The essentials
Emergencies F u
se
s
Fuse location Fig. 45
On the driver-side dash panel: fuse
bo x
c
over Fig. 46
In the engine compartment: fuse box
c o v
er Underneath the instrument panel
The f
use bo
x is located underneath the dash
panel on the driver side ››› Fig. 45.
In the engine compartment
Press the locking tabs to release the fuse box
cover ››› Fig. 46.
Identifying fuses situated below the dash
panel by colours
ColourAmp rating
Purple3
Light brown5
Brown7.5
Red10
Blue15
Yellow20
White or transparent25
Green30
Orange40
››› in Introduction on page 77
›››
page 77 Replacing a blown fuse
Fig. 47
Image of a blown fuse Preparation
● Switch off the ignition, lights and all elec-
tric al
equipment
.
● Open the corresponding fuse box
›››
page 78.
Identifying a blown fuse
A fuse is blown if its metal strip is ruptured
››› Fig. 47.
Point a lamp at the fuse to see if the fuse has
blown.
To replace a fuse
● Remove the fuse.
● Replace the blown fuse by one with an
identica
l amperage rating (same colour and
markings) and identical size. » 33
The essentials
CAUTION
● Remo v
e the snow chains to drive on roads
without snow. Otherwise they will impair
vehicle handling, damage the tyres and wear
out very quickly.
● Wheel rims may be damaged or scratched if
the chain
s come into direct contact with
them. SEAT recommends the use of covered
snow chains. Note
Snow chains are available in different sizes
acc or
ding to the vehicle type. Emergency towing of the vehi-
c
l
e
T
owing Fig. 58
Right side of the front bumper: tow-
line anc hor
ag
e screwed in. Towline anchorages
Att
ac
h the b
ar or rope to the towline ancho-
rages.
It is located with the vehicle's tools
››› page 69.
Screw the front towline anchorage into the
screw connection ››› Fig. 58 and tighten it
with the wheel brace.
Tow rope or tow bar
When towing, the tow bar is the safest and
vehicle friendly way. You should only use a
tow rope if you do not have a tow bar. A tow rope should be slightly elastic to avoid
damag
e to both vehicles. It is advisable to
use a tow rope made of synthetic fibre or sim-
ilarly elastic material.
● Only secure the tow rope or tow bar to the
towline anc
horage or specially designed fit-
ting.
Notes for the driver of the towed vehicle
● Keep the ignition running to prevent the
steerin
g wheel from locking and also to allow
the use of the turn signals, horn, windscreen
wipers and washers.
● As the power assisted steering does not
work if
the engine is not running, you will
need more strength to steer than normally.
● The brake must be depressed much harder
as the br
ake servo does not operate. Avoid
hitting the towing vehicle.
● Note the instructions and information con-
tained in the Ins
truction Manual for the vehi-
cle to be towed.
Notes for the driver of the towing vehicle
● Accelerate gently and carefully. Avoid sud-
den manoeuvr
es.
● Brake well in advance than usual and brake
gently.
● Not
e the instructions and information con-
tained in the In s
truction Manual for the vehi-
cle to be towed. » 41
The essentials
Driving style
T o
w
ing requires some experience, especially
when using a tow rope. Both drivers should
realise how difficult it is to tow a vehicle. In-
experienced drivers should not attempt to
tow.
Do not pull too hard with the towing vehicle
and take care to avoid jerking the tow rope.
When towing on an unpaved road, there is al-
ways a risk of overloading and damaging the
anchorage points.
Switch on the ignition so that the turn sig-
nals, windscreen wipers and windscreen
washer can work. Ensure that the steering
wheel is unlocked and moves freely.
Place the gear lever in neutral on vehicles
with a manual gearbox. With an automatic
gearbox, place the lever in N.
To brake, press the brake pedal firmly. The
brake servo does not work when the engine
is switched off.
The power steering only works when the igni-
tion is switched on and the vehicle is moving,
provided that the battery is sufficiently charg-
ed. Otherwise, it will need more force.
Ensure that the tow rope remains taut at all
times. ››› in Instructions for tow-starting on
page 75
››› page 74 Tow-starting
In general, the vehicle should not be started
by
t
owing. Jump-starting is much more pref-
erable ››› page 42.
For technical reasons, the following vehicles
can not be tow started:
● Vehicles with an automatic gearbox.
● If the vehicle battery is flat, it is possible
that the en
gine control unit does not operate
correctly.
However, if your vehicle must absolutely be
tow-started (manual gearbox):
● Put it into second or third gear.
● Keep the clutch pressed down.
● Switch on the ignition and the hazard warn-
ing lights.
● Rel
ease the clutch when both vehicles are
movin
g.
● As soon as the engine starts, press the
clutc
h and move the gear lever into neutral.
This helps to prevent a collision with the tow-
ing vehicle. How to jump start
Jump lea
ds If the engine fails to start because of a dis-
ch
ar
ged battery, the battery of another vehi-
cle can be used to start the engine. Before
starting, check the magic eye on the battery
››› page 193.
For starting assistance, jump lead cables con-
forming to the standard DIN 72553 are re-
quired (see the cable manufacturer instruc-
tions). The cable section in vehicles with pet-
rol engine must be at least 25 mm 2
. WARNING
Incorrect use of jump leads and incorrectly
jump st ar
ting could cause the battery to ex-
plode resulting in serious injury. Please ob-
serve the following rules to minimise the risk
of a battery explosion:
● The battery providing current must have
the same v
oltage (12V) and approximately
the same capacity (see markings on battery)
as the flat battery.
● Never charge a frozen or recently thawed
batter
y. A flat battery can also freeze at tem-
peratures close to 0 °C (+32 °F).
● If a battery is frozen and/or has been frozen
then it mus
t be replaced.
● A highly explosive mixture of gases is re-
lea
sed when the battery is being charged. Al-
ways keep lit cigarettes, flames, sparks and 42
The essentials
fire far from the battery. Never use a mobile
tel
ephone when c
onnecting and removing the
jump leads.
● Charge the battery only in well ventilated
area
s given that when the battery is charged
by outside assistance, it creates a mix of
highly explosive gases.
● Jump leads should never enter into contact
with mov
ing parts in the engine compart-
ment.
● Never switch the positive and negative
pole
s or connect the jump leads incorrectly.
● Note the instruction manual provided by
the manufact
urer of the jump leads. CAUTION
To avoid considerable damage to the vehicle
electric a
l system, note the following careful-
ly:
● If the jump leads are incorrectly connected,
this c
ould result in a short circuit.
● The vehicles must not touch each other,
otherwi
se electricity could flow as soon as
the positive terminals are connected. How to jump start: description
Fig. 59
Diagram of connections for vehicles
w ithout
Start Stop system Fig. 60
Diagram of connections for vehicles
w ith
St
art Stop system Jump lead terminal connections
1. Switch off the ignition of both vehicles
››
›
.2. Connect one end of the
re
d
jump lead to
the positive + terminal of the vehicle
w ith the fl
at
battery A
› ››
Fig. 59
.
3.
Connect the other end of the red
jump
lead to the positive terminal + in the ve-
hic l
e pr
oviding assistance B .
4. For vehicles without Start-Stop system:
connect
one end of
the black jump lead to
the negative terminal – of the vehicle
pr o
v
iding the current B
› ››
Fig. 59
.
– F
or vehicles with Start-Stop system: con-
nect one end of
the black jump lead X to a
s uit
ab
le ground terminal, to a solid piece of
metal in the engine block, or to the engine
block itself ››› Fig. 60.
5. Connect the other end of the black
jump
lead X to a solid metal component bolted
t o the en
gine b
lock or to the engine block
itself of the vehicle with the flat battery.
Do not connect it to a point near the bat-
tery A .
6. Position the leads in such a way that they cannot
c
ome into contact with any moving
parts in the engine compartment.
Starting
7. Start the engine of the vehicle with the boostin
g battery and let it run at idling
speed. » 43
The essentials
8. Start the engine of the vehicle with the flat batt
er
y and wait for 2 or 3 minutes until
the engine is running.
Removing the jump leads
9. Before you remove the jump leads, switch off the dipped be
am headlights (if they
are switched on).
10.Turn on the heater blower and heated rear window in the
vehicle with the flat battery.
This helps minimise voltage peaks which
are generated when the leads are discon-
nected.
11.
When the engine is running, disconnect
the leads in reverse order to the details
given above.
Make sure the battery clamps have sufficient
metal-to-metal contact with the battery termi-
nals.
If the engine fails to start, switch off the start-
er after about 10 seconds and try again after
about 1 minute. WARNING
● Ple a
se note the safety warnings referring to
working in the engine compartment
››› page 184.
● The battery providing assistance must have
the same v
oltage as the flat battery (12V) and
approximately the same capacity (see imprint on battery). Failure to comply could result in
an exp
lo
sion.
● Never use jump leads when one of the bat-
teries
is frozen. Danger of explosion! Even af-
ter the battery has thawed, battery acid could
leak and cause chemical burns. If a battery
freezes, it should be replaced.
● Keep sparks, flames and lighted cigarettes
awa
y from batteries, danger of explosion.
Failure to comply could result in an explo-
sion.
● Observe the instructions provided by the
manufact
urer of the jump leads.
● Do not connect the negative cable from the
other vehic
le directly to the negative terminal
of the flat battery. The gas emitted from the
battery could be ignited by sparks. Danger of
explosion.
● Do not attach the negative cable from the
other vehic
le to parts of the fuel system or to
the brake line.
● The non-insulated parts of the battery
clamp
s must not be allowed to touch. The
jump lead attached to the positive battery
terminal must not touch metal parts of the ve-
hicle, this can cause a short circuit.
● Position the leads in such a way that they
cannot c
ome into contact with any moving
parts in the engine compartment.
● Do not lean on the batteries. This could re-
sult
in chemical burns. Note
The vehicles must not touch each other, oth-
erw i
se electricity could flow as soon as the
positive terminals are connected. Changing the wiper blades
Wind s
creen wipers service position Fig. 61
Wipers in service position The wiper arms can be raised when the wip-
er
s
ar
e in service position ››› Fig. 61.
● Close the bonnet ›››
page 184.
● Switch the ignition on and off.
● Press the windscreen wiper lever down-
ward
s briefly ››› Fig. 32 4 .
44
The essentials
Before driving, always lower the wiper arms.
When the ignition i s
sw
itched on, the wind-
screen wiper arms return to their initial posi-
tion upon activating the windscreen wiper
lever.
››› page 74 Changing the front wiper blades
Fig. 62
Changing the front wiper blades Fig. 63
Changing the rear wiper blade Lifting and unfolding the wiper arms
The w
iper arm m
a
y only be lifted at the point
where it is fastened to the blade.
The wiper should be in service position be-
fore unfolding it ›››
page 106.
Cleaning windscreen wiper blades ● Lifting and unfolding the wiper arms.
● Use a soft cloth to remove dust and dirt
from the wind
screen wiper blades.
● If the blades are very dirty, a sponge or
damp cloth m
ay be used ››› in Changing
the w ind
s
creen and rear window wiper
blades on page 74.
Changing the windscreen wiper blades
● Lifting and unfolding the wiper arms. ●
Hold do
wn the release button ››› Fig. 62 1 while gently pulling the blade in the direction
of
the arr
o
w.
● Fit a new wiper blade of the same len
gth
and design on to the wiper arm and hook it
into place.
● Rest the wiper arms back onto the wind-
scr
een.
Changing the rear wiper blade
● Lift the windscreen wiper arm and fold it at
an angle of
approximately 60° ››› Fig. 63.
● Press and hold the release button 1 .
● Fold the wiper blade towards the wind-
s c
r
een wiper arm ››› Fig. 63 (arrow A ) while
p u
l
ling in the direction of arrow B . This may
r equir
e some s
trength.
● Insert a new blade of the same len
gth and
type in the windscreen wiper arm in the op-
posite direction to the arrow B and hook in-
t o p
l
ace. This feature is operational when the
knob is in position (arrow A ).
● Return the windscreen wiper arm to the
w ind
s
creen. Do not let it simply drop down!
››› in Changing the windscreen and
rear window wiper blades on page 74
››› page 74 45
Seat belts
On the instrument panel
display
A passenger in the rear seats has fastened their seat
belt, if the seat is occupied.* Several warning and indication lamps light
up for a f
ew sec
onds when the ignition is
switched on, signalling that the function is
being verified. They will switch off after a few
seconds.
An audible warning will be heard if the seat
belts are not fastened as the vehicle drives
off and reaches a speed of more then
25 km/h (15 mph) or if the seat belts are un-
fastened while the vehicle is in motion. The
seat belt warning lamp will also flash.
The warning lamp does not switch off until
the driver and front passenger fasten their
seat belts while the ignition is switched on.
Seat belt status display for rear seats
The seat belt status display on the instru-
ment panel informs the driver, when the igni-
tion is switched on, whether any passengers
in the rear seats have fastened their seat
belts. The symbol indicates that the pas-
senger in this seat has fastened “his or her”
seat belt ›››
Fig. 68.
The seat belt status is displayed for around
30 seconds when a seat belt in the rear seats
is fastened or unfastened. You can switch off
this display by pressing the 0.0 / SET button.The seat belt status flashes for a maximum of
30 sec
ond
s
when a seat belt in the rear seats
is unfastened while the vehicle is in motion.
An audible warning will also be heard if the
vehicle is travelling at over 25 km/h
(15 mph).
The protective function of seat belts Fig. 69
Drivers with properly worn seat belts
w i
l
l not be thrown forward in the event of sud-
den braking Properly worn seat belts hold the occupants
in the pr
oper po
s
ition. They also help prevent
uncontrolled movements that may result in
serious injury and reduce the risk of being
thrown out of the vehicle in case of an acci-
dent.
Vehicle occupants wearing their seat belts
correctly benefit greatly from the ability of the
belts to absorb kinetic energy. In addition, the front part of your vehicle and other pas-
sive s
afety features (such as the airbag sys-
tem) are designed to absorb the kinetic ener-
gy released in a collision. Taken together, all
these features reduce the releasing kinetic
energy and consequently, the risk of injury.
This is why it is so important to fasten seat
belts before every trip, even when "just driv-
ing around the corner".
Ensure that your passengers wear their seat
belts as well. Accident statistics have shown
that wearing seat belts is an effective means
of substantially reducing the risk of injury
and improving the chances of survival when
involved in a serious accident. Furthermore,
properly worn seat belts improve the protec-
tion provided by airbags in the event of an
accident. For this reason, wearing a seat belt
is required by law in most countries.
Although your vehicle is equipped with air-
bags, the seat belts must be fastened and
worn. The front airbags, for example, are only
triggered in some cases of head-on collision.
The front airbags will not be triggered during
minor frontal or side collisions, rear-end colli-
sions, rollovers or accidents in which the air-
bag trigger threshold value in the control unit
is not exceeded.
Therefore, you should always wear your seat
belt and ensure that all vehicle occupants
have fastened their seat belts properly before
you drive off!
53
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Safety
● He a
d r
estraints optimised for rear-end colli-
sion.
● Adjustable steering column.
● If necessary, anchor points for child seats
for the re
ar seats.
● Where applicable, mountings for the child
seat up
per retaining strap.
Situations in which the front and side air-
bags do not deploy:
● If the ignition is switched off during the col-
lision.
● In fr
ontal collisions, when the deceleration
meas
ured by the control unit is too low.
● In minor side collisions.
● In rear collisions.
● In the event of the vehicle overturning.
● When the impact speed is lower than the
refer
ence value set in the control unit.
There is a fault in the system if the control
lamp :
● does not light up when the ignition is
switc
hed on,
● turns off after 4 seconds after the ignition
is sw
itched on
● turns off and then lights up again after the
ignition is sw
itched on
● illuminates or flashes while the vehicle is
movin
g. WARNING
● The seat belt
s and airbags can only provide
maximum protection if the occupants are
seated correctly ››› page 47.
● If a fault has occurred in the airbag system,
have the sy
stem checked immediately by a
specialised workshop. Otherwise, during a
frontal collision the system might not trigger
correctly or may fail to trigger at all. Airbag activation
The airbags deploy extremely rapidly, within
thou
s
andths
of a second, to provide addi-
tional protection in the event of an accident.
A fine dust may develop when the airbag de-
ploys. This is normal and it is not an indica-
tion of fire in the vehicle.
The airbag system is only ready to function
when the ignition is on.
In special accidents instances, several air-
bags may activate at the same time.
In the event of minor head-on and side colli-
sions, rear-end collisions, overturning or roll-
over of the vehicle, airbags do not activate.
Activation factors
The conditions that lead to the airbag system
activating in each situation cannot be gener-
alised. Some factors play an important role,
such as the properties of the object the vehi- cle hits (hard/soft), angle of impact, vehicle
speed, etc
.
Deceleration trajectory is key for airbag acti-
vation.
The control unit analyses the collision trajec-
tory and activates the respective restraint
system.
If the deceleration rate is below the prede-
fined reference value in the control unit the
airbags will not be triggered, even though
the accident may cause extensive damage to
the car.
The following airbags are triggered in seri-
ous head-on collisions ● Driver airbag.
● Front passenger front airbag
The fol
lowing airbags are triggered in seri-
ous side-on collisions
● Front side airbag on the side of the acci-
dent.
● Re
ar side airbag on the side of the acci-
dent.
In an acc
ident with airbag activation:
● the interior lights switch on (if the interior
light swit
ch is in the courtesy light position);
● the hazard warning lights switch on;
● all doors are unlocked;
60