
The essentials
The level is measured using the dipstick loca-
t ed in the en
gine c
ompartment
››› page 246.
The oil should leave a mark between zones A and
C . It should never exceed zone
A .
● Zone A : Do not add oil.
● Zone B : You can add oil but keep the level
in th at
zone.
● Zone C : Add oil up to zone
B .
T op
pin
g up engine oil
● Unscrew cap from oil filler opening.
● Add oil slowly.
● At the same time, check the level to ensure
you do not a
dd too much.
● When the oil level reaches at least zone B ,
u n
s
crew the engine oil filler cap carefully.
Oil properties
Engine typeSpecification
Petrol without flexible
service intervalVW 502 00/VW 504 00
Petrol with flexible serv-
ice interval (LongLife)VW 504 00
Diesel. Engines without
Particulate filter (DPF)VW 505 01/VW 506 01/VW
507 00
Engine typeSpecification
Diesel. Particulate Filter
Engines (DPF).
With or without flexible
service interval (with
and without LongLife) a)VW 507 00
Natural gas enginesVW 502 00
a)
Only use recommended oils, otherwise you may damage the
engine.
Engine oil additives
No type of additive should be mixed with the
engine oil. The deterioration caused by these
additives is not covered by the warranty.
››› in Changing engine oil on page 250
››› page 248 Coolant
Fig. 62
Engine compartment: coolant expan-
s ion t
ank
cap. The coolant tank is located in the engine
c
omp
ar
tment ›››
page 246.
When the engine is cold, replace the coolant
when the level is below .
Coolant specifications
The engine cooling system is supplied from
the factory with a specially treated mixture of
water and at least 40 % of the additive G13
(TL-VW 774 J), purple. This mixture gives the
necessary frost protection down to -25°C
(-13°F) and protects the light alloy parts of
the engine cooling system against corrosion.
It also prevents scaling and considerably rai-
ses the boiling point of the coolant.
To protect the cooling system, the percentage
of additive must always be at least 40 %, 52

Self-help
they should be changed if they are damaged,
or c l
e
aned if they are dirty ››› .
Dam ag
ed w
iper blades should be replaced
immediately. These are available from quali-
fied workshops. WARNING
Worn or dirty wiper blades reduce visibility
and incr e
ase the risk of accident and serious
injury.
● Always replace damaged or worn blades or
bla
des which do not clean the windscreen
correctly. CAUTION
● Damag ed or dir
ty windscreen wipers could
scratch the glass.
● If products containing solvents, rough
spong
es or sharp objects are used to clean
the blades, the graphite layer will be dam-
aged.
● Never use fuel, nail varnish remover, paint
thinner or simil
ar products to clean the win-
dows.
● In icy conditions, always check that the
wiper bl
ades are not frozen to the glass be-
fore using the wipers. In cold weather, it may
help to leave the vehicle parked with the wip-
ers in service position ›››
page 64. CAUTION
● To pr ev
ent damage to the bonnet and the
wiper arms, only leave them in the service
position.
● Before driving, always lower the wiper
arms. Towing and tow-starting the ve-
hicl
e
Gener
al information Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 61. WARNING
If the vehicle has no electrical power, the
brak e light
s, turn signals and all other lights
will no longer function. Do not have the vehi-
cle towed away. Failure to follow this instruc-
tion could result in an accident. WARNING
The risk of accidents is high when tow-start-
ing, f or e
xample, the towed vehicle can easily
be driven into the towing vehicle. CAUTION
If there is no oil in the gearbox or no lubricant
in the autom atic
transmission the car may only be towed with the driven wheels lifted
cl
e
ar of the road, or transported on a special
car transporter or trailer. CAUTION
Do not tow a vehicle for more than 50 m in at-
t empt t
o start it. There is risk of damage to
the catalytic converter. Note
● Ple a
se observe related legal requirements.
● Switch on the hazard warning lights of both
vehicl
es. However, observe any regulations
to the contrary.
● The tow rope must not be twisted. Other-
wise the fr
ont tow line anchorage could be
pulled off the vehicle. 89
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Fuses and bulbs
Towing vehicles with a manual gear-
bo x Towing is relatively straightforward.
Ple
a
se observe the relevant instructions
››› page 89.
The vehicle can be towed using a tow bar or
tow rope in the normal way, with all four
wheels on the road; it can also be towed with
either the front or rear wheels lifted off the
road. The maximum towing speed is 50 km/h
(30 mph).
Towing a vehicle equipped with auto-
matic g
earbox Certain restrictions must be observed when
t
o
w
ing your vehicle.
Please observe the relevant instructions
››› page 89.
The vehicle can be towed with a tow bar or
tow rope in the normal way, with all four
wheels on the ground. When doing so,
please note the following points:
● Make sure the selector l
ever is in the N po-
sition.
● The vehicle must not be towed faster than
50 km/h (30 mph).
● The vehicle must not be towed further than
50 km (30 mile
s). Reason: when the engine is not running, the gearbox oil pump does
not work
and the gearbox is not adequately
lubricated for higher speeds or longer distan-
ces.
If the vehicle has to be towed with a break-
down truck, it must only be suspended at the
front wheels. Reason: the drive shafts are lo-
cated on the front wheels. If the car is towed
with the rear wheels lifted off the road (I.e.
travelling backwards), the drive shafts also
turn backwards. The planetary gears in the
automatic gearbox then turn at such high
speeds that the gearbox will be severely
damaged in a short time. Note
● If it i
s not possible to tow the vehicle in the
normal way, or if it has to be towed further
than 50 km (30 miles), it must be transported
on a special car transporter or trailer.
● Should the power supply to the selector
lever be int
errupted in position P, the selector
lever will be locked. Before the vehicle can be
recovered/manoeuvred you must manually
release the selector lever ›››
page 44. Fuses and bulbs
F u
se
s
Introduction In general, a fuse can be assigned to various
electric
al
components. Likewise, an electrical
component can be protected by several
fuses.
Only replace fuses when the cause of the
problem has been solved. If a newly inserted
fuse blows after a short time, you must have
the electrical system checked by a special-
ised workshop as soon as possible. WARNING
The high voltages in the electrical system can
give seriou s
electrical shocks, causing burns
and even death!
● Never touch the electrical wiring of the igni-
tion syst
em.
● Take care not to cause short circuits in the
electrica
l system. WARNING
Using unsuitable fuses, repairing fuses or
bridging a c urr
ent circuit without fuses can
cause a fire and serious injury. » 91
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Instruments and warning/control lamps
instructions on the display may vary. In the
ca
se of
displays without warning or informa-
tion texts, faults are indicated exclusively by
the warning lamps.
● Depending on the equipment, some set-
tings
and instructions can also be carried out
in the Easy Connect system.
● When several warnings are active at the
same time, the symbol
s are shown succes-
sively for a few seconds and will stay on until
the fault is rectified. Odometer
Fig. 125
Instrument panel: odometer and re-
set b
utt
on. The distance covered is displayed in “kilome-
tr
e
s” or mi
les “m”. It is possible to change
the measurement units (kilometres
“km”/miles “m”) in the radio/Easy Connect*.
Please refer to the Easy Connect* Instructions
Manual for more details. Odometer/trip recorder
The odometer show
s the total distance cov-
ered by the vehicle.
The trip recorder shows the distance that has
been travelled since it was last reset. It is
used to measure short trips. The last digit of
the trip recorder indicates distances of 100
metres or tenths of a mile.
The trip recorder can be set to zero by press-
ing 0.0/SET
› ››
Fig. 125
.
F
ault display
If there is a fault in the instrument panel, the
letters DEF will appear in the trip recorder
display. Have the fault repaired immediately,
as far as is possible.
Coolant temperature gauge For vehicles with no coolant temperature
g
aug
e, a c
ontrol lamp appears for high
coolant temperatures ›››
page 250. Please
note ››› .
The c oo
l
ant temperature gauge 2 ›››
Fig. 124 only w
orks when the ignition is
switched on. In order to avoid engine dam-
age, please read the following notes for the
different temperature ranges. Engine cold
If on
ly
the diodes in the lower part of the
scale light up, this indicates that the engine
has not yet reached operating temperature.
Avoid high revs and heavy acceleration and
do not make the engine work hard.
Normal temperature
If in normal operations, the diodes light up
until the central zone, it means that the en-
gine has reached operating temperature. At
high outside temperatures and when making
the engine work hard, the diodes may contin-
ue lighting up and reach the upper zone. This
is no cause for concern, provided the control
lamp does not light up on the instrument
panel digital display.
Heat range
When the diodes light up in the upper area of
the display and the control lamp appears
on the instrument panel display, the coolant
temperature is excessive ››› page 250. CAUTION
● To en s
ure a long useful life for the engine,
avoid high revs, driving at high speed and
making the engine work hard for approxi-
mately the first 15 minutes when the engine
is cold. The phase until the engine is warm al-
so depends on the outside temperature. If
necessary, use the engine oil temperature*
››› page 36 as a guide. » 107
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
●
Addition a
l lights and other accessories in
front of the air inlet reduce the cooling effect
of the coolant. At high outside temperatures
and high engine loads, there is a risk of the
engine overheating.
● The front spoiler also ensures proper distri-
bution of the c
ooling air when the vehicle is
moving. If the spoiler is damaged this can re-
duce the cooling effect, which could cause
the engine to overheat. Seek specialist assis-
tance. Fuel - Gas level
Fig. 126
Fuel gauge. Displays
2 and
6
› ›
› Fig. 124
only work
when the ignition is switched on. When the
display reaches the reserve mark, the lower
diode lights up in red and the control lamp
appears ››› page 104. When the fuel level is
very low, the lower diode flashes in red. The yellow control lamp
lights up when the
re
serve level has been reached.
The green warning lamp lights up when the
vehicle is running in natural gas operating
mode.
The green warning lamp switches off when
the natural gas is exhausted. The engine
changes to operate with petrol.
Problem: If the vehicle is left parked for a
long time immediately after refuelling, the
natural gas level indicator may not accurately
indicate the same level shown after refuelling
when the vehicle is started up again. This is
not due to a leak in the system, but to a drop
in pressure in the gas tank for technical rea-
sons after a cooling phase just after refuel-
ling.
Fuel level - Petrol/Diesel Fig. 127
Fuel gauge. The display
6
› ››
Fig. 124
on ly works when
the ignition is switched on. When the display
reaches the reserve mark, the lower diode
lights up in red and the control lamp ap-
pears ››› page 104. When the fuel level is very
low, the lower diode flashes in red.
The distance to empty fuel level is displayed
on the instrument panel 3
› ››
Fig. 124
.
The c
apacity of the fuel tank of your vehicle is
given in the Technical data section
››› page 51. CAUTION
Never run the fuel tank completely dry. An ir-
re gu
lar fuel supply could cause misfiring. In
this way the unburned fuel can reach the ex-
haust system, which could cause the catalytic
converter to overheat resulting in damage. Control lamps
W arnin
g and indic
ation lamps Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 41.
The control and warning lamps are indicators
of warnings, ››› , faults
››
›
or certain func-
tion s.
Some c
ontrol and warning lamps come
on when the ignition is switched on, and
switch off when the engine starts running, or
while driving.
108

Transport and practical equipment
Tailboard for transporting long items* Fig. 170
On the rear seat backrest: opening
the t ai
l
board. Fig. 171
In the luggage compartment: open-
in g the t
ai
lboard. On the rear seat, behind the central armrest,
ther
e i
s
a tailboard for transporting long
items in the interior, such as skis. To avoid soiling the interior, dirty objects
should be wr
apped (e.g. in a blanket) before
they are inserted through the tailboard.
When the armrest is down, nobody may trav-
el in the centre rear seat.
Opening the tailboard
● Lower the centre armrest.
● Pull the release lever in the direction of the
arrow and p
ush the tailboard cover
››› Fig. 170 1 down and forwards.
● Open the rear lid.
● Insert the long objects through the gap
fr om the lug
g
age compartment.
● Secure the objects with the seatbelt.
● Close the rear lid.
Clos
ing the tailboard
● Lift the tailboard cover until it engages. The
red mark
on the luggage compartment side
should never be visible.
● Close the rear lid.
● Lift the centre armrest if necessary. Note
The tailboard can also be opened from the
lugg ag
e compartment. To do so, press the re-
lease lever down, in the direction of the ar-
row, and the cover upwards ››› Fig. 171. Fastening rings*
Fig. 172
In the luggage compartment: fasten-
in g rin
g
s (LEON/LEON SC model except ver-
sions with spare wheel and CNG). Fig. 173
In the luggage compartment: fasten-
in g rin
g
s (LEON ST model). In the front and rear part of the luggage com-
p
ar
tment
there are fastening rings to secure
the luggage ››› Fig. 173. »
153
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Driving
WARNING
● Never ru n the en
gine in confined spaces, as
the exhaust gases are poisonous. CAUTION
Avoid high engine speeds, full throttle and
extr eme lo
ad conditions until the engine has
reached its normal operating temperature,
otherwise this can damage the engine. For the sake of the environment
Do not warm up the engine by idling it. You
shoul d driv
e off as soon as you start the en-
gine. This will help avoid unnecessary ex-
haust emissions. Note
● If it i
s difficult to turn the ignition key to
the position 1 , turn the steering wheel to
both side s
to release the steering lock.
● When starting from cold, the engine may be
a little noisy
for the first few seconds until oil
pressure has built up in the hydraulic valve
lifters. This is quite normal, and no cause for
concern.
● If the vehicle battery is disconnected and
reconnect
ed, the key must remain in the posi-
tion 1 for around 5 seconds before starting
up.
● Vehic
les with automatic gearbox: after
switc
hing off the ignition, you can only re-
move the ignition key if the selector lever is in position “P” (parking lock). Next, the se-
lect
or l
ever is locked. Switching off the engine with the key
Switching off the engine
– Stop the vehicle.
– Turn the ignition key to position 1 ›››
Fig. 185.
Eng agin
g the steering wheel lock
In vehicles with automatic gearbox, the igni-
tion key can only be removed when the selec-
tor lever is in position P.
– Remove the key from the ignition in posi-
tion 1
› ›
› Fig. 185
››› .
– Turn the steering wheel until you hear it en-
gag
e.
P
ossible vehicle theft is prevented with the
steering lock engaged. WARNING
● Never sw it
ch the engine off until the vehi-
cle is stationary. The brake servo and power
steering functions will not be completely cov-
ered under warranty. More force may also be
needed to turn the steering wheel or to brake.
As you cannot steer and brake in the normal
manner, there is a greater risk of accidents
and serious injury. ●
Never r emo
ve the key from the ignition if
the vehicle is in motion. Otherwise, the steer-
ing could suddenly lock, making it impossible
to steer the vehicle: risk of accident!
● Always take the key with you when you
leav
e the vehicle. This is particularly impor-
tant if there are children in the vehicle, as
they might otherwise be able to start the en-
gine or use power-operated equipment (e.g.
the electric windows), which could cause in-
juries. CAUTION
If the engine has been running under high
loa d f
or a long time, there is a risk of heat
building up in the engine compartment after
it has been switched off; this could cause en-
gine damage. For this reason, you should idle
the engine for approximately 2 minutes be-
fore you switch it off. Note
● Aft er the en
gine is switched off the radiator
fan may run on for up to 10 minutes, even if
the ignition is switched off. It is also possible
that the fan turns itself on once more if the
coolant temperature increases due to the
heat accumulated in the engine compartment
or due to its prolonged exposure to solar ra-
diation.
● If the vehicle is stopped and the Start-Stop
syst
em* switches off the engine, the ignition » 165
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
Fault in the brake system
If the br
ak
e pedal travel should ever increase
suddenly, this may mean that one of the two
brake circuits has failed. Drive immediately
to the nearest specialised workshop and
have the fault repaired. Drive there slowly
and remember that you will have to apply
more pressure on the brake pedal and allow
for longer stopping distances.
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if
the brake fluid level is too low. The brake flu-
id level is monitored electronically.
Brake servo
The brake servo increases the pressure you
apply to the brake pedal. It works only when
the engine is running. WARNING
● App ly
the brakes heavily to clean the brake
system only in a suitable traffic situation. Do
not put other road users in danger: there is
risk of causing an accident.
● Ensure the vehicle does not move while in
neutral, when the en
gine is stopped. Failure
to follow this instruction could result in an
accident.
● If the brake fluid loses its viscosity and is
subj
ected to heavy use, vapour bubbles can
form in the brake system. This reduces the ef-
ficiency of the brakes. CAUTION
● Never l et
the brakes “drag” by leaving your
foot on the pedal when it is not necessary to
brake. This overheats the brakes, resulting in
longer stopping distances and greater wear.
● Before driving down a long, steep gradient,
it is
advisable to reduce speed and select a
lower gear. This makes use of engine braking
and relieves the brakes. If you still have to
use the brakes, it is better to brake firmly at
intervals than to apply the brakes continu-
ously. Note
● If the br ak
e servo is out of action, for exam-
ple when the car is being towed, you will
have to press the brake pedal considerably
harder than normal to make up for the lack of
servo assistance.
● If you wish to equip the vehicle with acces-
sories s
uch as a front spoiler or wheel covers,
it is important that the flow of air to the front
wheels is not obstructed, otherwise the
brakes can overheat. Hill driving assistant*
This function is only included in vehicles with
E
SC.
The hi l
l driving assistant helps the driver to
move off and upward on a hill when the vehi-
cle is stationary. The system maintains brake pressure for ap-
prox
imately two seconds after the driver
takes his foot off the brake pedal to prevent
the vehicle from lurching backward when it is
started. During these 2 seconds, the driver
has enough time to release the clutch pedal
and accelerate without the vehicle moving
and without having to use the handbrake,
making start-up easier, more comfortable
and safer.
These are the basic operation conditions:
● being on a ramp or hill/slope,
● doors closed,
● vehicle completely stationary,
● engine running and foot on the brake,
● besides having a gear engaged or being in
neutral f
or manual gear change and with the
selector lever at position S, D or R for an au-
tomatic gearbox.
This system is also active when reversing up-
hill. WARNING
● If y
ou do not start the vehicle immediately
after taking your foot off the brake pedal, the
vehicle may start to roll back under certain
conditions. Depress the brake pedal or use
the hand brake immediately.
● If the engine stalls, depress the brake ped-
al or u
se the hand brake immediately.182