Care and maintenance
WARNING
● Car -c
are products can be toxic. Because of
this, they must always be kept closed in their
original container. Keep them out of the reach
of children. Failure to comply could result in
poisoning.
● Always read and observe the instructions
and warning
s on the package before using
car-care products. Improper use could cause
health problems or damage the vehicle. The
use of certain products may produce noxious
vapours; they should be used in well ventila-
ted areas.
● Never use fuel, turpentine, engine oil, nail
varnish r
emover or other volatile fluids.
These are toxic and highly flammable. Risk of
fire and explosion.
● Before washing your vehicle, or carrying
out any
maintenance, switch the engine off,
apply the handbrake firmly and remove the
key from the ignition. CAUTION
Never attempt to remove dirt, mud or dust if
the sur f
ace of the vehicle is dry. Never use a
dry cloth or sponge for cleaning purposes.
This could damage the paintwork or the win-
dows of your vehicle. Soak dirt, mud or dust
with plenty of water. For the sake of the environment
● When pur c
hasing car care products, try to
select ones that are not harmful to the envi-
ronment.
● The waste from car-care products should
not be dis
posed of with ordinary household
waste. Observe the disposal information on
the package. Care of the vehicle exterior
Autom atic
car wash tunnel The vehicle paintwork is so durable that the
v
ehic
l
e can normally be washed without
problems in an automatic car wash tunnel.
However, the paintwork wear depends to a
large extent on the kind of the car wash tun-
nel, the brushes used, its water filtering and
the type of cleaning and preservative prod-
ucts.
Before going through a car wash, be sure to
take the usual precautions such as closing
the windows. There is nothing to note apart
from that.
If the vehicle has special accessories such as
spoilers or a roof rack or two-way radio aerial,
etc., it is advisable to consult the car wash
tunnel operator first. After washing, the brake
s could take some
time to respond as the brake discs and pads
could be wet, or even frozen in winter. “Dry”
the brakes by braking several times. WARNING
Water, ice and salt on the brake system can
reduc e br
aking effectiveness. Risk of acci-
dent. Hand-washing
Vehicle washing
– First soften the dirt and rinse it off with wa-
ter
.
– C
lean your vehicle from top to bottom with
a soft s
ponge, a glove or a brush. Use very
light pressure.
– Rinse the sponge or glove often with clean
water
.
– Special car shampoo should only be used
for v
ery stubborn dirt.
– Leave the wheels, sill panels etc. until last,
usin
g a different sponge or glove.
– Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water.
– Dry the vehicle surface gently with a cha-
mois l
eather.
– In cold temperature, dry the rubber seals
and their sur
faces to prevent them from »
257
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Advice
freezing. Apply silicone spray to the rubber
se al
s.
Af
ter washing the vehicle
– After washing, avoid sudden and sharp
brakin
g. “Dry” the brakes by braking sever-
al times. WARNING
● Wa sh
your vehicle with the ignition switch-
ed off.
● Protect your hands and arms from cuts on
sharp meta
l edges when cleaning the under-
body, the inside of the wheel housings etc.
Risk of injury.
● Water, ice and salt on the brake system can
reduce br
aking effectiveness. Risk of acci-
dent. CAUTION
● Never r emo
ve dirt, mud or dust if the vehi-
cle surface is dry. Never use a dry cloth or
sponge for cleaning purposes. This could
scratch the paintwork or glass on your vehi-
cle.
● Washing the vehicle in low temperatures:
when washin
g the vehicle with a hose, do not
direct water into the lock cylinders or the
gaps around the doors. Risk of freezing. For the sake of the environment
To protect the environment, the vehicle
shoul d be w
ashed only in specially provided
wash bays, to prevent toxic, oil-laden waste
water from entering the sewer system. In
some places, washing vehicles outside wash
bays is prohibited. Note
Do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight. Washing the vehicle with a high pres-
s
ur
e c
leaner Be particularly careful when using a high
pr
e
s
sure cleaner!
– Always observe the instructions for the
high-pres
sure cleaner, particularly those
concerning the pressure and the spraying
distance.
– Increase the spraying distance for soft ma-
terial
s and painted bumpers.
– Do not use a high pressure cleaner to re-
move ic
e or snow from windows
››› page 259.
– Never use concentrated jet nozzles (“rotat-
ing jets”) ›
›› .–
Af t
er w
ashing, avoid sudden and sharp
braking. “Dry” the brakes by braking sever-
al times ››› page 174. WARNING
● Never w a
sh tyres with a concentrated jet
(“rotating nozzle”). Even at large spraying
distances and short cleaning times, damage
can occur to the tyres. This may cause an ac-
cident.
● Water, ice and salt on the brake system can
reduce br
aking effectiveness. Risk of acci-
dent. CAUTION
● Do not u se w
ater hotter than +60°C
(+140°F). This could damage the vehicle.
● To avoid damage to the vehicle, keep a suf-
ficient di
stance from sensitive materials such
as flexible hoses, plastic, soundproofing ma-
terial, etc. This also applies to bumpers pain-
ted in the colour of the bodywork. The closer
the nozzle is to the surface, the greater the
wear on the material. Factory-fitted adhesive sheets
The following indications should be taken in-
t
o ac
c
ount to avoid damaging adhesive
sheets:
● Do not use high pressure cleaners.
258
Advice
●
To av oid d
amage, stubborn stains should
be removed by a specialised workshop. Cleaning Alcantara upholstery*
Removing dust and dirt
– Moisten a cloth just a lit
tle and wipe down
the seat covers.
Removing stains – Moisten a cloth with lukewarm water or di-
luted whit
e spirits.
– Dab at the stain. Start at the outside and
work in
wards.
– Dry the clean area with a soft cloth.
Do not use l
eather cleaning products on Al-
cantara seat covers.
You may use a suitable soap on dust and dirt.
Dust and grit in the pores and seams can
scratch and damage the surface. If the car is
left standing in the sun for long periods, Al-
cantara leather should be protected against
direct sunlight to prevent it from fading. How-
ever, slight colour variations will arise in nor-
mal use. 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 belt cleaning
A dirty belt may not work properly. Check all
se
at
belts
regularly and keep them clean.
Seat belts cleaning
– Pull the dirty seat belt right out and unroll
it.
– Cl
ean dirty seat belts with a gentle so
ap
solution.
– Allow it to dry.
– Do not roll the seat belt up until it is dry.
If lar
ge stains form on the belts, the automat-
ic belt retractor will not work correctly. WARNING
● Do not u se c
hemical cleaning agents on the
seat belts, as this can impair the strength of
the webbing. Ensure that seat belts do not
come into contact with corrosive fluids. ●
Check the c
ondition of the seat belts at reg-
ular intervals. If you notice that the belt web-
bing, fittings, retractor mechanism or buckle
of any of the belts is damaged, the belt must
be replaced by a specialised workshop.
● Do not attempt to repair a damaged seat
belt y
ourself. The seat belts must not be re-
moved or modified in any way. CAUTION
After cleaning, allow seat belts to dry com-
p let
ely before rolling them up. Otherwise, the
belt retractors could become damaged. 264
Checking and refilling levels
●
Wait u
ntil no more steam, smoke or coolant
is emitted from the bonnet, then carefully
open the bonnet.
● When working in the engine compartment,
alwa
ys observe the safety warnings
››› page 267. Closing the bonnet
–
Slightly lift the bonnet. –
Rel
e
ase the bonnet stay and replace it in its
support.
– At a height of approximately 30 cm let it fall
so it lock
s.
If the bonnet does not close, do not press
downwards. Open it again and let it fall as
mentioned above. WARNING
If the bonnet is not closed properly, it could
open whil e
you are driving and completely
obscure your view of the road. Risk of acci-
dent.
● After closing the bonnet, always check that
it is
properly secured. The bonnet must be
flush with the surrounding body panels. ●
If y
ou notice that the bonnet latch is not se-
cured when the vehicle is moving, stop the
vehicle immediately and close the bonnet
properly. Risk of accident. 269
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Checking and refilling levels
For the sake of the environment
The oil level must never be above area A .
Otherw i
se oil can be drawn in through the
crankcase breather and escape into the at-
mosphere via the exhaust system. Changing engine oil
Read the additional information carefully
›› ›
page 55
The engine oil must be changed at the inter-
vals given in the service schedule.
We recommend that you have the engine oil
changed by a Technical Service.
The oil change intervals are shown in the
Maintenance Programme. WARNING
Only change the engine oil yourself if you
hav e the s
pecialist knowledge required!
● Before opening the bonnet, read and ob-
serve the w
arnings ››› page 267, safety notes
for work in the engine compartment .
● Wait for the engine to cool down. Hot oil
may
cause burn injuries.
● Wear eye protection to avoid injuries, such
as ac
id burns, caused by splashes of oil.
● When removing the oil drain plug with your
finger
s, keep your arm horizontal to help pre-
vent oil from running down your arm. ●
Wa sh
your skin thoroughly if it comes into
contact with engine oil.
● Engine oil is poisonous! Used engine oil
must
be stored in a safe place out of the
reach of children. CAUTION
No additives should be used with engine oil.
Thi s c
ould result in engine damage. Any dam-
age caused by the use of such additives
would not be covered by the factory warranty. For the sake of the environment
● Bec au
se of disposal problems and the spe-
cial tools and specialist knowledge required,
we recommend that you have the engine oil
and filter changed by a Technical Service.
● Never pour oil down drains or into the
ground.
● U
se a suitable container when draining the
used oil
. It must be large enough to hold all
the engine oil. Cooling system
C ontr o
l lamp There is a fault if:
● The l amp does not go out again after a
f ew sec
onds. ●
The lamp lights up or fl
ashes while the
vehicle is running, and three acoustic warn-
ing signals are emitted ››› .
Thi s
me
ans that either the coolant level is too
low or the coolant temperature is too high.
Coolant temperature too high
If the lamp lights up, stop the vehicle,
turn off the engine and wait for it to cool
down. Check the coolant level.
If the coolant level is correct, the overheating
may be caused by a malfunction of the radia-
tor fan. Check the radiator fan fuse and have
it replaced if necessary ››› page 100.
If the control lamp lights up again after driv-
ing on for a short distance, stop the vehicle
and switch the engine off. Contact a Techni-
cal Service or a specialised workshop.
Coolant level too low
If the lamp lights up, stop the vehicle,
turn off the engine and wait for it to cool
down. First check the coolant level. If the lev-
el of the coolant is below the “MIN” mark,
top up with coolant liquid ››› .
WARNING
● If y
our vehicle is immobilised for technical
reasons, move it to a safe distance from traf-
fic. Turn the engine off, turn the hazard lights
on and place the warning triangle. » 273
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Advice
●
Never open the bonnet if
you can see or
hear steam or coolant escaping from the en-
gine compartment. Risk of scalding. Wait un-
til you can no longer see or hear escaping
steam or coolant.
● The engine compartment is a dangerous
area. B
efore carrying out any work in the en-
gine compartment, switch off the engine and
allow it to cool down. Always note the corre-
sponding warnings ››› page 267. Topping up coolant
Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 56
Top up coolant when the level is below the
MIN (minimum) mark.
Checking coolant level – Park the vehicle in a horizontal position.
– Switch the ignition off.
– Read off the coolant level on coolant ex-
pans
ion tank. When the engine is cold, the
coolant level should be between the marks.
When the engine is hot, it may be slightly
above the upper mark.
Topping up coolant – Wait for the engine to cool down. –
Cov
er the coolant expansion tank cap with
a cloth and carefully unscrew it to the left
››› .
– Top up the coolant only if there is still cool-
ant in the e
xp
ansion tank, otherwise you
could damage the engine. If there is no
coolant in the expansion tank, do not con-
tinue driving. You should obtain professio- nal assistance ››› .
– If there is still some coolant in the expan-
sion t
ank, t
op up to the upper mark.
– Top up with coolant until the level becomes
stab
le.
– Screw the cap back on correctly.
Any lo
ss of coolant fluid normally indicates a
leak in the cooling system. Take the vehicle
straight to a specialised workshop to have
the cooling system examined. If there are no
leaks in the engine cooling system, a loss of
coolant can only occur if the coolant boils
and is forced out of the system as a result of
overheating. WARNING
● The coo lin
g system is under pressure. Do
not unscrew the cap on the coolant expan-
sion tank when the engine is hot: risk of
burns!
● The antifreeze and coolant fluid can be a
health h
azard. Therefore, the antifreeze
should be stored in the original container in a safe place out of reach of children. Failure to
comp
ly
could result in poisoning.
● If working inside the engine compartment,
remember that, ev
en when the ignition is
switched off, the radiator fan may start up au-
tomatically, and therefore there is a risk of in-
jury. WARNING
If there is not enough anti-freeze in the cool-
ant sys
tem, the engine may fail leading to se-
rious damage.
● Please make sure that the percentage of
additiv
e is correct with respect to the lowest
expected ambient temperature in the zone in
which the vehicle is to be used.
● When the outside temperature is very low,
the cool
ant could freeze and the vehicle
would be immobilised. In this case, the heat-
ing would not work either and inadequately
dressed passengers could die of cold. CAUTION
Do not top up the expansion tank with cool-
ant fluid if it
is empty! Air could enter the
cooling system. In this case, stop driving.
Seek specialist assistance. Otherwise, there
is a risk of engine damage. 274
Checking and refilling levels
CAUTION
The original additives should never be mixed
with c oo
lants which are not approved by
SEAT. Otherwise, you run the risk of causing
severe damage to the engine and the engine
cooling system.
● If the fluid in the expansion tank is not pur-
ple b
ut is, for example, brown, this indicates
that the G13 additive has been mixed with an
inadequate coolant. The coolant must be
changed as soon as possible if this is the
case! This could result in serious faults and
engine damage. For the sake of the environment
Coolants and additives can contaminate the
env ir
onment. If any fluids are spilled, they
should be collected and correctly disposed
of, with respect to the environment. Brake fluid
Chec k
in
g the brake fluid levelRead the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 57
The position of the brake fluid reservoir is
shown in the corresponding engine compart-
ment image ›››
page 270. The brake fluid res-
ervoir has a black and yellow cap. The brake fluid level drops slightly when the
vehicl
e is being used as the brake pads are
automatically adjusted as they wear.
However, if the level goes down noticeably in
a short time, or drops below the “MIN” mark,
there may be a leak in the brake system. A
display on the instrument panel will warn you
if the brake fluid level is too low ››› page 117. WARNING
Before opening the bonnet to check the brake
fluid lev el, r
ead and observe the warnings
››› page 267. Changing the brake fluid
The Maintenance Programme indicates brake
fluid c
h
an
ge intervals.
We recommend that you have the brake fluid
changed by a Technical Service.
Before opening the bonnet, please read and
follow the warnings ››› in safety notes for
w ork
in the en
gine compartment on
page 267 in section “Safety notes for work-
ing in the engine compartment”.
In the course of time, brake fluid becomes
hygroscopic and absorbs water from the am-
bient air. If the water content in the brake flu-
id is too high, the brake system could cor-
rode. This also considerably reduces the boil-
ing point of the brake fluid. Heavy use of the brakes may then cause a vapour lock which
coul
d impair the braking effect.
Be sure to always use the correct brake fluid.
Only use brake fluid that expressly meets the
VW 501 14 standard.
You can buy VW 501 14 standard brake fluid
in a SEAT dealership or a SEAT Official Serv-
ice. If none is available, use only high-quality
brake fluid that meets DIN ISO 4925 CLASS 4
standards, or USA Standards FMVSS 116 DOT
4.
Using any other kind of brake fluid or one
that is not of a high quality may affect opera-
tion of the brake system and reduce its effec-
tiveness. Never use a brake fluid if the con-
tainer does not state that it complies with VW
501 14, DIN ISO 4925 CLASS 4 standards, or
USA standards FMVSS 116 DOT 4. WARNING
Brake fluid is poisonous. Old brake fluid im-
pair s
the braking effect.
● Before opening the bonnet to check the
brake fluid l
evel, read and observe the warn-
ings ››› page 267.
● Brake fluid should be stored in the closed
original
container in a safe place out of reach
of children. There is a toxic risk.
● Perform the brake fluid change according to
the Mainten
ance Programme. Heavy use of
the brakes may cause a vapour lock if the
brake fluid is left in the brake system for too » 275
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Advice
long. This would seriously affect the effec-
tivene
s
s of the brakes and the safety of the
vehicle. This may cause an accident. CAUTION
Brake fluid damages the vehicle paintwork.
W ipe off an
y brake fluid from the paintwork
immediately. For the sake of the environment
The brake pads and brake fluid must be col-
lect ed and di
sposed of according the applica-
ble regulations. The SEAT Technical Service
network has the necessary equipment and
qualified personnel for collecting and dispos-
ing of this waste material. Windscreen washer reservoir
Chec k
in
g and topping up the wind-
screen washer reservoir water Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 57
The windscreen washer is supplied with liq-
uid from the windscreen washer reservoir in
the engine compartment. It has a capacity of
approximately 3 litres.
The tank is in the engine compartment. Plain water is not enough to clean the wind-
scr
een and headlights. We recommend that
you always add a product to the windscreen
washer fluid. Approved windscreen cleaning
products exist on the market with high deter-
gent and anti-freeze properties, these may be
added all-year-round. Please follow the dilu-
tion instructions on the packaging. WARNING
Any work carried out in the engine compart-
ment or on the en gine mu
st be carried out
cautiously.
● When working in the engine compartment,
alwa
ys observe the safety warnings
››› page 267. CAUTION
● Never p ut
radiator anti-freeze or other addi-
tives into the windscreen washer fluid.
● Always use approved windscreen cleansing
products
diluted as per instructions. If you
use other washer fluids or soap solutions,
the tiny holes in the fan-shaped nozzles
could become blocked. Vehicle battery
S ymbo
l
s and warnings on handling
the battery Read the additional information carefully
›› ›
page 57
Wear eye protection
Battery acid is extremely corrosive. Wear protec-
tive gloves and eye protection!
Fires, sparks, open flames and smoking are pro-
hibited!
A highly explosive mixture of gases is released
when the battery is under charge.
Keep children away from acid and batteries!
WARNING
Always be aware of the danger of injury and
chemic a
l burns as well as the risk of accident
or fire when working on the battery and the
electrical system:
● Wear eye protection. Protect your eyes,
skin and clothin
g from acid and particles con-
taining lead.
● Battery acid is extremely corrosive. Wear
protectiv
e gloves and eye protection. Do not
tilt the batteries. This could spill acid through
the vents.
● Rinse battery acid from eyes immediately
for sever
al minutes with clear water. Then276