Operation
is to provide the driver with a visual indica-
tion th at
he or she shou
ld activate the
dipped beam. WARNING
Heavy objects in the vehicle may mean that
the hea dlight
s dazzle and distract other driv-
ers. This could result in a serious accident.
● Adjust the light beam to the vehicle load
stat
us so that it does not blind other drivers. Interior and reading lights
1)
›› ›
table on page 2
Read the additional information carefully
››› page 26
Glove compartment and luggage compart-
ment lighting*
When opening and closing the glove com-
partment on the front passenger side and the
rear lid, the respective light will automatically
switch on and off. Footwell lighting*
The lights in the f
ootw
ell area below the dash
(driver and front passenger sides) will switch
on when the doors are opened and will de-
crease in intensity while driving. The intensity
of these lights can be adjusted using the ra-
dio menu (see Easy Connect > Light
Settings > Interior lighting
››› page 27). Note
The reading lights switch off when the vehi-
cl e i
s locked using a key or after several mi-
nutes if the key is removed from the ignition.
This prevents the battery from discharging. Visibility
S u
n
visors Fig. 141
Sun visor Options for adjusting driver and front pas-
sen
g
er s
un visors:
● Lower the sun visor towards the wind-
scr
een.
● The sun visor can be pulled out of its
mounting and t
urned towards the door
››› Fig. 141 1 .
● Swing the sun visor towards the door, lon-
git udin
al
ly backwards. 1)
Depending on the level of equipment fitted in the
vehic l
e, LEDs can be used for the following interior
lights: front courtesy light, rear courtesy light, foot-
well light and sun visor light.
138
Lights and visibility
Vanity mirror light
Ther e m
a
y be a vanity mirror, with a cover, on
the rear of the sun visor. When the cover is
opened 2 a light comes on.
The l amp g
oe
s out when the vanity mirror
cover is closed or the sun visor is pushed
back up. WARNING
Folded sun blinds can reduce visibility.
● Always store sun blinds and visors in their
hous in
g when not in use. Note
The light above the sun visor automatically
swit c
hes off after a few minutes in certain
conditions. This prevents the battery from
discharging. Sun blind*
3 Applies to the model: LEON ST
Fig. 142
Rear window: sun blind. Rear window sun blind*
– Pull out the visor and hook it into the hooks
in the c entr
e of
the top of the door frame
››› Fig. 142.
Windscreen wiper and window
wiper sys
tems
Window wiper lever Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 26 CAUTION
If the ignition is switched off with the wind-
sc r
een wipers active, they complete their wipe before returning to the rest position.
Ice, s
no
w and other obstacles on the wind-
screen may damage the wiper and the wind-
screen wiper motor.
● If necessary, remove snow and ice from the
winds
creen wipers before starting your jour-
ney.
● Carefully lift the frozen windscreen wipers
from the gla
ss. SEAT recommends a de-icer
spray for this operation.
● Do not switch on the windscreen wipers if
the winds
creen is dry. Cleaning with the
windscreen wipers while dry can cause dam-
age.
● In icy conditions, always check that the
wiper bl
ades are not frozen to the glass be-
fore using the wipers. In cold weather, it may
help to leave the vehicle parked with the wip-
ers in service position ›››
page 63. Note
● The wind s
creen and window wipers only
function when the ignition is switched on and
the bonnet or rear lid, respectively, are
closed.
● The interval wipe speed varies according to
the vehic
le speed. The faster the vehicle is
moving, the more often the windscreen is
cleaned.
● The rear wiper is automatically switched on
when the winds
creen wiper is on and the car
is in reverse gear. 139
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Seats and head restraints
when changing lane, you could misjudge the
dis
t
ance. Risk of accident! CAUTION
● If one of the mirr
or housings is knocked out
of position (e.g. when parking), the mirrors
must first be fully retracted with the electric
control. Do not readjust the mirror housing by
hand, as this will interfere with the mirror ad-
juster function.
● Before washing the vehicle in an automatic
car wa
sh, please make sure to retract the ex-
terior mirrors to prevent them from being
damaged. Electrically retractable exterior
mirrors must not be folded in or out by hand.
Always use the electrical power control. Note
If the electrical adjustment should fail to op-
erat e, both of
the mirrors can be adjusted by
hand by lightly pressing the edge of the mir-
ror glass. Seats and head restraints
Adju
s
tin
g the seats and headr-
ests
Manual adjustment of seats Read the additional information carefully
›› ›
page 14 WARNING
The safe driving chapter contains important
inform ation, tip
s, suggestions and warnings
that you should read and observe for your
own safety and the safety of your passengers
››› page 65. WARNING
● Adjus t
the front seats only when the vehi-
cle is stationary. Failure to follow this instruc-
tion could result in an accident.
● Be careful when adjusting the seat height.
Carel
ess or uncontrolled adjustment can
cause injuries.
● The front seat backrests must not be re-
clined for driv
ing. Otherwise, seat belts and
the airbag system might not protect as they
should, with the subsequent danger of injury. Electric driver's seat adjustment*
Read the additional information carefully
›› ›
page 14 WARNING
● If the el ectric
front seats are used negli-
gently or without paying due attention, it can
cause serious injury.
● The front seats can also be electrically ad-
just
ed when the ignition is switched off. Nev-
er leave a child or any other person who may
need help in the vehicle.
● In the event of an emergency, electrical ad-
justment
can be stopped by pressing any
control. CAUTION
To avoid damaging the electrical components
of the fr ont
seats, please refrain from kneel-
ing on the seat or applying sharp pressure at
a single point to the seat cushion and back-
rest. Note
● It m a
y not be possible to electrically adjust
the seat if the vehicle battery is very low.
● If the engine is started while the seats are
being electric
ally adjusted, the adjustment
will stop. 143
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
load of the compartment should not exceed
0.2 k g.
● Co
at hooks in the door frames ›››
.
● Other storage compartments are found in
the r e
ar se
at, to the left and the right of the
seats. WARNING
● Ple a
se make sure that any items of clothing
hanging from the coat hooks do not obstruct
your view to the rear.
● The coat hooks should only be used for
lightweight c
lothing. Do not leave any heavy
or sharp objects in the pockets.
● Do not use clothes hangers to hang up the
clothing, a
s this could interfere with the func-
tion of the head-protection airbags. Power sockets
Fig. 157
Centre console: front/rear 12-volt
po w
er soc
ket. Fig. 158
Detailed view of the side trim in the
lug g
ag
e compartment: 12-volt power socket
(applies only to the LEON ST model). In the centre console
– Remove the connector located in the centre
con
so
le of the power socket ››› Fig. 157. –
Insert
the plug of the electrical appliance
into the power socket.
In the luggage compartment (applies only to
the LEON ST model)
– Lift the power socket cover ›››
Fig. 158.
– Insert the plug of the electrical appliance
into the pow
er socket.
Electrical equipment can be connected to the
12 volt power socket. The appliances connec-
ted to each power socket must not exceed a
power rating of 120 Watt. WARNING
The power socket works only when the igni-
tion is on. Impr
oper use may cause serious
injury or even fire. Children should therefore
not be left in the vehicle unattended if the
button is also left behind. Otherwise there is
a possibility that they may be injured. CAUTION
Always use the correct type of plugs to avoid
dam agin
g the sockets. Note
The use of electrical appliances with the en-
gine swit c
hed off will cause a battery dis-
charge. 150
Operation
light up for about one second. This means
th at
the en
gine starts immediately.
If the engine does not immediately start up,
interrupt the starting process and try again
after 30 seconds. To start the engine again,
return the key to position 1 .
St ar
t
-Stop System*
If the vehicle is stopped and the Start-Stop
system* switches off the engine, the ignition
remains switched on.
Automatic gearbox: before leaving the vehi-
cle, make sure that the ignition is switched
off and the selector lever is in position P.
Driver messages on the instrument panel
display
Press the clutch
This message appears on vehicles with a
manual gearbox if the driver tries to start the
engine without having the clutch pedal
pressed. The engine will only start if you
press the clutch pedal.
Press the brake This message appears on vehicles with an
automatic gearbox if the driver tries to start
the engine without having the brake pedal
pressed. Select N or P
This me
ssage appears if you try to start or
stop the engine when the selector lever of
the automatic gearbox is not in position P or
N. The engine can only start or stop in certain
positions.
Engage position P; the vehicle
can move; doors can only close in
position P.For safety reasons, this driver message ap-
pears and an audible warning sounds if the
selector lever of the automatic gearbox is not
in position P after you switch off the ignition.
Put the selector lever in position P, otherwise
the vehicle could roll away.
Gear change: selector lever in
the drive position! This driver message is displayed when the
selector lever is not in the position P when
the driver door is opened. Additionally, a
buzzer will sound. Put the selector lever in
position P, otherwise the vehicle could roll
away.
Ignition is switched on
This driver message is displayed and a buz-
zer is sounded when the driver door is
opened with the ignition switched on. WARNING
● Never ru n the en
gine in confined spaces, as
the exhaust gases are poisonous. CAUTION
Avoid high engine speeds, full throttle and
extr eme lo
ad conditions until the engine has
reached its normal operating temperature,
otherwise this can damage the engine. For the sake of the environment
Do not warm up the engine by idling it. You
shoul d driv
e off as soon as you start the en-
gine. This will help avoid unnecessary ex-
haust emissions. Note
● If it i
s difficult to turn the ignition key to
the position 1 , turn the steering wheel to
both side s
to release the steering lock.
● When starting from cold, the engine may be
a little noisy
for the first few seconds until oil
pressure has built up in the hydraulic valve
lifters. This is quite normal, and no cause for
concern.
● If the vehicle battery is disconnected and
reconnect
ed, the key must remain in the posi-
tion 1 for around 5 seconds before starting
up. 168
Driving
●
Vehic l
es with automatic gearbox: after
switching off the ignition, you can only re-
move the ignition key if the selector lever is
in position “P” (parking lock). Next, the se-
lector lever is locked. Switching off the engine with the key
Switching off the engine
– Stop the vehicle.
– Turn the ignition key to position 1›››
Fig. 186.
Eng agin
g the steering wheel lock
In vehicles with automatic gearbox, the igni-
tion key can only be removed when the selec-
tor lever is in position P.
– Remove the key from the ignition in posi-
tion 1
› ›
› Fig. 186
››› .
– Turn the steering wheel until you hear it en-
gag
e.
P
ossible vehicle theft is prevented with the
steering lock engaged. WARNING
● Never sw it
ch the engine off until the vehi-
cle is stationary. The brake servo and power
steering functions will not be completely cov-
ered under warranty. More force may also be
needed to turn the steering wheel or to brake. As you cannot steer and brake in the normal
manner
, ther
e is a greater risk of accidents
and serious injury.
● Never remove the key from the ignition if
the vehic
le is in motion. Otherwise, the steer-
ing could suddenly lock, making it impossible
to steer the vehicle: risk of accident!
● Always take the key with you when you
leav
e the vehicle. This is particularly impor-
tant if there are children in the vehicle, as
they might otherwise be able to start the en-
gine or use power-operated equipment (e.g.
the electric windows), which could cause in-
juries. CAUTION
If the engine has been running under high
loa d f
or a long time, there is a risk of heat
building up in the engine compartment after
it has been switched off; this could cause en-
gine damage. For this reason, you should idle
the engine for approximately 2 minutes be-
fore you switch it off. Note
● Aft er the en
gine is switched off the radiator
fan may run on for up to 10 minutes, even if
the ignition is switched off. It is also possible
that the fan turns itself on once more if the
coolant temperature increases due to the
heat accumulated in the engine compartment
or due to its prolonged exposure to solar ra-
diation. ●
If the v
ehicle is stopped and the Start-Stop
system* switches off the engine, the ignition
remains switched on. Make sure that the igni-
tion is switched off before leaving the vehi-
cle, otherwise the battery could discharge. Starter button*
Fig. 187
In the lower part of the centre con-
so l
e: s
tarter button. The vehicle engine can be started with a
s
t
ar
ter button (Press & Drive). To do so, there
must be a valid key inside the vehicle in the
area of the front or rear seats.
Opening the driver's door when exiting the
vehicle activates the electronic lock on the
steering column if the ignition is disabled.
Switching the ignition on/off manually
Briefly push the starter button without touch-
ing the brake or clutch pedal ››› .
»
169
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
For vehicles with both manual and automatic
tr an
smi
ssion, the starter button text
START ENGINE STOP flashes like a heartbeat
when the sy s
t
em is preset for switching the
ignition on and off.
Automatic ignition switch-off
If the driver leaves the vehicle, taking the ve-
hicle key with them but leaving the ignition
on, the ignition is switched off automatically
after a certain time. If at that time the dipped
beam is on, the parking lights will stay on for
approx. 30 minutes. The side light can be
turned off by blocking the vehicle
››› page 116 or manually ››› page 131.
Emergency starting function
If no valid key is detected inside the vehicle,
an emergency start-up will be required. The
relevant message will appear in the dash
panel display. This may happen when, for ex-
ample, the battery of the vehicle key button
is very low or flat: ● Immediately after pushing the starter but-
ton, keep the
vehicle key next to the right
trim of the steering column.
● The ignition connects and the engine starts
automatic
ally. Emergency disconnection
If the engine doe
s not switch off after briefly
pressing the starter button, an emergency
disconnect will be required:
● Press the starter button twice within 3 sec-
onds or pr
ess it once for more than 1 sec-
ond ››› .
● The engine turns off automatically.
En gine r
e
start feature
If no valid key is detected inside the vehicle
after the engine stops, you will only have 5
seconds to restart it. A warning will display
on the dash panel screen.
After this interval, it will not be possible to
start the engine without a valid key inside
the vehicle.
Automatic deactivation of the ignition on ve-
hicles with the Start-Stop system
The ignition is switched off automatically
when the vehicle is stopped and the auto-
matic engine shutdown is active, if:
● The driver's seat belt is not fastened,
● the driver does not step on any pedal,
● the driver door is opened.
After aut
omatically turning off the ignition, if
the dipped beam is on, the side light re-
mains on for approx. 30 minutes (if the bat-
tery is sufficiently charged). If the driver locks the vehicle or manually turns off the light, the
side light g
oes out. WARNING
Any accidental movement of the vehicle could
re s
ult in serious injury.
● When switching on the ignition, do not
pre
ss the brake or clutch pedal, otherwise
the engine could start immediately. WARNING
If vehicle keys are used negligently or with-
out due c ar
e, this may cause accidents and
serious injury.
● Never leave any key inside the vehicle
when exitin
g. Otherwise, a child or unauthor-
ised person could lock the vehicle, start the
engine or connect the ignition and, in this
way, operate electronic equipment (e.g. the
windows). Note
● Bef or
e leaving the vehicle, always discon-
nect the ignition manually and, if appropri-
ate, take into account the instructions on the
screen of the dash panel.
● If the vehicle is stationary for a long time
with the ignition on, the v
ehicle battery
might be discharged and it might not be pos-
sible to start the engine.
● In diesel vehicles, there may be a delay in
the engine st
arting if it requires preheating.170
Driving
and the r ed control light of the display in
the d a
sh panel are on.
● Release the button.
Rele
asing the electronic parking brake
● Switch the ignition on.
● Press the button ›››
Fig. 188. At the same
time step hard on the brake pedal or, if the
engine is running, press the accelerator ped-
al slightly.
● The control light of the ›››
Fig. 188 button
(arrow) and the red control light of the dis-
play in the dash panel go out.
Automatic release of the electronic parking
brake on starting the engine
The electronic parking brake is automatically
switched off when starting if, after the driv-
er's door is closed and the driver's seat belt
fastened, any of the following situations take
place:
● On vehicles with an automatic gearbox: A
gear r
ange is engaged or the vehicle is
switched to another one and the accelerator
pedal is lightly pressed.
● In vehicles with a manual gearbox: The
clutc
h pedal is pressed fully before starting
off and the accelerator is pedal lightly press-
ed.
● To facilitate certain manoeuvres there are
exc
eptions that allow the automatic parking brake to be released without the driver's seat
belt being f
astened.
The parking brake can be prevented from be-
ing automatically released by continuously
pulling up the ››› Fig. 188 switch when
starting off.
The electronic parking brake is not discon-
nected until the button is released. This
can facilitate starting off when a heavy load
is towed ››› page 234.
Automatic activation of the electronic park-
ing brake when exiting the vehicle incorrect-
ly
In vehicles with automatic transmission, the
electronic parking brake is activated auto-
matically when exiting the vehicle incorrectly
if: ● The selector lever is in the D/S or R posi-
tion or in the
Tiptronic selection track.
● AND: the vehicle is stationary.
● AND: the driv
er door is
open.
Emergency braking function
Only use the emergency brake function if you
are unable to stop the vehicle with the foot
brake ››› .
● Pull and hold the › ›
›
Fig. 188 button in
this position to forcefully stop the vehicle. At the same time, an acoustic warning can be
heard.
●
T
o stop the braking process, release the
button or pr
ess the accelerator. WARNING
The improper use of the electronic parking
brak e c
an cause accidents and serious injury.
● Never use the electronic parking brake to
stop the
vehicle, unless it is an emergency.
The braking distance can be much longer. Al-
ways use the foot brake.
● Never accelerate from the engine when a
gear r
ange or a gear is engaged and the en-
gine is running. The vehicle could move, even
if the electronic parking brake is activated. CAUTION
To prevent the vehicle from unintentionally
mov in
g when parking it, first apply the elec-
tronic parking brake and then remove your
foot from the brake pedal. Note
● In v ehic
les with a manual gearbox, releas-
ing the clutch and accelerating at the same
time automatically disconnects the electronic
parking brake.
● If the vehicle battery is flat, it will not be
poss
ible to disconnect the electronic parking
brake. Use the jump-start ›››
page 61. » 173
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety