2018 Seat Arona lock

Towing bracket device
Towing bracket device
T o
w
ing bracket device*
Introduction The towing bracket device fitted to your vehi-
cl
e, be it

factory-fitted or a genuine SEAT ac-
cessory, meets all the national technical and
legal requirements for towing.
Your vehicle is fitted with a 13-pin connector
for the electrical connection between the
trailer and the vehicle. If the trailer is equip-
ped with a 7-pin connector you can use the
corresponding adaptor, which is available as
a genuine SEAT accessory.
The maximum authorised towing load is 55
kg. WARNING
● Bef or

e each journey, make sure that the de-
tachable ball joint is properly fitted and se-
cured in its housing.
● If the detachable ball joint is not properly
fitted and secur
ed, do not use it.
● Do not use the towing bracket device for
tow
ing if it is damaged or has missing parts.
● Do not modify or adapt the towing device
connection.
● Never u

nhook the detachable ball joint
when the trail
er is hitched. CAUTION
Handle the detachable ball joint with care in
order t o av

oid damaging the bumper paint-
work. Note
Towing the vehicle with the detachable ball
joint ›

›› page 102. Description
Fig. 222
Towing bracket device support / de-
t ac h

able ball joint / key. Depending on the country or version, the
t
o
w

ing bracket device's detachable ball joint
is located:
● underneath the floor panel of the luggage
compar
tment.
The ball joint is fitted and removed by hand.
The towing device bracket is supplied with a
key.
Key to ››› Fig. 222
13-pin connector
Safety lug
Hook housing
Hook housing cap
Ball protective cover
Detachable ball
Locking lever
Lock cover
Release bolt
Lock
Locking balls
Key Note
Contact an Authorised Service Partner if you
lose y

our key. 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
249
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
Placing in standby position Fig. 223
Step 1. Fig. 224
Step 2. Before assembling it, place the detachable
b
al
l
in the standby position with the follow-
ing two steps. Step 1.
● Turn the key in the direction of arrow 1 un-
ti l
the p

art of the key with the holes reaches
the top position ››› Fig. 223 (arrow).
Step 2.
● Grip the detachable ball below the protec-
tive co
ver.
● Press the release bolt B in the direction of
arr o
w 2 , and at the same time press lever
C in the direction of arrow
3 as far as it will
g o
›
›

› Fig. 224.
The lever will remain blocked in this position. Standby position Fig. 225
Standby position: Position of the lev-
er and the r el
e

ase bolt. Standby position adjusted properly
● Key A
› ›
› Fig. 225
is in the released posi-
tion (the part of the key with the holes is fac-
ing upwards).
● Lever B
› ›
› Fig. 225
is in the bottom posi-
tion.
● The release bolt C
› ›
› Fig. 225
can be
moved.
250

Towing bracket device
Thus adjusted, the detachable ball is ready
f or in
s
tallation. CAUTION
The key cannot be removed or turned in the
st andb

y position. Assembling the detachable ball - Step
1
Fig. 226
Fitting the detachable ball / Release
bo lt
in the dep

loyed position. Fitting the detachable ball
● Remove the hook housing cap 4›››
Fig. 222 down w
ards.
● Set the detachable ball to its standby posi-
tion ›››

page 250.
● Grip the detachable ball from below
›

›› Fig. 226 and insert it into the hook hous- ing following the direction of arrow
1 until it
en g
ag

es audibly ››› .
L ev
er A turns
automatically in the direction
of arr

ow 2 upwards, and the release bolt
B moves outwards (the red and green part will
be
v
i

sible) ››› .
If l
ev
er A does not turn automatically or the
r el
e

ase bolt B does not come out, the de-
t ac
h
able ball should be removed by turning
the lever as far as possible downwards from
the housing cavity, and the detachable ball's
support surfaces and the cavity should then
be cleaned. WARNING
● When attac hin

g the detachable ball, keep
your hands well away from the reach of the
lever's rotation to avoid getting your fingers
caught.
● Never try to pull the lever upwards by force
to turn the k
ey. The detachable ball would not
be secured properly! Assembling the detachable ball - Step
2
Fig. 227
Locking the lock. Fig. 228
Placing the cover over the lock. Do not omit this first step
››
›
page 251, As-
sembling the detachable ball - Step 1 !
● Turn key A in the direction of arrow
1 un-
ti l the p

art of the key with the holes reaches
the bottom position ››› Fig. 227. »
251
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
● Remo
v
e the key in the direction of arrow
2 .
● Place cover B in the lock in the direction
of arr
o

w 3
› ››
Fig. 228
››› .
● Check that the detachable ball is securely
att ac
hed ›

›› page 252, Checking proper at-
tachment. CAUTION
● Aft er r

emoving the key, always place the
cover over the lever's lock. If the lock be-
comes soiled it will be impossible to insert
the key.
● Keep the towing bracket device's housing
cavity
clean at all times. Dirtiness can pre-
vent the detachable ball from being properly
secured!
● If the detachable ball is removed, always
plac
e the cap on the hook's housing. Checking proper attachment
Fig. 229
Detachable ball properly attached. Whenever you go to use the detachable ball,
m
ak
e s

ure that it is properly attached first.
Detachable ball properly attached. ● The detachable ball will not fall out of the
housin
g cavity after a major “knock or jerk”.
● Lever A
› ›
› Fig. 229
is fully raised.
● The release bolt B
› ›
› Fig. 229
is sticking
fully out (the red and green part is visible).
● The key has been removed.
● Cover C
› ›
› Fig. 229
is placed over the lock. WARNING
● When remo v

ing the detachable ball, keep
your hands well away from the reach of the
lever's rotation to avoid getting your fingers
caught. ●
The to w

ing bracket device should only be
used if the detachable ball has been properly
locked! Removing the detachable ball - Step 1
Fig. 230
Removing the lock cover. Fig. 231
Releasing the lock. ●
Remove cover A from the lock in the direc-
tion of arr
o

w 1
› ›
› Fig. 230 .
252

Towing bracket device
● Inser
t
key B into the lock in the direction
of arr
o
w 2
› ››
Fig. 231
.
● T
urn the key in the direction of arrow 3 un-
ti l
the p

art of the key with the holes is facing
upwards. WARNING
Never remove the detachable ball joint when
the trai l

er is hitched. Note
Before you remove the detachable ball, you
are a dv

ised to place the protective cover on
the ball coupling. Removing the detachable ball - Step 2
Fig. 232
Releasing the detachable ball. Do not omit this first step
››
›

page 252, Re-
moving the detachable ball - Step 1 !Releasing the detachable ball
● Grip the detachable ball from below.
● Press the release bolt A in the direction of
arr o
w 1 as far as it will go, and at the same
time pr e
s

s lever B in the direction of arrow
2 as far as it will go.
In thi s
po

sition, the detachable ball is loose
and will fall/drop freely downwards. If this
does not occur when you release it, press it
with the other hand from above.
The detachable ball locks into the standby
position at the same time and is therefore
ready to be reinserted into the hook housing
››› .
● Fit the cap 4
› ›
› Fig. 222
onto its housing. WARNING
Never leave the detachable ball loose in the
lugg ag

e compartment. It could cause damage
in the luggage compartment in the case of
abrupt braking, and even jeopardise passen-
ger safety! CAUTION
● If y

ou hold the lever and do not press down
on it as far as you can, after you remove the
detachable ball, the latter will continue up-
wards and will not lock into the standby posi-
tion. The detachable ball should be placed in
this position before the next assembly. ●
Keep the det ac

hable ball in the standby po-
sition, with the key inserted into the box
while you place it facing downwards with the
side opposite to the one where the key is in-
serted. The key could get damaged!
● When operating the lever, do not apply too
much pre
ssure (for example, do not stand on
it)! Note
Remove any dirt from the detachable ball be-
f or e

you put it away with the vehicle tools. Operation and care
Put the cover on the housing cavity so that
dir
t
c

annot get in.
Before hooking up a trailer, always check the
ball coupling and apply suitable grease if
necessary.
Use the protective cover when putting the de-
tachable ball away to keep the luggage com-
partment clean.
Remove any dirt from the housing cavity sur-
faces and use a suitable cleaning product. CAUTION
The top part of the hook housing is greased.
Mak e s

ure that the grease has not been re-
moved. 253
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Towing bracket device
Anti-theft alarm When the vehicle is locked, the alarm is trig-
ger
ed when the el
ectrical connection be-
tween vehicle and trailer is interrupted.
Always turn off the anti-theft alarm system
before connecting or disconnecting a trailer
››› page 138.
Conditions for the integration of a trailer in
the anti-theft alarm system.
● The vehicle is factory-equipped with an an-
ti-theft al

arm system and a towing bracket
device.
● The trailer is connected electrically to the
tow
ing vehicle by the trailer connector.
● The electrical system of the vehicle and the
trail
er are prepared for operation.
● The vehicle is locked with the ignition key
and the anti-theft al
arm system is activated.CAUTION
For technical reasons, trailers fitted with rear
LED lights ar

e not integrated in the anti-theft
alarm system. Driving tips
Driving with a trailer always requires extra
c
ar e. W

eight distribution
The weight di
stribution of a loaded trailer
with an unladen vehicle is very unfavourable.
However, if this cannot be avoided, drive ex-
tra slowly to allow for the unbalanced weight
distribution.
Speed
The stability of the vehicle and trailer is re-
duced with increasing speed. For this reason,
it is advisable not to drive at the maximum
permissible speed in an unfavourable road,
weather or wind conditions. This applies es-
pecially when driving downhill.
You should always reduce speed immediately
if the trailer shows the slightest sign of snak-
ing. Never try to stop the “snaking” by in-
creasing speed.
Always brake in due course. If the trailer has
an overrun brake, apply the brakes gently at
first and then, firmly. This will prevent the
jerking that can be caused by locking of trail-
er wheels. Select a low gear in due course
before going down a steep downhill. This en-
ables you to use the engine braking to slow
down the vehicle.
Reheating
At very high temperatures and during pro-
longed slopes, driving in a low gear and high
engine speed, always monitor the coolant
temperature gauge ››› page 120. Electronic stability control*
The ESC* sys
tem helps to stabilise the trailer
in case of skidding or rocking.
Retrofitting a towing bracket* Fig. 235
Attachment points for towing brack-
et . » 257
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Advice
freezing. Apply silicone spray to the rubber
se al
s.
Af
ter washing the vehicle
– After washing, avoid sudden and sharp
brakin

g. “Dry” the brakes by braking sever-
al times. WARNING
● Wa sh

your vehicle with the ignition switch-
ed off.
● Protect your hands and arms from cuts on
sharp meta
l edges when cleaning the under-
body, the inside of the wheel housings etc.
Risk of injury.
● Water, ice and salt on the brake system can
reduce br
aking effectiveness. Risk of acci-
dent. CAUTION
● Never r emo

ve dirt, mud or dust if the vehi-
cle surface is dry. Never use a dry cloth or
sponge for cleaning purposes. This could
scratch the paintwork or glass on your vehi-
cle.
● 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. Risk of freezing. For the sake of the environment
To protect the environment, the vehicle
shoul d be w

ashed only in specially provided
wash bays, to prevent toxic, oil-laden waste
water from entering the sewer system. In
some places, washing vehicles outside wash
bays is prohibited. Note
Do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight. Washing the vehicle with a high pres-
s
ur
e c

leaner Be particularly careful when using a high
pr
e
s

sure cleaner!
– Always observe the instructions for the
high-pres

sure cleaner, particularly those
concerning the pressure and the spraying
distance.
– Increase the spraying distance for soft ma-
terial

s and painted bumpers.
– Do not use a high pressure cleaner to re-
move ic

e or snow from windows
››› page 263.
– Never use concentrated jet nozzles (“rotat-
ing jets”) ›

›› .–
Af t
er w

ashing, avoid sudden and sharp
braking. “Dry” the brakes by braking sever-
al times ››› page 179. WARNING
● Never w a

sh tyres with a concentrated jet
(“rotating nozzle”). Even at large spraying
distances and short cleaning times, damage
can occur to the tyres. This may cause an ac-
cident.
● Water, ice and salt on the brake system can
reduce br
aking effectiveness. Risk of acci-
dent. CAUTION
● Do not u se w

ater hotter than +60°C
(+140°F). This could damage the vehicle.
● To avoid damage to the vehicle, keep a suf-
ficient di
stance from sensitive materials such
as flexible hoses, plastic, soundproofing ma-
terial, etc. This also applies to bumpers pain-
ted in the colour of the bodywork. The closer
the nozzle is to the surface, the greater the
wear on the material. Factory-fitted adhesive sheets
The following indications should be taken in-
t
o ac
c

ount to avoid damaging adhesive
sheets:
● Do not use high pressure cleaners.
262

Advice
Removing snow – Use a small brush to remove snow from the
windo
w
s and mirrors.
Removing ice – Use a de-icer spray.
Use a cl
ean cloth or chamois leather to dry
the windows. The chamois leathers used on
painted surfaces are not suitable to clean
windows because they are soiled with wax
deposits which could smear the windows.
If possible, use a de-icing spray to remove
ice. If you use an ice scraper, push it in one
direction only without swinging it.
Use window cleaner or a silicone remover to
clean rubber, oil, grease and silicone depos-
its off.
Wax deposits can only be removed with a
special cleaner available at your Technical
Service. Wax deposits on the windscreen
could cause the wiper blades to judder. Add-
ing a window cleaner that dissolves wax to
the windscreen washer fluid reservoir pre-
vents wiper blades from juddering, but the
wax deposits are not removed. CAUTION
● Never u se w

arm or hot water to remove
snow and ice from windows and mirrors. This
could cause the glass to crack! ●
The heatin g el

ement for the rear window is
located on the inner side of the window. To
prevent damage, do not put stickers over the
heating elements on the inside of the win-
dow. Cleaning windscreen wiper blades
Clean wiper blades improve visibility.
1. Use a soft cloth to remove dust and dirt
from the w ind

screen wiper blades.
2. Use window cleaner to clean the wind- scr

een wiper blades. Use a sponge or a
cloth to remove stubborn dirt.
Care of rubber seals If rubber seals are well looked after, they will
not
fr
eez

e so quickly.
1. Use a soft cloth to remove dust and dirt from the rubber seal
s.
2. Apply a specialist care product to the rub- ber seals.
The rubber s

trips on the doors, windows, etc.
will remain pliable and last longer if they are
treated with a suitable rubber care product
from time to time (for example silicone
spray). Caring for rubber seals will also prevent pre-
matur

e ageing and leaks. The doors will be
easier to open. If rubber seals are well looked
after, they will not freeze so quickly in winter.
Door lock cylinder The door lock cylinders can freeze up in win-
ter
.
T

o de-ice the lock cylinders you should only
use spray with lubricating and anti-corrosive
properties.
Cleaning chrome parts 1. Clean chrome parts with a damp cloth.
2. Polish chrome parts with a soft, dry cloth.
If
thi
s

does not provide satisfying results, use
a specialist chrome cleaning product.
Chrome cleaning products will remove stains
from the surface. CAUTION
To prevent scratching chrome surfaces:
● Never use an abrasive cleaning product on
chr ome.
● Do not

clean or polish chrome parts in a
sandy or du
sty environment.264