checking oil Seat Altea 2014 User Guide

246Checking and refilling levels
To change the blades it is necessary to change the rest position of
the wipers to the service position.
Service position (For changing wiper blades)
–Ensure that the wiper blades are not frozen.
– Turn ignition on and off and then (before approx. 8 seconds
have elapsed), move the windscreen wiper lever to the intermit-
tent wipe position. The windscreen wipers will move to the serv-
ice position.
Changing the windscreen wiper blades
– Lift the wiper arm away from the windscreen.
– Push the side buttons, free the blade and pull in the direction of
the arrow ⇒ Fig. 171
Fitting the wiper blade
– Insert a blade of identical length and design into the wiper arm.
– Slide the blade until it clicks into position.
– Push the wiper arms back against the windscreen.
The windscreen wiper arms return to their original position when the igni-
tion is turned on and the windscreen wiper lever is operated, or when driv-
ing faster than 6 km/h (4 mph).
If the windscreen wipers smear , they should be replaced if they are dam-
aged, or cleaned if they are soiled.
If this does not produce the desired results, the setting angle of the wind-
screen wiper arms might be incorrect. They should be checked by a special-
ised workshop and corrected if necessary.
WARNING
Do not drive unless you have good visibility through all windows!
● Clean the windscreen wiper blades and all windows regularly.
● The wiper blades should be changed once or twice a year.
CAUTION
● Damaged or dirty windscreen wipers could scratch the windscreen.
● Never use fuel, nail varnish remover, paint thinner or similar products to
clean the windows. This could damage the windscreen wiper blades.
● Never move the windscreen wiper or windscreen wiper arm manually.
This could cause damage.
● Do not pull the windscreen wipers forward unless they are in the service
position. Otherwise the bonnet could be damaged.
Note
● The windscreen wiper arms can be moved to the service position only
when the bonnet is properly closed. 

247
Checking and refilling levels
Applies to the model: ALTEA
Changing the rear wiper blade
A good rear wiper blade is essential for clear rear vision.
Damaged wiper blades should be replaced immediately.
Fig. 172 Removing the
rear window wiper blade
Fig. 173 Fitting the rear
window wiper blade Removing the wiper blade
–
Lift the wiper arm away from the glass ⇒ Fig. 172
– Slide the blade adapter in the direction of the arrow and remove
the blade ⇒ Fig. 172.
Fitting the wiper blade
– With one hand, hold the top end of the wiper arm.
– Place the blade as shown in the ⇒ Fig. 173 and slide the adapt-
er along until it engages.
Check the condition of the wiper blade regularly. Change as required.
If the windscreen wiper scrapes, it should be replaced if damaged, or
cleaned if soiled.
If this is not sufficient, refer to a specialised workshop.
WARNING
Do not drive unless you have good visibility through all windows!
● Clean the windscreen wiper blades and all windows regularly.
● The wiper blades should be changed once or twice a year.
CAUTION
● A damaged or dirty window wiper could scratch the rear window.
● Never use fuel, nail varnish remover, paint thinner or similar products to
clean the window.
● Never move the windscreen wiper by hand. This could cause damage. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

248Checking and refilling levels
Applies to the model: ALTEA XL / ALTEA FREETRACK
Changing the rear wiper blade
A good rear wiper blade is essential for clear rear vision.
Damaged wiper blades should be replaced immediately.
Fig. 174 Changing the
rear window wiper blade
Removing the wiper blade
– Lift the rear wiper arm.
– Release the blade by pulling it in the direction of the arrow 2
.
Fitting the wiper blade
– Insert the wiper blade onto the windscreen wiper arm until it
clicks into place.
Check the condition of the wiper blade regularly. Change as required.
If the windscreen wiper scrapes, it should be replaced if damaged, or
cleaned if soiled.
If this is not sufficient, refer to a specialised workshop.
WARNING
Do not drive unless you have good visibility through all windows!
● Clean the windscreen wiper blades and all windows regularly.
● The wiper blades should be changed once or twice a year.
CAUTION
● A damaged or dirty window wiper could scratch the rear window.
● Never use fuel, nail varnish remover, paint thinner or similar products to
clean the window.
● Never move the windscreen wiper by hand. This could cause damage. 

249
Checking and refilling levels
Brake fluid Checking the brake fluid level
The brake fluid is checked at the intervals given in the serv-
ice schedule.
Fig. 175 In the engine
compartment: Brake fluid
reservoir cover
– Read off the fluid level at the transparent brake fluid reservoir. It
should always be between the “MIN” and “MAX” marks.
The position of the brake fluid reservoir is shown in the corresponding en-
gine compartment illustration ⇒ page 297. The brake fluid reservoir has a
black and yellow cap.
The brake fluid level drops slightly when the vehicle is being used as the
brake pads are automatically adjusted as they wear.
However, if the level goes down noticeably in a short time, or drops below
the “MIN” mark, there may be a leak in the brake system. A display on the
instrument panel will warn you if the brake fluid level is too low ⇒ page 76.
WARNING
Before opening the bonnet to check the brake fluid level, read and ob-
serve the warnings ⇒ page 235.

Changing the brake fluid
The Maintenance Programme indicates the brake fluid
change intervals. We recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by a Technical Serv-
ice.
Before opening the bonnet, please read and follow the warnings ⇒ 
in
Safety instructions on working in the engine compartment on page 235 in
section “Safety notes for working in the engine compartment”.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture. In the course of time, it will absorb water from
the ambient air. If the water content in the brake fluid is too high, the brake
system could corrode. This also considerably reduces the boiling point of
the brake fluid. Heavy use of the brakes may then cause a vapour lock
which could impair the braking effect.
Be sure to always use the correct brake fluid. Only use brake fluid that ex-
pressly meets VW 501 14 standards.
You can buy VW 501 14 standard brake fluid in a SEAT dealership or SEAT
Official Service. If none is available, use only high quality brake fluid that
meets DIN ISO 4925 CLASS 4 standards, or USA Standards FMVSS 116 DOT
4.
Using any other kind of brake fluid or one that is not of a high quality may
affect operation of the brake system and reduce its effectiveness. Never use
a brake fluid if the container does not state that it complies with VW 501 14,
DIN ISO 4925 CLASS 4 standards, or USA standards FMVSS 116 DOT 4. 
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253
Wheels and tyres
Wheels and tyres
Wheels
General notes
Avoiding damage
– If you have to drive over a kerb or similar obstacle, drive very
slowly and at a right angle.
– Keep grease, oil and fuel off the tyres.
– Inspect the tyres regularly for damage (cuts, cracks or blisters,
etc.). Remove any foreign objects embedded in the treads.
Storing tyres
– When you remove the tyres, mark them in order to maintain the
same direction of rotation when they are installed again.
– When removed, the wheels and/or tyres should be stored in a
cool, dry and preferably dark location.
– Store tyres in a vertical position if they are not fitted on wheel
rims.
New tyres
New tyres must be run in ⇒ page 204.
The tread depth of new tyres may vary, according to the type and make of
tyre and the tread pattern. Concealed damage
Damage to tyres and rims is often not readily visible. If you notice unusual
vibrations or the vehicle pulling to one side, this may indicate that one of
the tyres is damaged. The tyres should be checked immediately by a Techni-
cal Service.
Tyres with directional tread pattern
An arrow on the tyre sidewall indicates the direction of rotation on tyres with
directional tread. Always observe the direction of rotation indicated when
fitting the wheel. This guarantees optimum grip and helps to avoid aqua-
planing, excessive noise and wear.
WARNING
● New tyres do not have maximum grip during the first 500 km
(300 miles). Drive particularly carefully to avoid possible accidents.
● Never drive with damaged tyres. This may cause an accident.
● If you notice unusual vibrations or if the vehicle pulls to one side
when driving, stop the vehicle immediately and check the tyres for dam-
age.

Checking tyre pressure
The correct tyre pressure can be seen on the sticker on the
inside of the fuel tank flap. 1. Read the required tyre inflation pressure from the sticker. The values refer to Summer tyres. For winter tyres, you must add
0.2 bar (2.9 psi / 20 kPa) to the values given on the sticker. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

297
Technical specifications
Technical specifications
Checking fluid levels
From time to time, the levels of the different fluids in the ve-
hicle must be checked. Never fill with incorrect fluids, other-
wise serious damage to the engine may be caused.
Fig. 219 Diagram for the
location of the various el-
ements Coolant expansion tank
Windscreen washer reservoir
Engine oil filler cap
Engine oil dipstick
Brake fluid reservoir
Vehicle battery (underneath the cover)
The checking and refilling of service fluids are carried out on the compo-
nents mentioned above. These operations are described in the ⇒ page 235.
Overview
You will find further explanations, instructions and restrictions on the tech-
nical specifications as of ⇒ page 293. 
1
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Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

C
Car care Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
CCS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
CD changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Central lock button Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Unlocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Automatic locking system for involuntaryunlocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Automatic speed-dependent locking and unlocking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Emergency unlocking system . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Selective unlocking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Unlocking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Centre armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Cetane number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Changing gear see Manual gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Changing gear in tiptronic mode . . . . . . . . . . 186
Changing the bulbs Main headlight bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Changing the main headlight bulbs Main beam lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Side lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Turn signal bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Changing the main headlight lamps dipped lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277 Changing the tail light bulbs
Position light, fog light and tail light on therear lid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Changing the tail lights Luggage compartment lights . . . . . . . . . . 284
Rear fog light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Reverse light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Side lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Turn signal light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Turn signal, side and brake lights on thebody . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Changing windscreen wiper blades . . . . . . . . 245
Chassis number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Checking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Checking battery electrolyte level . . . . . . . . . . 251
Checking engine oil level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Checklist Seat upholstery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Child seat Categorisation in groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Group 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Group 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Group 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Groups 0 and 0+ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Safety notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 ISOFIX system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
on the front passenger seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Top Tether system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Cigarette lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Cleaning alloy wheel rims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219 Cleaning chrome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Cleaning engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Cleaning steel wheel rims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Cleaning windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Climatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Climatronic
General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Clothes hook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Cockpit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Coming/leaving home function . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Compartment for on-board documentation . . 141
control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Control lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Control lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Controls electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Exterior mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Sliding/tilting sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Convenience closing Sliding/tilting sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Convenience opening Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242, 243 control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Coolant level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243 Control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Coolant loss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Coolant temperature control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
310 Index

EngineRunning in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Engine compartment Working in the engine compartment . . . . 235
Engine coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 G 12 plus-plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
G 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Engine fault Control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Engine management control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Checking engine oil level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Oil properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Topping up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Engine oil dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Engine oil pressure control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66, 86
Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206 Environmental friendliness . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Environmentally friendly driving . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Environmental tip Avoiding pollution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
ESC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88, 172, 198 see also Electronic Stability Control . . . . . 172
Example of menu use Program a speed limit warning . . . . . . . . . . 69
To activate and deactivate the speed limitwarning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Example of the use of the menus
Open the Configuration menu with the MFIlever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Open the Configuration menu with the steering wheel controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Examples of menu use Open the main menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Open the winter tyres menu . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
To close the winter tyres menu . . . . . . . . . . 69
Exhaust gas purification system . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Exterior mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
F
Fastening rings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Fire extinguisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
First-aid kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Flexible service interval display . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Floor mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Fog lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Fog lights with cornering function . . . . . . . . . 120
Folding table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Folding the seat backrests down . . . . . . . . . . 140
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Safety notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Front drinks holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Front interior light type 1 Switching light off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Switching light on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Front interior light type 2
Switching light off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Switching light on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Front passenger airbag deactivation . . . . . . . . 44
Front reading lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Front seat adjustment Lumbar support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Fuel Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Petrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
fuel consumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Fuel consumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Fuel level Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Fuel reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Warning message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Fuel tank see Fuel reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Fuel Tank Opening the fuel tank flap . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Fuel: save . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 Fuse box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Identifying blown fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Identifying by colours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Preparation before replacing . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
G
Gear shift pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
General overview of the engine compartment 297
312 Index