maintenance Seat Altea XL 2009 User Guide

Cleaning and caring for your vehicle
206Vehicle interior maintenancePlastic parts and dash panel cleaning– 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 the airbag module surface with cleansers
containing solvents. Solvents cause the surface to become porous. If the
airbag triggered, disintegrating plastic parts could cause substantial inju-
ries.
Caution
Cleaning products which contain solvents will damage the material.Wooden trim cleaning*– Clean the wooden trim with a water-moistened clean cloth.
– If this does not provide satisfactory results, use a gentle soap
solution.
CautionCleaning products which contain solvents will damage the material.
Cloth seat covers and fabric trim cleaningCloth seat covers and fabric trim on the doors, headlining etc. can be cleaned
with a special interior cleanser or with dry foam and a soft brush.Cleaning the radio and climate controlsTo clean the radio and/or climate controls, use a soft damp cloth. For more
resistant dirt, a neutral soap solution may be used.Leather cleaning*Normal cleaning
– Moisten a cotton or woollen cloth with water and wipe over the leather surfaces.
Cleaning stubborn stains
– More stubborn dirt can be removed using a mild soap solution (pure liquid soap; two tablespoons diluted in one litre of water)
and a cloth.
– Do not let the water soak through the leather or soak into the seams.
– Then wipe off with a soft, dry cloth.
Leather maintenance
– The leather should be treated twice a year with a special leather- care product, available in your Authorised Service Centre.
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Checking and refilling levels
212Petrol 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.DieselDiesel*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 210.Biodiesel*The biodiesel fuel must comply with the DIN EN 14.214 (FAME) Standard.•
Biodiesel is a methylester obtained from rapeseed oil.
•
DIN is the German abbreviation for “Deutsches Institut für Normung e.V.”,
the German standards institute.
•
EN means E uropean Norm.
•
FAME is the English abbreviation for “ Fatty Acid Methyl Ester”. 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 usin
g biodiesel may be slightly higher.
•
RME fuel is resistant to the cold down to approx. -10°C.
•
At temperatures below -10°C, we recommend using winter diesel fuel.
•
Your vehicle is designed to be refuelled with up to a maximum of 7%
blended biodiesel in accordance with standard DIN 51628.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 you that, when having run 300 or 400 km after a
fuel change, the fuel filter change must also be done. Also note the instruc-
tions in the Inspection 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 levels219
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
– To avoid over-filling with engine oil, you should top-up using
small quantities, wait a while and check the oil level before
adding any more oil.
– As soon as the oil level is in area , carefully close the cap.The position of the oil filler opening is shown in the corresponding engine
compartment diagram ⇒page 273.
Engine oil specification ⇒page 216.
WARNING
Oil is highly inflammable! Ensure that no oil comes into contact with hot
engine components when topping up.
Caution
If the oil level is above the area do not start the engine. This could result
in damage to the engine and catalytic converter. Contact a qualified work-
shop.
For the sake of the environment
The oil level must never be above ar ea . Otherwise oil can be drawn in
through the crankcase breather and escape into the atmosphere via the
exhaust system.
Changing engine oil
The engine oil must be changed at the intervals given in the
service schedule.We recommend that you have the engine oil changed by an Authorised
Service Centre.
The oil change intervals are shown in the Maintenance Programme ⇒.
WARNING
Only change the oil yourself if you have the specialist knowledge required!•
Before opening the bonnet, read and observe the warnings
⇒ page 213, “Safety instructions on wo rking in the engine compartment”.
•
Wait for the engine to cool down. Hot oil may cause burn injuries.
•
Wear eye protection to avoid injuries caused by splashes of oil.
•
When removing the oil drain plug with your fingers, keep your arm hori-
zontal to help prevent oil from running down your arm.
•
Wash your skin thoroughly if it comes into contact with engine oil.
•
Engine oil is poisonous! Used oil must be stored in a safe place out of
the reach of children until it is disposed of.Caution
No additives should be used with engine oil. This could result in engine
damage. Any damage caused by the use of such additives would not be
covered by the factory warranty.
For the sake of the environment
•
Because of the disposal problems, the necessary special tools and
specialist knowledge required, we recommend that you have the engine oil
and filter changed by an Authorised Service Centre.
AB
AA
AA
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Checking and refilling levels
226Brake fluidChecking the brake fluid level
The brake fluid is checked at the intervals given in the service
schedule.– 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 engine
compartment diagram ⇒ page 273. 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 noticeab
ly in a short time, or drops below the
“MIN” mark, there may be a leak in the brake system. A display on the instru-
ment panel will warn you if the brake fluid level is too low ⇒page 73.
WARNING
Before opening the bonnet to check the brake fluid level, read and observe
the warnings ⇒page 213.Changing the brake fluid
The Maintenance Program indicates the brake fluid change
intervals.We recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by an Authorised
Service Centre.
Before opening the bonnet, please read and follow the warnings ⇒ in
“Safety instructions on working in the engine compartment” on page 213 in
“Working in the engine compartment”.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture. In the cour se 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 consider ably 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.
It is important that you use only brake fluid compliant with the US standard
FMVSS 116 DOT 4. We recommend the use of Genuine SEAT brake fluid.
WARNING
Brake fluid is poisonous. Old brake fluid impairs the braking effect.
Fig. 167 In the engine
compartment: Brake fluid
reservoir cover
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Checking and refilling levels227
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
•
Before opening the bonnet to check the brake fluid level, read and
observe the warnings ⇒page 213.
•
Brake fluid should be stored in the closed original container in a safe
place out of reach of children. There is a toxic risk.
•
Complete the brake fluid change according to the Maintenance
Program. Heavy use of the brakes may cause a vapour lock if the brake fluid
is left in the system for too long. This would seriously affect the efficiency
of the brakes and the safety of the vehicle. This may cause an accident.Caution
Brake fluid could damage the paintwork. Wipe off any brake fluid from the
paintwork immediately.
For the sake of the environment
Brake fluid must be drained and disposed of in the proper manner observing
environmental regulations.
BatteryWarnings on handling the battery
WARNING
Always be aware of the danger of injury and chemical burns as well as the
risk of accident or fire when working on the battery and the electrical
system:•
Wear eye protection. Protect your eyes , skin and clothing from acid and
particles containing lead.
•
Battery acid is very corrosive and caustic. Wear protective gloves and
eye protection. Do not tilt the batter ies. This could spill acid through the
vents. Rinse battery acid from eyes immediately for several minutes with
clear water. Then seek medical care immediately. Neutralize any acid
splashes on the skin or clothing with a soapy solution, and rinse off with
plenty of water. If acid is swallowed by mistake, consult a doctor immedi-
ately.
•
Fires, sparks, naked lights and smoki ng are prohibited. When handling
cables and electrical equipment, avoid causing sparks and electrostatic
WARNING (continued)

Wear eye protection

Battery acid is very corrosive and caustic. Wear protective
gloves and eye protection!

Fires, sparks, naked lights and smoking are prohibited!

A highly explosive mixture of gases is released when the
battery is under charge.

Keep children away from acid and batteries!
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Checking and refilling levels229
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Charging and changing the vehicle battery
The battery is maintenance-free and is checked during the
inspection service. All work on the vehicle battery requires
specialist knowledge.If you often drive short distances or if the vehicle is not driven for long
periods, the battery should be checked by a qualified workshop between the
scheduled services.
If the battery has discharged and you have problems starting the vehicle, the
battery might be damaged. If this happens, we recommend you have the
vehicle battery checked by an Authorised Service Centre where it will be re-
charged or replaced.
Charging the battery
The vehicle battery should be charged by a qualified workshop only, as
batteries using special technology have been installed and they must be
charged in a controlled environment.
Replacing a vehicle battery
The battery has been developed to suit the conditions of its location and has
special safety features.
Genuine SEAT batteries fulfil the maintenance, performance and safety spec-
ifications of your vehicle.
WARNING
•
We recommend you use only maintenance-free or cycle free leak-proof
batteries which comply with the st andards T 825 06 and VW 7 50 73. This
standard applies as of 2001.
•
Before starting any work on the batteries, you must read and observe
the warnings ⇒ in “Warnings on handling the battery” on page 227.
For the sake of the environment
Batteries contain toxic substances such as sulphuric acid and lead. They
must be disposed of appropriately and must not be disposed of with ordinary
household waste.
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General notes on the technical data 269
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Te c h n i c a l D a t aGeneral notes on the technical dataOutstanding informationImportant considerations
All data in the official vehicle documents take precedence
over this data.All data provided in this manual are valid for the standard model in Spain. The
vehicle data card included in the inspection and maintenance schedule in the
vehicles registration documents show which engine is installed in the
vehicle.
The figures may be different depending on if additional equipment is fitted,
for different models, for special vehicles and for other countries. Abbreviations used in this paragraph of the Technical Data
Abbrevia-
tion
Meaning
kW
Kilowatt, engine power measurement.
bhp
Brake horse power, formerly u sed to denote engine power
at rpm
Revolutions per minute - engine speed.
Nm
Newton metres, unit of engine torque.
l/100 km
Fuel consumption in litres per 100 km.
g/km
Carbon dioxide emissions in grams per km travelled.
CO2
Carbon dioxide
CN
Cetane number, indication of the diesel combustion power.
RON
Research octane number, indication of the knock resistance
of petrol.
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General notes on the technical data
270Vehicle identification data
The most important data are given on the type plate and the
vehicle data sticker.Vehicles for certain export countries do not have a type plate.
Type plate
The type plate is located on the left rib inside the engine compartment.
Vehicle identification number
The vehicle identification number (chass is number) can be read from outside
the vehicle through a viewer in the windscreen. This is located on the left-
hand side of the vehicle in the lower area of the windscreen. It is also located
on the right hand side of the engine compartment. Vehicle data
The data sticker is placed on the inside of the spare wheel recess in the
luggage compartment.
The following information is provided on the vehicle data sticker:
⇒fig. 202 .
These data are also provided in the Maintenance Program. Production control number
Vehicle identification number (chassis number)
Model code number
Model designation / engine power output
Engine and gearbox code letters
Paintwork number / interior trim code
Optional equipment codes
Consumption values
CO
2 emissions values.
Data from 2 to 9 are also provided in the Maintenance Program.
Consumption figures and CO
2
Consumption (litres/100 km) / CO
2 emissions (g/km) urban.
Consumption (litres/100 km) / CO2 emissions (g/km) road.
Consumption (litres/100 km) / CO2 emissions (g/km) combination.
Fig. 202 Vehicle data
sticker – boot
A1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8A9AAABAC
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Index291
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
High pressure cleaners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53IIdentification number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Ignition key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Ignition lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Indicators
indication lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Information texts in the display . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Instrument and switch lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Instrument lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Instrument panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Instrument panel menu Configuration menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Example of menu use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Lights and visibility menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Instrument panel menus Main menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Vehicle status menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Interior lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Intermittent wipe, windscreen . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
ISOFIX system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50JJack position points Skirting with cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245 Jump leads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Jump-starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
KKey tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97LLeather cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Load compartment in the boot
See Luggage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Luggage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17, 148 See also Luggage compartment . . . . . . . . . . 17
Luggage compartment cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Luggage compartment retaining net . . . . . . . . 139MMain beam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109, 116
Main beam headlights Indicator lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Main headlight lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Maintenance airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Manual gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Manual mode 2C-Climatronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 MEDIA-IN* connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
MFD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Mileage display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors, electrical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Interior mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Make-up mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Mobile telephone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Multi-function display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Multi-purpose* mobile stowage compartment 142
Closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Fitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Uses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
NNumber of seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19OObservations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Octane number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Oil change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Oil properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
One-touch opening and closing Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Opening and locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
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Index
292Overview
Control lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Instrument panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Warning lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73PPaintworkPolishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Parking lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Parking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Parking system plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Parts replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Pedals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Petrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211 Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Petrol additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Petrol engines, starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Physical principles of a frontal collision . . . . . . 20
Plastic key tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Plastic parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Plastic parts cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Pollen filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Power steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Products for vehicle maintenance . . . . . . . . . . 199
RRadio frequency remote control Changing the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Radio navigation Steering wheel controls audio + telephone version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
audio version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Radio wave remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Rain sensor* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Rear drink holder* Armrest* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Rear fog light Indication lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Rear interior lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Rear lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Rear reading lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Rear seat bench . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Rear window heating Heating element wires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Rear window wiper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Rear-view mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Recommended gear display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Refuelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Registration light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Remote control key Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Synchronising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Removing and fitting the wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . 245 Repairs
airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Replacement keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Rev counter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Reverse gear Manual gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Roll-back function Sliding/tilting roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Roof aerial* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Roof carrier* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Roof stowage compartment* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Rubber seals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Running in Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
SSafe driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Safety equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Safety instructionsCoolant temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Safety notes Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Belt tension devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Curtain airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Disabling front passenger airbag . . . . . . . . 44
frontal airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
side airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
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