check engine Seat Exeo 2008 Owner's Guide

Checking and refilling levels219
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Make sure that the liquid coolant meets the required specifications
⇒
page 217, “Liquid coolant”. Do not use a different type of anti-freeze if
anti-freeze G12++ is not available. In th is case, use only water and bring the
anti-freeze concentration back up to the correct level as soon as possible.
Always top up with new liquid coolant.
Do not fill above the “max” mark. Excess liquid coolant is forced out of the
system through the valve in the filler cap when the engine gets hot.
If a lot of liquid coolant has been lost, wait for the engine to cool down before
putting in cold coolant. Failure to do so could result in serious engine
damage.
WARNING
•
The cooling system is under pressu re. Do not unscrew the cap on the
expansion tank when the engine is hot. Failure to comply could result in
burns.
•
The anti-freeze and liquid coolant c an be a health hazard. Therefore,
the anti-freeze should be stored in the original container in a safe place out
of reach of children. Failure to comply could result in poisoning.For the sake of the environment
Drained off coolant should not be used again. Drain off the used coolant into
a suitable container and dispose of it in the proper manner (observe environ-
mental regulations).
Radiator fan
The radiator fan can start running spontaneously.The auxiliary fan can continue to run for as long as 10 minutes after stopping
the engine – even after the ignition is switched off. It may also start running
suddenly ⇒ after some while if•
stored heat raises the coolant temperature, or
•
the hot engine compartment is additionally heated up by the sun.
WARNING
when working in the engine compartment be aware that the radiator fan
may start running suddenly, leading to the risk of injury.
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Checking and refilling levels
220Washer fluid and windscreen wiper bladesWindscreen washer system
Plain water on its own is not sufficient for the windscreen
washer system.The container for the windscreen washer contains the cleaning fluid for the
windscreen and the headlight washer system*. The container is located in the
engine compartment (front left). Th e filler cap is marked with the symbol

⇒ fig. 168 .
The capacity of the container is listed in ⇒page 282.
Plain water on its own is not enough to clean the glass properly. It is therefore
advisable to add a suitable washer fluid additive (with wax solvent) to the
water. A washer fluid with freeze-resistant additive should be used in winter.
Caution
•
Never put radiator anti-freeze or other additives into the windscreen
washer fluid.
•
Never use washer fluid which contains paint thinners or solvents as it can
damage the paintwork.
Fig. 168 In the engine
compartment: Cap of
windscreen washer fluid
reservoir.
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Checking and refilling levels
222•
To prevent smearing on the windscreen, the wiper blades should be
cleaned regularly using a window cleaner solution. If the wiper blades are
very dirty (e.g. insects etc.), they should be cleaned using a sponge or
cloth. Failure to do so co uld result in an accident.
•
For safety reasons, the wiper blades should be changed once or twice a
year.Caution
•
Damaged or dirty windscreen wipers could scratch the windscreen.
•
Never use fuel, nail varnish remover, paint thinner or similar products to
clean the windows. This could damage the windscreen wiper blades.
•
Never move the windscreen wiper or windscreen wiper arm manually. This
could cause damage.
•
Do not pull the windscreen wipers forward unless they are in the service
position. Otherwise the bonnet could be damaged.Note
•
The wiper arms can be moved to the service position only when the
bonnet is properly closed.
Brake fluidChecking the brake fluid level
The brake fluid level can be checked at a glance.The brake fluid level must be between the “Min” and “Max” ⇒fig. 171 mark-
ings.
The fluid level may drop slightly after a period of time due to the automatic
compensation for brake pad wear. This is quite normal.
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. If the fluid level in the
reservoir is too low, this will be indicated by the brake warning lamp
⇒ page 70 and ⇒ page 77. If this should happen, take the car to a qualified
workshop immediately and have the brake system inspected.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 171 Engine compart-
ment: markings on brake
fluid reservoir
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Checking and refilling levels
224Winter operations
The battery is drained more in cold weather, which means that the starting
power is reduced. For this reason, have the battery checked and charged if
necessary before the start of winter.
Replacing the battery
A replacement battery must have the same capacity, voltage and current
rating. It must also have the same dimensions as the original, factory-fitted
battery and have sealed caps. The SEAT batteries which have been specially
developed fulfil the maintenance, performance and safety specifications for
your vehicle.
We recommend you use maintenance-free batteries.
WARNING
•
All work on batteries requires speciali st knowledge. If work is required
on the battery, this should be pe rformed by a Technical Service or
specialist garage. Danger of caustic burns and explosion!
•
The battery must not be opened. Never try to change the battery's
liquid level. Explosive gas is released from the battery that could lead to an
explosion.Caution
•
The battery holder and clamps must always be correctly secured.
•
Before starting any work on the battery, always observe the warnings
listed below ⇒.For the sake of the environment
 Batteries contain toxic substances including sulphuric acid and lead.
Therefore, they must be disposed in line with environmental regulations and
must not be disposed of with ordinary household waste. Make sure discon-
nected batteries cannot tip over . Sulphuric acid could be spilt!
Important safety warnings for handling a car batteryThe battery is located at the back of the engine compartment ⇒page 282.
WARNING
Always be aware of the danger of injury and chemical burns as well as the
risk of accident or fire when work ing on the battery and the electrical
system:•
Wear eye protection. Protect your eyes, skin and clothing from acid and
particles containing lead.
•
Battery acid is very corrosive and caustic. Wear protective gloves and
eye protection. Do not tilt the batter ies. This could spill acid through the
vents. Rinse battery acid from eyes immediately for several minutes with
clear water. Then seek medical care immediately. Neutralize any acid
splashes on the skin or clothing with a soapy solution, and rinse off with
plenty of water. If acid is swallowed by mistake, consult a doctor immedi-
ately.
•
Fires, sparks, naked lights and smoking are prohibited. When handling
cables and electrical equipment, avoid causing sparks and electrostatic
charge. Never short the battery terminals. High-energy sparks can cause
injury.

Wear eye protection

Battery acid is very corrosive and caustic. Wear protec-
tive gloves and eye protection!

Fires, sparks, naked lights and smoking are prohibited!

A highly explosive mixture of gases is released when the
battery is under charge.

Keep children away from acid and batteries!
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Checking and refilling levels225
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
•
A highly explosive mixture of gases is released when the battery is
under charge. The batteries should be charged in a well-ventilated room
only.
•
Keep children away from acid and batteries.
•
Before working on the electrical system, you must switch off the
engine, the ignition and all consumers. The negative cable on the battery
must be disconnected. When a light bulb is changed, you need only switch
off the light.
•
Deactivate the anti-theft alarm by unlocking the vehicle before you
disconnect the battery! The alar m will otherwise be triggered.
•
When disconnecting the battery from the vehicle electrical system,
disconnect first the negative cable and then the positive cable.
•
Switch off all electrical consumers before reconnecting the battery.
Reconnect first the positive cable and then the negative cable. Never
reverse the polarity of the connections. This could cause an electrical fire.
•
Never charge a frozen battery, or one which has thawed. This could
result in explosions and chemical burns. Always replace a battery which
has frozen. A flat battery can freeze at temperatures around 0°
•
Ensure that the vent hose is always connected to the battery.
•
Never use a defective battery. This may be fatally explosive. Replace a
damaged battery immediately.Caution
•
Never disconnect the battery if the ignition is switched on or if the engine
is running. This could damage the electrical system or electronic compo-
nents.
•
Do not expose the battery to direct sunlight over a long period of time, as
the intense ultraviolet radiation can damage the battery housing.
•
If the vehicle is left standing in cold conditions for a long period, protect
the battery from frost. If it “freezes” it will be damaged.
Charging the battery
A fully-charged battery is important for reliable starting.– Note the warnings ⇒ in “Important safety warnings for
handling a car battery” on page 224 and ⇒.
– Switch off the ignition and all electrical equipment.
– Only if “fast-charging”: both battery cables must be discon- nected (first the “negative” cabl e, then the “positive” cable).
– Connect the charger cables to the battery terminals, noting the colour code (red is used for “positive”, black or brown for “nega-
tive”).
– Now connect the battery charger to the power point and switch on.
– After charging the battery: switch off the battery charger and disconnect the power point cable.
– Finally disconnect the charger cables from the battery.
– If necessary, reconnect both battery cables to the battery (first the “positive” cable, then the “negative” cable).When charging with a low current (for instance with a small battery charger)
the battery does not normally have to be disconnected. However, both
battery cables must be disconnected before “ fast-charging” the battery with
a high current. However, always follow th e instructions given by the manufac-
turer of the battery charger.
Fast-charging a battery is dangerous ⇒ in “Important safety warnings for
handling a car battery” on page 224, since it requires a special charger and
WARNING (continued)
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Wheels and tyres229
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Significant tyre pressure lossThe tyre symbol
 is displayed and indicates that the tyre pressure for a least
one tyre is insufficient.
- Stop the vehicle.
- Switch the engine off.
- Check the tyre(s).
- Change the wheel if necessary.
Tyre pressure monitoring (RKA+)*
The type pressure monitor display on the instrument panel
indicates that the pressure is too low.The tyre pressure monitoring system makes use of the ABS sensors to
compare the rolling circumference and the frequency characteristics of the wheels. If the rolling cir
cumference or frequency characteristic changes on
one or more wheels, the tyre pressure warning lamp
 will light up. The fault
will also be indicated by a warning buzzer. The position of the affected tyre
will also be shown (if only one tyre is affected) on the centre display of the
instrument panel.
The rolling circumference and frequency characteristics can change if:
•
the tyre pressure is too low.
•
the tyre has suffered structural damage.
•
the wheels or the inflation pressures have been changed without initial-
ising the system (see Adjusting the tyre pressure settings).
•
there is a greater load on the wheels of one axle (e.g. if you are carrying
more passengers or luggage).
•
the road surface under the left wheels is different to the road surface
under the right wheels for a long period.
•
when driving with snow chains.
Adjusting the tyre pressure settings (initialising the tyre pressure
monitoring system)
After any incident regarding the wheels of your vehicle, e.g. after modify the
tyre pressure ⇒page 230 or after changing of swapping around wheels ⇒
page 180 - with the vehicle at a standstill and the engine running - press
⇒ fig. 172 . The yellow warning lamp
 will light up. Hold the button down
for 2 seconds until the warning lamp goes out and an acoustic warning is
given. You can now release the button.
If the wheels are subjected to extremely stress (e.g. heavy load), the tyre pres-
sure must be increased to the recommended value for the maximum load
(see the adhesive label on the inside of the fuel tank flap) and then initialise
the system.
Tyre pressure warning lamp on
When you switch on the ignition, the tyre pressure warning lamp
 will light
up. If the warning lamp flashes and then remains lit after you switch on the
ignition, there is a fault in the system. The instrument panel also display
Fig. 172 Detailed view of
the centre console: Button
for the tyre pressure
monitoring system
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If and when257
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
WARNING
•
Take particular care when working on components in the engine
compartment if the engine is warm - risk of burns!
•
Bulbs are highly sensitive to pressure. The glass can break when you
touch the bulb, causing injury.
•
The high voltage element of gas discharge lamps* (xenon light) must
be handled correctly. Otherwise, there is a risk of death.
•
When changing bulbs, please take care not to injure yourself on sharp
parts in the headlight housing.Caution
•
Remove the ignition key before workin g on the electric system. If not, a
short circuit could occur.
•
Switch off the lights or parking lights before you change a bulb.For the sake of the environment
Please ask your specialist retailer how to dispose of used bulbs in the proper
manner.
Note
•
Depending on the weather conditions (cold, humidity), the front head-
lights and front lights, the rear pilots and the indicators could steam up. This phenomenon has no influence on the life
expectancy of the vehicle lights. If
headlamps are switched on, the area where the light shaft is projected, is
demisted in little time. However, the edges may be steamed up on the inte-
rior.
•
Please check at regular intervals that all lighting (especially the exterior
lighting) on your vehicle is functioning pr operly. This is not only in the interest
of your own safety, but also in that of all other road users.
•
Before changing a bulb, make sure you have the correct new bulb.
•
Do not touch the glass part of the bulb with your bare hands, use a cloth
or paper towel instead. Otherwise, the fingerprints left on the glass will
vaporise as a result of the heat generated by the bulb, be deposited on the
reflector and impair its surface.
Removing the air duct
The air duct has to be removed to gain access to the bulbs for
the right-side headlight.
Bulb
Typ e
Xenon bulbs
12 V/35 W (D1S)
DRL (day light)
12 V/21 W (P21W SLL)
Indicator light
12 V/21 W (PY21W)
Side lights
12 V/5 W (W5W blue LL)
Fig. 199 Air duct on right
side of vehicle
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Technical Data
282Te c h n i c a l D a t aChecking fluid levelsFrom time to time, the levels of the different fluids in the
vehicle must be checked. Never fill with incorrect fluids,
otherwise serious damage to the engine may be caused.Fig. 228 Diagram for the location of the various elements
Vehicle battery
Engine oil filler cap
Brake fluid reservoir
Engine oil dipstick.
Coolant expansion tank
Windscreen washer fluid container
Hydraulic fluid reservoir for power steering
The checking and refilling of service fluids are carried out on the components
mentioned above. These operat ions are described in the ⇒page 213.
Overview
Further explanations, instructions and restrictions on the technical data are
contained as of ⇒page 277.Note
The layout of parts may vary depending on the engine.A1A2A3A4A5A6A7
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Index293
Digital clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Dipped headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
DIS
Average fuel consumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Average speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Driving time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Instantaneous fuel consumption . . . . . . . . . 84
Disabling front passenger airbag Safety notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Disabling the airbag Disabling front passenger airbag . . . . . . . . . 44
Disposal Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Distance covered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Distance display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Door catch/ tailgate warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Door lock cylinders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Doors Childproof lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Locking the doors manually if the central lock-ing fails to work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Driver information system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Ambient temperature display . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Auto-check system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
CD and radio display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Door catch/ tailgate warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Driver messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Handbrake warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Menu display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
On-board computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Red symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Speed warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Warning messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Yellow symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Driver messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Driver's seat Assigning the key to the seat . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Enabling stored settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Driver’s seat With memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Driving Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Economically / With Respect for the Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185 Headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Driving safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
EEconomical driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Central locking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Possible malfunctions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Switch on font passenger's door . . . . . . . . 107
Switch on rear doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Switches in the driver's door . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Electrical power point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147, 148
Electronic differential lock How it works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Electronic immobiliser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Electronic stabilisation programme
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
How the system works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Emergencies Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Disconnecting the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Jack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236, 241
Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
tyre mobility system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Engine Running in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Stop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Engine compartment Safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 Checking oil level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Consumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Oil pressure too low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Oil properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Topping up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183 Environmental friendliness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Environmental tip Avoiding pollution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Environmentally friendly driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Exhaust gas purification system . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Exterior mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
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