2016 Seat Leon 5D Owner's manual

Driving
● Sec ur
e the
vehicle as usual by applying the
handbrake firmly and putting it in 1st gear. WARNING
● Tak e me

asures to reduce the risk of injury
when you leave your vehicle unattended.
● Never park where the hot exhaust system
coul
d ignite inflammable materials, such as
dry grass, low bushes, spilt fuel etc.
● Never allow vehicle occupants to remain in
the vehic
le when it is locked. They would be
unable to open the vehicle from the inside,
and could become trapped in the vehicle in
an emergency. In the event of an emergency,
locked doors will delay assistance to vehicle
occupants.
● Never leave children alone in the vehicle.
They cou
ld set the vehicle in motion, for ex-
ample, by releasing the handbrake or the
gearbox lever.
● Depending on weather conditions, it may
become extr
emely hot or cold inside the vehi-
cle. This can be fatal. Brakes
New brake pads
F
or the fir
s

t 400 km (250 miles), new brake
pads have not yet reached their maximum
braking capacity, and need to be “run in”
first. However, you can compensate for the
slightly reduced braking effect by applying more pressure on the brake pedal. Avoid
overlo

ading the brakes while running them
in.
Wear
The rate of wear on the brake pads depends
a great deal on how you drive and the condi-
tions in which the vehicle is operated. This is
a particular problem in urban traffic and
short stretches, or with very sporty driving.
Depending on the speed, the braking force
and the environmental conditions (for exam-
ple, the temperature, air humidity, etc.)
noises may be produced on braking.
Wet roads or road salt
In certain situations (for example, on driving
through flooded areas, in severe downpours
or after washing the vehicle) the braking ac-
tion could be delayed if the discs and pads
are damp, or frozen in winter. In this case the
brakes should be “dried” by pressing the
brake pedal several times.
At high speed and with the windscreen wip-
ers activated, the brake pads will briefly
touch the brake discs. This takes place, al-
though unnoticeable to the driver, at regular
intervals to improve the response time of the
brakes when they are wet.
The effectiveness of the brakes can also be
temporarily reduced if the vehicle is driven
for some distance without using the brakes when there is a lot of salt on the road in win-
ter.
The layer of salt that accumulates on the
discs and pads can be removed by gently ap-
plying the brakes a few times.
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for corrosion to
form on the discs and dirt to build up on the
brake pads if the vehicle is used infrequently
or the brakes are not used very often.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if
rust has formed on the disks, it is advisable
to clean off the pads and disks by braking
firmly a few times at a moderately high speed
››› .
F au
lt

in the brake system
If the brake pedal travel should ever increase
suddenly, this may mean that one of the two
brake circuits has failed. Drive immediately
to the nearest specialised workshop and
have the fault repaired. Drive there slowly
and remember that you will have to apply
more pressure on the brake pedal and allow
for longer stopping distances.
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if
the brake fluid level is too low. The brake flu-
id level is monitored electronically. »
175
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
Brake servo
The br ak
e ser
vo increases the pressure you
apply to the brake pedal. It works only when
the engine is running. WARNING
● App ly

the brakes heavily to clean the brake
system only in a suitable traffic situation. Do
not put other road users in danger: there is
risk of causing an accident.
● Ensure the vehicle does not move while in
neutral, when the en
gine is stopped. Failure
to follow this instruction could result in an
accident.
● If the brake fluid loses its viscosity and is
subj
ected to heavy use, vapour bubbles can
form in the brake system. This reduces the ef-
ficiency of the brakes. CAUTION
● Never l et

the brakes “drag” by leaving your
foot on the pedal when it is not necessary to
brake. This overheats the brakes, resulting in
longer stopping distances and greater wear.
● Before driving down a long, steep gradient,
it is
advisable to reduce speed and select a
lower gear. This makes use of engine braking
and relieves the brakes. If you still have to
use the brakes, it is better to brake firmly at
intervals than to apply the brakes continu-
ously. Note
● If the br ak

e servo is out of action, for exam-
ple when the car is being towed, you will
have to press the brake pedal considerably
harder than normal to make up for the lack of
servo assistance.
● If you wish to equip the vehicle with acces-
sories s
uch as a front spoiler or wheel covers,
it is important that the flow of air to the front
wheels is not obstructed, otherwise the
brakes can overheat. Braking and stability systems
El ectr
onic

Stability Control (ESC) The ESC helps to improve safety. It reduces
the t
endency
t

o skid and improves the stabil-
ity and roadholding of the vehicle. The ESC
detects critical handling situations, such as
vehicle understeer or oversteer, or wheelspin
on the driving wheels. It stabilises the vehi-
cle by braking individual wheels or by reduc-
ing the engine torque. The warning lamp will
flash on the instrument panel when the ESC
is intervening .
ESC includes the Anti-lock brake system
(ABS), the brake assist system, the traction
control system (ASR), electronic differential
lock (EDL), electronic self-locking*, selective
torque control* and tractor-trailer sway miti- gation*. ESC also helps stabilise the vehicle
by c

hanging the torque.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
ABS prevents the wheels from locking up un-
der braking until the vehicle has reached a
virtual standstill. You can continue to steer
the vehicle even when the brakes are on full.
Keep your foot on the brake pedal and do not
pump the brakes. You will feel the brake ped-
al pulsate while the ABS is working.
Brake assist system
The brake assist system can reduce the re-
quired braking distance. The braking force is
automatically boosted if you press the brake
pedal quickly in an emergency. You must
keep pressing the brake pedal until the dan-
ger has passed.
Traction control system (ASR)
In the event of wheelspin, the traction control
system reduces the engine torque to match
the amount of grip available. This helps the
car to start moving, accelerate or climb a gra-
dient.
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
When the EDL detects wheelspin, it brakes
the spinning wheel and directs the power to
the other driven wheel. This function is active
up to approximately 100 km/h (62 mph).
176

Driving
To prevent the disc brake of the braked wheel
fr om o
v
erheating, the EDL cuts out automati-
cally if subjected to excessive loads. The ve-
hicle can still be driven. The EDL will switch
on again automatically when the brake has
cooled down.
Tractor-trailer sway mitigation*
If the vehicle is pulling a trailer, it will control
the following: Tractor-trailers tend to sway.
When the swaying of the trailer is felt by the
vehicle and detected by the ESC, it will auto-
matically brake the towing vehicle within the
limits of the system and mitigate the sway.
Tractor-trailer sway mitigation is not available
in all countries.
Electronic torque management (XDS)
When taking a curve, the driveshaft differen-
tial mechanism allows the outer wheel to turn
at a higher speed than the inner wheel. In
this way, the wheel that is turning faster (out-
er wheel) receives less drive torque than the
inner wheel. This may mean that in certain
situations the torque delivered to the inner
wheel is too high, causing the wheels to
spin. On the other hand, the outer wheel is
receiving a lower drive torque than it could
transmit. This causes an overall loss of lateral
grip on the front axle, resulting in understeer
or “lengthening” of the trajectory.
The XDS system can detect and correct this
effect via the sensors and signals of the ESC. Via the ESC, the XDS will brake the inside
wheel and cou
nter the excess driving torque
of that wheel. This means that the driver's
desired trajectory is much more precise.
The XDS system works in combination with
the ESC and is always active, even when ASR
traction control is disconnected, or the ESC in
Sport mode or disconnected.
Multi-collision brake
In an accident, the multi-collision brake can
help the driver by braking to avoid the risk of
skidding during the accident, which could
lead to further collisions.
The multi-collision brake works for front, side
or rear accidents, when the airbag control
unit records its activation level and the acci-
dent takes place at a speed of over 10 km/h
(6 mph). The ESC automatically brakes the
vehicle, as long as the accident has not dam-
aged the ESC, the brake hydraulics or the on-
board network
The following actions control automatic brak-
ing during the accident:
● When the driver presses the accelerator,
the automatic
braking does not take place.
● When the braking pressure through press-
ing the brak
e pedal is greater than the sys-
tem’s braking pressure the vehicle will brake
automatically. ●
Multi-c
ollision braking will not be available
if ESC is malfunctioning. WARNING
● The ESC, ABS, ASR, EDL, el ectr

onic self-
locking differential or selective torque control
systems cannot exceed the limits imposed by
the laws of physics. Always bear this in mind,
especially on wet or slippery roads. If you no-
tice the systems cutting in, you should re-
duce your speed immediately to suit the road
and traffic conditions. Do not be encouraged
to take risks by the presence of more safety
systems. If you do, an accident may occur.
● Please remember that the accident risk al-
way
s increases if you drive fast, especially in
corners or on a slippery road, or if you follow
too close behind the vehicle in front of you.
The ESC, ABS, brake assist, EDL, electronic
self-locking and selective torque control sys-
tems cannot prevent accidents: risk of acci-
dents!
● Accelerate with caution on slippery surfa-
ces
(for example, icy or snow-covered). De-
spite the control systems, the driven wheels
could spin, affecting the stability of the vehi-
cle: risk of accident! Note
● The ABS and ASR w i

ll only operate correctly
if the four wheels have identical tyres. Any
differences in the rolling radius of the tyres
can cause the system to reduce engine power
when this is not desired. » 177
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
●
The re gu
lating processes of the systems
can make noises when they intervene.
● If the warning lamp  lights up
, or  alter-
natively, there could be a fault ››› page 109. Switching on/off the ESC and ASR
Fig. 190
Centre console: Button for switching
on/off the E
SC

and ASR The ESC is switched on automatically when
the en
gine i
s

started, and only works when
the engine is running and includes the ABS,
EDS and ASR systems.
The ASR and ESC function should only be
switched off in situations in which traction is
insufficient, among others:
● When driving in deep snow or on surfaces
that ar
e not very firm.
● To “free” the vehicle if it gets stuck. Then switch the ASR and ESC function back
on.
Depending on fini

shes and versions, it is
possible either to disconnect only the ASR or
else activate ESC Sport mode.
ESC in “Sport” mode
Sport mode can be connected via the Easy
Connect ››› page 110 system menu. The ac-
tion of the ESC and the ASR is limited ››› .
The c ontr
o

l lamp  lights up. For vehicles
with a driver information system*, the driver
will be shown the electronic stability
control (ESC) option: sport.
Warning! Limited stability.
Disable ESC “Sport” mode
Through the Easy Connect system menu
››› page 110. The warning lamp  will switch
off. For vehicles with a driver information sys-
tem*, the driver will be shown the elec-
tronic stability control (ESC)
option: on.
Disable ASR
The Easy Connect system menu is used to
switch off the ASR ››› page 110. The traction
control system will be disabled.
The control lamp  lights up. For vehicles
with a driver information system* the driver
will be informed that ASR is disabled.Activate ASR
The Easy

Connect system menu ››› page 110
is used to switch on the ASR. The traction
control system will be enabled.
The control lamp  switches off. For vehicles
with a driver information system* the driver
will be informed that ASR is enabled.
Disconnection of the ESC
In some versions of the model, besides the
traction control system (ASR), the electronic
stability programme (ESC) can also be
switched off.
● Press the button  ›››
Fig. 190 for approxi-
mately 1 second to switch off the ASR func-
tion.
● Press the button  ›››
Fig. 190 for approxi-
mately 3 seconds to switch off the Electronic
Stability programme (ESC), including the ASR
function.
● The ASR and ESC function are reconnected
by pr
essing the button  ››› Fig. 190.
● OR: activate or deactivate the ASR or ESC
fu
nction in the Easy Connect system by
means of the button  and the function
b utt
on

s SETUP and
E
SC
System .
WARNING
You should switch on the ESC Sport mode on-
ly if the tr

affic conditions and your driving178

Driving
ability allow you to do so safely: risk of
skid
din
g!
● With ESC in Sport mode, the stabilising
function w
ill be limited to allow for a sportier
drive. The driving wheels could spin and the
vehicle could “skid”.
● If the ESC/ASR is deactivated, the vehicle
stab
ilisation function is not available. Note
If the ASR is disconnected or the ESC’s Sport
mode i s sel

ected, cruise control* will be
switched off. Hill driving assistant
The hill driving assistant helps the driver to
mo
v
e off

and upward on a hill when the vehi-
cle is stationary.
The system maintains brake pressure for ap-
proximately two seconds after the driver
takes his foot off the brake pedal to prevent
the vehicle from lurching backward when it is
started. During these 2 seconds, the driver
has enough time to release the clutch pedal
and accelerate without the vehicle moving
and without having to use the handbrake,
making start-up easier, more comfortable
and safer.
These are the basic operation conditions: ●
being on a ramp or hi
ll/slope,
● doors closed,
● vehicle completely stationary,
● engine running and foot on the brake,
● besides having a gear engaged or being in
neutral f
or manual gear change and with the
selector lever at position S, D or R for an au-
tomatic gearbox.
This system is also active when reversing up-
hill. WARNING
● If y

ou do not start the vehicle immediately
after taking your foot off the brake pedal, the
vehicle may start to roll back under certain
conditions. Depress the brake pedal or use
the hand brake immediately.
● If the engine stalls, depress the brake ped-
al or u
se the hand brake immediately.
● When following a line of traffic uphill, if you
want t
o prevent the vehicle from rolling back
accidentally when starting off, hold the brake
pedal down for a few seconds before starting
off. Note
The Official Service or a specialist workshop
can t el

l you if your vehicle is equipped with
this system. Manual gearbox
Ch an
gin

g gear Read the additional information carefully
›› ›

 page 42
In some countries the clutch pedal must be
fully pressed down for the engine to start.
Selecting reverse gear ● Engage reverse gear only when the vehicle
is s
topped.
Changing down gears
While driving, changing down a gear must al-
ways be done gradually, i.e. to the gear di-
rectly below and when the engine speed is
not too high ››› . Changing down while by-
p a
s

sing one or various gears at high speeds
or at high engine speeds can damage the
clutch and the gearbox, even if the clutch
pedal remains depressed ››› .
WARNING
When the engine is running, the vehicle will
st ar

t to move as soon as a gear is engaged
and the clutch released. This is also the case
with the electronic parking brake switched
on.
● Never engage reverse gear when the vehi-
cle i
s moving. » 179
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
WARNING
If the gear is changed down inappropriately
by sel
ecting a gear that is too low, you may
lose control of the vehicle, causing an acci-
dent and serious injuries. CAUTION
When travelling at high speeds or at high en-
gine speed s, sel

ecting a gear that is too low
can cause considerable damage to the clutch
and the gearbox. This can also occur if the
clutch pedal is pressed and held and it does
not engage. CAUTION
To prevent damage and avoid premature
we ar

, please observe the following:
● Do not rest your hand on the gear lever
while driv
ing. The pressure applied by your
hand is transmitted to the gearbox selector
forks.
● Always ensure that the vehicle is complete-
ly st
opped before engaging the reverse gear.
● Always press the clutch to the floor when
chan
ging gears.
● Never hold the vehicle “on the clutch” on
hill
s with the engine on. Automatic gearbox/DSG auto-
m
atic
g

earbox*
Introduction 

›› ›

table on page 2
Your vehicle is equipped with an electronical-
ly controlled manual gearbox. Torque be-
tween the engine and the gearbox is trans-
mitted via two independent clutches. They re-
place the torque converter found on conven-
tional automatic gearboxes and allow for
smooth, uninterrupted acceleration of the ve-
hicle.
The tiptronic system allows the driver to
change gears manually if desired
››› page 182, Changing gears in tiptronic
mode*.
Selector lever positions Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 43
The selector lever position engaged is high-
lighted on the display in the instrument clus-
ter. With the selector lever in the manual
gearbox positions G, D, E and S, the engaged
gear is also indicated on the display. P – Parking lock
When the selector l

ever is in this position,
the driven wheels are locked mechanically.
The parking lock must be engaged only when
the vehicle is stationary ››› .
The int erloc
k

button (the button on the selec-
tor lever handle) must be pressed in and si-
multaneously the brake pedal must be de-
pressed before moving the selector lever ei-
ther in or out of position P.
R – Reverse gear
Reverse gear must be engaged only when the
vehicle is stationary and the engine is idling
››› .
T o mo
v

e the selector lever to position R, the
interlock button must be pressed in and at
the same time the brake pedal must be de-
pressed. The reverse lights come on when
the selector lever is in the R position with the
ignition on.
N – Neutral (idling)
With the selector lever in this position, the
gear is in neutral.
D/S – Permanent drive (forward) position
The selector lever in the D/S position enables
the gears to be controlled in normal mode (D)
or Sport mode (S). To select Sport mode (S),
move the selector lever backwards. Moving
the lever again will select normal mode (D).
180

Driving
The selected driving mode is shown on the
in s
trument
panel display.
In normal mode (D), the gearbox automatical-
ly selects the best gear ratio. This depends
on the engine load, the road speed and the
dynamic gear control programme (DCP).
Sport mode (S) must be selected for a sporty
driving style. This setting makes use of the
engine's maximum power output. When ac-
celerating the gear shifts will be noticeable.
Press the brake pedal to move the selector
lever from N to D/S when the vehicle is sta-
tionary or at speeds below 3 km/h (2 mph)
››› .
Under c er
t

ain circumstances (e.g. when driv-
ing in mountains) it can be advantageous to
switch temporarily to tiptronic mode
››› page 182, in order to manually select gear
ratios to suit the driving conditions. WARNING
● Tak e c

are not to accidentally press the ac-
celerator pedal when the vehicle is stopped.
The vehicle could otherwise start moving im-
mediately (in some cases even if the parking
brake is engaged) resulting in the risk of an
accident.
● Never move the selector lever to R or P
when driving. F
ailure to follow this instruc-
tion could result in an accident.
● With selector lever in any position (except
P) the vehic
le must always be held with the foot brake when the engine is running. This is
becau
se an aut

omatic gearbox still transmits
power even at idling speed, and the vehicle
tends to “creep”. The accelerator pedal must
on no account be pressed inadvertently when
a gear is engaged with the vehicle stationary.
The vehicle could otherwise start moving im-
mediately (in some cases even if the parking
brake is engaged) resulting in the risk of an
accident.
● While you are selecting a gear and the vehi-
cle i
s stopped with the engine running, do
not accelerate. Failure to follow this instruc-
tion could result in an accident.
● As a driver you should never leave your ve-
hicle if
the engine is running and a gear is en-
gaged. If you have to leave your vehicle while
the engine is running, you must apply the
handbrake and engage the parking lock (P).
● To avoid accidents, apply the handbrake
and put the sel
ector lever in position P before
opening the bonnet and working on the vehi-
cle with the engine running. Please always
observe the important safety warnings
››› page 262, Work in the engine compart-
ment. Note
● If the sel ect

or lever is moved accidentally
to N when driving, release the accelerator and
let the engine speed drop to idling before se-
lecting gear range D or S again.
● Should the power supply to the selector
lever be int
errupted in position P, the selector lever will be locked. If this should happen the
manua
l

release can be used ›››
 page 43. Selector lever lock
Fig. 191
Selector lever lock. The selector lever lock prevents gears from
bein g en
g

aged inadvertently, so that the ve-
hicle is not set in motion unintentionally.
The selector lever lock is released as follows:
– Switch the ignition on.
– Press the brake pedal and at
the same time
press in the interlock button.
Automatic selector lever lock
With the ignition switched on, the selector
lever is locked in the positions P and N. The
brake pedal must be pressed to release the
lever while pressing the release button if the
selector lever is in the position P. As a »
181
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
reminder for the driver, with the lever in posi-
tion s
P or N the f
ollowing message will be
shown on the display:
When stationary, apply footbrake
while selecting a gear.
Level lock only engages with the vehicle sta-
tionary and at speeds of up to 5 km/h
(3 mph). At speeds of over 5 km/h (3 mph)
the 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. The selector lever lock engages auto-
matically if the brake pedal is not depressed
and the lever is in position N for more than
about two seconds.
Interlock button
The interlock button on the selector lever
handle prevents the driver from inadvertently
engaging certain gears. Press the button in
to disengage the selector lever lock. The se-
lector lever positions in which the interlock
button has to be pressed are shown in the il-
lustration, highlighted in colour ››› Fig. 191.
Safety interlock for ignition key
Once the ignition has been turned off, the
key may be removed only if the gear selector is in position P. While the key is not in the ig-
nition, the selector l
ever is locked in position
P. Note
● If the sel ect

or lever lock does not engage,
there is a fault. The transmission is interrup-
ted to prevent the vehicle from accidentally
moving. Follow the procedure below in order
for the selector lever lock to engage again:
–With a 6-speed gearbox: press the brake
pedal and release it again.
– With a 7-speed gearbox: press the brake
pedal. Move the selector lever to posi-
tion P or N and subsequently engage a
gear.
● Despite a gear being engaged, the vehicle
does not
move forwards or back. Proceed to
the next mode:
– When the vehicle does not move in the
required direction, the system may not
have the gear range correctly engaged.
Press the brake pedal and engage the
gear range again.
– If the vehicle still does not move in the
required direction, there is a system mal-
function. Seek specialist assistance and
have the system checked. Changing gears in tiptronic mode*
Fig. 192
Centre console: changing gear with
tiptr onic Fig. 193
Steering wheel: automatic gearbox
l ev
er

s The tiptronic gives the driver the option to
c
h
an

ge gears manually.
182