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Driving
Manual gearbox Driv in
g w
ith manual gearboxRead the additional information carefully
›› ›
page 37
Certain versions of the model may include a
6-speed manual gearbox, and its diagram is
shown on the gearbox lever.
The reverse gear can only be engaged when
the car is stationary. When the engine is run-
ning and before engaging this gear, wait
about 6 seconds with the clutch pressed
down thoroughly in order to protect the gear-
box.
The reverse lights switch on when the reverse
gear is selected and the ignition is on. WARNING
● When the engine i s
running, the vehicle
will start to move as soon as a gear is engag-
ed and the clutch released.
● Never select the reverse gear when the ve-
hicle i
s in motion. Risk of accident. Note
● Do not r e
st your hand on the gear lever
while driving. The pressure of your hand
could cause premature wear on the selector
forks in the gearbox. ●
When ch an
ging gear, you should always
depress the clutch fully to avoid unnecessary
wear and damage.
● Do not “slip” the clutch to hold the vehicle
on a hill
. This causes premature wear and
damage to the clutch.
● Do not leave your foot on the clutch pedal;
although the pre
ssure may seem insignifi-
cant, it can cause the premature wear of the
clutch plate. Use the foot rest when you do
not need to change gear. Gear-change indicator
3 V
alid for vehicles: with a manual gearbox
The r
ecommended gear for saving fuel is in-
dicated on the dash screen of certain vehi-
cles during driving.
DisplayMeaning
The optimal gear is selected.
Changing to a higher gear is recommended.
Changing to a lower gear is recommended.
Information regarding the “cleanliness” of
the die
sel
p
articulate filter
The exhaust system manager detects that the
diesel particulate filter is nearly saturated
and contributes to self-cleaning by recom-
mending the optimal gear. For this purpose, it might be necessary to drive momentarily
with a high rpm
››
› page 101. WARNING
The gear change indicator is only an auxiliary
fu nction and in no c
ase should be a substi-
tute for careful driving.
● The responsibility of choosing the correct
gear dependin
g on the situation (e.g. over-
taking, driving up or down a slope or towing a
trailer) lies with the driver. For the sake of the environment
Selecting the correct gear can help to save
fuel . Note
The recommended gear display is switched
off when the c lut
ch pedal is pressed. Automatic gearbox*
Driv ing pr
ogrammes Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 38
The automatic gearbox has got two gearbox
programmes. »
159
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Page 162 of 248

Operation
Selecting the normal programme
– Put the selector lever into position D.
Sel ectin
g the s
port programme
– Put the selector lever into position S.
If y
ou select the normal programme, D, you
will drive in the economy mode, i.e. the pro-
gramme is designed to reduce fuel consump-
tion. The gearbox changes up into a higher
gear as soon as possible and down into a
lower gear as late as possible.
If you select the sport programme, S, you will
drive in a sporty mode, i.e. a programme in
which shifts into high gears are postponed in
order to use the full power of the engine.
Selector lever positions Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 38
Selector lever positions
The selected gear is displayed on the side of
the selector lever and on the instrument pan-
el display. The currently selected gear for the
automatic gearbox will also be shown on the
display. Tiptronic gear indicator
If the autom
atic gearbox is shifted manually,
the selected gears are shown on the screen.
P - parking lock
When the selector lever is in this position,
the driven wheels are locked mechanically.
Position P on the lever must only be selected
if the vehicle is stationary.
To move selector lever from position P, the
locking button on the selector lever handle
must be pressed and the brake pedal de-
pressed at the same time while the ignition is
switched on.
To put the selector lever in position P, simply
press the lock button down and, if necessary,
depress the brake pedal down.
R - Reverse gear
The reverse gear is engaged in this position.
Reverse gear must be engaged only when the
vehicle is stationary and the engine is idling.
To move the selector lever to position R,
press the lock button down and, at the same
time, press the brake pedal down, with the
ignition switched on.
With the selector lever in position R and the
ignition switched on the following occurs:
● Reverse lights light up. ●
The air conditioner autom atically changes
the air recirculation mode.
● The wiper starts if the windscreen washer is
on.
● The parking distance warning system*
switc
hes on.
N - Neutral (idling)
If this position is selected, the gearbox is in
neutral. Power is not transmitted to the
wheels and the engine does not have a brak-
ing function.
Never use the N position to drive down a long
hill. There is no engine braking and the
brakes are subjected to excessive stain.
You could damage the automatic gearbox if
you drive down hills with the gearbox lever in
position N and the engine switched off.
D - Drive (forward)
In this position the gearbox automatically
changes to a lower or higher gear, according
to the engine's requirements, the driving
style and speed. The braking effect of the en-
gine when driving downhill is very limited
when the selector is in this position. The in-
strument panel display shows the selected
gear as well as the selector lever in position
D.
When travelling at speeds lower than 5 km/h
(3 mph) or when the vehicle is stationary,
160
Page 163 of 248

Driving
press the brake pedal to change the selector
l ev
er fr
om position N to position D.
S - Standard driving position (Sport pro-
gramme)
When the selector lever is in position S, it will
automatically change up into a higher gear
later, and change down into a low gear, if
compared with position D. This way, it is pos-
sible to take full advantage of the engine re-
serve power, depending on the engine de-
mand, driving style and speed. The braking
effect of the engine when driving downhill is
very limited. On the instrument panel display
the selected gear is shown as well as the se-
lector lever to position S.
To select gear range S, press the lock button
on the selector lever. WARNING
● As a driv er
, you should never leave your ve-
hicle if the engine is running and a gear range
is engaged. If you have to leave your vehicle
while the engine is running, you must apply
the parking brake and put the selector lever
in position P.
● If the engine is running and if D or R is en-
gaged,
you will need to hold the car on the
foot brake. The car will creep forward as the
power transmission is not fully interrupted
even when the engine is idling.
● Never accelerate when moving the selector
lever or
you may cause an accident. ●
Never mo v
e the selector lever to R or P
when driving. Risk of accident!
● Before driving down a long, steep slope, it
is a
dvisable to reduce speed and change into
a lower gear.
● If you stop the vehicle up hill, always hold
the foot br
ake strongly depressed down to
stop it from rolling back.
● Never allow the brake to rub and do not use
the brake ped
al too often or for long periods.
Constant braking will cause the brakes to
overheat and will considerably reduce the
brake effect. This increases the braking dis-
tance and could cause the brake system to
fail.
● Never allow the car to roll down a gradient
with the ge
ar in neutral N, or in selector lever
position D, even if the engine is not running.
● If the vehicle moves with no control, an ac-
cident and seriou
s injury may occur. WARNING
Never switch the engine off until the vehicle
is s
tationary. You could lose control of your
vehicle. This could cause an accident and se-
rious injury.
● The airbags and belt tensioners do not
work when the ignition i
s switched off.
● The brake servo does not work with the en-
gine off. Y
ou need more force to stop the vehi-
cle. ●
Po w
er steering does not work when the en-
gine is not running. That is why it is much
more difficult to turn the steering wheel.
● Never remove the key from the ignition if
the vehic
le is in motion. The steering lock
could suddenly engage, and you would not be
able to steer the vehicle. CAUTION
If you allow the vehicle to move when the en-
gine i s sw
itched off or with the selector lever
in position “N”, take your foot off the acceler-
ator and wait until the engine starts idling
before returning to position “D”. Selector lever lock
Fig. 170
Automatic gearbox The selector lever lock in position P or N pre-
v
ents
g
ears from being engaged inadvertent-
ly, which would cause the vehicle to move. »
161
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Page 164 of 248

Operation
The selector lever lock is released as follows: – Switch the ignition on.
– Press and hold the brake pedal and press
the sel ect
or l
ever lock on the left of the se-
lector lever at the same time ››› Fig. 170.
The warning lamp on the instrument panel
lights up when the brake pedal should be ap-
plied. This is essential when the selector lev-
er is taken from the P or N positions.
Level lock only engages with the vehicle sta-
tionary at a speed of up to 5 km/h (3 mph).
At speeds of over 5 km/h (3 mph) the selec-
tor lever lock is automatically deactivated in
position N.
The selector lever lock is not engaged if the
selector lever is moved quickly through posi-
tion N (e.g. when shifting from R to D). This
makes it possible, for instance, to “rock” the
vehicle backwards and forwards if it is stuck
in snow or mud. The selector lever lock en-
gages automatically if the brake pedal is not
depressed and the lever is in position N for
more than about 1second. Selecting gears manually with Tip-
tronic mode
* Fig. 171
Changing gear with Tiptronic. Fig. 172
Steering wheel with paddle levers
f or aut
om
atic gearbox. The Tiptronic system allows the driver to se-
l
ect
g
ears manually. Changing gear with the selector lever
– Press the selector lever from position D to
the right int
o the tiptronic selector gate.
– Lightly press the selector lever forward
›››
Fig. 171 + to change up to a higher
g e
ar
.
– Lightly press the selector lever backward
›››
Fig. 171 - to change down to a lower
g e
ar
.
Changing gear with the steering wheel pad-
dle levers*
– Press the right paddle lever + towards the
s t
eerin
g wheel to change up ››› Fig. 172.
– Press the left paddle lever - towards the
s t
eerin
g wheel to change down ››› Fig. 172.
Using the paddle levers on the steering
wheel, you can access manual driving mode
regardless of the pre-selected driving mode.
General information about driving in tiptron-
ic mode
When accelerating, the automatic gearbox /
DSG automatic gearbox goes into a higher
gear a little before the engine reaches its
maximum permitted revolutions.
If a lower gear is selected, the automatic
gearbox / DSG automatic gearbox will only
change down when the engine cannot go
over its maximum permitted revolutions.
162
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Driving
If “tiptronic” is selected whilst the vehicle is
in motion and the aut om
atic
gearbox / DSG
automatic gearbox is in third gear and selec-
tor lever position D, “tiptronic” mode will
then also be in third gear.
Changing gears in the normal or sport pro-
gramme using the steering wheel paddle lev-
ers
If the paddle levers ››› Fig. 172 are used in
the normal or sport programme, the system
switches temporarily to “tiptronic” mode. To
exit “Tiptronic” mode again, press the right
paddle lever + towards the steering wheel
f or ap
pr
oximately one second. You will also
leave “tiptronic” mode if the paddle levers
are not moved for a certain time. Note
● The ge ar p
addle levers on the steering
wheel can be operated with the selector lever
in any position and with the vehicle in mo-
tion. Driving tips
The gearbox changes gear ratios automatical-
ly
a
s
the vehicle moves.
Starting
– Start the engine with the selector lever in
position
P or N. Driving
– Press and hold the brake pedal.
– Holding down the lock button (button on
the selector l
ever), select R or D.
– Release the lever and wait a little for the
gearbo
x to engage the gear (a slight move-
ment can be felt).
– Release the brake and press the accelerator
›››
in Selector lever positions on
p ag
e 161
.
Stopping briefly – If stopping for a short time, keep the vehi-
cle s
tationary by pressing the foot brake
hard to prevent the vehicle moving back-
wards on a slope or “creeping” forwards,
e.g. at traffic lights. The selector lever does
not need to be put into the positions P or N
for this.
– Do not press the accelerator.
Parkin
g
– Press and hold the brake pedal until the ve-
hicle c
omes to a standstill ››› in Selector
l ev
er po
sitions on page 161.
– Apply the handbrake.
– By pressing the lock button down, move
the selector l
ever to P and release the lock
button. Driving up and down hills
–
Press the selector lever from position “D”
to the right int
o the tiptronic selector gate.
– Lightly press the selector lever back to
chan
ge down.
Holding the car on a hill
– The brake must be always pressed down to
prevent
the vehicle from “rolling back-
wards” ››› in Selector lever positions on
p ag
e 161
. Do not try to prevent the vehicle
from “rolling backwards” by increasing the
engine speed while a range of gears is se-
lected.
Starting the vehicle up hills
– Apply the handbrake.
– With a selected gear, accelerate slowly and
at the same time, r
elease the handbrake.
The steeper the slope, the lower the needed
gear. This increases the braking effect of the
engine. For example, when driving down a
very steep slope in third gear. If the engine
brake effect is not enough, the vehicle will
speed up. The automatic gearbox automati-
cally changes up to prevent the engine over-
revving. Use the foot brake to reduce speed
and change into 3rd gear using Tiptronic*
››› in Selector lever positions on page 161.
Y our
v
ehicle has an automatic interlock
which prevents the selector lever from being »
163
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Page 166 of 248

Operation
put into a position for driving forwards or in
r ev
er
se from positions P or N if the brake
pedal is not depressed.
The ignition key cannot be removed unless
the selector lever is in position P.
Control lamp “Pressing brake pedal”
When the warning lamp next to the selector
lever lights up, press the brake pedal. This is
necessary when the automatic gearbox selec-
tor lever is moved out of positions P or N. A
text message or instructions to perform nec-
essary operations may appear on the instru-
ment panel. CAUTION
● If y
ou stop the vehicle up hills, do not at-
tempt to stop it from rolling back by depress-
ing the accelerator when a gear has been se-
lected. Otherwise, the automatic gearbox
may overheat causing damage. Pull the hand-
brake up or fully depress the brake pedal to
prevent the vehicle from rolling away.
● If you allow the vehicle to roll when the en-
gine is not
running, or with the selector lever
in position N, a lack of lubrication in the auto-
matic gearbox will damage it. Kick-down feature
This feature allows maximum acceleration. If you press the accelerator down thoroughly,
the g
e
arbo
x automatically changes down, de-
pending on speed and engine speed, into a
lower gear to take full advantage of give the
vehicle maximum acceleration.
The gearbox does not change gear until the
engine reaches the maximum determined en-
gine speed for the gear. WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle if you ac-
cel er
ate on slippery road surfaces. Risk of se-
rious injury.
● Be particularly careful when using the kick-
down fe
atures on slippery road surfaces. With
a fast acceleration, the vehicle could lose
traction and skid.
● You should use the kick-down feature only
when traffic and w
eather conditions allow it
to be used safely. Gearbox malfunctions
Gearbox: Fault! Stop the ve-
hicle and place the lever in the
position P.
There i s
a fault in the gearbox. Stop the vehi-
cle in a safe place and do not continue driv-
ing. Seek specialist assistance.
Gearbox: System fault! You
may continue driving. Have the fault corrected by a specialised
work
shop w
ithout delay.
Gearbox: System fault! You
can continue driving with re-
strictions. Reverse gear disa‐
bled
Take the vehicle to a specialised workshop
and have the fault repaired without delay. Gearbox: System fault! You
can continue driving in D until
switching off the engine
Stop the vehicle in a safe place well away
from moving traffic. Seek specialist assis-
tance. Gearbox: too hot. Adapt your
driving accordingly
Continue driving at moderate speeds. When
the warning lamp switches off, you can con-
tinue driving in a normal manner. Gearbox: press the brake and
engage a gear again.
If the fault was caused by a gearbox with a
high temperature, this driver message will be
displayed when the gearbox has cooled
again.
164
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Driving
Run-in and economical driving R u
nnin
g in a new engine The engine needs to be run in over the first
1,500 km.
Up t
o 1000 k
ilometres
– Do not drive at speeds of more than 2/3
the maximum s
peed.
– Do not accelerate hard.
– Avoid high engine revolutions.
– Do not tow a trailer.
From 1000 t o 1500 k
ilometres (600 to 900
miles)
– Speeds can be gradual
ly increased to the
maximum road speed or maximum permis-
sible engine speed (rpm).
During its first few hours of running, the in-
ternal friction in the engine is greater than
later on, when all the moving parts have bed-
ded in. For the sake of the environment
If the engine is run in gently, its life will be in-
cr e
ased and its oil consumption reduced. Tyre and brake pad run-in
New tyres should be run-in carefully for the
firs
t
500 km (300 miles). New brake pads
should be run-in carefully for the first
200 km.
During the first 200 km, you can compensate
for the reduced braking effect by applying
more pressure to the brake pedal. In case of
a sharp braking, the braking distance will be
longer with new brake pads than with brake
pads which have been run-in. WARNING
● At fir s
t, new tyres do not give maximum
grip, and require running-in. This may cause
an accident. Drive particularly carefully in the
first 500 km.
● New brake pads must be “run in” and do
not hav
e the correct friction properties during
the first 200 km. However, the reduced brak-
ing capacity may be compensated by press-
ing on the brake pedal a little harder. Environmental compatibility
Environmental protection is a top priority in
the de
s
ign, c
hoice of materials and manufac-
ture of your new SEAT. Constructive measures to encourage recy-
cling
● Joints
and connections designed for easy
dismantlin
g
● Modular construction to facilitate disman-
tling
● Incr
eased use of single-grade materials.
● Plastic parts and elastomers are marked in
accor
dance 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 c
omponents are not easily separated.
● Use of recycled materials and/or materials
originating fr
om renewable sources.
● Reduction of volatile components, includ-
ing odour, in p
lastic materials.
● 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-
valent chromium.
Manufacturing methods
● Reduction of the quantity of thinner in the
protectiv
e wax for cavities.
● Use of plastic film as protection during ve-
hicle tr
ansport. »
165
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
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Operation
● Use of
so
lvent-free adhesives.
● Use of CFC-free coolants in cooling sys-
tems.
● Recy
cling and energy recovery from resi-
dues (RDF).
● Impr
ovement in the quality of waste water.
● Use of systems for the recovery of residual
heat (therm
al recovery, enthalpy wheels,
etc.).
● The use of water-soluble paints.
Catalytic converter To maintain the useful life of the catalytic
c
on
v
erter
– Use only unleaded petrol with petrol en-
gines, as
lead damages the catalytic con-
verter.
– Do not let the fuel get too low in the tank.
– For engine oil changes, do not replenish
with too muc
h engine oil ›››
page 206, Top-
ping up engine oil.
– Never tow the vehicle to start it, use jump
lea
ds if necessary ›››
page 52.
If you notice misfiring, uneven running or
loss of power when the vehicle is moving, re-
duce speed immediately and have the vehi-
cle inspected at the nearest specialised
workshop. In general, the exhaust warning lamp will light up when any of the described
symptoms oc
cur ››› page 100. If this hap-
pens, unburnt fuel can enter the exhaust sys-
tem and escape into the environment. The
catalytic converter can also be damaged by
overheating. WARNING
The catalytic converter reaches very high
temper at
ures! Risk of fire!
● Never park where the catalytic converter
coul
d come into contact with dry grass or
flammable materials under the vehicle.
● Do not apply additional underseal or anti-
corro
sion coatings to the exhaust pipes, cata-
lytic converter or the heat shields on the ex-
haust system. These materials could catch
fire when the vehicle is being driven. CAUTION
Never run the fuel tank completely dry be-
cau se the irr
egularity of the fuel supply may
cause ignition problems. This allows unburnt
fuel to enter the exhaust system, which could
cause overheating and damage the catalytic
converter. For the sake of the environment
Even when the emission control system is
work in
g perfectly, there may be a smell of
sulphur from the exhaust gas under some
conditions. This depends on the sulphur con-
tent of the fuel used. Quite often the problem can be solved by changing to another brand
of f
uel
. Diesel engine particulate filter*
Fig. 173
Vehicle data sticker on back cover of
the M aint
en
ance Programme. Your vehicle is fitted with a DPF (Diesel Partic-
u
l
at
e Filter) if the vehicle data sticker (back
cover of the “Maintenance Programme”) lists
the code PR 7GG ››› Fig. 173.
The diesel engine particulate filter eliminates
most of the soot from the exhaust gas sys-
tem. Under normal driving conditions, the fil-
ter cleans itself. If this is not possible (for ex-
ample, multiple short trips) the filter will be
obstructed by soot and the diesel engine
particulate filter warning lamp will light up.
This does not represent a fault, it is a warning
that indicates that the filter has not been
able to regenerate automatically and that you
166