fuel Seat Altea 2006 Owner's Guide

Driving and the environment181
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
WARNING
The catalytic converter reaches very high temperatures! Risk of fire.•
Never park where the catalytic converter could come into contact with
dry grass or inflammable materials under the vehicle.
•
Do not apply additional underseal or anti-corrosion coatings to the
exhaust pipes, catalytic converter or the heat shields on the exhaust
system. These materials could catch fire when the vehicle is driven.Caution
Never fully drain the fuel tank, in this case, the irregularity of the fuel supply
may cause ignition problems. This allow s unburnt fuel to enter the exhaust
system, which could cause overheating and damage the catalytic converter.
For the sake of the environment
Even when the emission control system is working perfectly, there may be a
smell of sulphur from the exhaust unde r some conditions. This depends on
the sulphur content of the fuel used. Quite often the problem can be reme-
died by changing to another brand of fuel.Driving abroadNotesFor driving abroad, the following must be taken into consideration:
•
For vehicles fitted with a catalytic converter ensure that unleaded petrol is
available for the journey. See the chap ter “Refuelling”. Automobile organisa-
tions will have information about service station networks selling unleaded
fuel.
•
In some countries it is possible that a vehicle model is sold under condi-
tions where some spare parts are not available or that the Authorised Service
Centre may only carry out limited repairs.
SEAT importers and distributors will gladly provide information about the
technical preparation of your vehicle in addition to necessary maintenance
and repair possibilities.
Adhesive strips for headlightsIf you have to drive a right-hand drive vehicle in a left-hand drive country, or
vice versa, the asymmetric dipped beam headlights will dazzle oncoming
traffic.
To prevent dazzling, you must apply stickers to certain parts of the headlight
lenses. Further information is available from your Authorised Service
Centre.
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Driving and the environment183
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
On the right headlight, if you are changing from driving on the left-hand side
to the right-hand side.
On the left headlight, if you are changing from driving on the left-hand side to
the right-hand side.
Trailer towingWhat do you need to bear in mind when towing a trailer?Your vehicle may be used to tow a trailer when fitted with the correct equip-
ment.
If the car is supplied with a
factory-fitted towing bracket it will already have
the necessary technical modifications and meet the statutory requirements
for towing a trailer. For the posterior fitting of a trailer towing bracket see
⇒ page 198.
Connectors
Your vehicle is fitted with a 12-pin co nnector for the electrical connection
between the trailer and the vehicle.
If the trailer has a 7-pin plug you will need to use an adapter cable. This is
available from any Technical Service.
Trailer weight / draw bar loading
Never exceed the authorised towing limit. If you do not load the trailer up to
the maximum permitted trailer weight , you can then climb correspondingly
steeper gradients.
The maximum trailer weights listed are only applicable for altitudes up to
1,000 m above sea level. With increasing altitude the engine power and
therefore the vehicle's climbing ability are impaired because of the reduced
air density. The maximum trailer weight has to be reduced accordingly. The weight of the vehicle and trailer combination must be reduced by 10% for
every further 1,000m (or part thereof).
The gross combination weight is the
actual weight of the laden vehicle plus the actual weight of the laden trailer.
Where possible, operate the trailer with the maximum permitted draw bar
weight on the ball joint of the towing bracket, but do not exceed the specified
limit.
The figures for trailer weights and draw bar weights that are given on the
data plate of the towing bracket are for certification purposes only. The
correct figures for your specific model, which may be lower than these figures
for the towing bracket, are given in the registration documents and
⇒ Section “Technical data”.
Distributing the load
Distribute loads in the trailer so that heavy objects are as near to the axle as
possible. Loads carried in the trailer must be secured to prevent them
moving.
Tyre pressure
Set tyre pressure to the maximum permissible pressure shown on the sticker
on the inside of the fuel tank flap. Set the tyre pressure of the trailer tyres in
accordance with the trailer manufacturer's recommendations.
Exterior mirrors
Check whether you can see enough of the road behind the trailer with the
standard mirrors. If this is not the case you should have additional mirrors
fitted. Both exterior mirrors should be mounted on hinged extension
brackets. Adjust the mirrors to give sufficient vision to the rear.
WARNING
Never transport people in a trailer. This could result in fatal accidents.
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Driving and the environment185
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Driving economically and with respect for the
environmentGeneral notes
Fuel consumption depends largely on your personal driving
style.Fuel economy, environmental impact and wear on the engine, brakes and
tyres depend largely on three factors:•
Personal driving style
•
Conditions of use (weather, road surface)
•
Technical requirements
By adopting an economical driving styl e and anticipating the traffic situation
ahead, you can easily reduce fuel consumption by 10-15%. This section
suggests methods of lessening the impact on the environment and reducing
your operating costs at the same time.
Think ahead when drivingA vehicle uses most fuel when accelera ting. If you think ahead when driving,
you will need to brake less and thus accelerate less. Wherever possible, let
the vehicle roll slowly to a stop, for instance when you can see that the next
traffic lights are red.
Regular servicingBy taking your car to an Authorised Se rvice Centre for regular servicing you
can establish a basis for good fuel economy before you start driving. A well-
serviced engine gives you the benefit of improved fuel efficiency as well as
maximum reliability and an enhanced resale value.
A badly serviced engine can consume up to 10% more fuel than necessary.
Check the oil level every time you fill the tank ⇒page 208. Oil consumption
depends to a great extent on the engine load and engine speed. Depending
on your personal driving style, oil con sumption ca
n be up to 1 litre per
1,000

km.
Avoid short journeysThe engine and catalytic converter need to reach their proper working
temperature in order to minimise fuel consumption and emissions.
Fig. 148 Fuel consump-
tion in litres per 100 km at
two different ambient
temperatures
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Driving and the environment
186Directly after a cold start, the engine uses about 50-70 litres of fuel per
100 km. This figure then drops to 20- 30 litres per 100 km after about one
kilometre. The engine only reaches its working temperature after about four
kilometres, when fuel consumption will return to a normal level. You should
therefore avoid short journeys.
The ambient temperature has a decisive influence.
The illustration shows the different rate s of fuel consumption for the same
distance at both +20
°C and -10
°C. Your vehicle will use more fuel in winter
than in summer.
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Cleaning and caring for your vehicle187
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Cleaning and caring for your vehicleGeneral notesRegular washing and care help maintain the value of your
vehicle.Regular care
Regular and expert care helps to maintain the value of the vehicle. This may
also be one of the requirements for acknowledging warranty claims in the
event of corrosion or paint defects.
The best way to protect the car against environmental contaminants is to
wash and wax it frequently. The longer substances such as insects, bird drop-
pings, resinous tree sap, road dirt, industrial deposits, tar, soot or road salt
and other aggressive materials remain on the vehicle, the more damage they
do to the paintwork. High temperatur es (for instance in strong sunlight)
further intensify the corrosive effect.
After the period when salt is put on the roads it is important to have the
underside of the vehicle washed thoroughly.
Car care products
Car care products are available from your Authorised Service Centre. Keep the
product instructions until you have used up the product.
WARNING
•
Car care products can be toxic. For this, they must always be kept
closed in their original container. Keep out of children's reach. Failure to
comply could result in poisoning.
•
Always read and observe the instructions and warnings on the package
before using car care products. Improper use could damage your health or your vehicle. The use of certain products may produce noxious vapours;
these should be used in well ventilated areas.
•
Never use fuel, turpentine, engine oil, nail varnish remover or other
volatile fluids. These are toxic and highly flammable. There is a fire / explo-
sion risk.
•
Before you wash your vehicle, or carry out any maintenance, switch off
the engine, apply the handbrake firmly and remove the key from the igni-
tion.Caution
Never attempt to remove dirt, mud or dust if the surface of the vehicle is dry.
Never use a dry cloth or sponge for clea ning purposes. This could damage the
paintwork or glass on your vehicle. Soak dirt, mud or dust with plenty of
water.
For the sake of the environment
•
When purchasing car care products, try to select ones which are not
harmful to the environment.
•
Left over car care products should not be disposed of with ordinary house-
hold waste. Observe the disposal information on the package.WARNING (continued)
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Cleaning and caring for your vehicle193
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Cleaning the engine compartment
Take special care when cleaning the engine compartment.Anti-corrosion treatment
The engine compartment and the surface of the power unit are given anti-
corrosion treatment at the factory.
Good corrosion protection is particularly important in winter when the car is
frequently driven on salted roads. To prevent the salt corroding the vehicle,
the entire engine compartment should be thoroughly cleaned before and
after the salting period.
Your Authorised Service Centre is able to provide the correct cleaning and
preserving products and has the necessary equipment. For this reason, we
recommend having this work performed by them.
The anti-corrosion protection is usua lly removed if the engine compartment
is cleaned with grease removing solution s, or if you have the engine cleaned.
If this job is carried out, you should ensure that all surfaces, seams, joints and
components in the engine compartmen t are given anti-corrosion treatment
afterwards.
WARNING
•
When working in the engine compartment, always observe the safety
warnings ⇒ page 203.
•
Switch off the engine, apply the parking brake firmly and always
remove the key from the ignition before you open the bonnet.
•
Allow the engine to cool before you clean the engine compartment.
•
Do not clean the underside of vehicle, wheel arches without protecting
your hands and arms. You may cut your self on sharp-edged metal parts.
Failure to comply could result in injury.
•
Moisture, ice and salt on the brakes may affect braking efficiency. Risk
of accident. If possible, avoid sudden braking immediately after washing
the vehicle.
•
Never touch the radiator fan. It is temperature-controlled and could
start automatically, even when the key is removed from the ignition!For the sake of the environment
Fuel, grease and oil deposits could be removed when the engine is washed.
The polluted water must be cleaned in an oil separator. For this reason,
engine washing should be carried out only by a qualified workshop or a suit-
able filling station.Care of the vehicle interiorCleaning plastic parts and the dash panel– Use a clean, damp cloth to clean plastic parts and the dash panel.
– If this does not provide satisfactory results, use a special solvent-free plastic cleaning product.
WARNING
Never clean the dash panel and surface of the airbag module with cleansers
containing solvents. Solvents cause the surface to become porous. If the
airbag inflates, disintegrating plastic parts can cause substantial injuries.
WARNING (continued)
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Checking and refilling levels
200Checking and refilling levelsRefuellingThe tank flap is released manually. The tank holds approxi-
mately 55 litres.Unscrewing the tank cap
–Lift the lid.
– Grip the cap and then insert the key into the lock and rotate 180
°
to the left.
– Unscrew the cap, turning it anti-clockwise.
Closing the tank cap
– Screw the tank cap to the right, until the point of feeling a “click”. – Turn the key in the lock, without releasing the cap in the clock-
wise direction 180
°.
– Remove the key and close the flap until it clicks into place. The tank cap is se cu red w ith an
anti-loss atta chment.
The tank flap is at the rear of the vehicle on the right.
If the automatic filler nozzle is operated correctly, it will switch itself off as
soon as the tank is “full”. Never attempt to fill beyond this point, as this will
fill the expansion chamber. Fuel may leak out if ambient conditions are warm.
The correct fuel grade for your vehicle is given on a sticker on the inside of the
tank flap. Further notes on fuel can be found.
WARNING
•
Fuel is highly inflammable and can cause serious burns and other inju-
ries.
−Never smoke or use any naked flame when filling the fuel tank of the
vehicle, or a spare fuel canister, with fuel. This is an explosion hazard.
− Follow legal requirements for the use of spare fuel canisters.
− For safety reasons we do not recommend carrying a spare fuel
canister in the vehicle. The canister could be damaged in an accident
and leak.
•
If, in exceptional circumstances, you have to carry a spare fuel canister,
please observe the following points:
−Never fill the spare fuel canister inside the vehicle or on it. An elec-
trostatic charge could build up during filling, causing the fuel fumes to
ignite. This may be fatally explosive. Always place the canister on the
ground to fill it.
Fig. 150 Tank flap open
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Checking and refilling levels201
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
−
Insert the fuel nozzle into the mouth of the canister as far as
possible.
− If the spare fuel canister is made of metal, the filling nozzle must be
in contact with the canister during filling. This helps prevent an electro-
static charge building up.
− Never spill fuel in the vehicle or in the luggage compartment. Fuel
vapours are explosive. Danger of death.
Caution
•
Fuel spills should be removed from the paintwork immediately.
•
Never run the tank completely dry. An irregular fuel supply could cause
misfiring. As a result, unburnt fuel co uld enter the catalytic converter and
cause damage.For the sake of the environment
Do not try to put in more fuel after the automatic filler nozzle has switched off;
this may cause the fuel to overflow if it becomes warm.PetrolPetrol types
The correct petrol types are listed on a sticker inside the fuel
tank flap.Only unleaded petrol, corresponding to the standard DIN EN 228 , may be
used for vehicles with catalytic converters (EN = “European Norm”). Petrol types are categorised according to their
octane number, e. g. 91, 95,
98 RON (RON = “research octane number” ). You may use petrol with a higher
octane number than the one recommende d for your engine. However, this
has no advantage in terms of fuel consumption and engine power.
Caution
•
Even one tank full of leaded fuel would permanently impair the efficiency
of the catalytic converter.
•
High engine speed and full throttle can damage the engine when using
petrol with an octane rating lower than the correct grade for the engine.For the sake of the environment
Just one full tank of leaded fuel would seriously impair the efficiency of the
catalytic converter.Petrol additives
Petrol additives improve the quality of the petrol.The quality of the petrol influences running behaviour, performance and
service life of the engine. For this reason you should use good quality petrol
containing additives. These additives will help to prevent corrosion, keep the
fuel system clean and prevent deposits from building up in the engine.
If good quality petrol with additives is not available or engine problems occur,
the required additives must be added during refuelling.
WARNING (continued)
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Checking and refilling levels
202DieselDiesel*Diesel fuel must correspond to DIN EN 590 (EN = “European standard”). It
must have a cetane number (CN) of at least 51. The cetane number indicates
the ignition quality of the diesel fuel.
Notes on filling with fuel ⇒page 200.RME fuel*
Only those vehicles fitted with special equipment (number PR
2G0 for biodiesel use) may use biodiesel corresponding to
the standard DIN EN 14214.The biodiesel fuel must comply with the DIN EN 14.214 (FAME) Standard.•
Biodiesel is a methylester obtained from rapeseed oil.
• DIN is a German abbrevia tion f
or “Deutsches Institut für N ormug e.
V.”,
the German standards institute.
•
EN means E uropean Norm.
• FAME is the English abbreviation “F
atty Acid Methyl E ster”
If the date sticker of the vehicle in cludes the number PR 2G0 optional equip-
ment) this means that that vehicle has been prepared for biodiesel use.
Your Authorised Service Centre or automobile association will be able to
advise on where you can obtain RME biodiesel fuel.
Your Authorised Service Centre can also be consulted to know if the vehicle
has been prepared for biodiesel use. Things to note about RME fuel (biodiesel)
•
The performance of a vehicle using biodiesel maybe somewhat reduced.
•
Fuel consumption of a vehicle using biodiesel maybe slightly higher.
•
RME fuel can be used in winter at
temperatures down to approx. -10°C.
•
At outside temperatures below -10° C, we recommend using winter diesel
fuel.Caution
•
RME fuel can damage the fuel system in vehicles which are not suitably
adjusted.
•
If you decide to use biodiesel in your vehicle, please use only RME fuel
which is DIN E 14,214 compliant.
•
If you use biodiesel that does not me et the required standard, the fuel
filter could become clogged.Note
•
In case of low exterior temperatures and a fuel biodiesel percentage of
higher than 50%, an increase in gas emission may occur during operation of
the independent heating.
•
The fuel filter may become clogged when fuel is changed to biodiesel. For
this reason, we recommend that, about every 300 or 400 km, following a fuel
change, also change the fuel filter. Also. note the instructions in the inspec-
tion and maintenance plan.
•
If the vehicle is to remain parked for more than about two weeks, we
recommend filling the fuel tank with biodiesel and driving about 50 km in
order to avoid damage to the injection system.
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Checking and refilling levels203
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Winter driving
Diesel can thicken in winter.Winter-grade diesel
When using “summer-grade diesel fuel”, difficulties may be experienced at
sub-zero temperatures because the fuel thickens due to paraffin separation.
For this reason, “winter-grade diesel fuel” is available in some countries
during the cold months. It can be used at temperatures as low as -22
° C.
In countries with different climatic cond itions the diesel fuel sold generally
has different temperature characteristics. Check with an Authorised Service
Centre or filling stations in the country concerned regarding the type of diesel
fuels available.
Filter pre-heater
Your vehicle is fitted with a filter fuel pre-heater, making it well equipped for
operation in winter. This ensures that the fuel system remains operational to
approx. -24
°C, provided you use winter-grade diesel which is safe to -15
°C .
However, if the fuel has waxed to such an extent that the engine will not start
at temperatures of under -24
° C, simply place the vehicle in a warm room for
a while.
Caution
Do not mix fuel additives (“thinners”, or similar additives) with diesel fuel.
Working in the engine compartmentSafety instructions on working in the engine compartment
Any work carried out in the engine compartment or on the
engine must be carried out cautiously.Before starting any work on the engine or in the engine compart-
ment:
1. Switch off the engine and remove the key from the ignition.
2. Apply the handbrake.
3. Move the gear stick to neutral or the selector lever to position P.
4. Wait for the engine to cool down.
5. Keep children away from the vehicle.
6. Raise the bonnet ⇒page 205.You should not do any work in the engine compartment unless you know
exactly how to carry out the jobs and have the correct tools! Have the work
carried out by a qualified workshop if you are uncertain.
All service fluids and consumables, e.g. coolant, engine oil, spark plugs and
batteries, are being constantly developed. SEAT provides a constant flow of
information to the Authorised Service Centres concerning modifications. For
this reason we recommend that you have service fluids and consumables
replaced by an Authorised Service Centre. Please observe the relevant
instructions ⇒page 196. The engine compartment of any motor vehicle is a
hazardous area ⇒
.
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