Operation
Driving Ignition loc k
Sw it
ching the ignition on and starting
the engine with the key Fig. 185
Ignition key positions. Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 24
Diesel engines can take a few seconds longer
than usual to start on cold days. Therefore
the clutch pedal (manual gearbox) or the
brake pedal (automatic gearbox) must re-
main pressed until the engine starts up. Dur-
ing preheating, the warning lamp remains
lit.
The preheating time depends on the coolant
and exterior temperatures. With the engine at
operating temperature, or at outside temper-
atures above +8°C, the warning lamp will light up for about one second. This means
that the en
gine starts immediately.
If the engine does not immediately start up,
interrupt the starting process and try again
after 30 seconds. To start the engine again,
return the key to position 1 .
St ar
t
-Stop System*
If the vehicle is stopped and the Start-Stop
system* switches off the engine, the ignition
remains switched on.
Automatic gearbox: before leaving the vehi-
cle, make sure that the ignition is switched
off and the selector lever is in position P.
Driver messages on the instrument panel
display
Press the clutch
This message appears on vehicles with a
manual gearbox if the driver tries to start the
engine without having the clutch pedal
pressed. The engine will only start if you
press the clutch pedal.
Press the brake This message appears on vehicles with an
automatic gearbox if the driver tries to start
the engine without having the brake pedal
pressed. Select N or P
This me
ssage appears if you try to start or
stop the engine when the selector lever of
the automatic gearbox is not in position P or
N. The engine can only start or stop in certain
positions.
Engage position P; the vehicle
can move; doors can only close in
position P.For safety reasons, this driver message ap-
pears and an audible warning sounds if the
selector lever of the automatic gearbox is not
in position P after you switch off the ignition.
Put the selector lever in position P, otherwise
the vehicle could roll away.
Gear change: selector lever in
the drive position! This driver message is displayed when the
selector lever is not in the position P when
the driver door is opened. Additionally, a
buzzer will sound. Put the selector lever in
position P, otherwise the vehicle could roll
away.
Ignition is switched on
This driver message is displayed and a buz-
zer is sounded when the driver door is
opened with the ignition switched on.
164
Operation
remains switched on. Make sure that the igni-
tion is
sw
itched off before leaving the
vehicle, otherwise the battery could dis-
charge. Braking and parking
Us in
g the handbrake Fig. 186
Handbrake between the front seats. The handbrake should be applied firmly to
pr
ev
ent
the vehicle from accidentally rolling
away.
Always apply the handbrake when you leave
your vehicle and when you park.
Applying the handbrake
– Pull the handbrake lever up firmly
›››
Fig. 186. Releasing the handbrake
– Pull the lever up slightly and press the re-
lea
se knob in the direction of the arrow
››› Fig. 186 and guide the handbrake lever
down fully ››› .
A lw
a
ys pull the handbrake all the way up, so
there is less risk of driving off with it still en-
gaged ››› .
The h andbr
ak
e warning lamp lights up
when the handbrake is applied and the igni-
tion switched on. The warning lamp turns off
when the handbrake is released.
If you drive faster than 6 km/h (4 mph) with
the handbrake on, the following message*
will appear on the instrument panel display: HANDBRAKE ON. You will also hear an audi-
ble warning. WARNING
● Never u se the h
andbrake to stop the vehi-
cle when it is in motion. The braking distance
is considerably longer, because braking is
only applied to the rear wheels. Risk of acci-
dent!
● If the handbrake is only partially released,
this w
ill cause the rear brakes to overheat,
which can impair the function of the brake
system and could lead to an accident. This al-
so causes premature wear on the rear brake
pads. CAUTION
Always apply the handbrake before you leave
the v ehic
le. Put it in 1st gear as well. Parking
The handbrake should always be firmly ap-
plied when the
v
ehicle is parked.
Always note the following points when park-
ing the vehicle: – Use the brake pedal to stop the vehicle.
– Apply the handbrake.
– Put it in 1st gear.
– Switch the engine off and remove the key
from the ignition. T
urn the steering wheel
slightly to engage the steering lock.
– Never leave a vehicle key in the vehicle.
Additiona
l notes on parking the vehicle on
gradients:
Turn the steering wheel so that the vehicle
rolls against the kerb if it started to roll.
● If the vehicle is parked facing downhil
l,
turn the front wheels so that they point to-
wards the kerb .
● If the vehicle is parked facing uphill
, turn
the front wheels so that they point away from
the kerb.
166
Operation
conventional automatic gearboxes and allow
f or smooth, u
nint
errupted acceleration of the
vehicle.
The tiptronic system allows the driver to
change gears manually if desired
››› page 170, Changing gears in tiptronic
mode*.
Selector lever positions Read the additional information carefully
›› ›
page 44
The selector lever position engaged is high-
lighted on the display in the instrument clus-
ter. With the selector lever in the manual
gearbox positions G, D, E and S, the engaged
gear is also indicated on the display.
P – Parking lock
When the selector lever is in this position,
the driven wheels are locked mechanically.
The parking lock must be engaged only when
the vehicle is stationary ››› .
The int erloc
k
button (the button on the selec-
tor lever handle) must be pressed in and si-
multaneously the brake pedal must be de-
pressed before moving the selector lever ei-
ther in or out of position P. R – Reverse gear
Rever
se gear must be engaged only when the
vehicle is stationary and the engine is idling
››› .
T o mo
v
e the selector lever to position R, the
interlock button must be pressed in and at
the same time the brake pedal must be de-
pressed. The reverse lights come on when
the selector lever is in the R position with the
ignition on.
N – Neutral (idling)
With the selector lever in this position, the
gear is in neutral.
D/S – Permanent drive (forward) position
The selector lever in the D/S position enables
the gears to be controlled in normal mode (D)
or Sport (S). To select Sport mode (S), move
the selector lever backwards. Moving the lev-
er again will select normal mode (D). The se-
lected driving mode is shown on the instru-
ment panel display.
In normal mode (D), the gearbox automatical-
ly selects the best gear ratio. This depends
on the engine load, the road speed and the
dynamic gear control programme (DCP).
Sport mode (S) must be selected for a sporty
driving style. This setting makes use of the
engine's maximum power output. When ac-
celerating the gear shifts will be noticeable. The brake pedal must be pressed when mov-
ing the select
or lever from D/S to N if the ve-
hicle is stationary or at speeds below 5 km/h
(3 mph) ››› .
Under c er
t
ain circumstances (e.g. when driv-
ing in mountains) it can be advantageous to
switch temporarily to tiptronic mode
››› page 170, in order to manually select gear
ratios to suit the driving conditions. WARNING
● Tak e c
are not to accidentally press the ac-
celerator pedal when the vehicle is stopped.
The vehicle could otherwise start moving im-
mediately (in some cases even if the parking
brake is engaged) resulting in the risk of an
accident.
● Never move the selector lever to R or P
when driving. F
ailure to follow this instruc-
tion could result in an accident.
● With selector lever in any position (except
P) the vehic
le must always be held with the
foot brake when the engine is running. This is
because an automatic gearbox still transmits
power even at idling speed, and the vehicle
tends to “creep”). The accelerator pedal must
on no account be pressed inadvertently when
a gear is engaged with the vehicle stationary.
The vehicle could otherwise start moving im-
mediately (in some cases even if the parking
brake is engaged) resulting in the risk of an
accident.
● While you are selecting a gear and the vehi-
cle i
s stopped with the engine running, do 168
Driving
not accelerate. Failure to follow this instruc-
tion cou
l
d result in an accident.
● As a driver you should never leave your ve-
hicle if
the engine is running and a gear is en-
gaged. If you have to leave your vehicle while
the engine is running, you must apply the
handbrake and engage the parking lock (P).
● To avoid accidents, apply the handbrake
and put the sel
ector lever in position P before
opening the bonnet and working on the vehi-
cle with the engine running. Please always
observe the important safety warnings
››› page 246, Work in the engine compart-
ment. Note
● If the sel ect
or lever is moved accidentally
to N when driving, release the accelerator and
let the engine speed drop to idling before se-
lecting gear range D or S again.
● Should the power supply to the selector
lever be int
errupted in position P, the selector
lever will be locked. If this should happen the
manual release can be used ›››
page 44. Selector lever lock
Fig. 187
Selector lever lock. The selector lever lock prevents gears from
bein g en
g
aged inadvertently, so that the ve-
hicle is not set in motion unintentionally.
The selector lever lock is released as follows:
– Switch the ignition on.
– Press the brake pedal and at
the same time
press in the interlock button.
Automatic selector lever lock
With the ignition switched on, the selector
lever is locked in the positions P and N. The
brake pedal must be pressed to release the
lever while pressing the release button if the
selector lever is in the position P. As a re-
minder for the driver, with the lever in posi-
tions P or N the following message will be
shown on the display: When stationary, apply footbrake
while selecting a gear.
The selector l
ever lock only works if the vehi-
cle is stationary or driving at speeds up to 5
km/h. At higher speeds the selector lever
lock in the N position is disengaged automat-
ically.
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. The selector lever lock engages auto-
matically if the brake pedal is not depressed
and the lever is in position N for more than
about two seconds.
Interlock button
The interlock button on the selector lever
handle prevents the driver from inadvertently
engaging certain gears. Press the button in
to disengage the selector lever lock. The se-
lector lever positions in which the interlock
button has to be pressed are shown in the il-
lustration, highlighted in colour ››› Fig. 187.
Safety interlock for ignition key
Once the ignition has been turned off, the
key may be removed only if the gear selector
is in position P. While the key is not in the ig-
nition, the selector lever is locked in position
P. »
169
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
Note
● If the sel ect
or lever lock does not engage,
there is a fault. The transmission is interrup-
ted to prevent the vehicle from accidentally
moving. Follow the procedure below in order
for the selector lever lock to engage again:
–With a 6-speed gearbox: press the brake
pedal and release it again.
– With a 7-speed gearbox: press the brake
pedal. Move the selector lever to posi-
tion P or N and subsequently engage a
gear.
● Despite a gear being engaged, the vehicle
does not
move forwards or back. Proceed to
the next mode:
– When the vehicle does not move in the
required direction, the system may not
have the gear range correctly engaged.
Press the brake pedal and engage the
gear range again.
– If the vehicle still does not move in the
required direction, there is a system mal-
function. Seek specialist assistance and
have the system checked. Changing gears in tiptronic mode*
Fig. 188
Centre console: changing gear with
tiptr onic Fig. 189
Steering wheel: automatic gearbox
l ev er
s The tiptronic gives the driver the option to
c
h
an
ge gears manually. Changing gear manually with the selector
lever
It
is possible to change to tiptronic mode,
both when the vehicle is stopped and while
driving.
– To switch to tiptronic mode, move the se-
lector l
ever from position D/S to the right.
As soon as the change is made the selector
level will be shown in the position M on the
instrument panel display (for example M4
means that the fourth gear is engaged).
– Move the selector lever forwards + to se-
l ect
a higher g
ear ››› Fig. 188.
– Move the selector lever backwards – to
sel ect
a lo
wer gear.
Changing gear manually with the gearshift
paddles*
The gearshift paddles can be used when the
selector lever is in the position D/S or M.
– Press the gearshift paddle + to select a
higher g e
ar ›
›› Fig. 189.
– Press the gearshift paddle – to select a
lo w
er g
ear.
– With the selector lever in position D/S, if no
pad
dle is operated during a short period of
time, the gearbox control system switches
back to automatic mode. To switch to per-
manent manual gear change using the
gearshift paddles, move the selector lever
from position D/S to the right.
170
Operation
Applying both the iner ti
a mode (= prolonged
section with less energy) and the switching
off using inertia (= shorter section without
the need for fuel) facilitates improved fuel
consumption and emission balance. WARNING
● If the iner ti
a mode has been switched on,
take into account, when approaching an ob-
stacle and releasing the accelerator pedal,
that the vehicle will not decelerate in the usu-
al manner: risk of accident!
● When using inertia mode while travelling
down hil
ls, the vehicle can increase speed:
risk of accident!
● If other users drive your vehicle, warn them
about inerti
a mode. Note
● Inerti a mode i
s only available in eco (SEAT
Drive Profile*) driving mode.
● The driver message Inertia is on
ly dis-
played with the current consumption. In iner-
tia mode the gear will no longer be displayed
(for example “E” will appear instead of “E7”).
● On downhill sections with gradients above
15 %, the inertia mode w
ill automatically be
switched off temporarily. Backup programme
A backup programme is in place if a fault
shoul
d oc
cur in the control system.
If all the positions of the selector lever are
shown over a light background on the instru-
ment panel display, there is a system fault
and the automatic gearbox will operate in
with the backup programme. When the back-
up programme is activated, it is possible to
drive the vehicle, however, at low speeds and
within a selected range of gears. In some ca-
ses driving in reverse gear may not be possi-
ble. CAUTION
If the gearbox operates with the backup pro-
gramme, t ak
e the vehicle to a specialised
workshop and have the fault repaired without
delay. Clutch
Clutch overheating! Please
stop!
The c lut
ch has overheated and could be dam-
aged. Stop the vehicle and wait for the gear-
box to cool with the engine at idling speed
and the selector lever in position P. When the
warning lamp and the driver message switch
off, have the fault corrected by a specialised
workshop without delay. If the warning lamp and the driver message do not switch off, do
not c
ontinue driv
ing. Seek specialist assis-
tance.
Gearbox malfunctions Gearbox: Fault! Stop the ve-
hicle and place the lever in the
position P.
Ther e is
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
workshop without 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.
174
Driving
Gearbox: too hot. Adapt your
driving accordingly
C ontinue driv
in
g 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.
Run-in and economical driving Runnin
g-in the engine A new vehicle should be run in over a dis-
t
anc
e of
1500 km (1000 miles). For the first
1,000 km the engine speed should not ex-
ceed 2/3 of the maximum permissible engine
speed. In doing so, do not accelerate at full
throttle and do not drive with a trailer! From
1000 to 1500 km (600 to 1000 miles) you
can gradually increase the engine rpm and
road speed.
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 down. How the vehicle is driven for the first 1,500
km influences
the future engine perform-
ance. Subsequently, also drive at a moderate
rate, especially when the engine is still cold:
this will lead to less engine wear and tear
and will prolong its useful life.
You should also avoid driving with the engine
speed too low. Change down to a lower gear
when the engine no longer runs “smoothly”.
If the engine revs too much, cut fuel injection
to protect the engine.
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 c
ompatible plastics in the same part
if its components 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.
● Use of solvent-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.
175
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Driving
Economical and environmentally-
friendly driv
in
gFuel consumption, environmental pollution
and we
ar t
o the engine, brakes and tyres de-
pends largely on driving style. Fuel consump-
tion can be reduced by 10-15% with an eco-
nomical driving style and proper anticipation
of traffic conditions. The following section
gives you some tips on lessening the impact
on the environment and reducing your oper-
ating costs at the same time.
Active cylinder management (ACT ®
)*
››› table on page 2
Depending on vehicle equipment, the active
cylinder management (ACT ®
) may automati-
cally deactivate some of the engine cylinders
if the driving situation does not require too
much power. When it is switched off, no fuel
is injected into these cylinders, hence total
fuel consumption may be reduced. The num-
ber of active cylinders can be seen on the in-
strument panel display ›››
page 32.
Foresight when driving
Acceleration causes the vehicle to consume
more fuel. If you think ahead when driving,
you will need to brake less and thus acceler-
ate less. Wherever possible, let the car roll
slowly to a stop, with a gear engaged (for in-
stance when you can see that the next traffic lights are red). This takes advantage of the
engine br
ak
ing effect, reducing wear on the
brakes and tyres. Emissions and fuel con-
sumption will drop to zero due to the overrun
fuel cut-off.
Changing gear to save energy
An effective way of saving is to change in ad-
vance to a higher gear. Running the engine at
high rpm in the lower gears uses an unneces-
sary amount of fuel.
Manual gearbox : shift up from first to second
gear as soon as possible. In any case, we rec-
ommend that you change to a higher gear
upon reaching 2,000 rpm. Choosing the right
gear enables fuel savings. Select the highest
possible gear appropriate for the driving sit-
uation (the engine should continue function-
ing with cyclical regularity).
Automatic gearbox : accelerate gradually and
without reaching the “kick-down” position.
Avoid driving at high speed
Avoid travelling at top speed, whenever pos-
sible. Fuel consumption, emission of harmful
gases and noise pollution multiply dispropor-
tionately as speed is increased. Driving at
moderate speeds will help to save fuel.
Reduce idling time
In vehicles with the Start-Stop system idling
is automatically reduced. In vehicles without the Start-Stop system it is worth switching off
the engine, for e
xample, at level crossings
and at traffic lights that remain red for long
periods of time. When an engine has reached
operating temperature, and depending on
the cylinder capacity, keeping it switched off
for a minimum of about 5 seconds already
saves more than the amount of fuel necessa-
ry for restarting.
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
the engine. Avoid running the engine at high
speed.
Regular maintenance
Regular servicing helps in saving fuel even
before the engine is started. A well-serviced
engine gives you the benefit of improved fuel
efficiency as well as maximum reliability and
an enhanced resale value. A badly serviced
engine can consume up to 10% more fuel
than necessary.
Avoid short journeys
The engine and catalytic converter need to
reach their optimal operating temperature in
order to minimise fuel consumption and
emissions. »
177
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety