airbag Seat Exeo 2011 Owner's manual

Table of Contents
Manual structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Safety First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Safe driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Proper sitting position for occupants . . . . . . . . . 10
Pedal area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Storing objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Why wear seat belts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Seat belt tensioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Knee airbag* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Side airbags* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Curtain airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Deactivating airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Securing child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Operating Instructions
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Cockpit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Warning and indicator lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Driver information system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Auto-check system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Speed warning*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Onboard computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Menu display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Tyre pressure monitoring* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Steering wheel controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Multifunction steering wheel* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Unlocking and locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Remote control keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Childproof lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Remote control key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Anti-theft alarm system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Sliding/tilting sunroof* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Lights and visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Interior lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Windscreen wipers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Rear view mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Seats and storage compartments . . . . . . . . . . 133
Manual adjustment of the front seats . . . . . . . . . 133
Electric adjustment of front seats* . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Lumbar support* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Driver seat memory* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Head restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Armrests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Luggage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Roof rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Drink holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Ashtray*, cigarette lighter* and electric sockets* . .147
Compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Air conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
2C-Climatronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Ignition lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Starting and stopping the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Handbrake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Parking aid acoustic system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Cruise speed* (Cruise control system) . . . . . . . . 173
Manual gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Automatic gearbox* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Practical Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Intelligent technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) . . . . . . . . . 184
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Power steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Servotronic* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Driving and the environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Running-in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Exhaust gas purification system . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Economical and environmentally friendly driving 193
Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
3
Table of Contents

6Content
Content
This manual is structured to provide the information you need in an organ-
ised way. The content of this Manual is divided into sections which belong
to chapters (e.g. “Air conditioning”). The entire manual is divided into five
large parts which are:
1. Safety First Information on the vehicle equipment relating to passive safety such as
seat belts, airbags, seats, etc.
2. Operating instructions
Information about the distribution of controls in the driver position of your
vehicle, about the seat adjustment possibilities, about how to create a suit-
able climate in the passenger compartment, etc.
3. Practical Tips
Advice relating to the driving, caring and maintenance of your vehicle and
certain problems you can solve yourself.
4. Technical specifications
Figures, values and the dimensions of your vehicle.
5. Alphabetic index
At the end of this manual there is a detailed alphabetical index, this will
help you to rapidly find the information you require. 

7
Safe driving
Safety First
Safe driving
Brief introduction
Dear SEAT Driver
Safety first! This chapter contains important information, tips, suggestions and
warnings that you should read and consider for both your own
safety and for your passengers' safety.
WARNING
● This manual contains important information about the operation of
the vehicle, both for the driver and the passengers. The other sections of
the owner's manual also contain further information that you should be
aware of for your own safety and for the safety of your passengers.
● Ensure that the onboard documentation is kept in the vehicle at all
times. This is especially important when lending or selling the vehicle to
another person.
 Safety equipment
The safety equipment listed here are part of the vehicle's
passenger restraint system. They work together to help re-
duce the risk of injury in a wide variety of accident situa-
tions.
Your safety and the safety of your passengers should not be left to chance.
In the event of an accident, the safety features incorporated in your vehicle
are capable of reducing the risk of injury. These are just a few of the safety
features in your SEAT:
● Three-point seat belts optimised for all seats
● Belt force limiters for the seats
● Belt tension devices for the front seat belts
● Front airbags
● Side airbags in the front and rear seat backrests*
● Head-protection airbags*
● Knee airbag for left-hand drive only
● ISOFIX anchor points* for ISOFIX child safety seats on the outer rear
seats
● Height-adjustable head restraints
● Adjustable steering column
These individual safety features are harmonised to provide you and your
passengers with the best possible protection in case of an accident. Howev-
er, they can only be effective if you and your passengers sit in the correct
position and adjust and use the safety equipment properly. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

11
Safe driving
– Fasten your seat belt securely ⇒ page 18.
– Keep both feet in the footwell so that you have the vehicle un-
der control at all times.
Adjustment of the driver seat ⇒ page 133.
WARNING
● An incorrect sitting position of the driver can lead to severe injuries.
● Adjust the driver seat so that there is at least 25 cm distance between
the centre of the chest and the centre of the steering wheel ⇒ fig. 1. If
you are sitting closer than 25 cm, the airbag system cannot protect you
properly.
● If your physical constitution prevents you from maintaining the mini-
mum distance of 25 cm, contact a specialised workshop. The workshop
will help you decide if special specific modifications are necessary.
● When driving, always hold the steering wheel with both hands on the
outside of the ring at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions. This reduces
the risk of injury when the driver airbag is triggered.
● Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position, or in any
other manner (e.g. in the centre of the steering wheel). In such cases, if
the airbag is triggered, you may sustain injuries to the arms, hands and
head.
● To reduce the risk of injury to the driver during sudden braking ma-
noeuvres or an accident, never drive with the backrest tilted far back! The
airbag system and seat belts can only provide optimal protection when
the backrest is in an upright position and the driver is wearing his or her
seat belt properly. The further the backrests are tilted to the rear, the
greater the risk of injury due to incorrect positioning of the belt web or to
the incorrect sitting position!
● Adjust the head restraint properly to achieve optimal protection.
 Proper sitting position for front passenger
The front passenger must sit at least 25 cm away from the
dash panel so that the airbag can provide the greatest pos-
sible protection in the event that it is triggered.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of injury in the event of
an accident, we recommend the following adjustments for the front
passenger:
– Move the front passenger seat back as far as possible ⇒ 
.
– Move the backrest to an upright position so that your backrests
completely against it.
– Adjust the head restraint so that its upper edge is at the same
level as the top of your head, or as close as possible to the
same level as the top of your head ⇒ page 13.
– Keep both feet in the footwell in front of the front passenger
seat.
– Fasten your seat belt securely ⇒ page 18.
It is possible to deactivate the passenger airbag in exceptional circumstan-
ces ⇒ page 24.
Adjusting the front passenger seat ⇒ page 133. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

12Safe driving
WARNING
● An incorrect sitting position of the front passenger can lead to severe
injuries.
● Adjust the front passenger seat so that there is at least 25 cm be-
tween your chest and the dash panel. If you are sitting closer than 25 cm,
the airbag system cannot protect you properly.
● If your physical constitution prevents you from maintaining the mini-
mum distance of 25 cm, contact a specialised workshop. The workshop
will help you decide if special specific modifications are necessary.
● Always keep your feet in the footwell when the vehicle is moving;
never rest them on the dash panel, out the window or on the seat. An in-
correct sitting position exposes you to an increased risk of injury in case
of a sudden braking or an accident. If the airbag is triggered, you could
sustain severe injuries due to an incorrect sitting position.
● To reduce the risk of injury to the front passenger in events such sud-
den braking manoeuvres or an accident, never travel with the backrest
tilted far back! The airbag system and seat belts can only provide optimal
protection when the backrest is in an upright position and the front pas-
senger is wearing his or her seat belt properly. The further the backrests
are tilted to the rear, the greater the risk of injury due to incorrect posi-
tioning of the belt web or to the incorrect sitting position!
● Adjust the head restraint properly in order to achieve maximum pro-
tection.
 Correct sitting position for passengers in the rear seats
Passengers in the rear seats must sit up straight, keep their
feet on the footwells, have the head restraints positioned for
use and wear their seat belts properly.
To reduce the risk of injury in the event of a sudden braking ma-
noeuvre or an accident, passengers on the rear bench seat must
consider the following:
–
Adjust the head restraint to the correct position ⇒ page 14.
– Keep both feet in the footwell in front of the rear seat.
– Fasten your seat belt securely ⇒ page 18.
– Use an appropriate child restraint system when you take chil-
dren in the vehicle ⇒ page 46.
WARNING
● If the passengers on the rear seat are not sitting properly, they could
sustain severe injuries.
● Adjust the head restraint properly in order to achieve maximum pro-
tection.
● Seat belts can only provide optimal protection when backrests are in
an upright position and the passengers are wearing their seat belts prop-
erly. If passengers on the rear seat are not sitting in an upright position,
the risk of injury due to incorrect positioning of the seat belt increases.


15
Safe driving
The following list contains examples of sitting positions that could be dan-
gerous for all occupants. The list is not complete, but we would like to make
you aware of this issue.
Therefore, whenever the vehicle is in motion:
● Never stand in the vehicle.
● Never stand on the seats.
● Never kneel on the seats.
● Never tilt your backrest far to the rear.
● Never lean against the dash panel.
● Never lie on the rear bench.
● Never sit on the front edge of a seat.
● Never sit sideways.
● Never lean out of a window.
● Never put your feet out of a window.
● Never put your feet on the dash panel.
● Never put your feet on the surface of a seat.
● Do not allow anyone to travel in the footwell.
● Never travel without wearing the seat belt.
● Do not allow anyone to travel in the luggage compartment.
WARNING
● Any incorrect sitting position increases the risk of severe injuries.
● Sitting in an incorrect position exposes the occupants to severe inju-
ries if airbags are triggered, by striking a passenger who has assumed an
incorrect sitting position.
● Before the vehicle moves, assume the proper sitting position and
maintain it throughout the trip. Before every trip, instruct your passen-
gers to sit properly and to stay in this position during the trip ⇒ page 10,
Proper sitting position for occupants.

Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

17
Safe driving
– Distribute the load evenly in the luggage compartment.
– Place heavy objects as far forward as possible in the luggage
compartment.
– Place the heavy objects first.
WARNING
● Loose luggage and other objects in the luggage compartment could
cause serious injuries.
● Use suitable straps to secure heavy objects.
● During sudden manoeuvres or accidents, loose objects can be thrown
forward, injuring vehicle occupants or passers-by. This increased risk of
injury will be further increased if a loose object is struck by an inflating
airbag. If this happens, objects can be transformed into “missiles”. Risk
of fatal injury.
● Please note that the centre of gravity may shift when transporting
heavy objects; this may affect the vehicle's handling and lead to an acci-
dent. Therefore, it is essential to adjust your speed and driving style ac-
cordingly, to avoid accidents.
● Never exceed the allowed axle weights or allowed maximum weight.
If the allowed axle load or the allowed total weight is exceeded, the driv-
ing characteristics of the vehicle may change, leading to accidents, inju-
ries and damage to the vehicle.
● Never leave your vehicle unattended, especially when the tailgate is
open. Children could climb into the luggage compartment, closing the
door behind them; they will be trapped and run the risk of death.
● Never allow children to play in or around the vehicle. Close and lock
all the doors and tailgate when you leave the vehicle. Before you lock the
vehicle, make sure that there are no adults or children in the vehicle.
● Never transport passengers in the luggage compartment. All passen-
gers must have their seat belt fastened ⇒ page 18.
Note
● Air circulation in the vehicle helps reduce fogging of the windows. Used
air escapes through ventilation slits in the side trim of the luggage compart-
ment. Ensure that the ventilation slits are never covered. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

20Seat belts
was travelling just before the impact. This example applies not only to
head-on collisions, but to all accidents and collisions. 
The danger of not using the seat belt
The general belief that the passengers can protect them-
selves with their hands in a minor collision is false.
Fig. 8 A driver not wear-
ing a seat belt is thrown
forward violently.
Fig. 9 The unbelted rear
passenger is thrown for-
ward violently, hitting the
driver wearing a seat
belt.
Even at low speeds the forces acting on the body in a collision are so great
that it is not possible to brace oneself with one's hands. In a frontal colli-
sion, unbelted passengers are thrown forward and will make violent contact
with the steering wheel, dash panel, windscreen or whatever else is in the
way ⇒ fig. 8.
The airbag system is not a substitute for seat belts. When triggered, airbags
provide only additional protection. All occupants (including the driver) must
wear seat belts properly during the trip. This will reduce the risk of severe
injuries in the event of an accident – regardless of whether an airbag is fit-
ted for the seat or not.
Note that airbags can be triggered only once. To achieve the best possible
protection, the seat belt must always be worn properly so that you will be
protected in accidents in which no airbag is deployed.
It is also important for the rear passengers to wear seat belts properly, as
they could otherwise be thrown forward violently in an accident. Rear pas-
sengers who do not use seat belts endanger not only themselves but also
the front occupants ⇒ fig. 9. 

21
Seat belts
Seat belt protection
Passengers not wearing seat belts risk severe injuries in the
event of an accident.
Fig. 10 A driver wearing
the seat belt properly is
secured by the belt in
sharp braking
Properly worn seat belts hold the vehicle occupants in the correct sitting po-
sitions and substantially reduce the kinetic energy in the event of an acci-
dent. Seat belts also help to prevent uncontrolled movements that could
lead to severe injuries. In addition, properly worn seat belts reduce the dan-
ger of being thrown from the vehicle.
Passengers wearing their seat belts correctly benefit greatly from the ability
of the belts to absorb kinetic energy. The front part of your vehicle and other
passive safety features (such as the airbag system) are also designed to ab-
sorb the kinetic energy released in a collision. Taken together, all these fea-
tures reduce the releasing kinetic energy and consequently, the risk of in-
jury.
Our examples describe frontal collisions. Of course, properly worn seat belts
substantially reduce the risk of injury in all other types of accidents. This is
why it is so important to fasten seat belts before every trip, even when "just
driving around the corner". Ensure that your passengers wear their seat belts as well. Accident statistics
have shown that wearing seat belts is an effective means of substantially
reducing the risk of injury and improving the chances of survival in a seri-
ous accident. Furthermore, properly worn seat belts improve the protection
provided by airbags in the event of an accident. For this reason, wearing a
seat belt is required by law in most countries.
Although your vehicle is equipped with airbags, the seat belts must be fas-
tened and worn. The front airbags, for example, are only triggered in some
frontal accidents. The front airbags will not be triggered during minor frontal
collisions, minor side collisions, rear collisions, overturns or accidents in
which the airbag trigger threshold value in the control unit is not exceeded.
Therefore, you should always wear your seat belt and ensure that your pas-
sengers have fastened their seat belts properly before you drive off!

Safety instructions on using seat belts
If seat belts are used correctly, they can reduce the risk of in-
jury in an accident.
– Always wear the seat belt as described in this section.
– Ensure that the seat belts can be fastened at all times and are
not damaged. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

26Seat belts
–Guide the belt back by hand so that it rolls up easily and the
trim is not damaged
WARNING
Never unbuckle a seat belt while the vehicle is in motion. If you do, you
increase the risk of sustaining severe or fatal injuries.

Seat belt height adjustment
Seat belt height adjusters can be used to adjust the height
of the shoulder area of the seat belt.
Fig. 16 Belt height ad-
juster
The belt height adjuster can be lowered by keeping the button
pressed down at the same time.
– Press button ⇒ fig. 16 1
to adjust the belt height. –
Take hold of the top guide fitting and slide it up or down so that
the shoulder part of the seat belt is positioned roughly midway
over the shoulder, although it must never rest against the neck
⇒ fig. 16 2
⇒  in Seat belt position on page 24.
– After adjusting, pull the belt sharply to check that the catch on
the guide fitting is engaged securely.
Note
It is also possible to adjust the height of the front seats to obtain the best
position for the front seat belts. 
Incorrectly fastened seat belts
Incorrectly worn seat belts can cause severe or even mortal
injuries. Seat belts can provide optimal protection only if the belt web is
properly worn. The seat belts must be fastened exactly in the order
described in this chapter. An incorrect sitting position impairs sub-
stantially the protection a seat belt offers and can lead to severe or
fatal injuries. The risk of severe or fatal injuries is especially in-
creased when a deploying airbag strikes an occupant who has as-
sumed an incorrect sitting position. As the driver, you are responsi-
ble for all vehicle occupants, especially children. Therefore:
– Never allow anyone to wear the seat belt incorrectly while the
vehicle is moving ⇒ 
. 