Operation
Go to a technical service.
Electronic differential lock If one of the wheels starts to skid, the EDL
brak
e
s that wheel, transmitting the driving
force to the other wheels. This increases ve-
hicle stability and improves driving stability.
To prevent the disc brake of the braking
wheel from overheating, the EDL cuts out au-
tomatically if subjected to excessive loads.
The vehicle will continue to function normally
without EDL. The EDL will switch on again au-
tomatically when the brake has cooled down. Manual gearbox
Chan gin
g gears Fig. 177
Gear shift diagram of a 5- or 6-speed
m anual
g
earbox Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 35
When changing gear, always depress the
clutch pedal fully and keep it pressed down
to avoid excessive clutch wear.
In order to drive at an optimum RPM, follow
the gear change indications ›››
page 29.
Engage reverse gear only when the vehicle is
stopped. On engaging reverse gear while the
engine is running, first wait a moment with
the clutch pedal pressed down fully to limit
gear shift noise.
The reverse lights switch on when the reverse
gear is selected and the ignition is on. WARNING
Never engage reverse gear when moving for-
war d. Ri
sk of accident! Note
Do not rest your hand on the gear lever while
drivin g.
The pressure of your hand could lead
to premature wear of the gear system. Automatic gearbox
Ba s
ic information The gearbox changes up and down automati-
c
al
ly
. The gearbox can be set to Tiptronic
mode. The gears can be changed manually in
this mode ›››
page 163.
The engine can only be started in positions P
or N. If, on engaging the steering lock,
switching the ignition on/off or starting the
engine, the selector lever is not in these posi-
tions, the informative display will show Move
the selector lever to position
P/N! , or
P/N is shown on the general
dash panel display.
At temperatures below -10°C (14°F), the en-
gine can only be started in position P.
Move the selector lever to position P when
parking the vehicle on a flat surface. On a
160
Driving
slope, the handbrake should be firmly ap-
p lied bef
or
e moving the selector lever to the
park position. This reduces the load on the
lock mechanism while making it easier to
move the selector lever from position P.
If, while the vehicle is moving, the selector
lever is accidentally moved to position N, re-
lease the accelerator and wait for the engine
to idle before moving it back into position. WARNING
● Never pr e
ss the accelerator when selecting
the automatic gearbox operating mode when
the vehicle is stationary. Risk of accident!
● Never move the selector lever to positions
R or P when driving. Ri
sk of accident!
● If the vehicle is to be stopped with a gear
selected and the en
gine idling (e.g. waiting
or moving slowly at traffic lights), press down
on the brake pedal because the transmission
is not entirely interrupted when the engine is
idling and the vehicle will tend to start mov-
ing.
● Apply the handbrake firmly and put the se-
lector l
ever in position P before opening the
bonnet and working on the vehicle with the
engine running. Risk of accident! Strictly fol-
low the safety instructions ››› page 204, En-
gine compartment.
● When stopping on a slope (hill), try not to
stop the
vehicle from moving by pressing the
“accelerator” with a gear selected. This could
overheat the clutch. If the clutch risks being burnt due to this force, it would switch off
and the v
ehic
le could move backwards. Risk
of accident!
● If you have to stop on a hill, press down on
the brake ped
al to stop the vehicle from mov-
ing.
● The drive wheels could lose traction on a
slipper
y road surface when the kick-down
function is activated. Risk of sliding! CAUTION
● In D SG aut om
atic gearboxes, the double
clutch is protected from overloads. If the hill
hold control is used, the clutches are subjec-
ted to greater force if the vehicle is at a
standstill on a slope or suddenly accelerating
on a slope.
● Should the clutches overheat, the sym-
bol i
s shown on the informative display with
a warning message Gear overheated.
Stop! Instruction Manual! An audible
warning is also heard. Stop the vehicle in this
case, stop the engine and wait until the sym-
bol has switched off. Danger of damage to
the gearbox! You can continue driving once
the symbol is switched off. Starting and driving
Starting
– Press and hold the brake pedal. –
Pr e
s
s and hold the interlock button on the
selector lever knob and move the selector
lever to position ››› page 162 before releas-
ing the interlock button.
– Release the brake and press the accelera-
tor.
St
opping
– The selector lever does not have to be
moved t
o position N if the vehicle is stop-
ped for a short period, e.g. at intersections.
Applying the brake is enough. However, the
engine must remain idling.
Parking
– Press the brake pedal.
– Apply the handbrake.
– Press the interlock button, move the selec-
tor lev
er to position P and release the but-
ton.
Kick-down feature
The kick-down feature allows maximum ac-
celeration to be reached.
In any gear programme, press down fully on
the accelerator for the automatic gearbox to
activate the kick-down feature. This function
takes priority over the gear programmes with-
out taking into account the position of the se-
lector lever (D, S or Tiptronic) and is used to
reach maximum acceleration, using full »
161
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
Driving programmes Your vehicle is equipped with an electronical-
ly-c
ontr
olled automatic gearbox. Shifting up
or down depends on the programme selec-
ted.
For a calm driving style, the gearbox uses the
most economic programme. The gearbox
shifts up as quickly as possible and shifts
down as late as possible, thus increasing
driving economy.
With a sporty driving style , characterised by
sudden acceleration, heavy acceleration,
speeds that often increase and decrease and
maximum speed, the gearbox adapts to this
driving style when the accelerator is pressed
down fully (kick-down) by shifting down as
quickly as possible and can even shift down
by several gears at once.
Selecting the best driving programmes is an
endless job. Regardless of this, the driver can
also make the gearbox switch to a more dy-
namic gear shift programme by pressing the
accelerator quickly. This makes the automatic
gearbox shift down into a lower gear than the
one that would normally apply to the current
speed, allowing for more rapid acceleration
(e.g. to overtake another vehicle) without
having to press the accelerator until the kick-
down position. On shifting up in a corre-
sponding driving style, the gearbox returns to
the original programme. When driving along mountain roads, the
ge
arbo
x adapts to the gradients. This avoids
having to frequently change gears when driv-
ing uphill. In Tiptronic mode, it is possible to
shift down manually when driving downhill to
use the braking effect of the engine.
Emergency program A back-up programme exists in case of faults.
In the event
of
a fault in the gearbox electron-
ics, it will continue to work in one of the cor-
responding back-up programmes. All seg-
ments of the screen are lit up or switched off.
The fault can be seen as follows:
● The gearbox only engages certain gears
● Reverse gear R cannot be en
gaged
● The manual gearbox switches off in the
back
-up programme Note
If the gearbox switches to the back-up pro-
gramme, v
isit an Authorised Service as soon
as possible to solve the problem. Gearbox malfunctions
Gearbox: Fault! Stop the ve-
hicle and place the lever in the
position P. There is a fault in the gearbox. Stop the vehi-
c
l
e in a s
afe place and do not continue driv-
ing. Seek specialist assistance.
Gearbox: System fault! You
may continue driving.
Have the fault corrected by a specialised
workshop without delay. Gearbox: System fault! You
can continue driving with re-
strictions. Reverse gear disa‐
bled
Take the vehicle to a specialised workshop
and have the fault repaired without delay. Gearbox: System fault! You
can continue driving in D until
switching off the engine
Stop the vehicle in a safe place well away
from moving traffic. Seek specialist assis-
tance. Gearbox: too hot. Adapt your
driving accordingly
Continue driving at moderate speeds. When
the warning lamp switches off, you can con-
tinue driving in a normal manner. Gearbox: press the brake and
engage a gear again.
If the fault was caused by a gearbox with a
high temperature, this driver message will be
164
Driving
Periodic maintenance
P eriodic
m
aintenance work guarantees that,
before beginning a journey, you will not con-
sume more than the required amount of fuel.
A well-serviced engine gives you the benefit
of improved fuel efficiency as well as maxi-
mum reliability and an enhanced resale val-
ue.
A badly serviced engine can consume up to
10% more fuel than necessary.
Avoid short journeys
To reduce the consumption and emission of
polluting exhaust gases, the engine and the
exhaust gas filtration systems should reach
the optimum operating temperature.
With the engine cold, fuel consumption is
proportionally higher. The engine does not
warm up and fuel consumption does not nor-
malise until having driven approximately four
kilometres (2.5 miles). This is why we recom-
mend avoiding short trips whenever possi-
ble.
Maintain the correct tyre pressures
Bear in mind that keeping the tyres at an ad-
equate pressure saves fuel. If the tyre pres-
sure is just one bar (14.5 psi/100 kPa) too
low, fuel consumption can increase by as
much as 5%. Due to the greater rolling resist-
ance, under-inflation also increases tyre wear
wear and impairs handling. The tyre pressures should always be checked
when the tyre
s are cold.
Do not use winter tyres all year round as they
increase fuel consumption by up to 10%.
Avoid unnecessary weight
Given that every kilo of extra weight will in-
crease the fuel consumption, it is advisable
to always check the luggage compartment to
make sure that no unnecessary loads are be-
ing transported.
A roof rack is often left in place for the sake
of convenience, even when it is no longer
needed. At a speed of 100 km/h (62 mph)
and 120 km/h (75 mph) your vehicle will use
about 12% more fuel as a result of the extra
wind resistance caused by the roof rack even
when it is not in use.
Save electricity
The engine activates the alternator, which
produces electricity. With the need for elec-
tricity, fuel consumption also increases. Be-
cause of this, always turn off electrical devi-
ces when you do not need them. Examples of
devices that use a lot of electricity are: the
fan at high speeds, the rear window heating
and the seat heaters*. Note
● If y
ou vehicle has Start-Stop, it is not rec-
ommended to switch this function off. ●
It i s
recommended that you close the win-
dows when driving at more than 60 km/h
(37 mph).
● Do not drive with your foot resting on the
clutc
h pedal,, as the pressure can make the
plate spin, more fuel will be used and it can
burn the clutch plate lining, causing a serious
fault.
● Do not hold the vehicle on a hill with the
clutc
h, use the foot brake or hand brake, us-
ing the latter to start. The fuel consumption
will be lower and you will prevent the clutch
plate from being damaged.
● On descents, use the engine brake, chang-
ing to the g
ear that is more suitable for the
slope. Fuel consumption will be “zero” and
the brakes will not suffer. Engine management and emis-
s
ion c
ontr
ol system
Introduction WARNING
● Bec au
se of the high temperatures which
can occur in the exhaust purification system
(catalytic converter or diesel particulate fil-
ter), do not park the vehicle where the ex-
haust can come into contact with flammable
materials under the car (e.g. on grass or at
the forest edge). Fire hazard! » 167
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
●
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
An exhaust gas emission control system (cat-
alytic
c
on
verter) that functions perfectly is vi-
tally important for vehicle operation that re-
spects the environment.
Please observe the following indications:
● Refuel only using unleaded petrol in petrol
engine v
ehicles ››› page 202.
● Do not add too much oil to the engine
›››
page 209, Checking engine oil level .
● Do not switch off the ignition while driving.
If y
ou are required to drive in a country where
unleaded fuel is not available, when return-
ing to a country where using a catalytic con-
verter is obligatory, the catalytic converter
must be replaced. CAUTION
● Never c omp
letely empty the tank! An irreg-
ular fuel supply can cause ignition faults,
which can result in damage to a substantial
amount of engine parts and the exhaust sys-
tem.
● Refuelling just once with leaded petrol dis-
able
s the exhaust system! Particulate filter (diesel
en
gines) The diesel engine particulate filter eliminates
mo
s
t
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 be
noticed because the engine idle speed in-
creases 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 l
amp will switch off.
If the lamp does not turn off, or the three
lamps turn on (particulate filter , fault in
the emission control system and glow
plugs ), drive the vehicle to a specialised
workshop and have the fault repaired at the
earliest opportunity. WARNING
● Alw a
ys drive according to the road weather
conditions, the terrain and traffic.
● The particulate filter attains very high tem-
peratur
es. Therefore, do not park the vehicle
in places where the exhaust pipe could come
into contact with dry grass or with highly-
flammable materials. Risk of fire! CAUTION
While the warning lamp is lit
up, the fuel
consumption is high, and in certain condi-
tions, the engine power is reduced. Note
● In order f or the p
articulate filter to burn off
soot in a correct manner, avoid carrying out
frequent short journeys.
● Using diesel fuel with a high sulphur count
can con
siderably reduce the useful life of the
particulate filter. The specialised service pro-
vides information about the countries where
fuel with a high sulphur content is used. 168
Driving
Engine management* This warning lamp monitors the engine man-
agement
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
possible and have the engine checked.
Emission control system* Control lamp
fla
she
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
glow 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.
Control lamp flashes
If a fault develops in the engine management
system while you are driving, the glow plug
system lamp will flash . Take the vehicle to
a specialised workshop as soon as possible
and have the engine checked. Driving tips
Drivin g thr
ough flooded roads Fig. 181
Driving through water. To prevent the vehicle from being damaged
when driv
in
g thr
ough water (i.e. flooded
roads), please observe the following:
● Determine the depth of the water before
entering.
Water can reach a maximum height
of below the door sill ››› Fig. 181.
● Drive at a maximum pace of walking speed.
Driving at
a higher speed can cause a wave
in front of the vehicle, which can cause water
to enter the engine air intake system or other
parts of the vehicle.
● Never stop in the water, never reverse and
never st
op the engine.
● Before driving through water deactivate the
Start
-Stop system ››› page 183. »
169
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
WARNING
● Drivin g thr
ough water, dirt and mud can re-
duce braking capability and prolong the brak-
ing distance – Risk of accident!
● Do not carry out any sudden or strong brak-
ing manoeu
vres after driving through water.
● Clean and dry the brakes as soon as possi-
ble af
ter driving through water by breaking
intermittently. Carry out braking in order to
dry the brakes and clean the brake discs only
if traffic so permits. Do not put other drivers
at risk. CAUTION
● In the event of
driving through water, parts
of the vehicle can be seriously damaged,
such as the engine, gearbox, catalytic con-
verter, suspension or the electrical system.
● Oncoming vehicles that drive through wa-
ter can c
ause waves that exceed your vehi-
cle's permitted level for driving through wa-
ter.
● There may be pot-holes mud or rocks under
the water th
at can hinder or prevent driving
through water.
● Do not drive through salt water. The salt
can cau
se rust. All components that are ex-
posed to salt water must be rinsed immedi-
ately with fresh water. Note
After driving through water we recommend
that
you contact a specialised service for an
inspection. Preventing damage to the vehicle
In order to prevent damage to the vehicle,
tak
e s
pecial care:
● on roads that are in poor condition,
● when mounting kerbs,
● when approaching very steep ramps, etc.,
● with the parts of the vehicle situated on the
low er p
art of the vehicle, i.e. the spoiler, the
exhaust pipe.
This applies especially to vehicles with a very
low suspension (sport) and when the vehicle
is fully loaded. Driver assistance systems
P ark
in
g aid
General information Assorted assistance systems – which vary
depending on the equipment
fitt
ed in the car
– will help you when parking or manoeu-
vring.
The rear parking aid is an audible assistant
that warns about obstacles located behind
the vehicle ›››
page 171.
During parking, Parking System Plus assists
the driver by visually and audibly warning
them about obstacles detected in front and
behind the vehicle ›››
page 172. WARNING
● Alw a
ys pay attention, also when looking
straight ahead, to traffic and the vehicle sur-
roundings. The assistance systems are not a
replacement for driver awareness. When in-
serting or removing the vehicle from a park-
ing space, or when performing similar ma-
noeuvres the driver always assumes the re-
sponsibility.
● Adapt your speed and driving style at all
times t
o suit visibility, weather, road and traf-
fic conditions.
● The ultrasound sensors have blind spots in
which ob
stacles and people are not170
Driver assistance systems
registered. Pay special attention to children
and anima
l
s.
● Always keep visual control of the vehicle
surrou
ndings: use the mirrors for additional
help. CAUTION
Parking Aid functions may be negatively af-
f ect ed b
y different factors that may lead to
damage to the vehicle or its immediate sur-
rounds:
● Under certain circumstances, the system
does not
detect or display certain objects:
– Objects such as chains, trailer draw bars,
fences, posts and thin trees.
– Objects that are located above the sen-
sors, such as protrusions in a wall.
– Objects with certain surfaces or struc-
tures, such as wire mesh fences or pow-
der snow.
● Certain surfaces of objects and garments
do not refl
ect the ultrasound sensors' sig-
nals. The system cannot detect, at least cor-
rectly, these objects or people wearing such
clothes.
● Ultrasound sensor signals may be affected
by e
xternal sound sources. In certain circum-
stances this may prevent them from detect-
ing people or objects.
● Please note that low obstacles detected by
the syst
em may no longer be registered by
the sensors as the car moves closer, so the system will not give any further warning. In
cer
t
ain circumstances, objects such as high
kerbs that could damage the bottom of the
vehicle are not detected either.
● If the first warning from the Parking Aid is
ignored, the v
ehicle could suffer considerable
damage.
● The knocks or damage on the radiator
grill
e, bumper, wheel arch and vehicle under-
body can adjust the orientation of the sen-
sors. This can affect the parking aid function.
Have the function checked by a specialised
workshop. Note
● In cer t
ain situations, the system can give a
warning even though there is no obstacle in
the detected area, e.g:
–with rough or cobbled floors or ground
with long grass;
– with external ultrasound sources, such as
cleaning vehicles or other vehicles;
– In downpours, intense snow or dense ex-
haust gases;
– if the registration plate (front or rear) is
not properly affixed to the bumper sur-
face;
– or in locations such as the brow of a hill.
● In order to guarantee good system opera-
tion, keep the ultr
asound sensors clean, free
of snow or ice, and do not cover them with
adhesives or other objects. ●
If y
ou use high-pressure or vapour equip-
ment to clean the ultrasound sensors, apply
it directly only very briefly and always from a
distance of more than 10 cm.
● Retrofitting of accessories to the vehicle,
such a
s a bicycle rack, may interfere with the
operation of the Parking Aid.
● In order to familiarise yourself with the sys-
tem, it i
s advised that you practice parking in
an area or car park that is free from traffic.
There must be good weather and light condi-
tions.
● The volume and tone of the warnings can
be modified, in addition t
o the indications
››› page 174.
● In vehicles without a driv
er information
system, these parameters can be modified in
a SEAT Official Service or in a specialised
workshop.
● Please observe information on towing a
trail
er ››› page 175.
● The display on the Easy Connect screen
shows
a slight time delay. Rear parking aid*
The rear Parking Aid assists the driver in
p
ark
in
g by means of audible warning
sounds. »
171
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety