The essentials
the jack* could slip as it does not have an
a
dequat
e grip on the vehicle: risk of injury!
● The height of the parked vehicle can
ch
ange as a result of variations in tempera-
ture and loading. CAUTION
The vehicle must not be raised on the cross-
b ar
. Only place the jack* on the points de-
signed for this purpose on the strut. Other-
wise, the vehicle may be damaged. Removing and fitting a wheel
Change the wheel after loosening the wheel
bo
lts
and raising the vehicle with the jack.
Taking off the wheel ● Unscrew the wheel bolts using the box
sp
anner and place them on a clean surface.
● Take off the wheel.
Puttin
g on the spare wheel
When fitting tyres with a compulsory rotation
direction, observe the instructions in
››› page 56.
● Mount the wheel.
● Screw on the wheel bolts in position and
tight en them loo
sely with a box spanner.
● Carefully lower the vehicle using the jack*. ●
Tight en the wheel
bolts in diagonal pairs
using the wheel brace.
The wheel bolts should be clean and turn
easily. Before fitting the spare wheel, inspect
the wheel condition and hub mounting surfa-
ces. These surfaces must be clean before fit-
ting the wheel.
Tyres with compulsory direction of ro-
tation A directional tread pattern can be identified
b
y
the arrows on the sidewall that point in
the direction of rotation. Always observe the
direction of rotation indicated when fitting
the wheel to guarantee optimum properties
of this type of tyres with regard to grip,
noises, wear and aquaplaning.
If it is absolutely necessary to fit the spare
tyre* against the direction of rotation, drive
with care as this means the tyre does not of-
fer optimum driving properties. This is of par-
ticular importance when the road surface is
wet.
To return to directional tread tires, replace
the punctured tyre as soon as possible and
restore the obligatory direction of rotation of
all tyres. Subsequent work ●
Alloy wheels: rep
lace the wheel bolt caps.
● Plate wheels: fit the c
entral wheel rim again
››› page 54.
● Return all tools to their proper storing loca-
tion.
● If the replaced wheel does not fit in the
sp
are wheel housing, store it safely in the
luggage compartment ›››
page 149.
● Check the tyre pressure of the newly moun-
ted ty
re as soon as possible.
● In vehicles fitted with a tyre pressure indi-
c at
or, adjust the pressure and store the read-
ing in the radio/Easy Connect system*
››› page 295.
● Have the tightening torque of the wheel
bolts
checked as soon as possible with a tor-
que wrench (it should be 140 Nm). Mean-
while, drive carefully.
● Have the flat tyre replaced as quickly as
pos
sible.
Snow chains Use Snow chains should only be used on the
fr
on
t wheels.56
Safety
●
The s lot
in the seat belt buckle must not be
blocked with paper or other objects, as this
can prevent the latch plate from engaging se-
curely.
● Never use seat belt clips, fastening rings or
simi
lar items to alter the position of the belt
webbing.
● Frayed or torn seat belts or damage to the
connection
s, belt retractors or parts of the
buckle could cause severe injuries in the
event of an accident. Therefore, you must
check the condition of all seat belts at regular
intervals.
● Seat belts which have been worn in an acci-
dent and s
tretched must be replaced by a
specialised workshop. Renewal may be nec-
essary even if there is no apparent damage.
The belt anchorage should also be checked.
● Do not attempt to repair a damaged seat
belt
yourself. The seat belts must not be re-
moved or modified in any way.
● The belts must be kept clean, otherwise the
retr
actors may not work properly. Head-on collisions and the laws of
ph
y
sics Fig. 88
A driver not wearing a seat belt is
thr o
wn forward violently Fig. 89
The unbelted passenger in the rear
se at
is thrown forward violently, hitting the
driver who is wearing a seat belt. It is easy to explain how the laws of physics
w
ork
in the case of a head-on collision: when
a vehicle starts moving, a type of energy called “kinetic energy” is created both in the
pa
ssengers and inside the vehicle.
The amount of “kinetic energy” depends on
the speed of the vehicle and the weight of
the vehicle and its passengers. The higher
they are, the more energy there is to be “ab-
sorbed” in the event of an accident.
The most significant factor, however, is the
speed of the vehicle. If the speed doubles
from 25 km/h (15 mph) to 50 km/h
(30 mph), for example, the corresponding ki-
netic energy is multiplied by four.
Given that the passengers of the vehicle in
our example do not have their seat belts fas-
tened, in the event of a collision the entire
amount of the passengers' kinetic energy will
be only absorbed by the mentioned impact.
Even at speeds of 30 km/h (19 mph) to
50 km/h (30 mph), the forces acting on bod-
ies in a collision can easily exceed one tonne
(1000 kg). At greater speed these forces are
even higher.
Vehicle occupants not wearing seat belts are
not “attached” to the vehicle. In a head-on
collision, they will move forward at the same
speed their vehicle was travelling just before
the impact. This example applies not only to
head-on collisions, but to all accidents and
collisions.
Even at low speeds the forces acting on the
body in a collision are so great that it is not
70
Advice
– If
you wish to fit the vehicle with rims or
tyres different to those installed in manu-
facture, it is advisable to consult a SEAT Of- ficial Service before purchasing them.
The tyres and wheel rims are an essential
part of the vehicle's design. The tyres and
rims approved by SEAT are specially matched
to the characteristics of the vehicle and make
a major contribution to good roadholding
and safe handling ››› .
The s iz
es of the rims and tyres approved for
your vehicle are listed in the vehicle docu-
mentation (e.g. EC Certificate of Conformity or
COC document 1)
). The vehicle documentation
varies depending on the country of resi-
dence.
A knowledge of tyre designations makes it
easier to choose the correct tyres. The follow-
ing wording can be read on the sides of the
tyre:
215/60 R16 95V
This contains the following information:
215Tyre width in mm
60Height/width ratio in %
RTyre construction: Radial
16Rim diameter in inches
95Load rating code
VSpeed index The m
anufacturing date is also indicated on
the ty
re sidewall (possibly only on the inner
part):
DOT ... 2212 ...
it means, for example, that the tyre was man-
ufactured in the 22nd week of 2012.
But note that with some types of tyre, the ac-
tual tyre size can differ from the nominal size
marked on the tyre (for instance 215/60 R16
95 V), and there may be significant differen-
ces in the contours of the tyres, even though
the tyres are marked with the same nominal
size. When replacing the tyres, it is therefore
important to make sure that the actual size
of the new tyres does not exceed the dimen-
sions of the factory-approved makes of tyre.
Failure to observe this requirement can af-
fect the clearance needed for the tyres. If the
tyres rub against the bodywork, in certain
circumstances the tyres, running gear or
bodywork and pipes may be damaged, and
vehicle safety could be severely impaired
››› .
If
you use tyres that are approved by SEAT
you can be sure that the actual tyre dimen-
sions will be correct for your vehicle. If you decide to fit a different type of tyre, you must
obt
ain the appropriate manufacturer's certif-
icate from the tyre retailer to confirm that
the tyres are suitable for your vehicle. Keep
this certificate in a safe place.
Your SEAT Official Service will be able to ad-
vise you on which tyres may be fitted to your
vehicle.
It is best to have all servicing of wheels and
tyres performed by a specialised workshop.
They are familiar with the procedure and
have the necessary special tools and spare
parts as well as the proper facilities for dis-
posing of the old tyres respecting the envi-
ronment. WARNING
● It i
s very important to ensure that the tyres
you have chosen have adequate clearance.
When selecting replacement tyres, do not re-
ly entirely on the nominal tyre size marked on
the tyre, since the effective tyre size can dif-
fer significantly depending on the manufac-
turer. Inadequate tyre clearance can result in
damage to the tyres or the vehicle, causing a
serious safety risk. Risk of accident! It may
also invalidate the vehicle's registration for
use on public roads. 1)
COC = certificate of conformity.
294