Operation
Selecting the normal programme
– Put the selector lever into position D.
Sel ectin
g the s por
t programme
– Put the selector lever into position S.
If you sel
ect the normal programme, D, you
will drive in the economy mode, i.e. the pro-
gramme is designed to reduce fuel consump-
tion. The gearbox changes up into a higher
gear as soon as possible and down into a
lower gear as late as possible.
If you select the sport programme, S, you will
drive in a sporty mode, i.e. a programme in
which shifts into high gears are postponed in
order to use the full power of the engine.
Selector lever positions Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
p
age 38
Selector lever positions
The selected gear is displayed on the side of
the selector lever and on the instrument pan-
el display. The currently selected gear for the
automatic gearbox will also be shown on the
display. Tiptronic gear indicator
If the automatic
gearbox is shifted manually,
the selected gears are shown on the screen.
P - parking lock
When the selector lever is in this position,
the driven wheels are locked mechanically.
Position P on the lever must only be selected
if the vehicle is stationary.
To move selector lever from position P, the
locking button on the selector lever handle
must be pressed and the brake pedal de-
pressed at the same time while the ignition is
switched on.
To put the selector lever in position P, simply
press the lock button down and, if necessary,
depress the brake pedal down.
R - Reverse gear
The reverse gear is engaged in this position.
Reverse gear must be engaged only when the
vehicle is stationary and the engine is idling.
To move the selector lever to position R,
press the lock button down and, at the same
time, press the brake pedal down, with the
ignition switched on.
With the selector lever in position R and the
ignition switched on the following occurs:
● Reverse lights light up. ●
The air conditioner automatic ally changes
the air recirculation mode.
● The wiper starts if the windscreen washer is
on.
● The parking distance warning system*
switche
s on.
N - Neutral (idling)
If this position is selected, the gearbox is in
neutral. Power is not transmitted to the
wheels and the engine does not have a brak-
ing function.
Never use the N position to drive down a long
hill. There is no engine braking and the
brakes are subjected to excessive stain.
You could damage the automatic gearbox if
you drive down hills with the gearbox lever in
position N and the engine switched off.
D - Drive (forward)
In this position the gearbox automatically
changes to a lower or higher gear, according
to the engine's requirements, the driving
style and speed. The braking effect of the en-
gine when driving downhill is very limited
when the selector is in this position. The in-
strument panel display shows the selected
gear as well as the selector lever in position
D.
When travelling at speeds lower than 5 km/h
(3 mph) or when the vehicle is stationary,
162
Driving
press the brake pedal to change the selector
l ev
er fr om po
sition N to position D.
S - Standard driving position (Sport pro-
gramme)
When the selector lever is in position S, it will
automatically change up into a higher gear
later, and change down into a low gear, if
compared with position D. This way, it is pos-
sible to take full advantage of the engine re-
serve power, depending on the engine de-
mand, driving style and speed. The braking
effect of the engine when driving downhill is
very limited. On the instrument panel display
the selected gear is shown as well as the se-
lector lever to position S.
To select gear range S, press the lock button
on the selector lever. WARNING
● As a driver ,
you should never leave your ve-
hicle if the engine is running and a gear range
is engaged. If you have to leave your vehicle
while the engine is running, you must apply
the parking brake and put the selector lever
in position P.
● If the engine is running and if D or R is en-
gaged, y
ou will need to hold the car on the
foot brake. The car will creep forward as the
power transmission is not fully interrupted
even when the engine is idling.
● Never accelerate when moving the selector
lever or y
ou may cause an accident. ●
Never mov e the sel
ector lever to R or P
when driving. Risk of accident!
● Before driving down a long, steep slope, it
is adv
isable to reduce speed and change into
a lower gear.
● If you stop the vehicle up hill, always hold
the foot brak
e strongly depressed down to
stop it from rolling back.
● Never allow the brake to rub and do not use
the brake peda
l too often or for long periods.
Constant braking will cause the brakes to
overheat and will considerably reduce the
brake effect. This increases the braking dis-
tance and could cause the brake system to
fail.
● Never allow the car to roll down a gradient
with the gear in neutr
al N, or in selector lever
position D, even if the engine is not running.
● If the vehicle moves with no control, an ac-
cident and serious
injury may occur. WARNING
Never switch the engine off until the vehicle
is s t
ationary. You could lose control of your
vehicle. This could cause an accident and se-
rious injury.
● The airbags and belt tensioners do not
work when the ignition is
switched off.
● The brake servo does not work with the en-
gine off. You need mor
e force to stop the vehi-
cle. ●
Pow er s
teering does not work when the en-
gine is not running. That is why it is much
more difficult to turn the steering wheel.
● Never remove the key from the ignition if
the vehicl
e is in motion. The steering lock
could suddenly engage, and you would not be
able to steer the vehicle. CAUTION
If you allow the vehicle to move when the en-
gine i s swit
ched off or with the selector lever
in position “N”, take your foot off the acceler-
ator and wait until the engine starts idling
before returning to position “D”. Selector lever lock
Fig. 170
Automatic gearbox The selector lever lock in position P or N pre-
v
ents
ge
ars from being engaged inadvertent-
ly, which would cause the vehicle to move. »
163
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
The selector lever lock is released as follows: – Switch the ignition on.
– Press and hold the brake pedal and press
the sel ect
or l ev
er lock on the left of the se-
lector lever at the same time ››› Fig. 170.
The warning lamp on the instrument panel
lights up when the brake pedal should be ap-
plied. This is essential when the selector lev-
er is taken from the P or N positions.
Level lock only engages with the vehicle sta-
tionary at a speed of up to 5 km/h (3 mph).
At speeds of over 5 km/h (3 mph) the selec-
tor lever lock is automatically deactivated in
position N.
The selector lever lock is not engaged if the
selector lever is moved quickly through posi-
tion N (e.g. when shifting from R to D). This
makes it possible, for instance, to “rock” the
vehicle backwards and forwards if it is stuck
in snow or mud. The selector lever lock en-
gages automatically if the brake pedal is not
depressed and the lever is in position N for
more than about 1 second. Selecting gears manually with Tip-
tronic mode*
Fig. 171
Changing gear with Tiptronic. Fig. 172
Steering wheel with paddle levers
f or aut
omatic
gearbox. The Tiptronic system allows the driver to se-
l
ect
ge
ars manually. Changing gear with the selector lever
– Press the selector lever from position D to
the right into the tiptr
onic selector gate.
– Lightly press the selector lever forward
››› Fig. 171
+ to change up to a higher
g e
ar .
– Lightly
press the selector lever backward
››› Fig. 171
- to change down to a lower
g e
ar .
Ch
anging gear with the steering wheel pad-
dle levers*
– Press the right paddle lever + towards the
s t
eerin g wheel
to change up ››› Fig. 172.
– Press the left paddle lever - towards the
s t
eerin g wheel
to change down ››› Fig. 172.
Using the paddle levers on the steering
wheel, you can access manual driving mode
regardless of the pre-selected driving mode.
General information about driving in tiptron-
ic mode
When accelerating, the automatic gearbox /
DSG automatic gearbox goes into a higher
gear a little before the engine reaches its
maximum permitted revolutions.
If a lower gear is selected, the automatic
gearbox / DSG automatic gearbox will only
change down when the engine cannot go
over its maximum permitted revolutions.
164
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
put into a position for driving forwards or in
r ev
erse fr
om positions P or N if the brake
pedal is not depressed.
The ignition key cannot be removed unless
the selector lever is in position P.
Control lamp “Pressing brake pedal”
When the warning lamp next to the selector
lever lights up, press the brake pedal. This is
necessary when the automatic gearbox selec-
tor lever is moved out of positions P or N. A
text message or instructions to perform nec-
essary operations may appear on the instru-
ment panel. CAUTION
● If y ou s
top the vehicle up hills, do not at-
tempt to stop it from rolling back by depress-
ing the accelerator when a gear has been se-
lected. Otherwise, the automatic gearbox
may overheat causing damage. Pull the hand-
brake up or fully depress the brake pedal to
prevent the vehicle from rolling away.
● If you allow the vehicle to roll when the en-
gine is not ru
nning, or with the selector lever
in position N, a lack of lubrication in the auto-
matic gearbox will damage it. Kick-down feature
This feature allows maximum acceleration. If you press the accelerator down thoroughly,
the g
e
arbo x
automatically changes down, de-
pending on speed and engine speed, into a
lower gear to take full advantage of give the
vehicle maximum acceleration.
The gearbox does not change gear until the
engine reaches the maximum determined en-
gine speed for the gear. WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle if you ac-
celer at
e on slippery road surfaces. Risk of se-
rious injury.
● Be particularly careful when using the kick-
down feat
ures on slippery road surfaces. With
a fast acceleration, the vehicle could lose
traction and skid.
● You should use the kick-down feature only
when traffic and we
ather conditions allow it
to be used safely. Gearbox malfunctions
Gearbox: Fault! Stop the ve-
hicle and place the lever in the
position P.
There is a f
ault in the gearbox. Stop the vehi-
cle in a safe 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 w
ithout
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
displayed when the gearbox has cooled
again.
166
Driving
Run-in and economical driving R u
nnin g in a new en
gineThe engine needs to be run in over the first
1,500 km.
Up to 1000 k
i
lometres
– Do not drive at speeds of more than 2/3
the maximum speed.
– Do not
accelerate hard.
– Avoid high engine revolutions.
– Do not tow a trailer.
From 1000 to 1500 k i
lometres (600 to 900
miles)
– Speeds can be graduall
y increased to the
maximum road speed or maximum permis-
sible engine speed (rpm).
During its first few hours of running, the in-
ternal friction in the engine is greater than
later on, when all the moving parts have bed-
ded in. For the sake of the environment
If the engine is run in gently, its life will be in-
cre a
sed and its oil consumption reduced. Tyre and brake pad run-in
New tyres should be run-in carefully for the
first
500
km (300 miles). New brake pads
should be run-in carefully for the first
200 km.
During the first 200 km, you can compensate
for the reduced braking effect by applying
more pressure to the brake pedal. In case of
a sharp braking, the braking distance will be
longer with new brake pads than with brake
pads which have been run-in. WARNING
● At firs t, new ty
res do not give maximum
grip, and require running-in. This may cause
an accident. Drive particularly carefully in the
first 500 km.
● New brake pads must be “run in” and do
not have the c
orrect friction properties during
the first 200 km. However, the reduced brak-
ing capacity may be compensated by press-
ing on the brake pedal a little harder. Environmental compatibility
Environmental protection is a top priority in
the de
s
ign, c hoic
e of materials and manufac-
ture of your new SEAT. Constructive measures to encourage recy-
cling
● Joints and c
onnections designed for easy
dismantling
● Modu
lar construction to facilitate disman-
tling
● Incre
ased use of single-grade materials.
● Plastic parts and elastomers are marked in
accord
ance 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 components
are not easily separated.
● Use of recycled materials and/or materials
originating from r
enewable sources.
● Reduction of volatile components, includ-
ing odour, in pl
astic materials.
● Use of CFC-free coolants.
Ban on heavy met
als, 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
protective w
ax for cavities.
● Use of plastic film as protection during ve-
hicle tran
sport. »
167
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
Driving
Avoid short journeys
T o r
educ e the c
onsumption 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.
Maintain 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 conv
enience, 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.
Save electricity
The engine activates the alternator, which
produces electricity. With the need for elec-
tricity, fuel consumption also increases. Be-
cause of this, always turn off electrical devi-
ces when you do not need them. Examples of
devices that use a lot of electricity are: the
blower at high speeds, the rear window heat-
ing or the seat heaters*. Note
● If y our
vehicle has Start-Stop, it is not rec-
ommended that you switch this function off.
● It is recommended that you close the win-
do
ws when driving at more than 60 km/h
(37 mph)
● Do not drive with your foot resting on the
clutch pe
dal, as the pressure can make the
plate spin, more fuel will be used and it can
burn the clutch plate lining, causing a serious
fault.
● Do not hold the car on a hill with the clutch,
use the foot br
ake or hand brake, using the
latter to start. The fuel consumption will be lower and you will prevent the clutch plate
from being d
am
aged.
● On descents, use the engine brake, chang-
ing to the ge
ar that is more suitable for the
slope. Fuel consumption will be “zero” and
the brakes will not suffer. Engine management and ex-
haus
t
gas purification system
Introduction WARNING
● Becau se of
the high temperatures which
can occur in the exhaust purification system
(catalytic converter or diesel particulate fil-
ter), do not park the vehicle where the ex-
haust can come into contact with flammable
materials under the car (e.g. on grass or at
the forest edge). Fire hazard!
● Do not apply wax underneath the vehicle
around the are
a of the exhaust system: Fire
hazard! Note
While the control lamps , , or re-
main lit, ther e m
ay be engine problems, fuel
consumption may increase and the engine
may lose power. 169
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety