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
Driving
must perform a cleaning cycle, as indicated
in ››
›
page 101. WARNING
● The diesel en
gine particulate filter may
reach extremely high temperatures; the vehi-
cle should be parked so that the exhaust pipe
does not come into contact with flammable
materials underneath the vehicle. Otherwise
there is a risk of fire. CAUTION
● Your v
ehicle is not designed to use biodie-
sel fuel. Never, under any circumstances re-
fuel with biodiesel. The use of biodiesel fuel
could damage the engine and the fuel sys-
tem. The addition of biodiesel to diesel by
the diesel producer in accordance with stand-
ard EN 590 is authorised and will not cause
damage to the engine or the fuel system.
● Using diesel fuel with a high sulphur con-
tent m
ay significantly reduce the useful life of
the diesel particulate filter. Your Technical
Service will be able to tell you which coun-
tries have diesel with a high sulphur content. Ecological and environmentally-
friendly
driv
in
gFuel consumption, environmental pollution
and w
e
ar t
o the engine, brakes and tyres de-
pends in large part on your driving style. By
adopting an economical driving style and an- ticipating the traffic situation ahead, you can
eas
ily reduce fuel consumption by 10-15%.
Some tips on how to help you reduce pollu-
tion while saving money are listed below.
Active cylinder management (ACT ®
)
Depending on the equipment, the vehicle
may have active cylinder management
(ACT ®
).
The active cylinder management (ACT ®
) may
automatically deactivate some of the engine
cylinders if the driving situation does not re-
quire too much power. When it is switched
off, no fuel is injected into these cylinders,
hence total fuel consumption may be re-
duced. The number of active cylinders can be
seen on the instrument panel display
››› page 30.
Drive anticipating the traffic situation
A vehicle uses most fuel when accelerating.
When you anticipate situations, you have to
brake less often and, thus, accelerate less. If
it is possible, let the vehicle roll with a gear
engaged, for example, if you see a red light
ahead. The braking effect achieved in this
way helps to reduce the wear of brakes and
tyres; emissions and fuel consumption are
reduced to zero (disconnection due to iner-
tia). Change gear early to save energy
An effective w
ay of saving fuel is to change
up quickly through the gears. Running the
engine at high rpm in the lower gears uses
an unnecessary amount of fuel.
Manual gearbox: shift up from first to second
gear as soon as possible. We recommend
that, whenever possible, you change to a
higher gear upon reaching 2000 rpm. Follow
the “recommended gear” indication that ap-
pears on the instrument panel ››› page 159.
Avoid driving at high speed
We advise you not to drive at the top speed
permitted by the vehicle. Fuel consumption,
exhaust emissions and noise levels all in-
crease very rapidly at higher speeds. Driving
at moderate speeds will help to save fuel.
Avoid idling
It is worthwhile switching off the engine
when waiting in a traffic jam, at level cross-
ings or at traffic lights with a long red phase.
The fuel saved after only 30 - 40 seconds is
greater than the amount of fuel needed to re-
start the engine.
The engine takes a long time to warm up
when it is idling. Mechanical wear and pollu-
tant emissions are also especially high dur-
ing this initial warm-up phase. It is therefore
best to drive off immediately after starting »
167
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Driver assistance systems
● Use de-ic
in
g spray to remove any ice. CAUTION
● Never u se abr
asive cleaning products to
clean the camera lens.
● Do not use hot or warm water to remove ice
or snow fr
om the camera lens. Doing so could
damage the camera. Parking and manoeuvring with the
re
ar a
ssist Fig. 181
Display on the Infotainment system
s cr
een: orientation lines. Switching the system on and off
●
The rear assist will switch on when the igni-
tion i s
on or the en
gine running, on engaging
reverse gear (manual gearbox) or on chang-
ing the selector lever to the R position (auto-
matic gearbox).
● The system switches off 8 seconds after
diseng
aging reverse gear (manual gearbox)
or removing the selector lever from the R po-
sition (automatic gearbox). The system will
also disconnect immediately after the igni-
tion is switched off.
● The camera will stop transmitting images
above the s
peed of 15 km/h (9 mph) with re-
verse engaged.
In combination with the Parking System Plus
››› page 176, the camera image will cease to
be transmitted immediately when reverse
gear is disengaged or when the selector lever
is moved from the R position, and the optical
information provided by the Parking Aid sys-
tem will be displayed.
Also in combination with the system, the rear
assist image can also be concealed:
● By pressing one of the Infotainment system
button
s on the display. ●
OR: By pr
essing the miniature vehicle that
appears on the left of the screen (which
switches to the full-screen mode of the Park-
ing System Plus's optical system).
If you wish to display the rear assist image
again:
● Disengage reverse, or change the selector
lever's
position, engage reverse again or
move the selector lever to position R.
● OR: Press the RVC fu
nction button1)
Meaning of the orientation lines
››› Fig. 181
Side lines: extension of the vehicle (the
approximate width of the vehicle plus the
rear view mirrors) on the road surface.
End of the side lines: the area marked in
green ends approximately 2 m behind
the vehicle on the road surface.
Intermediate line: indicates a distance of
approximately 1 m behind the vehicle on
the road surface.
Red horizontal line: indicates a safe dis-
tance of approximately 40 cm at the rear
of the vehicle on the road surface. »
1 2
3
4
1)
WARNING: the RVC (Rear
View Camera) function
button will only be activated and available when the
reverse gear is engaged or the selector lever is set to
position R. 183
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
Selecting the system setting
● If necessary, switch on the ignition.
● To select SPORT mode, press the
›››
Fig. 183 b utt
on u ntil it lights up.
The CONVENIENCE mode is active when the button is not lit. The set mode remains
sel ect
ed af
ter the ignition is switched off.
CUPRA vehicle version
The modes of operation for the CUPRA are
Normal and Sport rather than Comfort and
Sport. The vehicle always starts up in Nor-
mal. The last selection does not remain once
the vehicle is turned off. WARNING
Adjusting the “SEAT Drive Profile” modifies
drivin g pr
operties. The “SEAT Drive Profile”
system should never encourage you to take
risks.
● Adapt your speed and driving style at all
times t
o suit visibility, weather, road and traf-
fic conditions. WARNING
If the warning lamps and the corresponding
mes s
ages are ignored when they light up, the
vehicle may stall in traffic and cause acci-
dents and severe injuries.
● Never ignore the warning lamps or messag-
es. ●
Stop the v
ehicle at the next opportunity
and in a safe place. CAUTION
Failure to heed the control lamps and corre-
s pondin g t
ext messages when they light up
may result in damage to the vehicle. Note
If the “SEAT Drive Profile” system presents a
fau lt, the
symbol appears on the instrument
panel, with the message Fault: Damping
setting . Indication on the display and warning
l
amp
There is a fault in the “SEAT Drive Pro-
file” suspension.
See a specialised workshop immediately and have the
“SEAT Drive Profile” suspension checked.
If the yellow warning lamp does not light up again after
the engine is restarted and the vehicle has travelled a
short distance, you do not need to take it to a special-
ised workshop. Some warning and indication lamps will light
up briefly
when the ignition i
s
switched on to
check certain functions. They will switch off
after a few seconds. WARNING
If the warning lamps and the corresponding
mes s
ages are ignored when they light up, the
vehicle may stall in traffic and cause acci-
dents and severe injuries.
● Never ignore the warning lamps or messag-
es. WARNING
Changing the “SEAT Drive Profile” settings
whil e the
vehicle is in motion can distract you
from the road and lead to accidents. CAUTION
Failure to heed the control lamps when they
light up and the c orr
esponding messages
may result in damage to the vehicle. Note
If the “SEAT Drive Profile” system does not
work a
s described in this chapter, have it
checked immediately by a specialised work-
shop. 186
Towing bracket device and trailer
Towing bracket device and
tr ai
l
er
Driving with a trailer What do you need to bear in mind
when towing a trailer? Your vehicle may be used to tow a trailer
when fitted w
ith the c
orrect equipment.
If the car is supplied with a factory-fitted tow-
ing bracket it will already have the necessary
technical modifications and meet the statuto-
ry requirements for towing a trailer. If you
wish to retrofit a towing bracket, consult
››› page 188.
Connectors
Your vehicle is fitted with a 12-pin connector
for the electrical connection between the
trailer and the vehicle.
If the trailer has a 7-pin plug you will need to
use an adapter cable. It is available at any
Technical Service.
Trailer weight/drawbar load
Never exceed the authorised trailer weight. If
you do not load the trailer up to the maxi-
mum permitted trailer weight, you can then
climb correspondingly steeper slopes. The maximum trailer weights listed are only
app
lic
able for altitudes up to 1000 m above
sea level. With increasing altitude the engine
power and therefore the vehicle climbing
ability are impaired because of the reduced
air density. The maximum trailer weight has
to be reduced accordingly. The weight of the
vehicle and trailer combination must be re-
duced by 10% for every further 1000 m (or
part thereof). The gross combination weight
is the actual weight of the laden vehicle plus
the actual weight of the laden trailer. When
possible, operate the trailer with the maxi-
mum permitted drawbar load on the ball joint
of the towing bracket, but do not exceed the
specified limit.
The figures for trailer weights and drawbar
loads that are given on the data plate of the
towing bracket are for certification purposes
only. The correct figures for your specific
model, which may be lower than these fig-
ures for the towing bracket, are given in the
vehicle documentation or in ››› chapter Tech-
nical Data .
Distributing the load
Distribute loads in the trailer so that heavy
objects are as near to the axle as possible.
Loads carried in the trailer must be secured
to prevent them moving. Tyre pressure
Set tyr
e pressure to the maximum permissi-
ble pressure shown on the sticker on the in-
side of the fuel tank flap. Set the tyre pres-
sure of the trailer tyres in accordance with the
trailer manufacturer's recommendations.
Exterior mirrors
Check whether you can see enough of the
road behind the trailer with the standard rear
vision mirrors. If this is not the case, you
should have additional exterior mirrors fitted.
Both exterior mirrors should be mounted on
hinged extension brackets. Adjust the mirrors
to give sufficient vision to the rear. WARNING
Never transport people in a trailer. This could
re s
ult in fatal accidents. Note
● To w
ing a trailer places additional demands
on the vehicle. We recommend additional
services between the normal inspection inter-
vals if the vehicle is used frequently for tow-
ing a trailer.
● Find out whether special regulations apply
to to
wing a trailer in your country. 187
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Wheels
for your model. Failure to do so could impair
vehic
l
e handling. Risk of accident.
● Avoid running the vehicle on tyres that are
more than 6
years old. If you have no alterna-
tive, you should drive slowly and with extra
care at all times.
● Never use old tyres or those with an un-
known “his
tory of use”.
● If wheel trims are retrofitted, you must en-
sure th
at the flow of air to the brakes is not
restricted. This could cause the brake system
to overheat.
● All four wheels must be fitted with radial
tyre
s of the same type, size (rolling circumfer-
ence) and the same tread pattern. For the sake of the environment
Old tyres must be disposed of according to
the la w
s in the country concerned. Note
● For t ec
hnical reasons, it is not generally
possible to use the wheels from other vehi-
cles. This can also apply to wheels of the
same model. The use of wheels or tyres
which have not been approved by SEAT for
use with your model may invalidate the vehi-
cle's type approval for use on public roads.
● If the spare tyre is not the same as the
tyre
s that are mounted on the vehicle (e.g.
winter tyres) you should only use the spare
tyre for a short period of time and drive with extra care. Refit the normal road wheel as
soon as
po
ssible. Wheel bolts
The design of wheel bolts is matched to the
rims. If diff
er
ent wheel rims are fitted, the
correct wheel bolts with the right length and
correctly shaped bolt heads must be used.
This ensures that wheels are fitted securely
and that the brake system functions correctly.
In certain circumstances, you should not use
wheel bolts from a different vehicle, even if it
is the same model ››› page 190. WARNING
If the wheel bolts are not tightened correctly,
the wheel c ou
ld become loose while driving.
Risk of accident.
● The wheel bolts must be clean and turn
eas
ily. Never apply grease or oil to them.
● Use only wheel bolts which belong to the
wheel.
● If the pr
escribed torque of the wheel bolts
is t
oo low, they could loosen whilst the vehi-
cle is in motion. Risk of accident! If the tight-
ening torque is too high, the wheel bolts and
threads can be damaged. CAUTION
The prescribed tightening torque for wheel
bolt s
for steel and alloy wheels is 120 Nm. Winter service
Wint er ty
res In winter conditions winter tyres will consid-
erab
ly
improve the vehicle's handling. The
design of summer tyres (width, rubber com-
pound, tread pattern) gives less grip on ice
and snow.
Winter tyres must be inflated to a pressure of
0.2 bar (2.9 psi/20 kPa) higher than the pres-
sures specified for summer tyres (see sticker
on fuel tank flap).
Winter tyres must be fitted on all four wheels.
Information on permitted winter tyre sizes
can be found in the vehicle's registration
documentation. Use only radial winter tyres.
All tyre sizes listed in the vehicle documenta-
tion also apply to winter tyres.
Winter tyres lose their effectiveness when the
tread is worn down to a depth of 4 mm.
The speed rating code ›››
page 214, New
tyres and wheels determines the following
speed limits for winter tyres: ››› max. 160 km/h (99 mph)
»
Q
215
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Index
Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
El ectr
onic
Stability Control (ESC) . . . . . . . 103, 169
Emergencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
changing the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
emergency towing of the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
emergency warning triangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
fire extinguisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
first-aid kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
hazard warning lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Jump leads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
panoramic/tilting sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
puncture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
replacing a blown fuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Spare wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
vehicle tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Emergency operation selector lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Emergency warning triangle . . . . . . . . . . . . 75, 127
Emission control system control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Emissions data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Engine assisted starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Running in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Start-Stop system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 201, 204 battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
safety notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
windscreen washer liquid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209 Engine coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
check ing level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
G12 plus-plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
G13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Engine data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Engine fault control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Engine management control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41, 204 changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204, 206
check oil level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
consumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
engine oil dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
inspection service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
maintenance intervals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
oil properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
temperature display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
topping up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Engine oil pressure warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Environment ecological driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Environmental compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Environmental tips refuelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
ESC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103, 170 electronic stability control . . . . . . . . . . . 103, 169
Sport Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
see also Electronic Stability Control (ESC) . . . 170
Exhaust gas emission control system . . . . . . . . . 166
Extending the luggage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Exterior lighting
chan ging a bulb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Exterior mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 adjusting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
folding in electrically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
folding in manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Exterior view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 6
F Fabric: cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Fastening rings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Faulty bulbs changing a bulb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Filling the tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 fuel gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Fire extinguisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
First-aid kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Floor mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Fog-light bulb FR version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Fog light bulb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Front headrests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14, 69 safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Front ashtray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Front drink holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Front passenger front airbag control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
deactivation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Front seat manual adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Front seat backrest folding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
lifting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
238