Operation
– When the en gine i
s
running, switch off the
traction control (ASR) 1)
.
– Turn the selector lever to the position “S”
or tiptronic, or else sel
ect the sport driv-
ing mode from the SEAT Drive Profile*
››› page 230.
– Press the brake pedal firmly with your left
foot and ho
ld it down for at least one sec-
ond.
– With your right foot, press the accelerator
down to the f
ull 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 a
ys adapt your driving style to the traf-
fic conditions.
● Only use the launch control programme
when roa
d and traffic conditions permit, and
make sure your manner of driving and accel-
erating the vehicle does not inconvenience or
endanger other road users.
● Make sure that the ESC remains switched
on. Plea
se 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 moving off, the ESC “sport” mode
shoul d be de
activated by briefly pressing the
button. Note
● Af ter u
sing 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 pl
aces 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
in
g 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 v
ehicle 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 209, downhill speed control is acti-
vated when you set a cruising speed. WARNING
The downhill speed control cannot defy the
la w
s of physics. Therefore, speed cannot be
maintained constant in all situations. Always
be prepared to use the brakes! 1)
Vehicles without driver information system: the
warnin g l
amp flashes slowly/Vehicles with driver in-
formation system: the warning lamp stays on.
196
Operation
Economical and environmentally-
friendly driv
in
gFuel consumption, environmental pollution
and we
ar t
o the engine, brakes and tyres de-
pends largely on driving style. Fuel consump-
tion can be reduced by 10-15% with an eco-
nomical driving style and proper anticipation
of traffic conditions. The following section
gives you some tips on lessening the impact
on the environment and reducing your oper-
ating costs at the same time.
Active cylinder management (ACT ®
)*
Depending on vehicle equipment, the active
cylinder management (ACT ®
) may automati-
cally deactivate some of the engine cylinders
if the driving situation does not require too
much power. When it is switched off, no fuel
is injected into these cylinders, hence total
fuel consumption may be reduced. The num-
ber of active cylinders can be seen on the in-
strument panel display ›››
page 37.
Foresight when driving
Acceleration causes the vehicle to consume
more fuel. If you think ahead when driving,
you will need to brake less and thus acceler-
ate less. Wherever possible, let the car roll
slowly to a stop, with a gear engaged (for in-
stance when you can see that the next traffic
lights are red). This takes advantage of the
engine braking effect, reducing wear on the brakes and tyres. Emissions and fuel con-
sumption w
i
ll drop to zero due to the overrun
fuel cut-off.
Changing gear to save energy
An effective way of saving is to change in ad-
vance to a higher gear. Running the engine at
high rpm in the lower gears uses an unneces-
sary amount of fuel.
Manual gearbox : shift up from first to second
gear as soon as possible. In any case, we rec-
ommend that you change to a higher gear
upon reaching 2,000 rpm. Choosing the right
gear enables fuel savings. Select the highest
possible gear appropriate for the driving sit-
uation (the engine should continue function-
ing with cyclical regularity).
Automatic gearbox : accelerate gradually and
without reaching the “kick-down” position.
Avoid driving at high speed
Avoid travelling at top speed, whenever pos-
sible. Fuel consumption, emission of harmful
gases and noise pollution multiply dispropor-
tionately as speed is increased. Driving at
moderate speeds will help to save fuel.
Reduce idling time
In vehicles with the Start-Stop system idling
is automatically reduced. In vehicles without
the Start-Stop system it is worth switching off
the engine, for example, at level crossings and at traffic lights that remain red for long
periods of
time. When an engine has reached
operating temperature, and depending on
the cylinder capacity, keeping it switched off
for a minimum of about 5 seconds already
saves more than the amount of fuel necessa-
ry for restarting.
The engine takes a long time to warm up
when it is idling. Mechanical wear and pollu-
tant emissions are also especially high dur-
ing this initial warm-up phase. It is therefore
best to drive off immediately after starting
the engine. Avoid running the engine at high
speed.
Regular maintenance
Regular servicing helps in saving fuel even
before the engine is started. A well-serviced
engine gives you the benefit of improved fuel
efficiency as well as maximum reliability and
an enhanced resale value. A badly serviced
engine can consume up to 10% more fuel
than necessary.
Avoid short journeys
The engine and catalytic converter need to
reach their optimal operating temperature in
order to minimise fuel consumption and
emissions.
A cold engine consumes a disproportionate
amount of fuel. The engine reaches its work-
ing temperature after about four kilometres
200
Operation
Control lamp fla
she s
If a fault develops in the engine management
system while you are driving, the glow plug
system lamp will flash . Take the vehicle to
a specialised workshop as soon as possible
and have the engine checked.
Driving tips
Driving thr
ough flooded roadsTo prevent damage to the vehicle when driv-
in
g thr
ough w
ater, for example, along a floo-
ded road, please observe the following:
● The water should never come above the
lower edg
e of the bodywork.
● Drive at pedestrian speed. WARNING
After driving through water, mud, sludge,
etc ., the br
aking effect can be delayed slight-
ly due to moisture build-up on the discs and
brake pads. Applying the brakes carefully
several times will remove the moisture and
restore the full braking effect. CAUTION
● Drivin g thr
ough flooded areas may severely
damage vehicle components such as the en- gine, transmission, running gear or electrical
sys
t
em.
● Whenever driving through water, the Start-
Stop sys
tem* must be switched off
››› page 205. Note
● Chec k the depth of
the water before enter-
ing the flooded zone.
● Do not stop in the water, drive in reverse, or
stop the en
gine in any situation.
● Note that vehicles travelling in the opposite
direction ma
y splash water that could exceed
the maximum permitted water height for your
vehicle.
● Avoid driving through salt water (corro-
sion). Four-wheel drive
3 V
alid for vehicles: with four-wheel drive
On f
our-wheel drive models, the engine pow-
er is distributed to all four wheels
General notes
On four-wheel drive vehicles, the engine
power is distributed to all four wheels. The
distribution of power is controlled automati-
cally according to your driving style and the
road conditions. Also see ››› page 187, Brak-
ing and stability systems .The four-wheel drive is specially designed to
comp
l
ement the superior engine power. This
combination gives the vehicle exceptional
handling and performance capabilities, both
on normal roads and in more difficult condi-
tions, such as snow and ice. Even so (or per-
haps especially for this reason), it is impor-
tant to observe certain safety points ››› .
W int
er ty
res
Thanks to four-wheel drive, your vehicle will
have plenty of traction in winter conditions,
even with the standard tyres. Nevertheless,
we still recommend that winter tyres or all-
season tyres be fitted on all four wheels to
give even better braking response.
Snow chains
On roads where snow chains are mandatory,
this also applies to cars with four-wheel drive
››› page 69.
Changing tyres
On vehicles with four-wheel drive, all four
tyres must have the same rolling circumfer-
ence. Also avoid using tyres with varying
tread depths ››› page 281.
Off-roader?
Your SEAT is not an off-road vehicle: it does
not have enough ground clearance to be
used as such. It is therefore best to avoid
204
Driver assistance systems
The function is intended to prevent collisions
w ith p
ark
ed vehicles or vehicles in the same
lane travelling in the same direction, or with
pedestrians crossing the vehicle’s path. It
may fail to activate in other danger situa-
tions.
The Front Assist function is active within a
range of speeds between 4 km/h (2.5 mph)
and 250 km/h (156 mph). Depending on
speed, traffic conditions and driver behav-
iour, some of the sub-functions described be-
low are omitted in order to optimise the sys-
tem’s general behaviour.
The Front Assist is a driving assistance func-
tion that can never replace the driver’s atten-
tion.
Safety distance warning
If the system detects a situation of danger
because the vehicle is too close to the vehi-
cle ahead, it will warn the driver by means of
an indication on the instrument panel display
.
The timing of the warning varies depending
on driver behaviour and the traffic situation.
Advance warning
If the system detects a possible collision with
the vehicle in front, it may alert the driver by
means of an audible warning and an indica-
tion on the instrument panel display
››› Fig. 204. The warning moment varies depending on
the traffic s
ituation and driver behaviour. At
the same time, the vehicle will prepare for a
possible emergency braking ››› .
C ritic
a
l warning
If the driver fails to react to the pre-warning
(advance warning), the system may actively
intervene in the brakes and generate a brief
jolt to warn the driver of the imminent danger
of a collision.
Automatic braking
If the driver also fails to react to the critical
warning, the system may initiate independ-
ent emergency braking by progressively in-
creasing the braking effect in accordance
with how critical the situation is.
Driver emergency brake assist system
Faced with an imminent collision, the system
may detect that the driver is not braking hard
enough to avoid the collision. In this case, it
will automatically increase the braking effect.
Due to certain driving circumstances and the
limitations of its operation, there are some
cases in which the system cannot prevent a
collision, although it can significantly mini-
mise the consequences by reducing the
speed and the force of the impact. WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ›››
in Warning
and contr o
l lamps on page 119. WARNING
The Front Assist system cannot change the
la w
s of physics or replace the driver in terms
of keeping control of the vehicle and reacting
to a possible emergency situation. WARNING
Following a Front Assist emergency warning,
pa y
immediate attention to the situation and
try to avoid the collision by braking or by
dodging the obstacle, as applicable.
● If the Front Assist does not work as descri-
bed in this c
hapter (e.g. it repeatedly inter-
venes unnecessarily), switch it off.
● Adapt your speed and safe distance to the
vehicl
e in front of you at all times to suit visi-
bility, weather, road and traffic conditions.
● The Front Assist alone cannot avoid acci-
dents and seriou
s injuries.
● In complex driving situations, occasionally
the Front As
sist may issue warnings and in-
tervene in braking unnecessarily, for example
at traffic islands.
● If the operation of the Front Assist is im-
paired, f
or example, by dirt or because the ra-
dar sensor has lost its settings, the system
may issue unnecessary warnings and inter-
vene inopportunely in the braking. » 211
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
ACC: parking brake applied
The A C
C is deactivated if the parking brake is
applied. The ACC is available once again after
the parking brake is released.
ACC: currently not available.
Intervention of stability con-
trol
The message for the driver is displayed when
the electronic stability control (ESC) inter-
venes. In this case, the ACC is automatically
switched off. ACC: Take action!
The message for the driver is displayed if,
when the vehicle starts up on a hill with a
mild slope, the vehicle rolls back even al-
though the ACC is activated. Apply the brake
to stop the vehicle from moving/colliding
with another vehicle. ACC: speed limit
The message for the driver is displayed if, in
vehicles with manual gearbox, the current
speed is too low for the ACC mode.
The speed to be stored must be at least
30 km/h (18 mph). The speed limiter
switches off if the speed falls below 20 km/h
(12 mph). ACC: available as of the 2nd
gear The ACC is operational as of the 2nd gear
(manual g
earbox).
ACC: engine speed
The message for the driver is displayed if,
when the ACC accelerates or brakes, the driv-
er does not shift up or down a gear in time,
which means exceeding or not reaching the
permissible engine speed. The ACC switches
itself off. A buzzer warning is heard. ACC: clutch pressed
Vehicles with a manual gearbox: pressing the
clutch pedal for longer abandons control
mode. Door open
Vehicles with automatic gearbox: the ACC
cannot be activated with the vehicle station-
ary and the door open. WARNING
There is a danger of rear collision when the
minimum dis t
ance to the vehicle in front is
exceeded and the speed difference between
both vehicles is so great that a speed reduc-
tion by the ACC will not suffice. In this case
the brake pedal should be applied immedi-
ately.
● The ACC may not be able to detect all situa-
tions pr
operly.
● “Stepping” on the accelerator may cause
the ACC
not to intervene in braking. Driver braking will have priority over intervention by
the speed c
ontr
ol or adaptive cruise control.
● Always be ready to use the brakes!
● Observe country-specific provisions gov-
erning ob
ligatory minimum distances be-
tween vehicles. Note
● The pr ogrammed s
peed is erased once the
ignition or the ACC are switched off.
● When the traction control system (ASR) is
deactivat
ed during acceleration or else the
ESC is activated in Sport* Mode
( ››› page 120), the ACC switches off automati-
cally.
● In vehicles with the Start-Stop system, the
engine swit
ches off automatically during the
ACC stopping phase and restarts automatical-
ly to begin driving. 220
Driver assistance systems
Driving through a bend
On ent erin
g or e
xiting bends, the radar sen-
sor may no longer determine the vehicle in
front or react to a vehicle in the adjacent lane
››› Fig. 214 A. In these situations the vehicle
may brake unnecessarily or fail to react to re-
act to the vehicle in front. In this case, the
driver has to intervene by accelerating or in-
terrupting the braking process by applying
the brake or pushing the third lever back-
wards ››› page 218.
Driving in tunnels
When driving through tunnels the radar sen-
sor may be limited. Switch off the ACC in tun-
nels.
Narrow or misaligned vehicles
The radar sensor can only detect narrow or
misaligned vehicles when they are within
range ››› Fig. 214 B. This applies particularly
to narrow vehicles such as motorbikes. In
these cases, you should brake as necessary.
Vehicles with special loads and accessories
Special loads and accessories of other vehi-
cles that jut out over the sides, backwards or
over the top may be out of the ACC's range.
Switch off the ACC when driving behind vehi-
cles with special loads and accessories or
when overtaking them. In these cases, you
should brake as necessary. Other vehicles changing lanes
Vehicl
es changing lanes a short distance
away from your own can only be detected
when they are within range of the sensors.
Consequently, the ACC will take longer to re-
act ››› Fig. 215 C. In these cases, you should
brake as necessary.
Stationary vehicles
The ACC does not detect stationary objects
while driving, such as traffic tails or damaged
vehicles.
If a vehicle detected by the ACC turns or
moves over and there is a stationary vehicle
in front of it, the ACC will not react to it
››› Fig. 215 D. In these cases, you should
brake as necessary.
Vehicles driving in the opposite direction
and vehicles crossing your path
The ACC does not react to vehicles approach-
ing from the opposite direction or vehicles
crossing your path.
Metal objects
Metal objects, e.g. rails on the road or sheets
used in road works, can confuse the radar
sensor and cause the ACC to react wrongly. Factors that may affect how the radar sensor
operate
s
If laser sensor operation is impaired, due to
heavy rain, spray, snow or mud, the ACC is
deactivated temporarily. The relevant text
message will appear in the dash panel dis-
play. If necessary, clean the radar sensor.
When the radar sensor begins to operate
properly again, the ACC will automatically be
available again. The message on the instru-
ment panel screen will switch off and the ACC
will be reactivated again.
ACC operation may be affected by a strong ra-
dar reverse reflection, for example in a closed
car park.
Trailer mode
When driving with trailer the ACC controls
less dynamically.
Overheated brakes
If the brakes overheat, for example after
abrupt braking or in long and steep slopes,
the ACC may be deactivated temporarily. The
relevant text message will appear in the dash
panel display. In this case, adaptive cruise
control cannot be activated.
Adaptive cruise control can be reactivated
once brake temperature has cooled suffi-
ciently. The message will disappear from the
instrument panel display. If the message ACC
not available remains on for quite a long »
223
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
Self-deactivation: the Lane As s
i st system can
be automatically deactivated if there is a sys-
tem malfunction. The control lamp
disappears.
Hands-Off Function
● In the absence of steering wheel activity
the syst
em alerts the driver with acoustic sig-
nals and a text message on the dash panel
asking to actively take over the steering.
● If the driver does not react to this, the sys-
tem also al
erts the driver with a little shaking
motion through the brakes and, if the vehicle
has it, activates the Emergency Assist func-
tion ››› page 228.
● In vehicles without Emergency Assist, the
adaptiv
e lane guidance function will be disa-
bled after the corresponding warnings to the
driver.
The lane assist system is active but it is not
available (the control lamp is lit up yellow)
● When driving at speeds below 65 km/h (38
mph).
● When the Lane Assist system does not de-
tect the div
iding lines of the road. For exam-
ple, in the event warnings indicating road
works, and snow, dirt, moisture or reflec-
tions.
● When the radius of a curve is too small.
● When no road markings can be seen. ●
When the dist
ance to the next marking to
too great.
● When the system does not detect any clear
and active st
eering movement during a long
period of time.
● Temporarily, in the event of very dynamic
driving s
tyles.
● If a turn signal is activated.
● With the stability control system (ESC) in
Sport
mode or switched off.
Switching off the Lane Assist system in the
following situations
Due to the limits of the Lane Assist system,
switch it off in the following situations:
● When more attention is required of the
driver
● When drivin
g in a sporty style
● In unfavourable weather conditions
● On roads in poor condition
● In areas of road works WARNING
The intelligent technology in the Lane Assist
sys t
em cannot change the limits imposed by
the laws of physics and by the very nature of
the system. Careless or uncontrolled use of
the Lane Assist system may cause accidents
and injury. The system is not a replacement
for driver awareness. ●
Alw a
ys adapt your speed and the distance
to the vehicles ahead in line with visibility,
weather conditions, the condition of the road
and the traffic situation.
● Always keep your hands on the steering
wheel so it c
an be turned at any time.
● The Lane Assist system does not detect all
roa
d markings. The road surfaces, road struc-
tures or objects in poor condition can be in-
correctly detected as road markings under
certain circumstances by the Lane Assist sys-
tem. In such situations, switch the Lane As-
sist system off immediately.
● Please observe the indications on the in-
strument p
anel and act as is necessary.
● Always pay attention to the vehicle's sur-
roundin
gs.
● When the area of vision of the camera be-
comes
dirty, covered or is damaged, the Lane
Assist system function can be affected. CAUTION
In order to avoid influencing the operation of
the sys t
em, the following points must be tak-
en into account:
● Regularly clean the area of vision of the
camera and k
eep it in a clean state, without
snow or ice.
● Do not cover the area of vision of the cam-
era.
● Check
that the area of vision of the wind-
scr
een camera is not damaged. 226
Driver assistance systems
Note
● The Lane Ass i
st system deactivates when
driving below 60 km/h (37 mph).
● The lane departure warning system has
been exc
lusively developed for driving on
paved roads only.
● If the Lane Assist system does not work as
desc
ribed in this chapter, do not use it and
contact a specialised workshop.
● Before starting a journey, verify that the
field of
vision of the camera is not covered
››› Fig. 216.
● Always keep the field of vision of the cam-
era cl
ean.
● If there is a fault in the system, have it
check
ed by a specialised workshop. Traffic Jam Assist
R el
at
ed video Fig. 219
Safety Description and operation
Traffic Jam Assist helps the driver keep the
car w
ithin its
lane and to move in convoy in
case of traffic congestion or slow traffic.
Traffic Jam Assist is an additional function of
Lane Assist ››› page 224 and combines Lane
Assist functions with Adaptive Cruise Control
(ACC) ››› page 214. Therefore, it is essential
that you read these two chapters carefully
and note the limitations of the systems and
the information about them.
Operation of Traffic Jam Assist
At speeds of below 60 km/h (40 mph), Traffic
Jam Assist can maintain a (temporary) dis-
tance preset by the driver with respect to the
vehicle ahead and help stay within the lane
››› .
T o do thi
s, the sy
stem automatically controls
the accelerator, brakes and steering, and
slows the vehicle, stopping it fully if neces-
sary, when faced with a vehicle in front that
has stopped. It automatically moves off again
when the vehicle ahead moves.
Traffic Jam Assist is designed only for use on
motorways and wide roads. Therefore, never
use it in city traffic. Technical requirements for using Traffic Jam
Assi
st
● Lane departure warning must
be activated:
button > SETTINGS > Driver as-
sistance > Lane departure warning
(Lane Assist) › ›
›
page 33.
● The Lane Centring Guide must be activated:
button > SETTINGS > Driver as-
sistance > Lane departure warning
(Lane Assist)
● Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) must be con-
nect ed and activ
e ›
›› page 218.
● The speed must be below 60 km/h
(38 mph).
Traffic
Jam Assist is not active (the Lane As-
sist control light turns yellow)
● If any of the conditions mentioned on
page 227, T
echnical requirements for using
Traffic Jam Assist are no longer met.
● If any of the conditions required for opera-
tion of the Lane Ass
ist are not met
››› page 224.
● If any of the conditions necessary for the
adaptiv
e cruise control (ACC) to work are no
longer fulfilled ››› page 214.
Situations in which Traffic Jam Assist must
be switched off
Due to the limitations of the system, Traffic
Jam Assist must always be switched off in the
following situations: »
227
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety