2017 Seat Leon 5D overheating

Operation
For vehicles with no coolant temperature
g aug
e, a c
ontrol lamp  appears for high
coolant temperatures ››› page 274. Please
note ››› .
The c oo
l

ant temperature gauge only works
when the ignition is switched on ››› Fig. 124.
In order to avoid engine damage, please read
the following notes for the different tempera-
ture ranges.
Engine cold
If only the diodes in the lower part of the
scale light up, this indicates that the engine
has not yet reached operating temperature.
Avoid high revs and heavy acceleration and
do not make the engine work hard.
Normal temperature
If in normal operations, the diodes light up
until the central zone, it means that the en-
gine has reached operating temperature. At
high outside temperatures and when making
the engine work hard, the diodes may contin-
ue lighting up and reach the upper zone. This
is no cause for concern, provided the control
lamp  does not light up on the instrument
panel digital display.
Heat range
When the diodes light up in the upper area of
the display and the control lamp appears on the instrument panel display, the coolant
temperat

ure is excessive ››› page 274. CAUTION
● To en s

ure a long useful life for the engine,
avoid high revs, driving at high speed and
making the engine work hard for approxi-
mately the first 15 minutes when the engine
is cold. The phase until the engine is warm al-
so depends on the outside temperature. If
necessary, use the engine oil temperature*
›››  page 43 as a guide.
● Additional lights and other accessories in
front of
the air inlet reduce the cooling effect
of the coolant. At high outside temperatures
and high engine loads, there is a risk of the
engine overheating.
● The front spoiler also ensures proper distri-
bution of the c
ooling air when the vehicle is
moving. If the spoiler is damaged this can re-
duce the cooling effect, which could cause
the engine to overheat. Seek specialist assis-
tance. Fuel level - Petrol/Diesel
Fig. 125
Instrument panel: petrol/diesel
g aug
e The display
››
› Fig. 125
only works when the
ignition is switched on. When the display rea-
ches the reserve mark, the lower diode lights
up in red and the control lamp  appears
››› page 114. When the fuel level is very low,
the lower diode flashes in red.
The fuel range is displayed on the instrument
panel ››› Fig. 122 3 .
The c ap
ac

ity of the fuel tank of your vehicle is
given in the Technical data section
›››  page 58. CAUTION
Never run the fuel tank completely dry. An ir-
re gu

lar fuel supply could cause misfiring. In
this way the unburned fuel can reach the ex-
haust system, which could cause the catalytic
converter to overheat resulting in damage. 118

Driving
CAUTION
● Never l et
the brakes “drag” by leaving your
foot on the pedal when it is not necessary to
brake. This overheats the brakes, resulting in
longer stopping distances and greater wear.
● Before driving down a long, steep gradient,
it is
advisable to reduce speed and select a
lower gear. This makes use of engine braking
and relieves the brakes. If you still have to
use the brakes, it is better to brake firmly at
intervals than to apply the brakes continu-
ously. Note
● If the br ak

e servo is out of action, for exam-
ple when the car is being towed, you will
have to press the brake pedal considerably
harder than normal to make up for the lack of
servo assistance.
● If you wish to equip the vehicle with acces-
sories s
uch as a front spoiler or wheel covers,
it is important that the flow of air to the front
wheels is not obstructed, otherwise the
brakes can overheat. Braking and stability systems
El ectr
onic

Stability Control (ESC)The ESC helps to improve safety. It reduces
the t
endency
t

o skid and improves the stabil-
ity and roadholding of the vehicle. The ESC detects critical handling situations, such as
vehicl

e understeer or oversteer, or wheelspin
on the driving wheels. It stabilises the vehi-
cle by braking individual wheels or by reduc-
ing the engine torque. The warning lamp will
flash on the instrument panel when the ESC
is intervening .
ESC includes the Anti-lock brake system
(ABS), the brake assist system, the traction
control system (ASR), electronic differential
lock (EDL), electronic self-locking*, selective
torque control* and tractor-trailer sway miti-
gation*. ESC also helps stabilise the vehicle
by changing the torque.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
ABS prevents the wheels from locking up un-
der braking until the vehicle has reached a
virtual standstill. You can continue to steer
the vehicle even when the brakes are on full.
Keep your foot on the brake pedal and do not
pump the brakes. You will feel the brake ped-
al pulsate while the ABS is working.
Brake assist system
The brake assist system can reduce the re-
quired braking distance. The braking force is
automatically boosted if you press the brake
pedal quickly in an emergency. You must
keep pressing the brake pedal until the dan-
ger has passed. Traction control system (ASR)
In the event of
wheelspin, the traction control
system reduces the engine torque to match
the amount of grip available. This helps the
car to start moving, accelerate or climb a gra-
dient.
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
When the EDL detects wheelspin, it brakes
the spinning wheel and directs the power to
the other driven wheel. This function is active
up to approximately 100 km/h (62 mph).
To prevent the disc brake of the braked wheel
from overheating, the EDL cuts out automati-
cally if subjected to excessive loads. The ve-
hicle can still be driven. The EDL will switch
on again automatically when the brake has
cooled down.
Tractor-trailer sway mitigation*
If the vehicle is pulling a trailer, it will control
the following: Tractor-trailers tend to sway.
When the swaying of the trailer is felt by the
vehicle and detected by the ESC, it will auto-
matically brake the towing vehicle within the
limits of the system and mitigate the sway.
Tractor-trailer sway mitigation is not available
in all countries.
Electronic torque management (XDS)
When taking a curve, the driveshaft differen-
tial mechanism allows the outer wheel to turn »
187
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Driving
Moving off uphill in vehicles with Hill start
a s
s
istant*
– Once you have engaged a gear, release the
footbr

ake and press the accelerator
››› page 190, Hill driving assistant .
Driving down hills: in some situations (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
lev er po
sitions on page 192.
● Never allow the brake to rub and do not use
the brake ped
al 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
hold the
vehicle with the footbrake or hand-
brake if you have to stop. CAUTION
● If y

ou 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 dam-
age the automatic gearbox. Apply the hand-
brake 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
lever in po
sition 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, suc
h 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 198. Kick-down feature
The kick-down feature allows maximum ac-
c
el
er

ation 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-
pery or w

et, the kick-down feature could
cause the driving wheels to spin, which could
result in skidding. Launch control program
3 Valid for vehicles: with Launch-Control/6-Speed
D SG w

ith 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 120. 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 Stability
control deactivated (temporary) ap-
pears on the instrument panel to indicate the
deactivation status. »
195
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Driving
Inertia mode The inertia mode enables the kinetic energy
of the
v
ehicle 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”
before, 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 230.
– Take your foot off the accelerator.
The driver mes
sage 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 mak
e 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
cons

umption and emission balance. WARNING
● If the iner ti

a mode has been switched on,
take into account, when approaching an ob-
stacle and releasing the accelerator pedal,
that the vehicle will not decelerate in the usu-
al manner: risk of accident!
● When using inertia mode while travelling
down hil
ls, the vehicle can increase speed:
risk of accident!
● If other users drive your vehicle, warn them
about inerti
a mode. Note
● Inerti a mode i

s only available in eco (SEAT
Drive Profile*) driving mode.
● The driver message Inertia is on
ly dis-
played with the current consumption. In iner-
tia mode the gear will no longer be displayed
(for example “E” will appear instead of “E7”).
● On downhill sections with gradients above
15 %, the inertia mode w
ill automatically be
switched off temporarily. Emergency program
A backup programme is in place if a fault
shou
l
d oc

cur in the control system. If all the positions of the selector lever are
shown ov

er a light background on the instru-
ment panel display, there is a system fault
and the automatic gearbox will operate in
with the backup programme. When the back-
up programme is activated, it is possible to
drive the vehicle, however, at low speeds and
within a selected range of gears. In some ca-
ses driving in reverse gear may not be possi-
ble. CAUTION
If the gearbox operates with the backup pro-
gramme, t ak

e the vehicle to a specialised
workshop and have the fault repaired without
delay. Clutch

Clutch overheating! Please
stop!
The c lut

ch has overheated and could be dam-
aged. Stop the vehicle and wait for the gear-
box to cool with the engine at idling speed
and the selector lever in position P. When the
warning lamp and the driver message switch
off, have the fault corrected by a specialised
workshop without delay. If the warning lamp
and the driver message do not switch off, do
not continue driving. Seek specialist assis-
tance.
197
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Advice
Before r efuelling, the engine and the igni-
tion, mo b
ile telephone and heating must be
switched off separately ››› .
R e
a

d the instructions on how to use the natu-
ral gas pump carefully.
The vehicle is not prepared for refuelling with
liquefied natural gas (LNG) ››› . Before refu-
el lin
g w

ith natural gas, make sure you add
the appropriate type of fuel ››› page 266.
Opening the fuel tank cap
The natural gas filler mouth is behind the fuel
tank cap, next to the petrol filler mouth.
● Unlock the vehicle with the key or with the
central
locking button  situated on the driv-
er door ››› page 125.
● Press on the rear area of the flap and open
it.
Ref

uelling
Special feature: if the ambient temperature is
very high, the natural gas pump protection
against overheating disconnects this auto-
matically.
● Remove the plug from the gas filler mouth
›››
Fig. 246 1 .
● Connect the pump filling nozzle to the gas
fi l
l

er mouth.
● The fuel tank will be full when the p
ump
compressor automatically cuts the supply. ●
If y
ou wish to finish refuelling in advance,
press the button on the pump to stop the
flow.
Closing the fuel tank cap
● Check that the gas filler mouth retainer 2 is not trapped with the filler nozzle. If neces-
s
ar
y

, place it in the filler mouth again.
● Insert the plug in the filler mouth.
● Close the tank flap. Make sure you hear it
click
into place. WARNING
Natural gas is a highly explosive, easily flam-
mab l

e substance. Incorrect handling of the
natural gas can cause accidents serious
burns and other injuries.
● Before refuelling with natural gas, engage
the fillin
g mouth correctly. If you can smell
gas, stop refuelling immediately. WARNING
The vehicle is not prepared to use liquefied
nat ur

al gas (LNG), and this fuel must not be
added under any circumstances. Liquefied
natural gas can cause the natural gas tank to
explode, resulting in serious injury. Note
● The fil lin

g nozzles of natural gas pumps
can differ in the way they are operated. If you do not know, ask a qualified employee at the
petro
l

station to do the refuelling.
● Noises heard when refuelling are normal
and do not indicat
e the presence of a fault in
the system.
● The vehicle natural gas system is prepared
both for ref
uelling with a small compressor
(slow refuel) and a large compressor (fast re-
fuel) in natural gas service stations. Fuel
Ty
pe

s of petrol The correct grade of petrol is listed inside the
f
uel
t

ank flap.
The vehicle is equipped with a catalytic con-
verter and must only be run on unleaded pet-
rol. The petrol must comply with European
Standard EN 228 or German standard DIN
51626-1 and must be unleaded. You can re-
fuel with a maximum ethanol proportion of
10 % (E10). The types of petrol are differenti-
ated by their octane rating (RON).
The following titles appear on the corre-
sponding adhesive on the fuel tank flap:
266

Checking and refilling levels
could d amage the engine. If there is no
c oo
lant in the expansion tank, do not con-
tinue driving. You should obtain professio-
nal assistance ››› .
– If there is still some coolant in the expan-
sion t
ank, t

op up to the upper mark.
– Top up with coolant until the level becomes
stab

le.
– Screw the cap back on correctly.
Any lo
ss of coolant fluid normally indicates a
leak in the cooling system. Take the vehicle
straight to a specialised workshop to have
the cooling system examined. If there are no
leaks in the engine cooling system, a loss of
coolant can only occur if the coolant boils
and is forced out of the system as a result of
overheating. WARNING
● The coo lin

g system is under pressure. Do
not unscrew the cap on the coolant expan-
sion tank when the engine is hot: risk of
burns!
● The antifreeze and coolant fluid can be a
health h
azard. Therefore, the antifreeze
should be stored in the original container in a
safe place out of reach of children. Failure to
comply could result in poisoning.
● If working inside the engine compartment,
remember that, ev
en when the ignition is
switched off, the radiator fan may start up au- tomatically, and therefore there is a risk of in-
jury
. WARNING
If there is not enough anti-freeze in the cool-
ant sys

tem, the engine may fail leading to se-
rious damage.
● Please make sure that the percentage of
additiv
e is correct with respect to the lowest
expected ambient temperature in the zone in
which the vehicle is to be used.
● When the outside temperature is very low,
the cool
ant could freeze and the vehicle
would be immobilised. In this case, the heat-
ing would not work either and inadequately
dressed passengers could die of cold. CAUTION
Do not top up the expansion tank with cool-
ant fluid if it

is empty! Air could enter the
cooling system. In this case, stop driving.
Seek specialist assistance. Otherwise, there
is a risk of engine damage. CAUTION
The original additives should never be mixed
with c oo

lants which are not approved by
SEAT. Otherwise, you run the risk of causing
severe damage to the engine and the engine
cooling system.
● If the fluid in the expansion tank is not pur-
ple b
ut is, for example, brown, this indicates that the G13 additive has been mixed with an
ina
dequat

e coolant. The coolant must be
changed as soon as possible if this is the
case! This could result in serious faults and
engine damage. For the sake of the environment
Coolants and additives can contaminate the
en vir

onment. If any fluids are spilled, they
should be collected and correctly disposed
of, with respect to the environment. Brake fluid
Top up br
ak

e fluid Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 61
Checking the brake fluid level
The brake fluid level must be between the
MIN and MAX markings.
However, if the brake fluid level goes down
noticeably in a short time, or drops below the
MIN mark, there may be a leak in the brake
system. Seek specialist assistance. A warn-
ing light on the instrument panel display
monitors the brake fluid level ››› page 119. »
275
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Wheels
WARNING
● Alw a
ys adapt the tyre pressure accordingly
when the vehicle load changes.
● A tyre with low air pressure has to flex a lot
more when the v
ehicle is heavily loaded or at
high speeds, therefore causing overheating
to occur. Under these conditions, the tyre
bead may be released or the tyre may burst.
Risk of accident! For the sake of the environment
Under-inflated tyres will increase fuel con-
sumption. Wear indicators
Fig. 251
Tyre tread: tread wear indicators Tread wear indicators indicate if a tyre is
w
orn. The origin
al
tyres on your vehicle have
1.6 mm high “trea
d wear indicators” running
across the tread. Depending on the manufac-
turer, there will be 6 to 8 of them spaced at
equal distances around the tyre. Markings on
the tyre sidewall (for instance the letters
“TWI” or a triangle) indicate the positions of
the tread wear indicators.
The minimum tread depth required by law is
1.6 mm (measured in the tread grooves next
to the tread wear indicators). (Different fig-
ures may apply in other countries.) WARNING
The tyres must be replaced at the latest when
the tre a

d is worn down to the tread wear indi-
cators. Failure to follow this instruction could
result in an accident.
● Especially in difficult driving conditions
such a
s wet or icy roads. It is important that
the tyre tread be as deep as possible and be
approximately the same on the tyres of both
the front and the rear axles.
● The scant driving safety due to insufficient
trea
d depth is particularly evident in vehicle
handling, when there is a risk of “aquaplan-
ing” in deep puddles of water and when driv-
ing through corners, and braking is also ad-
versely affected.
● The speed has to be adapted accordingly,
otherwi
se there is a risk of losing control over
the vehicle. Interchanging tyres
Fig. 252
Interchanging tyres. To ensure that the wear is equal on all tyres
the wheel
s
shou

ld be changed round from
time to time according to the system
››› Fig. 252. The useful life of all the tyres will
then be about the same time.
New tyres or new wheels –
All four wheels must be fitted with tyres of
the s ame type, s
iz

e (rolling circumference)
and preferably the same tread pattern.
– Tyres should be replaced at least in pairs
and not individual

ly (i.e. both front tyres or
both rear tyres together).
– Do not use tyres whose effective size ex-
ceeds

the dimensions of the factory-ap-
proved makes of tyre. »
281
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Wheels
●
Av oid ru
nning the vehicle on tyres that are
more than 6 years old. If you have no
alternative, you should drive slowly and with
extra care at all times.
● If wheel trims are fitted after the car is pur-
cha
sed, ensure that there is an adequate flow
of air for cooling the brake system. For the sake of the environment
Old tyres must be disposed of according to
the l aw

s in the country concerned. Note
● A S EA

T Service Centre should be consulted
to find out whether wheels or tyres of differ-
ent sizes to those originally fitted by SEAT
can be fitted, and to find out about the com-
binations allowed between the front axle
(axle 1) and the rear axle (axle 2).
● Never mount used tyres if you are not sure
of their “pr
evious history”.
● For technical reasons, it is not generally
poss
ible to use the wheels from other vehi-
cles. In some cases, this may also be true for
the same model of wheel. Wheel bolts
The wheel
bolts
ar
e m
atched to the rims.
When installing different wheels (for instance
alloy wheels or wheels with winter tyres) it is
important to use the correct wheel bolts with the right length and correctly shaped bolt
head

s. This ensures that wheels are fitted se-
curely and that the brake system functions
correctly.
The wheel bolts must be clean and turn easi-
ly.
A special adapter is required to turn the anti-
theft wheel bolts* ›››
 page 67.
Tyre monitoring systems Introduction WARNING
Unsuitable handling of the wheels and tyres
ma y

lead to sudden tyre pressure losses, to
tread separation or even to a blow-out.
● Check tyre pressures regularly and ensure
they are m
aintained at the pressures indica-
ted. Tyre pressure that is too low could cause
overheating, resulting in tread detachment or
even burst tyres.
● Tyre pressure should be that indicated on
the label when the ty
res are cold at all times
››› page 291.
● Regularly check the cold inflation pressure
of the tyr
es. If necessary, change the tyre
pressure of the vehicle tyres while they are
cold. ●
Re gu

larly check your tyres for damage and
wear.
● Never exceed the maximum permitted
speed or loa
ds specified for the type of tyre
fitted on your vehicle. For the sake of the environment
Under-inflated tyres lead to increased fuel
c on s

umption and tyre wear. Note
● Driv ing f

or the first time with new tyres at a
high speed can cause them to slightly ex-
pand, which could then produce an air pres-
sure warning.
● Only replace used tyres with those author-
ised by
SEAT for the corresponding type vehi-
cle.
● Do not only rely on the tyre monitoring sys-
tem. Re
gularly check your tyres to ensure
that the tyre pressure is correct and that the
tyres are not damaged due to puncture, cuts,
tears and impacts/dents. Remove objects
from the tyres only when they have not
pierced the tyres. 283
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety