Operation
Constructive measures to encourage recy-
c lin
g
● Joints
and connections designed for easy
dismantlin
g.
● Modular construction to facilitate disman-
tling.
● Incr
eased use of single-grade materials.
● Plastic parts and elastomers are marked in
accor
dance with ISO 1043, ISO 11469 and
ISO 1629.
Choice of materials
● Use of recycled materials.
● Use of compatible plastics in the same part
if its c
omponents 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 so
lvent-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 Fuel consumption, environmental pollution
and w
e
ar t
o the engine, brakes and tyres de-
pends in large part on your driving style. By
adopting an economical driving style and an-
ticipating the traffic situation ahead, you can
easily reduce fuel consumption by 10-15%.
Some tips on how to help you reduce pollu-
tion while saving money are listed below.
Active cylinder management (ACT ®
)*
Depending on vehicle equipment, the active
cylinder management (ACT ®
) may automati-
cally deactivate some of the engine cylinders
if the driving situation does not require too
much power. When it is switched off, no fuel
is injected into these cylinders, hence total
fuel consumption may be reduced. The num- ber of active cylinders can be seen on the in-
strument p
anel display. ›››
page 38.
Drive anticipating the traffic situation
A vehicle uses most fuel when accelerating.
When you anticipate situations, you have to
brake less often and, thus, accelerate less. If
it is possible, let the vehicle roll with a gear
engaged, for example, if you see a red light
ahead. The braking effect achieved in this
way helps to reduce the wear of brakes and
tyres; emissions and fuel consumption are
reduced to zero (disconnection due to iner-
tia).
Change gear early to save energy
An effective way of saving fuel is to change
up quickly through the gears. Running the
engine at high rpm in the lower gears uses
an unnecessary amount of fuel.
Manual gearbox: shift up from first to second
gear as soon as possible. We recommend
that, whenever possible, you change to a
higher gear upon reaching 2000 rpm. Follow
the “recommended gear” indication that ap-
pears on the instrument panel ››› page 195.
Avoid driving at high speed
We advise you not to drive at the top speed
permitted by the vehicle. Fuel consumption,
198
Driving
exhaust emissions and noise levels all in-
c r
e
ase very rapidly at higher speeds. Driving
at moderate speeds will help to save fuel.
Avoid idling
It is worthwhile switching off the engine
when waiting in a traffic jam, at level cross-
ings or at traffic lights with a long red phase.
The fuel saved after only 30 - 40 seconds is
greater than the amount of fuel needed to re-
start the engine.
The engine takes a long time to warm up
when it is idling. Mechanical wear and pollu-
tant emissions are also especially high dur-
ing this initial warm-up phase. It is therefore
best to drive off immediately after starting
the engine. Avoid running the engine at high
speed.
Periodic maintenance
Periodic maintenance 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 reduc
e 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 tyres 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 con
venience, 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
blower at high speeds, the rear window heat-
ing or the seat heaters*. Note
● If y
our vehicle has Start-Stop, it is not rec-
ommended that you switch this function off.
● It is 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 car on a hill with the clutch,
use the foot
brake or hand brake, using the
latter to start. The fuel consumption will be » 199
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
lower and you will prevent the clutch plate
from bein
g d
amaged.
● 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-
sion 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!
● Do not apply wax underneath the vehicle
around the ar
ea of the exhaust system: Fire
hazard! Note
While the control lamps , , or re-
m ain lit, ther
e may be engine problems, fuel
consumption may increase and the engine
may lose power. Catalytic converter
To maintain the useful life of the catalytic
con
v
erter
– Use only unleaded petrol with petrol en-
gines, as
lead damages the catalytic con-
verter.
– Do not let the fuel get too low in the tank.
– For engine oil changes, do not replenish
with too muc
h engine oil ››› page 277, Top-
ping up engine oil.
– Never tow the vehicle to start it, use jump
lea
ds if necessary ›››
page 71.
If you notice misfiring, uneven running or
loss of power when the vehicle is moving, re-
duce speed immediately and have the vehi-
cle inspected at the nearest specialised
workshop. In general, the exhaust warning
lamp will light up when any of the described
symptoms occur ›››
page 121. If this hap-
pens, unburnt fuel can enter the exhaust sys-
tem and escape into the environment. The
catalytic converter can also be damaged by
overheating. CAUTION
Never run the fuel tank completely dry be-
cau se the irr
egularity of the fuel supply may
cause ignition problems. This allows unburnt
fuel to enter the exhaust system, which could
cause overheating and damage the catalytic
converter. For the sake of the environment
Even when the emission control system is
work in
g perfectly, there may be a smell of
sulphur from the exhaust gas under some
conditions. This depends on the sulphur con-
tent of the fuel used. Quite often the problem
can be solved by changing to another brand
of fuel. Diesel particulate filter
3 App
lies to vehicles with diesel engine
The die
sel engine particulate filter eliminates
most 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
200
Operation
Additionally, the Eco mode activat
e s the In-
ertia function, enabling consumption to be
further reduced.
In manual gearbox vehicles, Eco mode cau-
ses the gear change recommendation indica-
tions that appear on the instrument panel to
vary, facilitating more efficient driving.
“Dual Ride” suspension
The “Dual Ride” suspension features a com-
fortable suspension in the Eco and Normal
profiles, suitable for daily use. Contrasting
with this it features a sporty suspension in
the Sport profile, suitable for a sporty driv-
ing style. In the Individual profile the sus-
pension can be switched between Normal or
Sport , depending on personal preference.
In the event of a fault in the “Dual Ride” sus-
pension, the following message is displayed
on the instrument panel screen Fault:
damping setting .
Address
Power steering becomes more robust in
Sport mode to enable a sportier driving
style.
Air conditioning
In vehicles with Climatronic, this can operate
in eco mode, especially restricting fuel con-
sumption. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
Acc
ording to the active driving profile, the ac-
celeration gradient of the adaptive cruise
control varies.
Setting driving mode Fig. 206
Next to the gearbox lever: MODE but-
t on. You can select from
Normal, Sport, Eco
and Individual .
Y ou c
an sel
ect the required mode either by
repeatedly pressing the button MODE
››› Fig. 206, or on the touch screen, in the
menu that opens when the above button is
pressed.
An icon on the Easy Connect system display
informs about the active mode.
The MODE button light remains lit up yellow
when the active mode is different to Normal.
Driving pro-
fileCharacteristics
NormalOffers a balanced driving experience,
suitable for everyday use.
SportProvides a complete dynamic per-
formance in the vehicle, enabling the
user a more sporty driving style.
Eco
Places the vehicle in a particularly low
state of consumption, facilitating a
fuel-saving driving style that is re-
spectful to the environment.
Individual
Enables some configurations to be
modified by pressing the Profile
settings button. The functions that
can be adjusted depend on the
equipment fitted in the vehicle. WARNING
When operating SEAT Drive Profile, pay atten-
tion to a l
l traffic: doing otherwise could cause
an accident. Note
● When the v ehic
le is switched off it will al-
ways store the driving profile that was selec-
ted when the ignition key was removed. Nev-
ertheless, when the engine is restarted, the
engine and the gear will not restart in the set-
ting selected. For engine and gear to revert to
the desired position, select the correspond-
ing drive profile again or press the Easy Con-
nect system button repeatedly. 230
Checking and refilling levels
We recommend the use of diesel
f uel which
complies to European standard EN 590. If
diesel fuel which meets European standard
EN 590 is not available, the Cetane number
(CZ) must, at minimum, be 51. If the engine
is equipped with a particulate filter, the sul-
phur content of the fuel must be below 50
parts per million.
Winter-grade diesel
Summer fuel becomes thicker in winter and it
is more difficult to start the engine. For this
reason, petrol stations in some countries al-
so offer winter diesel with improved fluidity
when cold (winter-grade diesel). CAUTION
● The v ehic
le is not designed for the use of
FAME fuel (biodiesel). The fuel system would
be damaged if you used biodiesel.
● Do not mix fuel additives, the so-called
“thinners”, petro
l or similar additives with
diesel fuel.
● If poor-quality diesel fuel is used, it may be
neces
sary to drain the fuel filter more fre-
quently than is specified in the Maintenance
Programme. We recommend having this done
by a specialised workshop. If water is allowed
to collect in the filter, this can cause engine
performance problems. AdBlue
®
Inf orm
ation on AdBlue ® The consumption of AdBlue
®
depends on
y
our personal driving style, the temperature
of the system and on the outdoor tempera-
ture when the vehicle is used.
AdBlue ®
freezes at temperatures of -11°C
(+13°F). The system has heating elements
that guarantee its operation even at low tem-
peratures.
The AdBlue ®
tank level capacity is approxi-
mately 10.4 litres.
The AdBlue ®
tank should never be empty.
When the distance to empty drops below
2400 km, a warning to refill the AdBlue ®
tank
will appear on the dash panel display
››› page 271. If this information is ignored,
later on it will not be possible to re-start the
engine. If this warning does not appear, it is
not necessary to refill the AdBlue ®
tank.
AdBlue ®
is a registered brand of the German
Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA)
and is also known as AUS32 or DEF (Diesel
Exhaust Fluid). CAUTION
Filling the AdBlue ®
tank e
xcessively can
cause damage to the tank. Refilling AdBlue
® Fig. 236
AdBlue tank cap. Operations prior to refilling
P
ark
the
vehicle on a flat surface. If the vehi-
cle is not parked on a flat surface, but, for ex-
ample, on a slope or on the side of a curb,
the level indicator may not detect the load
properly.
If a warning message about AdBlue ®
levels
appears on the dash panel display, fill at
least the minimum amount required (approx.
5 litres). Only after adding this amount will
the system detect that AdBlue ®
has been
added and you will be able to start the en-
gine again. The maximum amount that can
be refilled is 11 litres.
Switch the ignition off. If the ignition is not
switched off during refilling, the warning to
refill may continue to appear on the instru-
ment panel display. »
271
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Checking and refilling levels
If the warning lamp flashes although the oil
l ev
el
is correct, stop driving. Do not even run
the engine at idle speed! Obtain technical as-
sistance.
Checking oil level
If the warning lamp is yellow the engine
oil level should be checked as soon as possi-
ble. Top up the oil at the next opportunity
››› page 277.
Oil level sensor faulty*
If the yellow warning lamp flashes, take
the vehicle to a specialised workshop to have
the oil level sensor checked. Until then it is
advisable to check the oil level every time
you refuel.
Checking engine oil level Fig. 238
Engine oil dipstick. Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 58
Checking oil level
– Park the vehicle in a horizontal position.
– Briefly run the engine at idle speed until
the operating t
emperature is reached and
then stop.
– Wait for about two minutes.
– Pull out the dipstick. Wipe the dipstick with
a cle
an cloth and insert it again, pushing it
in as far as it will go.
– Then pull it out again and check the oil lev-
el. T
op up with engine oil if necessary.
Depending on how you drive and the condi-
tions in which the vehicle is used, oil con-
sumption can be up to 0.5 l/1000 km. Oil
consumption is likely to be higher for the first
5,000 km. For this reason the engine oil level
must be checked at regular intervals, prefera-
bly when filling the tank and before a jour-
ney. WARNING
Any work carried out in the engine compart-
ment or on the en gine mu
st be carried out
cautiously.
● When working in the engine compartment,
alwa
ys observe the safety warnings
››› page 273. CAUTION
If the oil level is above area ›››
Fig. 238 A , do
not s t
art the engine. This could result in dam-
age to the engine and catalytic converter.
Contact a Technical Service. Topping up engine oil
Read the additional information carefully
›› ›
page 58
Before opening the bonnet, read and observe
the warnings ››› in Safety notes for work in
the en gine c
omp
artment on page 273.
The position of the filler neck is shown in the
corresponding engine compartment image
››› page 275.
Engine oil specification ›››
page 59. WARNING
Oil is highly inflammable! Ensure that no oil
come s
into contact with hot engine compo-
nents when topping up. CAUTION
If the oil level is above area ›››
Fig. 238 A , do
not s t
art the engine. This could result in dam-
age to the engine and catalytic converter.
Contact a specialised workshop. » 277
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Advice
For the sake of the environment
Fit your summer tyres again as soon as possi-
bl e.
They are quieter, do not wear so quickly
and reduce fuel consumption. 290
Technical data
Vehicle data label
The d at
a s
ticker is placed on the inside of the
spare wheel well, in the boot and on the rear
cover of the Maintenance Programme.
The following information is provided on the
vehicle data sticker: ››› Fig. 244
Vehicle identification number (chassis
number)
Vehicle type, model, capacity, engine
type, finish, engine power and gearbox
type
Engine code, gearbox code, external
paint code and internal equipment code
Optional extras and PR numbers
Identifying letters
The identifying letters of the engine can be
viewed on the instrument panel when the en-
gine is switched off and the ignition is on.
● Hold down the button 0.0/SET on the dash
p anel
f
or more than 15 seconds.
Information on fuel consump-
tion Fuel c
onsumption Approved consumption values are derived
fr
om me
a
surements performed or supervised
1 2
3
4 by certified EU laboratories, according to the
l
e
gi
slation in force at the time (for more infor-
mation, see the Publications Office of the Eu-
ropean Union on the EUR-Lex website: © Eu-
ropean Union, http://eur-lex.europa.eu/) and
apply to the specified vehicle characteristics.
The values relating to fuel consumption and
CO 2 emissions can be found in the documen-
tation provided to the purchaser of the vehi-
cle at the time of purchase.
Fuel consumption and CO 2 emissions depend
on the equipment/features of each individual
vehicle, as well as on the driving style, road
conditions, traffic conditions, environmental
conditions, load or number of passengers. Note
In practice, and considering all the factors
mentioned here, c on
sumption values can dif-
fer from those calculated in the current Euro-
pean regulations. Weights
Kerb weight refers to the basic model with a
f
uel
t
ank filled to 90% capacity and without
optional extras. The figure quoted includes
75 kg to allow for the weight of the driver.
Special versions, optional equipment fittings
or retro-fitting accessories will increase the
weight of the vehicle ››› . WARNING
● Ple a
se note that the centre of gravity may
shift when transporting heavy objects; this
may affect vehicle handling and lead to an ac-
cident. Always adjust your speed and driving
style to suit road conditions and require-
ments.
● Never exceed the gross axle weight rating
or the gros
s vehicle weight rating. If the per-
missible axle load or the permissible total
weight is exceeded, the driving characteris-
tics of the vehicle may change, leading to ac-
cidents, injuries and damage to the vehicle. Trailer mode
Tr
ai
ler weights The trailer weights and drawbar loads ap-
pr
o
v
ed are selected in intensive trials accord-
ing to precisely defined criteria. The ap-
proved trailer weights are valid for vehicles in
the EU for maximum speeds of 80 km/h (50
mph) (in certain circumstances up to 100
km/h (62 mph)). The figures may be different
in other countries. All data in the official vehi-
cle documentation takes precedence over
these data at all times ››› .
292