Seat Alhambra 2016 Owner's Manual

Care and maintenance
becomes to clean and maintain them. If
s t
ain
s and dirt are left for a long time, it may
be that they are impossible to remove. WARNING
Car-care products may be toxic and hazard-
ous. U s

ing unsuitable car-care products or,
using them in the wrong way, may cause acci-
dents, serious injury, burns or intoxication.
● Keep your car-care products in their origi-
nal
containers.
● Read the instructions.
● Never keep car-care products in empty food
container
s, bottles or other similar contain-
ers. Other people may confuse them.
● Keep all car-care products out of the reach
of chi
ldren.
● Some products may give off harmful va-
pours durin
g use. Therefore, they should be
used outdoors in well-ventilated places.
● Never use fuel, turpentine, engine oil, nail-
varnish r
emover or any other volatile product
for washing, maintenance or cleaning. These
are toxic and highly flammable. WARNING
Unsuitable maintenance and cleaning of vehi-
cl e c

omponents may impair proper operation
of safety equipment and cause serious injury.
● Maintain and clean vehicle components ac-
cordin
g to the manufacturer's instructions. ●
Only u

se approved or recommended clean-
ing products. CAUTION
● Cle

aning products which contain solvents
have a corrosive effect and may damage the
material irreparably.
● Stains and dirt containing aggressive sub-
stanc
es or solvents attack the material and
may damage it irreparably, even when they
are cleaned quickly.
● Dirt and stains should not be allowed to dry
and should be c
leaned as quickly as possible.
● In the case of stubborn stains, take the ve-
hicle t
o a specialised workshop to avoid dam-
age. How to care for the upholstery
To treat and maintain your seat upholstery,
k
eep the f
o

llowing in mind ››› :
● Before entering the vehicle, close any Vel-
c r
o f

asteners that might snag on the uphols-
tery or trim fabric. Any open Velcro fasteners
may damage the trim or upholstery fabrics.
● To prevent damage, avoid direct contact
between sharp dec
orative objects and the
upholstery and trim fabrics. Decorative ob-
jects include zips, rivets and rhinestones on
clothing and belts. ●
From time to time, c
lean the dust that gath-
ers in the perforations, folds and seams so
that the surfaces of the seats are not dam-
aged by its abrasive effect.
● Make sure clothes are colour-fast to avoid
them running and s
taining the upholstery.
This is especially important if the upholstery
is light in colour. CAUTION
If you ignore this advice, which is important
for m aint

aining your seat upholstery, the fab-
ric may be damaged or stained. Note
SEAT recommends you take the vehicle to a
spec i

alised workshop to treat any stains on
the upholstery caused by the discolouration
of clothing. Cleaning the trim and seat fabrics, the
A
lc
ant

ara® Cleaning the upholstery on heated seats and
el
ectric
a

lly operated seats or seats with air-
bag components
It is possible that there are important airbag
components and electrical connections in-
side the driver seat, passenger seat and pos-
sibly the outer rear seats. If these seats and
seat backrests are damaged, or are cleaned »
259
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Advice
and are treated incorrectly, or if they get wet,
the v
ehic
le electric system may be destroyed
and the airbag system damaged ››› .
El ectric
and he

ated seats contain compo-
nents and electrical connections that may be
damaged if the seats are cleaned or incor-
rectly treated ››› . Similarly, damage might
be c au
sed at

other points in the vehicle's
electric system.
For this reason, bear the following indica-
tions in mind for cleaning:
● Do not use high-pressure or steam cleaning
equipment or co
ld aerosols.
● Do not use cream detergents or detergent-
based so
lutions for delicate garments.
● Prevent the fabric from getting wet at all
times.
● Only

use cleaning products approved by
SEAT
.
● If in doubt, take the vehicle to a professio-
nal c
leaning company.
Cleaning the upholstery on non-heated seats
and non-electrically operated seats or seats
without airbag components
● Before using any cleaning products, con-
sult
and keep in mind the instructions of use,
indications and warnings on the container.
● Use a vacuum cleaner (with the brush at-
tachment) on the trim and se
at fabrics, theAlcantara
®
uphols
tery of the seats and the
carpet.
● Do not use high-pressure or steam cleaning
equipment or co
ld aerosols.
● For general cleaning, use a soft sponge or
an ordinar
y lint-free microfibre cloth ››› .
● Clean Alcantara ®
s ur
f
aces with a slightly
damp cotton or woollen cloth, or a standard
lint-free microfibre cloth ››› .
If the dir
t

on the trim and upholstery fabrics
is only superficial, you can use a standard
foam cleaner.
If the upholstery and trim are very dirty, be-
fore cleaning them we recommend you find
out about the most suitable cleaning options
from a professional cleaning company. If nec-
essary, the cleaning should be carried out by
a specialised company.
Stain removal
When removing stains, it may be necessary
to clean the whole surface and not just the
stain itself. Especially if the surface has been
dirtied through normal use. If you only clean
the stained area, that part may then look
lighter than the rest. If in doubt, take the ve-
hicle to a professional cleaning company. WARNING
If there is a fault in the airbag system, it is
likely th

at the airbag will not deploy correct- ly, not deploy at all, or do so unexpectedly,
which c
ou

ld cause serious or fatal injuries.
● Have the system checked immediately by a
speci
alised workshop. CAUTION
If the upholstery on electrically operated
se ats

or seats with airbag components gets
soaked, the vehicle's electric system and cer-
tain other components may be damaged.
● If the seat gets soaked, take the vehicle im-
mediately
to a specialised workshop to be
dried and for the system components to be
inspected.
● Do not use steam cleaning equipment as
the dirt bec
omes more encrusted and fixed in
the material.
● High-pressure cleaning equipment and cold
aeroso
ls may damage the upholstery. CAUTION
● Brushe s

should only be used to clean the
carpet and floor mats! Other fabrics may be
damaged if cleaned with a brush.
● If cream detergents or detergents for deli-
cate g
arments are applied with a damp cloth
or sponge, they may, for example, leave rings
when dry because of the surfactant compo-
nents they contain. Generally, such rings are
very difficult or almost impossible to remove. 260

Care and maintenance
CAUTION
● Do not l et
water soak into Alcantara ®
under
any circumstances.
● Do not use leather cleaning products, sol-
vents, w
ax polish, shoe cream, stain remov-
ers or similar products on Alcantara ®
.
● Never use brushes for cleaning damp mate-
rial
as they could damage the surface. Cleaning and maintenance of natural
le
ather upho

lsteryConsult a professional cleaning workshop if
y
ou h
av

e any doubts on cleaning and main-
taining the leather equipment in your vehicle.
Maintenance and treatment
Nappa natural leather is delicate because it
has no additional protective layer.
● After cleaning, regularly apply a condition-
er with su
n-screen and impregnating action.
These products nourish the leather, soften it
and make it more breathable, as well as re-
hydrating it. They also provide it with a pro-
tective film.
● Clean the leather every 2 or 3 months and
remov
e stains as they appear.
● Treat the leather every 6 months with a
suit ab

le maintenance product. ●
App ly

as few cleaning and maintenance
products as possible, always using a dry, lint-
free cotton or woollen cloth. Do not apply
cleaning and maintenance products directly
to the leather.
● Remove recent ball-point pen and ink
stain
s, lipstick, shoe cream and similar
stains as soon as possible.
● Maintain the colour of the leather. To do
this, use a s
pecial cream especially coloured
for leather to achieve the same overall colour,
if necessary.
● Afterwards, go over it with a soft cloth.
Cle
aning the vehicle
SEAT recommends using a slightly damp cot-
ton or woollen cloth for general cleaning pur-
poses.
Generally, the leather should never be
soaked at any point, nor should water pene-
trate the seams.
Before cleaning the leather upholstery, bear
in mind the following recommendations
››› page 259, Cleaning the upholstery on
heated seats and electrically operated seats
or seats with airbag components . CAUTION
● On no acc ou

nt use solvents, wax polish,
shoe cream, stain removers or similar materi-
als on leather. ●
If the s t

ain remains on the leather for long,
it will soak in and be impossible to remove.
● In the event of spilt liquids, dry immediate-
ly with an ab
sorbent cloth to prevent the liq-
uid penetrating through the leather or seams.
● If the vehicle is left standing in the sun for
long periods, the l
eather should be protected
against direct sunlight to prevent it from fad-
ing. Note
The leather will usually change colour slight-
ly w ith u

se. Cleaning synthetic leather upholstery
Before cleaning synthetic leather upholstery,
be
ar in mind the f
o

llowing recommendations
››› page 259, Cleaning the upholstery on
heated seats and electrically operated seats
or seats with airbag components
Only use water and neutral cleaning products
to clean synthetic leather upholstery. CAUTION
Do not use solvents, floor wax, shoe cream,
st ain r

emovers or similar products on syn-
thetic leather. These will stiffen the material,
causing it to crack prematurely. 261
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Advice
Cleaning storage compartments,
drink s
ho
lders and ashtraysCleaning storage compartments and drinks
hol
der

s
Some storage compartments and drinks
holders have a removable rubber mat.
● Use a clean, damp, lint-free cloth to clean
parts.
● If

this does not provide satisfactory results,
we rec
ommend using a special solvent-free
plastic cleaning product.
Cleaning the ashtray
● Extract the ashtray and empty it.
● Clean the ashtray with a dishcloth.
Use a t oothpic

k or similar to remove ash from
the area where cigarettes are stubbed out.
Care and cleaning of plastic parts,
wooden trim and the ins
trument pan-
el ●
Use a clean, damp, lint-free cloth to clean
p ar
ts.
● C

lean plastic parts (inside and outside the
vehicle) and
the dash panel with a special
solvent-free product for the care and clean-
ing of plastic, approved by SEAT ››› .●
Wa
sh

wooden trims with a mild soap and
water solution. WARNING
Solvents cause the surfaces of the airbag
modul e

s to become porous. If an airbag is ac-
cidentally triggered, the detachment of plas-
tic parts could cause serious injury.
● Never clean the dash panel and the surfa-
ces
of the airbag modules with cleaners con-
taining solvents. Cleaning seatbelts
If the seat belt is very dirty, the belt retractor
m
a
y

not work correctly thus preventing the
seat belt from operating correctly.
The seat belts should never be removed from
the vehicle for cleaning.
● Use a soft brush to remove the worst dirt
›››
.
● Pull the seat belt right out and leave it out.
● Clean dirty seat belts with a gentle
so
ap
and water solution.
● Wait until they are completely dry.
● Only allow the seat belt to retract when it is
compl
etely dry. WARNING
Check the condition of all the seat belts at
re gu

lar intervals. If the webbing or other
parts of the belt are damaged, the vehicle
should be taken to a specialised workshop
immediately and the belts should be re-
placed. It is extremely dangerous to drive us-
ing damaged seat belts and could result in
serious injury or loss of life.
● Seat belts and their components must nev-
er be cle
aned with chemical products, nor
should they be allowed to come into contact
with corrosive liquids, solvents or sharp ob-
jects. This could affect the strength of the
seat belt webbing.
● Seat belts should be completely dry before
retractin
g. Damp could damage the belt re-
tractor so that it is does not operate correct-
ly.
● Do not allow liquids or foreign bodies to en-
ter the buc
kle fastenings. This could damage
the buckles and seat belts.
● Never attempt to repair, modify or remove a
seat belt
yourself.
● 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 damage. The belt anchorage should
also be checked. 262

Care and maintenance
Notes for the user Label s
and p
latesSome parts in the engine compartment come
from the f
act

ory with certificates of safety, la-
bels or plates containing important informa-
tion regarding the operation of the vehicle,
for example, on the fuel tank flap, on the pas-
senger's sun visor, on the driver door strut, or
on the floor of the boot.
● Never remove these certificates of safety,
label s

or plates, and ensure they are kept in
good condition and are legible.
● If a vehicle part, bearing a certificate of
safety
, label or plate, is replaced, the special-
ised workshop should attach the information
back in the same place.
Certificate of safety
A certificate of safety on the door strut states
that all the safety standards and regulations
established by the national traffic authorities
responsible for road safety were met at the
time of manufacture. It may also give the
month and year of manufacture, together
with the chassis number.
Warning of high voltage label*
There is a label close to the bonnet lock
which warns of high voltage in the vehicle's
electrical system. The vehicle ignition system complies with several standards, including
the Cana

dian standard, ICES-002.
Using your vehicle in other countries
and continents The vehicle is manufactured at the factory for
use in a p
ar

ticular country in accordance with
the national legislation in force at the time of
manufacture.
If the vehicle is sold in another country or
used in another country for an extended peri-
od of time, the applicable legislation of that
country should be observed.
It may be necessary to fit or remove certain
pieces of equipment or to deactivate certain
functions. Service work may also be affected.
This is particularly true if the vehicle is used
in a different climate for an extended period
of time.
As there are different types of frequency
bands around the world, you may find that
the radio or navigation system supplied at
the factory does not work in another country. CAUTION
● SEA T doe

s not accept liability for any dam-
age to the vehicle due to the use of a lower
quality fuel, an inadequate service or the
non-availability of genuine spare parts. ●
SEA T doe

s not accept liability if the vehicle
does not comply in part or in full with the le-
gal requirements of other countries or conti-
nents. Radio and antenna reception
The aerial of radio and navigation systems
fitted at
the f

actory may be mounted in differ-
ent parts of the vehicle:
● On the inside of the rear window, next to
the re ar w

indow heating,
● on the inside of the rear side windows,
● on the inside of the windscreen,
● on the roof of the vehicle.
Aerials
mounted on the inside of a window
can be recognised by the fine wires. CAUTION
Aerials on the inside of windows may be dam-
aged if knoc

ked or if cleaned with corrosive or
acid cleaning products. Do not stick adhesive
labels over the heating elements and never
clean the inside of the rear window with cor-
rosive or acid products or other similar chem-
ical products. » 263
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Advice
Note
If electrical equipment is used near an aerial
bui lt
-into the window, you may observe inter-
ference in the reception of AM stations. Notes on SEAT repairs
WARNING
Repairs or modifications which are not per-
formed c orr

ectly may result in damage or er-
rors in the vehicle operation, affecting the ef-
fectiveness of the driver assist and airbag
systems. This could result in serious acci-
dent.
● Have any repairs or modifications carried
out at a s
pecialised workshop. Collection and scrapping of end-of-life
v
ehic
l

es Collection of end-of-life vehicles
An e
xt
en

sive network of used car reception
centres already exists in much of Europe. Af-
ter the vehicle has been delivered, you will
receive a certificate of destruction describing
the environmentally friendly scrapping of the
vehicle in accordance with applicable legisla-
tion. We will collect the used vehicle free of
char

ge, provided it complies with all national
legislation.
Please see your technical service for further
information about the collection and scrap-
ping of end-of-life vehicles.
Scrapping
The relevant safety requirements must be ob-
served when the vehicle or components of
the airbag or belt tensioner systems are
scrapped. These requirements are known to
specialised workshops. Checking and refilling levels
Fi l
lin
g the tank
Introduction The fuel tank flap is on the rear right of the
vehic
l

e. WARNING
Refuelling or handling fuel carelessly can
cau se an e

xplosion or fire resulting in serious
burns and injuries.
● Always make sure that you correctly close
the fuel c
ap to avoid evaporation and fuel
spillage.
● Fuels are highly explosive and inflammable
subs
tances that can cause serious burns and
injuries.
● Fuel could leak out or be spilt if the engine
is not
switched off or if the filler fuel nozzle is
not fully inserted into the tank filler neck
when refuelling. This could lead to a fire, ex-
plosion and severe injuries.
● When refuelling, turn off the engine, the
auxili
ary heating ( ››› page 180) and turn off
the ignition for safety reasons.
● Always turn off mobile telephones, radio
appar
atus and other radio wave emitting
equipment before refuelling. Electromagnetic
waves could cause sparks and lead to a fire. 264

Checking and refilling levels
●
Never ent er the
vehicle while refuelling. If it
is absolutely necessary to enter, close the
door and touch a metal surface before touch-
ing the filler nozzle again. This will prevent
the generation of static electricity. Sparks
could cause a fire when refuelling.
● Never handle fuel close to flames, sparks or
obj
ects with slow combustion (e.g. ciga-
rettes).
● Avoid static electricity and electro-magnet-
ic ra
diation when refuelling.
● Observe the safety regulations of the serv-
ice st
ation.
● Never spill fuel on the vehicle or in the lug-
gage c
ompartment. WARNING
For safety reasons, SEAT does not recommend
carr y

ing a spare fuel canister in the vehicle.
Fuel could be spilled and catch fire, above all
in case of an accident and this applies to a
full container as well as empty containers.
This could lead to explosions, fires and inju-
ries.
● Observe the following if you exceptionally
have t
o carry fuel in a canister:
– Never place a fuel container to fill it in-
side the vehicle or on the vehicle, for ex-
ample, in the boot or on the hatch. Filling
in these circumstances could create an
electrostatic charge and spark that could
ignite fuel fumes. –
Alw a

ys place the canister on the ground
to fill it.
– Insert the fuel nozzle into the neck of the
canister as far as possible.
– If you are using a metal fuel canister, the
nozzle must always touch the canister
while it is being filled to avoid static elec-
tricity.
– Follow the legal requirements for the use,
storage and transport of spare fuel canis-
ters.
– Insure that the fuel container complies
with manufacturing standards, for exam-
ple, ANSI or ASTM F852-86. CAUTION
● Alw a

ys remove any fuel spilled on the vehi-
cle paintwork immediately to avoid damage
to the wheel housing, the tyre and vehicle
paintwork.
● Refuelling a petrol engine with diesel or a
diesel en
gine with petrol can cause serious
engine and fuel system damage; the resulting
malfunctions are not covered by the SEAT
warranty. If you refuel with the wrong type of
fuel, never start the engine. This applies to
even the smallest amount of the wrong fuel.
Seek specialist assistance. With the engine
running, the composition of the wrong fuel
could significantly damage the fuel system
and the engine itself.
● In vehicles with a diesel engine, under no
circ
umstances should you refuel or drive with petrol, kerosene, heating oil or any other
type of
diff

erent fuel. Other types of fuels
could cause serious damage to the engine
and to the fuel supply system and the result-
ing problems are not covered by the SEAT
warranty. For the sake of the environment
Fuels can contaminate the environment. Col-
l ect an

y spilt service fluids and allow a pro-
fessional to dispose of them. Note
There is no emergency mechanism for the
manua l

release of the fuel tank flap. If neces-
sary, request assistance from specialised per-
sonnel. 265
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Advice
Control lamps and fuel gauge Fig. 235
On the instrument panel: Fuel gauge
f or petr
o
l and diesel 
It lights up
Gauge posi-
tion
››› Fig. 235Possible cause
››› Solution
Red mark (ar- row)
The fuel tank is al-
most empty.
The reserve tank is
being used
››› page 39.
Refuel as soon as
possible ››› . 
It lights up
Fuel tank not
closed cor-
rectly.Stop the vehicle and close the tank
flap properly.
Several warning and indication lamps light
up f
or a f
ew sec

onds when the ignition is
switched on, signalling that the function is being verified. They will switch off after a few
seconds.
When the c

ontrol lamp lights up  or  the
auxiliary heating and heater running off pet-
rol automatically switch off. WARNING
Driving with insufficient fuel reserve could re-
su lt

in the vehicle breaking down in traffic
and a serious accident.
● If the fuel level is too low then the fuel sup-
ply t
o the engine can become irregular espe-
cially on slopes.
● If the engine “is choked” or stalls due to
lack
of or irregularity of the fuel supply, the
power steering as well as all of the driver as-
sistance systems including braking assis-
tance will stop working.
● Always refuel when there is only one quar-
ter of the f
uel tank left to avoid running out of
fuel. CAUTION
● Alw a

ys pay attention to any lit control
lamps and to the corresponding descriptions
and instructions to avoid damage to the vehi-
cle.
● Never run the fuel tank completely dry. An
irregu
lar fuel supply may lead to ignition
faults and unburnt fuel could enter the ex-
haust system. This could damage the catalyt-
ic converter filter or the diesel particulate fil-
ter! Note
The arrow next to the fuel pump symbol on
the ins trument

panel ››› Fig. 235 indicates the
side of the vehicle on which the fuel tank flap
is located. Refuelling
Fig. 236
Open fuel tank flap with tank cap in
the ho l
der Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 39
Refuelling
The correct petrol type for the vehicle is loca-
ted on a sticker inside the fuel tank flap
››› page 267.
● If the automatic filler nozzle is operated
correctly
, it will switch itself off as soon as
the tank is full ››› .
266

Checking and refilling levels
● Do not c
ontinue t
o refuel if it is turned off!
Otherwise, this will fill the expansion cham-
ber and fuel may leak out if the ambient con-
ditions are warm. WARNING
Do not continue refilling once the fuel nozzle
ha s

switched itself off. The fuel tank may be
filled too much. As a result, fuel may spurt
out and spill. This could lead to a fire, explo-
sion and severe injuries. CAUTION
● Alw a

ys remove any fuel spilled on the vehi-
cle paintwork immediately to avoid damage
to the wheel housing, the tyre and vehicle
paintwork. For the sake of the environment
Spilt fuel can contaminate the environment. Fuel
Intr oduction You will find a factory-fitted sticker containing
inf
orm
ation on the type of

fuel for your vehi-
cle on the inside of the fuel tank flap. WARNING
Refuelling or handling fuel carelessly can
cau se an e

xplosion or fire resulting in serious
burns and injuries.
● Fuel is a highly explosive, easily flammable
subs
tance.
● Observe current safety instructions and lo-
cal
regulations concerning the handling of
fuel. Types of fuel
The type of fuel to use when refilling will de-
pend on the
v
ehic

le's engine. You will find a
factory-fitted sticker containing information
on the type of fuel for your vehicle on the in-
side of the fuel tank flap.
SEAT recommends the use of sulphur-free or
low sulphur fuel to reduce consumption and
prevent engine damage.
Possible types of fuel
91 a)
RONNormal petrol, normal unleaded
petrol ››› page 267
95 a)
RONPremium unleaded petrol (95 RON)
››› page 267
98 a)
RONPremium unleaded petrol 98
››› page 267
Possible types of fuel
Diesel››› page 268
a)
RON = Regulation Octane Number
Petrol Petrol types
Vehic
l

es with petrol engines must refuel us-
ing unleaded petrol according to European
norm EN 228 ››› .
P etr
o

l types are categorised according to
their octane number (e.g. 91, 95, 98 or 99
RON (RON = “Research Octane Number”).
You may use petrol with a high octane num-
ber than the one recommended for your en-
gine. However, this has no advantage in
terms of fuel consumption and engine power.
SEAT recommends refuelling with a low sul-
phur content or sulphur-free petrol to reduce
fuel consumption for petrol engines.
Petrol additives
The quality of the fuel influences the behav-
iour, power and service life of the engine.
This is why the petrol you use should carry
suitable additives already included by the
petrol industry, free of metals. These addi-
tives will help to prevent corrosion, keep the
fuel system clean and prevent deposits from
building up in the engine. »
267
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Advice
If good-quality petrol with metal-free addi-
tiv e
s
is not available or engine problems
arise, the necessary additives must be added
when refuelling ››› .
Not al
l

petrol additives have been shown to
be effective. The use of unsuitable petrol ad-
ditives may cause significant damage to the
engine and the catalytic converter. Metal ad-
ditives should never be used. Metal additives
may also be contained in petrol additives for
improving anti-detonation ratings or octane
ratings ››› .
S EA
T r

ecommends “genuine Volkswagen
Group Fuel Additives for petrol engines”.
These additives can be bought at SEAT deal-
ers, where information on how to use them
can also be obtained. CAUTION
● Do not r ef

uel if the filler indicates that the
fuel contains metal. LRP (lead replacement
petrol) fuels contain high concentrations of
metal additives. Using them may damage the
engine!
● Only use fuel with an octane rating that is
in line with the norm EN 228, otherw
ise sig-
nificant damage could be caused to the en-
gine and fuel system. Furthermore, it could
lead to a loss of performance with the conse-
quent engine fault.
● The use of unsuitable petrol additives could
damag
e the engine. ●
If, in e x

ceptional circumstances, petrol with
a lower octane rating to that recommended is
used, only use moderate engine speeds and a
light throttle. Avoid using full throttle and
overloading the engine. Otherwise you may
damage the engine. Fill up with fuel of a suit-
able octane rating as soon as possible.
● Just one full tank of leaded fuel would seri-
ously
impair the efficiency of the catalytic
converter and could damage it. Diesel
Diesel fuel
Die
sel
f

uel must correspond to European
standard EN 590 (In Germany, EN 590 or
DIN 51628).
The use of diesel fuel with a high sulphur
percentage requires shorter service intervals
››› Booklet Maintenance Programme ››› .
Y our t
ec

hnical service centre will be able to
tell you which countries have diesel with a
high sulphur content.
Do not mix fuel additives (thinners, or similar
additives) with diesel fuel.
Winter-grade diesel
When using “summer-grade diesel fuel”, dif-
ficulties may be experienced at temperatures
below 0°C (+32°F) because the fuel thickens
due to wax separation. For this reason, “win- ter-grade diesel fuel” is available in Germany,
for ex

ample, during the cold months. It can
be used at temperatures as low as -20°C
(-4°F).
In countries with different climatic condi-
tions, other types of diesel fuel are available
that are suitable to local temperatures. Tech-
nical service centres and filling stations in
the country concerned will inform you on the
types of diesel fuels available.
A cold diesel engine makes more noise dur-
ing winter temperatures than summer tem-
peratures. Furthermore, the exhaust gases
may turn slightly bluish while the engine is
heating. The quantity of exhaust gases will
depend on the outside temperature.
Filter pre-heater
Vehicles with a diesel engine are fitted with a
fuel filter pre-heating system. This ensures
that the fuel system remains operational to
approx. -24°C (-11.2 ºF), provided you use
winter-grade diesel which is safe to -15°C
(+5.0°F).
However, if the fuel has waxed to such an ex-
tent that the engine will not start at tempera-
tures of under -24°C (-11.2°F), simply place
the vehicle in a warm garage or workshop for
a while to heat up.
268