
Operation
After approximately 7 minutes, the heating
dev ic
e of
the rear window switches off auto-
matically. For the sake of the environment
The heated rear window should be switched
off a s
soon as the glass is demisted. By sav-
ing electrical power you can also save fuel
››› page 166. Note
In the event of a drop in voltage in the on-
boar d sy
stems, the heated rear window
switches off automatically to ensure enough
power to control the engine ››› page 216, Au-
tomatic disconnection of electrical equip-
ment. Sun visors
Fig. 140
Driver's sun visor. Fig. 141
Front passenger's sun visor. The sun visors for the driver and the front
p
a
s
senger can be pulled out of their central
supports and turned towards the doors in the
direction of arrow 1
› ›
› Fig. 140
and 2 ›››
Fig. 141 re s pectively.
The strip A is to store small objects such as
not ep
aper
, etc.
The front passenger sun visor includes a van-
ity mirror B with a cover. The cover is
opened b y
s
liding it in the direction indicated
by arrow 3
› ›
› Fig. 141
. WARNING
Do not turn sun visors with attached objects
suc h a
s ball-pens, etc. toward the head pro-
tection airbag triggering zone on the side
windows. The head protection airbags could
injure occupants if triggered. Windscreen wipers and wind-
s
c
r
een washers
Introduction The windscreen wipers and windscreen
wa
sher
s only work when the ignition is
switched on.
The speed of the automatic wipe in case of
rain is automatically adjusted according to
the intensity of the rainfall.
The rear window is wiped once if the wind-
screen wipers are switched on and reverse
gear is engaged.
Fill the windscreen washer fluid ›››
page 212. WARNING
● Mak e s
ure the blades ›››
page 54 are in
perfect condition for good visibility and safe
driving.
● In cold conditions, you should not use the
wash/w
ipe system unless you have warmed
the windscreen with the heating and ventila-
tion system. The windscreen washer fluid
could otherwise freeze on the windscreen and
obscure your view of the road. CAUTION
● Durin g w
inter, always check that the wind-
screen wiper blades are not frozen to the
glass before each trip or before switching on 128

Operation
Switching off the wipers – Move the lever to position 0
› ››
Fig. 142
. WARNING
The rain sensor may not detect enough rain
to sw it
ch on the wipers.
● If necessary, switch on the wipers manually
when water on the w
indscreen obstructs visi-
bility. Note
Do not put stickers on the windscreen in front
of the r
ain sensor*. This may cause sensor
disruption or faults. Headlight washers*
The headlight washers operate briefly if the
dip
ped he
a
dlights or headlights are on and
the lever is moved to position 5
› ›
›
Fig. 142.
The headlight washer system also operates
every 10 windscreen wash cycles.
Clean off stubborn dirt (insects, etc.) from the
headlights at regular intervals, for instance
when filling the fuel tank. Please observe the
following indications ›››
page 198, Head-
lights.
To ensure the system works properly in win-
ter, keep the nozzle holders free of snow and
remove any ice with a de-icer spray. CAUTION
Never pull on the nozzle holders. Risk of
dam ag
e to the system! Mirrors
Re ar
view mirror with manual anti-
dazzle device Basic settings
– Push the lever at the bottom of the mirror
for w
ard.
Rear vision mirror anti-dazzle setting – Pull the lever at the bottom of the mirror to-
ward
s you.
Exterior mirrors Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 13
Before beginning any journey, adjust the rear
view mirrors for a good rear visibility. WARNING
● Con v
ex (wide-angle) rear vision mirrors give
a larger field of vision. However, they make
objects appear smaller and further away than
they really are. For this reason, you should not rely on these rear vision mirrors for judg-
ing the di
s
tance of vehicle behind.
● If possible, use the interior rear vision mir-
ror to e
stimate distances to vehicles behind
you. Note
● Ext erior mirr or
s are only heated when the
engine is running.
● Do not touch the exterior mirrors when the
heating sy
stem is running.
● If the electrical adjustment should ever fail
to operat
e, the rear vision mirrors can be ad-
justed by hand by pressing the edge of the
mirror glass.
● Visit the technical service in the event of a
fault
in the electrical rear vision mirror ad-
justment system. 130

Transport and practical equipment
●
Never e x
ceed the allowed axle loads or al-
lowed maximum weight. Risk of accident! CAUTION
● On ly u
se SEAT-authorised roof carriers.
● Where roof carriers from other systems are
used or where they
are not fitted properly,
any damage caused to the vehicle will not be
covered by the warranty. Therefore, carefully
follow the Instruction Manual for installation
of the roof carrier.
● Remember that the rear lid must not hit the
roof lo
ad.
● The total height of the vehicle increases ac-
cordin
g to the roof load. Compare the height
of the vehicle with the heights of bridges or
other underpasses, for example, the height
of the garage door.
● Do not forget to remove the roof carrier be-
fore ent
ering an automatic carwash.
● Take into account that the load must not
damag
e the aerial located on the roof. For the sake of the environment
If aerodynamic resistance increases, fuel con-
sumption w i
ll also increase. Attachment points
Fig. 168
Basic roof carrier attachment points. Location of the basic roof carrier attachment
points
›
›
› Fig. 168:
Rear attachment points
Front attachment points
Install and remove following the instructions
given. A B CAUTION
Follow the instructions given in the manual. Roof load
The maximum permissible roof load (includ-
ing the s
up
port system) of 75 kg and the to-
tal authorised weight of the vehicle must not
be exceeded.
It will not be possible to carry the full maxi-
mum load if the roof carrier you are using is
rated for a load which is less than this figure.
In this case, you can only load the roof carrier
to the maximum load permitted in your in-
stallation manual. 145
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
Air conditioning
He atin
g and air c
onditioning
General notes The power of the heating depends on the
temper
at
ure of the coolant. Therefore, maxi-
mum power is only obtained when the en-
gine has reached operating temperature.
The temperature and humidity of the air in-
side the vehicle decrease when the cooling
system is turned on. This therefore increases
the comfort of all vehicle occupants when
outside temperatures and humidity are high.
It also helps prevent the windows from mist-
ing over during cold periods of the year.
The air recirculation system can be switched
on temporarily to increase the cooling effect.
Keep the air intake slots in front of the wind-
screen clear of ice, snow or leaves to ensure
unimpaired heating and cooling.
When the air conditioning is on, condensa-
tion can drip from the evaporator in the air
cooling system and form a pool underneath
the vehicle. This is normal and does not indi-
cate a leak! WARNING
● All
windows must be clear of ice, snow and
condensation for driving safety. Therefore, make sure you familiarise yourself with the
corr
ect
use of heating and ventilation, win-
dow demisting and defrosting and cooling.
● Never use the air recirculation system for
too long, a
s it prevents fresh air from enter-
ing the vehicle and used air can cause tired-
ness, reduce your attention span and cause
the windows to mist over. This increases the
risk of an accident. Switch off the air recircu-
lation system as soon as the windows begin
to mist over. WARNING
Do not switch off Climatronic for longer than
nece s
sary.
● Switch Climatronic back on as soon as the
window
s begin to mist over. Note
● Used air e s
capes through ventilation slots
in the rear of the luggage compartment.
● Smoking is not recommended while the air
recir
culation system is in use, as the smoke
drawn from the interior of the vehicle settles
in the evaporator of the air conditioning sys-
tem. This causes a persistent, unpleasant
smell while the system is running that is
time-consuming and expensive (evaporator
replacement) to eliminate.
● To guarantee proper operation, never cover
the air outlets
in the luggage compartment. Economic use of the air-conditioning
sy
s
t
em When the air conditioning is switched on, the
compr
e
ssor consumes engine power and has
influence on fuel consumption.
If the vehicle interior has overheated due to
excessive solar radiation, it is best to open
the windows or doors to allow the hot air to
escape.
While in motion, the air conditioning should
not be switched on if the windows are open.
If the interior temperature can be reached
without switching on the air conditioning, the
fresh air mode should be used. For the sake of the environment
Saving fuel reduces emissions. Faults
If the air conditioning does not work at out-
s
ide t
emper
atures above +5°C (+41°F) then
the system is faulty. This may be due to one
of the following reasons:
● One of the fuses has blown. Check the fuse
and repl
ace if necessary ›››
page 81.
146

Driving
●
Never l e
ave the vehicle unattended if the
engine is running.
● Never switch the engine off until the vehi-
cle h
as come to a complete stop. Risk of acci-
dent! CAUTION
● Turnin g the s
teering wheel fully in either
direction when the vehicle is stationary and
the engine is in gear puts the power steering
under great stress. This could lead to noise.
Never leave the steering wheel turned fully in
either direction for more than 15 seconds.
Risk of damage to the power steering system!
● The starter motor may only be used (key
position 3
››› Fig. 173 ›
›› page 154 in the ig-
nition) if the engine is off. Using the starter
motor when the engine is running could dam-
age it.
● Immediately release the ignition key when
the engine st
arts, otherwise damage could be
caused to the starter motor.
● When the engine is cold, you should avoid
high engine speed
s, driving at full throttle
and over-loading the engine before it reaches
operating temperature. Risk of engine dam-
age!
● Do not tow-start the engine. Risk of engine
damag
e! In vehicles with a catalytic convert-
er, fuel that has not been burned could reach
the catalytic converter and catch fire in it.
This would lead to a fault in the catalytic con-
verter. You may use the battery from another vehicle to help you start your engine
›› ›
page 52.
● After prolonged and demanding operation
of the engine, when the j
ourney has ended,
do not stop the engine immediately. Let the
engine run at idle for about one more minute.
This will stop the engine from overheating. For the sake of the environment
Do not warm up the engine when the vehicle
i s s
tationary. If possible, move off immediate-
ly after starting the engine. This will help the
engine reach operating temperature more
quickly, reducing the quantity of emissions. Note
● The engine c an on
ly be started with the
original SEAT key.
● Loud running noises may be heard briefly
after c
old-starting the engine. This is normal
and is no cause for concern.
● After the engine has been stopped and the
ignition switc
hed off, the radiator fan may
continue running for around 10 minutes.
● If the engine still does not start after a sec-
ond attempt, the fuel
pump fuse might have
blown. Check it and replace if necessary
››› page 81 or contact your Specialised Serv-
ice.
● You should always engage the steering lock
when you e
xit the vehicle. This will hinder
any attempts at theft. Power steering
The power steering allows you to turn the
st
eerin
g wheel more easily.
If the power steering fails or the engine is off
(towing), it is still possible to turn the vehi-
cle's steering wheel fully. However, you need
more strength to steer the vehicle.
Driver control lamps and warnings (in red) Faulty steering! To
park the vehicle
If the warning lamp remains on and the driver
indication appears, the power steering could
be faulty.
Do not continue driving. Seek specialist as-
sistance. (in yellow) Steering: System
fault! You may continue driving.
If the warning lamp comes on, the steering
could react with more difficultly or more sen-
sitivity than normal. In addition, when driving
in a straight line the steering wheel may be
off-centre.
Drive slowly to a specialised workshop and
have the fault repaired. (in yellow) Steering lock:
fault! Go to an Official Service
The electronic steering lock is malfunction-
ing. »
153
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
Go to a specialised workshop as soon as
po s
s
ible and have the fault repaired. WARNING
Take it immediately to a specialised work-
shop and hav e the f
ault repaired: risk of acci-
dent! Note
If the lamp (in red) or (in
yellow) lights
up briefly, you may continue driving. Start-up lock security system (immo-
b
i
li
ser) There is an electronic chip in the key. The
el
ectr
onic
immobiliser is deactivated when
the key is inserted into the ignition. The elec-
tronic immobiliser is automatically activated
when the key is removed from the ignition.
The engine will not start if an unauthorised
key is used.
The informative display indicates:
Immobiliser active! Ignition lock
Fig. 173
Ignition key positions. Petrol engines
1 – Ignition switched off, engine stopped,
s t
eerin
g can be locked
2 – Ignition switched on
3 – Starting
Die sel
en
gines
1 – Fuel supply stopped, ignition switched
off , en
gine s
topped, steering can be locked
2 – Engine pre-heating, ignition switched
on
3 – Starting
T o en
g
age the Steering lock without the key
in the ignition, turn the steering wheel slight-
ly until you hear it engage. If the
steering lock is engaged and it i
s diffi-
cult or impossible to turn the key to position 2 , release the lock by turning the steering
wheel s
lightly
in both directions.
154

Operation
●
If the v
ehicle is stationary for a long time
with the ignition on, the vehicle battery
might be discharged and it might not be pos-
sible to start the engine. Starting the engine
Vehicles with a
diesel en
gine are equipped
with a glow plug system. When you switch on
the ignition, the glow plug warning lamp
will light up. The engine can be started
straight away when the lamp switches off.
Do not connect electrical appliances during
preheating so as not the drain the vehicle
battery unnecessarily.
Starting the engine
● Move the gearbox lever into neutral or
mov e the sel
ector lever to position P or N and
pull firmly on the handbrake.
● Press the clutch pedal all the way down
and star
t the engine 3
› ›
› Fig. 173
›
›› page 154, without pressing the accelera-
tor. Keep the clutch pedal pressed down until
the engine starts.
● Release the ignition key as soon as the en-
gine star
ts. The key returns to position 2 .
● If the engine does not start after 10 sec-
ond s, t
urn the k
ey back to position 1 . Re-
pe at
the action af
ter 30 seconds.
● Release the handbrake before moving off. Switching off the engine with the key Stop the engine by turning the ignition key to
pos
ition 1
››› Fig. 173 ›
›› page 154.
Brakes and brake servo sys-
tems Introduction WARNING
● The brak e ser
vo only works when the en-
gine is running. Braking when the engine is
switched off requires applying more strength
to the brake pedal. Risk of accident!
● Press down on the clutch pedal when stop-
ping and brak
ing with a manual gearbox, pet-
rol engine vehicle at low speed. Otherwise,
the brake servo might not work properly. Risk
of accident!
● In the event of damage to the standard
front s
poiler or where a different front spoil-
er, wheel trims, etc. are subsequently fitted,
make sure the air vent to the brakes on the
front wheels is not blocked. Otherwise, brak-
ing operations may be impaired. Risk of acci-
dent!
● Always fully release the handbrake. If it is
only p
artially released, this will cause over-
heating of the rear brakes, which can impair
the function of the brake system. Risk of acci-
dent! ●
Never l e
ave children unsupervised in the
vehicle. They could release the handbrake or
move the gear lever. The vehicle could start
moving. Risk of accident!
● Insufficient fuel can cause the engine to run
irregu
larly or to switch off. Brake assist sys-
tems could be impaired. Risk of accident!
● Always adjust your driving style to suit visi-
bility
, the weather and road and traffic condi-
tions. The best vehicle safety offered by
brake assist systems must never encourage
you to run greater risks. Risk of accident! CAUTION
● Ob ser
ve the information concerning new
brake pads ››› page 165.
● Where braking is not necessary, do not
wear do
wn the brake pads by pressing down
gently on the brake pedal. This causes the
brakes to overheat, increasing their wear and
increasing braking distances.
● To ensure the brake assist systems work
properly, a
ll wheels must be fitted with tyres
approved by the manufacturer. Note
● If y
ou brake suddenly and the brake system
control unit regards the situation as hazard-
ous for the drivers behind you, the brake
lights will begin to flash automatically. After
reducing speed to approximately 10 km/h (6
mph) or stopping the vehicle, the brake lights
will stop flashing and the hazard warning 156

Driving
displayed when the gearbox has cooled
ag ain.
R u
n-in and economical driving
The first
1,500 kmOver the first 1,500 kilometres the engine
mus
t
be run in.
Up to 1000 kilometres
– Do not drive at more than 3/4 of the maxi-
mum speed c orr
esponding to the engaged
gear, i.e. up to 3/4 of the maximum permit-
ted engine speed.
– Do not drive at full speed.
– Avoid high engine speeds.
– Do not tow a trailer.
From 1000 to 1500 k
ilometres (600 to 900
miles)
– Slowly increase the engine speed until
re
aching the maximum permitted speed of
the engaged gear, i.e. the maximum per-
mitted engine speed.
During its first few hours of running, the in-
ternal friction in the engine is greater than
later on, when all the moving parts have bed-
ded in. How the vehicle is driven over approx-
imately the first 1,500 kilometres (900 miles), determines the success of the proc-
ess
of running in the engine.
Even after running in, the vehicle should not
be unnecessarily driven at high engine
speeds. The maximum permitted engine
speed is marked at the start of the red zone
on the rev counter dial. The gear must be
changed up when the red area is reached in
vehicles with a manual gearbox. Extremely
high engine speeds when accelerating are
automatically limited, however the engine is
not protected against high engine speeds
produced by incorrectly changing to a lower
gear, which could cause the engine to run at
revs above the maximum permitted amount,
and consequently result in damage to the en-
gine.
Additionally, vehicles with a manual gearbox
must also bear the following in mind: do not
drive with the engine speed too low. Change
down to a lower gear when the engine no
longer runs smoothly. Observe the recom-
mendations for changing gear
››› page 29.
New tyres
New tyres must be submitted to “running in”,
given that initially their grip is not yet at the
maximum level. During the first 500 km (120
miles) drive very carefully. New brake pads
New brake p
ads do not yet provide maximum
friction capacity. First they must be “run in”.
During the first 200 km (120 miles) drive very
carefully. CAUTION
All the information for speed and engine
speed r ef
ers to an engine that operates at op-
erating temperature. Do not run the engine at
high engine speeds, neither when stopped or
while driving. For the sake of the environment
Do not drive at unnecessarily high engine
speed s; c
hanging to a higher gear sooner
contributes to saving fuel, reduces operating
noise and protects the environment. Environmental compatibility
Environmental protection is a top priority in
the de
s
ign, c
hoice of materials and manufac-
ture of your new SEAT.
Constructive measures to encourage recy-
cling
● Joints and connections designed for easy
dismantlin
g.
● Modular construction to facilitate disman-
tling. »
165
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety