Driving
If “tiptronic” is selected whilst the vehicle is
in motion and the aut om
atic g
earbox / DSG
automatic gearbox is in third gear and selec-
tor lever position D, “tiptronic” mode will
then also be in third gear.
Changing gears in the normal or sport pro-
gramme using the steering wheel paddle lev-
ers
If the paddle levers ››› Fig. 172 are used in
the normal or sport programme, the system
switches temporarily to “tiptronic” mode. To
exit “Tiptronic” mode again, press the right
paddle lever + towards the steering wheel
f or ap
pro
ximately one second. You will also
leave “tiptronic” mode if the paddle levers
are not moved for a certain time. Note
● The gear p a
ddle levers on the steering
wheel can be operated with the selector lever
in any position and with the vehicle in mo-
tion. Driving tips
The gearbox changes gear ratios automatical-
ly
a
s the
vehicle moves.
Starting
– Start the engine with the selector lever in
position P
or N. Driving
– Press and hold the brake pedal.
– Holding down the lock button (button on
the selector lev
er), select R or D.
– Release the lever and wait a little for the
gearbox
to engage the gear (a slight move-
ment can be felt).
– Release the brake and press the accelerator
››› in Selector lever positions on
p ag
e 163 .
St
opping briefly
– If stopping for a short time, keep the vehi-
cle st
ationary by pressing the foot brake
hard to prevent the vehicle moving back-
wards on a slope or “creeping” forwards,
e.g. at traffic lights. The selector lever does
not need to be put into the positions P or N
for this.
– Do not press the accelerator.
Parking
– Pr
ess and hold the brake pedal until the ve-
hicle come
s to a standstill ››› in Selector
l ev
er po s
itions on page 163.
– Apply the handbrake.
– By pressing the lock button down, move
the selector lev
er to P and release the lock
button. Driving up and down hills
–
Press the selector lever from position “D”
to the right into the tiptr
onic selector gate.
– Lightly press the selector lever back to
chang
e down.
Holding the car on a hill
– The brake must be always pressed down to
prevent the
vehicle from “rolling back-
wards” ››› in Selector lever positions on
p ag
e 163 . Do not
try to prevent the vehicle
from “rolling backwards” by increasing the
engine speed while a range of gears is se-
lected.
Starting the vehicle up hills
– Apply the handbrake.
– With a selected gear, accelerate slowly and
at the same time, rel
ease the handbrake.
The steeper the slope, the lower the needed
gear. This increases the braking effect of the
engine. For example, when driving down a
very steep slope in third gear. If the engine
brake effect is not enough, the vehicle will
speed up. The automatic gearbox automati-
cally changes up to prevent the engine over-
revving. Use the foot brake to reduce speed
and change into 3rd gear using Tiptronic*
››› in Selector lever positions on page 163.
Y our
vehic
le has an automatic interlock
which prevents the selector lever from being »
165
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
● Use of
solv
ent-free adhesives.
● Use of CFC-free coolants in cooling sys-
tems.
● Recyc
ling and energy recovery from resi-
dues (RDF).
● Impro
vement in the quality of waste water.
● Use of systems for the recovery of residual
heat (thermal
recovery, enthalpy wheels,
etc.).
● The use of water-soluble paints.
Economical and environmentally-
friendly driving Fuel consumption, environmental pollution
and w
e
ar t o the en
gine, 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.
Active cylinder management (ACT ®
)
Depending on the equipment, the vehicle
may have active cylinder management
(ACT ®
).
The active cylinder management (ACT ®
) may
automatically deactivate some of the engine
cylinders if the driving situation does not re-
quire too much power. When it is switched off, no fuel is injected into these cylinders,
hence total
fuel consumption may be re-
duced. The number of active cylinders can be
seen on the instrument panel display
››› page 30.
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
ahead. The braking effect achieved in this
way 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 161. Avoid driving at high speed
We advi
se 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-
start 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.
168
Operation
Manual disconnection of Parking Aid
● Press the butt
on a
gain.
Manual disconnection of Parking Aid display
(the audible sounds remain active)
● Press a button on the main menu of the fac-
tory-
assembled infotainment system.
● OR: press the BACK function b
utton.
Automatic connection of Parking Aid ● Engage reverse gear or turn the selector
lever to po
sition R.
● OR: If the vehicle approaches an obstacle
that i
s in its forwards path at a speed below
10 km/h (6 mph) ››› page 178, Automatic ac-
tivation. The obstacle is detected as of a dis-
tance of approx. 95 cm if the automatic con-
nection is activated in the infotainment sys-
tem. A reduced display is shown.
Automatic disconnection of Parking Aid
● Move the selector lever to position P.
● OR: accelerate to more than approx.
10 km/h (6 mph) forw
ard.
Temporary suppression of sound in Parking
Aid
● Press the function button found on the
st
eering wheel. Change from reduced view to full view
●
Engage reverse gear or turn the selector
lever to po
sition R.
● OR: press the car icon in reduced view.
If nece
ssary, switch to the rear-assist image
(Rear View Camera “RVC”)
● Engage reverse gear or turn the selector
lever to po
sition R.
● OR: Press the RVC function b
utton.
A short confirmation signal will be heard and
the button symbol will light up yellow when
the system is switched on.
Automatic activation Fig. 178
Miniature indication of automatic ac-
tiv ation When the Parking System Plus is switched on
aut
om
atic al
ly, a miniature of the vehicle will be displayed and the segments will be
shown on the left
side of the screen
››› Fig. 178.
Automatic activation occurs when slowly ap-
proaching an obstacle located in front of the
vehicle. It only operates every time the speed
is reduced below approximately 10 km/h (6
mph) for the first time.
If the parking aid is switched off using the
button, the following actions must be carried
out in order for it to automatically switch on:
● Switch off the ignition and switch it on
again.
● OR: acc
elerate above 10 km/h (6 mph) be-
fore r
educing speed below this number
again.
● OR: place the selector lever in position P
and then move it
from this position.
● OR: switch on and off the automatic activa-
tion in the Easy
Connect system menu.
The automatic activation with parking aid
miniature indication can be switched on and
off from the Easy Connect system menu
››› page 24:
● Switch the ignition on.
● Select: CAR button > Settings
> Parking
and manoeuvring .
● Select the Automatic activation op-
tion. When the f
unction b
utton check box is
activated , the function is on.
178
Advice
Checking the battery electrolyte level The electrolyte level should be checked regu-
larly in high-mi
l
eage vehicles, in hot coun-
tries and in older batteries.
– Open the bonnet and open the battery cov-
er at the front ›
›› in safety notes for work
in the engine comp ar
tment on page 202
››› in Symbols and warnings on handling
the batter y on p
age 211. For vehicles with
the battery under the spare wheel, open
the rear lid and lift the floor covering. The
battery is located next to the spare wheel.
– Check the colour display in the "magic eye"
on the top of the b att
ery.
– If there are air bubbles in the window, tap
the window gently
until they disperse.
The position of the battery is shown in the
corresponding engine compartment diagram
››› page 204. The location of the battery in
the luggage compartment can be seen in
››› Fig. 186.
The “magic eye” indicator, located on the top
of the battery changes colour, depending on
the charge state and electrolyte level of the
battery.
There are two different colours:
● Black: correct charge status.
● Transparent/clear yellow: the battery must
be replac
ed. Contact a specialised workshop. Charging or changing the battery The battery is maintenance-free and is
check
ed durin
g the inspection service. All
work on the vehicle battery requires special-
ist knowledge.
If you often drive short distances or if the ve-
hicle is not driven for long periods, the bat-
tery should be checked by a specialised
workshop between the scheduled services.
If the battery has discharged and you have
problems starting the vehicle, the battery
might be damaged. If this happens, we rec-
ommend you have the vehicle battery
checked by a Technical Service where it will
be re-charged or replaced.
Charging the battery
The vehicle battery should be charged by a
specialised workshop only, as batteries us-
ing special technology have been installed
and they must be charged in a controlled en-
vironment.
Replacing a vehicle battery
The battery has been developed to suit the
conditions of its location and has special
safety features.
Genuine SEAT batteries meet the mainte-
nance, performance and safety specifications
of your vehicle. WARNING
● We rec ommend
you use only maintenance-
free or cycle free leak-proof batteries which
comply with standards T 825 06 and
VW 7 50 73. This standard applies as of
2001.
● Before starting any work on the batteries,
you must
read and observe the warnings
››› in Symbols and warnings on handling
the batter y on p
age 211. For the sake of the environment
Batteries contain toxic substances such as
sulphuric ac
id and lead. They must be dis-
posed of appropriately and must not be dis-
posed of with ordinary household waste. 212
Advice
Tyre pressure
The c orr
ect ty
re pressure is especially impor-
tant at high speeds. The pressure should
therefore be checked at least once a month
and before starting a journey.
Depending on the vehicle, tyre pressure can
be adjusted to medium load to improve driv-
ing comfort (“comfort” tyre pressure). When
driving with comfort tyre pressure fuel con-
sumption may increase slightly. WARNING
A tyre can easily burst if the pressure is too
low, c au
sing an accident!
● At continuously high speeds, a tyre with in-
sufficient pr
essure flexes more. In this way it
becomes too hot, and this can cause tread
separation and tyre blow-out. Always observe
the recommended tyre pressures.
● If the tyre pressure is too low or too high,
the tyres
will wear prematurely and the vehi-
cle will not handle well. Risk of accident! For the sake of the environment
Under-inflated tyres will increase fuel con-
sumption. Tyre useful life
Fig. 189
Tyre tread wear indicators. Fig. 190
Diagram for changing wheels The useful life of tyres is dependent on tyre
pr
e
ss
ure, driving style and fitting.
Wear indicators
The original tyres on your vehicle have
1.6 mm high “tread wear indicators”
››› Fig. 189, running across the tread. De- pending on the make, there will be 6 to 8 of
them evenly s
paced around the tyre. Mark-
ings on the tyre sidewall (for instance the let-
ters “TWI” or other symbols) indicate the po-
sitions of the tread wear indicators. The mini-
mum tread depth required by law is 1.6 mm
(measured in the tread grooves next to the
tread wear indicators). Worn tyres must be re-
placed. Different figures may apply in export
countries ››› .
T y
re pr
essure
Incorrect tyre pressure causes premature
wear and could cause tyre blow-out. For this
reason, the tyre pressure should be checked
at least once per month ››› page 213.
Driving style
Fast cornering, heavy acceleration and hard
braking all increase tyre wear.
Changing wheels around
If the front tyres are worn considerably more
than the rear ones it is advisable to change
them around as shown ››› Fig. 190. The use-
ful life of all the tyres will then be about the
same time.
Wheel balance
The wheels on new vehicles are balanced.
However, various factors encountered in nor-
mal driving can cause them to become unbal-
anced, which results in steering vibration.
214
Advice
●
Never use o l
d tyres or those with an un-
known “history of use”.
● If wheel trims are retrofitted, you must en-
sure that
the flow of air to the brakes is not
restricted. This could cause the brake system
to overheat.
● All four wheels must be fitted with radial
tyres
of the same type, size (rolling circumfer-
ence) and the same tread pattern. For the sake of the environment
Old tyres must be disposed of according to
the l aws
in the country concerned. Note
● A SEA T
Service Centre should be consulted
to find out whether wheels or tyres of differ-
ent sizes to those originally fitted by SEAT
can be fitted, and to find out about the com-
binations allowed between the front axle
(axle 1) and the rear axle (axle 2).
● For technical reasons, it is not generally
possib
le to use the wheels from other vehi-
cles. This can also apply to wheels of the
same model. The use of wheels or tyres
which have not been approved by SEAT for
use with your model may invalidate the vehi-
cle's type approval for use on public roads.
● If the spare tyre is not the same as the
tyres
that are mounted on the vehicle (e.g.
winter tyres) you should only use the spare
tyre for a short period of time and drive with extra care. Refit the normal road wheel as
soon as po
s
sible. Wheel bolts
The design of wheel bolts is matched to the
rims. If differ
ent
wheel rims are fitted, the
correct wheel bolts with the right length and
correctly shaped bolt heads must be used.
This ensures that wheels are fitted securely
and that the brake system functions correctly.
In certain circumstances, you should not use
wheel bolts from a different vehicle, even if it
is the same model ››› page 190. WARNING
If the wheel bolts are not tightened correctly,
the wheel cou l
d become loose while driving.
Risk of accident.
● The wheel bolts must be clean and turn
easi
ly. Never apply grease or oil to them.
● Use only wheel bolts which belong to the
wheel.
● If the pre
scribed torque of the wheel bolts
is too lo
w, they could loosen whilst the vehi-
cle is in motion. Risk of accident! If the tight-
ening torque is too high, the wheel bolts and
threads can be damaged. CAUTION
The prescribed tightening torque for wheel
bolts f
or steel and alloy wheels is 120 Nm. Tyre pressure
Fig. 191
Centre console: tyre monitoring sys-
t em b
utton. The tyre monitoring lamp * c
omp
are
s
wheel revolutions and with it, using the ESC,
the wheel diameter of each wheel. If the di-
ameter of a wheel changes, the tyre control
lamp lights up. The wheel diameter
changes when:
● Tyre pressure is insufficient.
● The tyre structure is damaged.
● The vehicle is unbalanced because of a
load.
216
Wheels
● The wheel s
of one ax
le are under more
pressure (for example, driving with a trailer or
on steep slopes).
● The vehicle is fitted with snow chains.
● The temporary spare wheel is fitted.
● The wheel on one axle is changed.
Tyre pr
essure adjustment
On adjusting tyre pressure or changing one
or more wheels, the ››› Fig. 191 button must
be kept pressed down, with the ignition on,
until an acoustic signal is heard.
Store the new tyre pressure in the Easy Con-
nect system with the button and the func-
tion b utt
on Set
up
› ›
›
p
age 24.
If
the wheels are under excessive load (for ex-
ample, driving with a trailer or heavy load),
the tyre pressure must be increased to the
recommended value for a full load (see the
sticker on the inside of the fuel flap). If the
tyre monitor system button is pressed down,
the new tyre pressures are confirmed.
The tyre pressure control lamp lights up
If the tyre pressure of a wheel is much lower
than the value set by the driver, then the tyre
pressure control lamp ››› will light up.
WARNING
● When the tyre pr e
ssure control lamp lights
up, reduce speed immediately and avoid any sudden turning or braking manoeuvre. Stop
when poss
ib
le, and check the tyre pressure
and status.
● The driver is responsible for maintaining
correct ty
re pressures. For this reason, tyre
pressure must be regularly checked.
● Under certain circumstances (e.g. when
driving in a spor
ty manner, in winter condi-
tions or on a dirt track) the tyre control lamp
may light up belatedly or may function incor-
rectly. Note
If the battery is disconnected, the yellow
warning l amp
lights up after turning the
ignition on. This should turn off after a brief
journey. Winter service
W int
er ty r
es In winter conditions winter tyres will consid-
er
ab
ly impr
ove the vehicle's handling. The
design of summer tyres (width, rubber com-
pound, tread pattern) gives less grip on ice
and snow.
Winter tyres must be inflated to a pressure of
0.2 bar (2.9 psi/20 kPa) higher than the pres-
sures specified for summer tyres (see sticker
on fuel tank flap). Winter tyres must be fitted on all four wheels.
Information on permitted
winter tyre sizes
can be found in the vehicle's registration
documentation. Use only radial winter tyres.
All tyre sizes listed in the vehicle documenta-
tion also apply to winter tyres.
Winter tyres lose their effectiveness when the
tread is worn down to a depth of 4 mm.
The speed rating code ››› page 215, New
tyres and wheels determines the following
speed limits for winter tyres: ››› max. 160 km/h (99 mph)
m
ax. 180 km/h (112 mph)
m ax. 190 km/h (118 mph)
m ax. 210 km/h (130 mph)
In some c
ountries, vehicles which can exceed
the speed rating of the fitted tyre must have
an appropriate sticker in the driver's field of
view. These stickers are available from your
technical service. The legal requirements of
each country must be followed.
Do not have winter tyres fitted for unnecessa-
rily long periods. Vehicles with summer tyres
handle better when the roads are free of
snow and ice.
If you have a flat tyre, please refer to the
notes on the spare wheel ››› page 215, New
tyres and wheels . »
Q
S
T
H
217
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Technical specifications
Drawbar loads
The maximum permitt ed dr
awb
ar load on the
ball joint of the towing bracket must not ex-
ceed 75 kg.
In the interest of road safety, we recommend
that you always tow approaching the maxi-
mum drawbar load. The response of the trail-
er on the road will be poor, if the drawbar
load is too small.
If the maximum permissible drawbar load
cannot be met (e.g. with small, empty and
light-weight single axle trailers or tandem
axle trailers with a wheelbase of less than 1
metre), a minimum of 4% of the actual trailer
weight is legally required for the drawbar
load. WARNING
● For saf ety
reasons, you should not drive at
speeds above 80 km/h (50 mph) when towing
a trailer. This also applies in countries where
higher speeds are permitted.
● Never exceed the maximum trailer weights
or the drawbar lo
ad. If the permissible axle
load or the permissible total weight is excee-
ded, the driving characteristics of the vehicle
may change, leading to accidents, injuries
and damage to the vehicle. Wheels
Ty
re pr
essure, snow chains, wheel
bolts Tyre pressures
The stick
er w
ith the tyre pressure values can
be found on the inside of the fuel tank flap.
The tyre pressure values given there are for
cold tyres. Do not reduce the slightly raised
pressures of warm tyres ››› .
The pres s
ure for winter tyres is 0.2 bar higher
than that of summer tyres (2.9 psi / 20 kPa).
Snow chains
Snow chains may be fitted only to the front
wheels, and only for the following tyres:
175/70R14
185/60R15Chains with links not exceeding 15 mm
(including the chain closure)
215/45R16Chains with links not exceeding 9 mm
(including the chain closure)
215/40R17Chains with links not exceeding 7 mm
(including the chain closure) Wheel bolts
Af
t
er the wheel s
have been changed, the
tightening torque of the wheel bolts should
be checked as soon as possible with a torque
wrench ››› . The tightening torque for steel
and al lo
y wheel
s is 120 Nm. WARNING
● Check the ty r
e pressure at least once per
month. Checking the tyre pressure is very im-
portant. If the tyre pressure is too high or too
low, there is an increased danger of accidents
- particularly at high speeds.
● If the tightening torque of the wheel bolts
is too lo
w, they could loosen while the vehi-
cle is in motion. Risk of accident! If the tight-
ening torque is too high, the wheel bolts and
threads can be damaged. Note
We recommend that you ask your Technical
Servic e f
or information about appropriate
wheel, tyre and snow chain size. 221
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety