Seat Alhambra. Instruction - part 12

Turn the steering wheel
slightly to release the
steering lock.

Remove the key from the
ignition.

Insert the key in the igni-
tion lock.

Turn the steering wheel
slightly until you hear the
steering lock.

Hold the steering wheel in
this position and switch
on the ignition.

Electromechanical power steering
With the power steering system, the assisted
steering function automatically adjusts ac-
cording to the vehicle speed, the steering tor-
que and the wheel turning angle. The power
steering only works when the engine is run-
ning.

You should remember that you will need con-
siderably more power than normal to steer
the vehicle if the power steering is not work-
ing correctly or not at all.

Counter steering assistance system
The counter steering assistance system helps
the driver in critical situations. Additional
steering power helps the driver when counter
steering.

WARNING

The counter steering assistance system com-
bined with ESC helps the driver to steer the
vehicle in critical driving conditions. At all
times, it is the driver who steers the vehicle.
The counter steering system does not steer
the vehicle.

Stopping and starting the en-
gine

Introduction

Immobiliser display
When an invalid key is used or in the event of
a system fault,  or

Immobiliser on

displayed on the instrument panel. The en-
gine cannot be started.

Pushing or towing
For technical reasons, the vehicle must

not

be push- or tow-started. Jump starting is pref-
erable.

182

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Driving

WARNING

Turning off the engine while driving will make
stopping the vehicle difficult; this could even
result in the loss of control causing an acci-
dent with serious consequences.

●

The assisted braking and steering systems,

the airbag system, seat belts and certain
safety equipment are only active while the
engine is running.

●

The engine should only be switched off

when the vehicle is at a standstill.

WARNING

While the engine is running or starting it
could help reduce the risk of serious injury.

●

Never start or leave the engine running in

poorly ventilated or closed spaces. Exhaust
gas contains carbon monoxide, a toxic, col-
ourless and odourless gas. Carbon monoxide
can cause people to lose consciousness. It
can also cause death.

●

Never leave the vehicle unattended if the

engine is running. The vehicle could move off
suddenly or something unexpected could
happen resulting in damage and serious in-
jury.

●

Never use start boosters. Cold start sprays

could explode or increase the engine speed
unexpectedly.

WARNING

The components of the exhaust system reach
very high temperatures. This could cause a
fire and considerable damage.

●

Always park your vehicle so that no part of

the exhaust system can come in contact with
flammable materials (such as wood, leaves,
dried grass, spilled fuel, etc.).

●

Do not apply additional underseal or anti-

corrosion coatings to the exhaust pipes, cata-
lytic converter, heat shields or the diesel par-
ticulate filter.

Ignition lock

Fig. 198

Vehicle key positions

Read the additional information carefully

›››



page 24

Vehicle keys

›››

No key in the ignition lock: The steering lock may
be activated.

Ignition off, all electrical devices disconnected.
Key can be removed from the vehicle.

Ignition is switched on. Pre-heating of diesel en-
gine. The steering lock can be unlocked.

Switch on the engine. Release the key when the
engine has started. When it is released, the key
returns to position

Key not authorised for the vehicle
If a key which is not authorised for this vehi-
cle is inserted in the ignition lock, it can be
removed as follows:

●

Automatic gearbox: the key cannot be re-

moved from the ignition lock. Press and re-
lease the selector lever locking button. Key
can be removed from the vehicle.

●

Instruction gearbox: remove the key from the

ignition.

WARNING

Unsuitable or careless use of the vehicle key
could result in serious injury.

●

Always take all the keys with you whenever

you leave the vehicle. If not, the engine could
accidentally be started and electrical equip-
ment such as the windows could accidentally

183

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Operation

be operated which may result in serious in-
jury.

●

Never leave children or disabled people

alone in the car. Passengers could be trapped
in the car in an emergency and not be able to
get themselves to safety. For example, de-
pending on the time of the year, tempera-
tures inside a locked and closed vehicle can
be extremely high or extremely low resulting
in serious injuries and illness or even death,
particularly for young children.

●

Never remove the key from the ignition if

the vehicle is in motion. The steering may
lock and it will not be possible to turn the
steering wheel.

Note

●

If the key is left in the ignition lock with the

engine off for long periods, the vehicle bat-
tery will run flat.

●

For automatic gearbox vehicles, the key can

only be removed from the ignition lock if the
gear selector lever is in position P. In this
case, press and release the selector lever
locking button.

Starter button

Fig. 199

In the centre console: start-up push

button for the Keyless Access lock and start-
up system. The layout in right-hand drive ve-
hicles is symmetrical.

Fig. 200

Emergency ignition in vehicles with

Keyless Access.

The start-up button may only be used if there
is a valid key in the vehicle.

Opening the driver's door

when exiting the

vehicle activates the electronic lock on the
steering column if the ignition is disabled

›››

page 181

Switching the ignition on/off

●

Briefly push the start-up button

›››

Fig. 199

without touching the brake or clutch ped-
al

›››

Emergency starting function
If no valid key is detected inside the vehicle,
an emergency start-up will be required. The
relevant message will appear in the dash
panel display. This may happen when, for ex-
ample, the vehicle key battery is very low or
flat:

●

Immediately after pushing the start-up but-

ton, keep the vehicle key next to the steering
column

›››

Fig. 200

●

The ignition connects and the engine starts

automatically.

Emergency disconnection
If the engine does not stop after briefly press-
ing the start-up button, an emergency dis-
connect will be required:

●

Press the starter button twice within 1 sec-

ond or press it once for more than 2 seconds

›››

●

The engine turns off automatically.

184

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Driving

Engine restart feature
If no valid key is detected inside the vehicle
after the engine stops, you will only have 5
seconds to restart it. A warning will display
on the dash panel screen.

After this interval, it will not be possible to
start the engine without a valid key inside
the vehicle.

WARNING

Any accidental movement of the vehicle could
result in serious injury.

●

When pressing the start-up button, do not

press the brake or clutch pedal, this way the
engine will start immediately.

WARNING

If vehicle keys are used negligently or with-
out due care, this may cause accidents and
serious injury.

●

Never leave any key inside the vehicle

when exiting. Otherwise, a child or unauthor-
ised person could lock the vehicle, start the
engine or connect the ignition and, in this
way, operate electronic equipment (e.g. the
windows).

Note

In diesel vehicles with the Keyless Access
system, there may be a delay in the engine
starting if it requires preheating.

Starting the engine

Complete operations only in the sequence
given:

Vehicles without

Keyless Access

Vehicles with

Keyless Access

Press and hold the brake pedal until step 5 is per-

formed.

1a.

In vehicles with a instruction gearbox: press and

hold the clutch down until the engine starts.

Put the gearbox lever in neutral or the selector

lever in position

P or N.

Only in vehicles with

diesel engines: for pre-
heating, turn the key in

the ignition lock to po-

sition

›››

. A

control lamp lights up
on the dash panel .

Turn the key in the igni-

tion lock to position

›››

; do not

press the accelerator.

Press the starter button

›››

Fig. 199

; do not

press the accelerator.

There needs to be a

valid key inside the ve-

hicle for the engine to

start.

Once the engine starts,

release the key in the

ignition lock.

Once the engine starts,

release the start-up

button.

Vehicles without

Keyless Access

Vehicles with

Keyless Access

If the engine does not

start, stop and wait for

around 1 minute to try

again.

If the engine does not

start, stop and wait for

around 1 minute to try

again. If necessary,

perform an emergency

start

›››

page 184

Disconnect the electronic parking brake when you

are about to start driving

›››

WARNING

Never leave the vehicle unattended if the en-
gine is running. The vehicle could move off
suddenly, especially if it is in gear, resulting
in an accident and serious injury.

WARNING

Cold start sprays could explode or cause a
sudden increase in the engine speed.

●

Never use start boosters.

CAUTION

●

An attempt to start the engine while driving

or starting the engine immediately after turn-
ing it off can cause damage to the engine or
starter motor.

●

When the engine is cold, avoid high revs

and heavy acceleration and do not make the
engine work hard.

185

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Operation

●

Do not push or tow start the engine. Un-

burnt fuel could damage the catalytic con-
verter.

For the sake of the environment

Do not warm the engine at idle speed; start
driving immediately if the visibility is OK.
This helps the engine reach operating tem-
perature faster and reduces emissions.

Note

●

For example, if the key battery is very worn

or flat, the engine cannot be started with the
starter button. In this case, remove the igni-
tion button from the lock and insert the key.

●

Electrical devices with a high power con-

sumption are switched off temporarily when
the engine starts.

●

When the engine is started cold, there may

be strong vibrations for a few moments for
technical reasons. This is quite normal, and
no cause for concern.

●

At temperatures below +5°C (+41°F),

smoke may be given off below the vehicle
when the additional heater is connected.

Stopping the engine

Complete operations only in the sequence
given:

Vehicles without

Keyless Access

Vehicles with

Keyless Access

Bring the vehicle to a full stop

›››

Press and hold the brake pedal until the step 4 is

performed.

If the vehicle has an automatic gearbox, place the

selector lever in position

Connect the electronic parking brake

›››

Turn the vehicle key in
the ignition lock to po-
sition

›››

and warning lamps on page 105

Briefly press the start-
up button

›››

Fig. 199

. If

the engine fails to
switch off, perform an
emergency disconnect

›››

page 184

If the vehicle is equipped with a instruction gearbox,

put it into 1st or reverse.

WARNING

Never switch off the engine while the vehicle
is moving. You may lose control of the vehicle
and there is a risk of serious accident.

●

The airbags and belt tensioners do not

work when the ignition is switched off.

●

The brake servo does not work with the en-

gine off. To stop, the brake pedal must be
pressed with more force.

●

As the power steering does not work if the

engine is not running, you will need more
strength to steer than normally.

●

If the key is removed from the ignition, the

steering may lock and it will not be possible
to steer the vehicle.

CAUTION

●

If the vehicle is stopped and the Start-Stop

system* switches off the engine, the ignition
remains switched on. Make sure that the igni-
tion is switched off before leaving the vehi-
cle, otherwise the battery could discharge.

●

If the engine has been driven at high speed

for a prolonged period of time, it may over-
heat when turned off. To avoid engine dam-
age, allow the engine to run for approximate-
ly two minutes in neutral before switching it
off.

Note

●

In vehicles with automatic gearbox, the key

can only be removed when the selector lever
is in position P.

●

After stopping the engine, the engine com-

partment fan may continue running for a few
minutes, even when the ignition has been
switched off or the key removed. The radiator
fan is automatically switched off.

Electronic immobiliser

The gear lock prevents the engine from being
started with an unauthorised key and the ve-
hicle being moved.

186

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Driving

The vehicle key has a chip that automatically
disables the immobilizer when the key is
placed in the ignition lock.

The electronic immobiliser will be activated
again automatically as soon as you pull the
key out of the ignition lock. For vehicles with
the Keyless Access system, the key has to be
outside the vehicle

›››

page 115

For this reason, the vehicle can only be used
with a genuine SEAT key with the correct
code. Coded keys can be purchased from
your technical service centre

›››

page 110

If an unauthorised key is used, the message

SAFE

Immobiliser active

is displayed

on the instrument panel. The vehicle cannot
be started in this case

Note

The correct operation of the vehicle is only
guaranteed when original SEAT keys are
used.

Braking and parking

Introduction

The

assisted braking systems include the an-

ti-lock braking system (ABS), the brake assist
system (BAS), the electronic differential lock
(EDL), the traction control system (ASR) and
the electronic stability control (ESC).

WARNING

Driving with worn brake pads or a faulty
brake system may lead to serious accident.

●

If  lights, alone or accompanied by a

warning message on the instrument panel
display, please go immediately to a special-
ised workshop to check the brake pads and to
replace them if they are worn.

WARNING

Careless parking can cause serious injury.

●

Never remove the key from the ignition if

the vehicle is in motion. The steering lock
may engage and lock the steering wheel mak-
ing the vehicle impossible to control.

●

Always park your vehicle so that no part of

the exhaust system can come in contact with
flammable materials (such as wood, leaves,
dried grass, spilled fuel, etc.).

●

Always apply the electronic parking brake

when you leave your vehicle and when you
park.

●

Never leave children or disabled people

alone in the vehicle. They could release the
electronic parking brake, activate the selec-
tor lever or gear stick and start the vehicle
moving. This could result in a serious acci-
dent.

●

Always take all the keys with you whenever

you leave the vehicle. The engine could acci-
dentally be started and electrical equipment
such as the windows could accidentally be
operated resulting in serious injury.

●

Never leave children or disabled people

alone in the car. They could be trapped in the
car in an emergency and will not be able to
get themselves to safety. For example, de-
pending on the time of the year, tempera-
tures inside a locked and closed vehicle can
be extremely high or extremely low resulting
in serious injuries and illness or even death,
particularly for young children.

CAUTION

●

Special care should be taken when parking

in areas with high kerbs or fixed barriers. Ob-
jects protruding from the ground may dam-
age the bumper or other parts of the vehicle
during manoeuvres. To avoid damage, stop
before the wheels touch the barrier or kerb.

●

Special attention is required when driving

through entrances, over ramps, kerbs or oth-
er objects. The vehicle underbody, bumpers,
mudguards and running gear, and the engine
and exhaust system could be damaged as
you drive over these objects.

Control and warning lamps



It lights up red

Together with the
control lamp  on
the button: Elec-
tronic parking brake
on.

›››

187

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Operation



It lights up red

Fault in the brake
system



Stop the vehicle!

Seek professional assistance!

›››

page 191

Brake fluid level in-
adequate.



Do not drive on!

Check brake fluid level

›››

page 279

Together with the
ABS control lamp


: ABS fault.

Contact a specialised workshop.
The vehicle can be braked with-
out ABS.



It lights up red

Brake pedal not
pressed!

Press brake pedal to the floor.



It lights up yellow

Front brake pads
worn.

Contact a specialised workshop
immediately. Inspect

all the

brake pads and replace as nec-
essary.



It lights up yellow

ESC disconnected
by the system.

Switching the ignition on and off
If necessary, drive for a short dis-
tance.

Fault in the ESC.

Contact a specialised workshop.

Together with the
ABS control lamp


: Fault in the ABS.

Contact a specialised workshop.
The vehicle can be braked with-
out ABS.



It lights up yellow

The battery has
been reconnected.

›››

page 280



It lights up yellow

ASR manually deac-
tivated.

Switch on ASR

›››

page 205

. ASR

is automatically activated when
the ignition is switched on or off.



It lights up yellow

Together with the
ESC control lamp :
Fault in the ABS.

Contact a specialised workshop.
The vehicle can be braked with-
out ABS.

Together with the
warning lamp  or


: ABS fault.



It lights up yellow

Together with the
warning lamp 
flashing: electronic
parking brake faul-
ty.

Contact a specialised workshop.



It lights up green

Brake pedal not
pressed.

Press the brake pedal to select a
gear range.

Press the brake pedal to discon-
nect the electronic parking brake

›››

page 189



Flashes red

Electronic parking
brake faulty. The
control lamp  may
light up at the same
time or the control
lamp  may flash
on the button.

Contact a specialised workshop,
as it may not be possible to park
the vehicle in safety.



It flashes yellow

ESC or ASR regulat-
ing.

Take your foot off the accelera-
tor. Adjust your driving style to
the road conditions.

Several warning and control lamps light up
for a few seconds when the ignition is switch-
ed on, signalling that the function is being
verified. They will switch off after a few sec-
onds.

WARNING

Observe the safety warnings

›››

in Control

WARNING

Driving with brakes in bad condition could re-
sult in a serious accident.

●

If the brake warning lamp  does not go

out, or if it lights up when driving, the brake
fluid level in the reservoir is too low or there

188

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Driving

is a fault in the brake system. Obtain profes-
sional assistance immediately

›››

page 278,

Checking the brake fluid level

●

If the brake warning lamp  lights up to-

gether with the ABS warning lamp , the
regulation function of the ABS could be mal-
functioning. As a result, the rear wheels can
lock relatively easily when braking. If the rear
wheels lock this could result in loss of vehicle
control! If possible, reduce your speed and
drive carefully to a specialised workshop
close by to check the brake system. During
the following journey, avoid sudden braking
and manoeuvres.

●

If the ABS warning lamp  does not go out

or if it lights while driving, the ABS is mal-
functioning. The vehicle can only be stopped
using normal braking without ABS. The pro-
tection provided by the ABS is not available.
Visit a specialised workshop as soon as pos-
sible.

●

If  lights, alone or accompanied by a

warning message on the instrument panel
display, please go immediately to a special-
ised workshop to check the brake pads and to
replace them if they are worn.

Electronic parking brake

Fig. 201

Detailed view of the centre console:

electronic parking brake switch

Applying the electronic parking brake
The parking brake can be applied whenever
the vehicle is at a standstill, even when the
ignition is switched off. Always apply the
parking brake when you leave your vehicle
and when you park.

●

Pull button



until the control lamp  on

the button lights up.

●

The parking brake is applied when the con-

trol lamp  lights up on the instrument pan-
el

›››

Disengaging the electronic parking brake

●

Switch the ignition on.

●

Press button



. At the same time, press

the brake pedal hard or gently press the ac-
celerator pedal with the engine switched on.

●

The control lamps  on the button and 

on the instrument panel go out.

Automatic release of the electronic parking
brake on starting the engine
The electronic parking brake is automatically
released when the vehicle starts moving, if
the driver door is closed

and the driver is

wearing his/her seat belt. In addition, in ve-
hicles with a

manual gearbox the clutch ped-

al should also be pressed to the floor before
starting the engine so that the system recog-
nises that the parking brake should be re-
leased.

Emergency braking function
Only use the emergency braking function if
the vehicle cannot be stopped with the brake
pedal

›››

●

Pull button



hard to stop the vehicle. The

warning display will be accompanied by the
corresponding audible warning.

●

To stop the braking process, release the

button or press the accelerator.

WARNING

The incorrect use of the electronic parking
brake may result in serious accident.

●

Never use the electronic parking brake to

brake the vehicle except in an emergency.
The braking distance is considerably longer,

189

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Operation

because braking is only applied to the rear
wheels. Always use the foot brake.

●

Never accelerate from the engine compart-

ment with the engine running and a gear or a
gear range engaged. The vehicle could move,
even if the parking brake is applied.

Note

●

In vehicles with a manual gearbox: when

the clutch pedal is released and the accelera-
tor pressed at the same time, the electronic
parking brake is automatically released.

●

If the vehicle battery is flat, it will not be

possible to disconnect the electronic parking
brake. Use the jump-start

›››



page 51

●

When the electronic parking brake is ap-

plied or released, noises may be heard.

●

If the electronic parking brake has not been

used for a long while, the system sometimes
performs automatic and audible checks while
the vehicle is at a standstill.

Parking

When parking your vehicle, all legal require-
ments should be observed.

To park the vehicle
Complete operations only in the sequence
given.

●

Park the vehicle on a suitable surface

›››

●

Press and hold the brake pedal until the ve-

hicle comes to a standstill.

●

Connect the electronic parking brake

›››

page 189

●

For an automatic gearbox, move the selec-

tor lever to position

●

Switch off the engine and release the brake

pedal.

●

Remove the key from the ignition.

●

If necessary, turn the steering wheel slight-

ly to lock the steering.

●

With a manual gearbox, engage 1st gear on

flat ground and slopes, or even reverse gear
on hills, and release the clutch pedal.

●

Ensure that all passengers leave the vehi-

cle, especially children.

●

When leaving the vehicle, take all keys with

you.

●

Lock the vehicle.

Additional information for steep ascents and
descents
Before switching off the engine, rotate the
steering wheel so that if the vehicle should
move, it will be held by the kerb.

●

On slopes, turn the front wheels so that

they are against the edge of the kerb.

●

Uphill, turn the wheels towards the centre

of the road.

WARNING

The components of the exhaust system reach
very high temperatures. This could cause a
fire and considerable damage.

●

Always park your vehicle so that no part of

the exhaust system can come in contact with
flammable materials (such as wood,
leaves,dried grass, or spilled fuel).

CAUTION

●

Special care should be taken when parking

●

Special attention is required when driving

Information on the brakes

For the first 200 to 300 km (100 to 200
miles),

new brake pads have not yet reached

their maximum braking capacity, and need to
be “run in” first

›››

. The slightly reduced

braking effect can be compensated for by in-
creasing pressure on the brake pedal.

While

running in, the full braking distance or

190

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Driving

emergency braking distance is larger then
when the brake pads have been run in. While
running in, avoid full power braking or situa-
tions requiring braking performance. For ex-
ample, in heavy traffic.

The

rate of wear of the brake pads depends

to a great extent on the conditions in which
the vehicle is used and the way the vehicle is
driven. If the vehicle is used frequently in city
traffic or for short trips or driven sport style,
visit a specialised workshop regularly, more
frequently than advised in the Maintenance
Programme, to have the brake pads checked.

If you drive with

wet brakes, for example, af-

ter crossing areas of water, in heavy rainfall
or even after washing the car, the effect of
the brakes is lessened as the brake discs are
wet or even frozen (in winter). At higher
speed, “dry” the brakes as quickly as possi-
ble by braking gently several times. Only do
this without endangering vehicles behind
you or any other road users

›››

layer of salt on the discs and brake pads

will reduce the effectiveness of the brakes
and increase braking distance. If you drive for
a prolonged period on salted roads without
braking then brake carefully several times to
eliminate the layer of salt on the brakes

›››

If the vehicle remains parked for considera-
ble lengths of time, is used little, or if the
brakes are not used, there may be

corrosion

on the brake discs and a build up of

dirt on

the brake pads. If the brakes are not used fre-
quently, or if rust has formed on the discs,
SEAT recommends cleaning the pads and
discs by braking firmly a few times at a mod-
erately high speed. Only do this without en-
dangering vehicles behind you or any other
road users

›››

Faults in the brake system
During braking, if you notice that the vehicle
does not react as usual (that the braking dis-
tance has increased suddenly) it may be pos-
sible that there is a fault in the braking sys-
tem. The  warning lamp lights up and a
text message displayed. Take the vehicle to a
specialised workshop immediately and have
the fault repaired. Drive at a moderate speed
and be prepared to use more pressure on the
brake pedal, and allow for longer stopping
distances.

Brake servo
The brake servo only operates when the en-
gine is running and the pressure applied by
the driver on the brake pedal increases.

If the brake servo does not operate or the ve-
hicle must be towed, then the brake pedal
will have to be pressed with more force given
that the braking distance will be increased
when the brake servo does not operate

›››

WARNING

New brake pads do not brake to full efficien-
cy.

●

For the first 320 km (200 miles), new brake

pads have not yet reached their maximum
braking capacity, and need to be “run in”
first. For this, to compensate for reduced
braking efficiency the brake pedal will have
to be pressed with more force.

●

To avoid losing control of the vehicle and

causing serious accidents, always take great
care when driving with new brake pads.

●

When running in new brake pads, always

respect the safety distances between you and
other vehicles and do not cause situations re-
quiring extreme braking performance.

WARNING

When brakes overheat, braking is less effi-
cient and braking distances increase.

●

When driving on slopes, brakes can be

overloaded and overheat quickly.

●

Reduce speed or change down a gear when

faced with steep and long slopes. This allows
you to use the engine braking effect and to
reduce the strain on the brake system.

●

Non-standard or damaged front spoilers

could restrict the airflow to the brakes and
cause them to overheat.

191

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Operation

WARNING

Wet, frozen or salt-covered brakes take lon-
ger to engage and this increases braking dis-
tances.

●

Test the brakes carefully.

●

Dry the brakes, free them of ice and salt by

braking gently several times, when weather,
road and traffic conditions permit.

WARNING

Driving without the brake servo may signifi-
cantly increase the braking distance and re-
sult in a severe accident.

●

Never allow the vehicle to move forwards

when the engine is switched off.

●

If the brake servo does not operate or the

vehicle must be towed, then the brake pedal
will have to be pressed with more force given
that the braking distance will be increased
when the brake servo does not operate.

CAUTION

●

Never make the brakes “slip” by pressing

the pedal gently, if it is not really necessary
to brake. Continuously pressing on the brake
pedal will heat the brakes. This could signifi-
cantly reduce braking power, increase brak-
ing distance or even result in the total failure
of the brake system.

●

Reduce speed or change down a gear when

faced with steep and long slopes. This allows
you to use the engine braking effect and to

reduce the strain on the brake system. Other-
wise, the brakes may overheat and fail. Only
use the brakes to reduce speed or to stop.

Note

When checking the front brake pads, take the
time to also check the rear brake pads. The
thickness of the brake pads should be
checked visually and regularly, by looking
through the openings in the wheel rims or
from underneath the vehicle. If necessary, re-
move the wheels to check them thoroughly.
SEAT recommends taking your car in for tech-
nical service.

Gearbox

Introduction

When reverse gear is engaged and the igni-
tion is switched on the following takes place:

●

Reverse lights light up.

●

When reversing, the air conditioner auto-

matically changes to air recirculation mode.

●

The rear window heater switches on when

the windscreen wiper is activated.

●

Also, the parking sensor system, the opti-

cal parking sensor and the camera for the re-
verse assist system are connected.

WARNING

Rapid acceleration can cause loss of traction
and skidding, especially on slippery ground.
This could cause loss of control of the vehicle
resulting in an accident and considerable
damage.

●

Only use the kick-down function or rapid

acceleration if visibility, weather, road and
traffic conditions so permit.

WARNING

Do not allow the brakes to “rub” for a pro-
longed period of time, or brake frequently or
for long periods of time. Continuous braking
heats up the brakes. This could significantly
reduce braking power, increase braking dis-
tance or even result in the total failure of the
brake system.

Control and warning lamps



It lights up red

Brake pedal not
pressed!

Press brake pedal to the floor.



It lights up green

Brake pedal not
pressed.

To select a range of gears, press
the brake pedal.
Please also see "Electronic park-
ing brake"

›››

and warning lamps on page 105

192

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Driving



Flashes green

The selector lever
locking button has
not engaged. The
vehicle does not
start to move.

Engage the selector lever lock

›››

page 194

Several warning and control lamps light up
for a few seconds when the ignition is switch-
ed on, signalling that the function is being
verified. They will switch off after a few sec-
onds.

WARNING

Observe the safety warnings

›››

in Control

Manual gear change

Read the additional information carefully

›››



page 34

In some countries, it is necessary to press the
clutch pedal to the floor to start the engine.

Selecting reverse gear
Engage reverse gear only when the vehicle is
stopped.

WARNING

When the engine is running, the vehicle will
start to move as soon as a gear is engaged

and the clutch released. This is also the case
with the electronic parking brake on.

●

Never engage the reverse gear when a vehi-

cle is moving forward.

CAUTION

To prevent damage and avoid premature
wear, please observe the following:

●

While driving, do not leave your hand rest-

ing on the gear stick. The pressure applied by
your hand is transmitted to the gearbox se-
lector forks.

●

Always ensure that the vehicle is complete-

ly stopped before engaging the reverse gear.

●

When changing gear, always make sure the

clutch pedal is pushed right to the floor.

●

Never hold the vehicle “on the clutch” on

hills with the engine on.

Automatic gearbox*

Fig. 202

Automatic gearbox selector lever

with locking button (arrow)

Read the additional information carefully

›››



page 34

The selector lever has a lock. When changing
the selector lever from position

P to a range

of gears, press the brake pedal and press the
lock on the selector lever, located on the
front part of the knob, in the direction of the
arrow

›››

Fig. 202

. To move the gear selector

lever from the position

N to D or to R, first

press and hold the brake pedal.

When the ignition is on, the current position
of the selector lever is shown on the instru-
ment panel.



- Parking lock

The driven wheels are mechanically locked.

193

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Operation

Only change gears when the vehicle is at a
standstill. To change the position of the se-
lector lever, press the brake pedal and switch
on the ignition.



- Reverse gear

Reverse gear is engaged.

Only put in reverse when the vehicle is at a
standstill. If not it could result in serious
damage.



- Neutral

The gearbox is in neutral. No movement is
transmitted to the wheels and the engine
does not act as a brake.



- Standard forwards driving position (nor-

mal programme)
The gears are changed (up and down) auto-
matically. The gear shifts are determined by
the engine load, your individual driving style
and the speed of the vehicle.



- Standard forwards driving position

(sports programme)
The shift up to a higher gear is automatically
delayed and the shift down is faster with re-
spect to the

D range of gears, to take full ad-

vantage of the engine power. The gear shifts
are determined by the engine load, your indi-
vidual driving style and the speed of the ve-
hicle.

Selector lever locking
The gear selector lever lock prevents, in

P or

N, a gear selection from being inadvertently
engaged and the vehicle moving off acciden-
tally.

To release the gear selector lever lock, press
and hold the brake pedal with the ignition
on. Press simultaneously on the selector lev-
er lock.

The selector lever lock is not engaged if it is
moved quickly through position

N (e.g. when

shifting from

R to D). This makes it possible,

for instance, to “rock the vehicle backwards
and forwards” if it is stuck in snow or mud.
The selector lever lock engages automatically
if the brake pedal is not pressed and the lev-
er is in position

N for more than about one

second at a speed of less than 5 km/h
(3 mph).

In vehicles with a DSG

automatic gearbox,

on rare occasions the selector lever lock may
not engage. In this case, the transmission is
locked to prevent the vehicle from moving ac-
cidentally. The green control light  flashes
and an information text is displayed. Proceed
as follows to engage the selector lever lock:

●

Press the brake pedal and then release.

WARNING

Placing the selector lever in an incorrect posi-
tion may cause loss of control of the vehicle
and a serious accident.

●

Do not press the accelerator when engag-

ing a range of gears.

●

With the engine running and a range of

gears selected, the vehicle will move off
when the brake pedal is released.

●

Never select reverse gear or the parking

lock while driving.

WARNING

Unintentional movements of the vehicle
could cause serious injury.

●

As a driver, you should never leave your ve-

hicle if the engine is running and a gear range
is engaged. If you have to leave your vehicle
while the engine is running, you must apply
the electronic parking brake and engage
parking lock P with the selector lever.

●

While the engine is running and with the D,

S or R range of gears selected, keep the brake
pressed to keep the vehicle at a standstill.
Transmission is not totally interrupted either
when the vehicle is idling or when the vehicle
“continues moving forwards”.

●

Never engage the R or P gear ranges when

the vehicle is moving.

●

Never leave the vehicle with the gear selec-

tor in N. The vehicle may move downhill re-
gardless of whether the engine is switched
on or not.

194

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Driving

CAUTION

If, when the vehicle is at a standstill, the
electronic parking brake is not applied and
the brake pedal is released while in position
P, the vehicle may move a few centimetres
forwards or backwards.

Note

If, while driving, the selector lever is acciden-
tally placed in position N, lift your foot off the
accelerator. Wait until the engine is running
at idle speed before selecting a new gear
range.

Gear change with Tiptronic*

Fig. 203

Selector lever in Tiptronic position

(left-hand drive vehicles). The lay-out in right-
hand drive vehicles is symmetrically op-
posed.

Fig. 204

Steering wheel with two paddle

shifts for Tiptronic

The Tiptronic system allows you to manually
change gears in vehicles with an automatic
gearbox. When you change to the Tiptronic
programme, the vehicle remains in the cur-
rently selected gear. This is possible as long
as the system is not changing gear automati-
cally due to a traffic situation.

Using Tiptronic with the selector lever

●

Press the selector lever from position

D to

the right into the Tiptronic selector gate

›››

in Automatic gearbox* on page 194

●

Press the lever forwards

or backwards

–

to move up or down a gear

›››

Fig. 203

Using the Tiptronic with the steering wheel
paddle shifts

●

D or S, move the steering wheel paddle

shifts

›››

●

Pull the right-hand side paddle

›››

towards the steering wheel to

step up a gear.

●

Pull the left-hand side paddle

–

›››

towards the steering wheel step down a gear.

If the paddles are not used for a period of
time, the vehicle leaves Tiptronic mode.

CAUTION

●

When accelerating, the gearbox automati-

cally shifts up into the next gear shortly be-
fore the maximum engine speed is reached.

●

When reducing speed manually, the gear-

box only shifts gear when the engine can no
longer exceed the maximum engine speed.

Driving with automatic gearbox

The gearbox changes gear ratios automatical-
ly as the vehicle moves.

Driving down hills
The steeper the gradient, the lower the gear
you will need. The lowest gears increase the
engine braking work. Never go down hills
with the selector lever in neutral

●

You should reduce speed accordingly.

●

Press the selector lever from position

D to

the right into the Tiptronic selector gate

›››

195

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Operation

●

Gently pull the selector lever back to

change down a gear.

●

OR: reduce using the steering wheel pad-

dles

›››

›››

page 195

Back-up mode
If all the selector lever positions on the in-
strument panel display are shown with a
light-coloured background, this means there
is a fault in the system. The automatic gear-
box will operate in back-up mode. When the
backup programme is activated, it is possible
to drive the vehicle, however, at low speeds
and within a selected range of gears.

For the DSG

dual clutch gearbox, in some

cases, this may mean that

the reverse gear

does not engage. The gearbox should be
checked by a specialised workshop as soon
as possible.

Protection against overloading the DSG

gear automatic gearbox
When the clutch is overloaded, the vehicle
begins to jerk and the selector lever position
indicator begins to flash. To prevent damage
to the clutch, this interrupts the power trans-
mission between the engine and the gear-
box. There is no more traction and it is not
possible to accelerate. If the clutch is opened
automatically due to overloading, press the
brake pedal. Wait a few seconds before start-
ing to move again.

Kick-down
The kick-down system provides maximum ac-
celeration when the gear selector lever is in
the positions

D, S or in the Tiptronic position.

When the accelerator pedal is pressed right
down, the automatic gearbox will shift down
to a lower gear, depending on road speed
and engine speed. This takes advantage of
the maximum acceleration of the vehicle

›››

When the accelerator is pressed to the floor,
the automatic gearbox shifts to the next gear
only after the engine reaches the specified
maximum engine speed.

Launch-Control Programme
The Launch-Control programme enables max-
imum acceleration while at a standstill.

●

Switch off the ASR

›››