Page 177 of 328

Driving
Depending on the finishes and versions,
ther e i
s the possibility of disconnecting only
the ASR or activating the ESC Sport mode.
Disable ASR
The Easy Connect system menu is used to
switch off the ASR ››› page 108. 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 108
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.
ESC in “Sport” mode
Sport mode can be connected via the Easy
Connect ››› page 108 system menu. The ac-
tion of the ESC and the ASR is limited ››› .
The c ontr
ol lamp lights up. For vehicles
with a driver information system* the driver
will be informed that: Electronic Stability Control
(ESC): sport. Warning! Limited
stability
Dis
able ESC “Sport” mode
Through the Easy Connect system menu
››› page 108. The warning lamp will switch
off. For vehicles with a driver information sys-
tem* the driver will be informed that:
Electronic Stability Control
(ESC): On
ESC in “Offroad” 1)
mode
Turn the Driving Experience button to select
the Offroad mode and connect it
››› page 226. The interventions of the ESC, as
well as of the ASR, EDS and the ABS, adapt to
irregular terrain.
The control lamp lights up. In the dash
panel, the driver will be informed that:
Electronic Stability Control
(ESC): Offroad. Warning! Limited
stability
In the following exceptional situations it may
make sense to activate the Offroad mode to
allow the wheels to spin: ●
When “swin ging” the vehicle to get it un-
stuck.
● Driving in deep snow or on loose surfaces.
● When driving on rough terrain with much of
the car's
weight is lifted off the wheels (axle
articulation).
● Steep descents with braking on unpaved
terr
ain.
For your safety we recommend that you turn
off the Offroad mode when it is not absolute-
ly necessary.
Disable the ESC Offroad mode
Turn the Driving Experience button to select a
different driving mode ››› page 226. The
warning lamp will switch off. The driver will
be informed that:
Electronic Stability Control
(ESC): On
ESC in “Snow” mode 1)
Turn the Driving Experience button to select
the “Snow” mode and connect it
››› page 226. Traction control system (ASR)
interventions adjust to the adhesion of
snowy roads. »1)
Only for 4Drive models.
175
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Page 178 of 328

Operation
Disable the ESC “Snow” mode
T urn the Driv
ing Experience button to select a
different driving mode ››› page 226. WARNING
The ESC Sport mode should be activated only
when tr affic
conditions and the ability of the
driver allow it. Danger of skidding!
● With ESC in Sport mode, the stabilising
fu
nction will be limited to allow for a sportier
drive. The driving wheels could spin and the
vehicle could skid. WARNING
You should only activate the Offroad Mode or
di s
able the ASR if the experience of the driver
and traffic conditions allow it. Danger of skid-
ding!
● With the Offroad mode activated, the stabi-
lis
ation function is limited. In particular, if
the road is too smooth and slippery, the driv-
ing wheels could spin and the vehicle could
skid. Note
If the ASR is disconnected or the ESC’s Sport
mode i s
selected, cruise control* will be
switched off. Manual gearbox
Ch an
ging gear Read the additional information carefully
› ›
› page 40
In some countries the clutch pedal must be
fully pressed down for the engine to start.
Selecting reverse gear ● Engage reverse gear only when the vehicle
is
stopped.
Changing down gears
While driving, changing down a gear must al-
ways be done gradually, i.e. to the gear di-
rectly below and when the engine speed is
not too high ››› . Changing down while by-
p a
ssing one or various gears at high speeds
or at high engine speeds can damage the
clutch and the gearbox, even if the clutch
pedal remains depressed ››› .
WARNING
When the engine is running, the vehicle will
s t
art to move as soon as a gear is engaged
and the clutch released. This is also the case
with the electronic parking brake switched
on.
● Never engage reverse gear when the vehi-
cl
e is moving. WARNING
If the gear is changed down inappropriately
b y
selecting 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 s peed
s, selecting 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
w e
ar, please observe the following:
● Do not rest your hand on the gear lever
whil
e driving. The pressure applied by your
hand is transmitted to the gearbox selector
forks.
● Always ensure that the vehicle is complete-
ly s
topped before engaging the reverse gear.
● Always press the clutch to the floor when
ch
anging gears.
● Never hold the vehicle “on the clutch” on
hil
ls with the engine on. 176
Page 179 of 328

Driving
Automatic gearbox/DSG auto-
m atic
gearbox*
Introduction Your vehicle is equipped with an electronical-
ly
c
ontrolled 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 179, Changing gears in tiptronic
mode*.
Selector lever positions Read the additional information carefully
› ›
› page 41
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 lever is in this position,
the driven wheels are locked mechanically. The parking lock must be engaged only when
the v
ehicle 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
ve 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 (S). To select Sport mode (S), move
the selector lever backwards. Moving the lev-
er again will select normal mode (D). The se-
lected driving mode is shown on the instru-
ment panel display. In normal mode
(D), the g
earbox automatical-
ly selects the best gear ratio. This depends
on the engine load, the road speed and the
dynamic gear control programme (DCP).
Sport mode (S) must be selected for a sporty
driving style. This setting makes use of the
engine's maximum power output. When ac-
celerating the gear shifts will be noticeable.
Press the brake pedal to move the selector
lever from N to D/S when the vehicle is sta-
tionary or at speeds below 3 km/h (2 mph)
››› .
Under c er
tain circumstances (e.g. when driv-
ing in mountains) it can be advantageous to
switch temporarily to tiptronic mode
››› page 179, in order to manually select gear
ratios to suit the driving conditions. WARNING
● Tak
e care not to accidentally press the ac-
celerator pedal when the vehicle is stopped.
The vehicle could otherwise start moving im-
mediately (in some cases even if the parking
brake is engaged) resulting in the risk of an
accident.
● Never move the selector lever to R or P
when drivin
g. Failure to follow this instruc-
tion could result in an accident.
● With selector lever in any position (except
P) the v
ehicle must always be held with the
foot brake when the engine is running. This is
because an automatic gearbox still transmits » 177
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Page 180 of 328

Operation
power even at idling speed, and the vehicle
t
end
s to “creep”. The accelerator pedal must
on no account be pressed inadvertently when
a gear is engaged with the vehicle stationary.
The vehicle could otherwise start moving im-
mediately (in some cases even if the parking
brake is engaged) resulting in the risk of an
accident.
● While you are selecting a gear and the vehi-
cl
e is stopped with the engine running, do
not accelerate. Failure to follow this instruc-
tion could result in an accident.
● As a driver you should never leave your ve-
hicl
e if the engine is running and a gear is en-
gaged. If you have to leave your vehicle while
the engine is running, you must apply the
handbrake and engage the parking lock (P).
● To avoid accidents, apply the handbrake
and put
the selector lever in position P before
opening the bonnet and working on the vehi-
cle with the engine running. Please always
observe the important safety warnings
››› page 282, Work in the engine compart-
ment. Note
● If the sel
ector lever is moved accidentally
to N when driving, release the accelerator and
let the engine speed drop to idling before se-
lecting gear range D or S again.
● Should the power supply to the selector
lev
er be interrupted in position P, the selector
lever will be locked. If this should happen the
manual release can be used ›››
page 41. Selector lever lock
Fig. 166
Selector lever lock. The selector lever lock prevents gears from
bein g en
gaged inadvertently, so that the ve-
hicle is not set in motion unintentionally.
The selector lever lock is released as follows:
– Switch the ignition on.
– Press the brake pedal and
, at the same
time, hold the lock button in the direction
of the arrow ››› Fig. 166.
Automatic selector lever lock
With the ignition switched on, the selector
lever is locked in the positions P and N. The
brake pedal must be pressed to release the
lever while pressing the release button if the
selector lever is in the position P. As a re-
minder for the driver, with the lever in posi-
tions P or N the following message will be
shown on the display: When stationary, apply footbrake
while selecting a gear.
Lev
el lock only engages with the vehicle sta-
tionary and at speeds of up to 5 km/h
(3 mph). At speeds of over 5 km/h (3 mph)
the lever lock is automatically deactivated in
position N.
The selector lever lock is not engaged if the
selector lever is moved quickly through posi-
tion N (e.g. when shifting from R to D). This
makes it possible, for instance, to rock the
vehicle “backwards and forwards” if it is
stuck. The selector lever lock engages auto-
matically if the brake pedal is not depressed
and the lever is in position N for more than
about two seconds.
Interlock button
The interlock button on the selector lever
handle prevents the driver from inadvertently
engaging certain gears. Press the button in
to disengage the selector lever lock.
Safety interlock for ignition key
Once the ignition has been turned off, the
key may be removed only if the gear selector
is in position P. While the key is not in the ig-
nition, the selector lever is locked in position
P.
178
Page 181 of 328

Driving
Note
● If the sel
ector lever lock does not engage,
there is a fault. The transmission is interrup-
ted to prevent the vehicle from accidentally
moving. Follow the procedure below in order
for the selector lever lock to engage again:
–With a 6-speed gearbox: press the brake
pedal and release it again.
– With a 7-speed gearbox: press the brake
pedal. Move the selector lever to posi-
tion P or N and subsequently engage a
gear.
● Despite a gear being engaged, the vehicle
does
not move forwards or back. Proceed to
the next mode:
– When the vehicle does not move in the
required direction, the system may not
have the gear range correctly engaged.
Press the brake pedal and engage the
gear range again.
– If the vehicle still does not move in the
required direction, there is a system mal-
function. Seek specialist assistance and
have the system checked. Changing gears in tiptronic mode*
Fig. 167
Centre console: changing gear with
tiptr onic Fig. 168
Steering wheel: automatic gearbox
l ev
ers The tiptronic gives the driver the option to
c
h
ange gears manually. Changing gear manually with the selector
lev
er
It is possible to change to tiptronic mode,
both when the vehicle is stopped and while
driving.
– To switch to tiptronic mode, move the se-
lect
or lever from position D/S to the right.
As soon as the change is made the selector
level will be shown in the position M on the
instrument panel display (for example M4
means that the fourth gear is engaged).
– Move the selector lever forwards + to se-
l ect
a higher gear ››› Fig. 167.
– Move the selector lever backwards – to
sel ect
a lower gear.
Changing gear manually with the gearshift
paddles*
The gearshift paddles can be used when the
selector lever is in the position D/S or M.
– Press the gearshift paddle + to select a
higher g e
ar ››› Fig. 168.
– Press the gearshift paddle – to select a
lo w
er gear.
– With the selector lever in position D/S, if no
pa
ddle is operated during a short period of
time, the gearbox control system switches
back to automatic mode. To switch to per-
manent manual gear change using the
gearshift paddles, move the selector lever
from position D/S to the right. »
179
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Page 182 of 328

Operation
When accelerating, the gearbox automatical-
ly shif
ts up into the next gear shortly before
the maximum engine speed is reached.
If you select a lower gear, the automatic gear-
box will not shift down until there is no risk of
over-revving the engine.
When the kick-down feature is used, the
gearbox shifts down to a lower gear, depend-
ing on road speed and engine speed.
Driving tips The gearbox changes gear ratios automatical-
ly
a
s the vehicle moves.
The engine can only start with the selector
lever in position P or N. At low temperatures,
below -10°C (50°F), the engine can only start
with the selector lever in position P.
Starting the vehicle
– Press and hold the brake pedal.
– Press and hold the interlock button (the
butt
on on the selector lever handle), move
the selector lever to the desired position,
for instance D ›››
page 177, and release the
interlock button.
– Wait for the gearbox to engage the gear (a
slight
movement can be felt).
– Release the brake and press the accelerator
››
› . Stopping briefly
– Apply the foot brake to hold the vehicle
briefly when s
tationary (for instance at traf-
fic lights). Do not press the accelerator.
Stopping/Parking
If the driver door is opened and the selector
lever is not in position P, the vehicle could
move. The driver message will be: Gear
change: selector lever in the
drive position! . Additionally, a buzzer
will sound.
– Press and hold the brake pedal ››
› .
– Apply the handbrake.
– Move the selector lever to position P.
Ho l
ding the car on a hill
– Always apply the brake pedal firmly to pre-
v
ent the vehicle from “moving backwards;
if necessary, apply the handbrake” ››› .
Do not tr y
to stop the vehicle “rolling back”
by increasing the engine speed when a
gear is engaged (pressing the accelerator)
››› .
St ar
ting off uphill
– Apply the handbrake.
– Once you have engaged a gear press the
acc
elerator carefully and disengage the
handbrake. Driving down hills: in some sit
uations (on
mountain roads or when towing a trailer or
caravan) it can be advantageous to switch
temporarily to the manual gearbox pro-
gramme so that the gear ratios can be selec-
ted manually to suit the driving conditions
››› .
On l ev
el ground it is sufficient to move the
selector lever to position P. On slopes, first
engage the parking brake and then put the
selection lever into the P position. This
avoids overloading the locking mechanism
and it will be easier to move the selector lev-
er from position P. WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ››
› in Selector
l ev
er positions on page 177.
● Never allow the brake to rub and do not use
the brak
e pedal too often or for long periods.
Constant braking causes overheating in the
brakes. This could significantly reduce brak-
ing power, increase braking distance or even
result in the total failure of the brake system.
● To avoid rolling back on gradients always
hol
d the vehicle with the footbrake or hand-
brake if you have to stop. CAUTION
● If
you stop the vehicle on a gradient, do not
attempt to stop it from rolling by depressing
the accelerator when a gear has been selec-
ted. This could cause overheating and 180
Page 183 of 328

Driving
damage the automatic gearbox. Apply the
h
andbr
ake firmly or press the brake pedal in
order to prevent the vehicle from rolling back.
● If you allow the car to roll with the selector
lev
er in position N with the engine switched
off, the automatic gearbox will be damaged
as it will not be lubricated.
● In certain driving situations or traffic condi-
tions, s
uch as frequently starting, prolonged
“creeping” of the vehicle or traffic jams with
continuous stoppages, the gearbox could
overheat causing damage! If the warning
lamp lights up, stop the vehicle as soon as
possible and wait for the gearbox to cool
››› page 183. Kick-down feature
The kick-down feature allows maximum ac-
c
el
eration to be reached.
When the accelerator pedal is pressed right
down past the point of resistance at full throt-
tle, the gearbox will shift down to a lower
gear, depending on road speed and engine
speed. The upshift to the next higher gear is
delayed until the engine reaches maximum
rpm. WARNING
Please note that if the road surface is slip-
per y
or wet, the kick-down feature could
cause the driving wheels to spin, which could
result in skidding. Launch control programme
3
Valid for vehicles: with Launch-Control/6-Speed
D
SG with diesel engines superior to 125 kW and pet-
rol engines superior to 140 kW.
The Launch control programme enables maxi-
mum acceleration.
Important: the engine must have reached op-
erating temperature and the steering wheel
must not be turned.
The engine speed for launch-control is differ-
ent on petrol and diesel engines. To use the
launch-control you must disconnect the anti-
slip regulation (ASR) through the Easy Con-
nect system menu ›››
page 108. The warning
lamp will stay switched on or will flash
slowly depending on whether or not the vehi-
cle has a driver information system*.
On vehicles with the driver information sys-
tem, the ESC lamp lights up permanently and
the corresponding text message Stabilitycontrol deactivated
(tempor
ary) ap-
pears on the instrument panel to indicate the
deactivation status.
– When the engine is running, switch off the
traction c
ontrol (ASR) 1)
.
– Turn the selector lever to the position “S”
or tiptronic, or el
se select the sport driv-
ing mode from the SEAT Drive Profile*
››› page 225.
– Press the brake pedal firmly with your left
foot
and hold it down for at least one sec-
ond.
– With your right foot, press the accelerator
down t
o the full throttle or kick-down posi-
tion. The engine speed will stabilise at
about 3,200 rpm (petrol engine) or about
2,000 rpm (diesel engine).
– Take your left foot off the brake pedal. WARNING
● Alw
ays adapt your driving style to the traf-
fic conditions.
● Only use the launch control programme
when ro
ad and traffic conditions permit, and
make sure your manner of driving and accel-
erating the vehicle does not inconvenience or
endanger other road users. »1)
Vehicles without driver information system: the
w arnin
g lamp flashes slowly/Vehicles with driver in-
formation system: the warning lamp stays on. 181
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Page 184 of 328

Operation
●
Mak
e sure that the ESC remains switched
on. Please note that when the ASR and ESC
are deactivated, the wheels may start to spin,
causing the vehicle to lose grip. Risk of acci-
dent!
● After putting the vehicle into gear, the
“spor
t” mode of the ESC should be deactiva-
ted again by briefly pressing the OFF but-
t on. Note
● Af t
er using the Launch control programme,
the temperature in the gearbox may have in-
creased considerably. In this case, the pro-
gramme could be disabled for several mi-
nutes. The programme can be used again af-
ter the cooling phase.
● Accelerating with the Launch control pro-
gramme p
laces a heavy load on all parts of
the vehicle. This can result in increased wear
and tear. Downhill speed control*
The downhill speed control function helps
the driv
er when driv
ing down steep gradi-
ents.
Downhill speed control is activated when the
selector lever is in D/S and the driver applies
the foot brake. The automatic gearbox auto-
matically engages a lower gear that is suita-
ble for the slope. The downhill speed control function attempts to maintain the speed at
which the
vehicle was travelling when the
foot brake was applied (subject to the laws of
physics and technical drive limitations). It
may be necessary to adjust the speed again
using the foot brake in certain situations. Giv-
en that the downhill speed control can only
change down to 3rd gear, on very steep de-
scents the tiptronic mode may be required. In
this case, manually reduce the tiptronic to
2nd or 1st gear to use the engine brake and
reduce the charge on the brakes.
Downhill speed control is deactivated as
soon as the road levels out again or you
press the accelerator pedal.
On vehicles with cruise control system*
››› page 193, downhill speed control is acti-
vated when you set a cruising speed. WARNING
The downhill speed control cannot defy the
l a
ws of physics. Therefore, speed cannot be
maintained constant in all situations. Always
be prepared to use the brakes! Inertia mode
The inertia mode enables the kinetic energy
of
the
vehicle to be harnessed enabling cer-
tain stretches to be driven without using the
accelerator. This enables fuel to be saved. Use the inertia mode to “let the vehicle roll”
befor
e, for example, arriving in a town.
Switching on inertia mode
Important: selector lever must be in position
D, gradients below 12 %.
– Select, in SEAT Drive Profile*, Eco mode
››
› page 225.
– Take your foot off the accelerator.
The driver me
ssage Inertia will be dis-
played. At speeds higher than 20 km/h (12
mph), the gearbox will automatically disen-
gage and the vehicle will roll freely, without
the effect of the engine brake. While the vehi-
cle rolls, the engine runs at idling speed.
Stopping inertia mode
– Press the brake or the accelerator pedal.
To m
ake use of the braking force and switch
off the engine again, simply press the brake
pedal briefly.
Applying both the inertia mode (= prolonged
section with less energy) and the switching
off using inertia (= shorter section without
the need for fuel) facilitates improved fuel
consumption and emission balance.
182