2016 Seat Leon 5D catalytic converter

The essentials
Towline anchorages
Att ac
h the b
ar or rope to the towline ancho-
rages.
The towline anchorages are located under
the floor panel in the luggage compartment,
next to the vehicle tools ›››
 page 85.
Screw the towline anchorage into the screw
connection ››› Fig. 75 o ››› Fig. 76 and tighten
it with the wheel brace.
Tow rope or tow bar
The tow bar offers increased safety and a
lower risk of damage.
The tow rope is recommended when there is
no tow bar. It must be elastic so that it does
not damage the vehicle.
Notes for the driver of the towing vehicle
● The tow rope must be taut before you drive
off.
● Rel

ease the clutch very carefully when start-
ing the v
ehicle (manual gearbox), or acceler-
ate gently (automatic gearbox).
Driving style
Towing requires some experience, especially
when using a tow rope. Both drivers should
realise how difficult it is to tow a vehicle. In-
experienced drivers should not attempt to
tow. Do not pull too hard with the towing vehicle
and take c

are to avoid jerking the tow rope.
When towing on an unpaved road, there is al-
ways a risk of overloading and damaging the
anchorage points.
Switch on the ignition so that the turn sig-
nals, windscreen wipers and windscreen
washer can work. Ensure that the steering
wheel is unlocked and moves freely.
Place the gear lever in neutral on vehicles
with a manual gearbox. With an automatic
gearbox, place the lever in N.
To brake, press the brake pedal firmly. The
brake servo does not work when the engine
is switched off.
The power steering only works when the igni-
tion is switched on and the vehicle is moving,
provided that the battery is sufficiently charg-
ed. Otherwise, it will need more force.
Ensure that the tow rope remains taut at all
times.

››› in General information on page 88
››› page 88 Tow-starting
If the engine will not start, first try starting it
us
in

g the battery of another vehicle
››› page 61. 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.
● Engage 2nd or 3rd gear before moving off.
● Press the clutch and hold the pedal down.
● Switch the ignition on.
● Once both vehicles are moving, release the
clut c

h.
● As soon as the engine has started, press
the clutc
h and move the gear lever to neutral.
How to jump start Jump lea
ds The jump lead must have a sufficient wire
c
r
o

ss 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. » 61

Emergencies
they should be changed if they are damaged,
or c l
e
aned if they are dirty ››› .
Dam ag
ed w
iper blades should be replaced
immediately. These are available from quali-
fied workshops. WARNING
Worn or dirty wiper blades reduce visibility
and incr e

ase the risk of accident and serious
injury.
● Always replace damaged or worn blades or
bla
des which do not clean the windscreen
correctly. CAUTION
● Damag ed or dir

ty windscreen wipers could
scratch the glass.
● If products containing solvents, rough
spong
es or sharp objects are used to clean
the blades, the graphite layer will be dam-
aged.
● Never use fuel, nail varnish remover, paint
thinner or simil
ar products to clean the win-
dows.
● 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. CAUTION
● To pr ev

ent damage to the bonnet and the
wiper arms, only leave them in the service
position.
● Before driving, always lower the wiper
arms. Towing and tow-starting the ve-
hicl
e
Gener

al information Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 60.
Tow-starting means starting the engine of
the vehicle while another pulls it.
Towing means one vehicle pulling another
that is not roadworthy.
If the vehicle comes with the Keyless Access
system, towing is only allowed with the igni-
tion on!
The vehicle battery drains if the vehicle is
towed with the engine switched off and the
ignition connected. Depending on the battery
charge status, the drop in voltage may be so
large, even after just a few minutes, that no
electrical device in the vehicle may work e.g.
the hazard warning lights. In vehicles with the Keyless Access system, the steering
wheel cou

ld lock up. WARNING
If the vehicle has no electrical power, the
brak e light

s, turn signals and all other lights
will no longer function. Do not have the vehi-
cle towed away. Failure to follow this instruc-
tion could result in an accident. WARNING
The risk of accidents is high when tow-start-
ing, f or e

xample, the towed vehicle can easily
be driven into the towing vehicle. CAUTION
If there is no oil in the gearbox or no lubricant
in the autom atic

transmission the car may
only be towed with the driven wheels lifted
clear of the road, or transported on a special
car transporter or trailer. CAUTION
Do not tow a vehicle for more than 50 m in at-
tempt t

o start it. There is risk of damage to
the catalytic converter. Note
● Ple a

se observe related legal requirements.88

Instruments and warning/control lamps
lights up in red and the control lamp  ap-
pe ar
s
››› page 104. When the fuel level is very
low, the lower diode flashes in red.
The distance to empty fuel level is displayed
on the instrument panel 3
› ››
Fig. 120
.
The c

apacity of the fuel tank of your vehicle is
given in the Technical data section
›››  page 50. CAUTION
Never run the fuel tank completely dry. An ir-
re gu

lar fuel supply could cause misfiring. In
this way the unburned fuel can reach the ex-
haust system, which could cause the catalytic
converter to overheat resulting in damage. Control lamps
W arnin
g and c

ontrol lampsRead the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 40.
The control and warning lamps are indicators
of warnings, ››› , faults
››
›
or certain func-
tion s.
Some c
ontrol and warning lamps come
on when the ignition is switched on, and
switch off when the engine starts running, or
while driving.
Depending on the model, additional text
messages may be viewed on the instrument panel display. These may be purely informa-
tive or they m

ay be advising of the need for
action ››› page 104, Instruments.
Depending upon the equipment fitted in the
vehicle, instead of a warning lamp, some-
times a symbol may be displayed on the in-
strument panel.
When certain control and warning lamps are
lit, an audible warning is also heard. WARNING
If the warning lamps and messages are ignor-
ed, the v ehic

le may stall in traffic, or may
cause accidents and severe injuries.
● Never ignore the warning lamps or text
mess
ages.
● Stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible.
● Park the vehicle away from traffic and en-
sure th
at there are no highly flammable ma-
terials under the vehicle that could come into
contact with the exhaust system (e.g. dry
grass, fuel).
● A faulty vehicle represents a risk of acci-
dent for the driv
er and for other road users. If
necessary, switch on the hazard warning
lamps and put out the warning triangle to ad-
vise other drivers.
● Before opening the bonnet, switch off the
engine and al
low it to cool.
● In any vehicle, the engine compartment is a
hazar
dous area and could cause severe inju-
ries ››› page 262. CAUTION
Failure to heed the control lamps and text
mes s

ages when they appear may result in
faults in the vehicle. 109
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
6. Use the warning triangle to draw the atten- tion of other r
o
ad users to your vehicle.
7. Always take the vehicle key with you when you le
ave the vehicle.
All turn signals flash simultaneously when
the hazard warning lights are switched on.
The two turn signal turn signal lamps  
and the turn signal lamp in the switch  will
flash at the same time. The simultaneous
hazard warning lights also work when the ig-
nition is switched off.
Emergency braking warning
If the vehicle brakes suddenly and continu-
ously at a speed of more than 80 km/h (50
mph), the brake light flashes several times
per second to warn the vehicles driving be-
hind. If you continue braking, the hazard
warning lights will come on automatically
when the vehicle comes to a standstill. They
switch off automatically when the vehicle
starts to move again. WARNING
● The risk of

an accident increases if your ve-
hicle breaks down. Always use the hazard
warning lights and a warning triangle to draw
the attention of other road users to your sta-
tionary vehicle.
● Due to the high temperatures that the cata-
lytic con
verter can reach, never park in an
area where the catalytic converter could come into contact with highly inflammable materi-
al
s, f

or example dry grass or spilt petrol. This
could start a fire. Note
● The b atter

y will run down if the hazard
warning lights are left on for a long time,
even if the ignition is switched off.
● The use of the hazard warning lights de-
scribed her
e is subject to the relevant statu-
tory requirements. Parking lights
 When the parking light is switched on, (right
or l
ef
t

turn signal), the front side light and
the rear light on the corresponding side of
the vehicle stay lit. The parking lights can on-
ly be activated with the ignition switched off
and the turn signal and main beam lever in
the central position, before being triggered.
Parking light on both sides With the ignition switched off and the light
sw
it
c

h in position , when locking the vehi-
cle from the outside, the parking lights on
both sides of the vehicle light up. In doing
so, only the side lights of both headlights
light up, and additionally the tail lights will
do so partially. Motorway light* The motorway light is available on vehicles
equipped w
ith f

ull-LED lights.
The function is connected/disconnected via
the corresponding Easy Connect system
menu.
● Activation: when going abo
ve 110 km/h
(68 mph) for more than 30 seconds, the dip-
ped beam raises slightly to increase the driv-
er's visibility distance.
● Deactivation: when reduc in
g the speed of
the car below 100 km/h (62 mph), the dip-
ped beam returns to its normal position.
Driving abroad The light beam of the dipped beam lights is
a
symmetric: the s
ide of

the road on which
you are driving is lit more intensely.
When a car that is manufactured in a country
that drives on the right travels to a country
that drives on the left (or vice versa), it is nor-
mally necessary to cover part of the headlight
bulbs with stickers or to change the adjust-
ment of the headlights to avoid dazzling oth-
er drivers.
In such cases, the regulations specify certain
light values that must be complied with for
designated points of the light distribution.
This is known as “Tourist light”.
136

Driving
●
If durin g the
STOP phase you press the
START ENGINE STOP button, the ignition is
swit c
hed off and the button flashes.
● If the indication “Start-Stop system deacti-
vated:
Start the engine manually” is dis-
played on the dash panel display, the START ENGINE STOP button will blink.
Starting the engine
3 Valid for vehicles: with starter button.
StepStarting the engine with the starter but-
ton
››› page 169.
1.Press and hold the brake pedal until step 5 is
performed.
1a.In vehicles with a manual gearbox: press and
hold the clutch down until the engine starts.
2.Put the gearbox lever in neutral or the selector
lever in position P or N.
3.
Briefly press the starter button ››› Fig. 187 with-
out pressing the accelerator. For the engine to
start there must be a valid key in the vehicle.
After starting the engine, the light of the START ENGINE STOP
button changes to a fixed
light indicating that the engine has started.
4.If the engine does not start, stop and wait for
approx. 1 minute before trying again. If neces-
sary, perform an emergency start ››› page 170.
5.Disconnect the electronic parking brake when
you are about to start driving ››› page 172. WARNING
Never leave the vehicle with the engine run-
ning, e s

pecially if a gear or gear range is en-
gaged. The vehicle could then suddenly move
or something strange could happen that
would cause damage, fire or serious injury. WARNING
Cold start sprays could explode or cause a
sud den inc

rease in the engine speed.
● Never use sprays to cold start the engine. CAUTION
● The st ar

ter motor or the engine may be
damaged if you try to start the engine while
driving or if you restart it immediately after
switching it off.
● If the engine is cold, avoid high engine
speeds, p
ushing the engine too hard and rap-
id acceleration.
● Do not start the engine by pushing the ve-
hicle or t
owing it. Unburnt fuel could enter
the catalytic converter and damage it. Note
● Do not w ait

until the engine warms up with
the vehicle stationary; if you have good visi-
bility through the windows, start driving im-
mediately. This helps the engine reach oper-
ating temperature faster and reduces emis-
sions. ●
Electric a

l components with a high power
consumption are switched off temporarily
when the engine starts.
● When starting with a cold engine, noise
level
s may briefly increase. This is quite nor-
mal, and no cause for concern.
● When the outside temperature is below
+5°C (+41°F), if the en
gine is diesel, some
smoke may appear under the vehicle when the fuel-operated auxiliary heater is on. Stopping the engine
3 V
alid for vehicles: with starter button.
StepSwitch off the engine with the starter
button ››› page 169.
1.Stop the vehicle completely ››› .
2.Press and hold the brake pedal until the step
4 is performed.
3.If you are driving an automatic vehicle, place
the selector lever in position P.
4.Connect the electronic parking brake
››› page 172.
5.
Briefly press the start-up button ››› Fig. 187.
The START ENGINE STOP button blinks again. If
the engine fails to switch off, perform an emer-
gency disconnect ››› page 170.
6.If the vehicle is equipped with a manual gear-
box, put it into 1st or reverse.» 171
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Driving
the Start-Stop system it is worth switching off
the en gine, f
or e
xample, at level crossings
and at traffic lights that remain red for long
periods of time. When an engine has reached
operating temperature, and depending on
the cylinder capacity, keeping it switched off
for a minimum of about 5 seconds already
saves more than the amount of fuel necessa-
ry for restarting.
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.
Regular maintenance
Regular servicing helps in saving fuel even
before the engine is started. A well-serviced
engine gives you the benefit of improved fuel
efficiency as well as maximum reliability and
an enhanced resale value. A badly serviced
engine can consume up to 10% more fuel
than necessary.
Avoid short journeys
The engine and catalytic converter need to
reach their optimal operating temperature in
order to minimise fuel consumption and
emissions. A cold engine consumes a disproportionate
amount of
fuel. The engine reaches its work-
ing temperature after about four kilometres
(2.5 miles), when fuel consumption will re-
turn to a normal level.
Check tyre pressure
Always make sure the tyres are inflated to the
correct pressures ››› page 272 to save fuel. If
the pressure is below half bar, fuel consump-
tion may increase by 5%. Due to the greater
rolling resistance, under-inflation also increa-
ses tyre wear and impairs handling.
Do not use winter tyres all year round as they
increase fuel consumption by up to 10%.
Avoid carrying unnecessary loads
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.
Since the luggage rack increases the aerody-
namic drag of the vehicle, you should remove
it when not needed. At speeds of 100-120
km/h (62-75 mph), this will save 12% of fuel.
Save electrical energy
The engine drives the alternator, thereby gen-
erating electricity. This implies that any in-
crease in power consumption also increases
fuel consumption! For this reason, switch off any unneeded electrical devices. Devices that
use a lot of
electricity includes the blower at
a high setting, the rear window heating or
the seat heating*.
Engine management and ex-
haus
t gas purification system
Introduction WARNING
● Bec au

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 ar
ea of the exhaust system: Fire
hazard! Note
While the control lamps , ,  or  re-
m ain lit, ther

e may be engine problems, fuel
consumption may increase and the engine
may lose power. 189
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
Catalytic converter 3 Applies to vehicles with petrol engine
The v
ehicle must only be used with unleaded
petrol, otherwise the catalytic converter will
be irreparably damaged.
Never drive until the tank is empty; an irregu-
lar supply of fuel can cause faulty combus-
tion. In these cases, unburned fuel reaches
the exhaust system, which can overheat and
damage the catalytic converter.
Diesel particulate filter 3 App
lies to vehicles with diesel engine
The die
sel engine particulate filter eliminates
most of the soot from the exhaust gas sys-
tem. Under normal driving conditions, the fil-
ter cleans itself. The diesel particulate filter is
cleaned automatically without need for indi-
cation by the warning lamp . This may be
noticed because the engine idle speed in-
creases and an odour may be detected.
If automatic filter purification cannot be car-
ried out (because only short trips are taken,
for example), soot will accumulate on the fil-
ter and the Diesel particulate filter warning
lamp will  switch on.
Facilitate the automatic filter cleaning proc-
ess by driving in the following manner: drive
for approximately 15 minutes at a minimum
speed of 60 km/h (37 mph) in 4th or 5th gear (automatic gearbox: gear S). Maintain the en-
gine speed at
ap

proximately 2,000 rpm. The
rise in temperature causes the soot on the fil-
ter to burn. On completion of the cleaning
the warning lamp will switch off. If the warn-
ing lamp does not switch off, go immediately
to a specialised workshop to rectify the prob-
lem.
Engine management*  This warning lamp monitors the engine man-
ag
ement
sy

stem for petrol engines.
The warning lamp  (Electronic Power Con-
trol) lights up when the ignition is switched
on while system operation is being verified. It
should go out once the engine is started.
If there is a fault in the electronic engine
management system while you are driving,
this warning lamp will light up. Take the vehi-
cle to a specialised workshop as soon as
possible and have the engine checked.
Emission control system*  Control lamp
 fla
she
s:
When there is misfiring that can damage the
catalytic converter. Reduce speed and drive
carefully to the nearest specialised workshop
to have the engine checked. The control lamp
 lights up:
If
a fault has developed during driving which
has reduced the quality of the exhaust gas
(e.g. lambda probe fault). Reduce speed and
drive carefully to the nearest specialised
workshop to have the engine checked.
Engine pre-heating/fault system*  The warning lamp lights up to show that the
glow p
lug

s are preheating the diesel engine.
The control lamp  lights up
If the control lamp  lights up when the en-
gine is started it means that the glow plugs
are preheating. The engine can be started
straight away when the lamp switches off.
Control lamp  flashes
If a fault develops in the engine management
system while you are driving, the glow plug
system lamp will flash . Take the vehicle to
a specialised workshop as soon as possible
and have the engine checked.
190

Checking and refilling levels
WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable and can cause seri-
ous b
urns and other injuries.
● Do not smoke when filling the fuel tank or a
canis
ter. Naked flames are forbidden in the
vicinity due to the risk of explosion.
● Observe legislation governing the use,
stor
age and carrying of a spare fuel canister
in the vehicle.
● For safety reasons we do not recommend
carry
ing a spare fuel canister in the vehicle.
In an accident the canister could be damaged
and could leak.
● If, in exceptional circumstances, you have
to carr
y a spare fuel canister, please observe
the following points:
– Never fill fuel into the spare fuel canister
if it is inside or on top of the vehicle. An
electrostatic charge could build up during
filling, causing the fuel vapour to ignite.
Danger of explosion. Always place the
canister on the ground to fill it.
– Insert the filling nozzle as far as possible
into the spare fuel canister.
– If the spare fuel canister is made of met-
al, the filling nozzle must be in contact
with the canister during filling. This
helps prevent an electrostatic charge
building up. –
Never s pi

ll fuel in the vehicle or in the
luggage compartment. Fuel vapour is ex-
plosive. Risk of fatal accident! CAUTION
● If an y

fuel is spilt onto the vehicle, it
should be removed immediately. It could oth-
erwise damage the paintwork.
● Never run the tank completely dry. An irreg-
ular f
uel supply could cause misfiring. As a
result, unburnt fuel could enter the exhaust
system and damage the catalytic converter.
● When filling the fuel tank after having run it
compl
etely dry on a vehicle with a diesel en-
gine, the ignition must be switched on for at
least 30 seconds before starting the engine.
When you then start the engine it may take
longer than normal (up to one minute) to
start firing. This is because air needs to be
bled from the fuel system while starting. For the sake of the environment
Do not overfill the fuel tank, it may cause the
fuel t

o overflow if it becomes warm. Note
There is no emergency mechanism for the
manua l

release of the fuel tank flap. If neces-
sary, request assistance from specialised per-
sonnel. Note
Diesel vehicles are fitted with a protective de-
vic e th

at prevents the insertion of the wrong
fuel hose 1)
. It is only possible to refuel with
Diesel nozzles.
● If the pump nozzle is worn, damaged, or if
it is
very small, it is possible that it will not
be able to open the protective device. Before
trying to insert the pump nozzle by turning it,
try a different pump or request specialist
help.
● If you fill the tank from a reserve fuel canis-
ter, the pr
otective device will not open. One
way to resolve this is to pour the fuel in very
slowly. Refuelling with natural gas
Fig. 239
Tank flap open: gas filler mouth 1 ,
fi l
l

er mouth retainer 2 »
1)
Depending on country
257
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety