Working on the engine compartment Seat Alhambra 2006 User Guide

Checking and refilling levels 216
•Before opening the bonnet, read and observe the warnings
Ÿpage 209, “Safety instructions on working in the engine compartment”
.
•Wait for the engine to cool down. Hot oil may cause burn injuries.
•Wear eye protection to avoid injuries caused by splashes of oil.
•When removing the oil drain plug with your fingers, keep your arm hori-
zontal to help prevent oil from running down your arm.
•Wash your skin thoroughly if it comes into contact with engine oil.
•Engine oil is poisonous! Used oil must be stored in a safe place out of
the reach of children until it is disposed of.
Caution
No additives should be used with engine oil. This could result in engine
damage. Any damage caused by the use of such additives would not be
covered by the factory warranty.
For the sake of the environment
•Because of the disposal problems, the necessary special tools and
specialist knowledge required, we recommend that you have the engine oil
and filter changed by an Authorised Service Centre.
•Never pour oil down drains or into the ground.
•Use a suitable container when draining the used oil. It has to be large
enough to hold all the engine oil
Coolant
Coolant specifications
Coolant is a mixture of water and at least 40% coolant addi-
tive.
The cooling system must be filled with a mixture of water and at least 40 % of
our coolant additive G 12+ or an additive with the specification TT-VW 774 F
(it is dyed purple). This mixture gives the necessary frost protection down to
-25°C and protects the alloy parts of the cooling system against corrosion. It
also prevents scaling and raises the boiling point of the coolant.
The concentration of coolant must always be at least 40% - even if frost
protection is not required.
If greater frost protection is required in very cold climates, the proportion of
the antifreeze additive G 12+ can be increased. However, the percentage of
coolant additives should not exceed 60%, as this would reduce the frost
protection. It would also reduce the cooling effect. A mixture with 60%
coolant additive will give frost protection to approx. -40°C.
WARNING
•The coolant additive is toxic. There is a toxic risk. Always keep the
coolant additive in the original container that should be stored out of the
reach of children. The same applies to coolant that you have drained off.
•The coolant additive G 12+ must be added in sufficient quantities to
provide anti-freeze protection at the coldest ambient temperatures that
can be expected. At extremely cold ambient temperatures, the coolant
could freeze, causing the vehicle to breakdown. As the heater would also
not work in this situation, there is a risk of suffering exposure!
WARNING (continued)

Checking and refilling levels217
Safety FirstOperating instructionsTips and MaintenanceTe c h n i c a l D a t a
Caution
•Other additives may give considerably inferior corrosion protection. The
resulting corrosion in the cooling system can lead to a loss of coolant,
causing serious damage to the engine.
•The coolant additive G 12+ (purple) can be mixed with the additive G 12
(red) or G 11. Never mix G12 (red colour) with G 11.
Checking the coolant level and topping up 
The correct coolant level is important for fault-free func-
tioning of the engine cooling system.
Before opening the bonnet, read and observe the warnings Ÿ in
“Safety instructions on working in the engine compartment” on
page 209 .Opening the coolant expansion tank
– Switch off the engine and allow it to cool.
– To prevent scalding, cover the cap on the expansion tank with a
thick cloth and carefully unscrew the cap Ÿ .
Checking coolant level
– Look into the open coolant expansion tank and read off the
coolant level.
– If the level is underneath the “MIN” mark, top up with coolant.
Topping up coolant
–Only use new coolant.
– Do not fill above the “MAX” mark.
Closing the coolant expansion tank
– Screw the cap on again tightly.
The position of the coolant expansion reservoir is shown in the corresponding
engine compartment diagram Ÿpage 262.
Make sure that the coolant meets the required specifications Ÿpage 216.
Do not use a different type of additive if coolant additive G 12+ is not avail-
able. In this case use only water and bring the coolant concentration back up
to the correct level as soon as possible by putting in the specified additive
Ÿpage 216.
Always top up with new coolant.
Do not fill above the “MAX” mark. Otherwise the excess coolant will be forced
out of the cooling system when the engine is hot.
Fig. 144 In the engine
compartment: Coolant
expansion tank cap

Checking and refilling levels 218
The coolant additive G 12+ (dyed purple) may be mixed with G 12 (dyed red)
and also with G 11.
WARNING
Any work carried out in the engine compartment or on the engine must be
carried out cautiously.
•When working in the engine compartment, always observe the safety
warnings Ÿpage 209
•When the engine is warm or hot, the cooling system is pressurised! Do
not unscrew the cap on the expansion tank when the engine is hot. This is
a burn injury risk.
Caution
•When mixed with other additives the colour of G 12 will change to brown.
If this occurs you should have the coolant changed immediately. Failure to do
so will result in engine damage!
•If a lot of coolant has been lost, wait for the engine to cool down before
putting in cold coolant. This avoids damaging the engine. Large coolant
losses are an indication of leaks in the cooling system. See a specialised
workshop immediately and have the cooling system checked. Otherwise,
there is a risk of engine damage.
Washer fluid and windscreen wiper blades
Topping up washer fluid Y
The water for cleaning the windscreen should always be
mixed with washer fluid.
The windscreen washer and the headlight washing system are supplied with
fluid from the windscreen washer fluid container in the engine compartment.
The reservoir is located on the right-hand side of the engine compartment.
Plain water is not enough to clean the windscreen and headlights. We recom-
mend that you always add a product to the windscreen washer fluid.
Approved windscreen cleaning products exist on the market with high deter-
gent and anti-freeze properties, these may be added all-year-round. Please
follow the dilution instructions on the packaging.
Fig. 145 In the engine
compartment: Cap of
windscreen washer fluid
reservoir.

Checking and refilling levels219
Safety FirstOperating instructionsTips and MaintenanceTe c h n i c a l D a t a
WARNING
Any work carried out in the engine compartment or on the engine must be
carried out cautiously.
•When working in the engine compartment, always observe the safety
warnings Ÿpage 209
Caution
•Never put radiator anti-freeze or other additives into the windscreen
washer fluid.
•Always use approved windscreen cleansing products diluted as per
instructions. If you use other washer fluids or soap solutions, the tiny holes
in the fan-shaped nozzles could become blocked.
Changing the front windscreen wiper blades
Damaged wiper blades should be replaced immediately.
Check the condition of the wiper blades regularly. Change them as
required.
Change the windscreen wiper blades
– Lift the wiper arm away from the glass. Do not pull the arm by the
blade.
– Turn the wiper blade as shown by arrow Ÿfig. 146 as far as
it will go and then pull it off as shown by arrow Ÿfig. 147 .
– Push a new wiper blade of the same length and version onto the
wiper arm and turn the wiper blade to the stop against the direc-
tion shown by arrow .
– Place the wiper arm in the starting position.
These are available from SEAT Service®.
If the windscreen wipers scrape, they should be replaced if they are
damaged, or cleaned if they are soiled.
Fig. 146 Windscreen
wipers raised
Fig. 147 Removing front
wipers
A1
A2
A1

Checking and refilling levels 222
The position of the brake fluid reservoir is shown in the corresponding engine
compartment diagram Ÿpage 262. The brake fluid reservoir has a black and
yellow cap.
The brake fluid level drops slightly when the vehicle 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 instru-
ment panel will warn you if the brake fluid level is too low Ÿpage 70.
WARNING
Before opening the bonnet to check the brake fluid level, read and observe
the warnings Ÿpage 209.
Changing the brake fluid
The brake fluid must be renewed every two years.
We recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by an Authorised
Service Centre.
Before opening the bonnet, please read and follow the warnings Ÿ in
“Safety instructions on working in the engine compartment” on page 209 in
“Working in the engine compartment”.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture. In the course of time, it will absorb water from
the ambient air. If the water content in the brake fluid is too high, the brake
system could corrode. This also considerably reduces the boiling point of the
brake fluid. Heavy use of the brakes may then cause a vapour lock which
could impair the braking effect.
For this reason the brake fluid must be renewed every two years.It is important that you use only use brake fluid compliant with the US
standard FMVSS 116 DOT 4. We recommend the use of Genuine SEAT brake
fluid.
WARNING
Brake fluid is poisonous. Old brake fluid impairs the braking effect.
•Before opening the bonnet to check the brake fluid level, read and
observe the warnings Ÿpage 209.
•Brake fluid should be stored in the closed original container in a safe
place out of reach of children. There is a toxic risk.
•Have the brake fluid changed every two years at the latest. Heavy use
of the brakes may cause a vapour lock if the brake fluid is left in the system
for too long. This would seriously affect the efficiency of the brakes and the
safety of the vehicle. This may cause an accident.
Caution
Brake fluid could damage the paintwork. Wipe off any brake fluid from the
paintwork immediately.
For the sake of the environment
Brake fluid must be drained and disposed of in the proper manner observing
environmental regulations.

Checking and refilling levels 224
•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.
Checking the electrolyte level
The electrolyte level should be checked regularly in high-
mileage vehicles, in hot countries and in older batteries.
– Open the bonnet and open the battery cover at the front Ÿ in
“Safety instructions on working in the engine compartment” on
page 209 Ÿ in “Warnings on handling the battery” on
page 223.
– Check the colour display in the "magic eye" on the top of the
battery.
– If there are air bubbles in the window, tap the window gently until
they disperse.
The position of the battery is shown in the corresponding engine compart-
ment diagram Ÿpage 262.
The round window (“magic eye”) on the top of the battery changes colour,
depending on the charge level and electrolyte level of the battery.
If the colour in the window is colourless or bright yellow, the electrolyte level
of the battery is too low. Have the battery checked by a qualified workshop.
The colours green and black are used by the workshops for diagnostic
purposes.
Charging and changing the vehicle battery
The battery is maintenance-free and is checked during the
inspection service. All work on the vehicle battery requires
specialist knowledge.
If you often drive short distances or if the vehicle is not driven for long
periods, the battery should be checked by a qualified 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 recommend you have the
vehicle battery checked by an Authorised Service Centre where it will be re-
charged or replaced.
Charging the battery
The vehicle battery should be charged by a qualified workshop only, as
batteries using special technology have been installed and they must be
charged in a controlled environment.
Replacing a vehicle battery
The battery has been developed to suit the conditions of its location and has
special safety features.
Genuine SEAT batteries fulfil the maintenance, performance and safety spec-
ifications of your vehicle.
WARNING
•We recommend you use only maintenance-free or cycle free leak-proof
batteries which comply with the standards T 825 06 and VW 7 50 73. This
standard applies as of 2001.
•Before starting any work on the batteries, you must read and observe
the warnings Ÿ in “Warnings on handling the battery” on page 223.

If and when245
Safety FirstOperating instructionsTips and MaintenanceTe c h n i c a l D a t a
Changing a bulb
Bulbs, changing
Bulbs should be changed by a professional mechanic only.
Technical knowledge is required to change bulbs. This is because, in certain
cases, access can be gained only by removing other vehicle components.
This applies in particular to bulbs that can be accessed only from the engine
compartment.
We recommend bulbs are changed by a qualified dealership or, if this is not
possible, by a qualified person.
However, if you wish to change the bulb, please observe the following:
Before changing a bulb, you must switch off the light (light switch in O posi-
tion), and the turn signal lever must be in the neutral position.
Always replace damaged bulbs with identical bulbs with the same designa-
tion. The type is inscribed on the bulb, either on the glass part or on the base.
You should store spare light bulbs in the vehicle for safety-relevant lights.
Bulbs can be obtained from SEAT Service Centres.
WARNING
•The high voltage element of gas discharge lamps must be handled
correctly. Failure to comply could result in fatal injuries.
•H7* bulbs are pressurised and could explode when they are being
changed. Risk of injury.
•In vehicles fitted with gas discharge lamps *, there is a mortal danger if
the high voltage section of the lamp is incorrectly handled.
•When working in the engine compartment, always observe the safety
warnings Ÿpage 209
Side indicator lamps
– Slide the turn signal forwards Ÿfig. 164 and remove .
– Remove the lamp holder and separate.
Fig. 164 Indicator
Fig. 165 Indicator
A1A2

If and when251
Safety FirstOperating instructionsTips and MaintenanceTe c h n i c a l D a t a
WARNING
•Please note the safety warnings referring to working in the engine
compartment Ÿpage 209, “Working in the engine compartment”.
•The battery providing assistance must have the same voltage as the flat
battery (12V) and approximately the same capacity (see imprint on
battery). Failure to comply could result in an explosion.
•Never use jump leads when one of the batteries is frozen. Danger of
explosion! Even after the battery has thawed, battery acid could leak and
cause chemical burns. If a battery freezes, it should be replaced.
•Keep sparks, flames and lighted cigarettes away from batteries, danger
of explosion. Failure to comply could result in an explosion.
•Observe the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the jump
leads.
•Do not connect the negative cable from the other vehicle directly to the
negative terminal of the flat battery. The gas emitted from the battery could
be ignited by sparks. Danger of explosion.
•Do not attach the negative cable from the other vehicle to parts of the
fuel system or to the brake line.
•The non-insulated parts of the battery clamps must not be allowed to
touch. The jump lead attached to the positive battery terminal must not
touch metal parts of the vehicle, this can cause a short circuit.
•Position the leads in such a way that they cannot come into contact
with any moving parts in the engine compartment.
•Do not bend over the batteries. This could result in chemical burns.
Note
The vehicles must not touch each other, otherwise electricity could flow as
soon as the positive terminals are connected.
Towing and tow-starting
Tow-starting*
The use of jump leads is preferable to tow-starting.
We recommend that you do not tow-start your vehicle. Jump-starting
is preferable Ÿpage 249.
However, if your vehicle has to be tow-started:
– Engage the 2
nd or the 3rd gear.
– Keep the clutch pressed down.
– Switch on the ignition.
– Once both vehicles are moving, release the clutch.
– As soon as the engine starts, press the clutch and move the gear
lever into neutral. This helps to prevent driving into the towing
vehicle.
WARNING
The risk of accidents is high when tow-starting. The vehicle being towed
can easily collide with the towing vehicle.
Caution
When tow-starting, fuel could enter the catalytic converter and damage it.

Index 290
Electronic differential lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Electronic immobiliser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75, 162
Electronic stabilisation program . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Electronic stabilisation programme . . . . . . . . . . 74
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161, 183
Electronic stabilisation programme (ESP)
warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Emergency opening
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Engine
Running in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Engine compartment
Working in the engine compartment . . . . . 209
Engine coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Engine fault
monitor indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Engine hood
SeeBonnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Engine management
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Checking level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Oil properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Topping up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Engine oil dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214Engine oil pressure
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Engine oil temperature display . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Engine oil temperature gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
ESP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74, 182
warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Exhaust gas indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Exhaust gas purification system
diesel particle filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Exhaust system fault* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Exterior mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119, 196
External aerial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
F
Fastening rings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 143
Fastening seat belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Fault messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Faults in operation of air conditioning . . . . . . 157
First-aid kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Floor mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Fog lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Foot brake
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Four-wheel drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Replacing tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Snow chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Winter tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Safety notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Front passenger airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Front seats
adjusting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Fuel
Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Petrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Fuel level
Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Fuel reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Fuel tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
See alsoFuel reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Fuel tank cap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Fuse box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
G
G 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Gear selector lever
SeeAutomatic gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
SeeAutomatic gearbox with Tiptronic . . . . 171
General overview of the engine compartment 262
Glove compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Glove compartment light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Glow plug system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

Index295
Vehicle tools
storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Vehicle wallet storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Ventilation slits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 143
Voltmeter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
W
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
diesel particle filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
warning lamp
ESP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
exhaust gas indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Warning lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Warning messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Warning triangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Washer fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Washing by hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Washing the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Washing with high pressure cleaners . . . . . . . 195
Water in the windscreen washer tank . . . . . . . 218
Wear indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Wheel bolt caps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238, 261
Torque . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225, 260
Why assume the correct sitting position? . . . . . 32
Why should head restraints be correctly adjusted?
12Why wear seat belts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17, 19
Why wear seatbelts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Window aerial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Opening and closing electrically . . . . . . . . 100
Windscreen heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Windscreen washer fluid
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Windscreen wiper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Windscreen wiper blades
Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Windscreen wipers
Changing the front blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Changing the rear blade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Winter driving
Diesel engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Winter tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Four-wheel drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Working in the engine compartment . . . . . . . . 209