2017 Seat Leon SC engine overheat

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

Operation
Fig. 162
Detailed view of the side trim in the
lugg ag
e compartment: 12-volt power socket
(applies only to the LEON ST model). In the centre console
– Remove the connector located in the centre
con
so

le from the power socket ››› Fig. 161
.
– Insert the plug of the electrical appliance
into the pow

er socket.
In the luggage compartment (applies only to
the LEON ST model) – Lift the power socket cover ›››
Fig. 162.
– Insert the plug of the electrical appliance
into the pow

er socket.
Electrical equipment can be connected to the
12 volt power socket. The appliances connec-
ted to each power socket must not exceed a
power rating of 120 Watt. USB power sockets
Depending on the equipment

and the coun-
try, the vehicle may also have USB connec-
tions exclusively for charging or as a power
socket.
These USB ports are located at the rear of the
console, between the front seats ››› Fig. 161
. These connectors can work at a maximum
power of up to 10.5 W per port.
They are not intended for file playback. WARNING
The power socket works only when the igni-
tion is on. Impr

oper use may cause serious
injury or even fire. Children should therefore
not be left in the vehicle unattended if the
button is also left behind. Otherwise there is
a possibility that they may be injured. CAUTION
Always use the correct type of plugs to avoid
dam agin

g the sockets. Note
● The use of el

ectrical appliances with the
engine switched off will cause a battery dis-
charge.
● Should the connected appliance overheat,
immediately
switch it off and disconnect it
from the socket. ●
Bef or

e switching the ignition on or off, un-
plug the appliances from the USB ports to
protect them from any damage caused by
fluctuations in voltage. Storing objects
Lo a

ding the luggage compartment All luggage and other loose objects must be
saf
ely

secured in the luggage compartment.
Unsecured objects which shift back and forth
could impair the driving safety or driving
characteristics of the vehicle by shifting the
centre of gravity.
– Distribute the load evenly in the luggage
comp ar

tment.
– Place heavy objects as far forward as possi-
ble in the lug

gage compartment.
– Place the heavy objects first.
– Secure heavy objects to the fitted fastening
rings

››› page 167. WARNING
● Loo se lug

gage and other objects in the lug-
gage compartment could cause serious inju-
ries.
● Always stow objects in the luggage com-
partment
and secure them on the fastening
rings. 160

Operation
WARNING
Cold start sprays could explode or cause a
sud den inc
rease in the engine speed.
● Never use sprays to cold start the engine. CAUTION
● The st ar

ter motor or the engine may be
damaged if you try to start the engine while
driving or if you restart it immediately after
switching it off.
● If the engine is cold, avoid high engine
speeds, p
ushing the engine too hard and rap-
id acceleration.
● Do not start the engine by pushing the ve-
hicle or t
owing it. Unburnt fuel could enter
the catalytic converter and damage it. Note
● Do not w ait

until the engine warms up with
the vehicle stationary; if you have good visi-
bility through the windows, start driving im-
mediately. This helps the engine reach oper-
ating temperature faster and reduces emis-
sions.
● Electrical components with a high power
cons
umption are switched off temporarily
when the engine starts.
● When starting with a cold engine, noise
level
s may briefly increase. This is quite nor-
mal, and no cause for concern.
● When the outside temperature is below
+5°C (+41°F), if the en
gine is diesel, some smoke may appear under the vehicle when
the fuel-oper
at

ed auxiliary heater is on. Stopping the engine
3 Valid for vehicles: with starter button
StepSwitch off the engine with the starter
button
››› page 180.
1.Stop the vehicle completely ››› .
2.Press and hold the brake pedal until the step
4 is performed.
3.If you are driving an automatic vehicle, place
the selector lever in position P.
4.Connect the electronic parking brake
››› page 183.
5.
Briefly press the start-up button ››› Fig. 192.
The START ENGINE STOP button blinks again. If
the engine fails to switch off, perform an
emergency disconnect ››› page 180.
6.If the vehicle is equipped with a manual
gearbox, put it into 1st or reverse. WARNING
Never switch off the engine while the vehicle
is mo

ving. This could cause loss of control of
the vehicle, accidents and serious injury.
● The airbags and belt tensioners do not
work when the ignition i
s switched off. ●
The brak e ser

vo does not work with the en-
gine off. Therefore, you need to press the
break pedal harder to brake the vehicle.
● Power steering does not work when the en-
gine is not
running. You need more strength
to steer when the engine is switched off.
● If the ignition is switched off, the steering
column c
ould be locked, making it impossible
to control the vehicle. CAUTION
If the engine is made to work hard for a long
time, it ma

y overheat after being switched
off. To prevent damage to the engine before
switching it off, leave it idle for approx. 2 mi-
nutes in neutral. Note
After switching off the engine, the cooling fan
ma y

continue to operate in the engine com-
partment for a few more minutes, even with
the ignition off. The radiator fan is automati-
cally switched off. 182

Driving
The handbrake should be applied firmly to
pr ev
ent
the vehicle from accidentally rolling
away.
Always apply the handbrake when you leave
your vehicle and when you park.
Applying the handbrake
– Pull the handbrake lever up firmly
›››
Fig. 196.
Releasing the handbrake
– Pull the lever up slightly and press the re-
lea

se knob in the direction of the arrow
››› Fig. 196 and guide the handbrake lever
down fully ››› .
A lw
a

ys pull the handbrake all the way up, so
there is less risk of driving off with it still en-
gaged ››› .
The h andbr
ak

e warning lamp  lights up
when the handbrake is applied and the igni-
tion switched on. The warning lamp turns off
when the handbrake is released.
If you drive faster than 6 km/h (4 mph) with
the handbrake on, the following message*
will appear on the instrument panel: HAND-
BRAKE ON. You will also hear an audible
warning. WARNING
● Never u se the h

andbrake to stop the vehi-
cle when it is in motion. The braking distance is considerably longer, because braking is
only
ap

plied to the rear wheels. Risk of acci-
dent!
● If the handbrake is only partially released,
this w
ill cause the rear brakes to overheat,
which can impair the function of the brake
system and could lead to an accident. This al-
so causes premature wear on the rear brake
pads. CAUTION
Always apply the handbrake before you leave
the vehic

le. Put it in 1st gear as well. Parking
The handbrake should always be firmly ap-
p
lied when the
v

ehicle is parked.
Always note the following points when park-
ing the vehicle: – Use the brake pedal to stop the vehicle.
– Apply the handbrake.
– Put it in 1st gear.
– Switch the engine off and remove the key
from the ignition. T

urn the steering wheel
slightly to engage the steering lock.
– Never leave a vehicle key in the vehicle. Additional notes on parking the vehicle on
gradient

s:
Turn the steering wheel so that the vehicle
rolls against the kerb if it started to roll.
● If the vehicle is parked facing downhil
l,
turn the front wheels so that they point to-
wards the kerb .
● If the vehicle is parked facing uphill
, turn
the front wheels so that they point away from
the kerb.
● Secure the vehicle as usual by applying the
handbrak
e firmly and putting it in 1st gear. WARNING
● Tak e me

asures to reduce the risk of injury
when you leave your vehicle unattended.
● Never park where the hot exhaust system
coul
d ignite inflammable materials, such as
dry grass, low bushes, spilt fuel etc.
● Never allow vehicle occupants to remain in
the vehic
le when it is locked. They would be
unable to open the vehicle from the inside,
and could become trapped in the vehicle in
an emergency. In the event of an emergency,
locked doors will delay assistance to vehicle
occupants.
● Never leave children alone in the vehicle.
They cou
ld set the vehicle in motion, for ex-
ample, by releasing the handbrake or the
gearbox lever. » 185
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

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

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