
Operation
CAUTION
Follow the instructions given in the manual. Roof load
The maximum permissible roof load (includ-
ing the s
up
port system) of 75 kg and the to-
tal authorised weight of the vehicle must not
be exceeded.
It will not be possible to carry the full maxi-
mum load if the roof carrier you are using is
rated for a load which is less than this figure.
In this case, you can only load the roof carrier
to the maximum load permitted in your in-
stallation manual. Air conditioning
He atin
g and air c
onditioning
General notes The power of the heating depends on the
temper
at
ure of the coolant. Therefore, maxi-
mum power is only obtained when the en-
gine has reached operating temperature.
The temperature and humidity of the air in-
side the vehicle decrease when the cooling
system is turned on. This therefore increases
the comfort of all vehicle occupants when
outside temperatures and humidity are high.
It also helps prevent the windows from mist-
ing over during cold periods of the year.
The air recirculation system can be switched
on temporarily to increase the cooling effect.
Keep the air intake slots in front of the wind-
screen clear of ice, snow or leaves to ensure
unimpaired heating and cooling.
When the air conditioning is on, condensa-
tion can drip from the evaporator in the air
cooling system and form a pool underneath
the vehicle. This is normal and does not indi-
cate a leak! WARNING
● All
windows must be clear of ice, snow and
condensation for driving safety. Therefore, make sure you familiarise yourself with the
corr
ect
use of heating and ventilation, win-
dow demisting and defrosting and cooling.
● Never use the air recirculation system for
too long, a
s it prevents fresh air from enter-
ing the vehicle and used air can cause tired-
ness, reduce your attention span and cause
the windows to mist over. This increases the
risk of an accident. Switch off the air recircu-
lation system as soon as the windows begin
to mist over. WARNING
Do not switch off Climatronic for longer than
nece s
sary.
● Switch Climatronic back on as soon as the
window
s begin to mist over. Note
● Used air e s
capes through ventilation slots
in the rear of the luggage compartment.
● Smoking is not recommended while the air
recir
culation system is in use, as the smoke
drawn from the interior of the vehicle settles
in the evaporator of the air conditioning sys-
tem. This causes a persistent, unpleasant
smell while the system is running that is
time-consuming and expensive (evaporator
replacement) to eliminate.
● To guarantee proper operation, never cover
the air outlets
in the luggage compartment.146

Air conditioning
Economic use of the air-conditioning
sy s
t
em When the air conditioning is switched on, the
compr
e
ssor consumes engine power and has
influence on fuel consumption.
If the vehicle interior has overheated due to
excessive solar radiation, it is best to open
the windows or doors to allow the hot air to
escape.
While in motion, the air conditioning should
not be switched on if the windows are open. If the interior temperature can be reached
without
sw
itching on the air conditioning, the
fresh air mode should be used. For the sake of the environment
Saving fuel reduces emissions. Faults
If the air conditioning does not work at out-
side t
emper
atures above +5°C (+41°F) then the system is faulty. This may be due to one
of the f
o
llowing reasons:
● One of the fuses has blown. Check the fuse
and repl
ace if necessary ››› page 80.
● The air conditioning compressor has
switc
hed off temporarily because of in-
creased engine coolant temperature
››› page 97.
If you cannot repair the fault yourself or
where cooling power continues to drop,
switch off the system. Contact a specialised
service.
Air vents Fig. 168
Air vents Opening air vents 3 and 4
– Turn the vertical circular control upwards. »
147Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Air conditioning
Connecting the recirculation
In an y
po
sition of rotary switch C except
th a
w:
● Pr
ess button 1
› ››
Fig. 169
, the sw
itch's
lamp will light up, indicating that air recircu-
lation inside the vehicle has been activated.
Disconnecting the recirculation
In any position of rotary switch C except
th a
w:
● Pr
ess button 1 again and the button's
l amp w
i
ll go off, indicating that air recircula-
tion from the outside has been activated.
In the thaw position of rotary switch C , the
entr y
of
air into the vehicle interior is always
from the outside. WARNING
Read and observe the safety warnings ›››
in
Genera l
notes on page 146. Air conditioning (manual)*
Gener a
l
notesThe air cooling system only works if
A/C but-
t on 2
› ›
›
Fig. 170 ›››
page 149 is pressed
and under following conditions:
● The engine is running, ●
The outside temper
ature is above +2°C
(+36°F),
● The blower control is in position 1–4.
When the coolin
g system is on and under cer-
tain conditions, air can be blown from the
vents at a temperature of approximately +5°C
(+41°F). In the event of prolonged, irregular
distribution of the air flow from the outlets
and significant differences in temperature,
e.g. on leaving the vehicle, sensitive people
may catch cold. Note
A visit to the specialised service once a year
is r
ecommended to clean the air conditioning
system. Manual operation
Fig. 170
Air conditioning: controls. Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 37
Temperature selection – Turn rotary control A
› ››
Fig. 170
c
lockwise
to increase the temperature.
– Turn rotary control A anti-clockwise to re-
duc e the t
emper
ature.
Blower selection
– Turn rotary control B
› ››
Fig. 170
t
o posi-
tion 1 to 4 to switch the blower on.
– Turn rotary control B to position 0 to
sw it
c
h the blower off.
– Press button
1
› ›
› p
age 150, Air recir-
culation to close the fresh air vent.
Air distribution selection – Turn rotary control C
› ›
› Fig. 170
to select
the air vents ››› page 147 you wish to acti-
vate.
Switching cooling on and off
– Press the button A/C
2
› ›
› Fig. 170
and
the lamp in the button will illuminate.
– Press the A/C
2 button again and the
light in the b
utt
on will switch off. »
149
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
Coldest setting – On turning control A to the coldest setting
(b lue indic
at
or), buttons 1
and
2 A/C
, light up
– The recirculation function is activated auto-
matic
al
ly in order to cool faster. Note
● If the air di s
tribution is directed towards
the windows, all, of the heating power is
used to defrost the windscreen. No warm air
is directed to the footwell area. This could
limit heating comfort.
● The AC button lamp will illuminate after
the sys t
em has been switched on, even if not
all of the conditions for cooling system oper-
ations are met. Cooling is indicated as availa- ble once all of the conditions are met
›› ›
page 149, General notes . Air recirculation
Air recirculation prevents unpleasant smells,
e.g. when p
a
ssing through a tunnel or in
queuing traffic, from entering the interior.
If the rotary switch C
››› Fig. 170 i
s in the
thaw position, the recirculation flap will al-
ways be open (button light off).
If the rotary switch C is switched from any
po s
ition t
o the thaw position, recirculation
will be automatically deactivated.
Connecting the recirculation
In any position of rotary switch C except
th a
w: ●
Pr
es
s button 1
› ››
Fig. 170
, the sw itch's
lamp will light up, indicating that air recircu-
lation inside the vehicle has been activated.
Disconnecting the recirculation
In any position of rotary switch C except
th a
w:
● Pr
ess button 1 again and the button's
l amp w
i
ll go off, indicating that air recircula-
tion from the outside has been activated.
In the thaw position of rotary switch C , the
entr y
of
air into the vehicle interior is always
from the outside. WARNING
Read and observe the safety warnings ›››
in
Genera l
notes on page 146. 150

Operation
● Inc r
e
ased 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 compatible plastics in the same part
if its c
omponents 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 sy
stems for the recovery of residual
heat (thermal recovery, enthalpy wheels,
etc.).
● The use of water-soluble paints.
Catalytic converter An exhaust gas emission control system (cat-
alytic c
on
verter) that functions perfectly is vi-
tally important for vehicle operation that re-
spects the environment.
Please observe the following indications:
● Refuel only using unleaded petrol in petrol
engine v
ehicles ››› page 201, Unleaded pet-
rol.
● Do not add too much oil to the engine
›››
page 207, Checking engine oil level .
● Do not switch off the ignition while driving.
If y
ou are required to drive in a country where
unleaded fuel is not available, when return-
ing to a country where using a catalytic con-
verter is obligatory, the catalytic converter
must be replaced. WARNING
● Due t o the high t
emperatures that the cata-
lytic converter can reach, the vehicle must be
stopped so that the catalytic converter does
not come into contact with easily flammable
material underneath the vehicle. Risk of fire! ●
Never u se s
ubstances for additional under-
body protection or anti-corrosives for the ex-
haust pipes, the catalytic converter or the
heat-resistant screens. Risk of fire! CAUTION
● Nev er comp
letely empty the tank! An irreg-
ular fuel supply can cause ignition faults,
which can result in damage to a substantial
amount of engine parts and the exhaust sys-
tem.
● Refuelling just once with leaded petrol dis-
able
s the exhaust system! Economical and environmentally-
friendly
driv
in
g Fuel 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
easily reduce fuel consumption by 10-15%.
Some tips on how to help you reduce pollu-
tion while saving money are listed below.
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
164

Advice
●
Tak e c
are not to cause short circuits in the
electrical system, especially when working
on the battery.
● Never touch the radiator fan when the en-
gine is hot
. The fan may start running sud-
denly!
● Never cover the engine with additional in-
sul
ating materials such as a blanket. Risk of
fire!
● Do not unscrew the cap on the coolant ex-
pans
ion tank when the engine is hot. The
cooling system is under pressure!
● Protect face, hands and arms from any hot
ste
am or hot coolant released by covering the
cap with a large, thick rag when opening the
expansion tank.
● Do not leave any objects, such as cloths or
tool
s, in the engine compartment.
● When working underneath the vehicle, se-
cure it
so that it cannot roll away and support
it safely on suitable supports. The hydraulic
jack is not sufficient for this purpose. Risk of
injuries!
● If any tests have to be performed with the
engine runnin
g, there is an extra safety risk
from rotating parts, such as the drive belt, al-
ternator and radiator fan, etc., and from the
high-voltage ignition system. You should also
note the following:
– Never touch the electrical wiring of the
ignition system.
– Keep away from moving engine parts
when wearing jewellery, loose clothing or
long hair. Risk of fatal injuries! All jewel- lery must be removed, hair tied back and
clo
se-fittin
g clothing worn.
● Observe the following additional warnings
if work
on the fuel system or the electrical
system is necessary.
–Always disconnect the battery from the
on-board network.
– Do not smoke.
– Never work near naked flames.
– Always keep an approved fire extinguish-
er immediately available. CAUTION
● When top pin
g up fluids, make sure the cor-
rect fluid is put into the correct filler opening.
Otherwise this can cause serious malfunc-
tions or engine damage!
● Never open the bonnet using the release
catc
h. Risk of damage! For the sake of the environment
Due to the environmentally-friendly disposal
of fluid s, the equipment
necessary and the
knowledge required, let an authorised SEAT
dealer change fluids during service inspec-
tions of the vehicle. Note
● Ple a
se contact an authorised SEAT dealer
with any doubts regarding fluids. ●
Fluids of
the correct specifications can be
acquired from the selection of SEAT Original
Accessories. 204

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

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