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
Operation
Windscreen wiper functionsWindscreen wiper performance in different sit-
uations
If the vehicle is at a
standstillThe activated position provision-
ally changes to the previous posi-
tion.
During automatic
wipe
The air conditioner comes on for
approximately 30 seconds in air
recirculation mode to prevent the
smell of the windscreen washer
fluid entering the inside the vehi-
cle.
For the interval wipe
Intervals between wipes depend
on the vehicle's speed. The high-
er the vehicle speed the shorter
the intervals. Heated windscreen washer jets
The he
atin
g on
ly thaws the frozen jets, it
does not thaw the water in the washer hoses.
When the ignition is switched on the heated
windscreen washer jets automatically adjust
the heat depending on the ambient tempera-
ture.
Headlight wash/wipe system
The headlight washers/wipers clean the
headlight lenses.
After the ignition is switched on, the first and
every fifth time the windscreen washer is
switched on, the headlights are also washed. Therefore, the windscreen wiper lever should
be pul
led towards the steering wheel when
the dipped beam or main beam are on. Any
incrusted dirt (such as insects) should be
cleaned regularly (e.g. when refuelling).
To ensure the headlight washers work cor-
rectly in winter, any snow which has got into
the bumper jet supports should be cleaned
away. If necessary, remove snow with an anti-
icing spray. Note
The wiper will try to wipe away any obstacles
that ar
e on the windscreen. The wiper will
stop moving if the obstacle blocks its path.
Remove the obstacle and switch the wiper
back on again. Rain sensor*
Fig. 143
Windscreen wiper lever: adjusting
the r ain sen
sor A Fig. 144
Rain sensor sensitive surface The rain sensor controls the frequency of the
w
ind
s
creen wiper intervals, depending on
the amount of rain ››› . The sensitivity of the
r ain sen
sor c
an be adjusted manually. Man-
ual wipe ››› page 139.
Move the lever to the required position
››› Fig. 143:
Rain sensor off.
Rain sensor on; automatic wipe if neces-
sary.
Setting sensitivity level of rain sensor
– Set control to the right: highly sensi-
tive.
– Set control to the left: less sensitive.
When the ignition is switched off and then
back on, the rain sensor stays on and starts
operating again when the windscreen wipers
are in position 1 and the vehicle is travel-
lin g at
mor
e than 16 km/h (10 mph).
0 1
A
140
Lights and visibility
Rain sensor modified behaviour
P o
s
sible causes of faults and mistaken read-
ings on the sensitive surface ››› Fig. 144 of
the rain sensor include:
● Damaged blades: a film of water on the
damag
ed blades may lengthen the activation
time, reduce the washing intervals or result
in a fast and continuous wipe.
● Insects: insects on the sensor may trigger
the winds
creen wiper.
● Salt on roads: in winter, salt spread in the
roa
ds may cause an extra long wipe when the
windscreen is almost dry.
● Dirt: dry dust, wax, coating on glass (Lotus
effect) or trac
es of detergent (car wash) may
reduce the effectiveness of the rain sensor or
make it react more slowly, later or not at all.
● Cracked windscreen: the impact of a stone
wil
l trigger a single wipe cycle with the rain
sensor on. Next the rain sensor detects the
reduction in the sensitive surface area and
adapts accordingly. The behaviour of the sen-
sor will vary with the size of the damage
caused by the stone. WARNING
The rain sensor may not detect enough rain
to sw it
ch on the wipers.
● If necessary, switch on the wipers manually
when water on the w
indscreen obstructs visi-
bility. Note
● Cle
an the sensitive surface of the rain sen-
sor regularly and check the blades for dam-
age ››› Fig. 144 (arrow).
● To remove wax and coatings, we recom-
mend a window c
leaner containing alcohol. Mirror
Anti-dazz l
e rear vision mirrors Your vehicle is fitted with an interior rear vi-
s
ion mirr
or w
ith a manual or automatic* con-
trol for anti-dazzle position.
Interior rear vision mirror with manual set-
ting for anti-dazzle position
– Position the small lever of the lower edge
of the mirror t
o face towards the rear. WARNING
In the event that an automatic anti-dazzle
re ar
vision mirror breaks, an electrolyte fluid
may leak. This could cause irritation to the
skin, eyes and respiratory organs. If you
come into contact with this liquid, it must be
rinsed with large quantities of water. If neces-
sary, get medial help. CAUTION
In the event that an automatic anti-dazzle
re ar
vision mirror breaks, an electrolyte fluid
may leak. This liquid attacks plastic surfaces.
Clean it with a wet sponge as soon as possi-
ble. Note
● If the light inc
ident in the interior rear vi-
sion mirror is obstructed (e.g. with the sun
blind*), the anti-dazzle rear vision mirror with
automatic setting will not operate perfectly.
● When the interior lights are on or reverse
gear en
gaged, the mirrors do not darken with
automatic adjustment for anti-dazzle posi-
tion. 141
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
Air outlets Fig. 185
On the dash panel: air vents Air vents
T
o en
s
ure proper heating, cooling and venti-
lation in the vehicle interior, air vents
››› Fig. 185 1 should remain open.
● Turn the corresponding thumbwheel (de-
t ai
l) in the r
equired direction to open and
close the air vents. When the thumbwheel is
in the position, the corresponding air vent
is closed.
● Change the air direction using the ventila-
tion grill
e lever.
There are other additional, non-adjustable air
vents in the dash panel 2 , in the footwell
and in the r ear ar
ea of the interior. Note
Food, medicine and other heat or cold sensi-
tive o b
jects should never be placed in front of
the air outlets as they may be damaged or
made unsuitable for use by the air coming
from the air vents. Air recirculation mode
Basic points
Air recirculation:
Manual recirculation
Air recirculation mode prevents the ambient
air fr
om ent
erin
g the interior. When the outside temperature is very high,
selecting m
anual air recirculation mode for a
short period refreshes the vehicle interior
more quickly.
For safety reasons, air recirculation mode is
switched off when the button is press-
ed or the air distributor turned to .
Switching the manual air recirculation mode
on and off
To switch system on: press the button un-
til the warning lamp lights up.
To switch system off: press the button un-
til the warning lamp goes off.
166
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
Operation
●
When the electr onic
parking brake is ap-
plied or released, noises may be heard.
● The system performs automatic and audi-
ble t
ests sporadically in the parked vehicle if
some time elapses without the electronic
parking brake being used. Using the handbrake
Fig. 189
Handbrake between the front seats. The handbrake should be applied firmly to
pr
ev
ent
the vehicle from accidentally rolling
away.
Always apply the handbrake when you leave
your vehicle and when you park.
Applying the handbrake
– Pull the handbrake lever up firmly
›››
Fig. 189. Releasing the handbrake
– Pull the lever up slightly and press the re-
lea
se knob in the direction of the arrow
››› Fig. 189 and guide the handbrake lever
down fully ››› .
A lw
a
ys pull the handbrake all the way up, so
there is less risk of driving off with it still en-
gaged ››› .
The h andbr
ak
e warning lamp lights up
when the handbrake is applied and the igni-
tion switched on. The warning lamp turns off
when the handbrake is released.
If you drive faster than 6 km/h (4 mph) with
the handbrake on, the following message*
will appear on the instrument panel: HAND-
BRAKE ON. You will also hear an audible
warning. WARNING
● Never u se the h
andbrake to stop the vehi-
cle when it is in motion. The braking distance
is considerably longer, because braking is
only applied to the rear wheels. Risk of acci-
dent!
● If the handbrake is only partially released,
this w
ill cause the rear brakes to overheat,
which can impair the function of the brake
system and could lead to an accident. This al-
so causes premature wear on the rear brake
pads. CAUTION
Always apply the handbrake before you leave
the v ehic
le. Put it in 1st gear as well. Parking
The handbrake should always be firmly ap-
plied when the
v
ehicle is parked.
Always note the following points when park-
ing the vehicle: – Use the brake pedal to stop the vehicle.
– Apply the handbrake.
– Put it in 1st gear.
– Switch the engine off and remove the key
from the ignition. T
urn the steering wheel
slightly to engage the steering lock.
– Never leave a vehicle key in the vehicle.
Additiona
l notes on parking the vehicle on
gradients:
Turn the steering wheel so that the vehicle
rolls against the kerb if it started to roll.
● If the vehicle is parked facing downhil
l,
turn the front wheels so that they point to-
wards the kerb .
● If the vehicle is parked facing uphill
, turn
the front wheels so that they point away from
the kerb.
174
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
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