
Operation
Handbrake Fig. 176
Centre console: handbrake. Applying the handbrake
– Pull the handbrake lever up all the way.
R el
e
asing the handbrake
– Pull the handbrake lever up slightly and
pres
s the unlock button at the same time
››› Fig. 176.
– Keep the button pressed down and push
the lever al
l the way down.
Control lamp
The warning lamp lights up when the hand-
brake is applied with the ignition on .
Additionally, driving the vehicle at speeds ex-
ceeding 6 km/h (4 mph) for at least 3 sec-
onds produces an audible warning.
The informative display indicates: Release the handbrake! Braking and stability systems
Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) The ESC system increases control of the vehi-
cl
e in emer
gency situations, e.g. during a
sudden change in direction. Depending on
the driving conditions, it reduces the risk of
skidding and increases driving stability.
The system uses the steering wheel angle
and road speed to calculate the changes of
direction desired by the driver, and constant-
ly compares them with the actual behaviour
of the vehicle. When irregularities occur, for
example, if the vehicle begins to skid, the
ESC brakes the appropriate wheel automati-
cally.
The warning lamp on the general instru-
ment panel starts flashing when the system
is working.
The stability (ESC) system includes the fol-
lowing systems:
● Anti-lock brake system (ABS),
● Traction control system (TCS),
● Electronic differential lock (EDL),
● Hydraulic brake assist system (HBA),
● Hill hold control (HHC). The ASR should be switched on at all times.
Only
u
nder certain circumstances should the
system be switched off, e.g.
● driving with chains,
● driving in deep snow or on very soft surfa-
ces,
● D
uring the “swinging movement” required
to remo
ve a stuck vehicle
Switch the ASR back on as soon as possible.
Brake assist system (HBA)*
The HBA system is activated when you press
down on the brake pedal suddenly. It increa-
ses braking power, helping to reduce braking
distances. To reduce braking distance as
much as possible, keep the brake pedal
pressed down firmly until the vehicle comes
to a standstill.
With the help of this system, the ABS is acti-
vated more quickly and more efficiently.
The brake assist function is deactivated auto-
matically when the brake pedal is released.
Hill hold control (HHC)*
The HHC system makes it easier to start the
vehicle on hills. The system maintains the
brake pressure created by pressing down on
the brake pedal for 2 seconds after it has
been released. Your foot can be removed
158

Driving
from the brake pedal and you can use the ac-
c el
er
ator pedal and move away on a hill with-
out having to use the handbrake. The brake
pressure drops as the accelerator pedal is
pressed. If the vehicle cannot be started, it
will start to move backwards after 2 seconds.
The HHC is activated on gradients of over
5%, if the driver door is closed. It only works
for starting on hills, moving both forward and
in reverse. It is not activated during start-up
down hill.
Control lamp
If the control lamp flashes, the ESC is
working.
If the warning lamp illuminates on igni-
tion, the ESC system may have switched off
due to technical reasons. Turn off the ignition
and turn it on again. Upon switching on the
ignition again, if the warning lamp has
switched off, this means the ESC is function-
ing correctly again.
If the warning lamp is illuminated there is
a fault in the ESC.
The informative display indicates:
Report No.: electronic stability
control (ESC)
or Report No.: Traction control
system (ASR) Go to a technical service. Note
If the battery is disconnected and connected
again, the y
ellow warning lamp lights up
when the ignition is switched on. This warn-
ing lamp must switch off after covering a
short distance. Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
The ABS system prevents the wheels locking
durin
g br
ak
ing. This helps the driver keep
control of the vehicle.
The driver is made aware of ABS assistance
by the pulsating of the brake pedal and a
characteristic noise.
Keep the brake pedal pressed down while the
ABS is working. The ABS will switch off when
the brake pedal is released. Never brake in-
termittently while the ABS is working!
Control lamp
If the warning lamp is illuminated, there is
a fault in the ABS.
The informative display indicates:
ABS fault
The brake system alone is operational in the
vehicle, without ABS.
Go to a technical service. WARNING
● If the w
arning lamp illuminates together
with the ››› page 157 warning lamp, ,
stop the vehicle! Go to a technical service.
● A fault in the Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
can le
ad to longer braking distances – Risk of
accident! Anti-slip regulation of the driving
wheels
(ASR)
* If the wheels start to slip, the TCS adapts the
en
gine s
peed t
o the driving conditions. Par-
ticularly in unfavourable conditions, the TCS
helps starting, accelerating and hill starts.
If the control lamp flashes, the ASR is
working.
If the warning lamp illuminates on igni-
tion, the TCS system may have switched off
due to technical reasons. Turn off the ignition
and turn it on again. Upon switching on the
ignition again, if the warning lamp has
switched off, this means the TCS is function-
ing correctly again.
If the warning lamp remains illuminated,
there is a fault in the TCS.
The informative display indicates:
Report No.: Traction control
system (ASR) »
159
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

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

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
Side lines: e xt
en sion of the vehicle (the
approximate width of the vehicle plus the
rear view mirrors) on the road surface.
End of the side lines: the area marked in
green ends approximately 2 m behind
the vehicle on the road surface.
Intermediate line: indicates a distance of
approximately 1 m behind the vehicle on
the road surface.
Red horizontal line: indicates a safe dis-
tance of approximately 40 cm at the rear
of the vehicle on the road surface.
Parking manoeuvre
● Place the vehicle in front of the parking
spac
e and engage reverse gear (manual
gearbox) or move the selector to the R posi-
tion (automatic gearbox).
● Reverse slowly, and turn the steering wheel
so that the s
ide orientation lines lead to-
wards the parking space.
● Guide the vehicle into the parking space so
that the s
ide orientation lines run parallel to
it.
Cruise speed (Cruise Control)*
Introduction Read the additional information carefully
› ››
page 32
1
2
3
4 The cruise control system allows you to drive
at
a c
on
stant speed of 30 km/h (19 mph) or
higher without having to press the accelera-
tor. However, the speed is only maintained
within the margin permitted by the engine
power and the braking effect of the engine.
The warning lamp lights up on the general
instrument panel if cruise control is switched
on. WARNING
● For s af
ety reasons the cruise control sys-
tem must not be used in dense traffic or
where roads conditions are poor (e.g. due to
ice, aquaplaning, loose grit, snow). – Risk of
accident!
● The programmed speed can only be re-es-
tabli
shed if it is not too high for current traf-
fic conditions.
● Always switch the cruise control system off
after u
sing it in order to avoid involuntary
use. CAUTION
● The crui se c
ontrol cannot maintain a con-
stant speed when the vehicle is moving
downhill. The vehicle tends to accelerate un-
der its own weight. Therefore, shift down or
use the brake pedal in good time to slow the
vehicle. Note
● In v ehic
les with an automatic gearbox, the
cruise control system cannot be switched on
if the selector lever is in position P, N or R.
● In vehicles with a manual gearbox, the
cruise c
ontrol cannot be switched on if first
gear or reverse gear is engaged. Setting the speed
Fig. 188
Turn signal and main beam head-
light l
ev
er: cruise control buttons. Setting speed
– Move knob 1
› ›
› Fig. 188
to the ON posi-
tion.
– Briefly press rocker switch 2 in S
ET posi-
tion when y
ou have reached the speed you
wish to set.
178

Driver assistance systems
●
The Front As
sist does not react to animals
or vehicles crossing your path or approaching
head-on down the same lane.
● The Front Assist does not react to pedes-
trians
walking in the same direction or ap-
proaching head-on down the same lane.
● The driver must always be ready to take
over the c
ontrol of the vehicle.
● When the Front Assist causes a braking,
the brake ped
al is “harder”.
● Automatic interventions by the Front Assist
on the brake
s may be interrupted by pressing
the clutch, accelerator or moving the wheel. Note
● When the Front As
sist is connected, the in-
dications on the instrument panel screen may
be concealed by warnings from other func-
tions, such as an incoming call.
● When the Front Assist causes a braking,
the brake ped
al is “harder”.
● Automatic interventions by the Front Assist
on the brake
s may be interrupted by pressing
the clutch, accelerator or moving the wheel.
● The Front Assist may brake the vehicle until
it st
ops completely. However, the brake sys-
tem does not halt the vehicle permanently.
Use the foot brake!
● If the Front Assist does not work as descri-
bed in this c
hapter (e.g. in intervenes several
times unnecessarily), switch it off. Have the
system checked by a specialised workshop.
SEAT recommends visiting a SEAT dealership. Radar sensor
Fig. 190
On the front bumper: radar sensor. A radar sensor is installed on the front bump-
er t
o det
ermine the tr
affic situation
››› Fig. 190 1 .
The r a
d
ar sensor's visibility may be impaired
by dirt, mud or snow, or by environmental in-
fluences such as rain or mist. In this case, the
Front Assist does not work. The instrument
panel displays the following message:
Front Assist: No sensor vision! If
necessary clean the radar sensor ››› .
When the r a
d
ar sensor begins to operate
properly again, the Front Assist will automati-
cally be available again. The message will
disappear from the instrument panel display.
Front Assist operation may be affected by a
strong radar reverse reflection. This may oc-
cur, for example, in a closed car park or due
to the presence of metallic objects (e.g. rails
on the road or sheets used in road works). The area in front of and around the radar sen-
sor should not
be covered with adhesives,
additional or similar headlights, as this may
negatively affect Front Assist operation.
If the front of the vehicle is not properly re-
paired or structural modifications are made
to it, for example if the suspension is low-
ered, Front Assist operation may be affected.
SEAT recommends visiting a SEAT dealership
for this purpose. CAUTION
If you have the sensation that the radar sen-
sor is d
amaged or has lost its settings, dis-
connect the Front Assist. This will avoid pos-
sible dangerous situations caused by a sys-
tem malfunction. If this occurs have it adjus-
ted.
● The sensor may become damaged or lose
its settin
gs when knocked, for example, dur-
ing a parking manoeuvre. This may compro-
mise the system's efficacy or disconnect it.
● Repairs to the radar sensor require special-
ist
knowledge and special tools. SEAT recom-
mends visiting a SEAT dealership for this pur-
pose.
● A registration plate or plate holder on the
front th
at is larger than the space for the reg-
istration plate, or a registration plate that is
curved or warped can cause the radar to mal-
function.
● Clean away the snow with a brush and the
ice pref
erably with a solvent-free de-icer
spray. 181
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Towing bracket device
Trailer weight Trailer weight
The comb
ined
vehicle and trailer must be
balanced. To do so use the maximum permit-
ted towing bracket load. An insufficient
weight exerted by the trailer drawbar on the
ball joint of the towing bracket will have a
negative impact upon the response of the ve-
hicle-trailer assembly on the road.
Weight distribution
Distribute loads in the trailer so that heavy
objects are as near to the axle as possible.
Ensure that the objects do not move.
If the towing vehicle is empty and the trailer
loaded then the load distribution is incorrect.
However, if these conditions cannot be avoi-
ded, drive very slowly.
Tyre pressure values
Correct the tyre pressure in your vehicle to
“total load” ›››
page 218, Service life of
tyres.
Trailer weight
Never exceed the authorised trailer weight
under any circumstances ›››
page 223, Tech-
nical specifications .
The trailer weights listed are only applicable
for altitudes up to 1000 m above sea level.
Due to lower air density, engine power de- creases depending on the increase in alti-
tude, thi
s
also reduces climbing ability,
which requires a reduction of the weight of
the vehicle with a trailer by 10% for every
1000 m increase in altitude. The weight of
the assembly is calculated by adding the ve-
hicle weight (loaded) to the trailer weight
(loaded). Always drive with special care when
towing a trailer.
The towed load and support load information
that is displayed on the towing bracket man-
ufacturers label are only values for the verifi-
cation of the device. The correct figures for
your specific vehicle, which are usually lower
than these figures, are given in the documen-
tation of your vehicle. WARNING
● Exc eedin
g the maximum established load
per axle and the maximum towing bracket
load in addition to the maximum permitted
load or the load of the vehicle + trailer as-
sembly can cause accidents and serious inju-
ries.
● A sliding load can considerably affect the
stab
ility and safety of the vehicle + trailer as-
sembly, resulting in accidents and serious in-
juries. Driving with a trailer
Exterior mirrors
Check
whether
you can see enough of the
road behind the trailer with the standard rear
vision mirrors. If this is not the case, you
should have additional exterior mirrors fitted.
Observe the relevant statutory requirements
of the country you are in.
Headlights
Before starting a journey, also check the
headlight beam settings with the trailer
hitched up. Adjust the headlight range set-
tings if necessary ›››
page 122, Headlight
range control.
Driving speed
For your own safety do not drive faster than
the maximum permitted speed indicated on
the trailer.
At all times, immediately reduce speed if you
detect the slightest swaying movement of the
trailer. Never try to “return the trailer to a
straight position” by accelerating.
Brakes
Brake in due course! If the trailer has an over-
run brake, apply the brakes gently at first and
then, firmly. This will prevent the jerking that
can be caused by locking of trailer wheels.
Change to a lower gear in good time before »
187
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety