-
ever the ignition is switched on. The instru-
ment panel displays information on the cur-
rent status. Vehicles with a manual gearbox
● When the vehicle is at a standstill, leave it
in neutral and take your foot off the clutch.
The engine switches off.
● Simply depress the clutch pedal to move
off again.
Vehicles with an automatic gearbox
● When the vehicle is at a standstill, depress
the brake or keep it pressed down. The en-
gine switches off.
● The engine will start again as soon as you
release the brake pedal.
● With the selector lever set to position P, the
en gine w
ill not start until a range of gears is
selected or the accelerator pedal is de-
pressed.
Important conditions for the engine to
automatically switch off
● The driver seat belt must be buckled.
● The driver door must be closed.
● The bonnet must be closed.
● The factory-fitted towing bracket must not
be electrically connected to a trailer.
● A minimum engine temperature has been
reached.
● The steering wheel must not be turned
more than 270 degrees.
● The vehicle has moved since the last stop. ●
In vehicles with Climatronic: the tempera-
ture inside the vehicle is within the pre-set
temperature range.
● The temperature set is neither very high nor
very low.
● The air conditioning defrost function is not
switched on.
● In vehicles with Climatronic: the blower has
not been manually set to a high speed.
● The power level of the vehicle's battery is
sufficient.
● The vehicle's battery temperature is neither
too high nor too low.
● The vehicle is not on a steep gradient or
slope.
● The front wheels are not overly turned.
● The heated windscreen is not switched on.
● Reverse gear is not engaged.
● The park assist system is not switched on.
Conditions for automatically restarting the
engine
The engine may automatically restart under
the following conditions:
● If the vehicle interior is too hot or too cold.
● If the vehicle moves.
● If the vehicle's battery voltage drops.
158
Driver assistance systems
Conditions requiring the key to restart the
engine
The engine must be started manually under
the following conditions:
● If the driver unbuckles his/her seat belt.
● If the driver door is opened.
● If the bonnet is opened.
● In vehicles with a manual gearbox: if a gear
has been selected.
Switching Start-Stop mode on and off
manually
● Press the button on the centre console
››› Fig. 136 .
● The b utt
on will light up when the Start-Stop
function is switched off.
The engine will start immediately if the vehi-
cle is in Stop mode when it is switched off
manually. WARNING
The brake servo and the power steering do
not work when the engine is switched off.
● Never allow the vehicle to move when the
engine is switched off. CAUTION
Using the Start-Stop function for a long peri-
od at very high outside temperatures could
damage the vehicle's battery. Note
● In some cases, you may have to restart the
vehicle using the key. Observe the corre-
sponding message on the instrument panel
display.
● If the steering wheel is turned more than
270°, Stop will not function; however, the an-
gle of steering wheel turn does not affect
starting the vehicle. Parking sensor system*
Introduction The parking sensor system assists the driver
when parking. When the vehicle approaches
an obstacle, forwards or backwards, an inter-
mittent audible warning will be heard, higher
or lower depending on the distance. The
shorter the distance, the shorter the intervals
between tones. If the vehicle is too close to
the obstacle, the audible warning becomes
constant.
If you continue to approach an obstacle when
the sound is continuous, this means the sys-
tem can no longer measure the distance.
The sensor system on the bumpers transmit
and receive ultrasound. Using the ultrasound
signal (transmission, reflection from the ob-
stacle and reception), this system continu-ously calculates the distance between the
bumper and the obstacle. WARNING
The parking sensor system and the optical
parking system cannot replace driver aware-
ness.
● The sensors have blind spots in which ob-
stacles and people are not registered.
● Always observe the area around the vehi-
cle, as the sensors do not always detect
small children, animals or objects.
● The surface of certain objects and some
clothing do not reflect the ultrasound signals
from the parking distance system. The sys-
tem cannot detect or incorrectly detects
these objects and people wearing these
types of clothes.
● External sound sources can affect the park-
ing distance aid signals. In this case, under
certain circumstances, people and objects
will not be detected. CAUTION
● The sensors may not always be able to de-
tect objects such as trailer draw bars, thin
rails, fences, posts, trees and open boots,
etc. This could result in damage to your car.
● Although the parking sensor system de-
tects and warns of the presence of an obsta-
cle, the obstacle could disappear from the an-
gle of measurement of the sensors if it is too
high or low and the system would no longer » 159
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
Driver assistance systems
Note
If the parking sensor system is faulty, a con-
stant audible warning will be emitted the first
time it is switched on and the button will
flash. Switch the parking sensor system off
using the button and take the vehicle to a
specialised workshop to have the system
checked as soon as possible. Optical parking system* (OPS)
Fig. 139
On-screen OPS display: A has de-
tected an obstacle in the collision zone; Bhas detected an obstacle in the segment;
Czone recorded behind the vehicle. Fig. 140
On-screen OPS display: A has de-
tected an obstacle in the segment; B restric-
ted area in front of the vehicle. The optical parking system is an accessory to
the Parking sensor system
››› page 160 and
the park assist system ››› page 162.
The zone recorded by the sensors in front of
and behind the vehicle is displayed on the
factory-fitted radio or navigation system
screen. Any obstacles are displayed in rela-
tion to the vehicle ››› .FunctionNecessary operations
Switching the
display on:Switch on the parking sensor sys-
tem
››› page 160 or the park assist
system ››› page 162. The OPS
switches on automatically.
Switching the
display off man-
ually:Press a zone selection button on the
factory-fitted radio or navigation
system
OR: briefly press the function button
or RVC on the screen.
FunctionNecessary operations
Switching the
display off man-
ually:
Drive forwards at more than about
10-15 km/h (6-9 mph).
Select the reverse gear on vehicles
with rear assist ››› page 166. The
display changes to the image of the
camera. Zones explored
The zone in which obstacles are recognised
runs to a distance of around 120 cm from the
front of the vehicle and up to 60 cm to the
side
›››
Fig. 140 B . Behind the vehicle, the
zone analysed reaches a distance of up to
160 cm and around 60 cm to the sides
››› Fig. 139 C .
Screen display
The image displayed represents the super-
vised zones in several segments. As the vehi-
cle moves closer to an obstacle, the segment
moves closer to the vehicle displayed
››› Fig. 139 B and
›››
Fig. 140 A . When the
penultimate segment is displayed, this
means that the vehicle has reached the colli-
sion zone. Stop the vehicle!
»
161
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
OperationDistance from the
vehicle to the ob-
stacleAudible
warn- ing
Displayed in
colour on the
screen: colour
of the segment if an obstacleis recognised
Front: approx. 31 -
120 cm
Behind: approx. 31 -
160 cmBeeping soundYellow
Approximately 0 –
30 cm in front or be-
hind a)Perma-
nent
soundRed
a) The permanent sound starts at a somewhat greater distance
on vehicles with a factory-fitted towing bracket.
With towing bracket
A specific image is displayed on the screen of
vehicles with a factory-fitted towing bracket
and an electrically connected trailer. In this
case, the distances behind the vehicle are
not indicated.
Switching the parking sensor system sound
on and off
If the button on the radio or navigation
system screen may mute the sound of OPS
warnings. To switch the warnings back on,
press the button again briefly.
When the OPS is switched off and back on
again, muting is cancelled. Error messages
cannot be switched off. WARNING
Do not be distracted from the traffic when
looking at the screen. Park Assist system*
Introduction The Park Assist system helps the driver to
find a suitable place to park, to insert the ve-
hicle into parallel and perpendicular parking
places and to leave parallel parking places.
The Park Assist system is limited to the sys-
tem abilities and requires that the driver is
especially attentive
››› .
The parking sensor system is a component of
the Park Assist system that helps to park the
vehicle.
For vehicles with the optical parking system
(OPS), the radio navigation systems screen
displays the detected zones in front of and
behind the vehicle, indicating - within the
limits of the system - the position of obsta-
cles in relation to the vehicle.
The park assist system cannot be switched
on if the factory-fitted towing bracket is elec-
trically connected to a trailer. WARNING
Despite the assistance provided by the park
assist system, do not run any risks when
parking. The system is not a replacement for
driver awareness.
● Unintentional movements of the vehicle
could cause serious injury.
● Adjust your speed and driving style to visi-
bility, road, traffic and weather conditions.
● The surface of certain objects and items of
clothing and external sound sources may
have a negative affect on the park assist sig-
nals or on the system sensors or may not re-
flect its signals.
● The sensors have blind spots in which ob-
stacles and people are not registered.
● Always observe the area around the vehi-
cle, as the sensors do not always detect
small children, animals or objects. CAUTION
● The park assist system aims exclusively at
other parked vehicles, without taking curbs
or other circumstances into account. Make
sure you do not damage the tyres and wheel
rims when parking. Where necessary, stop
manoeuvring to avoid damaging the vehicle.
● The sensors may not always be able to de-
tect objects such as trailer draw bars, thin
rails, fences, posts and trees, etc. This could
result in damage to your car. 162