
Transport and practical equipment
●
Only u
se base supports and roof carrier
systems that are not damaged and are cor-
rectly fitted.
● The base support should only be fitted to
the points indic
ated in the diagram
››› Fig. 141.
● Secure the base supports and roof carrier
syst
em correctly.
● Check the screws and attachments before
driving and af
ter a short distance. During
each long journey, check the attachments
during every break.
● Always fit the roof carrier system correctly
for wheels, sk
is and surfboards, etc.
● Never modify or repair the basic supports
or roof c
arrier system. Note
Read and take into account the instructions
included w ith the r
oof carrier system fitted
and keep them in the vehicle. Loading the roof carrier
Loads can only be correctly secured when the
r
oof
c
arrier system is correctly fitted ››› .
M ax
imum authori
sed roof load
The maximum authorised roof load is 50 kg.
The roof load includes the weight of the base support, the roof carrier system and the load
being tran
sported ››› .
A lw
a
ys check the weight of the base support,
the roof carrier system and the weight of the
load to be transported and, if necessary,
weigh them. Never exceed the maximum au-
thorised roof load.
If you are using a roof carrier with a lower
weight rating, you cannot transport the maxi-
mum roof load. Do not exceed the maximum
weight limit for the roof carrier given in the
fitting instructions.
Distributing a load
Uniformly distribute loads and secure them
correctly ››› .
Chec k
att
achments
After fitting the base supports and the roof
carrier system, always check the attachments
after a short trip and at regular intervals. WARNING
Exceeding the maximum authorised roof load
can r e
sult in accidents and/or vehicle dam-
age.
● Never surpass the maximum authorised
weight f
or the roof, the maximum authorised
weight on the axles and the total maximum
authorised weight of the vehicle. ●
Never e x
ceed the capacity of the roof carri-
er system even if this is less than the maxi-
mum authorised roof load.
● Secure heavy items as far forward as possi-
ble and di
stribute the vehicle load uniformly. WARNING
Loose and incorrectly secured loads can fall
fr om the r oof
carrier system causing acci-
dents and injury.
● Always use suitable ropes and straps in
good condition.
● A
lways secure loads correctly. 129
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
Air conditioning
He atin
g,
ventilation and cool-
ing
Introduction Read the additional information carefully
›› ›
page 27
One of the following systems can be installed
in the vehicle:
● Heating and fresh air system
● Manual air conditioning
● Climatronic
The heatin g and fr
esh air system heats and
ventilates the passenger compartment. The
heating and fresh air system cannot cool.
The manual air conditioning and the Clima-
tronic cool and dehumidify the air. Its opti-
mum output is achieved with the windows
and the glass sunroof closed. In case of con-
siderable heat build-up in the passenger
compartment, ventilating this compartment
can accelerate the cooling process.
Display of active functions
The luminous diodes (LED) that light up on
the rotary regulators and on the buttons that
indicate that the corresponding function is
activated. In the case of the Climatronic, the functions
that ar
e activated are shown on the control
panel display. WARNING
When visibility through the windows is poor,
the risk of
accidents or collisions taking place
is increased, which can lead to serious inju-
ries.
● To obtain good visibility, keep the windows
free of ic
e, snow and frost.
● Set the heating, the air conditioner and the
rear w
indow defroster so that the windows do
not mist over.
● Only put the car in gear when there is good
vis
ibility through the windows.
● Do not use the air recirculation for a long
time period. With the c
ooling disconnected
and the air recirculation connected, the win-
dows can quickly mist over and seriously ob-
struct visibility.
● Disconnect the air recirculation whenever it
is not
needed. WARNING
Stale air can quickly bring about fatigue for
the driver and r educ
e his/her capacity to con-
centrate, which could lead to collisions, acci-
dents and serious injuries.
● Never disconnect the blower for an exten-
ded time or never le
ave the air recirculation
disconnected for an extended time, since in the meantime, no outside fresh air shall enter
the pa
s
senger compartment. CAUTION
If the air conditioner does not work, discon-
nect it immedi
ately together with the defrost-
ing/demisting function (in the case of manual
air conditioning) and have the system
checked out by a specialised workshop. In
this way, other damage can be avoided. CAUTION
To avoid damage to the rear window defrost-
er , u nder no c
ircumstances should you stick
any adhesives on the electrical filaments of
the interior side of this defroster. Air recirculation
In air recirculation mode, no fresh air enters
the
v
ehic
le interior.
To connect the air recirculation, move the
regulator towards the right or press the
button .
T o di
s
connect the air recirculation, move the
regulator towards the left or press the but-
ton again
› ›
›
.
130

Air conditioning
WARNING
Stale air can quickly bring about fatigue for
the driver and r educ
e his/her capacity to con-
centrate, which could lead to collisions, acci-
dents and serious injuries.
● Never use the air recirculation for an exten-
ded time, since in the me
antime, no outside
fresh air shall enter the passenger compart-
ment.
● With the cooling disconnected and the air
recir
culation connected, the windows can quickly mist over and seriously obstruct visi-
bi
lity
.
● Disconnect the air recirculation whenever it
is not
needed. CAUTION
Do not smoke when the air recirculation is
c onnect ed in
vehicles with an air conditioner.
Smoke taken in could settle in the cooling
system vaporiser and on the dust and pollen
filter, therefore leading to permanently un-
pleasant odours. Note
● Climatr onic:
When the reverse gear is en-
gaged, the air recirculation is briefly connec-
ted to avoid exhaust gas from entering the
passenger compartment.
● Whenever the outside temperature is very
high, it is
essential to connect the manual air
recirculation mode briefly so that the passen-
ger compartment may cool down more quick-
ly. Air vents
Fig. 143
On the dash panel: air vents To obtain heating output, sufficient cooling
and
venti
lation in the passenger compart-
ment, the air vents must remain open.
Key to the Fig. 143: Adjustable air vents With the blades of
the vents
you can open and shut the
vents, as well as set the direction in
which you may wish the air to come out.
So that the air may reach the windows as
1 expeditiously as possible, open the cor-
r
e s
ponding vent and turn the defrost-
ing/demisting position, where it shall
gather. »
131
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
Non-adjustable air vents
Ther e ar
e no air
vents in the foot well and in
the rear area of the passenger compartment. 2 CAUTION
Never place food, medicines or other temper-
atur e-
sensitive objects close to the air vents.
Food, medicines and other objects sensitive to heat or cold may be damaged or made un-
suit
ab
le for use by the air coming from the
vents. Application tips and instructions for use
Fig. 144
At the top of the centre console: Clima-
tronic c
ontrols The following application tips and instruc-
tion
s of
use shall assist you to use the sys-
tems correctly.
Reasons for which the cooling is automati-
cally disconnected or cannot be connected
● The engine is not running.
● The fan is switched off.
● The air conditioner fuse is burnt out.
● The ambient temperature is less than ap-
prox
imately +3 °C (+38 °F). ●
The coolin
g system compressor has been
temporarily disconnected due to the exces-
sive temperature of the engine coolant.
● Another fault in the vehicle. Turn to a speci-
alised work
shop and have the former check
the air conditioning system.
Settings for optimum visibility
● Keep the air intake slots in front of the
winds
creen clear of snow, ice or leaves to en-
sure heating or cooling are not impaired, and
to prevent the windows from misting over. ●
So that the air m
ay circulate throughout the
passenger compartment from the front area
to the rear one, leave the ventilation slots un-
cluttered in the rear area of the boot.
● The maximum possible heating output and
fas
test possible elimination of ice on the win-
dows shall be reached when the engine cool-
ant is at operating temperature.
132

Driving
Recommended settings in case of heating
and fr e
sh air sy
stem, and manual air condi-
tioning.
● Disconnect the air recirculation.
● Select speed o from the blo
wer.
● Put the temperature control in the inter-
mediate po
sition.
● Open and direct all of the air outlets on the
dash p
anel .
● Turn the air distribution regulator to the de-
sired po
sition.
● Manual air conditioning: pres
s the button
on the control panel to connect the cool-
in g.
The air i
s dehumidified in the cooling
mode.
Recommended settings in case of Climatron-
ic
● Press the button on the control panel.
● Set the temperature to +22 °C (+72 °F).
● Open the air vents on the dash panel and
dir ect
them.
M
aximum cooling or heating output in case
of Climatronic
While in gear, the maximum cooling and
heating output is set by pressing button 1or
2 several times
›
››
Fig. 144. The tempera-
ture is not regulated. ●
Maximum coo
ling output: set the cooling
below +16 °C (+60 °F). The following appears
on the screen LO.
● Maximum heating output: set the coo
ling
above +29 °C (+84 °F). The following appears
on the screen HI .
Dust and pollen filter
The dirt and pollen filter must be changed
regularly so that the air conditioning output
does not decrease.
If the vehicle is used frequently in areas
where the outside air is very contaminated, it
is possible that you may have to change the
filter prior to the next suggested service.
Water under the vehicle
When the outside humidity and ambient tem-
perature are high, it is possible that conden-
sation water may drip from the cooling evap-
orator and a puddle may from below the vehi-
cle. This is normal and does not indicate a
leak! Driving
St eerin
g
Intr
oduction The power steering* is not hydraulic but elec-
tromec
h
anical. The advantage of this steer-
ing system is that it disposes of hydraulic
tubes, hydraulic oil, the pump, filter and oth-
er components. The electromechanical sys-
tem saves fuel. While a hydraulic system re-
quires oil pressure to be maintained, electro-
mechanical steering only requires energy
when the steering wheel is turned.
With the power steering system, the assisted
steering function automatically adjusts ac-
cording to the vehicle speed, the steering tor-
que and the wheel turning angle. The power
steering only works when the engine is run-
ning. WARNING
If the power steering is not working then the
st eerin
g wheel is much more difficult to turn
and the vehicle more difficult to control.
● The power steering only works when the
engine is
running.
● Never allow the vehicle to move when the
engine is
switched off.
● Never remove the key from the ignition if
the vehic
le is in motion. The steering may » 133
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
Additional information for steep slopes and
hi l
l
s
Before switching off the engine, rotate the
steering wheel so that if the vehicle should
move, it will be held by the kerb.
● On slopes, turn the front wheels so that
they are ag
ainst the edge of the kerb.
● Uphill, turn the wheels towards the centre
of the ro
ad. WARNING
The components of the exhaust system reach
ver y
high temperatures. This could cause a
fire and considerable damage.
● Always park your vehicle so that no part of
the exhau
st system can come in contact with
flammable materials (such as wood,
leaves,dried grass, or spilled fuel). CAUTION
● Spec i
al care should be taken when parking
in areas with high kerbs or fixed barriers. Ob-
jects protruding from the ground may dam-
age the bumper or other parts of the vehicle
during manoeuvres. To avoid damage, stop
before the wheels touch the barrier or kerb.
● Special attention is required when driving
through entranc
es, over ramps, kerbs or oth-
er objects. The vehicle underbody, bumpers,
mudguards and running gear, and the engine
and exhaust system could be damaged as
you drive over these objects. Information on the brakes
For the first 200 to 300 km, the new brak
e
p
ads have not yet reached their maximum
braking capacity, and need to be “run in”
first ››› . The slightly reduced braking effect
can be c ompen
sated for by increasing pres-
sure on the brake pedal. While running in,
the full braking distance or emergency brak-
ing distance is larger then when the brake
pads have been run in. While running in,
avoid full power braking or situations requir-
ing braking performance. For example, in
heavy traffic.
The rate of wear of the brake pads depends
to a great extent on the conditions in which
the vehicle is used and the way the vehicle is
driven. If the vehicle is used frequently in city
traffic or for short trips or driven sport style,
visit a specialised workshop regularly, more
frequently than advised in the Maintenance
Programme, to have the brake pads checked.
If you drive with wet brakes, for example, af-
ter crossing areas of water, in heavy rainfall
or even after washing the car, the effect of
the brakes is lessened as the brake discs are
wet or even frozen (in winter). At higher
speed, “dry” the brakes as quickly as possi-
ble by braking gently several times. Only do
this without endangering vehicles behind
you or any other road users ››› .
A l ay
er of salt on the discs and brake pads
will reduce the effectiveness of the brakes and increase braking distance. If you drive for
a prolon
ged period on salted roads without
braking then brake carefully several times to
eliminate the layer of salt on the brakes ››› .
If the
v
ehicle remains parked for considera-
ble lengths of time, is used little, or if the
brakes are not used, there may be corrosion
on the brake discs and a build up of dirt on
the brake pads. If the brakes are not used fre-
quently, or if rust has formed on the discs,
SEAT recommends cleaning the pads and
discs by braking firmly a few times at a mod-
erately high speed. Only do this without en-
dangering vehicles behind you or any other
road users ››› .
F au
lt
s in the brake system
During braking, if you notice that the vehicle
does not react as usual (that the braking dis-
tance has increased suddenly) it may be pos-
sible that there is a fault in the braking sys-
tem. This is indicated by the warning lamp
. Take the vehicle to a specialised work-
shop immediately and have the fault re-
paired. Drive at a moderate speed and be
prepared to use more pressure on the brake
pedal, and allow for longer stopping distan-
ces.
Brake servo
The brake servo only operates when the en-
gine is running and the pressure applied by
the driver on the brake pedal increases.
142

Driving
If the brake servo does not operate or the ve-
hic l
e mu
st be towed, then the brake pedal
will have to be pressed with more force given
that the braking distance will be increased
when the brake servo does not operate ››› .
WARNING
New brake pads do not brake to full efficien-
cy.
● For the fir
st 320 km, new brake pads have
not y
et reached their maximum braking ca-
pacity, and need to be “run in” first. For this,
to compensate for reduced braking efficiency
the brake pedal will have to be pressed with
more force.
● To avoid losing control of the vehicle and
caus
ing serious accidents, always take great
care when driving with new brake pads.
● When running in new brake pads, always
res
pect the safety distances between you and
other vehicles and do not cause situations re-
quiring extreme braking performance. WARNING
When brakes overheat, braking is less effi-
cient and br
aking distances increase.
● When driving on slopes, brakes can be
overlo
aded and overheat quickly.
● Reduce speed or change down a gear when
faced w
ith steep and long slopes. This allows
you to use the engine braking effect and to
reduce the strain on the brake system. ●
Non-s t
andard or damaged front spoilers
could restrict the airflow to the brakes and
cause them to overheat. WARNING
Wet, frozen or salt-covered brakes take lon-
g er t o en
gage and this increases braking dis-
tances.
● Test the brakes carefully.
● Dry the brakes, free them of ice and salt by
brakin
g gently several times, when visibility,
weather, and road and traffic conditions per-
mit. WARNING
Driving without the brake servo may signifi-
cantly inc
rease the braking distance and re-
sult in a severe accident.
● Never allow the vehicle to move forwards
when the engine is
switched off.
● If the brake servo does not operate or the
vehicl
e must be towed, then the brake pedal
will have to be pressed with more force given
that the braking distance will be increased
when the brake servo does not operate. CAUTION
● Never m ak
e the brakes “slip” by pressing
the pedal gently, if it is not really necessary
to brake. Continuously pressing on the brake
pedal will heat the brakes. This could signifi-
cantly reduce braking power, increase brak- ing distance or even result in the total failure
of the br
ak
e system.
● Reduce speed or change down a gear when
faced w
ith steep and long slopes. This allows
you to use the engine braking effect and to
reduce the strain on the brake system. Other-
wise, the brakes may overheat and fail. Only
use the brakes to reduce speed or to stop. Note
Make use, when having the front brake pads
c hec k
ed, and have the rear pads checked al-
so. The thickness of the brake pads should be
checked visually and regularly, by looking
through the openings in the wheel rims or
from underneath the vehicle. If necessary, re-
move the wheels to check them thoroughly.
SEAT recommends taking your car in for tech-
nical service. Changing gear
Intr oduction When reverse gear is engaged and the igni-
tion i
s
sw
itched on the following takes place:
● Reverse lights light up.
● The rear wiper blade performs one move-
ment when the wind
screen wiper is activa-
ted. »
143
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
(25 mph) in fourth gear and at 50 km/h
(31 mph) in fif th g
e
ar.
In addition, “skipping” gears when shifting
up helps to save fuel, weather and traffic
conditions permitting.
Do not wait until the last moment before
changing gear. Only use first gear when you
move off and change to second gear quickly.
Avoid the kick-down function in vehicles with
automatic gearbox.
Vehicles with a gear display help to achieve
an economical driving style as the display in-
dicates the best moment to change gear.
Let the vehicle roll
If you take your foot off the accelerator, the
fuel supply is stopped and consumption is
reduced.
Allow the vehicle to roll without accelerating,
for example when approaching a red traffic
light. However, if the vehicle is rolling too
slowly or the distance is too long, the clutch
pedal should be pressed to declutch. The en-
gine will then operate at idle speed.
If the vehicle is going to be at a standstill for
a period of time, switch off the engine; for ex-
ample, while waiting at a level crossing.
Think ahead and “flow” with the traffic
Frequent acceleration and braking considera-
bly increase fuel consumption. If you think ahead as you drive and keep a safe distance
from the v
ehicle in front, it is possible to slow
down by simply lifting your foot off the accel-
erator. This eliminates the need for constant
braking and acceleration.
Calm and steady driving
Constancy is more important than speed: The
more you drive at a constant speed, the lower
the fuel consumption.
When driving on the motorway, it is more effi-
cient to drive at a constant and more moder-
ate speed than to be continuously accelerat-
ing and braking. As a general rule, you will
reach your destination just as quickly when
you drive at a constant speed.
The cruise control function helps you to ach-
ieve a constant style of driving.
Moderate use of additional devices
It is important to travel in comfort, but con-
venience systems should be used ecological-
ly.
Some equipment, when connected, increase
fuel consumption considerably, for example:
● Air conditioning cooling system: If the air
conditioning sy
stem is required to cool to
significantly lower temperatures than the true
outside temperature, it will require a large
amount of energy from the engine. Therefore,
we recommend that the selected temperature for the vehicle is not too different to the out-
side temper
ature. It is a good idea to air the
vehicle before starting your journey and to
drive a short distance with the windows
open. Then you can close the windows and
switch on the air conditioning. Keep windows
closed when travelling at high speeds. Driv-
ing with the windows open increases fuel
consumption.
● Switch off the seat heating when the seats
have w
armed up.
● Switch off the heated rear window when it
is not
moist or covered in ice.
Avoid short journeys
Fuel consumption is much higher when the
engine is cold, immediately after it has been
started. It takes a few kilometres of driving
for the engine to warm up and to normalise
consumption.
The engine and catalytic converter need to
reach their proper working temperature in or-
der to minimise fuel consumption and emis-
sions. The ambient temperature has a deci-
sive influence.
Fig. 150 shows the difference in consump-
tion for the same journey at +20 °C (+68 °F)
and at -10 °C (+14 °F).
Therefore, unnecessary short journeys
should be avoided. Try to combine trips.
150