The essentials
Anti-theft wheel bolts Fig. 71
Anti-theft wheel bolt with cap and
a d
apt
er. ●
Remove the wheel cover* or the cap*.
● Insert the special adapter (vehicle tools)
ont o the anti-thef
t
wheel bolt and push it on
as far as it will go.
● Insert the wheel brace (vehicle tools) onto
the adapt
er as far as it will go.
● Remove the wheel bolt ›››
page 58 . Note
Make a note of the code number of the anti-
theft wheel
bolt and keep it in a safe place,
but not in your vehicle. If you need a new
adapter, you can obtain it from the SEAT Offi-
cial Service, indicating the code number. Loosening the wheel bolts
Fig. 72
Wheel: loosen the wheel bolts. ●
Insert the box spanner (vehicle tools) onto
the wheel bo
lt
as far as it will go. An adapter
is required to unscrew or tighten the anti-
theft wheel bolts ››› page 58.
● Turn the wheel bolt approximately one turn
to the lef
t ››› Fig. 72 (arrow). To apply the re-
quired torque, hold the wheel brace at the
end. If it is not possible to loosen a wheel
bolt, carefully apply pressure with one foot
on the end of the box spanner. Hold on to the
vehicle for support and take care not to slip. WARNING
Slightly loosen the wheel bolts (one turn) be-
for e r
aising the vehicle with the jack*. If not,
an accident may occur. Lifting the vehicle
Fig. 73
Crossbar: marks. Fig. 74
Strut: mounting the jack on the vehi-
c l
e. ●
Place the jack* (vehicle tools) on firm
gr ou
nd. If
necessary use a large, strong
board or similar support. If the surface is slip-
pery (for example tiles) place the jack on a
rubber mat or similar to prevent it from slip-
ping ››› .
58
The essentials
● Ret
urn al
l tools to their proper storing loca-
tion.
● If the replaced wheel does not fit in the
spar
e wheel housing, store it safely in the
luggage compartment ›››
page 151.
● Check the tyre pressure of the newly moun-
ted tyr
e as soon as possible.
● In vehicles fitted with a tyre pressure indi-
cator
, adjust the pressure and store the read-
ing in the radio/Easy Connect system*
››› page 275.
● Have the tightening torque of the wheel
bolts c
hecked as soon as possible with a tor-
que wrench (it should be 120 Nm). Mean-
while, drive carefully.
● Have the flat tyre replaced as quickly as
poss
ible.
Snow chains Use Snow chains should only be used on the
fr
on
t
wheels.
Check that they are correctly seated after
driving for a few yards; correct the position if
necessary, in accordance with the manufac-
turer's fitting instructions. Keep your speed
below 50 km/h (30 mph). If there is a danger of being trapped despite
havin
g mounted the chains, it is best to disa-
ble the driving wheels (ASR) in the ESC
››› page 178, Switching on/off the ESC
and ASR.
Snow chains will improve braking ability as
well as traction in winter conditions.
For technical reasons snow chains may only
be used with the following wheel rim/tyre
combination.
195/65 R15Chains with links of maximum 15 mm
205/55 R16Chains with links of maximum 15 mm
225/45 R17Chains with links of maximum 9 mm
225/40 R18Chains with links of maximum 9 mm Remove wheel covers and any integral trim
rin
g bef
or
e fitting snow chains.
Remove the chains when roads are free of
snow. Driving characteristics worsen, and the
wheels become damaged quickly and may
even be rendered unusable. Emergency towing of the vehi-
cle
T
owing Fig. 75
Right side of the front bumper: tow-
line anc hor
ag
e screwed in. Fig. 76
Right side of the rear bumper: towline
anc hor
ag
e screwed in. 60
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
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
Driver assistance systems
Operation Fig. 214
In the windscreen: field of vision of
the Lane As s
i
st system camera. Using the camera located in the windscreen,
the Lane As
s
i
st system detects the possible
lines dividing the lanes. When the vehicle in-
voluntarily approaches a dividing line it has
detected, the system notifies the driver with
a corrective steering movement . This move-
ment can be over-regulated at any time.
No warning is produced with the turn signals
activated, given that the Lane Assist system
understands that a lane change is required.
Steering wheel vibration
The following situations can cause vibration
in the steering wheel and require the driver
to take active control of driving:
● When the limits of the very nature of the
syst
em are reached. ●
When the maximum r
otational torque dur-
ing the corrective steering movement is not
enough to keep the vehicle inside the lane.
● When no lane is detected during the correc-
tive st
eering movement.
Switching the Lane Assist system on or off
Through the Easy Connect system
● Press the Easy Connect button .
● Press the S
ETUP function button.
● Press the function button driv
er a
s
sistance to
open the menu.
OR: thr ough the driving assist
b
utt
on
on the turn signal level*.
The Lane centring guide is activa-
ted/deactivated in the Easy Connect system
using the button and the
S
ETUP function
b utt
on ›
›› page 110.
Self-deactivation: the Lane Assist system can
be automatically deactivated if there is a sys-
tem malfunction. The control lamp disap-
pears.
Hands-Off Function
● In the absence of steering wheel activity
the syst
em alerts the driver with acoustic sig-
nals and a text message on the dash panel
asking to actively take over the steering.
● If the driver does not react to this, the sys-
tem also al
erts the driver with a little shaking motion through the brakes and, if the vehicle
has
it, activates the Emergency Assist func-
tion ››› page 217.
● In vehicles without Emergency Assist, the
adaptiv
e lane guidance function will be disa-
bled after the corresponding warnings to the
driver.
The lane assist system is active but it is not
available (the control lamp is lit up yellow)
● When driving at speeds below 65 km/h (38
mph).
● When the Lane Assist system does not de-
tect the div
iding lines of the road. For exam-
ple, in the event warnings indicating road
works, and snow, dirt, moisture or reflec-
tions.
● When the radius of a curve is too small.
● When no road markings can be seen.
● When the distance to the next marking to
too gre
at.
● When the system does not detect any clear
and active st
eering movement during a long
period of time.
● Temporarily, in the event of very dynamic
driving s
tyles.
● If a turn signal is activated.
● With the stability control system (ESC) in
Sport
mode or switched off. »
215
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
tightened using a torque wrench, and a pow-
er soc k
et
must be connected to the vehicle
electrical system. This requires specialised
knowledge and tools.
● Figures in the illustration show the eleva-
tion value and the att
achment points which
must be considered if you are retrofitting a
towing bracket. WARNING
The towing brackets should be fitted at a spe-
ci a
lised workshop.
● If the towing bracket is incorrectly instal-
led, there i
s a serious danger of accident.
● For your own safety, please observe the tow
brack
et manufacturer's instructions. CAUTION
● If the po w
er socket is incorrectly installed,
this could cause damage to the vehicle elec-
trical system. Note
● SEA T r
ecommends that the towing hooks
be fitted at a specialised workshop. Consult
your SEAT dealer in case additional modifica-
tions to your vehicle are necessary.
● Due to the specific design of the exhaust,
the fitting of a c
onventional towing hook is
not recommended for some sportier versions.
Please consult your Technical Service. 244
Intelligent technology
CAUTION
● Do not u se so
lvents, wax polish, shoe
cream, stain removers, leather cleaning prod-
ucts or any similar products on Alcantara.
● To avoid damage, stubborn stains should
be remov
ed by a specialised workshop.
● On no account use brushes, hard sponges
or simil
ar utensils. Seat belts
–
Keep the seat belts clean.
– For cleaning, use a mild solution of soap
and w at
er
.
– Check the condition of the seat belts at reg-
ular int
ervals.
The retract function may not operate properly
in very dirty belts. Make sure that the inertia
reel seat belts are completely dry before al-
lowing them to retract. CAUTION
● Do not r emo
ve the seat belts from the vehi-
cle to clean them.
● Do not use chemical cleaning agents on the
seat belt
s, as this can damage the webbing.
Ensure that the seat belts do not come into
contact with corrosive fluids.
● If you find any damage to the belt webbing,
belt fitting
s, the belt retractor or the buckle, the belt in question must be replaced by a
spec
i
alised workshop. Intelligent technology
El ectr
omec
hanical steering Electro-mechanical power steering assists
the driver when s
t
eering.
Electro-mechanical power steering adapts
electronically to the speed of the car, torque
and turning angle.
If the power steering should fail at any time
or the engine is switched off (for instance
when being towed), the car can still be
steered. However, more effort than normal
will be required to turn the steering wheel.
Driver warning lamps and messages (in red) Faulty steering! To
park the vehicle
If the warning lamp remains on and the driver
indication appears, the power steering could
be faulty.
Do not continue driving. Seek specialist as-
sistance. (in yellow) Steering: System
fault! You may continue driving.
If the warning lamp comes on, the steering
could react with more difficultly or more sen-
sitivity than normal. In addition, when driving
in a straight line the steering wheel may be
off-centre. »
253Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety