Advice
In vehicles running on prescribed unleaded
petr o
l
with 95/91 RON, there is no notable
increase in power or lower fuel consumption
when petrol with a RON higher than 95 is
used.
In vehicles running on prescribed unleaded
petrol with min. 95 RON, there is an increase
in power and a lower fuel consumption when
petrol with a RON higher than 95 is used.
Prescribed fuel – unleaded petrol (98/(95)
RON)
Use unleaded petrol with 98 RON. Unleaded
petrol with 95 RON can also be used, al-
though this will result in a slight loss of pow-
er.
If unleaded petrol with 98 or 95 RON is not
available, you can fill up with petrol with 91
RON as an emergency measure. In this case,
use only moderate engine speeds and a light
throttle. High engine speed and full throttle
can seriously damage the engine! Fill up with
petrol with the correct RON as soon as possi-
ble.
Petrol with a RON below 91 cannot be used,
even as an emergency measure. Risk of seri-
ously damaging the engine!
Petrol additives
The quality of the fuel influences the behav-
iour, power and service life of the engine.
This is why the petrol you use should carry suitable additives already included by the
petrol
industry, free of metals. These addi-
tives will help to prevent corrosion, keep the
fuel system clean and prevent deposits from
building up in the engine.
If good-quality petrol with metal-free addi-
tives is not available or engine problems
arise, the necessary additives must be added
when refuelling ››› .
Not al
l
petrol additives have been shown to
be effective. The use of unsuitable petrol ad-
ditives may cause significant damage to the
engine and the catalytic converter. Metal ad-
ditives should never be used. Metal additives
may also be contained in petrol additives for
improving anti-detonation ratings or octane
ratings ››› .
S EA
T r
ecommends “genuine Volkswagen
Group Fuel Additives for petrol engines”.
These additives can be bought at SEAT deal-
ers, where information on how to use them
can also be obtained. CAUTION
● Do not r ef
uel if the filler indicates that the
fuel contains metal. LRP (lead replacement
petrol) fuels contain high concentrations of
metal additives. Using them may damage the
engine!
● All SEAT vehicles with petrol engines can
only ru
n on unleaded petrol. Refuelling just once with leaded petrol disables the exhaust
sys
t
em!
● Use of petrol with a lower RON to that pre-
scribed c
ould damage the engine compo-
nents.
● Fuels marked as containing metal on the
garag
e fuel pump cannot be used. Risk of
damage to most engine parts or the exhaust
system!
● The use of unsuitable additives in petrol
can cau
se damage to most engine parts or
the exhaust system. Diesel fuel
Please note the information on the inside of
the f
uel
t
ank flap.
Your vehicle can only work using diesel fuel,
which must comply to European standard EN
590. If diesel fuel which meets European
standard EN 590 is not available, the Cetane
number (CZ) must, at minimum, be 51. If the
engine is equipped with a particulate filter,
the sulphur content of the fuel must be below
50 parts per million.
Winter-grade diesel
Summer fuel becomes thicker in winter and it
is more difficult to start the engine. For this
reason, petrol stations in some countries al-
so offer winter diesel with improved fluidity
when cold (winter-grade diesel).
202
Checking and refilling levels
Opening and closing of the bonnet Fig. 204
Unlocking the bonnet. Fig. 205
Locking the bonnet. Opening the bonnet
–
Open the front left door. –
Pu
l
l the lever 1
› ››
Fig. 204
u nder the dash
panel in the direction indicated by the ar-
row.
Before opening the bonnet, make sure that
the windscreen wiper arms are not lifted
away from the glass. Otherwise the paint-
work may be damaged.
– Pull the release catch in the direction of the
arrow 2
› ››
Fig. 204
and the bonnet
will be
released.
– Hold and lift the bonnet.
– Remove the support strut 3
› ›
› Fig. 205
fr
om its fastening in the direction of the ar-
row and secure the raised bonnet so that
the end of the strut hooks onto the opening
in the bonnet 4 .
C lo
s
ing the bonnet
– Lift the bonnet slightly and unhook the
suppor
t strut keeping the bonnet open and
insert it into its fastening 3 .
– Let the bonnet drop from a height of
ar ou
nd 20 c
m into the catch Do not press
down afterwards!
– Check that the bonnet is correctly closed.
205
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Checking and refilling levels
– Sw it
c
h the ignition off.
– Open the bonnet ›››
page 203.
– Read off the coolant level on coolant ex-
pans
ion tank ››› Fig. 208. When the engine
is cold, the coolant should be between
marks B (min.) and
A (max.). When the
en gine i
s
hot, it may be slightly above mark
A (max.).
If the c
oo
lant fluid level in the reservoir is too
low, this will be indicated by the red warn-
ing lamp illuminating on the general dash
panel ››› page 100, Coolant level and temper-
ature . However, we recommend checking
the coolant level directly in the tank.
Coolant fluid loss
Any loss of coolant normally indicates a leak.
It is not sufficient merely to top up the cool-
ant. The cooling system should be inspected
by an Official Service without delay. CAUTION
● In the event of
a fault that causes the en-
gine to overheat, contact an authorised SEAT
dealer immediately, as this could damage the
engine.
● Anti-freeze that does not correspond to the
correct
specification may particularly affect
corrosion protection considerably.
● Faults caused by corrosion may lead to
cool
ant leaks. Risk of serious engine faults! Topping up the coolant level
–
Switch the ignition off.
– Wait for the engine to cool down.
– Cover the cap on the coolant expansion
tank ›
›› Fig. 208 with a cloth and carefully
unscrew the cap.
– Refill the level of coolant.
– Screw the cap on again until it clicks into
plac
e.
Do not use a different type of additive if the
prescribed anti-freeze additive is not availa-
ble, in the event of an emergency. In this
case, use only water and bring the coolant
concentration back up to the correct level as
soon as possible at an Official Service.
Always top up with unused coolant.
Never fill the coolant tank above mark A (max.)
››
›
Fig. 208 Excess coolant is forced
out of the cooling system through the over-
pressure valve in the filler cap of the expan-
sion tank when the engine heats up. WARNING
● The anti-freez e a
dditive and, therefore, the
entire coolant, are a health hazard. Avoid
touching the coolant. Coolant fumes are also
a health hazard. For this reason, always store
the coolant additive in a safe place out of the
reach of children. Risk of poisoning! ●
If s p
lashed into eyes, rinse immediately
with clean water and seek immediate medical
attention.
● Seek immediate medical attention if the
cool
ant is accidentally ingested. CAUTION
If the coolant cannot be topped up under the
giv en c ondition
s, do not drive on. We rec-
ommend contacting an authorised SEAT deal-
er, as this can damage the engine. Brake fluid
Chec kin
g brake fluid level Fig. 209
Engine compartment: brake fluid
r e
ser
voir. Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 41 »
209
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Advice
The brake fluid reservoir is located in the en-
gine c omp
ar
tment of the vehicle.
– Switch the ignition off.
– Open the bonnet ›››
page 203.
– Check the brake fluid level in the reservoir
›››
Fig. 209. It should be between the “MIN”
and “MAX” marks.
The fluid level drops slightly after a period of
time due to automatic compensation for
brake pad wear. This is quite normal.
However, if the level goes down noticeably in
a short time, or drops below the “MIN” mark,
there may be a leak in the brake system. If
the brake fluid level in the reservoir is too
low, this will be indicated by the warning
lamp illuminating on the instrument panel
››› page 99, Brake system . WARNING
● If the fluid l ev
el has dropped below the MIN
mark, do not continue driving. Risk of acci-
dent! Go to a technical service.
● Heavy use of the brakes may cause a va-
pour lock if
the brake fluid is left in the brake
system for too long. This would seriously af-
fect the efficiency of the brakes and the safe-
ty of the vehicle. Changing the brake fluid
Brake fluid absorbs moisture. Therefore, it
gra
dual
ly absorbs moisture from the atmos-
phere. If the water content in the brake fluid
is too high, the brake system could corrode.
The water content also reduces the boiling
point of the brake fluid.
The brake fluid must comply with one of the
following standards or specifications:
● VW 50114
● FMVSS 116 DOT4 CAUTION
Brake fluid damages the vehicle paintwork. Windscreen washer
top
pin
g up windscreen washer fluid Fig. 210
Engine compartment: windscreen
w a
sher r
eservoir. Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 41
The container for the windscreen washer con-
tains the cleaning fluid for the windscreen or
rear window and the headlight washer sys-
tem. The container is located in the engine
compartment.
The capacity of the reservoir is approximately
3.5 litres; in vehicles with a headlight washer
system, it is approximately 5.4 litres 1)
.
Plain water on its own is not enough to clean
the glass and the headlights properly. We 1)
Valid only for certain countries. 5.4 litres for both
ver s
ions.
210
Checking and refilling levels
therefore recommend using clean water with
a gl a
s
s cleaning product to eliminate any
stubborn dirt (with an anti-freeze additive in
winter).
Although your vehicle has heated windscreen
washer jets, anti-freeze should always be
added to the water in winter.
Ethanol can be used where glass cleaner with
anti-freeze is unavailable. The concentration
of ethanol must be no greater than 15 %.
However, remember that anti-freeze in this
proportion only protects down to -5°C
(+23°F). CAUTION
● Never mi x
the windscreen washing water
with anti-freeze used for the cooling system
or other additives.
● If the vehicle is equipped with a headlight
washer sy
stem, only mix in with the water a
detergent that does not damage polycarbon-
ates. Note
When topping up the fluid, do not move the
filt er fr
om the container opening, as this
could contaminate the fluid hoses and lead to
a windscreen washer malfunction. Battery
Intr oduction Read the additional information carefully
›› ›
page 41.
Warning symbols on the battery
Sym bolMeaning
Always wear safety glasses!
Battery acid is extremely corrosive. Always wear
gloves and hearing protection!
Keep open flames, sparks, uncovered lights
and lit cigarettes away when working on the
battery!
A highly explosive mixture of gases is released
when the battery is under charge!
Keep children away from the battery!
Incorrect handling of the vehicle battery
c
ou
l
d lead to damage. We therefore recom-
mend all work on the vehicle battery be per-
formed by an authorised SEAT dealer.
Always be aware of the danger of injury and
scalding as well as the risk of accident or fire
when working on the battery and the electri-
cal system. Therefore, always observe the
warnings and follow all general safety pre-
cautions. WARNING
● Batt er
y acid is very corrosive, therefore, the
battery must be handled with the utmost
care. Wear protective gloves and protect your
eyes and skin when handling batteries. The
corrosive fumes in the air irritate and inflame
the respiratory tract and cause conjunctivitis.
It corrodes tooth enamel. Causes deep and
difficult-to-heal wounds when it comes in
contact with the skin. Repeated contact with
diluted acids causes skin disease (inflamma-
tion, ulcers and fissures). When in contact
with water, acids dilute and develop a great
deal of heat.
● Do not tilt the battery, as acid could leak
out of the
vapour vents. Protect your eyes
with glasses or a protective helmet! Risk of
blindness! If acid should splash into the
eyes, rinse the affected eye immediately for
several minutes using clean water. Then seek
medical care immediately.
● Neutralize any acid splashes on the skin or
clothing w
ith soap solution as quickly as pos-
sible and rinse off with plenty of water. If acid
is swallowed by mistake, consult a doctor im-
mediately.
● Keep children away from the battery.
● Hydrogen is released and a highly explo-
sive mi
xture of gases is generated when the
battery is under charge. Sparks when discon-
necting or releasing cable terminals with the
ignition switched on could also cause an ex-
plosion. » 211
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Advice
●
A short c
ircuit is produced if the battery ter-
minals are bridged, e.g. using metal objects,
cables, etc. Possible consequences of a short
circuit: melting of lead plates, battery explo-
sion and fire, splashing acid.
● The following is forbidden while working on
the batter
y: fire and open flames, smoking
and activities that could produce sparks.
Avoid causing sparks when handling cables
or electrical apparatus. Risk of injury in the
event of large sparks.
● Before working on the electrical system,
you mus
t switch off the engine, the ignition
and all electrical components and disconnect
the cable from the negative terminal (-) of the
battery. To change a bulb, simply switch off
the corresponding light.
● Never charge a frozen or thawed out bat-
tery
. Risk of explosion and acid burns! Re-
place a frozen battery.
● Never use the jump leads on batteries in
which the electr
olyte level is too low. Risk of
explosion and acid burns!
● Never use a damaged battery. Risk of ex-
plos
ion! Replace a damaged battery immedi-
ately. CAUTION
● Never di s
connect the battery when the igni-
tion is switched on, as the electrical system
(electronic components) of the vehicle could
be damaged. When disconnecting the battery
from the vehicle electrical system, disconnect its negative terminal (-) first. Only then may
the pos
itiv
e terminal (+) be disconnected.
● When connecting the battery, first connect
the positiv
e terminal (+) and then the nega-
tive terminal (-). The battery cables must nev-
er be connected to the wrong battery termi-
nals. Risk of burning the electrical installa-
tion!
● Make sure the battery acid does not come
into cont
act with the bodywork. Risk of paint-
work damage.
● Do not expose the battery to direct sunlight
to prot
ect it from ultraviolet radiation.
● If the vehicle is not used for 3 or 4 weeks,
the batter
y could run flat. This is because
some components use electricity even in
standby mode (e.g. control units). Prevent the
battery from running flat by disconnecting its
negative terminal or leave it charging at a low
current.
● If you frequently use the vehicle for short
trips, the batt
ery may not fully charge and
could run flat. For the sake of the environment
A flat battery is particularly harmful waste for
the env ir
onment. It must therefore be dis-
posed of according to current local law. Note
Replace a battery once it is older than 5
ye ar
s. Lifting the battery cover
Fig. 211
Battery: Opening the cover. The battery is located beneath a plastic cover
in the en
gine c
omp
artment.
– Open the battery cover in the direction indi-
cated b
y the arrow ››› Fig. 211.
– The positive terminal (+) of the battery is
connected in r
everse order.
212
Checking and refilling levels
Checking the battery electrolyte level Fig. 212
Battery: Electrolyte level indicator. We recommend you have the acid level regu-
l
arly
c
hecked at an official technical service,
particularly in the following cases.
● At high outside temperatures.
● On long daily trips.
● Whenever the vehicle is loaded
›››
page 213, Charging the battery.
In vehicles equipped with a battery with col-
our indicator, the so-called magic eye
››› Fig. 212 changes colour to indicate the
acid level.
Air bubbles can influence the colour of the in-
dicator. Therefore, carefully knock the indica-
tor before checking the acid level.
● Black – the acid level is correct.
● Colourless or light yellow – acid level too
low , b
attery must be changed. Note
● The batt er
y acid level is also regularly
checked during servicing at authorised SEAT
dealers.
● The electrolyte level on “AGM” batteries
cannot be c
hecked for technical reasons.
● Vehicles equipped with the “Start-Stop”
syst
em include a battery control unit to con-
trol the battery level for repeated engine
starting. Winter service
At low temperatures the battery provides only
a fr
action of
the s
tarting power it has at nor-
mal temperatures.
A flat battery can also freeze at temperatures
slightly below to 0°C (32°F).
We therefore recommend you have the bat-
tery checked and, if necessary, charged at an
official SEAT technical service before the start
of winter.
Charging the battery A fully-charged battery is essential for relia-
b
l
e s
tarting.
– Switch off the ignition and all electrical
equipment. –
For “fa
st-charging” only: disconnect both
battery connection cables (first the “nega-
tive” terminal and then the “positive”).
– Connect the charger cables to the battery
terminal
s (red = “positive”, black = “nega-
tive”).
– Plug in the battery charger and switch on.
– After charging the battery: Switch off the
batter
y charger and disconnect the cable.
– Remove the charger cables.
– If necessary, reconnect both battery cables
to the batt
ery (first the “positive” cable,
then the “negative” cable).
When charging with a low current (e.g. with a
small battery charger ), the battery does not
normally have to be disconnected. The in-
structions of the battery charger manufactur-
er must be followed.
Use a current equivalent to or lower than
10% of the battery capacity to fully charge
the battery.
Before “fast-charging” the battery however,
both battery cables must be disconnected.
“Fast-charging” a battery is dangerous and
requires a battery charger and special knowl-
edge. Fast charges should be performed by
an official technical service.
The battery caps should not be opened while
the battery is being charged. »
213
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Advice
CAUTION
In vehicles fitted with the “Start-Stop” sys-
tem, the c h
arger cable cannot be directly con-
nected to the negative terminal of the vehicle
battery but must be attached to the engine
ground point ›››
page 52. Disconnecting and connecting the
batt
er
y The following functions will either be inoper-
ative or w
i
ll not work properly after discon-
necting and reconnecting the battery:
FunctionInstallation
Setting the clock››› page 95
The multifunction display data
is deleted››› page 97 Note
We recommend having the vehicle checked by
an authorised S EA
T dealer to guarantee the
correct working order of all electrical sys-
tems. Replacing the battery
A replacement battery must have the same
c
ap
ac
ity, voltage, current rating and size as
the original. The appropriate types of battery can be acquired from authorised SEAT deal-
ers.
We r
ecommend having the battery changed
by an authorised SEAT dealer, where the new
battery will be correctly installed and the
original disposed of in line with regulations.
Automatic disconnection of electrical
equipment When heavily-charging a battery, the pro-
gr
amme sel
ect
ed by the electrical system
control unit prevents the battery from auto-
matically discharging. This may result in the
following:
● Increase in idling speed so that the alterna-
tor can s
upply more current to the electrical
system.
● The performance of certain electrical com-
ponents cou
ld be limited or some may switch
off temporarily, e.g. the heated seats, the
heated rear window, the 12 V power socket. Note
Despite any measures taken by the control
unit, the b att
ery could drain. e.g. with the en-
gine is switched off, the key is turned in the
ignition for a long period or the side lights or
parking lights are switched on. The switching
off of certain electrical components does not impair driving comfort and often the driver
wi
l
l not even notice.214