maintenance Seat Arona 2017 User Guide

Advice
of approved types of radio transmitters provi-
ded th at:
● The aeri al
is installed correctly.
● The aerial is installed on the exterior of the
vehicl
e (and shielded cables are used togeth-
er with non-reflective aerial trimming).
● The effective transmitting power does not
exc
eed 10 Watts at the aerial base.
A SEAT Official Service and specialised work-
shop will be able to inform you about options
for installing and operating radio transmitters
with a higher transmitting power.
Mobile radio transmitters
Commercial mobile telephones or radio
equipment might interfere with the electron-
ics of your vehicle and cause malfunctions.
This may be due to:
● No external aerial.
● External aerial incorrectly installed.
● Transmitting power more than 10 W.
You mus
t, therefore, do not operate portable
mobile telephones or radio equipment inside
the vehicle without a properly installed exter-
nal aerial ››› .
Pl e
a

se note also that the maximum range of
the equipment can only be achieved with an
external aerial. Business equipment
Retrofit

installation of business or private
equipment in the vehicle is permitted, provi-
ded the equipment cannot interfere with the
driver's immediate control of the vehicle and
that any such equipment carries the  mark.
Any retrofit equipment that could influence
the driver's control of the vehicle must have a
type approval for your vehicle and must carry
the e mark. WARNING
Mobile telephones or radio equipment which
is oper

ated inside the vehicle without a prop-
erly installed external aerial can create exces-
sive magnetic fields that could cause a health
hazard. Note
● The pos t

erior fitting of electric and elec-
tronic equipment in this vehicle affects its li-
cence and could lead to the withdrawal of the
vehicle registration document under certain
circumstances.
● Please use the mobile telephone/radio op-
erating in
structions. Care and cleaning
Gener a
l

notes Vehicle maintenance
Re
gu

lar care and washing help to maintain
the value of the vehicle. This may also be one
of the requirements for acknowledging war-
ranty claims in the event of bodywork corro-
sion or paint defects.
The best way to protect your vehicle against
the harmful effects of the environment is
through correct maintenance and frequent
washing. The longer substances such as in-
sect remains, bird droppings, resinous tree
sap, road dirt, industrial deposits, tar, soot or
road salt and other aggressive materials re-
main on the vehicle, the more damage they
do to the paintwork. High temperatures, for
instance in strong sunlight, further intensify
the corrosive effect.
After winter, a period when salt is put on the
roads, it is important to have the underside
of the vehicle washed thoroughly.
Products for vehicle maintenance
Car-care products are available in your Tech-
nical Services. Keep the product instructions
until you have used them up.
256

Care and maintenance
WARNING
● Car -c
are products can be toxic. Because of
this, they must always be kept closed in their
original container. Keep them out of the reach
of children. Failure to comply could result in
poisoning.
● Always read and observe the instructions
and warning
s on the package before using
car-care products. Improper use could cause
health problems or damage the vehicle. The
use of certain products may produce noxious
vapours; they should be used in well ventila-
ted areas.
● Never use fuel, turpentine, engine oil, nail
varnish r
emover or other volatile fluids.
These are toxic and highly flammable. Risk of
fire and explosion.
● Before washing your vehicle, or carrying
out any
maintenance, switch the engine off,
apply the handbrake firmly and remove the
key from the ignition. CAUTION
Never attempt to remove dirt, mud or dust if
the sur f

ace of the vehicle is dry. Never use a
dry cloth or sponge for cleaning purposes.
This could damage the paintwork or the win-
dows of your vehicle. Soak dirt, mud or dust
with plenty of water. For the sake of the environment
● When pur c

hasing car care products, try to
select ones that are not harmful to the envi-
ronment.
● The waste from car-care products should
not be dis
posed of with ordinary household
waste. Observe the disposal information on
the package. Care of the vehicle exterior
Autom atic

car wash tunnel The vehicle paintwork is so durable that the
v
ehic
l

e can normally be washed without
problems in an automatic car wash tunnel.
However, the paintwork wear depends to a
large extent on the kind of the car wash tun-
nel, the brushes used, its water filtering and
the type of cleaning and preservative prod-
ucts.
Before going through a car wash, be sure to
take the usual precautions such as closing
the windows. There is nothing to note apart
from that.
If the vehicle has special accessories such as
spoilers or a roof rack or two-way radio aerial,
etc., it is advisable to consult the car wash
tunnel operator first. After washing, the brake

s could take some
time to respond as the brake discs and pads
could be wet, or even frozen in winter. “Dry”
the brakes by braking several times. WARNING
Water, ice and salt on the brake system can
reduc e br

aking effectiveness. Risk of acci-
dent. Hand-washing
Vehicle washing
– First soften the dirt and rinse it off with wa-
ter
.
– C

lean your vehicle from top to bottom with
a soft s
ponge, a glove or a brush. Use very
light pressure.
– Rinse the sponge or glove often with clean
water

.
– Special car shampoo should only be used
for v

ery stubborn dirt.
– Leave the wheels, sill panels etc. until last,
usin

g a different sponge or glove.
– Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water.
– Dry the vehicle surface gently with a cha-
mois l

eather.
– In cold temperature, dry the rubber seals
and their sur

faces to prevent them from »
257
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Care and maintenance
● Do not u
se s
crapers to remove ice or snow
from the sheets.
● Do not polish the adhesive sheets.
● Do not use dirty cloths or sponges.
● It is preferable to wash them with a soft
spong
e and gentle neutral soap.
Sensors and camera lenses ●
Use a small brush to remove snow and a
de-icer s pr

ay to remove ice.
● Clean the sensors with a solvent-free prod-
uct and a sof t, dr

y cloth.
● Moisten the camera lens using a standard
alcohol-b
ased glass cleaning agent and
clean the lens with a dry cloth. CAUTION
● When y ou c

lean the vehicle with a pressure
washer:
–Stay a suitable distance from the sensors
on the front and rear bumpers.
– Do not clean the camera lenses or sur-
rounding area with the pressure washer.
● Never use warm or hot water to remove
snow and ic
e from the reverse camera lens,
as it could crack the lens.
● Never use abrasive cleaning agents on the
lens. Vehicle paint maintenance
Regular waxing protects the paintwork.
You need t
o ap

ply wax to your vehicle if water
does not form small drops and run off the
paintwork when it is clean.
Good quality hard wax products are available
at your Technical Service.
Regular wax applications help to protect the
paintwork from environmental contaminants
››› page 256. It is also effective in protecting
against minor scratches.
Even if a wax solution is used regularly in the
vehicle washing tunnel, it is advisable to pro-
tect the paint with a hard wax coating at least
twice a year.
Polishing the paintwork Polishing is only necessary if the paint has
lo
s
t

its shine, and the gloss cannot be
brought back by applying wax. Polishing
products can be purchased in your Technical
Service.
The vehicle must be waxed after polishing if
the polish used does not contain wax com-
pounds to seal the paint ›››
page 259, Vehicle
paint maintenance . CAUTION
To prevent damage to the paintwork:
● Do not use polishes and hard wax on pain-
ted p ar

ts with a matt finish or on plastic
parts.
● Do not polish your vehicle in a sandy or
dusty
environment. Caring for plastic parts
If normal washing fails to clean plastic parts,
c
l
e

an them with approved solvent-free plas-
tic cleaning and care products. CAUTION
● The use of li

quid air freshener directly over
the air vents of the vehicle may damage the
plastic parts if the liquid is accidentally spil-
led.
● Cleaning products which contain solvents
wil
l damage the material. Cleaning of windows and mirrors
Cleaning windows
– Moisten the windows with commercially
av ai
l

able, alcohol based glass cleaner.
– Dry the windows with a clean chamois
leather or a lint

-free cloth. »
259
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Care and maintenance
Steel wheel rims –
Clean steel wheel rims regularly using a
separ at
e sponge.
Use an industrial cleaner to remove brake
dust. Any damage to the paint on steel wheel
rims should be repaired before starting to
rust. WARNING
● Never w a

sh tyres with a cylindrical jet. Even
at large spraying distances and short clean-
ing times, damage can occur to the tyres.
This may cause an accident.
● Water, ice and salt on the brake system can
reduce br
aking effectiveness. Risk of acci-
dent. Directly after washing, avoid sudden
and sharp braking. “Dry” the brakes by brak-
ing several times ››› page 174, Braking ca-
pacity and braking distance .Alloy wheel rims
Every two weeks
– Wash salt and brake dust from alloy
wheel s.
– Use an ac

id free detergent to clean the
wheel rims.
Ev

ery 3 months
– Apply a hard wax compound to the wheels. Alloy wheels require regular attention to pre-
serve their ap

pearance. If road salt and brake
dust are not often removed, the aluminium
finish will be impaired.
Always use an acid-free detergent for alloy
wheel rims.
Car polish or other abrasive agents should
not be used for maintaining the rims. If the
protective coating is damaged, e.g. by flying
stones, the damaged area should be re-
paired immediately. WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ›››
in Steel
wheel rims on p
age 261. Vehicle underbody protection
The vehicle underbody is coated to protect it
fr
om c
hemic

al and mechanical damage.
The protective coating can be damaged when
driving. We recommend that you check the
protective coating under the body and on the
running gear, and retouch it if necessary, be-
fore and after the winter season.
We recommend that you go to your Technical
Service to carry out repair work and addition-
al anti-corrosion work. WARNING
Do not apply underseal or anti-corrosion
co atin

gs to the exhaust pipes, catalytic con-
verter or the heat shields on the exhaust sys-
tem. The heat of the exhaust system or the
engine could cause them to ignite. Risk of
fire. Cleaning engine compartment
Take special care when cleaning the engine
comp
ar

tment.
Anti-corrosion treatment
The engine compartment and the surface of
the power unit are given anti-corrosion treat-
ment at the factory.
Good corrosion protection is particularly im-
portant in winter when the vehicle is fre-
quently driven on salted roads. To prevent
the salt corroding the vehicle, the entire en-
gine compartment should be thoroughly
cleaned before and after winter.
Technical Services have the proper products
for cleaning and preservation as well as the
necessary workshop equipment. For this rea-
son, we recommend having this work per-
formed by them.
The anti-corrosion protection is usually re-
moved if the engine compartment is cleaned
with grease removing solutions, or if you »
261
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Care and maintenance
vacuum cleaner. This will remove surface dirt
whic h c
ou
ld otherwise be rubbed into the
textile material during use. Do not use steam
cleaners, as the steam could carry the dirt
deeper into the textile material.
Normal cleaning
We recommend that you use a soft sponge or
a commercially available lint-free, micro-fibre
cloth for normal cleaning. Only use brushes
on floor coverings and mats, as other textile
surfaces could become damaged.
In the case of normal surface dirt you can use
a foam cleaner. Use a sponge to spread the
foam on the textile surface and to work it into
the material lightly. However, make sure that
the textile material does not become soaking
wet. Then dab off the foam with a dry and ab-
sorbent cloth (e.g. a micro-fibre cloth) and
vacuum off any residue once the surface is
completely dry.
Cleaning stains
Treat drink stains (such as coffee or fruit
juice, etc.) with a cleaning solution for deli-
cate fabrics. This solution should be applied
with a sponge. If the stains are difficult to re-
move, a washing paste can be applied direct-
ly onto the stain and worked into the fabric.
The surface will then have to be wiped with
clear water to remove any residue left by the
paste. To do so, use a damp cloth or sponge and then dab the stain with an absorbent
cloth.
Remo
ve chocolate or make-up stains with a
cleaning paste (for e.g., soft soap). Then re-
move the soap with water (wet sponge).
A spirit-based cleaner can be used to remove
grease, oil, lipstick or ball point pen. Then
dab the dissolved grease or colour particles
off with an absorbent cloth or similar. You
may also have to treat the stain once more
using washing paste and water.
If the covers or textile trim panels are badly
soiled we recommend that you have them
cleaned by a professional cleaning company
with a shampoo and spray. Note
Open Velcro fasteners on clothes can damage
the seat upho

lstery. Make sure they are
closed. Cleaning leather*
Normal cleaning
–
Moisten a cotton or woollen cloth with wa-
ter and w
ipe o

ver the leather surfaces.
Cleaning stubborn stains
– More stubborn dirt can be removed using a
mild so

ap solution (pure liquid soap; two tablespoons diluted in one litre of water)
and a cloth.
– Do not l

et the water soak through the leath-
er or soak int
o the seams.
– Then wipe off with a soft, dry cloth.
Leather m
aintenance
– The leather should be treated twice a year
with a spec

ial leather-care product, availa-
ble at Technical Services.
– Apply these products very sparingly.
– Then wipe off with a soft cloth.
SEAT doe
s everything possible to preserve
the genuine qualities of this natural product.
Due to the natural properties of the specially
selected hides employed, the finished leath-
er has a certain sensitivity to grease and dirt,
etc. so a degree of care is required in every-
day use and when looking after the leather.
Dust and grit in the pores and seams can
scratch and damage the surface. If the vehi-
cle is under solar radiation for long periods,
the leather should be protected to prevent it
from fading. However, slight colour variations
in high-quality natural leather are normal. CAUTION
● Do not u se so

lvents, wax polish, shoe
cream, spot removers or similar products on
leather. » 263
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

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. Working in the engine compart-
ment
saf
ety

notes for work in the engine
compartment Read the additional information carefully
›› ›

 page 17
Before starting any work on the engine or in
the engine compartment:
1. Switch off the engine and remove the key from the ignition.
2. Ap

ply the handbrake.
3. Move the gear lever to neutral or the selec- tor lev
er to position P.
4. Wait for the engine to cool down.
5. Keep children away from the vehicle.
6. Raise the bonnet ›››

page 268.
You should not do any work in the engine
compartment unless you know exactly how to
carry out the jobs and have the correct tools!
Have the work carried out by a specialised
workshop if you are uncertain.
All service fluids and consumables, e.g. cool-
ant, engine oil, spark plugs and batteries,
are under constant development. SEAT pro-
vides a constant flow of information to Tech-
nical Services concerning modifications. For
this reason, we recommend you have service fluids and consumables replaced by a Techni-
cal

Service. Please observe the relevant in-
structions ››› page 255. The engine compart-
ment of the vehicle is a hazardous area ››› .
WARNING
All work on the engine or in the engine com-
par tment, e.

g. checking and refilling fluids,
involves the danger of injury and burns, acci-
dents and even fire.
● Never open the bonnet if you see steam,
smoke or coo
lant escaping from the engine
compartment. Otherwise, there is a risk of
sustaining burns. Wait until no more steam or
coolant is emitted, then allow the engine to
cool before carefully opening the bonnet.
● Switch off the engine and remove the key
from the ignition.
● App

ly the handbrake and move the gear
lever t
o neutral or selector lever to position P.
● Keep children away from the vehicle.
● Never touch hot engine parts. There is a
risk of
burns.
● Never spill liquids on a hot engine or on a
hot exh
aust gas system. This is a fire hazard.
● Avoid causing short-circuits in the electri-
cal
system, particularly at the points where
the jump leads are attached ›››
 page 68.
The battery could explode.
● Never touch the radiator fan. It is tempera-
ture c
ontrolled and could start automatically,
even when the engine has been switched off
and the key removed from the ignition! » 267
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Checking and refilling levels
diesel engines together, it means that the oil
c an be u
sed f
or both types of engines.
We recommend that the oil change indicated
in the Maintenance Programme, be per-
formed by a technical service or specialised
workshop.
The correct oil specifications for your engine
are listed in the ›››
 page 56.
Service intervals
Service intervals can be flexible (LongLife
service) or fixed (dependent on time/dis-
tance travelled).
If the PR code that appears on the back of the
Maintenance Programme booklet is PR QI6,
this means that your vehicle has the LongLife
service program. If it lists the codes QI1, QI2,
QI3, QI4 or QI7, the interval service is de-
pendent on the time/distance travelled.
Flexible service intervals (LongLife service
intervals*)
Special oils and processes have been devel-
oped which, depending on the characteris-
tics and individual driving profiles, enable
the extension of the oil change service (Long-
Life service intervals).
Because this oil is essential for extending the
service intervals, it must only be used ob-
serving the following indications: ●
Avoid mi xing it with oil for fixed service in-
tervals.
● Only in exceptional circumstances, if the
engine oil
level is too low ››› page 272 and
LongLife oil is not available, it is permitted to
top up (once) with oil for fixed service inter-
vals ›››
 page 56 (up to a maximum of 0.5
litres).
Fixed service intervals*
If your vehicle does not have the “LongLife
service interval” or it has been disabled (by
request), you may use oils for fixed service
intervals, which also appear in
›››  page 56. In this case, your vehicle
must be serviced after a fixed interval of 1
year/15,000 km (10,000 miles)(whatever
comes first) ››› Booklet Maintenance Pro-
gramme.
● In exceptional circumstances, if the engine
oil l
evel is too low ››› page 272 and you can-
not obtain the oil specified for your vehicle,
you can add a small quantity of oil conform-
ing to the specification ACEA A2 or ACEA A3
(petrol engines) or ACEA B3 or ACEA B4 (die-
sel engines) (up to 0.5 l).
Vehicles with diesel particulate filter*
The Maintenance Programme states whether
your vehicle is fitted with a diesel particulate
filter. Only VW 507 00 engine oil, with reduced ash
formation, m

ay be used in diesel engines
equipped with particulate filter. Using other
types of oil will cause a higher soot concen-
tration and reduce the life of the DPF. There-
fore:
● Avoid mixing this oil with other engine oils.
● Only in exceptional circumstances, if the
engine oil
level is too low ››› page 272 and
you cannot obtain the oil specified for your
vehicle, you can use a small quantity of oil
(once) conforming to the VW 506 00,
VW 506 01, VW 505 00, VW 505 01 or
ACEA B3/ACEA B4 specification. (up to 0.5 l). Note
Before a long trip, we recommend finding an
engine oi l

that conforms to the correspond-
ing VW specifications and recommend keep-
ing it in the vehicle. This way, the correct en-
gine oil will always be available for a top-up if
needed. Warning lamp
If this warning lamp
 is
r
ed it indicates
that the engine oil pressure is too low.
If this warning symbol starts to flash, and is
accompanied by three audible warnings,
switch off the engine and check the oil level.
If necessary, add more oil ›››
page 272. »
271
Technical data
Advice
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Emergencies
Safety

Checking and refilling levels
For the sake of the environment
The oil level must never be above area A .
Otherw i
se oil can be drawn in through the
crankcase breather and escape into the at-
mosphere via the exhaust system. Changing engine oil
Read the additional information carefully
›› ›

 page 55
The engine oil must be changed at the inter-
vals given in the service schedule.
We recommend that you have the engine oil
changed by a Technical Service.
The oil change intervals are shown in the
Maintenance Programme. WARNING
Only change the engine oil yourself if you
hav e the s

pecialist knowledge required!
● Before opening the bonnet, read and ob-
serve the w
arnings ››› page 267, safety notes
for work in the engine compartment .
● Wait for the engine to cool down. Hot oil
may
cause burn injuries.
● Wear eye protection to avoid injuries, such
as ac
id burns, caused by splashes of oil.
● When removing the oil drain plug with your
finger
s, keep your arm horizontal to help pre-
vent oil from running down your arm. ●
Wa sh

your skin thoroughly if it comes into
contact with engine oil.
● Engine oil is poisonous! Used engine oil
must
be stored in a safe place out of the
reach of children. CAUTION
No additives should be used with engine oil.
Thi s c

ould result in engine damage. Any dam-
age caused by the use of such additives
would not be covered by the factory warranty. For the sake of the environment
● Bec au

se of disposal problems and the spe-
cial tools and specialist knowledge required,
we recommend that you have the engine oil
and filter changed by a Technical Service.
● Never pour oil down drains or into the
ground.
● U

se a suitable container when draining the
used oil
. It must be large enough to hold all
the engine oil. Cooling system
C ontr o

l lamp There is a fault if:
● The  l amp does not go out again after a
f ew sec

onds. ●
The  lamp lights up or fl
ashes while the
vehicle is running, and three acoustic warn-
ing signals are emitted ››› .
Thi s
me

ans that either the coolant level is too
low or the coolant temperature is too high.
Coolant temperature too high
If the  lamp lights up, stop the vehicle,
turn off the engine and wait for it to cool
down. Check the coolant level.
If the coolant level is correct, the overheating
may be caused by a malfunction of the radia-
tor fan. Check the radiator fan fuse and have
it replaced if necessary ››› page 100.
If the control lamp lights up again after driv-
ing on for a short distance, stop the vehicle
and switch the engine off. Contact a Techni-
cal Service or a specialised workshop.
Coolant level too low
If the  lamp lights up, stop the vehicle,
turn off the engine and wait for it to cool
down. First check the coolant level. If the lev-
el of the coolant is below the “MIN” mark,
top up with coolant liquid ››› .
WARNING
● If y

our vehicle is immobilised for technical
reasons, move it to a safe distance from traf-
fic. Turn the engine off, turn the hazard lights
on and place the warning triangle. » 273
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Checking and refilling levels
CAUTION
The original additives should never be mixed
with c oo
lants which are not approved by
SEAT. Otherwise, you run the risk of causing
severe damage to the engine and the engine
cooling system.
● If the fluid in the expansion tank is not pur-
ple b
ut is, for example, brown, this indicates
that the G13 additive has been mixed with an
inadequate coolant. The coolant must be
changed as soon as possible if this is the
case! This could result in serious faults and
engine damage. For the sake of the environment
Coolants and additives can contaminate the
env ir

onment. If any fluids are spilled, they
should be collected and correctly disposed
of, with respect to the environment. Brake fluid
Chec k
in

g the brake fluid levelRead the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 57
The position of the brake fluid reservoir is
shown in the corresponding engine compart-
ment image ›››
page 270. The brake fluid res-
ervoir has a black and yellow cap. The brake fluid level drops slightly when the
vehicl

e is being used as the brake pads are
automatically adjusted as they wear.
However, if the level goes down noticeably in
a short time, or drops below the “MIN” mark,
there may be a leak in the brake system. A
display on the instrument panel will warn you
if the brake fluid level is too low ››› page 117. WARNING
Before opening the bonnet to check the brake
fluid lev el, r

ead and observe the warnings
››› page 267. Changing the brake fluid
The Maintenance Programme indicates brake
fluid c
h
an

ge intervals.
We recommend that you have the brake fluid
changed by a Technical Service.
Before opening the bonnet, please read and
follow the warnings ››› in safety notes for
w ork
in the en

gine compartment on
page 267 in section “Safety notes for work-
ing in the engine compartment”.
In the course of time, brake fluid becomes
hygroscopic and absorbs water from the am-
bient air. If the water content in the brake flu-
id is too high, the brake system could cor-
rode. This also considerably reduces the boil-
ing point of the brake fluid. Heavy use of the brakes may then cause a vapour lock which
coul

d impair the braking effect.
Be sure to always use the correct brake fluid.
Only use brake fluid that expressly meets the
VW 501 14 standard.
You can buy VW 501 14 standard brake fluid
in a SEAT dealership or a SEAT Official Serv-
ice. If none is available, use only high-quality
brake fluid that meets DIN ISO 4925 CLASS 4
standards, or USA Standards FMVSS 116 DOT
4.
Using any other kind of brake fluid or one
that is not of a high quality may affect opera-
tion of the brake system and reduce its effec-
tiveness. Never use a brake fluid if the con-
tainer does not state that it complies with VW
501 14, DIN ISO 4925 CLASS 4 standards, or
USA standards FMVSS 116 DOT 4. WARNING
Brake fluid is poisonous. Old brake fluid im-
pair s

the braking effect.
● Before opening the bonnet to check the
brake fluid l
evel, read and observe the warn-
ings ››› page 267.
● Brake fluid should be stored in the closed
original
container in a safe place out of reach
of children. There is a toxic risk.
● Perform the brake fluid change according to
the Mainten
ance Programme. Heavy use of
the brakes may cause a vapour lock if the
brake fluid is left in the brake system for too » 275
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Advice
The position of the battery is shown in the
c orr
e
sponding engine compartment diagram
››› page 270.
The “magic eye” indicator, located on the top
of the battery changes colour, depending on
the charge state and electrolyte level of the
battery.
There are two different colours:
● Black: correct charge status.
● Transparent/clear yellow: the battery must
be repl
aced. Contact a specialised workshop.
Charging or changing the battery The battery is maintenance-free and is
c
hec
k

ed during the inspection service. All
work on the vehicle battery requires special-
ist knowledge.
If you often drive short distances or if the ve-
hicle is not driven for long periods, the bat-
tery should be checked by a specialised
workshop between the scheduled services.
If the battery has discharged and you have
problems starting the vehicle, the battery
might be damaged. If this happens, we rec-
ommend you have the vehicle battery
checked by a Technical Service where it will
be re-charged or replaced. Charging the battery
The vehic

le battery should be charged by a
specialised workshop only, as batteries us-
ing special technology have been installed
and they must be charged in a controlled en-
vironment.
Replacing a vehicle battery
The battery has been developed to suit the
conditions of its location and has special
safety features.
Genuine SEAT batteries meet the mainte-
nance, performance and safety specifications
of your vehicle. WARNING
● We r ec

ommend you use only maintenance-
free or cycle free leak-proof batteries which
comply with standards T 825 06 and
VW 7 50 73. This standard applies as of
2001.
● Before starting any work on the batteries,
you mus
t read and observe the warnings
››› in Symbols and warnings on handling
the batt er

y on page 276. For the sake of the environment
Batteries contain toxic substances such as
su lphuric

acid and lead. They must be dis-
posed of appropriately and must not be dis-
posed of with ordinary household waste. Wheels
Wheel s
and ty

res
General notes Avoiding damage
– If you have to drive over a kerb or similar
ob s

tacle, drive very slowly and at a right
angle.
– Keep grease, oil and fuel off the tyres.
– Inspect the tyres regularly for damage
(cuts, c r

acks or blisters, etc.). Remove any
foreign objects embedded in the treads.
Storing tyres
– When you remove the tyres, mark them in
order to m

aintain the same direction of ro-
tation when they are installed again.
– When removed, the wheels and/or tyres
should be s

tored in a cool, dry and prefera-
bly dark location.
– Store tyres in a vertical position, if they are
not fitted on wheel

rims.
New tyres
New tyres must be run in ›››
page 191.
The tread depth of new tyres may vary, ac-
cording to the type and make of tyre and the
tread pattern.
278