warning Seat Altea Freetrack 2010 Owner's Manual

Wheels and tyres235
Safety First
Controls and equipment
Practical tips
Technical Data
New tyres and wheels
New tyres and wheels have to be run-in.The tyres and wheel rims are an essential part of the vehicle's design. The
tyres and rims approved by SEAT are specially matched to the characteristics
of the vehicle and make a major contribution to good road holding and safe
handling ⇒.
Tyres should be replaced at least in pairs and not individually (i.e. both front
tyres or both rear tyres together). A knowledge of tyre designations makes it
easier to choose the correct tyres. Radial tyres have the tyre designations
marked on the sidewall, for example: 195/65 R15 91T
This contains the following information:
195 Tyre width in mm
65 Height/width ratio in %
RTyre construction: Radial
15 Rim diameter in inches
91 Load rating code
TSpeed rating
The tyres could also have the following information:•A direction of rotation symbol•“Reinforced” denotes heavy-duty tyres.
The manufacturing date is also indicated on the tyre sidewall (possibly only
on the inner side of the wheel).
“DOT ... 1103 ...” means, for example, that the tyre was produced in the 11th
week of 2003.
We recommend that work on tyres and wheels is carried out by an Authorised
Service Centre. They are familiar with the procedure and have the necessary special tools and spare parts as well as the proper facilities for disposing of
the old tyres.
Any Authorised Service Centre has full information on the technical require-
ments when installing or changing tyres, wheels or wheel trims.
On vehicles with
four-wheel drive, all four tyres must always be fitted with
tyres of the same type, make and tread pattern, as otherwise the driveline can
be damaged by continuous differences in the wheel speeds. For the same
reason, only use a spare wheel with the same tyre dimensions as the normal
road wheels. You may also use the factory-supplied compact temporary spare
wheel.
WARNING
•We recommend that you use only wheels and tyres which have been
approved by SEAT for your model. Failure to do so could impair vehicle
handling. Risk of accident.•Avoid running the vehicle on tyres that are more than six years old. If
you have no alternative, you should drive slowly and with extra care at all
times.•Never use old tyres or those with an unknown “history of use”.•If wheel trims are retrofitted, you must ensure that the flow of air to the
brakes is not restricted. This could cause them to overheat.•All four wheels must be fitted with radial tyres of the same type, size
(rolling circumference) and the same tread pattern.For the sake of the environment
Old tyres must be disposed of according to the laws in the country concerned.
Note
•For technical reasons, it is not generally possible to use the wheels from
other vehicles. This can also apply to wheels of the same model. The use of
Freetrack_EN.book Seite 235 Donnerstag, 10. September 2009 10:33 10

Wheels and tyres
236wheels or tyres which have not been approved by SEAT for use with your
model may invalidate the vehicle's type approval for use on public roads.•If the spare tyre is not the same as the tyres that are mounted on the
vehicle - for example with winter tyres - you should only use the spare tyre for
a short period of time and drive with extra care. Refit the normal road wheel
as soon as possible.Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must be tightened to the correct torque.The design of wheel bolts is matched to the rims. If different wheel rims are
fitted, the correct wheel bolts with the right length and correctly shaped bolt
heads must be used. This ensures that wheels are fitted securely and that the
brake system functions correctly.
In certain circumstances, you may not use wheel bolts from a different car -
even if it is the same model ⇒page 208.
After the wheels have been changed, the tightening torque of the wheel bolts
s ho uld b e che cke d as s o on as p ossible wit h a to rqu e w re nch ⇒. The tight-
ening torque for steel and alloy wheels is 120 Nm.
WARNING
If the wheel bolts are not tightened correctly, the wheel could become
loose while driving. Risk of accident.•The wheel bolts must be clean and turn easily. Never apply grease or oil
to them.•Use only wheel bolts which belong to the wheel.•If the torque of the wheel bolts is too low, they could loosen whilst the
vehicle is in motion. Risk of accident! If the tightening torque is too high,
the wheel bolts and threads can be damaged.
Caution
The prescribed torque for wheel bolts for steel and alloy wheels is 120 Nm.Winter tyres
Winter tyres will improve the vehicles handling on snow and
ice.In winter conditions winter tyres will considerably improve the vehicles
handling. The design of summer tyres (width, rubber compound, tread
pattern) gives less grip on ice and snow.
Winter tyres must be inflated to a pressure 0.2 bar higher than the pressures
specified for summer tyres (see sticker on tank flap).
Winter tyres must be fitted on all four wheels.
Information on permitted winter tyre sizes can be found in the vehicle's regis-
tration documents. Use only radial winter tyres. All tyre sizes listed in the
vehicle documentation also apply to winter tyres.
Winter tyres lose their effectiveness when the tread is worn down to a depth
of 4 mm.
The speed rating code ⇒ page 235, “New tyres and wheels” determines the
following speed limits for winter tyres: ⇒
Q max. 160 km/h
S max. 180 km/h
T max. 190 km/h
H max. 210 km/h
In some countries, vehicles which can exceed the speed rating of the fitted
tyre must have an appropriate sticker in the driver's field of view. These
Freetrack_EN.book Seite 236 Donnerstag, 10. September 2009 10:33 10

Wheels and tyres237
Safety First
Controls and equipment
Practical tips
Technical Data
stickers are available from your Authorised Service Centre. The legal require-
ments of each country must be followed.
Do not have winter tyres fitted for unnecessarily long periods. Vehicles with
summer tyres handle better when the roads are free of snow and ice.
If you have a flat tyre, please refer to the notes on the spare wheel
⇒
page 235, “New tyres and wheels”.
WARNING
The maximum speed for the winter tyres must not be exceeded. Otherwise,
this could lead to tyre damage and thus, an accident risk.
For the sake of the environment
Fit your summer tyres in good time. They are quieter, do not wear so quickly
and reduce fuel consumption.Snow chainsSnow chains may be fitted only to the front wheels, and only for 205/55R16
tyres. These tyres may only be fitted with fine-pitch link chains which do not
protrude more than 15 mm ⇒page 235. For 225/50R17 tyres, the use of
snow chains is not permitted.
Remove wheel hub covers and trim rings before fitting snow chains. For safety
reasons cover caps, available in any Authorised Service Centre, must then be
fitted over the wheel bolts.
Four-wheel drive : where snow chains are compulsory on certain roads, this
normally also applies to cars with four-wheel drive. Snow chains may only be
fitted to the front wheels (also on vehicles with four-wheel drive).
WARNING
Snow chains should be correctly tightened in accordance with the manu-
facturer's instructions. This will prevent the chains coming into contact
with the wheel housing.
Caution
You must remove the snow chains to drive on roads which are free of snow.
Otherwise they will impair handling, damage the tyres and wear out very
quickly.
Note
•In some countries, the speed limit for using snow chains is 50 km/h. The
legal requirements of the country should be followed.•We recommend that you ask your Approved Service Centre for information
about appropriate wheel, tyre and snow chain size.
Freetrack_EN.book Seite 237 Donnerstag, 10. September 2009 10:33 10

If and when
238If and whenTools, tyre repair kit and spare wheelVehicle Tools
The vehicle onboard tools are located under the floor panel in
the luggage compartment.– Lift the cover of the luggage compartment, by pulling it up with a
finger in the fitting.
– Take the onboard tools out of the vehicle.The tool kit includes:•Jack*•Hook for removing wheel covers* or hub caps*•Box spanner for wheel bolts*•Reversible screwdriver with handle (including hexagonal interior) for the
wheel bolts. The screwdriver is a combination tool.•Towi ng e ye•Adapter for the anti-theft wheel bolts*
Some of the items listed are only provided in certain models / model years,
or are optional extras.WARNING
•Do not use the hexagonal socket in the screwdriver handle to tighten
the wheel bolts as with this it is not possible to tighten the bolts to the
required torque. Risk of accident.
•The jack* supplied by the factory is only designed for changing wheels
on this model. On no account attempt to use it for lifting heavier vehicles
or other loads. Risk of injury.•Use the jack* only on firm, level ground.•Never start the engine when the vehicle is on the jack. Risk of accident.•If work is to be carried out underneath the vehicle, this must be secured
by suitable stands. Otherwise, there is a risk of injury.WARNING (continued)
Freetrack_EN.book Seite 238 Donnerstag, 10. September 2009 10:33 10

If and when239
Safety First
Controls and equipment
Practical tips
Technical Data
Compact temporary spare wheel*
The compact spare wheel (emergency wheel for vehicles
without the anti-puncture kit) should only be used when
strictly necessary.The temporary spare wheel is stored under the floor panel in the luggage
compartment and is attached by a thumbnut.
How to use the compact temporary spare wheel
Should you ever have a punctured tyre, the compact temporary spare wheel
is only intended for temporary use until you can reach a workshop. The
standard-size road wheel should be replaced as soon as possible.
Please note the following restrictions when using the compact temporary
spare wheel. This spare wheel has been specially designed for your vehicle,
thus, it cannot be changed with the spare wheel from another vehicle.
No other type of tyre (normal summer or winter tyre) may be fitted on the
compact temporary spare wheel rim. Snow chains
For technical reasons, snow chains must
not be used on the compact tempo-
rary spare wheel.
If you should have a puncture on one of the front wheels when using snow
chains, fit the compact temporary spare in place of one of the rear wheels.
You can then attach the snow chains to the wheel taken from the rear and use
this wheel to replace the punctured front wheel.
WARNING
•The tyre pressures must be checked and corrected as soon as possible.
The emergency tyre pressure for dimensions 125/70R16 125/70R18
135/90R16 is 4.2 bar; for all other tyre dimensions please refer to the label
on the fuel cap. Failure to do so could result in an accident.•Do not drive faster than 80 km/h. Higher speeds can cause an accident.•Avoid heavy acceleration, hard braking and fast cornering. Risk of acci-
dent.•Never use two or more compact spare tyres at the same time, risk of
accident.•No other type of tyre (normal summer or winter tyre) may be fitted on
the compact temporary spare wheel rim.
Tyre repair kit
The tyre repair kit (for vehicles not including a spare wheel) is
stored under the floor panel in the luggage compartment.Your vehicle is equipped with the Tyre Mobility System “Tyre repair kit”.
The tyre repair kit consists of a container with sealing compound to repair the
puncture and a compressor to generate the required tyre pressure. The kit will
Fig. 169 Luggage
compartment. Access to
the spare wheel
Freetrack_EN.book Seite 239 Donnerstag, 10. September 2009 10:33 10

If and when
240reliably seal punctures up to a size of about 4 mm caused by the penetration
of a foreign body into the tyre.
Note
•Seek professional assistance if the repair of a tyre puncture is not
possible with the sealing compound.Wheel changePreparation work
What you must do before changing a wheel.– If you have a flat tyre or puncture, park the vehicle as far away from the flow of traffic as possible. Choose a location that is as
level as possible.
– All passengers should leave the vehicle. They should wait in a safe area (for instance behind the roadside crash barrier).
– Switch off the engine. Switch on the hazard warning lights.
–Apply the handbrake firmly.
– Engage the first gear, or put the selector lever to position P for
those vehicles with an automatic gearbox.
– If you are towing a trailer, unhitch it from your vehicle.
–Take the vehicle tools and the spare wheel out of the luggage
compartment.
WARNING
Put the hazard warning lights on and place the warning triangle in position.
This is for your own safety and also warns other road users.
Caution
If you have to change the tyre on a gradient, block the wheel opposite the
wheel being changed by placing a stone or similar object under it to prevent
the vehicle from rolling away.
Note
Please observe legal requirements when doing so.Changing a wheelChange the wheel as described below
– Pull off the hub cap . Also see ⇒page 241.
– Slacken the wheel bolts.
– Raise the car with the jack in the corresponding zone.
– Remove the wheel and then mount the spare wheel.
– Lower the vehicle.
– Tighten the wheel bolts firmly with the box spanner.
–Replace the hub cap .
Freetrack_EN.book Seite 240 Donnerstag, 10. September 2009 10:33 10

If and when243
Safety First
Controls and equipment
Practical tips
Technical Data
WARNING
Loosen the wheel bolts only about one turn before raising the vehicle with
the jack, loosening the wheel bolts more than one turn can result in an acci-
dent.
Note
•Do not use the hexagonal socket in the screwdriver handle to loosen or
tighten the wheel bolts.•If the wheel bolt is very tight, you may be able to loosen it by pushing
down the end of the spanner carefully with your foot. Hold on to the vehicle
for support and take care not to slip.
Freetrack_EN.book Seite 243 Donnerstag, 10. September 2009 10:33 10

If and when
244Raising the vehicle
In order to remove the wheel, the vehicle must be raised with
a jack.
– Locate the jacking point under the door sill closest to the wheel
to be changed ⇒ fig. 172.
– Place the jack under the jacking point and turn the crank until the arm of the jack is directly below the vertical rib under the door
sill.
– Align the jack so that the arm of the jack fits around the rib under the door sill and the movable base plate of the jack is flat on the
ground ⇒fig. 173 .
– Raise the jack until the defective wheel is just clear of the ground.Recesses at the front and rear of the door sills mark the jacking points
⇒ fig. 172. There is only one jacking point for each wheel. Do not fit the jack
anywhere else.
An unstable surface under the jack may cause the vehicle to slip off the jack.
Therefore, the jack must be fitted on solid ground offering good support. Use
a large and stable base, if necessary. On a hard, slippery surface (such as
tiles) use a rubber mat or similar to prevent the jack from slipping.
WARNING
•Take all precautions so that the base of the jack does not slip. Failure to
do so could result in an accident.•The vehicle can be damaged if the jack is not applied at the correct
jacking points. There is also a risk of injury since the jack can slip off
suddenly if it is not properly engaged.
Fig. 172 The jacking
pointsFig. 173 Fitting the jack
Freetrack_EN.book Seite 244 Donnerstag, 10. September 2009 10:33 10

If and when247
Safety First
Controls and equipment
Practical tips
Technical Data
Tyre repair kit (Tyre-Mobility-System)*General information and safety notesYour vehicle is equipped with a tyre repair kit: the Ty re Mo bil it y Syste m.
In the event of a tyre puncture, a sealing compound and an air compressor are
located in the luggage compartment under the floor panel.
The Tyre Mobility System will reliably seal punctures caused by the penetra-
tion of a foreign body of up to about 4 mm in diameter.
It is not necessary to remove the foreign body from the tyre.
Instructions for the sealing compound are located on the sealing compound
container.
Notes for the proper use of the air compressor are included in an additional
instruction leaflet.
WARNING
•Do not attempt to repair a puncture with the sealing compound if the
tyre has been damaged by driving the car after the tyre has lost its air.•Always observe warnings and follow instructions concerning
compressor and sealing compound carefully.•Do not drive faster than 80 km/h, avoid heavy acceleration, hard
braking and fast cornering.•Tyres which have been repaired with sealing compound are only suit-
able for temporary use over a short period. Therefore, please drive carefully
to the next available qualified workshop.For the sake of the environment
Used sealing compound containers should be disposed of at a proper facility.
Note
•If sealant should leak out, leave it to dry. When it has dried, you can pull
it off like a piece of foil.•Observe the expiry date stated on the sealing compound can. Have the
sealing compound exchanged by a qualified workshop.•Seek professional assistance if the repair of a tyre puncture is not
possible with the sealing compound.Preparation work
Certain steps must be taken before repairing a tyre.– If you have a flat tyre or puncture, park the vehicle as far away from the flow of traffic as possible.
–Apply the handbrake firmly.
– Engage first gear , or put the selector lever to position P.
–All passengers should leave the vehicle. They should wait in a
safe area (for instance behind the roadside crash barrier).
– Check whether a repair is possibl e using the Tyre Mobility System
“General information and safety notes.”
– Unscrew inflation cap from the affected wheel.
– Take the tyre repair kit out of the luggage compartment.
Freetrack_EN.book Seite 247 Donnerstag, 10. September 2009 10:33 10

If and when
248
WARNING
Put the hazard warning lights on and place the warning triangle in position.
This is for your own safety and also warns other road users.
Caution
Take special care if you have to repair a tyre on a slope.
Note
Please observe legal requirements when doing so.Tyre repair
The following sections describe the procedures for repairing
a tyre.Using the sealing compound
– The instructions on the containe r give detailed information on
how to use the sealing compound.
Inflating the tyre.
– Remove the air compressor and hose from the container.
– Screw the retaining nut onto the valve.
– Plug the compressor cable into a 12 volt power point.
– Turn on compressor and monitor the pressure shown on the pres- sure gauge. Completing the repair
– Remove the compressor hose from the valve.
– Fit the valve cap.
– Unplug the compressor from the socket.
– Return all tools to their proper storing location.
Note
•If the vehicle is equipped with tyre pressure control, enter the new tyre
pressures using the SET button on the central console.•The compressor should never be allowed to run for longer than 6
minutes.
Freetrack_EN.book Seite 248 Donnerstag, 10. September 2009 10:33 10