2016 Seat Leon 5D maintenance

Care and maintenance
Plastic parts Plastic parts are cleaned with a power wash-
er. If
thi
s is not sufficient, plastic parts
should only be treated with a special solvent-
free plastic cleaning agent . Do not use paint-
work cleaners, polishes or wax on plastic
parts.
Carbon parts The carbon parts on your vehicle have a pain-
t
ed s
ur

face. They do not need any special
care and are cleaned just like any other pain-
ted part ›››
page 246.
Paint damage Minor damage to the paint, such as scratches
or s
t
one c

hips, should be touched up without
delay before the metal starts to corrode. Suit-
able touch-up brushes or sprays for your car
can be obtained from a SEAT Official Service.
The number of the original paint finish on the
vehicle is given on the data sticker
››› page 281.
If corrosion is already visible it must be thor-
oughly removed by a specialised workshop. Windows Clear vision is an essential safety factor.
The wind
s

creen must not be cleaned with in-
sect remover or wax, otherwise the wind-
screen wipers will not function properly (jud-
dering).
Traces of rubber, oil, grease or silicone can
be removed with a window cleaning solution
or a silicone remover. Wax residue can only
be removed with a special cleaner. Your SEAT
Official Service will be able to provide you
with more detailed information.
The windows should also be cleaned on the
inside at regular intervals.
Use a separate cloth or chamois to dry the
windows. Cloths used for waxing and polish-
ing contain residues that will cause smears
on the glass. WARNING
Do not use water-repellent coatings on the
wind s

creen. In bad visibility conditions (e.g.
in the rain, dark or with a low sun), these
coatings may cause dazzle: risk of accident!
Such coatings can also cause the windscreen
wiper blades to make noise. CAUTION
● Remo v

e snow and ice from windows and ex-
terior mirrors with a plastic scraper only. To avoid scratches caused by dirt on the glass,
the sc
r

aper should only be pushed in one di-
rection and not moved to and fro.
● The heating element for the rear window is
located on the inner s
ide of the window. To
avoid damaging them, do not apply stickers
to these heating elements.
● Never use warm or hot water to remove
snow and ic
e from windows and mirrors. This
could cause the glass to crack! Wheels
The wheels require regular attention to pre-
ser
v
e their ap

pearance. It is important to re-
move road salt and brake dust by washing
the wheels at regular intervals, otherwise the
finish will be impaired.
After washing, the wheels should only be
cleaned with an "acid-free" cleaning agent
for alloy wheels. This is available from SEAT
Official Services and specialist retailers. Nev-
er leave the cleaning agent on the rims for
any longer than specified in the instructions
before rinsing it off. If the wheel cleaner fluid
contains acid it can attack the surfaces of the
wheel bolts.
Car polish or other abrasive agents should
not be used for maintaining the rims. If the
protective coating is damaged, e.g. by flying
stones, the damaged area should be re-
paired immediately. »
249
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Care and maintenance
A spirit-based cleaner can be used to remove
gr e
a
se, oil, lipstick or ball point pen. Then
dab the dissolved grease or colour particles
off with an absorbent cloth or similar. You
may also have to treat the stain once more
using washing paste and water.
If the covers or textile trim panels are badly
soiled we recommend that you have them
cleaned by a professional cleaning company
with a shampoo and spray. Note
Open Velcro fasteners on clothes can damage
the seat upho

lstery. Make sure they are
closed. Natural leather
General information
Our r
an
g

e of leathers is large. The main type
used is particularly nappa in various forms,
that is, leather with a smooth surface in dif-
ferent colours.
The amount of dye used determines the ap-
pearance and properties of leather. If the
leather is left in a more natural state, it re-
tains its typical natural napped appearance
and confers excellent all-weather properties
to the seats. Fine veins, healed scars, insect
bites, wrinkles and a subtle variation in shad- ing remain visible; these are the characteris-
tic fe

atures of genuine natural leather.
Natural napped leather does not have a pro-
tective surface coating of dye. It is therefore
somewhat more prone to damage. This
should be borne in mind if children or pets
often travel in the car, or if there are other
factors that could lead to damage.
Types of leather with a coloured surface coat-
ing are likely to be more resistant to damage.
This has a great advantage for day-to-day
use. However, this means that the typical
natural characteristics of the surface are less
apparent, though this does not affect quality.
Cleaning and care
Due to the natural properties of the specially
selected hides employed, the finished leath-
er has a certain sensitivity to grease and dirt,
etc. so a degree of care is required in every-
day use and when looking after the leather.
Dark clothing (especially if damp or incorrect-
ly dyed) may stain leather upholstery on the
seats. Dust and grit in the pores and seams
can scratch and damage the surface. There-
fore leather should be cleaned at regular in-
tervals, depending on the actual amount of
use. When they have been in use for a certain
time, your car seats will acquire a typical and
unmistakable patina. This is characteristic for
leather as a natural product and is a sign of
genuine quality. To maintain the value of natural leather you
should not
e the following points: CAUTION
● Av oid e

xposing leather to direct sunlight
for long periods, otherwise it may tend to
lose some of its colour. If the car is left for a
prolonged period in the bright sun, it is best
to cover the leather.
● Sharp-edged objects on clothing, such as
belts, z
ip fasteners, rivets or similar, can also
leave permanent scratches and rough marks
on the surface of the leather. Note
● Use a s uit

able impregnating cream with ul-
tra-violet protection at regular intervals and
after cleaning. The cream nourishes and
moisturises the leather, keeps it supple and
able to breathe. A protective film will also
form.
● Clean the leather every 2 to 3 months and
remov
e fresh dirt as soon as possible.
● Remove stains from fresh ball-pen and oth-
er inks, lips
tick, shoe cream and similar
stains as soon as possible.
● Preserve the colour of the leather. A special
colour
ed cream will renew the colour of the
leather when required and will eliminate dif-
ferences in colour. 251
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Advice
Cleaning and care of leather uphols-
t er
y Natural leather requires an extra degree of at-
tention and c
ar
e.
Normal cleaning
– Moisten a cotton or woollen cloth with wa-
ter and wipe o

ver the leather surfaces.
More stubborn dirt
– More stubborn dirt can be removed using a
mil d so

ap solution (pure liquid soap: two
tablespoons dissolved in one litre of wa-
ter).
– Do not let the water soak through the leath-
er or penetrate int

o the seams.
– Then wipe off with a soft, dry cloth.
Remov
al of stains
– Remove fresh water
-based stains such as
coffee, tea, juices, blood etc. with an ab-
sorbent cloth or kitchen roll, or use the
cleaning agent from the care set for dried-
on stains.
– Remove fresh grea
se-based stains that
have not penetrated the surface such as
butter, mayonnaise, chocolate, etc. with an
absorbent cloth or kitchen roll or with the
cleaning agent from the care set. –
Tre
at fat-based, dried-in stains with grease-
dissolving spray.
– Treat less common stains on le
ather, such
as ball-pen and other inks, felt-tip pens,
nail polish, dispersion paint, shoe cream
etc. with a special leather stain remover.
Leather maintenance
– The leather should be treated regularly
(about twic

e a year) with a special leather-
care product.
– Apply these products very sparingly.
– Then wipe off with a soft cloth.
Should
you have questions regarding the
care and cleaning of the leather upholstery in
your vehicle, we recommend that you contact
your SEAT Official Service. Our representa-
tives will be happy to advise you and tell you
about the product range for leather conserva-
tion, for example:
● Cleaning and care set.
● Coloured leather-care cream.
● Stain remover for ball-pen inks, shoe cream
etc.
● Gr

ease dissolving spray.
● New products and further developments CAUTION
On no account use solvents (such as petrol,
turpentine), w ax

polish, shoe cream or simi-
lar materials. Cleaning Alcantara upholstery
Removing dust and dirt
– Moisten a cloth just a lit
tle and wipe down
the seat covers.
Removing stains – Moisten a cloth with lukewarm water or di-
luted whit

e spirits.
– Dab at the stain. Start at the outside and
work in

wards.
– Dry the clean area with a soft cloth.
Do not use l
eather cleaning products on Al-
cantara seat covers.
You may use a suitable soap on dust and dirt.
Dust and grit in the pores and seams can
scratch and damage the surface. If the car is
left standing in the sun for long periods, Al-
cantara leather should be protected against
direct sunlight to prevent it from fading. How-
ever, slight colour variations will arise in nor-
mal use.
252

Advice
is equipped with a particulate filter, the sul-
phur c ont
ent
of the fuel must be below 50
parts per million.
Winter-grade diesel
Summer fuel becomes thicker in winter and it
is more difficult to start the engine. For this
reason, petrol stations in some countries al-
so offer winter diesel with improved fluidity
when cold (winter-grade diesel).
Water in the fuel filter 1)
If your vehicle has a diesel engine and is
equipped with a fuel filter with a water sepa-
rator, the instrument panel may display the
following warning:  Water in the
fuel filter. If this is the case, take the
vehicle to a specialised workshop so that
they can drain the fuel filter. CAUTION
● The v ehic

le is not designed for the use of
FAME fuel (biodiesel). The fuel system would
be damaged if you used biodiesel.
● Do not mix fuel additives, the so-called
“thinners”, petro
l or similar additives with
diesel fuel.
● If poor-quality diesel fuel is used, it may be
neces
sary to drain the fuel filter more fre-
quently than is specified in the Maintenance Programme. We recommend having this done
by
a s

pecialised workshop. If water is allowed
to collect in the filter, this can cause engine
performance problems. Natural gas


›› ›

table on page 2
Natural gas
Natural gas can be compressed or in liquid
form, addition to others.
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is the result of
heavy cooling of natural gas. Therefore its
volume is considerably reduced compared
with compressed natural gas (CNG). In vehi-
cles with a natural gas engine, liquefied nat-
ural gas cannot be directly refilled, as the gas
would expand excessively in the vehicle gas
tank.
Therefore, vehicles with a natural gas engine
must only be refuelled using compressed
natural gas ››› .
Nat ur
a

l gas quality and consumption
Natural gas is divided into the groups H and
L depending on its quality. Gas type H has a superior heating power and
inferior nitrog

en and carbon dioxide content
than type L. The higher the heating power of
the natural gas, the lower the consumption
will be.
However, the heating power and the propor-
tion of nitrogen and carbon dioxide can fluc-
tuate within the quality groups. Therefore, ve-
hicle consumption can also vary when using
a single type of gas only.
The engine management automatically
adapts to the natural gas used according to
its quality. Therefore, different quality gases
can be mixed in the tank, without the need
for comprehensive draining before applying a
different quality gas.
Updated information relating to natural gas
quality is displayed on the instrument panel
›››  page 30.
Natural gas and safety
If you can smell gas or suspect that there is a
leak ››› :
● Stop the vehicle immediately.
● Switch the ignition off.
● Open the doors to appropriately ventilate
the v
ehic

le.
● Extinguish cigarettes immediately. 1)
Valid for the market: Algeria.
260

Checking and refilling levels
● Mo v
e a
way from the vehicle or switch off
objects that may cause sparks or a fire.
● If you continue to smell gas, do not contin-
ue driving!
● Seek

specialist assistance. Have the fault
repair
ed. WARNING
Failure to act when you can smell gas in the
vehic l

e or when refuelling can cause serious
injuries.
● Carry out the necessary operations.
● Leave the danger zone.
● If necessary, warn the emergency services. WARNING
The vehicle is not prepared to use liquefied
nat ur

al gas (LNG) and this fuel must not be
added under any circumstances. Liquefied
natural gas can cause the natural gas tank to
explode, resulting in serious injury. Note
Have the natural gas system checked regular-
ly b y

a specialised workshop, according to
the Maintenance Programme. 261
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Advice
Engine oil Gener a
l
notesThe 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.
The specifications (VW standards) set out in
the following page should appear on the con-
tainer of the service oil; when the container
displays the specific standards for petrol and
diesel engines together, it means that the oil
can be used for both types of engines.
We recommend that the oil change indicated
in the Maintenance Programme, be per-
formed by a technical service or specialised
workshop.
The correct oil specifications for your engine
are listed in the ›››
 page 51, Oil proper-
ties.
Service intervals
Service intervals can be flexible (LongLife
service) or fixed (dependent on time/dis-
tance travelled).
If the PR code that appears on the back of the
Maintenance Programme booklet is PR QI6, this means that your vehicle has the LongLife
serv
ic

e programmed. If it lists the codes QI1,
QI2, QI3, QI4 or QI7, the interval service is
dependent on time/distance travelled.
Flexible service intervals (LongLife service
intervals*)
Special oils and processes have been devel-
oped which, depending on the characteris-
tics and individual driving profiles, enable
the extension of the oil change service (Long-
Life service intervals).
Because this oil is essential for extending the
service intervals, it must only be used ob-
serving the following indications:
● Avoid mixing it with oil for fixed service in-
terv
als.
● Only in exceptional circumstances, if the
engine oil
level is too low ››› page 265 and
LongLife oil is not available, it is permitted to
top up (once) with oil for fixed service inter-
vals ›››
 page 51 (up to a maximum of 0.5
litres).
Fixed service intervals*
If your vehicle does not have the “LongLife
service interval” or it has been disabled (by
request), you may use oils for fixed service
intervals, which also appear in
›››  page 51, Oil properties
. In this case,
your vehicle must be serviced after a fixed in-
terval of 1 year/15,000 km (10,000 miles) (whatever comes first)
›››
Booklet Mainte-
nance Programme.
● In exceptional circumstances, if the engine
oil l
evel is too low ››› page 265 and you can-
not obtain the oil specified for your vehicle,
you can add a small quantity of oil conform-
ing to the specification ACEA A2 or ACEA A3
(petrol engines) or ACEA B3 or ACEA B4 (die-
sel engines) (up to 0.5 l).
Vehicles with diesel particulate filter*
The Maintenance Programme states whether
your vehicle is fitted with a diesel particulate
filter.
Only VW 507 00 engine oil, with reduced ash
formation, may be used in diesel engines
equipped with particulate filter. Using other
types of oil will cause a higher soot concen-
tration and reduce the life of the DPF. There-
fore:
● Avoid mixing this oil with other engine oils.
● Only in exceptional circumstances, if the
engine oil
level is too low ››› page 265 and
you cannot obtain the oil specified for your
vehicle, you can use a small quantity of oil
(once) conforming to the VW 506 00,
VW 506 01, VW 505 00, VW 505 01 or
ACEA B3/ACEA B4 specification. (up to 0.5 l).
264

Advice
CAUTION
If the oil level is above the area A do not
st ar
t the engine. This could result in damage
to the engine and catalytic converter. Contact
a specialised workshop. For the sake of the environment
The oil level must never be above area A .
Otherw i

se oil can be drawn in through the
crankcase breather and escape into the at-
mosphere via the exhaust system. Note
Before a long trip, we recommend finding an
engine oi l

that conforms to the correspond-
ing VW specifications and recommend keep-
ing it in the vehicle. This way, the correct en-
gine oil will always be available for a top-up if
needed. Changing engine oil
Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 50.
The engine oil must be changed at the inter-
vals given in the service schedule.
We recommend that you have the engine oil
changed by a Technical Service.
The oil change intervals are shown in the
Maintenance Programme. WARNING
Only change the engine oil yourself if you
hav e the s

pecialist knowledge required!
● Before opening the bonnet, read and ob-
serve the w
arnings ››› page 262.
● Wait for the engine to cool down. Hot oil
may
cause burn injuries.
● Wear eye protection to avoid injuries, such
as ac
id burns, caused by splashes of oil.
● When removing the oil drain plug with your
finger
s, keep your arm horizontal to help pre-
vent oil from running down your arm.
● Wash your skin thoroughly if it comes into
contact
with engine oil.
● Engine oil is poisonous! Used oil must be
stor
ed in a safe place out of the reach of chil-
dren. CAUTION
No additives should be used with engine oil.
This c

ould result in engine damage. Any dam-
age caused by the use of such additives
would not be covered by the factory warranty. For the sake of the environment
● Bec au

se of disposal problems and the spe-
cial tools and specialist knowledge required,
we recommend that you have the engine oil
and filter changed by a Technical Service.
● Never pour oil down drains or into the
ground. ●
Use a s uit

able container when draining the
used oil. It must be large enough to hold all
the engine oil. Cooling system
Top pin

g up coolant Read the additional information carefully
›› ›

 page 51
Top up coolant when the level is below the
MIN (minimum) mark.
Checking coolant level
– Park the vehicle in a horizontal position.
– Switch the ignition off.
– Read off the coolant level on coolant ex-
pan s

ion tank. When the engine is cold, the
coolant level should be between the marks.
When the engine is hot, it may be slightly
above the upper mark.
Topping up coolant
– Wait for the engine to cool down.
– Cover the coolant expansion tank cap with
a cloth and car

efully unscrew it to the left
››› .
– Top up the coolant only if there is still cool-
ant in the e xp

ansion tank, otherwise you
266

Checking and refilling levels
CAUTION
● Do not mi x
cleaning products recommen-
ded by SEAT with other products. This could
lead to flocculation and may block the wind-
screen washer jets.
● When topping up service fluids, make abso-
lutely c
ertain that you fill the fluids into the
correct reservoirs. Using the wrong fluids
could cause serious malfunctions and engine
damage!
● Not having windscreen wiper fluid reduces
vis
ibility through the windscreen, and leads
to loss of visibility in headlights in models
with headlight washer. Battery
Gener a
l

informationRead the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 52.
The battery is located in the engine compart-
ment and is almost maintenance-free. It is
checked as part of the Inspection Service.
Nevertheless, check the terminals are clean
and have the correct tightening torque, espe-
cially in summer and winter.
Disconnecting the battery
The battery should only be disconnected in
exceptional cases. When the battery is dis- connected, some of the vehicle's functions
are “los

t” (››› table on page 269). These
functions will require resetting after the bat-
tery is reconnected.
Deactivate the anti-theft alarm* before you
disconnect the battery Otherwise the alarm
will be triggered.
FunctionReprogramming
One-touch function of
the electric windows››› page 128, One-touch
opening and closing*.
Remote control key
If the vehicle does not re-
spond to the key, they
should be synchronised
››› page 123.
Digital clock››› page 106.
ESC warning lampAfter driving for a few me-
tres, the warning lamp goes
out again. If the vehicle is not used for long periods
The
v
ehic

le has a system for monitoring the
current consumption when the engine is left
unused for long periods of time ››› page 255.
Some functions, such as the interior lights, or
the remote door opening, may be temporarily
disabled to prevent the battery from running
flat. These functions will come back on as
soon as the ignition is switched on and the
engine started. Winter conditions
During the w

inter, the starting power may be
reduced, and if necessary, the battery should
be charged ››› in Important safety warn-
in g
s

for handling a vehicle battery on
page 270
Important safety warnings for han-
dling a v
ehicle battery All work on batteries requires specialist
kno
wl
edg

e. Please refer to a SEAT Official
Service or a workshop specialising in batter-
ies: risk of burns or exploding battery!
The battery must not be opened. Never try to
change the fluid level of the battery. Other-
wise explosive gas is released from the bat-
tery that could cause an explosion. 
Wear eye protection.

Battery acid is very corrosive and caustic. Wear
protective gloves and eye protection. In the event
of electrolyte splashes, rinse off with plenty of
water.

Fires, sparks, open flames and smoking are pro-
hibited.

The battery should only be charged in a well-ven-
tilated zone. Risk of explosion!

Keep children away from acid and batteries!»
269
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety