The essentials
››› in Notes on page 79
››› page 79 Tow-starting
If the engine will not start, first try starting it
usin
g the b
attery of another vehicle
››› page 52. You should only attempt to tow-
start a vehicle if charging the battery does
not work. This is done by leveraging wheel
movement.
When tow-starting a vehicle with a petrol en-
gine, do not tow it more than a short dis-
tance, otherwise unburned fuel can enter the
catalytic converter.
However, if your vehicle has to be tow-star-
ted:
● Engage 2 nd
or 3 rd
ge ar
.
● Keep the clutch pressed down.
● Switch the ignition on.
● Once both vehicles are moving, release the
clutch.
● As
soon as the engine starts, press the
clutch and mo
ve the gear lever into neutral.
This helps to prevent driving into the towing
vehicle.
››› in Notes on page 79
›››
page 79 How to jump start
Jump l e
a d
s The jump lead must have a sufficient wire
cro
s
s section.
If the engine fails to start because of a dis-
charged battery, the battery can be connec-
ted to the battery of another vehicle to start
the engine.
Jump leads
Jump leads must comply with standard DIN
72553 (see cable manufacturer's instruc-
tions). The wire cross section must be at least
25 mm 2
for petrol engines and at least
35 mm 2
for diesel engines. Note
● The vehic l
es must not touch each other,
otherwise electricity could flow as soon as
the positive terminals are connected.
● The discharged battery must be properly
connected to the on-bo
ard network. How to jump start: description
Fig. 70
Diagram of connections for vehicles
w ithout
St
art-Stop system. Fig. 71
Diagram of connections for vehicles
w ith
Star
t-Stop system. Jump lead terminal connections
1. Switch off the ignition of both vehicles
››
› .
52
Driving
Manual gearbox Driv in
g w ith m
anual gearboxRead the additional information carefully
›››
p
age 37
Certain versions of the model may include a
6-speed manual gearbox, and its diagram is
shown on the gearbox lever.
The reverse gear can only be engaged when
the car is stationary. When the engine is run-
ning and before engaging this gear, wait
about 6 seconds with the clutch pressed
down thoroughly in order to protect the gear-
box.
The reverse lights switch on when the reverse
gear is selected and the ignition is on. WARNING
● When the engine is ru
nning, the vehicle
will start to move as soon as a gear is engag-
ed and the clutch released.
● Never select the reverse gear when the ve-
hicle is
in motion. Risk of accident. Note
● Do not re s
t your hand on the gear lever
while driving. The pressure of your hand
could cause premature wear on the selector
forks in the gearbox. ●
When chan gin
g gear, you should always
depress the clutch fully to avoid unnecessary
wear and damage.
● Do not “slip” the clutch to hold the vehicle
on a hill.
This causes premature wear and
damage to the clutch.
● Do not leave your foot on the clutch pedal;
although the pres
sure may seem insignifi-
cant, it can cause the premature wear of the
clutch plate. Use the foot rest when you do
not need to change gear. Gear-change indicator
3 Valid for vehicles: with a manual gearbox
The r ec
ommended gear for saving fuel is in-
dicated on the dash screen of certain vehi-
cles during driving.
DisplayMeaning
The optimal gear is selected.
Changing to a higher gear is recommended.
Changing to a lower gear is recommended.
Information regarding the “cleanliness” of
the die
sel
par
ticulate filter
The exhaust system manager detects that the
diesel particulate filter is nearly saturated
and contributes to self-cleaning by recom-
mending the optimal gear. For this purpose, it might be necessary to drive momentarily
with a high rpm
›››
page 170. WARNING
The gear change indicator is only an auxiliary
function and in no c a
se should be a substi-
tute for careful driving.
● The responsibility of choosing the correct
gear depending on the s
ituation (e.g. over-
taking, driving up or down a slope or towing a
trailer) lies with the driver. For the sake of the environment
Selecting the correct gear can help to save
fuel. Note
The recommended gear display is switched
off when the clut c
h pedal is pressed. Automatic gearbox*
Driv ing pr
ogr
ammes Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
p
age 38
The automatic gearbox has got two gearbox
programmes. »
161
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Advice
Checking levels Fig. 185
Diagram for the location of the various elements. Fig. 186
For vehicles with the battery in the
luggag e c
ompartment. From time to time, the levels of the different
fluid
s in the
v
ehicle must be checked. Never
fill with incorrect fluids, otherwise serious
damage to the engine may be caused. Coolant expansion tank
Engine oil l
evel dipstick
Engine oil filler cap
Brake fluid reservoir
Vehicle battery
Windscreen washer reservoir
The checking and refilling of service fluids
are carried out on the components men-
tioned above. These operations are descri-
bed in ››› page 201.
Overview
You will find further explanations, instruc-
tions and restrictions on the technical speci-
fications as of ››› page 219.
1 2
3
4
5
6 Note
The layout of parts may vary depending on
the engine. Engine oil
General not
es The engine comes with a special, multi-grade
oil th
at
can be used all year round.
Because the use of high-quality oil is essen-
tial for the correct operation of the engine
and its long useful life, when topping up or
changing oil, use only those oils that comply
with VW standards.
204
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