The essentials
switch off when the engine starts running, or
whi l
e driv
ing.
When certain control and warning lamps are
lit, an audible warning is also heard.
Handbrake applied.
›››
page
137 Do not continue driving!
The brake fluid level is too low or
there is a fault in the brake system.
it lights up:
Do not continue
driving!
The liquid coolant level is too low,
the engine liquid coolant tempera-
ture is too high or
there is a fault in the liquid coolant
system.
››› page
191
flashes: engine coolant system
faulty.››› page
191
Do not continue driving!
Engine oil pressure too low.››› page
188
lights up or flashes:
Do not con-
tinue driving!
Fault in the steering.››› page
133
On the instrument panel: driver or
passenger has not fastened seat
belt.›››
page
52
Faulty generator.›››
page
196
Vehicles with the Start-Stop sys-
tem: it is necessary to start the en-
gine manually.››› page
161
it lights up:
ESC* faulty or switched
off by the system. ALTERNATIVELY:
flashes: ESC* or ASR regulating.
››› page
137 it lights up:
Traction Control* faulty
or switched off by the system. AL-
TERNATIVELY:
flashes: Traction Control* regulator
operating.
ABS faulty or does not work.
Rear fog light switched on.›››
page
103
lights up or flashes:
fault in the
emission control system.››› page
151
Fault in engine management.
lights up or flashes:
fault in the
steering system.››› page
133
Fuel tank almost empty.›››
page
182
The natural gas tank is almost
empty.›››
page
182
Fault in airbag system and seat
belt tensioners.›››
page
59
Tyre pressure* too low›››
page
205
Left or right turn signal.›››
page
103
Hazard warning lights on.››› page
70
Cruise control operating.›››
page
155
Main beam on or flasher on.›››
page
103
The natural gas engine coolant
temperature is too low.›››
page
192
Lamps on the instrument panel display
A passenger in the rear seats
has fastened their seatbelt.›››
page
52
A passenger in the rear seats
has not fastened their seat
belt.›››
page
52
flashes quickly:
the City Safety
Assist system function* brakes
automatically or has braked au-
tomatically. Or:
flashes slowly: City Safety As-
sist function is not currently
available.
››› page
156
The City Safety Assist* function
has been connected manually.
It switches off after 5 seconds.›››
page
156
flashes: The City Safety Assist*
function has been manually
disconnected.›››
page
156
after the ignition is switched
on: indication that the end of
the period for an inspection to
be performed is approaching.›››
page
88» 25
Self-help
WARNING
Driving with an unsealed tyre is dangerous
and can c au
se accidents and serious injury.
● Do not continue driving if the tyre pressure
is 1.3
bar (19 psi / 130 kPa) and lower.
● Seek specialist assistance. Changing the windscreen wiper
bl
a
des
Changing the windscreen and rear
window wiper blades Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 46.
The windscreen wiper blades are supplied as
standard with a layer of graphite. This layer is
responsible for ensuring that the wipe is si-
lent. If the graphite layer is damaged, the
noise of the water as it is wiped across the
windscreen will be louder.
Check the condition of the wiper blades regu-
larly. If the wipers scrape across the glass
they should be changed if they are damaged,
or cleaned 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. 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. Note
If wax deposits, other cleaning products from
the autom atic
car wash, or other care prod-
ucts, are left on the windscreen and the rear
window, the blades can scratch the glass. Re- move wax deposits with a special product or
cl
e
aning cloths. Tow-starting and towing
Ins truction
s for tow-starting Read the additional information carefully
›› ›
page 42.
When towing or tow starting, respect the le-
gal requirements.
For technical reasons, it is not possible to
tow a vehicle if the battery is flat.
In general, the vehicle should not be started
by towing. Jump-starting is much more pref-
erable ›››
page 43.
For technical reasons, the following vehicles
can not be tow started:
● Vehicles with an automatic gearbox.
● If the vehicle battery is flat, it is possible
that the en
gine control unit does not operate
correctly.
However, if your vehicle must absolutely be
tow-started (manual gearbox):
● Put it into second or third gear.
● Keep the clutch pressed down. »
75
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
●
Prior to u s
ing the seat heating, be certain
that the seat cushion is dry.
● Avoid sitting down with damp or wet cloth-
ing.
● Do not p
lace damp or wet objects or gar-
ments on t
op of the seat.
● Do not spill liquids on the seat. CAUTION
● To av oid d
amaging the heating compo-
nents, please refrain from kneeling on the
seats or applying excessive pressure to a sin-
gle point of the seat cushion and backrest.
● If liquids are spilled, sharps objects are left
or insu
lating materials are placed (such as a
covering or child seat), this can manage to
damage the seat heating.
● In any odour were noted, disconnect the
seat he
ating immediately and have the unit
inspected by a specialised workshop. For the sake of the environment
The seat heating must only remain connected
when it i s
necessary. Otherwise, it incurs an
unnecessary waste of fuel. Transport and practical
equipment
T r
an
sporting objects
Introduction Always transport heavy loads in the luggage
comp
ar
tment and place the seat backs in a
vertical position. Never overload the vehicle.
Both the carrying capacity as well as the dis-
tribution of the load in the vehicle affect driv-
ing behaviour and braking ability ››› .
WARNING
Unsecured or incorrectly secured objects can
cau se seriou
s injury in case of a sudden ma-
noeuvring or breaking or in case of an acci-
dent. This is especially true when objects are
struck by a detonating airbag and fired
through the vehicle interior. To reduce the
risks, please note the following:
● Secure all objects in the vehicle. Always
keep equipment and he
avy objects in the lug-
gage compartment.
● Always secure objects with suitable rope or
sling
s so that they cannot enter the deploy-
ment areas around the frontal or side airbags
in case of sudden braking or an accident.
● Always ensure that objects inside the vehi-
cle c
annot move into the deployment area of
the bags while driving. ●
Whil e driv
ing, always keep object compart-
ments closed.
● Remove all objects from the front passen-
ger seat
when it is folded down. When the
seat backrest is folded down, it presses on
small and light objects and these are detec-
ted by the weight sensor on the seat; this
sends false information to the airbag control
unit.
● While the backrest of the front passenger
seat i
s folded, the frontal airbag must remain
disconnected and the PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF light on.
● Objects secured in the vehicle should never
be plac
ed in such a way as to make passen-
gers sit in an incorrect position.
● If secured objects occupy a seat, this seat
should not
be occupied or used by anyone. WARNING
The driving behaviour and braking ability
ch an
ge when transporting heavy and large
objects.
● Adjust your speed and driving style to visi-
bility
, road, traffic and weather conditions.
● Accelerate gently and carefully.
● Avoid sudden braking and manoeuvres.
● Brake early. 114
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
The vehicle uses more fuel in winter than in
s ummer
, ev
en when other conditions are the
same.
The engine takes a long time to warm up
when it is idling. In addition, mechanical
wear and pollutant emissions are also espe-
cially high during this initial warm-up phase.
It is therefore best to drive off immediately af-
ter starting the engine. Doing this avoids run-
ning the engine at a high speed.
Adjusting type pressures.
Having the correct pressure in your tyres
helps to reduce rolling resistance and, as a
result reduces fuel consumption. Increasing
the tyre pressure slightly (+0.2
bar/+3 psi/+200 kPa) can help to save fuel.
When you buy new tyres, make sure they are
optimised for minimum rolling resistance.
Use low friction engine oil
The use of low viscosity totally synthetic oils,
known as low friction engine oil, helps to re-
duce fuel consumption. These oils reduce the
resistance caused by friction in the engine,
they flow around the engine more quickly
and efficiently, particularly in cold starts. The
effect is particularly noticeable in vehicles
frequently used for short journeys.
Always check the engine oil level and ob-
serve service intervals (engine oil change in-
tervals). When purchasing engine oil, always observe
leg
al requirements and ensure that the oil is
approved by SEAT.
Avoid carrying unnecessary loads
The lighter the vehicle, the more economical
and ecological the driving style. For example,
an additional weight of 100 kg will increase
fuel consumption up to 0.3 l/100 km.
Remove any unnecessary objects or loads
from the vehicle.
Remove optional equipment and unnecessa-
ry accessories
The more aerodynamic the vehicle, the lower
the fuel consumption. Optional equipment
and accessories (such as roof racks or bike
carriers) reduce the aerodynamic benefits of
the vehicle.
Therefore, we recommend you remove all op-
tional and unnecessary equipment and racks,
especially if you intend to drive at high
speeds.
Other factors which increase fuel consump-
tion (examples):
● Fault in engine management.
● Driving on hills. WARNING
Always adapt your speed and the distance to
the v ehic
les ahead in line with visibility,
weather conditions, the condition of the road
and the traffic situation. Engine management and ex-
hau
s
t gas purification system
Introduction WARNING
The components of the exhaust system reach
ver y
high temperatures. This could cause a
fire.
● Always park your vehicle so that no part of
the exhau
st system can come in contact with
flammable materials (such as dried grass).
● Never apply additional underseal or anti-
corro
sion coatings to the exhaust pipes, cata-
lytic converter or the heat shields on the ex-
haust system. Control and warning lamps
It lights up
fault in the pet-
rol engine man-
agement.Take the vehicle to a specialised
workshop as soon as possible and
have the engine checked.
»
151
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Care and maintenance
De-icing the door lock cylinder To de-ice the lock cylinders, SEAT recommend
the use of
g
enuine SEAT spray with lubricat-
ing and anti-corrosive properties. CAUTION
The use of products containing degreasing
agent s
to de-ice the locks may rust the lock
cylinder. Protection of vehicle undercarriage
The vehicle underbody is coated to protect it
fr
om c
hemic
al and mechanical damage. The
protective coat on the undercarriage may
wear from use while driving. Therefore, SEAT
recommends that the protective coating on
the undercarriage and on the running gear
should be regularly checked, and repaired if
necessary. WARNING
Additional underseal or anti-corrosion prod-
ucts c
ould catch fire due to the high tempera-
tures reached by the exhaust gas system and
other engine components.
● Do not apply additional underseal or anti-
corro
sion products to the exhaust pipes, cat-
alytic converters, heat shields or other parts
of the vehicle which reach high temperatures. Cleaning the engine compartment
The engine compartment of any motor vehi-
cl
e i
s a potentially hazardous area
››› page 186.
The engine compartment should only be
cleaned by qualified personnel. If it is not
correctly cleaned, the anti-corrosion coating
and consequently electrical components may
be damaged. Moreover, water may filter di-
rectly into the vehicle interior through the wa-
ter chamber ››› .
If the en gine c
ompartment is very dirty, al-
ways take the vehicle to a specialised work-
shop for professional cleaning. SEAT recom-
mends taking your car in for technical serv-
ice.
Water box
The water box is in the engine compartment,
between the windscreen and the engine, and
beneath a perforated cover. Air is taken in
through the water box from outside to the ve-
hicle interior via the heating and air condi-
tioner.
Leaves and other loose objects should be
regularly cleaned away from the water box ei-
ther by hand or with a vacuum. WARNING
When working on the engine or in the engine
comp ar
tment, there is a risk of injury, burns,
accident or fire.
● Before starting work, please ensure you are
famili
ar with the required procedure and the
safety precautions ››› page 186.
● SEAT recommends getting a specialised
workshop t
o do these jobs. CAUTION
If water is manually poured into the water box
(e.g. u s
ing a high pressure cleaning appli-
ance), this could cause significant damage to
the vehicle. For the sake of the environment
Only wash the engine compartment in areas
al loc
ated for this purpose, to prevent dirty
water which may be contaminated by oil,
grease or fuel, from entering the drains. In
some places, even washing this compartment
outside planned areas for this purpose is
banned. 175
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Wheels and tyres
Foreign bodies in the tyre
● Do not remove foreign bodies if they have
penetr at
ed thr
ough the tyre wall!
● You should obtain professional assistance
immediately
.
Tyre wear
The wear of tyres depends on a number of
factors, for example:
● Driving style.
● Unbalanced wheels.
● Running gear settings.
Driving
style: Driving round bends quickly or
sudden acceleration or braking speed accel-
erates tyre wear. When the driving style is
normal, if the tyres wear too quickly, have the
running gear settings checked at a special-
ised workshop.
Wheel run-out: The wheels on new vehicles
are balanced. However, certain circumstan-
ces may lead to imbalance (run-out), which is
detected as vibrations in the steering wheel.
Run-out leads to wear of the steering and
suspension. In the event of run out, the
wheels should be balanced again. When a
new wheel is fitted, it should be balanced
again.
Running gear settings : an incorrectly posi-
tioned running gear increases the wear of
tyres and affects your safety while driving. If tyres wear too quickly, have the wheel align-
ment chec
ked at a specialised workshop. WARNING
If you notice unusual vibration or the car pulls
to one s ide whi
le driving, this may indicate
that one of the tyres is damaged.
● Reduce speed immediately and stop, while
obser
ving the highway code.
● Check the wheels and tyres for damage.
● Never carry on driving on worn tyres or
wheels. Reque
st qualified assistance immedi-
ately.
● If there is no visible exterior damage, drive
slowly
and carefully to the nearest special-
ised workshop and have the vehicle checked. Tyre monitor system*
Fig. 176
Centre console: tyre monitor system
b utt
on The tyre control lamp compares wheel revolu-
tion
s
and w
ith it, the wheel diameter of each
wheel using the ESC. If the diameter of a
wheel changes, the tyre control lamp
lights up. The wheel diameter changes when:
● Tyre pressure is insufficient.
● The tyre structure is damaged.
● The vehicle is unbalanced because of a
load.
● The wheel
s of one axle are under more
pres
sure (for example, driving with a trailer or
on steep slopes).
● The vehicle is fitted with snow chains.
● The temporary spare wheel is fitted.
● The wheel on one axle is changed.
Tyr
e pressure adjustment
On adjusting tyre pressure or changing one
or more wheels, the ››› Fig. 176 button must
be kept pressed down, with the ignition on,
until an acoustic signal is heard.
If the wheels are under excessive load (for ex-
ample, driving with a trailer or heavy load),
the tyre pressure must be increased to the
recommended value for a full load (see the
sticker on the inside of the fuel flap). If the
tyre monitor system button is pressed down,
the new tyre pressures are confirmed. »
205
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety