Driving
and increase braking distance. If you drive for
a pr o
lon
ged period on salted roads without
braking then brake carefully several times to
eliminate the layer of salt on the brakes ››› .
If the
v
ehicle remains parked for considera-
ble lengths of time, is used little, or if the
brakes are not used, there may be corrosion
on the brake discs and a build up of dirt on
the brake pads. If the brakes are not used fre-
quently, or if rust has formed on the discs,
SEAT recommends cleaning the pads and
discs by braking firmly a few times at a mod-
erately high speed. Only do this without en-
dangering vehicles behind you or any other
road users ››› .
F au
lt
s in the brake system
During braking, if you notice that the vehicle
does not react as usual (that the braking dis-
tance has increased suddenly) it may be pos-
sible that there is a fault in the braking sys-
tem. This is indicated by the warning lamp
. Take the vehicle to a specialised work-
shop immediately and have the fault re-
paired. Drive at a moderate speed and be
prepared to use more pressure on the brake
pedal, and allow for longer stopping distan-
ces.
Brake servo
The brake servo only operates when the en-
gine is running and the pressure applied by
the driver on the brake pedal increases. If the brake servo does not operate or the ve-
hicle mu
st be towed, then the brake pedal
will have to be pressed with more force given
that the braking distance will be increased
when the brake servo does not operate ››› .
WARNING
New brake pads do not brake to full efficien-
cy.
● For the fir
st 320 km, new brake pads have
not y
et reached their maximum braking ca-
pacity, and need to be “run in” first. For this,
to compensate for reduced braking efficiency
the brake pedal will have to be pressed with
more force.
● To avoid losing control of the vehicle and
caus
ing serious accidents, always take great
care when driving with new brake pads.
● When running in new brake pads, always
res
pect the safety distances between you and
other vehicles and do not cause situations re-
quiring extreme braking performance. WARNING
When brakes overheat, braking is less effi-
cient and br
aking distances increase.
● When driving on slopes, brakes can be
overlo
aded and overheat quickly.
● Reduce speed or change down a gear when
faced w
ith steep and long slopes. This allows
you to use the engine braking effect and to
reduce the strain on the brake system. ●
Non-s t
andard or damaged front spoilers
could restrict the airflow to the brakes and
cause them to overheat. WARNING
Wet, frozen or salt-covered brakes take lon-
g er t o en
gage and this increases braking dis-
tances.
● Test the brakes carefully.
● Dry the brakes, free them of ice and salt by
brakin
g gently several times, when visibility,
weather, and road and traffic conditions per-
mit. WARNING
Driving without the brake servo may signifi-
cantly inc
rease the braking distance and re-
sult in a severe accident.
● Never allow the vehicle to move forwards
when the engine is
switched off.
● If the brake servo does not operate or the
vehicl
e must be towed, then the brake pedal
will have to be pressed with more force given
that the braking distance will be increased
when the brake servo does not operate. CAUTION
● Never m ak
e the brakes “slip” by pressing
the pedal gently, if it is not really necessary
to brake. Continuously pressing on the brake
pedal will heat the brakes. This could signifi-
cantly reduce braking power, increase » 141
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
braking distance or even result in the total
fai
lur
e of the brake system.
● Reduce speed or change down a gear when
faced w
ith steep and long slopes. This allows
you to use the engine braking effect and to
reduce the strain on the brake system. Other-
wise, the brakes may overheat and fail. Only
use the brakes to reduce speed or to stop. Note
Make use, when having the front brake pads
c hec k
ed, and have the rear pads checked al-
so. The thickness of the brake pads should be
checked visually and regularly, by looking
through the openings in the wheel rims or
from underneath the vehicle. If necessary, re-
move the wheels to check them thoroughly.
SEAT recommends taking your car in for tech-
nical service. Changing gear
Intr oduction When reverse gear is engaged and the igni-
tion i
s
sw
itched on the following takes place:
● Reverse lights light up.
● The rear wiper blade performs one move-
ment when the wind
screen wiper is activa-
ted. ●
If nece
ssary, connect the parking distance
warning system. WARNING
Rapid acceleration can cause loss of traction
and skid din
g, especially on slippery ground.
This could cause loss of control of the vehicle
resulting in an accident and considerable
damage.
● Use rapid acceleration only when visibility,
weather
, road conditions and traffic permit. WARNING
Do not allow the brakes to “rub” for a pro-
long ed period of
time, or brake frequently or
for long periods of time. Continuous braking
heats up the brakes. This could significantly
reduce braking power, increase braking dis-
tance or even result in the total failure of the
brake system. Control and warning lamps
It lights up red
Fault in the auto-
matic gearbox.
Do not drive on!
Seek professional advice. Failure to
do so could result in considerable
damage to the transmission
››› page 146.
It lights up yellow
In the automatic
gearbox the
gears can en-
gage incorrectly.Switch the ignition on and off.
When the control lamp does not
light up, find the nearest special-
ised workshop and have the auto-
matic gearbox checked.
The automatic
gearbox over-
heats temporari-
ly.Let the transmission cool with the
gearbox lever in the position .
When the control lamp does not
light up, find the nearest special-
ised workshop and have the auto-
matic gearbox checked.
It lights up
Place the automatic
gearbox lever in the
position
and do not
press the brake pedal.
Press the brake pedal to select
a gear range.
Together with the yel-
low control lamp for
the temperature of the
transmission
: the
automatic gearbox
overheats.
Press brake pedal and let the
transmission cool. Avoid
pressing the accelerator. When
the control lamp does not light
up, find the nearest special-
ised workshop and have the
automatic gearbox checked.
Together with the turn
signal display in the
instrument panel dis-
play: the automatic
gearbox lever is not in
the position
, indica-
tion to start the en-
gine.
Move the gearbox lever to the
position and start the en-
gine. 142
Driving
Flashes
An automatic gearbox
in the vehicle does
not guarantee that the
vehicle will not roll
away.Apply the handbrake.
Flashes
In the instrument pan-
el display, in addition
to the control lamp re-
questing the brake
pedal to be pressed
: indicated for start-
ing the engine.
Move the gearbox lever to the
position and start the en-
gine.
On the instrument
panel display: Whilst
driving in a forward di-
rection, try to move
the automatic gearbox
lever to the position
.
Stop the vehicle and move the
gearbox lever to the position in order to subsequently
change to the position .
On the instrument
panel display: The au-
tomatic gearbox lever
was placed in the po-
sition
or , but the
brake pedal was not
pressed.
Press the brake pedal, move
the gearbox lever to the posi-
tion
, and subsequently to
the required position or . When switching on the ignition some warn-
in
g and indic
ation l
amps light up for a short
time to check the operations. They will switch
off after a few seconds. Manual gear change
Fig. 147
Gear shift pattern of a 5-speed man-
ual g
e
arbox Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 26
Shifting down a gear
Shifting down a gear while driving must be
carried out gear by gear, i.e. to the gear im-
mediately preceding the current gear and at
an engine speed that is not excessive ››› .
At high s
peed
s, or high engine speeds, skip-
ping one or various gears when shifting
down a gear can cause damage to the clutch
and the gearbox, even if the clutch is not en-
gaged during the process ››› .
WARNING
When the engine is running, the vehicle will
st ar
t to move as soon as a gear is engaged
and the clutch released. ●
Never en g
age the reverse gear when a vehi-
cle is moving forward. WARNING
As a consequence of shifting down a gear in-
c orr ectly
, you may lose control of the vehicle
and cause an accident with serious conse-
quences. CAUTION
If, at high speeds or high engine speeds, the
ge ar l
ever is shifted down to a gear that is too
low, serious damage can be caused to the
clutch and gearbox. This may also happen if
you press the clutch pedal and it does not en-
gage. CAUTION
To prevent damage and avoid premature
we ar
, please observe the following:
● While driving, do not leave your hand rest-
ing on the ge
ar stick. The pressure applied by
your hand is transmitted to the gearbox se-
lector forks.
● Always ensure that the vehicle is complete-
ly st
opped before engaging the reverse gear.
● When changing gear, always make sure the
clutc
h pedal is pushed right to the floor.
● Never hold the vehicle “on the clutch” on
hill
s with the engine on. 143
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
●
Alw a
ys adapt your driving style to suit the
flow of traffic.
● Only use the kick-down function or rapid
accel
eration if visibility, weather, road and
traffic conditions so permit.
● Never put other road users in danger by ac-
celer
ating or with your driving style. CAUTION
If you stop on a hill with a gear range engag-
ed, do not try
to prevent the vehicle from roll-
ing back by pressing on the accelerator. Oth-
erwise, the automatic gearbox may overheat
causing damage. Automatic gearbox malfunction
Back-up programme
When aut
om
atic
gearbox warning and indica-
tion lamps light up on the instrument panel,
there may be a system malfunction
››› page 142. In the event of some faults the
automatic gearbox functions using a backup
programme. When the programme is activa-
ted, it is possible to drive the vehicle, howev-
er, at low speeds and within a selected range
of gears.
With the manual gearbox, in some cases it is
not possible to drive with all the gears .
In all cases the automatic gearbox must be
checked at a specialised workshop. Automatic gearbox overheating
The automatic
gearbox can overheat with a
prolonged start up, or when stopping and
starting continuously. This overheating is dis-
played with a warning lamp in the instru-
ment panel. Additionally, an audible warning
can be heard. Stop and let the gearbox cool
››› .
The v
ehic
le moves forward or back despite
having selected a gear range
When the vehicle does not move in the re-
quired direction, the system may not have
the gear range correctly engaged. Press the
brake pedal and engage the gear range
again. If the vehicle still does not move in the
required direction, there is a system malfunc-
tion. Seek specialist assistance and have the
system checked. CAUTION
● When the ge arbo
x is displayed as overheat-
ing for the first time, the vehicle must be
parked safely or must be driven at a speed of
more than 20 km/h (12 mph).
● When the warning lamp lights up and the
audible w
arning is heard, the vehicle must be
parked safely and the engine switched off.
Let the gearbox cool down.
● To prevent damage to the gearbox, driving
must
only be continued when the warning
lamps are no longer lit up. While the gearbox is overheated, starting up and driving, even
at a s
lo
w speed should be avoided. Recommended gear display
In some vehicles, the recommended gear for
reduc
in
g fuel consumption is displayed on
the instrument panel:
DisplayMeaning
Optimum gear.
Recommendation to change up a gear.
Recommendation to change down a
gear.
WARNING
The recommended gear display is intended as
a guideline only; it shou
ld never replace the
driver's attention to driving carefully.
● Responsibility for selecting the correct gear
for eac
h situation continues to lie with the
driver, for example when overtaking or climb-
ing a hill. For the sake of the environment
Selecting the most appropriate gear for the
sit uation w
ill help you to save fuel.146
Driving
● Use of
c
ompatible plastics in the same part
if its components are not easily separated.
● Use of recycled materials and/or materials
originating fr
om 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. Economical and environmentally
friendly drivin
g Fig. 150
Fuel consumption in litres per
100 km at 2 diff
er
ent outside temperatures Fuel consumption, environmental impact and
en
gine, br
ak
e and tyre wear depend largely
on three factors:
● Personal driving style.
● Conditions of use (weather, road surface).
● Technical requirements.
Saving
s of up to 25% in fuel consumption
are possible with an appropriate driving style
and the adoption of certain simple tips.
Changing gear early
General instructions: The highest gear is al-
ways the most economical. As a guide, for
most vehicles at a speed of 30 km/h
(19 mph), drive in third gear, at 40 km/h (25 mph) in fourth gear and at 50 km/h
(31 mph) in fifth ge
ar.
In addition, “skipping” gears when shifting
up helps to save fuel, weather and traffic
conditions permitting.
Do not wait until the last moment before
changing gear. Only use first gear when you
move off and change to second gear quickly.
Avoid the kick-down function in vehicles with
automatic gearbox.
Vehicles with a gear display help to achieve
an economical driving style as the display in-
dicates the best moment to change gear.
Let the vehicle roll
If you take your foot off the accelerator, the
fuel supply is stopped and consumption is
reduced.
Allow the vehicle to roll without accelerating,
for example when approaching a red traffic
light. However, if the vehicle is rolling too
slowly or the distance is too long, the clutch
pedal should be pressed to declutch. The en-
gine will then operate at idle speed.
If the vehicle is going to be at a standstill for
a period of time, switch off the engine; for ex-
ample, while waiting at a level crossing.
Think ahead and “flow” with the traffic
Frequent acceleration and braking considera-
bly increase fuel consumption. If you think »
149
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
ahead as you drive and keep a safe distance
fr om the
v
ehicle in front, it is possible to slow
down by simply lifting your foot off the accel-
erator. This eliminates the need for constant
braking and acceleration.
Calm and steady driving
Constancy is more important than speed: The
more you drive at a constant speed, the lower
the fuel consumption.
When driving on the motorway, it is more effi-
cient to drive at a constant and more moder-
ate speed than to be continuously accelerat-
ing and braking. As a general rule, you will
reach your destination just as quickly when
you drive at a constant speed.
The cruise control function helps you to ach-
ieve a constant style of driving.
Moderate use of additional devices
It is important to travel in comfort, but con-
venience systems should be used ecological-
ly.
Some equipment, when connected, increase
fuel consumption considerably, for example:
● Air conditioning cooling system: If the air
conditioning sy
stem is required to cool to
significantly lower temperatures than the true
outside temperature, it will require a large
amount of energy from the engine. Therefore,
we recommend that the selected temperature for the vehicle is not too different to the out-
side temper
ature. It is a good idea to air the
vehicle before starting your journey and to
drive a short distance with the windows
open. Then you can close the windows and
switch on the air conditioning. Keep windows
closed when travelling at high speeds. Driv-
ing with the windows open increases fuel
consumption.
● Switch off the seat heating when the seats
have w
armed up.
● Switch off the heated rear window when it
is not
moist or covered in ice.
Avoid short journeys
Fuel consumption is much higher when the
engine is cold, immediately after it has been
started. It takes a few kilometres of driving
for the engine to warm up and to normalise
consumption.
The engine and catalytic converter need to
reach their proper working temperature in or-
der to minimise fuel consumption and emis-
sions. The ambient temperature has a deci-
sive influence.
Fig. 150 shows the difference in consump-
tion for the same journey at +20°C (+68°F)
and at -10°C (+14°F).
Therefore, unnecessary short journeys
should be avoided. Try to combine trips. The vehicle uses more fuel in winter than in
summer, ev
en when other conditions are the
same.
The engine takes a long time to warm up
when it is idling. In addition, mechanical
wear and pollutant emissions are also espe-
cially high during this initial warm-up phase.
It is therefore best to drive off immediately af-
ter starting the engine. Doing this avoids run-
ning the engine at a high speed.
Adjusting type pressures.
Having the correct pressure in your tyres
helps to reduce rolling resistance and, as a
result reduces fuel consumption. Increasing
the tyre pressure slightly (+0.2
bar/+3 psi/+200 kPa) can help to save fuel.
When you buy new tyres, make sure they are
optimised for minimum rolling resistance.
Use low friction engine oil
The use of low viscosity totally synthetic oils,
known as low friction engine oil, helps to re-
duce fuel consumption. These oils reduce the
resistance caused by friction in the engine,
they flow around the engine more quickly
and efficiently, particularly in cold starts. The
effect is particularly noticeable in vehicles
frequently used for short journeys.
Always check the engine oil level and ob-
serve service intervals (engine oil change in-
tervals).
150
Operation
●
When cl e
aning the sensors with high-pres-
sure or steam cleaning equipment, spray the
sensors briefly at a distance of no less than
10 cm.
● Different sources of noise can produce er-
rors
in the parking distance warning system,
e.g. parking distance warning systems from
other vehicles, inductive loops or construc-
tion works machines.
● Retrofitting of components to the vehicle,
such a
s a bicycle carrier, may interfere with
the function of the parking distance warning
system. Parking distance warning system
Fig. 151
Parking distance warning system
sen sor
s
on the rear bumper The sensors of the parking distance warning
sy
s
t
em are situated on the rear bumper
››› Fig. 151. Switching the parking distance warning sys-
tem on and off
●
Swit
ching on: With the ignition swit
ched
on, select reverse gear. A short audible warn-
ing confirms that the parking distance warn-
ing system is switched on and functioning.
● Switching off: Rele
ase reverse gear.
Special features of the parking distance
warning system
● The parking distance warning system
sometimes r
egisters water on the sensors as
an obstacle.
● If the distance does not change, the warn-
ing sign
al will sound less loudly after a few
seconds. If the continuous signal sounds, the
volume will remain constant.
● When the vehicle moves away from the ob-
stac
le, the beeping sound automatically
switches off. When getting close again, it re-
connects.
● Your SEAT dealership can adjust the volume
of the warnin
g signals. Note
A fault in the parking distance warning sys-
tem i s
indicated through a brief audible warn-
ing that is constant for about 3 seconds when
switching it on the first time. Check the park-
ing distance warning system at a Specialised
workshop as soon as possible. Optical parking system* (OPS)
Fig. 152
On-screen OPS display: A has de-
tect ed an o
bstacle in the collision zone; B has detected an obstacle in the segment;
C zone recorded behind the vehicle.
The optical parking system is an extension of
the p
ark
in
g distance warning system
››› page 154.
The radio screen displays the area behind the
vehicle recorded by the sensors. Any obsta-
cles are displayed in relation to the vehicle
››› .
FunctionNecessary operations
Switching the
display on:Switching on the
››› page 154 park-
ing distance warning system. The
OPS switches on automatically.
Switching the
display off man-
ually:Release reverse gear. 154
Operation
● If the g
e
ar is changed with the manual
gearbox.
● If the airbag is triggered. WARNING
Use of the cruise control could cause acci-
dents and sev
ere injuries if it is not possible
to drive at a constant speed maintaining the
safety distance.
● Do not use the cruise control in heavy traf-
fic, if the dis
tance from the vehicle in front is
insufficient, on steep roads, with several
bends or in slippery circumstances (snow,
ice, rain or loose gravel), or on flooded roads.
● Never use the CCS when driving off-road or
on unpav
ed roads.
● Always adapt your speed and the distance
to the v
ehicles ahead in line with visibility,
weather conditions, the condition of the road
and the traffic situation.
● To avoid unexpected operation of the cruise
contro
l system, turn it off every time you fin-
ish using it.
● It is dangerous to use a set speed which is
too high for the pr
evailing road, traffic or
weather conditions.
● When travelling down hills, the CCS cannot
maintain a c
onstant speed. The vehicle tends
to accelerate under its own weight. Select a
lower gear or use the foot brake to slow the
vehicle. Safety Assist* (City Safety As-
s
i
s
t function)
Introduction The City Safety Assist function covers driving
sit
uation
s at a distance of about 10 metres in
front of the vehicle, in a speed range of ap-
proximately 5-30 km/h (3-19 mph).
When the system detects a possible collision
with a vehicle in front, the vehicle prepares
for a possible emergency braking ››› .
If the driv
er doe
s not react to an imminent
collision, the system can automatically brake
the vehicle in order to reduce speed faced
with a possible collision. The system can
help to reduce the consequences of an acci-
dent.
If the City Safety Assist function determines
that the driver has braked insufficiently when
faced with an imminent collision, the system
can increase the brake force in order to re-
duce speed. The system can help to reduce
the consequences of an accident. WARNING
The smart technology in the City Safety As-
si s
t system cannot change the limits imposed
by the laws of physics and by the system it-
self. The increased convenience offered by
the City Safety Assist system should never
prompt you to take risks. The driver always assumes the responsibility of braking in
time.
●
The City Safety Assist function cannot pre-
vent ac
cidents or serious injury by itself.
● The City Safety Assist system may carry out
unw
anted brake interventions in complex
driving situations e.g. when a vehicle crosses
at a short distance. WARNING
Relying on the City Safety Assist system in
c ity driv
ing as part of one's driving behaviour
may cause accidents and serious injury. The
system is not a replacement for driver aware-
ness.
● Always adapt your speed and the distance
to the v
ehicles ahead in line with visibility,
weather conditions, the condition of the road
and the traffic situation.
● The City Safety Assist function does not re-
act to peop
le, animals or vehicles that cross
or move in the opposite direction in the same
lane.
● If after switching on the City Safety Assist
function the
vehicle begins to move, slow the
vehicle with the foot brake. CAUTION
If you suspect that the City Safety Assist la-
ser sensor i s
damaged, switch it off. This will
avoid additional damage. 156