ignition Seat Altea 2015 Workshop Manual

Operation
●
Do not apply additional underseal or anti-
corrosion coatings to the exhaust pipes, cata-
lytic converter or the heat shields on the ex-
haust system. These materials could catch
fire when the vehicle is being driven. CAUTION
Never run the fuel tank completely dry be-
cause the irregularity of the fuel supply may
cause ignition problems. This allows 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 gas under some
conditions. This depends on the sulphur con-
tent of the fuel used. Quite often the problem
can be solved by changing to another brand
of fuel. Diesel engine particulate filter*
Fig. 130
Vehicle data sticker on back cover of
the Maintenance Programme. Your vehicle is fitted with a DPF (Diesel partic-
ulate filter) if the vehicle data sticker (back
cover of the “Maintenance Programme)” lists
the PR code 7GG or 7MG
››› Fig. 130 .
The die sel
engine particulate filter eliminates
most of the soot from the exhaust gas sys-
tem. Under normal driving conditions, the fil-
ter cleans itself. If this is not possible (for ex-
ample, multiple short trips) the filter will be
obstructed by soot and  the diesel engine
particulate filter warning lamp will light up.
This does not represent a fault, it is a warning
that indicates that the filter has not been
able to regenerate automatically and that you
must perform a cleaning cycle, as indicated
in ››› page 41
. WARNING
● The diesel engine particulate filter may
reach extremely high temperatures; the vehi-
cle should be parked so that the exhaust pipe
does not come into contact with flammable
materials underneath the vehicle. Otherwise
there is a risk of fire. CAUTION
● Your vehicle is not designed to use biodie-
sel fuel. Never, under any circumstances re-
fuel with biodiesel. The use of biodiesel fuel
could damage the engine and the fuel sys-
tem. The addition of biodiesel to diesel by
the diesel producer in accordance with stand-
ard EN 590 is authorised and will not cause
damage to the engine or the fuel system.
● Using diesel fuel with a high sulphur con-
tent may significantly reduce the useful life of
the diesel particulate filter. Your Technical
Service will be able to tell you which coun-
tries have diesel with a high sulphur content. Economical and environmentally
friendly driving
Fuel consumption, environmental pollution
and wear to the engine, brakes and tyres de-
pends in large part on your driving style. By
adopting an economical driving style and an-
ticipating the traffic situation ahead, you can
easily reduce fuel consumption by 10-15%.
132

Driver assistance systems
● The windscreen de-mist function is turned
on.
● The temperature of the passenger compart-
ment exceeds comfort limits (button A/C
11 ›››
Fig. 120 should be selected).
● If in an inc
rease in airflow 10
››› Fig. 120 is
r equir

ed for more than three presses.
● Temperature setting HI or LO is selected.
● The engine coolant temperature is insuffi-
cient.
● The alternator is faulty, for example the V-
belt has ruptured.
● If any of the conditions described in the
previous section are not fulfilled. WARNING
Never allow the vehicle to move with the en-
gine off for any reason. You could lose control
of your vehicle. This could cause an accident
and serious injury.
● Power steering does not work when the en-
gine is not running. That is why it is much
more difficult to turn the steering wheel.
● Turn off the Start-Stop system when driving
through water (fording streams, etc.). Note
● For vehicles with the Start-Stop function
and a manual gearbox, when the engine is
started, the clutch must be pressed. ●
When the conditions for the Start-Stop
function are not fulfilled, the instrument pan-
el displays the Start-Stop indicator dimmed.
● If the steering wheel is turned more than
270°, Stop will not function; however, the an-
gle of steering wheel turn does not affect
starting the vehicle. Activating and deactivating the Start-
Stop function
Fig. 132
The Start-Stop function button. Every time the ignition is switched on, the
Start-Stop function is automatically activa-
ted.
Manually deactivating the Start-Stop
function
– Press the A
››› Fig. 132 located in the cen-
tre console. When the Start-Stop function is deactivated, the pushbutton indicator
lights.
– If the Start-Stop function is operating then
the engine starts immediately.
Switching the Start-Stop function on
manually – Press the A
››› Fig. 132 located in the cen-
tre console. The indicator on the button will
go out.
Driver messages Fig. 133
Display on the instrument panel dur-
ing Start-Stop function operation. When the engine is turned off by the Start-
Stop function, this is displayed on the instru-
ment panel.
»
139Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Driver assistance systems
SEAT Parking System Plus*:
description The Parking System Plus is an acoustic and
optical parking aid.
Sensors are located in the front and rear
bumpers. When the sensors detect an obsta-
cle, you are alerted by audible and optical
warnings. The measuring range of the sen-
sors starts at approximately:FrontSide0.90
Centre1.20
RearSide0.60
Centre1.60
The audible warnings sound with increasing
frequency as you approach the obstacle.
When the vehicle is less than 0.30 m away
from the obstacle, the warning tone will
sound continuously. Stop moving immediate-
ly!
The volume of the warning beeps will gradu-
ally decrease after about 4 seconds if the ve-
hicle remains at a constant distance from a
detected obstacle (it does not affect the per-
manent acoustic signal). Activating/deactivating
Fig. 134
Centre console: Switch for parking
aid. Activate
– Connects the radio navigator.
– Press the switch  on the centre console
››› Fig. 134 or on the gear indicator. You will
he ar a brief

confirmation tone and the LED
on the switch will light up.
Deactivating – Drive forward faster than 10 km/h (6 mph),
or
– Press the switch  or
– Switch the ignition off.
Segments in the optical display
Some colour segments in front and behind
and an audible warning enable the driver to
assess the distance with respect to an obsta- cle. The amber colour segments combined
with a discontinuous beep indicate the pres-
ence of an obstacle. As the vehicle gets clos-
er to the obstacle, the colour of the segment
changes to red and the acoustic signal beeps
continuously. When the penultimate segment
is displayed, this means that the vehicle has
reached the collision zone. Stop moving im-
mediately!
››› in SEAT Parking System: de-
scription on page 140. Note
● Please refer to the notes on towing
››› page 141.
● Ther e i

s a slight delay in the picture dis-
play. Towing bracket
In towing mode, the rear parking aid sensors
are not enabled when you select reverse gear
or press the switch
. This function may not
be guaranteed on towing brackets that are
not factory fitted. This results in the following
restrictions:
SEAT Parking System*
No warning is given.
SEAT Parking System Plus*
There is no rear distance warning. The system
will still give a warning when obstacles are »
141
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Operation
detected while driving forward. The optical
display changes to towing mode.
Fault messages If you hear a long beep for a few seconds and
the LED on the switch 
* starts flashing
when
you switch on the parking aid, a system
fault has occurred. Contact a SEAT official
service or specialised workshop. Note
If the fault is not corrected before you switch
off the ignition, it will only be indicated by
the flashing LED on the switch  the next
time y

ou switch on the parking aid. Cruise speed* (cruise control
system - CCS)
Description The CCS is able to maintain the set speed in
the range from approx. 30 km/h (19 mph) to
180 km/h (112 mph).
Once the speed setting has been saved, you
may take your foot off the accelerator. WARNING
It could be dangerous to use the cruise con-
trol system if it is not possible to drive at con-
stant speed.
● Do not use the cruise control system when
driving in dense traffic, on roads with lots of
bends or on roads with poor conditions (with
ice, slippery surfaces, loose grit or gravel), as
this could cause an accident.
● Always switch the cruise control system off
after using it in order to avoid involuntary
use.
● It is dangerous to use a set speed which is
too high for the current road, traffic or weath-
er conditions. Risk of accident. Note
The cruise control cannot maintain a constant
speed when descending downhill. It will in-
crease due to its own weight. Use the foot
brake to slow the vehicle. Switching the cruise control system
on and off
Fig. 135
Turn signal and main beam head-
light lever: switch and rocker switch for the
cruise control. Switching on the cruise control system
– Push the switch ››› Fig. 135 B to the left to
ON.
Switching off the cruise control system
– Either push the switch B to the right to
OFF or turn the ignition off when the vehicle
is stationary.
When cruise control is on and a speed is pro-
grammed, the indicator  on the dash panel
is lit. 1)
If the cruise control system is switched off,
the  symbo l

is switched off. The system will 1)
Depending on the model version
142

Operation
once on the upper part of the rocker switch RES/+ ››› Fig. 137 A .
Complete system deactivation* Vehicles with a manual gearbox
The system is completely turned off
by mov-
ing the control B
››› Fig. 137 all the way to
the right (OFF
engaged), or when the vehicle
is stationary, by switching off the ignition.
Vehicles with automatic gearbox/DSG
automatic gearbox
To completely disengage the system, the se-
lector lever must be placed in one of the fol-
lowing positions: P ,
N, R or 1 or with the vehi-
cle stopped and the ignition turned off. Towing bracket device
Trailer towing Instructions to follow Your vehicle may be used to tow a trailer
when fitted with the correct equipment.
If the car is supplied with a
factory-fitted tow-
in g br

acket it will already have the necessary
technical modifications and meet the statuto-
ry requirements for towing a trailer. If you
wish to retrofit a towing bracket, consult
›

›› page 146.
Connect
ors
Your vehicle is fitted with a 12-pin connector
for the electrical connection between the
trailer and the vehicle.
If the trailer has a 7-pin plug you will need to
use an a

dapter cable. It is available at any
Technical Service.
Trailer weight/drawbar load
Never exceed the authorised trailer weight. If
you do not load the trailer up to the maxi-
mum permitted trailer weight, you can then
climb correspondingly steeper slopes.
The maximum trailer weights listed are only applicable for altitudes up to 1000 m above
sea l

evel. With increasing altitude the engine power and therefore the vehicle 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 re-
duced by 10% for every further 1000 m (or
part thereof). The gross combination weight
is the actual weight of the laden vehicle plus
the actual weight of the laden trailer. When
possible, operate the trailer with the maxi-
mum permitted drawbar load on the ball joint
of the t

owing bracket, but do not exceed the
specified limit.
The figures for trailer weights
and drawbar
loads 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 fig-
ures for the towing bracket, are given in the
vehicle documentation or in ››› chapter Tech-
nical 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.
144

Advice
To return to working position
Continue in the reverse order to the previous
instruction. CAUTION
If an automatic car wash tunnel is used, be-
fore entering the tunnel, put the aerial down
parallel to the roof and do not tighten to
avoid damage. Mobile phones and two-way radios
First consult your Technical Service if you
wish to use a mobile telephone or a two-way
radio with a transmitting power output in ex-
cess of 10 watts. Here you will receive infor-
mation concerning the technical possibilities
for retrofitting this equipment.
Mobile telephones and two-way radios
should be only fitted by a specialised work-
shop, for example a SEAT dealership.
WARNING
● Always concentrate primarily on driving. If
you are distracted while driving you could
have an accident.
● Never attach the telephone mountings to
the surfaces covering the airbag units or
within the range of the airbags. There is a
high danger of injury if the airbag is trig-
gered. Note
Please observe the operating instructions of
your mobile telephone/two-way radio. Care and cleaning
General information Vehicle maintenance
Regular care and washing help to maintain
the value
of the vehicle. This may also be one
of the requirements for acknowledging war-
ranty claims in the event of bodywork corro-
sion or paint defects.
The best way to protect your vehicle against
the harmful effects of the environment is
through correct maintenance and frequent
washing. The longer substances such as in-
sect remains, bird droppings, resinous tree
sap, road dirt, industrial deposits, tar, soot or
road salt and other aggressive materials re-
main on the vehicle, the more damage they
do to the paintwork. High temperatures, for
instance in strong sunlight, further intensify
the corrosive effect.
After winter, a period when salt is put on the
roads, it is important to have the underside
of the vehicle washed thoroughly. Products for vehicle maintenance
Car-care products are available in your Tech-
nical Services. Keep the product instructions
until you have used them up. WARNING
● Car-care products can be toxic. Because of
this, they must always be kept closed in their
original container. Keep them out of the reach
of children. 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 cause
health problems or damage the vehicle. The
use of certain products may produce noxious
vapours; they should be used in well ventila-
ted areas.
● Never use fuel, turpentine, engine oil, nail
varnish remover or other volatile fluids.
These are toxic and highly flammable. Risk of
fire and explosion.
● Before washing your vehicle, or carrying
out any maintenance, switch the engine off,
apply the handbrake firmly and remove the
key from the ignition. 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 cleaning purposes.
This could damage the paintwork or the win-
dows of your vehicle. Soak dirt, mud or dust
with plenty of water. 148

Care and maintenance
For the sake of the environment
● When purchasing products for your vehicle
maintenance, select the ones which are not
harmful to the environment.
● The waste from car-care products should
not be disposed of with ordinary household
waste. Observe the disposal information on
the package. Care of the vehicle exterior
Automatic car wash tunnel The vehicle paintwork is so durable that the
vehicle can normally be washed without
problems in an automatic car wash tunnel.
However, the paintwork wear depends to a
large extent on the kind of the car wash tun-
nel, the brushes used, its water filtering and
the type of cleaning and preservative prod-
ucts.
Before going through a vehicle wash, be sure
to take the usual precautions such as closing
the windows and sunroof.
If the vehicle has special accessories such as
spoilers or a roof rack or two-way radio aerial,
etc., it is advisable to consult the car wash
tunnel operator.
After washing,
the brakes
could take some
time t
o respond as the brake discs and pads could be wet, or even frozen in winter. “Dry”
the brakes by braking several times. WARNING
Water, ice and salt on the brake system can
reduce braking effectiveness. Risk of acci-
dent. CAUTION
Before putting the vehicle through the car
wash, do not tighten the aerial if it is folded
because it can be damaged. Washing by hand
Vehicle washing
– First soften the dirt and rinse it off with wa-
ter.
– Clean your vehicle from top to bottom with
a soft sponge, a glove or a brush. Use very
light pressure.
– Rinse the sponge or glove often with clean
water.
– Special car shampoo should only be used
for very stubborn dirt.
– Leave the wheels, sill panels etc. until last,
using a different sponge or glove.
– Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water. –
Dry the vehicle surface gently with a cha-
mois leather.
– In cold temperature
, dry the rubber seals
and their s

urfaces to prevent them from
freezing. Apply silicone spray to the rubber
seals.
After washing the vehicle – After washing, avoid sudden and sharp
braking. “Dry” the brakes by braking sever-
al times ››› page 123, Braking capacity and
distance. WARNING
● Wash your vehicle with the ignition switch-
ed off.
● Protect your hands and arms from cuts on
sharp metal edges when cleaning the under-
body, the inside of the wheel housings etc.
Risk of injury.
● Water, ice and salt on the brake system can
reduce braking effectiveness. Risk of acci-
dent. CAUTION
● Never remove dirt, mud or dust if the vehi-
cle surface is dry. Never use a dry cloth or
sponge for cleaning purposes. This could
scratch the paintwork or glass on your vehi-
cle. » 149
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Care and maintenance
running gear, and retouch it if necessary,
before and after the winter season.
We recommend that you go to your Technical
Service to carry out repair work and addition-
al anti-corrosion work. WARNING
Do not apply underseal or anti-corrosion
coatings to the exhaust pipes, catalytic con-
verter or the heat shields on the exhaust sys-
tem. The heat of the exhaust system or the
engine could cause them to ignite. Risk of
fire. 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 treat-
ment at the factory.
Good corrosion protection is particularly im-
portant in winter when the vehicle is fre-
quently driven on salted roads. To prevent
the salt corroding the vehicle, the entire en-
gine compartment should be thoroughly
cleaned before and after winter.
Technical Services
have the proper products
for cleaning and preservation as well as the necessary workshop equipment. For this rea-
son, we recommend having this work per-
formed by them.
The anti-corrosion protection is usually re-
moved if the engine compartment is cleaned
with grease removing solutions, or if you
have the engine cleaned. On commissioning
this work, ensure that all surfaces, seams,
joints and components in the engine com-
partment are given anti-corrosion treatment.
WARNING
● When working in the engine compartment,
always observe the safety warnings
››› page 163.
● Bef
ore opening the bonnet, switch the en-
gine off, apply the handbrake firmly and al-
ways remove the key from the ignition.
● Allow the engine to cool before you clean
the engine compartment.
● Do not clean, for example, the vehicle un-
derbody, wheel arches or wheel trims without
protecting your hands and arms. You may cut
yourself on sharp-edged metal parts. Failure
to comply could result in injury.
● Moisture, ice and salt on the brake system
may affect braking effectiveness. Risk of acci-
dent. Directly after washing, avoid sudden
and sharp braking.
● Never touch the radiator fan. It is tempera-
ture-controlled and could start automatically,
even when the key is removed from the igni-
tion! For the sake of the environment
Fuel, grease and oil deposits can be removed
when the engine is washed. The polluted wa-
ter must be cleaned in an oil separator. For
this reason, engine washing should be car-
ried out only by a specialised workshop or a
petrol station. Caring for the vehicle interior
Introduction The dye used in many modern garments, for
example dark jeans, is not always sufficiently
colour-fast. Seat upholstery (material and
leather), especially when light-coloured, may
visibly discolour if the dye comes out of
clothing (even when used correctly). This is
not an upholstery defect but indicates that
the dye in the item of clothing is not suffi-
ciently colour-fast.
The longer stains or dirt remain on the vehi-
cle surfaces, especially the fabrics covering
the padded upholstery, the more difficult it
becomes to clean and maintain them. If
stains 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. Using unsuitable car-care products or, » 153
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Checking and refilling levels
●
When filling the fuel tank after having run it
completely dry on a vehicle with a diesel en-
gine the ignition must be switched on for at
least 30 seconds before starting the engine.
Subsequently, when you start the engine it
may take longer than normal to start firing
(up to one minute). This is due to the fact that
the fuel system has to purge itself of air be-
fore starting. For the sake of the environment
Do not try to put in more fuel after the auto-
matic filler nozzle has switched off; this may
cause the fuel to overflow if it becomes warm. Petrol
Petrol types The recommended fuel types are listed on a
sticker inside the fuel tank flap.
Only
unleaded petrol conforming to standard
DIN EN 228 may be used for vehicles with
c at
alytic converters (EN = “European Stand-
ard”).
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 recommended for your engine. How- ever, this has no advantage in terms of fuel
consumption and engine power. CAUTION
● Petrol with standard EN 228 may be mixed
with small quantities of ethanol. However,
the so-called “bioethanol fuels” available at
commercial establishments with reference
E50 or E85, which contain a high percentage
of ethanol, may not be used, as they will
damage the fuel system.
● Even one tankful of leaded fuel would per-
manently impair the efficiency of the catalyt-
ic 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 seri-
ously impair the efficiency of the catalytic
converter. 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 thefuel system clean and prevent deposits from
building up in the engine.
If good-quality petrol with metal-free addi-
tives is not available or engine problems
arise, the necessary additives must be added
when refuelling.
Not all 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.
SEAT recommends “genuine Volkswagen
Group fuel additives for petrol engines”.
These additives can be bought at SEAT Au-
thorised Services, where information on how
to use them can also be obtained.
CAUTION
Do not refuel 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! 159
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Advice
Diesel Diesel* Diesel fuel
must conform to DIN EN 590 (EN =
“European Standard”). It must have a cetane
number (CN) of at least 51. The cetane num-
ber indicates the ignition quality of the diesel
fuel.
Notes on refuelling ››› page 158.
Biodiesel* CAUTION
● Your vehicle is not designed to use biodie-
sel fuel. Never, under any circumstances re-
fuel with biodiesel. The use of biodiesel fuel
could damage the engine and the fuel sys-
tem. The addition of biodiesel to diesel fuel
by the diesel manufacturer in accordance
with standard EN 590 or DIN 51628 is author-
ised and will not cause damage to the engine
or the fuel system.
● The diesel engine has been designed to be
used exclusively with diesel fuel conforming
to standard EN 590. Never refuel or use pet-
rol, kerosene, fuel oil or any other type of
fuel. If you accidentally fill up the vehicle
with the wrong type of fuel, do not start the
engine. Seek assistance from specialised per-
sonnel. The composition of these fuels may
severely damage the fuel system and the en-
gine. Winter operation
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 some
countries during the cold months. It can be
used at temperatures as low as -22 °C (-8 °F).
In countries with different climatic conditions
the diesel fuel generally sold has different
temperature characteristics. Check with the
Technical Services or filling stations in the
country concerned regarding the type of die-
sel fuels available.
Filter pre-heater
Your vehicle is fitted with a fuel filter glow
plug system, making it well equipped for op-
eration in winter. This ensures that the fuel
system remains operational to approx. -24 °C
(-11 °F), provided you use winter-grade diesel
which is safe to -15 °C (+5 °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 °F), simply leave
the vehicle in a heated area for a while.
CAUTION
Do not mix fuel additives, the so-called “thin-
ners”, or similar additives with diesel fuel. LPG system (Liquefied
petroleum gas)*
Refuelling with LPG 3 Applies to the model: ALTEA / ALTEA XL
Fig. 140
Fuel tank open with LPG filler neck
and adapter 160