Operation
●
At lo w out
side temperatures, the compres-
sor switches off automatically and cannot be
switched on even with the AUTO button.
● It is advisable to turn on the air condition-
ing at l
east once a month, to lubricate the
system gaskets and prevent leaks. If a de-
crease in the cooling capacity is detected, a
Technical Service should be consulted to
check the system.
● To ensure correct operation, the grilles on
both sides
of the screen must not be obstruc-
ted. ●
When the engine i s
under extreme strain,
switch off the compressor for a moment. Economic use of the air conditioning
When the air conditioning is switched on, the
compr
e
ssor consumes engine power and has
influence on fuel consumption. Consider the
following points in order to have the system
operating in the minimum possible time. ●
If the v
ehicle interior has overheated due to
an excessive solar radiation, it is best to
open the windows or doors to allow the hot
air to escape.
● While in motion, the air conditioning
should not
be switched on if the windows or
the sunroof* are open.
Air outlets Fig. 152
Air vents138
Air conditioning
Air distributionSymbol ››› page 139
CMain air output through out-
lets
1, 2
5
1, 2, 5
3, 4
Outlets
3 and
4 can be closed or opened
separ at
ely using the slats and the air flow di-
rected as required.
Heating and fresh air
Contr o
ls Fig. 153
Heating controls on the dash panel. ●
Use t
urn c
ontrols A ,
B and
C
› ››
Fig. 153
t o a
djust the temperature, blower speed and
air distribution.
● Press the D button to switch air recircula-
tion mode on or off .
When the f
unction is ac-
tivated, a warning light on the button is
turned on.
Temperature
Switch A adjusts temperature. The desired
t emper
at
ure inside the vehicle cannot be
lower than the ambient temperature. Maxi-
mum heat output, which is needed to defrost
the windows quickly, is only available when
the engine has reached its operating temper-
ature.
Blower
The air flow can be set at four speeds with
switch B . The blower should always be set
at the lo
w
est speed when driving slowly.
Air distribution
Control C for setting the flow of air in the re-
quir ed dir
ection.
– Air distribution towards the windscreen
in order to demist. For safety reasons, it is
not recommended to switch air recirculation
on.
– Air distribution to upper body.
– Air distribution to footwell – Air distribution to the windscreen and
the footw
ell. WARNING
● For y
our safety, the windows should never
be fogged up or covered with snow or ice.
This is essential to ensure good visibility.
Please familiarise yourself with the correct
operation of the heating and ventilation sys-
tem, including the demist/defrost functions
for the windows. Note
● Ple a
se consider the general notes
››› page 137. Air recirculation
Air recirculation prevents unpleasant smells
fr
om ent
erin
g the interior.
Connecting the recirculation
In any position of rotary switch C except
th a
w:
● Pr
ess button D
› ›
›
Fig. 153 and the lamp in
the button will illuminate.
Disconnecting the recirculation
● If the lamp is on, press button D and the
l amp w
i
ll go off, indicating that the entry of
outside air has been activated. »
139
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
If the rotary switch C
› ››
Fig. 153
i s in the
thaw position, the recirculation flap will al-
ways be open and air will always enter from
the outside.
If the rotary switch C is switched from any
po s
ition t
o the thaw position, recirculation
will be automatically deactivated. WARNING
● In air rec ir
culation mode, no cold air from
the outside enters the vehicle interior. The
windows can quickly fog over if the heating is
switched off. Therefore, never leave the air re-
circulation mode switched on for a long time
(risk of accident). Vehicle ventilation or heating
Ventilating the vehicle interior
– Turn the temperature selector ››
›
Fig. 153
A anticlockwise.
– Turn blower switch B to any of the head
settin g
s
1-4.
– Set the airflow to the desired direction us-
ing air dis
tribution control C .
– Open the relevant air outlets. Interior heating
– Turn the temperature selector ››
›
Fig. 153
A clockwise to select the desired tempera-
t ur
e.
– T
urn blower switch B to any of the head
settin g
s
1-4.
– Set the airflow to the desired direction us-
ing air dis
tribution control C .
– Open the relevant air outlets.
D efr
o
sting the windscreen
– Turn the temperature selector ›››
Fig. 153
A clockwise to reach the maximum tem-
per at
ur
e.
– Turn the blower switch B to setting 4.
– Turn air distribution control to .
– Close outlet 3 .
– Open and turn outlet 4 towards the side
w indo
w
s.
Keeping the windscreen and the side win-
dows demisted
– Turn the temperature selector ›››
Fig. 153
A to the heating area.
– Turn blower switch B to any of the head
settin g
s
2-3.
– Turn air distribution control to .
– Close outlets 3 –
Open and t urn outl
ets
4 towards side win-
do w
s.
Onc
e the windows are demisted and as a pre-
ventive measure, the control C can be set in
po s
ition
, thus obtaining greater comfort
while preventing the windows from misting
again.
Heating
Maximum heat output, which is needed to
defrost the windows quickly, is only available
when the engine has reached its operating
temperature. Note
Remember that the temperature of the engine
coo l
ant should be optimum to ensure that the
heating system functions correctly (except in
vehicles fitted with additional heating*). 140
Air conditioning
Air conditioning* C ontr
o
ls Fig. 154
Air conditioning controls on the
d a
sh p
anel. Temperature selector
››
›
page 141
Blower control. There are four speed set-
tings for the blower. At low speed, it is
recommended to set the blower to a mini-
mum of 1 to improve the intake of fresh
air.
Air distribution control ››› page 141
Air recirculation button
› ›
› p
age 142
A/C button – Switches on the cooling
sy s
t
em ››› page 141
The air conditioning system only works when
the engine is running and the fan is switched
on. A B
C
D
E ●
Us
in
g the rotary switches A ,
B and
C ›››
Fig. 154 y ou c
an a djust temperature, blow-
er speed and air distribution.
● To switch a function on or off, press the ap-
propriat
e button D or
E . When the function
i s
activ
ated, a red warning light on the but-
ton is turned on.
To demist the windscreen
● Turn air distribution to .
● Turn the fan control to one of the two levels
depending on the speed r
equired.
● Rotate the temperature control to the de-
sired l
evel of comfort.
● Close outlets 3 ●
Open and turn outlets 4 towards side win-
do w
s. WARNING
For your safety, the windows should never be
fog g
ed up or covered with snow or ice. This is
essential to ensure good visibility. Please fa-
miliarise yourself with the correct operation
of the heating and ventilation system, includ-
ing the demist/defrost functions for the win-
dows. Note
Please consider the general notes. Vehicle interior heating or cooling
sy
s
t
em Interior heating
– Turn off the cooling system using the
›› ›
Fig. 154 A/C button (the button light
turn s
off).
– Turn the temperature selector A to set the
des ir
ed temperature inside the vehicle.
– Turn the blower switch to any of the set-
tings
1-4.
– Set the air distribution control C to the air
flo w c
onfigur
ation desired: (towards the
w ind
s
creen), (towards the chest),
(towards the footwell) and
(towards the
w ind
s
creen and footwell areas).
Interior cooling
– Turn off the cooling system using the A/C button (the button light turns on).
– Turn the temperature control switch until
the de s
ir
ed interior temperature is reached.
– Turn the blower switch to any of the set-
tings
1-4.
– Set the air distribution control to the air
flow configur
ation desired: (towards the
w ind
s
creen), (towards the chest),
(towards the footwell) and
(towards the
w ind
s
creen and footwell areas). »
141
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
Heating
M ax
imum he
at output, which is needed to
defrost the windows quickly, is only available
when the engine has reached its operating
temperature.
Coolant system
When the air conditioning is switched on, the
temperature and the air humidity go down.
This way, if the outside humidity is extreme,
the air conditioning prevents the misting of
the windows and therefore, comfort is im-
proved.
If the air conditioning does not work, this
may be due to the following reasons:
● The engine is stationary.
● The fan blower is switched off.
● The outside temperature is lower than ap-
prox
imately +3°C (+37°F).
● The air conditioning system compressor
has
been temporarily switched off because of
an increased engine coolant temperature.
● The air conditioner fuse is faulty.
● Another fault in the vehicle. Have the air
conditioning c
hecked by a specialised work-
shop. Air recirculation
Air recirculation prevents unpleasant smells,
e.g. when p
a
ssing through a tunnel or in
queuing traffic, from entering the interior.
If the rotary switch C
››› Fig. 154 i
s in the
thaw position, the recirculation flap will al-
ways be open (button light off).
If the rotary switch C is switched from any
pos ition t
o the thaw position, recirculation
will be automatically deactivated.
Connecting the recirculation
In any position of rotary switch C except
th a
w:
● Pr
ess button D
› ›
› Fig. 154
, the switch's
lamp will light up, indicating that air recircu-
lation inside the vehicle has been activated.
Disconnecting the recirculation
In any position of rotary switch C except
th a
w:
● Pr
ess button D again and the button's
l amp w
i
ll go off, indicating that air recircula-
tion from the outside has been activated. In the thaw position of rotary switch
C , the
entr y
of
air into the vehicle interior is always
from the outside. WARNING
In air recirculation mode, no cold air from the
outs ide ent
ers the vehicle interior. If the air
conditioner is switched off, the windows can
quickly mist over. Therefore, never leave the
air recirculation mode switched on for a long
time (risk of accident). Note
● When eng agin
g reverse gear, the air recir-
culation is connected automatically to pre-
vent the entrance of exhaust gases in the ve-
hicle on travelling backwards. The control
lamp on the button does not light up.
● If the temperature control is turned to the
co l
dest setting (blue point) and the A/C but-
ton i s
on, the “Air recirculation” function is
automatically activated in order to cool the
vehicle faster using less energy, and its func-
tion control lamp will light up.
● If the function is not deactivated by press-
ing the butt
on, it will deactivate after approx-
imately 20 minutes. 142
Operation
● Pr e
s
s the AUTO button
13
› ››
Fig. 155
.
● Adju
st vents 3 and 4 ›››
page 138 so that
the air flow is directed slightly upwards.
Change between degrees Centigrade and de-
grees Fahrenheit
Keep the AUTO and
A/C
› ››
Fig. 155
b
uttons
held down for 2 seconds at the same time.
The data is displayed on the screen in the
units required. Note
● A v i
sit to the specialised service once a
year is recommended to clean the Climatronic
system.
● The interior temperature sensor 11›››
Fig. 155 is at
the bottom. Do not cover it
with stickers or the like, as this could have a
negative effect on Climatronic operations. Automatic mode
Automatic mode is used to maintain a con-
s
t
ant
temperature and demist the windows
inside the vehicle.
Switching on automatic mode
● Set the interior temperature between +16°C
(+64°F) and +29°C (+84°F).
● Adjus
t vents 3 and 4 ›››
page 138 so that
the air flow is directed slightly upwards. ●
Pres
s the AUTO button
13
› ››
Fig. 155
and
AUTO di
splayed on the screen.
Automatic mode is switched off by pressing
the air distribution buttons or increasing or
decreasing the blower speed. However, the
temperature remains regulated.
Adjusting the temperature ●
When you switch on the ignition, control 1 ›››
Fig. 155 can be u sed t
o set the required in-
terior temperature.
It is possible to select interior temperatures
from +16°C (+64°F) to +29°C (+84°F). In this
range the temperature is regulated automati-
cally. If a temperature below +16°C (+64°F) is
selected, “LO” is displayed on the screen. If a
temperature above +29°C (+84°F) is selected,
“HI” is displayed on the screen. At both ex-
tremes, Climatronic works at maximum cool-
ing or heating power, respectively. The tem-
perature is not regulated.
In the event of prolonged, irregular distribu-
tion of the air flow from the outlets (particu-
larly the footwells) and significant differen-
ces in temperature, e.g. on leaving the vehi-
cle, sensitive people may catch cold. Air recirculation Air recirculation prevents unpleasant smells,
e.g. when p
a
ssing through a tunnel or in
queuing traffic, from entering the interior.
Switching on air recirculation mode
● Press button
17
››› Fig. 155 and the
symbol is displayed on the screen.
Switching off air recirculation mode
● Press button
17
› ›
› Fig. 155
and the
symbol disappears from the screen. WARNING
Read and observe the safety warnings ›››
in
Genera l
notes on page 137. Note
If air recirculation mode remains on for 15 mi-
nute s, the
symbol will start to flash on
the screen to indicate prolonged air recircula-
tion. If air recirculation is not switched off,
the symbol will continue to flash for about 5
minutes. Blower selection
Climatronic automatically regulates blower
s
peed ac
c
ording to the interior temperature.
144
Driving
Starting and stopping the en-
gine Ignition k ey
po
sitionsFig. 156
Ignition key positions. Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 21
Ignition switched off, steering lock 1In this position
››
›
Fig. 156, the ignition and
the engine are OFF and the steering may be
locked.
For the Steering lock to operate without the
ignition key, turn the steering wheel until it
locks with an audible sound. You should al-
ways lock the steering wheel when you leave
your vehicle. This will help prevent vehicle
theft ››› . Switching the ignition or the glow plug sys-
t
em on 2 Turn the ignition key to this position and re-
l
e
a
se it. If the key cannot be turned or it is
difficult to turn from position 1 to position
2 , move the steering wheel from one side to
the other; thi s
w
ill release it.
Starting 3 The engine is started when the key is in this
po
s
ition. El
ectrical devices with high power
consumption are switched off temporarily at
the same time.
Each time that the vehicle is restarted, the ig-
nition key must be turned to position 1 . The
r epetitiv
e s
tart prevention lock of the igni-
tion prevents possible damage to the starter
motor if the engine is already running. WARNING
● The ignition key mu
st NOT be removed from
the lock until the vehicle comes to a stand-
still. Otherwise, the steering could be imme-
diately blocked- Risk of accident!
● Always remove the key from the ignition
when leav
ing the vehicle, even if only for a
short period. This is especially important if
children or disabled people are left alone in
the vehicle. They could accidentally start the
engine or work electrical equipment such as
the electric windows, resulting in an acci-
dent. ●
Uns uper
vised use of the key could start the
engine or any electrical system, such as the
electric windows. This could result in serious
injury. CAUTION
The starter motor will only work when the en-
gine i s s
topped (ignition key position 3 ).
Electronic immobiliser “SAFE”
The electronic immobiliser prevents unau-
thori
sed per
son
s from driving the vehicle.
Inside the key there is a chip that deactivates
the electronic immobiliser automatically
when the key is inserted into the ignition.
The electronic immobiliser will be activated
again automatically as soon as you pull the
key out of the ignition lock.
The engine can only be started using a genu-
ine SEAT key with its correct code.
If the following message* is shown on the in-
strument panel display: SAFE, the vehicle
cannot be started.
The engine can, however, be started if the
appropriate coded SEAT genuine key is used. »
147
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
the engine. Avoid running the engine at high
s peed.
P eriodic
maintenance
Periodic maintenance work guarantees that,
before beginning a journey, you will not con-
sume more than the required amount of fuel.
A well-serviced engine gives you the benefit
of improved fuel efficiency as well as maxi-
mum reliability and an enhanced resale val-
ue.
A badly serviced engine can consume up to
10% more fuel than necessary.
Avoid short journeys
To reduce the consumption and emission of
polluting exhaust gases, the engine and the
exhaust gas filtration systems should reach
the optimum operating temperature.
With the engine cold, fuel consumption is
proportionally higher. The engine does not
warm up and fuel consumption does not nor-
malise until having driven approximately four
kilometres (2.5 miles). This is why we recom-
mend avoiding short trips whenever possi-
ble.
Maintain the correct tyre pressures
Bear in mind that keeping the tyres at an ad-
equate pressure saves fuel. If the tyre pres-
sure is just one bar (14.5 psi/100 kPa) too
low, fuel consumption can increase by as much as 5%. Due to the greater rolling resist-
ance, under
-inflation also increases tyre wear
wear and impairs handling.
The tyre pressures should always be checked
when the tyres are cold.
Do not use winter tyres all year round as they
increase fuel consumption by up to 10%.
Avoid unnecessary weight
Given that every kilo of extra weight will in-
crease the fuel consumption, it is advisable
to always check the luggage compartment to
make sure that no unnecessary loads are be-
ing transported.
A roof rack is often left in place for the sake
of convenience, even when it is no longer
needed. At a speed of 100 km/h (62 mph)
and 120 km/h (75 mph) your vehicle will use
about 12% more fuel as a result of the extra
wind resistance caused by the roof rack even
when it is not in use.
Save electricity
The engine activates the alternator, which
produces electricity. With the need for elec-
tricity, fuel consumption also increases. Be-
cause of this, always turn off electrical devi-
ces when you do not need them. Examples of
devices that use a lot of electricity are: the
blower at high speeds, the rear window heat-
ing or the seat heaters*. Note
● If y
our vehicle has Start-Stop, it is not rec-
ommended that you switch this function off.
● It is recommended that you close
the win-
dows when driving at more than 60 km/h
(37 mph).
● Do not drive with your foot resting on the
clutc
h pedal,, as the pressure can make the
plate spin, more fuel will be used and it can
burn the clutch plate lining, causing a serious
fault.
● Do not hold the car on a hill with the clutch,
use the foot
brake or hand brake, using the
latter to start. The fuel consumption will be
lower and you will prevent the clutch plate
from being damaged.
● On descents, use the engine brake, chang-
ing to the g
ear that is more suitable for the
slope. Fuel consumption will be “zero” and
the brakes will not suffer. Engine management and ex-
h
au
s
t gas purification system
Introduction WARNING
● Bec au
se of the high temperatures which
can occur in the exhaust purification system
(catalytic converter or diesel particulate fil-
ter), do not park the vehicle where the 166