2017 Seat Mii Page 90

Care and maintenance
waste. Observe information provided by the
manuf
act
urer. Washing the vehicle
The longer substances such as insects, bird
drop
pin

gs, resinous tree sap, road dirt, in-
dustrial deposits, tar, soot or road salt and
other aggressive materials remain on the ve-
hicle, the more damage they do to the paint-
work. High temperatures (for instance due to
strong sunlight) further intensify the corro-
sive effect. The vehicle undercarriage should
also be thoroughly washed at regular inter-
vals.
Automatic car washes
Always observe the instructions provided at
the automatic car wash. The standard pre-
cautionary measures prior to entering the car
wash should be taken to avoid damage to
the vehicle (close all windows and the roof,
fold in exterior mirrors). If the vehicle is fitted
with additional components (spoiler, roof-
rack, aerial, etc.), check with the car wash su-
pervisor whether these can enter the car
wash ››› .
The v
ehic

le paintwork is so durable that the
vehicle can normally be washed without
problems in an automatic car wash tunnel.
However, wear and damage to the paintwork
will depend on the type of car wash used. SEAT recommends the use of car washes
without bru

shes.
To remove traces of wax on windows and to
prevent wiper blades from scratching, please
observe the following ››› page 172, Cleaning
windows and exterior mirrors .
Washing the car by hand
When washing the car by hand, use plenty of
water to soften the dirt first, and rinse off as
well as possible.
Then clean the vehicle with a soft sponge,
glove or brush using only slight pressure.
Start at the roof and work downwards. Spe-
cial car shampoo should only be used for
very persistent dirt.
Rinse the sponge or glove thoroughly and of-
ten.
Wheels, sills and similar should be cleaned
last. Use a second sponge for this. WARNING
Sharp components on the vehicle may cause
injury .
● Pr

otect arms and hands from sharp edges
when cle
aning the vehicle undercarriage or
the interior of the wheel hubs. WARNING
After the vehicle has been washed, the brak-
ing eff ect

will be reduced (and the braking
distance increased) due to moisture (and ice
in winter) on the brakes.
● “Dry the brakes and remove ice” by braking
caref
ully. Ensure that you are not endanger-
ing other road-users or breaking traffic regu-
lations in the process. CAUTION
● The wat er t

emperature should not exceed
+60°C (+140°F).
● To avoid damage to the paintwork, do not
wash the
vehicle in full sun.
● Do not use rough sponges or similar which
coul
d damage the surface to clean away the
traces of insects.
● Never wipe the headlights with a dry cloth
or spong
e, always moisten first. It is best to
use soapy water.
● Washing the vehicle in low temperatures:
When washin
g the vehicle with a hose, do
not direct water into the lock cylinders or the
gaps around the doors or roof. Locks and
seals could freeze! CAUTION
To avoid any risk of damage to the vehicle,
pl e

ase check the following points before us-
ing an automatic car wash: » 171
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Care and maintenance
De-icing the door lock cylinder To de-ice the lock cylinders, SEAT recommend
the use of
g
enuine SEAT spray with lubricat-
ing and anti-corrosive properties. CAUTION
The use of products containing degreasing
agent s

to de-ice the locks may rust the lock
cylinder. Protection of vehicle undercarriage
The vehicle underbody is coated to protect it
fr
om c
hemic

al and mechanical damage. The
protective coat on the undercarriage may
wear from use while driving. Therefore, SEAT
recommends that the protective coating on
the undercarriage and on the running gear
should be regularly checked, and repaired if
necessary. WARNING
Additional underseal or anti-corrosion prod-
ucts c

ould catch fire due to the high tempera-
tures reached by the exhaust gas system and
other engine components.
● Do not apply additional underseal or anti-
corro
sion products to the exhaust pipes, cat-
alytic converters, heat shields or other parts
of the vehicle which reach high temperatures. Cleaning the engine compartment
The engine compartment of any motor vehi-
cl
e i

s a potentially hazardous area
››› page 187.
The engine compartment should only be
cleaned by qualified personnel. If it is not
correctly cleaned, the anti-corrosion coating
and consequently electrical components may
be damaged. Moreover, water may filter di-
rectly into the vehicle interior through the wa-
ter chamber ››› .
If the en gine c

ompartment is very dirty, al-
ways take the vehicle to a specialised work-
shop for professional cleaning. SEAT recom-
mends taking your car in for technical serv-
ice.
Water box
The water box is in the engine compartment,
between the windscreen and the engine, and
beneath a perforated cover. Air is taken in
through the water box from outside to the ve-
hicle interior via the heating and air condi-
tioner.
Leaves and other loose objects should be
regularly cleaned away from the water box ei-
ther by hand or with a vacuum. WARNING
When working on the engine or in the engine
comp ar

tment, there is a risk of injury, burns,
accident or fire.
● Before starting work, please ensure you are
famili
ar with the required procedure and the
safety precautions ››› page 187.
● SEAT recommends getting a specialised
workshop t
o do these jobs. CAUTION
If water is manually poured into the water box
(e.g. u s

ing a high pressure cleaning appli-
ance), this could cause significant damage to
the vehicle. For the sake of the environment
Only wash the engine compartment in areas
al loc

ated for this purpose, to prevent dirty
water which may be contaminated by oil,
grease or fuel, from entering the drains. In
some places, even washing this compartment
outside planned areas for this purpose is
banned. 175
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Advice
–
Ins ur
e that the fuel container complies
with manufacturing standards, for exam-
ple, ANSI or ASTM F852-86. CAUTION
● Alw a

ys remove any fuel spilled anywhere
on the vehicle to avoid damage to the wheel
housing, the tyre and vehicle paintwork.
● Refuelling a petrol engine with diesel can
cause seriou
s engine and fuel system dam-
age; the resulting malfunctions are not cov-
ered by the SEAT warranty. If you refuel with
the wrong type of fuel, never start the engine.
This applies to even the smallest amount of
the wrong fuel. Seek specialist assistance.
With the engine running, the composition of
the wrong fuel could significantly damage the
fuel system and the engine itself. For the sake of the environment
Fuels can contaminate the environment. Col-
lect an

y spilt service fluids and allow a pro-
fessional to dispose of them. Control lamps and fuel gauge
Fig. 164
On the instrument panel: fuel gauge
f or petr
o

l Fig. 165
On the instrument panel: Fuel gauge
f or petr
o

l and natural gas. The fuel gauge can vary depending on the ve-
hic
l
e equipment

››› Fig. 164 or ››› Fig. 165.
It lights
upPossible cause / Solution ››› 
a)
The fuel tank is almost empty. The re-
serve tank is being used (red mark
››› Fig. 164) ››› page 31.
Refuel as soon as possible ›››
. 
a)
The natural gas tank is almost empty. The
reserve tank is being used (red mark
››› Fig. 165) ››› page 31.
Refuel as soon as possible ›››
.
a)
This only applies to vehicles with the fuel gauge on the dash
panel ››› Fig. 164.
Flashes for
about 10 sec- ondsPossible cause / Solution
››› 
and the seg-
ments remaining a)The fuel tank is almost empty. The
reserve tank is being used
››› page 31.
Refuel as soon as possible ›››
.
a)
This only applies to vehicles with the fuel gauge on the dash
panel display.
Several warning and control lamps light up
for a few seconds when the ignition is switch-
ed on, signalling that the function is being
verified. They will switch off after a few sec-
onds.
In natural gas engines
During driving, the fuel gauge needle is in
the fuel area with which the car is currently
184

Checking and refilling levels
driving. Whenever the ignition is switched
on, the needl e c
h
anges first for a few sec-
onds to the petrol area in order to display the
current level of fuel. The needle then moves
to the natural gas area. After the engine is
started, the needle changes to the area corre-
sponding to the current operating mode.
Problem: if the vehicle is left parked for a
long time just after refuelling, the gas level
indicator does not accurately indicate the
same level shown after refuelling when the
vehicle is started up again. This is not due to
a leak in the system, but to a drop in pres-
sure in the gas tank for technical reasons af-
ter a cooling phase immediately after refuel-
ling. WARNING
Driving with insufficient fuel reserve could re-
su lt

in the vehicle breaking down in traffic
and a serious accident.
● If the fuel level is too low then the fuel sup-
ply t
o the engine can become irregular espe-
cially on slopes.
● If the engine “is choked” or stalls due to
lack
of or irregularity of the fuel supply, the
power steering as well as all of the driver as-
sistance systems including braking assis-
tance will stop working.
● Always refuel when there is only one quar-
ter of the f
uel tank left to avoid running out of
fuel. CAUTION
● Alw a

ys pay attention to any lit control
lamps and to the corresponding descriptions
and instructions to avoid damage to the vehi-
cle.
● Never run the fuel tank completely dry. An
irregu
lar fuel supply may lead to ignition
faults and unburnt fuel could enter the ex-
haust system. This could damage the catalyt-
ic converter. Note
The arrow next to the fuel pump symbol on
the ins trument

panel ››› Fig. 164 indicates the
side of the vehicle on which the fuel tank flap
is located. Refuelling with petrol
Fig. 166
Open fuel tank flap with tank cap in
the ho l
der Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 31
Before refuelling, always turn off the engine,
the ignition, mobile telephones, auxiliary
heating and keep them off during refuelling.
Refuelling
The correct petrol type for the vehicle is loca-
ted on a sticker inside the fuel tank flap
››› page 181.
● If the automatic filler nozzle is operated
correctly
, it will switch itself off as soon as
the fuel tank is full ››› .
● Do not continue to refuel if it is turned off!
Other w
i

se, this will fill the expansion cham-
ber and fuel may leak out if the ambient con-
ditions are warm.
Vehicles with a natural gas engine
Every 6 months it is necessary to run on pet-
rol until the control lamp switches off  and
then the tank must be refilled. This is neces-
sary to ensure the efficient operation of the
system and the fuel quality required for run-
ning on gas. WARNING
Do not continue refilling once the fuel nozzle
ha s

switched itself off. The fuel tank may be
filled too much. As a result, fuel may spurt
out and spill. This could lead to a fire, explo-
sion and severe injuries. » 185
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Advice
CAUTION
● Alw a
ys remove any fuel spilled anywhere
on the vehicle to avoid damage to the wheel
housing, the tyre and vehicle paintwork. For the sake of the environment
Fuels can contaminate the environment. Col-
lect an

y spilt service fluids and allow a pro-
fessional to dispose of them. Refuelling with natural gas
Fig. 167
Tank flap open: gas filler mouth 1 ,
fi l
l

er mouth retainer 2Before r
efuelling, the engine and the igni-
tion, mo b

ile telephone and heating must be
switched off separately ››› .
It i
s

also essential to carefully read the in-
structions for the natural gas pump. The vehicle is equipped for refuelling only
with Compr

essed Natural Gas (CNG) ››› . Re-
f uel
lin
g with another type of natural gas is
not allowed, e.g. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
or hydromethane.
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 97.
● Press on the rear area of the flap and open
it.
Ref

uelling
Problem: 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. 167 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 you wish to finish refuelling in advance,
pres
s 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, the fill-
ing mouth mus
t be correctly engaged. 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
are unacquainted with the pump, it is advisa-
ble that a member of staff of the service sta-
tion performs the refuelling operation. 186

Checking and refilling levels
●
Noise s
heard when refuelling are normal
and do not indicate 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. Bonnet
Work in

g in the engine compartment Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 10
Before working in the engine compartment,
make sure that the vehicle is parked on hori-
zontal and firm ground.
The engine compartment of the vehicle is a
hazardous area. Never work on the engine or
in the engine compartment if you are not fa-
miliar with the operations to be carried out,
the applicable safety standards and especial-
ly if you do not have the necessary instru-
ments, liquids and tools ››› ! If required,
h av
e an

y work carried out by a specialised
workshop. Negligent work can cause serious
injury. WARNING
If the vehicle moves unexpectedly, this could
cau se seriou

s injury. ●
Never w ork

under the vehicle if it has not
been immobilized. If you must work under-
neath the vehicle with the wheels in contact
with the ground then it should be parked on
flat ground, the wheels should be prevented
from moving and the key should be removed
from the ignition.
● If you have to work underneath the vehicle,
you mus
t use suitable stands additionally to
support the vehicle, there is a risk of acci-
dent!. The jack is not intended for this kind of
work and its failure could lead to severe inju-
ries.
● Disconnect the Start-Stop system. WARNING
The engine compartment is a dangerous area
cap ab

le of causing serious injury.
● For all type of work, always take the utmost
precaution
s, work carefully and note the gen-
eral safety standards in force. Never take per-
sonal risks.
● Never work on the engine or in the engine
compar
tment if you are not familiar with the
necessary operations. If you are not sure
about procedures then visit a specialised
workshop to carry out the necessary work.
Working incorrectly can cause serious inju-
ries.
● Never open the bonnet if you see steam or
cool
ant escaping from the engine compart-
ment. This may cause serious burns. Always
wait until you cannot see or hear the sound of steam or coolant coming from the engine
comp
ar

tment.
● Always allow the engine to cool down be-
fore openin
g the bonnet.
● Contact with hot elements of the engine
and the exhau
st system can cause burns.
● Once the engine has cooled, follow the in-
structions
below before opening the bonnet:
– Engage the handbrake and place the gear
selector lever in N or the gear stick in
neutral.
– Remove the key from the ignition.
– Keep children away from the engine com-
partment and never leave them unsuper-
vised.
● When the engine is warm or hot, the cool-
ing sys
tem is pressurised. Do not unscrew
the cap on the expansion tank when the en-
gine is hot. Otherwise, coolant may spray out
under pressure causing burns and serious in-
jury.
– After cooling, carefully and slowly un-
screw the cap anticlockwise, gently
pressing down on it.
– Always protect your face, hands and arms
from hot coolant and steam using a large,
thick cloth.
● When refilling liquids, avoid spilling them
on part
s of the engine and the exhaust sys-
tem. Spilled liquids could cause a fire. » 187
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Checking and refilling levels
●
To av oid d
amage to the bonnet and to the
windscreen wiper arms, only open it when
the windscreen wipers are in place against
the windscreen.
● Before driving, always lower the wiper
arms. For the sake of the environment
Service fluids leaks are harmful to the envi-
r onment . F

or this reason you should make
regular checks on the ground underneath
your vehicle. Take the vehicle to a specialised
workshop to be checked if you see stains, oil
or other fluids on the ground. Collect any
spilt service fluids and allow a professional to
dispose of them. Engine oil
Intr oduction WARNING
Incorrectly handling engine oil can cause in-
jury and seriou

s burns.
● Always protect your eyes when handling
engine oil
.
● Oil is toxic and must be kept out of the
reac
h of children. ●
Engine oi l

should only be kept in its origi-
nal packaging; the same goes for used oil un-
til it is disposed of.
● Never store engine oil in empty food con-
tainers
or bottles as other people may acci-
dentally drink it.
● Regular contact with engine oil can be bad
for the skin. If
you come into contact with en-
gine oil, wash your skin with soap and water.
● With the engine running, the engine oil
gets
extremely hot and can cause severe skin
burns. Always wait until the engine has fully
cooled. For the sake of the environment
Similar to the other service liquids, spilled
engine oi l

can be bad for the environment.
Collect these liquids in suitable containers
and dispose of them while respecting the en-
vironment. Warning and control lamps

Flashes
Engine oil pres-
sure too low.

Stop the vehicle!
Switch off the engine. Check the
engine oil level, and if necessary,
refill with ››› page 190.
engine oil - If the warning indicator
flashes although the oil level is cor-
rect, do not continue driving or
leave the engine running. Other-
wise, the engine could be dam-
aged. Seek specialist assistance. WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ›››
in On the
ins trument
panel on page 26. Engine oil specifications
Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 31
Replacement engine oil must strictly comply
with the specifications.
The correct oil must be used to ensure the
correct operation and long service life of the
engine. The engine comes with a high-quality
multigrade oil that can generally be used all
year round.
Only use an engine oil that complies to SEAT
standards whenever possible ››› . Only refill
»
189
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Advice
engine oil using approved engine oil in ac-
c or
d
ance with the corresponding VW stand-
ard ( ›››
 page 32). All oils indicated are
synthetic multigrade oils .
Engine oils are being continuously further
developed. Technical services are constantly
updated with any modifications. SEAT there-
fore recommends that you have the engine
oil changed by a technical service. CAUTION
● Only u

se engine oils whose specifications
are expressly approved by SEAT. The use of
any other type of oil could cause engine dam-
age!
● No additives should be used with engine
oil. An
y damage caused by the use of such
additives would not be covered by the factory
warranty. Checking engine oil level and topping
up
Fig. 168
Marked engine oil dipstick Fig. 169
In the engine compartment: Engine
oi l
fi

ller cap. Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 31 Preparations
●
Park the vehicle on flat ground so that the
engine oil
reading is correct.
● The engine must be hot to be able to check
the engine oil
level. Stop the engine and wait
a few minutes for the oil to drain back into
the sump.
● Open the bonnet  ›››
page 187.
● The engine oil filler neck can be recognised
by the symbo
l  on the cap ››› Fig. 169 and
the dipstick by its coloured handle.
Check the engine oil level
● Pull out the dipstick and wipe it on a clean
cloth.
● Rep

lace the dipstick, pushing it in as far as
it wi
ll go. If the dipstick to measure engine oil
has a mark, when you reintroduce it this
mark should slot into the corresponding
groove located on the upper end of the tube.
● Remove the oil dipstick again and check
the engine oil
level.
● After reading the oil level, replace the dip-
stick
in the tube completely. WARNING
Oil could catch fire if it comes into contact
with hot en

gine components. This could lead
to a fire, explosion and severe injuries.
● Always ensure that after topping of oil, the
engine oil
filler cap is correctly tightened.190