Page 201 of 332

Driving
power steering only works when the engine
i s
ru
nning.
In city traffic you do not need to turn so much
on parking, manoeuvring or in very tight
turns.
On the road or on the motorway, progressive
steering transmits, for example, in bends, a
sportier, more direct and noticeably more dy-
namic driving sensation.
Run-in and economical driving
Runnin
g in the engine A new vehicle should be run in over a dis-
t
anc
e of
1500 km (1000 miles). For the first
1,000 km the engine speed should not ex-
ceed 2/3 of the maximum permissible engine
speed. In doing so, do not accelerate at full
throttle and do not drive with a trailer! From
1000 to 1500 km (600 to 1000 miles) you
can gradually increase the engine rpm and
road speed.
During its first few hours of running, the in-
ternal friction in the engine is greater than
later on when all the moving parts have bed-
ded down.
How the vehicle is driven for the first 1,500
km influences the future engine perform-
ance. Subsequently, also drive at a moderate
rate, especially when the engine is still cold: this will lead to less engine wear and tear
and wil
l prolong its useful life.
You should also avoid driving with the engine
speed too low. Change down to a lower gear
when the engine no longer runs “smoothly”.
If the engine revs too much, cut fuel injection
to protect the engine.
Environmental compatibility Environmental protection is a top priority in
the des
ign, c
hoice of materials and manufac-
ture of your new SEAT.
Constructive measures to encourage recy-
cling
● Joints and connections designed for easy
dism antlin
g.
● Modular construction to facilitate disman-
tling.
● Incr
eased use of single-grade materials.
● Plastic parts and elastomers are marked in
accor
dance with ISO 1043, ISO 11469 and
ISO 1629.
Choice of materials
● Use of recycled materials.
● Use of compatible plastics in the same part
if its c
omponents are not easily separated. ●
Use of r
ecycled materials and/or materials
originating from renewable sources.
● Reduction of volatile components, includ-
ing odour, in p
lastic materials.
● Use of CFC-free coolants.
Ban on heavy
metals, with the exceptions
dictated by law (Annex II of ELV Directive
2000/53/EC): cadmium, lead, mercury, hexa-
valent chromium.
Manufacturing methods
● Reduction of the quantity of thinner in the
protectiv
e wax for cavities.
● Use of plastic film as protection during ve-
hicle tr
ansport.
● Use of solvent-free adhesives.
● Use of CFC-free coolants in cooling sys-
tems.
● Recy
cling and energy recovery from resi-
dues (RDF).
● Impr
ovement in the quality of waste water.
● Use of systems for the recovery of residual
heat (therm
al recovery, enthalpy wheels,
etc.).
● The use of water-soluble paints.
199
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Page 202 of 332

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
Page 203 of 332

Driving
(2.5 miles), when fuel consumption will re-
t urn t
o a norm
al level.
Check tyre pressure
Always make sure the tyres are inflated to the
correct pressures ››› page 280 to save fuel. If
the pressure is below half bar, fuel consump-
tion may increase by 5%. Due to the greater
rolling resistance, under-inflation also increa-
ses tyre wear and impairs handling.
Do not use winter tyres all year round as they
increase fuel consumption by up to 10%.
Avoid carrying unnecessary loads
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.
Since the luggage rack increases the aerody-
namic drag of the vehicle, you should remove
it when not needed. At speeds of 100-120
km/h (62-75 mph), this will save 12% of fuel.
Save electrical energy
The engine drives the alternator, thereby gen-
erating electricity. This implies that any in-
crease in power consumption also increases
fuel consumption! For this reason, switch off
any unneeded electrical devices. Devices that
use a lot of electricity includes the blower at a high setting, the rear window heating or
the seat he
ating*.
Power management This sy
stem helps to ensure reliable
starting The power management controls the distribu-
tion of el
ectric
al energy and thus helps to en-
sure that there is always enough power avail-
able to start the engine.
If a vehicle with a conventional electrical sys-
tem is left parked for a long time, the battery
will gradually lose its charge because certain
electrical devices, such as the electronic
gearbox lock continues to draw current even
when the ignition is off. In some cases there
may not be enough power available to start
the engine.
Your vehicle is equipped with an intelligent
power management system to control the
distribution of electrical energy. This signifi-
cantly improves reliability when starting the
engine, and also prolongs the useful life of
the battery.
The main functions incorporated in the power
management system are battery diagnosis,
residual current management and dynamic
power management. Battery diagnosis
The batt
er
y diagnosis function constantly
registers the condition of the battery. Sen-
sors detect the battery voltage, battery cur-
rent and battery temperature. This enables
the system to calculate the current power lev-
el and charge condition of the battery.
Residual current management
The residual current management reduces
power consumption while the vehicle is
parked. It controls the supply of power to the
various electrical devices while the ignition is
switched off. The system takes the battery di-
agnosis data into consideration.
Depending on the power level of the battery,
switch off the individual electrical devices
one after the other to prevent the battery
from losing too much charge and to ensure
that the engine can be started reliably.
Dynamic power management
While the vehicle is moving, this function dis-
tributes the available power to the various
electrical devices and systems according to
their requirements. The power management
ensures that on-board systems do not con-
sume more electrical power than the alterna-
tor can supply, and thus maintains the maxi-
mum possible battery power level. »
201
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Page 204 of 332

Operation
Note
● Neither is the po
wer management system
able to overcome the given physical limits.
Please remember that the power and useful
life of the battery are limited.
● When there is a risk that the vehicle will
not st
art, the alternator power failure or low
battery charge level warning lamp will be
shown ››› page 119. Flat battery
Starting ability has first priority.
Shor
t
trip
s, city traffic and low temperatures
all place a heavy load on the battery. In these
conditions a large amount of power is con-
sumed, but only a small amount is supplied.
The situation is also critical if electrical devi-
ces are in use when the engine is not run-
ning. In this case power is consumed when
none is being generated.
In these situations you will be aware that the
power management system is intervening to
control the distribution of electrical power.
When the vehicle is parked for long periods
If you do not drive your vehicle for a period of
several days or weeks, the power manage-
ment will gradually shut off the electrical de-
vices one by one or reduce the amount of cur-
rent they are using. This limits the amount of power consumed and helps to ensure relia-
ble s
tarting even after a long period. Some
convenience functions, such as remote vehi-
cle opening, may not be available under cer-
tain circumstances. These functions will be
restored when you switch on the ignition and
start the engine.
With the engine switched off
For example, if you listen to the sound sys-
tem with the engine switched off the battery
will run down.
If the energy consumption means there is a
risk that the engine will not start, a text will
appear in vehicles with a driver information
system*.
This driver indicator tells you that you must
start the engine so that the battery can re-
charge.
When the engine is running
Although the alternator generates electrical
power, the battery can still become dis-
charged while the vehicle is being driven.
This can occur when a lot of power is being
consumed but only a small amount supplied,
especially if the battery is not fully charged
initially.
To restore the necessary energy balance, the
system will then temporarily shut off the elec-
trical devices that are using a lot of power, or
reduce the current they are consuming. Heat- ing systems in particular use a large amount
of electric
al power. If you notice, for instance,
that the seat heating* or the rear window
heater is not working, they may have been
temporarily switched off or regulated to a
lower heat output. These systems will be
available again as soon as sufficient electri-
cal power is available.
You may also notice that the engine runs at a
slightly faster idling speed when necessary.
This is quite normal, and no cause for con-
cern. The increased idling speed allows the
alternator to meet the greater power require-
ment and charge the battery at the same
time.
Engine management and emis-
sion contr
ol 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 ex-
haust can come into contact with flammable
materials under the car (e.g. on grass or at
the forest edge). Fire hazard! 202
Page 205 of 332

Driving
●
Do not ap p
ly wax underneath the vehicle
around the area of the exhaust system: Fire
hazard! Note
While the control lamps , , or r
e-
m ain lit, ther
e may be engine problems, fuel
consumption may increase and the engine
may lose power. Catalytic converter
3 App
lies to vehicles with petrol engine
The
vehicle must only be used with unleaded
petrol, otherwise the catalytic converter will
be irreparably damaged.
Never drive until the tank is empty; an irregu-
lar supply of fuel can cause faulty combus-
tion. In these cases, unburned fuel reaches
the exhaust system, which can overheat and
damage the catalytic converter.
Diesel particulate filter 3 App
lies to vehicles with diesel engine
The die
sel engine particulate filter eliminates
most of the soot from the exhaust gas sys-
tem. Under normal driving conditions, the fil-
ter cleans itself. The diesel particulate filter is
cleaned automatically without need for indi-
cation by the warning lamp . This may benoticed because the engine idle speed in-
cr
e
ases and an odour may be detected.
If automatic filter purification cannot be car-
ried out (because only short trips are taken,
for example), soot will accumulate on the fil-
ter and the Diesel particulate filter warning
lamp will switch on.
Facilitate the automatic filter cleaning proc-
ess by driving in the following manner: drive
for approximately 15 minutes at a minimum
speed of 60 km/h (37 mph) in 4th or 5th gear
(automatic gearbox: gear S). Maintain the en-
gine speed at approximately 2,000 rpm. The
rise in temperature causes the soot on the fil-
ter to burn. On completion of the cleaning
the warning lamp will switch off. If the warn-
ing lamp does not switch off, go immediately
to a specialised workshop to rectify the prob-
lem.
Engine management* This warning lamp monitors the engine man-
ag
ement
sy
stem for petrol engines.
The warning lamp (Electronic Power Con-
trol) lights up when the ignition is switched
on while system operation is being verified. It
should go out once the engine is started.
If there is a fault in the electronic engine
management system while you are driving,
this warning lamp will light up. Take the vehi- cle to a specialised workshop as soon as
poss
ible and have the engine checked.
Emission control system* Control lamp
flashe
s:
When there is misfiring that can damage the
catalytic converter. Reduce speed and drive
carefully to the nearest specialised workshop
to have the engine checked.
The control lamp lights up:
If a fault has developed during driving which
has reduced the quality of the exhaust gas
(e.g. lambda probe fault). Reduce speed and
drive carefully to the nearest specialised
workshop to have the engine checked.
Engine pre-heating/fault system* The warning lamp lights up to show that the
glo
w p
lug
s are preheating the diesel engine.
The control lamp lights up
If the control lamp lights up when the en-
gine is started it means that the glow plugs
are preheating. The engine can be started
straight away when the lamp switches off. »
203
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Page 206 of 332

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
Page 207 of 332

Driver assistance systems
rough tracks and uneven terrain as much as
po s
s
ible. WARNING
● Ev en w
ith four-wheel drive, you should al-
ways adjust your speed to suit the condi-
tions. Do not let the extra safety features
tempt you into taking any risks when driving.
Risk of accident!
● The braking capability of your vehicle is
limited by
the tyres' grip. It is therefore no
different from a car without four-wheel drive.
So do not be tempted to drive too fast on firm
or slippery roads just because the vehicle
still has good acceleration in these condi-
tions. Risk of accident!
● On wet roads bear in mind that the front
wheels m
ay start to “aquaplane” and lose
contact with the road if the car is driven too
fast. If this should happen, there will be no
sudden increase in engine speed to warn the
driver, as occurs with a front-wheel drive car.
For this reason you should always choose a
driving speed suitable for the road condi-
tions. Risk of accident! Driver assistance systems
St ar
t
-Stop System*
Description and operation The Start-Stop system helps save fuel and re-
duce C
O
2 emi
ssions.
In Start-Stop mode, the engine will automati-
cally switch off when the vehicle stops or is
stopping; for example when stopping at traf-
fic lights. The ignition remains switched on
during the stopping phase. The engine auto-
matically switches back on when required. In
this situation, the light of the START ENGINE STOP button stays on
1)
.
As soon a
s
the ignition is switched on, the
Start-Stop function is automatically activa-
ted.
Further information about the Start-Stop sys-
tem can be found in the Easy Connect sys-
tem: by pressing the button in the Vehi-
cle status menu.
B a
s
ic requirements for the Start-Stop mode
● The driver door must be closed.
● The driver must have their seat belt fas-
tened. ●
The bonnet mus
t be closed.
● The engine must have reached a minimum
servic
e temperature.
● The reverse gear must not be engaged.
● The vehicle must not be on a very steep
slope. WARNING
● Never sw it
ch the engine off until the vehi-
cle is stationary. The brake servo and power
steering functions will not be completely cov-
ered under warranty. More force may also be
needed to turn the steering wheel or to brake.
As you cannot steer and brake in the normal
manner, there is a greater risk of accidents
and serious injury.
● Never remove the key from the ignition if
the vehic
le is in motion. Otherwise, the steer-
ing could lock making it impossible to steer
the vehicle.
● To avoid injury, make sure that the Start-
Stop sys
tem is switched off when working in
the engine compartment ››› page 207. CAUTION
The Start-Stop system must always be
swit c
hed off when driving through flooded
areas ››› page 207. 1)
Only in vehicles with Keyless Access.
205
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Page 208 of 332

Operation
Stopping/Starting the engine Vehicles with a manual gearbox
– Before stopping the vehicle or when it is
stop
ped, put it into neutral and release the
clutch pedal. The engine will switch off. The
warning lamp will appear on the instru-
ment panel display. The engine may stop
before the vehicle comes to a halt in the
deceleration phase (at 7 km/h).
– When the clutch pedal is pressed the en-
gine wil
l start up again. The warning lamp
will switch off.
Vehicles with an automatic gearbox – Use the foot brake to bring the vehicle to a
stop and k
eep the brake pedal pressed
down with your foot. The engine will switch
off. The warning lamp will appear in the
display. The engine may stop before the ve-
hicle comes to a halt in the deceleration
phase (at 7 km/h or 2 km/h, depending on
the vehicle’s gearbox).
– When you take your foot off the brake pedal
the engine wi
ll start up again. The warning
lamp will switch off. In vehicles with the Au-
to Hold* system, when the system is active,
the engine will not start if you remove your
foot from the brake pedal. The car starts
when you press the accelerator pedal. Additional information related to the auto-
matic g
earbox
The engine stops when the selector lever is in
the positions P, D, N and S, in addition to
when in manual mode. With the selector lev-
er in position P, the engine will also remain
switched off when you take your foot off the
brake pedal. In order to start the engine up
again the accelerator must be pressed, or an-
other gear engaged or the brake released.
If the selector lever is placed in position R
during the stopping phase, the engine will
start up again.
Change from position D to P to prevent the
engine from accidentally starting when
changing and passing by position R.
Additional information about vehicles with
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
In vehicles with ACC function, the engine will
start up again in certain operating conditions
if the radar sensor detects that the vehicle
ahead drives off again. Note
● In v ehic
les with an automatic gearbox, you
can control whether the engine should switch
off or not by reducing or increasing the brake
force applied. While the vehicle remains stop-
ped, the engine will not stop if the brake ped-
al is slightly pressed, in traffic jams with fre-
quent stopping and starting for example. As soon as strong pressure is applied to the
brak
e ped
al, the engine will stop.
● In vehicles with manual gearbox, during
the stop
ping phases the brake pedal must re-
main depressed to prevent the vehicle from
moving.
● If the engine “stalls” in vehicles with man-
ual g
earbox, it can be directly started up
again by immediately pressing the clutch
pedal. General notes
The system can interrupt the Start-Stop mode
fr
equently
f
or different reasons.
The engine does not switch off
Before the stopping phase, the system veri-
fies whether certain conditions are met. The
engine does not switch off, in the following
situations for example:
● The engine has not yet reached the mini-
mum required t
emperature for the Start-Stop
mode.
● The interior temperature selected for the air
conditioner ha
s not yet been reached.
● The interior temperature is very high/low.
● Defrost function button activated
›› ›
page 52.
● The parking aid* is switched on.
206