2018 Seat Ateca stop start

Driving
Driving down hills: in some s it
uation s (on
mountain roads or when towing a trailer or
caravan) it can be advantageous to switch
temporarily to the manual gearbox pro-
gramme so that the gear ratios can be selec-
ted manually to suit the driving conditions
››› .
On l ev
el

ground it is sufficient to move the
selector lever to position P. On slopes, first
engage the parking brake and then put the
selection lever into the P position. This
avoids overloading the locking mechanism
and it will be easier to move the selector lev-
er from position P. WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ›››
in Selector
lev er po
sitions on page 194.
● Never allow the brake to rub and do not use
the brake ped
al too often or for long periods.
Constant braking causes overheating in the
brakes. This could significantly reduce brak-
ing power, increase braking distance or even
result in the total failure of the brake system.
● To avoid rolling back on gradients always
hold the
vehicle with the footbrake or hand-
brake if you have to stop. CAUTION
● If y

ou stop the vehicle on a gradient, do not
attempt to stop it from rolling by depressing
the accelerator when a gear has been selec-
ted. This could cause overheating and dam- age the automatic gearbox. Apply the hand-
brak
e firm

ly or press the brake pedal in order
to prevent the vehicle from rolling back.
● If you allow the car to roll with the selector
lever in po
sition N with the engine switched
off, the automatic gearbox will be damaged as it will not be lubricated.
● In certain driving situations or traffic condi-
tions, suc
h as frequently starting, prolonged
“creeping” of the vehicle or traffic jams with
continuous stoppages, the gearbox could
overheat causing damage! If the warning
lamp  lights up, stop the vehicle as soon as
possible and wait for the gearbox to cool
››› page 200. Kick-down feature
The kick-down feature allows maximum ac-
c
el
er

ation to be reached.
When the accelerator pedal is pressed right
down past the point of resistance at full throt-
tle, the gearbox will shift down to a lower
gear, depending on road speed and engine
speed. The upshift to the next higher gear is
delayed until the engine reaches maximum
rpm. WARNING
Please note that if the road surface is slip-
pery or w

et, the kick-down feature could cause the driving wheels to spin, which could
re
s

ult in skidding. Launch control program
3 Valid for vehicles: with Launch-Control/6-Speed
D SG w

ith diesel engines superior to 125 kW and pet-
rol engines superior to 140 kW.
The Launch control programme enables maxi-
mum acceleration.
Important: the engine must have reached op-
erating temperature and the steering wheel
must not be turned.
The engine speed for launch-control is differ-
ent on petrol and diesel engines. To use the
launch-control you must disconnect the anti-
slip regulation (ASR) through the Easy Con-
nect system menu ››› page 120. The warning
lamp  will stay switched on or will flash
slowly depending on whether or not the vehi-
cle has a driver information system*.
On vehicles with the driver information sys-
tem, the ESC lamp lights up permanently and
the corresponding text message Stability
control deactivated (temporary) ap-
pears on the instrument panel to indicate the
deactivation status. »
197Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
Active cylinder management (ACT ®
)*
D ependin
g 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 panel display ›››
 page 37.
Foresight when driving
Acceleration causes the vehicle to consume
more fuel. If you think ahead when driving,
you will need to brake less and thus acceler-
ate less. Wherever possible, let the car roll
slowly to a stop, with a gear engaged (for in-
stance when you can see that the next traffic
lights are red). This takes advantage of the
engine braking effect, reducing wear on the
brakes and tyres. Emissions and fuel con-
sumption will drop to zero due to the overrun
fuel cut-off.
Changing gear to save energy
An effective way of saving is to change in ad-
vance to a higher gear. Running the engine at
high rpm in the lower gears uses an unneces-
sary amount of fuel.
Manual gearbox : shift up from first to second
gear as soon as possible. In any case, we rec-
ommend that you change to a higher gear
upon reaching 2,000 rpm. Choosing the right gear enables fuel savings. Select the highest
poss
ible gear appropriate for the driving sit-
uation (the engine should continue function-
ing with cyclical regularity).
Automatic gearbox : accelerate gradually and
without reaching the “kick-down” position.
Avoid driving at high speed
Avoid travelling at top speed, whenever pos-
sible. Fuel consumption, emission of harmful
gases and noise pollution multiply dispropor-
tionately as speed is increased. Driving at
moderate speeds will help to save fuel.
Reduce idling time
In vehicles with the Start-Stop system idling
is automatically reduced. In vehicles without
the Start-Stop system it is worth switching off
the engine, for example, at level crossings
and at traffic lights that remain red for long
periods of time. When an engine has reached
operating temperature, and depending on
the cylinder capacity, keeping it switched off
for a minimum of about 5 seconds already
saves more than the amount of fuel necessa-
ry for restarting.
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.
Re
gular maintenance
Regular servicing helps in saving fuel even
before the engine is started. A well-serviced
engine gives you the benefit of improved fuel
efficiency as well as maximum reliability and
an enhanced resale value. A badly serviced
engine can consume up to 10% more fuel
than necessary.
Avoid short journeys
The engine and catalytic converter need to
reach their optimal operating temperature in
order to minimise fuel consumption and
emissions.
A cold engine consumes a disproportionate
amount of fuel. The engine reaches its work-
ing temperature after about four kilometres
(2.5 miles), when fuel consumption will re-
turn to a normal level.
Check tyre pressure
Always make sure the tyres are inflated to the
correct pressures ››› page 308 to save fuel. If
the pressure is below half bar, fuel consump-
tion may increase by 5%. Due to the greater
rolling resistance, under-inflation also increa-
ses tyre wear and impairs handling.
Do not use winter tyres all year round as they
increase fuel consumption by up to 10%.
202

Operation
Driving tips Driv in
g on flooded r
oadsTo prevent damage to the vehicle when driv-
ing thr
ough w

ater, for example, along a floo-
ded road, please observe the following:
● The water should never come above the
lower edg
e of the bodywork.
● Drive at pedestrian speed. WARNING
After driving through water, mud, sludge,
etc ., the br

aking effect can be delayed slight-
ly due to moisture build-up on the discs and
brake pads. Applying the brakes carefully
several times will remove the moisture and
restore the full braking effect. CAUTION
● Drivin g thr

ough flooded areas may severely
damage vehicle components such as the en-
gine, transmission, running gear or electrical
system.
● Whenever driving through water, the Start-
Stop sys
tem* must be switched off
››› page 208. Note
● Check the depth of

the water before enter-
ing the flooded zone. ●
Do not s t

op in the water, drive in reverse, or
stop the engine in any situation.
● Note that vehicles travelling in the opposite
direction ma
y splash water that could exceed
the maximum permitted water height for your
vehicle.
● Avoid driving through salt water (corro-
sion). Four-wheel drive
3 V
alid for vehicles: with four-wheel drive
On f
our-wheel drive models, the engine pow-
er is distributed to all four wheels
General notes
On four-wheel drive vehicles, the engine
power is distributed to all four wheels. The
distribution of power is controlled automati-
cally according to your driving style and the
road conditions. Also see ››› page 189.
The four-wheel drive is specially designed to
complement the superior engine power. This
combination gives the vehicle exceptional
handling and performance capabilities, both
on normal roads and in more difficult condi-
tions, such as snow and ice. Even so (or per-
haps especially for this reason), it is impor-
tant to observe certain safety points ››› .Winter tyres
Th
ank
s

to four-wheel drive, your vehicle will
have plenty of traction in winter conditions,
even with the standard tyres. Nevertheless,
we still recommend that winter tyres or all-
season tyres be fitted on all four wheels to
give even better braking response.
Snow chains
On roads where snow chains are mandatory,
this also applies to cars with four-wheel drive
›››  page 67.
Changing tyres
On vehicles with four-wheel drive, all four
tyres must have the same rolling circumfer-
ence. Also avoid using tyres with varying
tread depths ››› page 309.
Off-roader?
Your SEAT is not an off-road vehicle: it does
not have enough ground clearance to be
used as such. It is therefore best to avoid
rough tracks and uneven terrain as much as
possible. WARNING
● Ev en w

ith four-wheel drive, you should al-
ways adjust your speed to suit the condi-
tions. Do not let the extra safety features
tempt you into taking any risks when driving.
Risk of accident! 206

Operation
Driver assistance systems
St ar
t
-Stop System*
Description and operation The Start-Stop system helps save fuel and re-
duce C
O
2 emi

ssions.
In Start-Stop mode, the engine will automati-
cally switch off when the vehicle stops or is
stopping; for example when stopping at traf-
fic lights. The ignition remains switched on
during the stopping phase. The engine auto-
matically switches back on when required. In
this situation, the light of the START ENGINE STOP button stays on
1)
.
As soon a
s

the ignition is switched on, the
Start-Stop function is automatically activa-
ted.
Further information about the Start-Stop sys-
tem can be found in the Easy Connect sys-
tem: by pressing the  button in the Vehi-
cle status menu.
B a
s

ic requirements for the Start-Stop mode
● The driver door must be closed.
● The driver must have their seat belt fas-
tened. ●
The bonnet mus
t be closed.
● The engine must have reached a minimum
servic
e temperature.
● The reverse gear must not be engaged.
● The vehicle must not be on a very steep
slope. WARNING
● Never sw it

ch the engine off until the vehi-
cle is stationary. The brake servo and power
steering functions will not be completely cov-
ered under warranty. More force may also be
needed to turn the steering wheel or to brake.
As you cannot steer and brake in the normal
manner, there is a greater risk of accidents
and serious injury.
● Never remove the key from the ignition if
the vehic
le is in motion. Otherwise, the steer-
ing could lock making it impossible to steer
the vehicle.
● To avoid injury, make sure that the Start-
Stop sys
tem is switched off when working in
the engine compartment ››› page 210. CAUTION
The Start-Stop system must always be
swit c

hed off when driving through flooded
areas ››› page 210. Stopping/Starting the engine
Vehicles with a manual gearbox
– Before stopping the vehicle or when it is
stop

ped, put it into neutral and release the
clutch pedal. The engine will switch off. The
warning lamp  will appear on the instru-
ment panel display. The engine may stop
before the vehicle comes to a halt in the
deceleration phase (at 7 km/h).
– When the clutch pedal is pressed the en-
gine wil

l start up again. The warning lamp
will switch off.
Vehicles with an automatic gearbox – Use the foot brake to bring the vehicle to a
stop and k

eep the brake pedal pressed
down with your foot. The engine will switch
off. The warning lamp  will appear in the
display. The engine may stop before the ve-
hicle comes to a halt in the deceleration
phase (at 7 km/h or 2 km/h, depending on
the vehicle’s gearbox).
– When you take your foot off the brake pedal
the engine wi

ll start up again. The warning
lamp will switch off. In vehicles with the Au-
to Hold* system, when the system is active,
the engine will not start if you remove your
foot from the brake pedal. The car starts
when you press the accelerator pedal. 1)
Only in vehicles with Keyless Access.
208

Driver assistance systems
Additional information related to the auto-
m atic
g
earbox
The engine stops when the selector lever is in
the positions P, D, N and S, in addition to
when in manual mode. With the selector lev-
er in position P, the engine will also remain
switched off when you take your foot off the
brake pedal. In order to start the engine up
again the accelerator must be pressed, or an-
other gear engaged or the brake released.
If the selector lever is placed in position R
during the stopping phase, the engine will
start up again.
Change from position D to P to prevent the
engine from accidentally starting when
changing and passing by position R.
Additional information about vehicles with
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
In vehicles with ACC function, the engine will
start up again in certain operating conditions
if the radar sensor detects that the vehicle
ahead drives off again. Note
● In v ehic

les with an automatic gearbox, you
can control whether the engine should switch
off or not by reducing or increasing the brake
force applied. While the vehicle remains stop-
ped, the engine will not stop if the brake ped-
al is slightly pressed, in traffic jams with fre-
quent stopping and starting for example. As soon as strong pressure is applied to the
brak
e ped

al, the engine will stop.
● In vehicles with manual gearbox, during
the stop
ping phases the brake pedal must re-
main depressed to prevent the vehicle from
moving.
● If the engine “stalls” in vehicles with man-
ual g
earbox, it can be directly started up
again by immediately pressing the clutch
pedal. General notes
The system can interrupt the Start-Stop mode
fr
equently
f

or different reasons.
The engine does not switch off
Before the stopping phase, the system veri-
fies whether certain conditions are met. The
engine does not switch off, in the following
situations for example:
● The engine has not yet reached the mini-
mum required t
emperature for the Start-Stop
mode.
● The interior temperature selected for the air
conditioner ha
s not yet been reached.
● The interior temperature is very high/low.
● Defrost function button activated
›› ›

 page 51.
● The parking aid* is switched on. ●
The batt er

y is very low.
● The steering wheel is overly turned or is be-
ing turned.
● If

there is a danger of misting.
● After engaging reverse gear.
● In case of a very steep gradient.
The indication 
is shown on the instrument
panel display, and in addition, the driver in-
formation system* shows, .
The engine starts by itself
During a stopping phase the normal Start-
Stop mode can be interrupted in the follow-
ing situations: The engine restarts by itself
without involvement from the driver.
● The interior temperature differs from the
value select
ed on the air conditioner.
● Defrost function button activated
›››
 page 51.
● The brake has been pressed several times
consec
utively.
● The battery is too low.
● High power consumption. Note
In vehicles with an automatic gearbox, if the
select or l

ever is placed in position D, N or S
after engaging reverse gear, the vehicle must
be driven at a speed faster than 10 km/h (6 » 209
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
mph) for the system to return to conditions in
which the en
gine c
an be stopped.Manually switching on/off the Start-
Stop sy
s

tem Fig. 184
Centre console: Start-Stop system
b utt
on. If you do not wish to use the system, you can
sw
it
c

h it off manually.
– To manually switch on/off the Start-Stop
syst

em, press the  button. The button
symbol remains lit up yellow when the sys-
tem is switched off. Note
The system is automatically switched on each
time the engine i s

deliberately stopped dur-
ing a stopping phase. The engine will start
automatically. Driver messages on the instrument
p
anel
di

splay Start-Stop system deactivated.
Start the engine manually
This driv

er message is displayed when cer-
tain conditions are not met during the stop-
ping phase and the Start-Stop system cannot
restart the engine. The engine must be star-
ted manually.
Start-Stop system: Fault! Func-
tion not available There is a fault in the Start-Stop system. Take
the vehicle to a workshop to have the fault
repaired.
Hill Descent Control (HDC) De s

cription and operation 3 V
alid for vehicles: 4Drive
Hi
ll Descent Control limits the speed on steep
descents by automatically braking all four
wheels, both when moving forward and in re-
verse. As the anti-lock brake system remains
active, it prevents the wheels from locking. In
vehicles with manual transmission, the Hill
Descent Control adapts the theoretical speed
without slowing the engine below its idling
speed. After starting the descent of a slope below
30 km/h (18 mph), speed i
s

limited to a min-
imum of 2 km/h (1 mph) and a maximum of
30 km/h (18 mph). When appropriate, the
driver may increase or decrease the speed
within the limit by pressing the accelerator or
the brake. At this point the function is inter-
rupted and, if necessary, it is then reactiva-
ted.
Even so, it is imperative that the surface
guarantees sufficient adhesion. For this rea-
son, the Hill Descent Control will not fulfil its
function when, for example, descending a
slope with a frozen or slippery surface.
Hill Descent Control is available when the
dash panel display shows the message .
Hill Descent Control automatically intervenes
if the following conditions are met:
● The vehicle engine is running.
● The Offroad driving profile has been selec-
ted ›

›› page 242. Driving at a speed below 30
km/h (18 mph) (the message  is shown on
the dash panel display).
● The slope of the descent is at least 10%
when driving f
orward and 9% when driving in
reverse.
● The brake and the accelerator are not
pres
sed.
Hill Descent Control is deactivated on press-
ing the brake and the accelerator or if the
slope is below 5%. The function may be
210

Operation
●
Never u se the A
CC when driving off-road or
on unpaved roads. The ACC has been de-
signed for use on paved roads only.
● The ACC does not react on approaching a
fixed o
bstacle, such as the tail of a traffic
jam, a damaged vehicle or a vehicle stopped
at the traffic lights.
● The ACC only reacts to people if a pedes-
trian monitorin
g system is available. In addi-
tion, the system does not react to animals or
vehicles crossing your path or approaching
head-on down the same lane.
● If the ACC does not reduce speed sufficient-
ly, brak
e the vehicle immediately by applying
the pedal.
● If you are driving using the spare wheel,
the ACC
system could automatically switch
off during the journey. Switch off the system
when starting off.
● If the vehicle continues to move involuntar-
ily af
ter a driver intervention prompt, brake
the vehicle by applying the pedal.
● If the dash panel displays a driv
er interven-
tion prompt, adjust the distance yourself.
● The driver should be ready to accelerate or
brake b
y him/herself at all times. CAUTION
If you have the sensation that the radar sen-
sor is d

amaged, disconnect the ACC. This will
avoid possible damage. If this occurs have it
adjusted. ●
Rep air

s to the radar sensor require special-
ist knowledge and special tools. SEAT recom-
mends visiting a SEAT dealership for this pur-
pose. Note
● If the A C

C system does not work as descri-
bed in this chapter, do not use it until it has
been checked by a specialised workshop.
SEAT recommends visiting a SEAT dealership
for this purpose.
● Maximum speed with the ACC activated is
limited to 210 km/h (150 mph).
● When the A

CC is switched on, strange
noises
may be heard during automatic brak-
ing cause by the braking system. Indications on the display, warning
and c
ontr
o

l lamps Fig. 195
On the instrument panel display: (A)
A C
C

inactive (Standby). (B) ACC active. Status display
Indic
ation
s

on the display ››› Fig. 195:
Vehicle ahead detected. ACC is not active
and is not regulating your speed.
Distance from the vehicle ahead. ACC is
not active and is not regulating your dis-
tance.
1 2
222

Driver assistance systems
Any modification to the programmed speed
w i
l
l be shown on the bottom left part of the
instrument panel display ››› Fig. 195.
Setting your distance level
To increase/reduce the distance level, press
the rocker switch towards the left/right
››› Fig. 198 A .
The in s
trument

panel display shows the mod-
ification of the distance level. There are 5 dis-
tance levels to choose from. SEAT recom-
mends level 3. The set distance can be
changed when the vehicle is stopped or dur-
ing driving, as you like ››› .
C onnectin
g and activ

ating the ACC
To connect and activate the ACC, the position
of the gearbox selector lever, the vehicle
speed and the position of the third level of
the ACC must all be taken into account.
● With a manual gearbox, the gearbox selec-
tor lev
er must be in any gear except first, and
speed must be greater than approximately 30
km/h. With an automatic gearbox, the gear-
box selector lever must be in position D or S.
● To activate the ACC, with the third lever in
position 1 press the
 butt
on or mo
ve the
third lever of the ACC to position 2›››
Fig. 197. At thi s

point, the image of the
ACC on the instrument panel display will
switch to Active mode ››› Fig. 195. When the ACC function is active, the vehicle
trav
el

s at a set speed and distance from the
vehicle ahead. Both speed and distance can
be changed at any time.
Disconnecting and deactivating the ACC
To disconnect the ACC move the lever to the 0 position
›››
Fig. 197
(en
gaged). An ACC
deactivated message appears and the
function is totally deactivated.
If you do not wish to disconnect the ACC, just
to switch it temporarily to inactive mode
(Standby), move the third lever to position 3 ›››
Fig. 197 or pre s
s the brake pedal.
It will also switch to inactive mode (Standby)
if the vehicle is stopped and the driver door
is opened.
Adjusting the default distance level at the
start of your journey.
In wet road conditions, you should always set
a larger distance with regard to the vehicle in
front than when driving in dry conditions.
The following distances can be preselected:
● Very short
● Short
● Media
● Long
● Very long In the Easy Connect system you can adjust
the dis
t

ance level that will be applied when
the ACC is connected using the  button
and the S
ET
TINGS and
Driv
er a
s
sistance function
b utt
on
s ›››
 page 33.
Changing the driving profile
In vehicles with SEAT Drive Profile , the driving
profile selected can have an influence on the
ACC’s acceleration and braking behaviour
››› page 242.
In vehicles without SEAT Drive Profile , the be-
haviour of the ACC can also be affected by se-
lecting any of the following drive profiles in
the Easy Connect system:
● Normal
● Sport
● Eco
● Convenience
In this c
ase, you should access the ACC set-
tings using the  button and the
S
ET
TINGS >
Driv er a
s

sistance >
A
C
C function buttons
› ›
›
 page 33.
The following conditions may lead the ACC
not to react:
● If the accelerator is pressed.
● If there is no gear engaged.
● If the ESC is controlling. »
225
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety