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 level gauge
Fig. 112
Fuel gauge. The fuel gauge
››
›
Fig. 112 operates only
when the ignition is switched on.
The fuel tank has a capacity of approx. 55 li-
tres. When the needle reaches the reserve
area, the ››› page 102 warning symbol illu- minates on the general instrument panel and
an audible w
arning can be heard. CAUTION
Never completely empty the tank! An irregu-
larity in the f
uel supply system can cause ir-
regularities when the engine is running. Un-
burned fuel can reach the exhaust gas sys-
tem, which can cause deterioration of the cat-
alytic converter. Note
Some vehicles come fitted with the fuel
gaug e on the g
eneral instrument panel. Control lamps
W arnin g and indic
ation lamps Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 32.
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.
Depending on the model, additional text
messages may be viewed on the instrument
panel display. These may be purely informa- tive or they may be advising of the need for
action
›››
page 94.
Depending upon the equipment fitted in the
vehicle, instead of a warning lamp, some-
times a symbol may be displayed on the in-
strument panel.
When certain control and warning lamps are
lit, an audible warning is also heard. WARNING
If the warning lamps and messages are ignor-
ed, the v ehic
le may stall in traffic, or may
cause accidents and severe injuries.
● Never ignore the warning lamps or text
mess
ages.
● Stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible.
● Park the vehicle away from traffic and en-
sure th
at there are no highly flammable ma-
terials under the vehicle that could come into
contact with the exhaust system (e.g. dry
grass, fuel).
● A faulty vehicle represents a risk of acci-
dent for the driv
er and for other road users. If
necessary, switch on the hazard warning
lamps and put out the warning triangle to ad-
vise other drivers.
● Before opening the bonnet, switch off the
engine and al
low it to cool.
● In any vehicle, the engine compartment is a
hazar
dous area and could cause severe inju-
ries ››› page 203.98
Operation
Ashtrays* Fig. 153
Centre console: front ashtray/rear
a shtr
a
y. Removing the ashtray
– Pull the ashtray ››
›
Fig. 153 upwards to re-
move.
Inserting the ashtray
– Push the ashtray down. WARNING
Never put flammable materials in the ashtray.
Risk of
fire! CAUTION
Never hold onto the ashtray by the lid when
remo v
ing it. Risk of breaking the lid. 12V Power socket
Fig. 154
Centre console: 12 V power socket. The 12 V power socket is located at the front
of
the c
entr
e console ›››
Fig. 154.
Using the power socket
– Open the cover or remove the cigarette
lighter conc
ealing the socket.
– Insert the plug of the electrical appliance
into the sock
et. Additional information
›››
page 193, Acces-
sories and modifications to the vehicle . WARNING
● Improper u se of
the sockets or electrical
appliances can cause a fire and lead to burns
and other serious injuries.
● Never leave children unsupervised in the
vehicl
e. The 12 V power socket is also func-
tional when the ignition is switched off and
the key is removed.
● Should the connected appliance overheat,
immediately
switch it off and disconnect it
from the socket. CAUTION
● The 12 V po
wer socket can only be used to
power appliances with a power rating of up to
120 watts.
● Never exceed the maximum permitted pow-
er, as
this could cause damage to the vehicle
electrical installation.
● With the engine switched off, however, the
vehicl
e battery will drain. Risk of discharging
the battery!
● Only use suitable plugs so as not to dam-
age the pow
er socket.
● Only use appliances that have been tested
for electr
omagnetic compatibility in compli-
ance with current regulations.
● Before switching the ignition on or off, un-
plug the app
liances from the power socket to138
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
Operation
vehicle to help you start your engine
›› ›
page 51.
● After prolonged and demanding operation
of the engine, when the j
ourney has ended,
do not stop the engine immediately. Let the
engine run at idle for about one more minute.
This will stop the engine from overheating. For the sake of the environment
Do not warm up the engine when the vehicle
i s s
tationary. If possible, move off immediate-
ly after starting the engine. This will help the
engine reach operating temperature more
quickly, reducing the quantity of emissions. Note
● The engine c an on
ly be started with the
original SEAT key.
● Loud running noises may be heard briefly
after c
old-starting the engine. This is normal
and is no cause for concern.
● After the engine has been stopped and the
ignition switc
hed off, the radiator fan may
continue running for around 10 minutes.
● If the engine still does not start after a sec-
ond attempt, the fuel
pump fuse might have
blown. Check it and replace if necessary
››› page 80 or contact your Specialised Serv-
ice.
● You should always engage the steering lock
when you e
xit the vehicle. This will hinder
any attempts at theft. Power steering
The power steering allows you to turn the
st
eerin
g wheel more easily.
If the power steering fails or the engine is off
(towing), it is still possible to turn the vehi-
cle's steering wheel fully. However, you need
more strength to steer the vehicle.
Start-up lock security system (immo-
bili
ser) There is an electronic chip in the key. The
el
ectr
onic
immobiliser is deactivated when
the key is inserted into the ignition. The elec-
tronic immobiliser is automatically activated
when the key is removed from the ignition.
The engine will not start if an unauthorised
key is used.
The informative display indicates:
Immobiliser active! Ignition lock Fig. 172
Ignition key positions. Petrol engines
1 – Ignition switched off, engine stopped,
s t
eerin
g can be locked
2 – Ignition switched on
3 – Starting
Die sel
en
gines
1 – Fuel supply stopped, ignition switched
off , en
gine s
topped, steering can be locked
2 – Engine pre-heating, ignition switched
on
3 – Starting
T o en
g
age the Steering lock without the key
in the ignition, turn the steering wheel slight-
ly until you hear it engage.
154
Driving
●
Where br ak
ing is not necessary, do not
wear down the brake pads by pressing down
gently on the brake pedal. This causes the
brakes to overheat, increasing their wear and
increasing braking distances.
● To ensure the brake assist systems work
properly, a
ll wheels must be fitted with tyres
approved by the manufacturer. Note
● If y
ou brake suddenly and the brake system
control unit regards the situation as hazard-
ous for the drivers behind you, the brake
lights will begin to flash automatically. After
reducing speed to approximately 10 km/h (6
mph) or stopping the vehicle, the brake lights
will stop flashing and the hazard warning
lights will switch on. The hazard warning
lights are automatically switched off when
you accelerate or restart the vehicle.
● On long, steep gradients, reduce your
speed and ch
ange to a lower gear (manual
gearbox) or move the selector lever to a lower
gear position (automatic gearbox). This uses
the force of the engine and the brakes do not
suffer as much. If you still have to brake, do
so intermittently, pressing down repeatedly
on the brake pedal.
● Vehicle modifications (e.g. to the engine,
brake
s, frame or a combination of wheels and
tyres) could impair the brake assist systems
››› page 193, Accessories and modifications
to the vehicle . ●
In the event of
a fault in the ABS system,
the ESC, TCS and EDL are switched off auto-
matically. A fault in the ABS is indicated by
the ››› page 101 warning lamp. Brakes
Wear
The rat
e of
wear of the brake pads depends
on the driving style and on the way in which
the vehicle is used. The brake pads will wear
more quickly if you use your vehicle frequent-
ly in urban traffic and short trips or drive in a
sporty style. Under these demanding condi-
tions, visit your specialised service, even be-
fore the scheduled service date, so that the
thickness of the brake pads can be meas-
ured.
Wet roads or road salt
If brakes are wet or frozen, or if you are driv-
ing on roads which have been gritted with
salt, braking power may set in later than nor-
mal. Dry the brakes as soon as possible by
braking repeatedly.
Corrosion
Long periods of inactivity and little use can
lead to rust on the brake discs and dirt on the
brake pads. Where the brake system is sub-
jected to light stress or in the case of corro- sion, clean the brake discs by braking fully
sever
al
times at a high speed.
Brake system fault
If you notice that the braking distance sud-
denly increases and the brake pedal can be
pressed down more fully, there may be a fault
in the brake system. Visit a specialised serv-
ice immediately and adjust your driving style
to the extent of the damage and to limit the
effect of the brakes.
Low brake fluid level
Insufficient brake fluid could cause faults in
the brake system. The brake fluid level is con-
trolled electronically ››› page 99, Brake sys-
tem .
Brake servo
The brake servo supplements the pressure
you exert on the brake pedal. The brake servo
only works when the engine is running.
157
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Driving
slope, the handbrake should be firmly ap-
p lied bef
or
e moving the selector lever to the
park position. This reduces the load on the
lock mechanism while making it easier to
move the selector lever from position P.
If, while the vehicle is moving, the selector
lever is accidentally moved to position N, re-
lease the accelerator and wait for the engine
to idle before moving it back into position. WARNING
● Never pr e
ss the accelerator when selecting
the automatic gearbox operating mode when
the vehicle is stationary. Risk of accident!
● Never move the selector lever to positions
R or P when driving. Ri
sk of accident!
● If the vehicle is to be stopped with a gear
selected and the en
gine idling (e.g. waiting
or moving slowly at traffic lights), press down
on the brake pedal because the transmission
is not entirely interrupted when the engine is
idling and the vehicle will tend to start mov-
ing.
● Apply the handbrake firmly and put the se-
lector l
ever in position P before opening the
bonnet and working on the vehicle with the
engine running. Risk of accident! Strictly fol-
low the safety instructions ››› page 203, En-
gine compartment.
● When stopping on a slope (hill), try not to
stop the
vehicle from moving by pressing the
“accelerator” with a gear selected. This could
overheat the clutch. If the clutch risks being burnt due to this force, it would switch off
and the v
ehic
le could move backwards. Risk
of accident!
● If you have to stop on a hill, press down on
the brake ped
al to stop the vehicle from mov-
ing.
● The drive wheels could lose traction on a
slipper
y road surface when the kick-down
function is activated. Risk of sliding! CAUTION
● In D SG aut om
atic gearboxes, the double
clutch is protected from overloads. If the hill
hold control is used, the clutches are subjec-
ted to greater force if the vehicle is at a
standstill on a slope or suddenly accelerating
on a slope.
● Should the clutches overheat, the sym-
bol i
s shown on the informative display with
a warning message Gear overheated.
Stop! Instruction Manual! An audible
warning is also heard. Stop the vehicle in this
case, stop the engine and wait until the sym-
bol has switched off. Danger of damage to
the gearbox! You can continue driving once
the symbol is switched off. Starting and driving
Starting
– Press and hold the brake pedal. –
Pr e
s
s and hold the interlock button on the
selector lever knob and move the selector
lever to position ››› page 160 before releas-
ing the interlock button.
– Release the brake and press the accelera-
tor.
St
opping
– The selector lever does not have to be
moved t
o position N if the vehicle is stop-
ped for a short period, e.g. at intersections.
Applying the brake is enough. However, the
engine must remain idling.
Parking
– Press the brake pedal.
– Apply the handbrake.
– Press the interlock button, move the selec-
tor lev
er to position P and release the but-
ton.
Kick-down feature
The kick-down feature allows maximum ac-
celeration to be reached.
In any gear programme, press down fully on
the accelerator for the automatic gearbox to
activate the kick-down feature. This function
takes priority over the gear programmes with-
out taking into account the position of the se-
lector lever (D, S or Tiptronic) and is used to
reach maximum acceleration, using full »
159
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Towing bracket device
descending a slope in order to take advant-
ag e of
the en
gine brake.
The trailer is incorporated into the vehicle's
anti-theft alarm system:
● When the vehicle has a factory-fitted anti-
theft al
arm and a towing bracket.
● When the trailer is electrically connected to
the vehic
le via the towing bracket socket.
● When the vehicle electrical device and the
tow
ing bracket are operational.
● When the vehicle is locked and the vehi-
cle's
anti-theft alarm device is activated.
Once the electrical connection is interrupted
with the vehicle trailer locked, the alarm
sounds.
Always switch off the vehicle anti-theft alarm
device before connecting or disconnecting a
trailer. The vehicle anti-theft alarm device
could cause the alarm to sound ››› page 117,
Anti-theft alarm system*.
Engine overheating
In the event that the coolant temperature
gauge needle moves to the right section of
the scale or to the red area, immediately re-
duce speed. If the control lamp flashes on
the general instrument panel, stop the vehi-
cle and switch off the engine. Wait several
minutes and check the coolant level in the
tank ››› page 208. Please observe the following indications
›››
page 100, Coolant level and temperature
.
The coolant temperature can be reduced by
switching on the heating. WARNING
● Adjus t
your speed to suit the road and traf-
fic conditions.
● An electrical installation that is connected
incorrectly
or by non-specialised personnel
can prevent the connection of the current to
the trailer and cause faults in the operation of
the electrical system throughout the entire
vehicle, leading to accidents and serious in-
jury.
● All electrical work must be carried out only
by s
pecialised services.
● Never directly connect the trailer electrical
device t
o the electrical sockets of the reverse
driving lights or other sources of electrical
current. CAUTION
● Av oid c
orners, and sudden and sharp brak-
ing.
● Once the trailing arm has been removed,
plac
e the corresponding cover on the hole of
the fastening point. This prevents dirt from
entering the hole – see the trailer system as-
sembly manual. Note
● In the event of
frequent journeys with a
trailer, we recommend also having the vehi-
cle inspected in between the service inter-
vals.
● When connecting and disconnecting the
trail
er, the handbrake must be applied.
● For technical reasons, trailers with LED re-
verse light
s cannot be incorporated into the
vehicle anti-theft alarm system. Towing bracket device for trail-
er
Intr oduction If the vehicle is equipped with a towing
br
ac
k
et device from the factory or is a genu-
ine SEAT accessory, it meets all national tech-
nical and legal requirements for towing.
Your vehicle is fitted with a 13-pin power
socket for the electrical connection between
the trailer and the vehicle. If the towing
bracket is equipped with a 7-pin connector,
you can use the corresponding available
adaptor that is a genuine SEAT accessory.
The towing device has a maximum vertical
load of 50 kg. »
187
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