instrument panel Seat Alhambra 2012 Owner's Manual

Table of Contents
Manual structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Safety First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Safe driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Dear SEAT Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Tips for driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Adjusting the seat position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Transporting objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Why wear seat belts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Seat belt tensioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Child seats (accessories) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Integrated child seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Operating instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Cockpit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Instrument panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
SEAT information system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Unlocking and locking
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Vehicle key set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Central locking and locking system . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Sliding doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Panorama sliding sunroof* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Lights and visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Sun blind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Windscreen wiper and washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Rear vision mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Seats and storage compartments . . . . . . . . . . 114
Seat adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Seat functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Head restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Centre armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Loading luggage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Roof carrier system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Storage compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Cup holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Ashtray and cigarette lighter* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Electrical sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Air conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Climate Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Auxiliary heater* (additional heater) . . . . . . . . . . 165
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Stopping and starting the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Changing gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Braking, stopping and parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Start assist systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Parking sensor system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 Park Assist system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Rear Assist system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Cruise control system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Lane Assist system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Sign Assist* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Tiredness detection (recommendation to take a
break) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Tyre monitoring systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Practical tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Driving and the environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Running-in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Ecological driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Engine management and exhaust gas
purification system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Trailer towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Driving with a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Vehicle maintenance and cleaning . . . . . . . . . 246
Care and cleaning the vehicle exterior . . . . . . . . 246
Caring for and cleaning the vehicle interior . . . . 253
Notes for the user . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Accessories, parts replacement and
modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Accessories, replacement of parts and
modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Checking and refilling levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Filling the tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Selective Catalytic Reduction* (AdBlue) . . . . . . . 275
Working in the engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . 279
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
3
Table of Contents

17
Seat belts
WARNING (Continued)
● If the fabric or other parts of the seat belt are damaged, the seat belts
could break in the event of an accident or sudden braking.
● Always have damaged seatbelts replaced immediately by seat belts
approved for the vehicle in question by SEAT. Seat belts which have been
worn in an accident and stretched must be replaced by a specialised
workshop. Renewal may be necessary even if there is no apparent dam-
age. The belt anchorage should also be checked.
● Never attempt to repair, modify or remove a seat belt yourself. All re-
pairs to seat belts, retractors and buckles must be carried out by a speci-
alised workshop.

Warning lamp
Fig. 3 Warning lamp on
the instrument panel
Fig. 4 Example of seat
belt status display for the
rear seats (here, a 7-seat
vehicle) on the instru-
ment panel. above the
second row and below
the third row of seats.
Lights up or flash- esPossible causeSolution

Driver's seat belt not fas-
tened or front passenger's
seat belt not fastened if the
front passenger's seat is oc-
cupied.
Fasten seat belts!
Objects on the front passeng-
er's seat.Remove any objects from the
front passenger's seat and store
them safely.
Some control and warning lamps on the instrument panel will come on to
check certain functions when the ignition is switched on. They will switch off
after a few seconds.
A signal will be heard for a maximum of 90 seconds if the seat belts are not
fastened as the car drives off and reaches a speed of more then 25 km/h or
if the seat belts are unfastened while the vehicle is in motion. The seat belt
warning lamp  will also flash. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTechnical Specifications

18Seat belts
The warning lamp  does not switch off until the driver and front passenger
fasten their seat belts while the ignition is switched on.
Seat belt status display for rear seats
The seat belt status display on the instrument panel informs the driver,
when the ignition is switched on, whether any passengers in the rear seats
have fastened their seat belts. The symbol  indicates that the passenger
in this seat has fastened “his or her” seat belt ⇒ fig. 4.
The seat belt status is displayed for around 30 seconds when a seat belt in
the rear seats is fastened or unfastened. You can switch off this display by
pressing the 0.0 / SET
button.
The seat belt status flashes for a maximum of 30 seconds when a seat belt
in the rear seats is unfastened while the vehicle is in motion. A signal will
also be heard if the vehicle is travelling at over 25 km/h.
The rear seat display can be enabled or disabled by a Technical Service.
WARNING
Unbuckled or badly buckled seat belts increase the risk of severe or even
fatal injuries. The optimal protection from seat belts can be achieved only
if you use them properly.


29
Airbag system
WARNING
The airbag system provides protection for one accident only. If they have
been deployed, they must be replaced.
● Ensure deployed airbags and the system components involved are im-
mediately replaced with new, SEAT-approved components for the vehicle.
● Have any repairs or modifications carried out at a Technical Service.
Qualified workshops have the necessary tools, diagnostics equipment,
repair information and qualified personnel.
● Never fit recycled or reused airbag components in your vehicle.
● Never modify the airbag system components.
WARNING
If the airbags are triggered, a fine dust is produced. This is normal and it
is not an indication of fire in the vehicle.
● This fine dust may irritate the skin and eyes and cause breathing dif-
ficulties, particularly in people suffering from or who have suffered from
asthma or other illnesses of the respiratory tract. To reduce breathing dif-
ficulties, get out of the vehicle and open and doors and windows to
breath in fresh air.
● Should you touch the dust, wash your hands and face using a mild
soap and water before you eat.
● Prevent the dust from affecting the eyes or open wounds.
● Rinse your eyes with water if you have dust in them.
WARNING
Solvents cause the surfaces of the airbag modules to become porous. If
an airbag is accidentally triggered, the detachment of plastic parts could
cause serious injury.
● Never clean the instrument panel and the surfaces of the airbag mod-
ules with cleaners containing solvents.

Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTechnical Specifications

30Airbag system
Warning lamp
Fig. 16 Warning lamp for
disabling the front pas-
senger airbag on the in-
strument panel.
lights upDigitPossible causeSolution
Instrument panelFault in airbag system and seat belt tensioners.Have the system checked immediately by a specialised
workshop.
 Dash panelFault in the airbag system.Have the system checked immediately by a specialised
workshop.
Front passenger airbag disabled.Check whether the airbag should remain disabled.
Several warning and control lamps should light up for a few seconds when
the ignition is switched. This signals that the lamp is working properly. They
will switch off after a few seconds.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG   warning lamp does not remain lit or if it is lit
together with the control lamp  on the instrument panel and the front pas-
senger airbag is disabled, there may be a fault in the airbag system ⇒ 
.
WARNING
In the event of a fault in the airbag system, the airbag may not trigger
correctly, may fail to trigger or may even trigger unexpectedly, leading to
severe or fatal injuries.
● Have the airbag system checked immediately by a specialised work-
shop.
● Never mount a child seat in the front passenger seat or remove the
mounted child seat! The front passenger airbag may deploy during an ac-
cident in spite of the fault. 

34Airbag system
The front airbag for the driver is located in the steering wheel ⇒ fig. 17 and
the airbag for the front passenger is located in the dash panel ⇒ fig. 18. Air-
bags are identified by the word “AIRBAG”.
When the front airbags are triggered they fill the zones marked in red (de-
ployment area) ⇒ fig. 17. Therefore, objects should never be placed or
mounted in these areas ⇒ 
, Factory-fitted accessories are outside the
range of the front airbag for the driver and the front passenger, e.g. the
baseplate for the mobile phone support.
The airbag covers fold out of the steering wheel or dash panel when the
driver and front passenger airbags are triggered ⇒ fig. 18. The airbag covers
remain connected to the steering wheel or the dash panel.
WARNING
The airbag is deployed at high speed in fractions of a second.
● Always keep the deployment areas of the front airbags free.
● Never secure objects to the covers or in the deployment area of the
airbag modules, e.g. cup holders or phone supports.
● The deployment space between the front passengers and the airbags
must not in any case be occupied by other passenger, pets and objects.
● Never fix any object to the windscreen above the front airbag on the
front passenger side.
● Do not alter, cover or stick anything to the steering wheel hub or the
surface of the airbag module on the passenger side of the dash panel.
WARNING
Front airbags are deployed in front of the steering wheel ⇒ fig. 17 and
the dash panel ⇒ fig. 18.
● When driving, always hold the steering wheel on the outer edge of
the ring with both hands: 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock position.
WARNING (Continued)
● Adjust the driver seat so that there is at least 25 cm distance between
your chest and the hub of the steering wheel. If you physical constitution
prevents you from meeting these requirements, make sure you contact a
specialised workshop.
● Adjust the front passenger's seat so there is as much distance as pos-
sible between the front passenger and the dash panel.

Types of front passenger airbag systems
There are two different SEAT front passenger airbag systems:
ABCharacteristics of the front passen-
ger airbag that can only be disabled
in a specialised workshop.Characteristics of the front passen-
ger airbag that can be disabled
manually ⇒ page 35.
 Name: airbag system Name: airbag system with front
passenger airbag disabling.
 Warning lamp  on the instru-
ment panel. Warning lamp  on the instru-
ment panel.
 Front passenger airbag located in
the dash panel.
 Front passenger airbag located in
the dash panel.
 PASSENGER AIR BAG   warning
lamp on the instrument panel.
 Key switch in the glove compart-
ment on the front passenger side of
the dash panel.


35
Airbag system
Deactivating and activating the front passenger airbag
using the key switch
Fig. 19 In the glove com-
partment on the front
passenger side: key
switch for disabling and
enabling the front pas-
senger airbag.
The front passenger airbag must be disabled when a rear-facing child seat
is mounted.
Deactivating the front passenger airbag
● Switch the ignition off.
● Open the glove compartment on the front passenger side.
● Unfold the key shaft ⇒ page 71.
● Using the vehicle key, turn the key switch to OFF ⇒ fig. 19.
● Close the glove compartment on the front passenger side.
● The PASSENGER AIR BAG   control lamp on the instrument panel will
remain lit while the ignition is switched on ⇒ page 30.
Activating the front passenger airbag
● Switch the ignition off.
● Open the glove compartment on the front passenger side.
● Using the vehicle key, turn the key switch to ON ⇒ fig. 19. ●
Close the glove compartment on the front passenger side.
● Check that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF  control lamp on the instru-
ment panel does not light up while the ignition is switched on ⇒ page 30.
How to know whether the front passenger airbag is disabled
Disabling of the front passenger airbag is only indicated by the PASSENGER
AIR BAG   control lamp that remains lit on the instrument panel (  
remains yellow) ⇒ page 30, Warning lamp.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG   control lamp on the centre console does not
remain lit or is lit in combination with the control lamp  on the instrument
panel, a child restraint system cannot be mounted on the front passenger's
seat for safety reasons. The front passenger airbag may deploy during an
accident.
WARNING
The front passenger airbag must only be disconnected in special cases.
● Disconnect and connect the front passenger airbag when the ignition
is switched off to avoid damage to the airbag system.
● It is the driver's responsibility to ensure that the key operated switch
is set to the correct position.
● Only disconnect the front passenger airbag when a child seat is to be
mounted under exceptional circumstances.
● As soon as the child seat is no longer needed on the front passeng-
er's seat, reconnect the front passenger airbag.

Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTechnical Specifications

38Airbag system
WARNING (Continued)
● Occupants of the front and outer rear seats must never carry any oth-
er people, pets or objects in the deployment space between them and
the airbags.
● The built-in coat hooks should be used only for lightweight clothing.
Do not leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets.
● Do not mount accessories on the doors.
● Do not fit curtains to the windows other than those expressly ap-
proved for use in the vehicle.
● Only turn the sun blinds towards the windows if there is no object,
e.g. pens or garage remote controls, secured to the sun blind.

Knee airbag
Fig. 24 On the driver
side: location of the knee
airbag.
Fig. 25 On the driver
side: Radius of action of
the knee airbag.
The knee airbag is located on the driver side below the instrument panel
⇒ fig. 24. Airbags are identified by the word “AIRBAG”.
The area framed red ⇒ fig. 25 A
is covered by the knee airbag when it is
deployed (deployment area). Therefore, objects should never be placed or
mounted in these areas.
WARNING
The airbag is deployed at high speed in fractions of a second.
● The knee airbag is deployed in front of the driver's knees. Always
keep the deployment areas of the knee airbags free.
● Never not fix objects to the cover or in the deployment area of the
knee airbag.
● Adjust the driver's seat so that there is a distance of at least 10 cm (4
inches) between your knees and the location of the knee airbag. If you
physical constitution prevents you from meeting these requirements,
make sure you contact a specialised workshop.


42Child safety
Always secure child seats properly and safely in the vehicle according to the
child seat manufacturer's installation instructions.
Mounted child seats must rest correctly on the vehicle's seat and must not
move or rock more than 2.5 cm (1 inch).
Child seats equipped for a Top Tether strap must also be secured using the
Top Tether retaining strap in the vehicle ⇒ page 45. Only secure the re-
taining belt to the rings fitted for this purpose and identified as Top Tether.
Not all rings can be used with the Top Tether system. Always tighten the Top
Tether retaining strap so that the child seat fits snugly against the corre-
sponding seat in the vehicle.
Specific mounting systems for each country
Europe: ISOFIX retaining rings and upper retaining strap ⇒ page 44
and ⇒ page 45.
Three-point seat belt and upper retaining strap ⇒ page 44.
The systems include the child restraint system mounting with an upper re-
taining strap (Top Tether) and lower anchoring points on the seat. 
Use of the child seat on the front passenger seat
Transporting children on the front passenger seat is not permitted in all
countries. Furthermore, not all child seats are approved for use on the front
passenger seat. Your Technical Service has an updated list of all approved
child seats. Only used child seats that are approved for each vehicle.
The frontal airbag on the front passenger side is highly dangerous for a
child. The front passenger seat is life-threatening to a child if he or she is
transported in a rear-facing child seat.
If a rear-facing child seat is secured to the front passenger seat, an inflating
airbag can strike it with such great force that severe or fatal injuries may re-
sult ⇒ 
. Therefore, rear-facing child seats must never be used on the front
passenger seat when the front passenger airbag is enabled. A
B
Only use a rear-facing child seat on the front passenger seat if the front pas-
senger airbag is disabled. When it is disabled, the yellow
PASSENGER
AIR BAG   control lamp on the instrument panel will be lit ⇒ page 31. If
you cannot disable the front passenger airbag and it remains enabled, it is
forbidden to transport children on the front passenger seat ⇒ 
.
Things to note if using a child seat on the front passenger seat:
● The front passenger airbag must be disabled  if using a rear-facing
child seat ⇒ page 35.
● The backrest of the front passenger seat must be upright.
● The front passenger seat must be moved as far back as possible.
● The backrest of the front passenger seat must be upright.
● The seat belt height adjustment must be as high as possible.
Suitable child seats
The child seat must be authorised by the manufacturer especially for use on
a front passenger seat with a frontal or side airbag.
If the front passenger seat is equipped with retaining rings, the child seat
can be secured using the approved retaining system provided it is approved
for this type of vehicle in accordance with current regulations in the country
in question.
Universal seats for children in groups 0, 0+, 1, 2 or 3 according to the ECE-
R 44 regulation.
WARNING
If a child seat is mounted on the front passenger seat, the risk of the
child sustaining severe or fatal injuries in the event of an accident increa-
ses. Rear-facing child seats must never be mounted on the front passen-
ger seat when the front passenger airbag is enabled. This is life-threaten-
ing to the child should the frontal airbag deploy, as the child seat would
be struck by the inflated airbag and thrown against the backrest. 

53
Cockpit
Operating instructions Cockpit
Overview Overview of the dash panel
This overview will help you to familiarise yourself with the
controls and displays. Door release lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Central locking button    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Switch for adjusting the exterior mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
– Exterior mirror adjustment     
– Heated exterior mirrors 
– Folding exterior mirrors 
Instrument panel controls and lighting control  . . . . . . . . . . .95
Headlamp range adjustment  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Light switch  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
– Light off - -
– Automatic headlight control - -
– Side/dipped lights  
– Fog lights  
Controls on the multi-function steering wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
– Volume control for radio, navigation system and phone
conversations  – 
– Radio mute or voice control activation 
1
23
456
7
–
Activate telephone main menu or accept an incoming call

– SEAT information system control buttons , , OK, 
Lever for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
– Main beam headlights 
– Headlight flasher 
– Turn signals 
– Parking lights 
Instrument panel:
– Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
– Digital display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
– Indicator lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Horn (works only when the ignition is on)/Front driver airbag 31
Windscreen wiper/ windscreen wash lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
– Windscreen wipers  – 
– Intermittent wipe 
– “Brief wipe”  x
– Windscreen wipers 
– Automatic windscreen wash/wipe 
– Rear window wiper 
– Automatic rear window wash/wipe 
– Lever with buttons for controlling the SEAT information
system - ,  / . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Left seat heating controls  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
8
9
1011
12
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTechnical Specifications