
The essentials
● Rel
e
ase the clutch.
››› in Changing gears on page 158
››› page 158 Automatic gearbox*
Fig. 43
Automatic gearbox: selector lever po-
s ition
s. Parking lock
R
ev
er
se gear
P
R Neutral (idling)
Drive (for
ward)
Sport programme: drive (forward)
Tiptronic mode: pull the lever forwards
(+) to go up a gear or backwards ( –) to
go down a gear.
››› in Basic information on page 159
››› page 158
››› page 35 Manual release of selector lever
Fig. 44
Manual release of the selector lever. N
D
S
+/–
If there is a fault in the power system to the
el
ectr
onic
selector lever lock system (flat bat-
tery, blown fuse) or the system itself is faulty,
the selector lever cannot be moved from po-
sition P in the normal manner, which pre-
vents the vehicle from being moved. The se-
lector lever must be unlocked using the man-
ual release.
● Apply the handbrake.
● Pull gently on both sides at the front of the
selector l
ever cover.
● Also loosen the cover at the rear.
● Press the yellow plastic part with your fin-
ger in the direction indic
ated by the arrow
››› Fig. 44.
● Press the interlock button on the selector
lever kno
b at the same time and move the se-
lector lever to position N (if the selector lever
is moved back to position P, it will lock
again). 35

Seat belts
Seat belts
The wh y
s
and wherefores of
seat belts
Number of seats Your vehicle has
five se
ats, two in the front
and three in the rear. Each seat is equipped
with a three-point seat belt.
In some versions, your vehicle is approved
only for four seats. Two front seats and two
rear seats. WARNING
● Never tr an
sport more than the permitted
amount of people in your vehicle.
● Every vehicle occupant must properly fas-
ten and we
ar the seat belt belonging to his or
her seat. Children must be protected with an
appropriate child restraint system. Seat belt lamp*
The control lamp illuminates to remind the
driv
er t
o f
asten his seat belt.
Before starting the vehicle: –
Fas
ten your seat belt securely.
– Instruct your passengers to fasten their
seat belts
properly before driving off.
– Protect children by using a child seat ac-
cordin
g to the child's height and weight.
The control lamp on the instrument panel
lights up 1)
if the driver or passenger 1)
has
not fastened their belt when the ignition is
switched on.
If, when starting to drive, speed surpasses
25 km/h (15 mph) approx. and no seat belts
are worn or they are unfastened during the
drive, a warning sound will be heard for a few
seconds. The warning light will also flash .
The lamp goes out when the driver and
passenger seat belts are fastened with the ig-
nition switched on. The protective function of seat belts Fig. 75
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 safety 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. »1)
Depending on the model version
61
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Transport and practical equipment
CAUTION
Take care when handling the rear backrests
so as not
to damage the seat belts. The seat
belt must never be left behind the lifted back-
rest. Transport and practical
equipment
Pr actic
a
l equipment
Passenger side storage compartment Fig. 147
Instrument panel: passenger side
glo v
e c
ompartment. Fig. 148
Storage: cooling control. Opening and closing passenger side glove
c
omp ar
tment
– Pull the catch on the lid in the direction in-
dicated b
y the arrow ››› Fig. 147 and open
the lid.
– Close the lid and push it until it engages.
Depending on the
vehicle equipment, the CD
player is located in the glove compartment.
Separate operating instructions are enclosed
for this equipment in the corresponding In-
struction Manual.
Glove compartment cooling*
Open or close the air outlet by turning the
thumbwheel ››› Fig. 148.
If the air outlet is open and the air condition-
ing is on, the cooled air will be released into
the glove compartment.
If the air outlet is open and the air condition-
ing is off, outdoor air (not conditioned) will
be released into the glove compartment.
The air outlet should be closed if the air con-
ditioning is being used in heating mode or
where glove compartment cooling is not in
use. WARNING
● For s af
ety reasons, all storage compart-
ments must be closed while the vehicle is
moving. » 135
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
Driving programmes Your vehicle is equipped with an electronical-
ly-c
ontr
olled automatic gearbox. Shifting up
or down depends on the programme selec-
ted.
For a calm driving style, the gearbox uses the
most economic programme. The gearbox
shifts up as quickly as possible and shifts
down as late as possible, thus increasing
driving economy.
With a sporty driving style , characterised by
sudden acceleration, heavy acceleration,
speeds that often increase and decrease and
maximum speed, the gearbox adapts to this
driving style when the accelerator is pressed
down fully (kick-down) by shifting down as
quickly as possible and can even shift down
by several gears at once.
Selecting the best driving programmes is an
endless job. Regardless of this, the driver can
also make the gearbox switch to a more dy-
namic gear shift programme by pressing the
accelerator quickly. This makes the automatic
gearbox shift down into a lower gear than the
one that would normally apply to the current
speed, allowing for more rapid acceleration
(e.g. to overtake another vehicle) without
having to press the accelerator until the kick-
down position. On shifting up in a corre-
sponding driving style, the gearbox returns to
the original programme. When driving along mountain roads, the
ge
arbo
x adapts to the gradients. This avoids
having to frequently change gears when driv-
ing uphill. In Tiptronic mode, it is possible to
shift down manually when driving downhill to
use the braking effect of the engine.
Backup programme A back-up programme exists in case of faults.
In the event
of
a fault in the gearbox electron-
ics, it will continue to work in one of the cor-
responding back-up programmes. All seg-
ments of the screen are lit up or switched off.
The fault can be seen as follows:
● The gearbox only engages certain gears
● Reverse gear R cannot be en
gaged
● The manual gearbox switches off in the
back
-up programme Note
If the gearbox switches to the back-up pro-
gramme, v
isit an Authorised Service as soon
as possible to solve the problem. Gearbox malfunctions
Gearbox: Fault! Stop the ve-
hicle and place the lever in the
position P. There is a fault in the gearbox. Stop the vehi-
c
l
e in a s
afe 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. Gearbox: too hot. Adapt your
driving accordingly
Continue driving 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
162

Driving
ahead. The braking effect achieved in this
w a
y
helps to reduce the wear of brakes and
tyres; emissions and fuel consumption are
reduced to zero (disconnection due to iner-
tia).
Change gear early to save energy
An effective way of saving fuel is to change
up quickly through the gears. Running the
engine at high rpm in the lower gears uses
an unnecessary amount of fuel.
Manual gearbox: shift up from first to second
gear as soon as possible. We recommend
that, whenever possible, you change to a
higher gear upon reaching 2000 rpm. Follow
the “recommended gear” indication that ap-
pears on the instrument panel
››› page 24.
Avoid driving at high speed
We advise you not to drive at the top speed
permitted by the vehicle. Fuel consumption,
exhaust emissions and noise levels all in-
crease very rapidly at higher speeds. Driving
at moderate speeds will help to save fuel.
Avoid idling
It is worthwhile switching off the engine
when waiting in a traffic jam, at level cross-
ings or at traffic lights with a long red phase.
The fuel saved after only 30 - 40 seconds is greater than the amount of fuel needed to re-
star
t the engine.
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.
Periodic maintenance
Periodic maintenance work guarantees that,
before beginning a journey, you will not con-
sume more than the required amount of fuel.
A well-serviced engine gives you the benefit
of improved fuel efficiency as well as maxi-
mum reliability and an enhanced resale val-
ue.
A badly serviced engine can consume up to
10% more fuel than necessary.
Avoid short journeys
To reduce the consumption and emission of
polluting exhaust gases, the engine and the
exhaust gas filtration systems should reach
the optimum operating temperature.
With the engine cold, fuel consumption is
proportionally higher. The engine does not
warm up and fuel consumption does not nor-
malise until having driven approximately four
kilometres (2.5 miles). This is why we recom- mend avoiding short trips whenever possi-
ble.
M
aintain the correct tyre pressures
Bear in mind that keeping the tyres at an ad-
equate pressure saves fuel. If the tyre pres-
sure is just one bar (14.5 psi/100 kPa) too
low, fuel consumption can increase by as
much as 5%. Due to the greater rolling resist-
ance, under-inflation also increases tyre wear
wear and impairs handling.
The tyre pressures should always be checked
when the tyres are cold.
Do not use winter tyres all year round as they
increase fuel consumption by up to 10%.
Avoid unnecessary weight
Given that every kilo of extra weight will in-
crease the fuel consumption, it is advisable
to always check the luggage compartment to
make sure that no unnecessary loads are be-
ing transported.
A roof rack is often left in place for the sake
of convenience, even when it is no longer
needed. At a speed of 100 km/h (62 mph)
and 120 km/h (75 mph) your vehicle will use
about 12% more fuel as a result of the extra
wind resistance caused by the roof rack even
when it is not in use. »
165
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Wheels and tyres
CAUTION
Follow the instructions given on the tempora-
ry s
pare wheel label. Note
The tyre pressure of the spare wheel must al-
wa y
s correspond to the highest pressure pre-
scribed for the model of vehicle in question. Tyre monitoring systems
Ty r
e pressure* The tyre pressure monitoring system uses
ABS
sen
sor
s to compare the revolutions and
the circumference of each wheel. Should the
circumference of any wheel change, the
warning lamp on the general dash panel
››› page 103 will light up and an audible
warning will be heard.
Tyre circumference may change if:
● Tyre pressure is too low
● Tyre structure is damaged
● Vehicle load not evenly distributed
● wheels on one axle are subjected to greater
load, (e.
g. driving with trailer, uphill, down-
hill);
● Snow chains are fitted
● The temporary spare wheel is fitted ●
One wheel on the axl
e has been changed
Basic system settings
Should the tyre pressure change or if one or
more wheels are changed or the position of
the wheel on the vehicle is changed, e.g.
changing round the front and rear wheels, or
where a warning lamp lights up when driv-
ing, the system must be adjusted as follows: ● Inflate all tyres to the prescribed pressures
›››
page 216.
● Switch the ignition on.
● Store the new tyre pressure in the Easy
Connect sy
stem with the button and the
f u
nction b
utton Setup
› ›
›
page 20.
The warning lamp lights up
If the pressure on at least one tyre is signifi-
cantly lower than the pressure set by the driv-
er, the warning lamp will light up ››› .
The w arnin
g l
amp flashes
If the warning lamp flashes, there is a fault in
the system. Contact a specialised service to
have it fixed. WARNING
● If the w arnin
g lamp lights up, slow down
immediately and avoid any severe braking or
steering manoeuvres. Stop and check the
tyres and their pressure as soon as possible. ●
Under cer t
ain conditions (e.g. sporty driv-
ing style, driving on loose surfaces or in win-
ter) the warning lamp may take a while to
light up or may remain switched off.
● Despite the tyre pressure monitoring sys-
tem, the driver r
emains responsible for main-
taining the correct tyre pressure. You must
therefore check the tyre pressure often. Note
● The ty re pr
essure monitoring system is not
a replacement for regularly checking the tyre
pressure, as it is unable to recognise an even
drop in pressure.
● The tyre pressure monitoring system is un-
able t
o warn of a sudden drop in tyre pres-
sure, e.g. a puncture. In this case, try to stop
the vehicle carefully with no severe braking
or steering manoeuvres.
● To ensure the tyre pressure monitoring sys-
tem work
s correctly, the basic setting must
be performed every 10 000 km (6000 miles)
or once a year. Winter service
W int
er ty
res Winter tyres will significantly improve han-
dlin
g of
the
vehicle in winter road conditions.
The design of summer tyres (width, rubber
compound, tread pattern) gives less grip at »
219
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Technical specifications
Note
● If y
ou wish to calculate the exact weight of
your vehicle please contact a SEAT dealer.
● Depending on the volume of equipment,
driving s
tyle, road conditions, weather condi-
tions and the condition of the vehicle, con-
sumption values can differ from the theoreti-
cal values stated here. Information on fuel consump-
tion
Fuel c
onsumption The consumption and emission details
sho
wn on the
v
ehicle data sticker differ from
one vehicle to another.
Vehicle fuel consumption and CO 2 emissions
appear on the vehicle data sticker in the
spare wheel well, inside the boot and on the
rear cover of the Maintenance Programme.
The fuel consumption and CO 2 emission val-
ues refer to the weight category assigned to
your vehicle according to the engine and
gearbox combination, as well as the specific
equipment fitted, and is only used to com-
pare between the different models.
The fuel consumption and CO 2 emissions do
not depend only on the performance of the
vehicle, they can also differ from the estab- lished values depending on other factors
such a
s driving style, road conditions, traffic
conditions, environmental conditions, load
and number of passengers.
Calculation of fuel consumption
The consumption values have been calcula-
ted based on measurements performed or
supervised by certified CE laboratories ac-
cording to the latest version of directives
715/2007/EC and 80/1268/CEE (for more in-
formation consult the European Union Publi-
cations Office at EUR-Lex: © European Union,
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/index.htm) and
are valid for the kerb weight indicated for the
vehicle. Note
In practice, and considering all the factors
mentioned here, c on
sumption values can dif-
fer from those calculated in the current Euro-
pean regulations. Weights
Kerb weight refers to the basic model with a
f
uel
t
ank filled to 90% capacity and without
optional extras. The figure quoted includes
75 kg to allow for the weight of the driver.
Special versions, optional equipment fittings
or retro-fitting accessories will increase the
weight of the vehicle ››› . WARNING
● Ple a
se note that the centre of gravity may
shift when transporting heavy objects; this
may affect vehicle handling and lead to an ac-
cident. Always adjust your speed and driving
style to suit road conditions and require-
ments.
● Never exceed the gross axle weight rating
or the gros
s vehicle weight rating. If the per-
missible axle load or the permissible total
weight is exceeded, the driving characteris-
tics of the vehicle may change, which could
lead to accidents, injuries and damage to the
vehicle. Driving with a trailer
Tr
ai
ler weights Trailer weight
The tr
ai
l
er weights and drawbar loads ap-
proved are selected in intensive trials accord-
ing to precisely defined criteria. The ap-
proved trailer weights are valid for vehicles in
the EU for maximum speeds of 80 km/h (50
mph) (in certain circumstances up to 100
km/h (62 mph)). The figures may be different
in other countries. All data in the official vehi-
cle documentation takes precedence over
these data at all times ››› .
»
223
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety