Seat Altea XL 2010 Owner's Manual

Cleaning and caring for your vehicle209
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Technical Data
Cleaning and caring for your vehicleGeneral notesRegular washing and care help maintain the value of your
vehicle.Yo u r v e h i c l e m a i n te n a n ce
Regular care and washing help to maintain the value of the vehicle. This may
also be one of the requirements for acknowledging warranty claims in the
event of bodywork 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 remains,
bird droppings, 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 temperatures (for instance in strong
sunlight) further intensify the corrosive effect.
After winter, a period when salt is put on the roads, it is impor tant to have the
underside of the vehicle washed thoroughly.
Products for vehicle maintenance
Car care products are available in your Authorised Service Centre. Keep the
product instructions until you have used them up.
WARNING
•Car care products can be toxic. For 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 damage your health or your vehicle. The use of certain products may produce noxious vapours;
they 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. Risk of fire and explo-
sion.•Before washing your vehicle, or carrying out any maintenance, switch
the engine off, apply your 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 windows of your vehicle. Soak dirt, mud or dust with plenty
of water.
For the sake of the environment
•When purchasing products for your vehicle maintenance, select the ones
which are not harmful to the environment.•The leftovers of the car care products should not be disposed of with ordi-
nary household waste. Observe the disposal information on the package.WARNING (continued)
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Cleaning and caring for your vehicle
210Vehicle exterior maintenanceAutomatic car wash tunnel
The car can normally be washed without problem in an auto-
matic car wash.The vehicle paintwork is so durable that the car can normally be washed
without problems in an automatic car washing tunnel. However, the paint-
work wear depends to a large extent, on the kind of the car washing tunnel,
the brushes used, its water filtering and the type of cleaning and preservative
products.
Before going through a car wash, be sure to take the usual precautions such
as closing the windows and sunroof. There is nothing to note apart from that.
If the vehicle has special accessories such as spoilers or a roof carrier or two-
way radio aerial, etc., it is advisable to consult the car washing tunnel oper-
ator.
After washing, the brakes could hesitate to 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 brakes can reduce braking efficiency. Risk of acci-
dent.
Caution
If an automatic car wash tunnel is used, before entering the tunnel, put the
aerial down parallel to the roof and do not tighten to avoid damage.
Washing by handVehicle washing
– First soften the dirt with plenty of water and rinse it off.
– 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.
– Clean the wheels, sill panels etc. until last with a different sponge or glove.
– Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water.
– Dry your vehicle surface gently with a chamois leather.
–When temperature is cold , dry the rubber seals and its surfaces
to prevent them from freezing. Apply silicone spray to the rubber
seals.
After washing
– Directly after washing, avoid sudden and sharp braking. “Dry” ⇒page 200, “Braking effect and braking distance”the brakes by
braking several times.
WARNING
•Wash your car with the ignition switched off.•Protect your hands and arms from cuts on sharp metal edges when
cleaning the underbody, the inside of the wheel housings etc. Risk of
injury.
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Cleaning and caring for your vehicle211
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Technical Data
•Water, ice and salt on the brakes can reduce braking efficiency. Risk of
accident.Caution
•Never remove dirt, mud or dust if the vehicle surface is dry. Never use a
dry cloth or sponge for cleaning purposes. This could scratch the paintwork
or glass on your vehicle.•Washing the vehicle in low temperatures: when washing the vehicle with
a hose, do not direct water into the lock cylinders or the gaps around the
doors, tailgate, or sunroof. Risk of freezing.For the sake of the environment
To protect environment, the car should be washed only in specially provided
wash bays. This prevents toxic, oil-laden waste water entering the sewerage
system. In some districts, washing vehicles outside wash bays is prohibited.
Note
Do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight.Washing the car with a high pressure cleaner
Be particularly careful when using a high pressure cleaner!– Always observe the instructions for the high-pressure cleaner, particularly those concerning the pressure and the spraying
distance. – Increase the spraying distance
for soft materials and painted
bumpers.
– Do not use a high pressure cleaner to remove ice or snow from windows ⇒page 212.
– Never use concentrated jet nozzles (“rotating jets”) ⇒.
– Directly after washing, avoid sudden and sharp braking. “Dry” ⇒page 200 the brakes by braking several times.
WARNING
•Never wash tyres with a concentrated jet (“rotating nozzle”). Even at
large spraying distances and short cleaning times, visible and invisible
damage can occur to the tyres. This may cause an accident.•Water, ice and salt on the brakes can reduce braking efficiency. Risk of
accident.Caution
•Do not use water hotter than 60°C. This could damage the vehicle.•To avoid damage to the vehicle, keep a sufficient distance from sensitive
materials such as flexible hoses, plastic, soundproofing material, etc. This is
also important for bumpers painted as the paintwork. The closer the nozzle is
to the surface, the greater the wear on the material.Vehicle paint maintenance requirements
Regular waxing protects the paintwork.You need to apply wax to your car if water does not form small drops and run
off the paintwork when it is clean.
WARNING (continued)
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Cleaning and caring for your vehicle
212A good quality hard wax product is available from your Authorised Service
Centre.
Regular wax applications help to protect the paintwork from environmental
contaminants ⇒page 209. It is also effective in protecting against minor
scratches.
Even if a wax solution is used regularly in the car washing tunnel, it is advis-
able to protect the paint with a hard wax coating at least twice a year.Polishing the paintwork
Polishing brings back gloss to the paintwork.Polishing is only necessary if the paint has lost its shine, and the gloss cannot
be brought back by applying wax. Polishing products can be purchased in
your Authorised Service Centre.
The car must be waxed after polishing if the polish used does not contain wax
compounds to seal the paint ⇒page 211, “Vehicle paint maintenance
requirements”.
Caution
To prevent damage to the paintwork:•Do not use polishes and hard wax on painted parts with a matte finish or
on plastic parts.•Do not polish your vehicle in a sandy or dusty environment.
Caring for plastic parts
Solvents damage plastic parts.If normal washing fails to clean plastic parts, clean them with approved
solvent-free plastic cleaning and care products.
Caution
•The use of liquid air freshener directly over the air vents of the vehicle may
damage the plastic parts if the liquid is accidentally spilled.•Cleaning products which contain solvents will damage the material.Cleaning windows and exterior mirrorsCleaning windows
– Moisten the windows with commercially available, alcohol based glass cleaner.
– Dry the windows with a clean chamois leather or a lint-free cloth.
Removing snow
– Use a small brush to remove sn ow from the windows and mirrors.
Removing ice
–Use a de-icer spray.Use a clean cloth or chamois leather to dry the windows. The chamois
leathers used on painted surfaces are not suitable to clean windows because
they are soiled with wax deposits which could smear the windows.
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Cleaning and caring for your vehicle213
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Technical Data
If possible, use a de-icing spray to remove ice. If you use an ice scraper, push
it in one direction only without swinging it.
Use window cleaner or a silicone remover
to clean rubber, oil, grease and sili-
cone deposits off.
Wax deposits can be removed with a special cleaner available in your Author-
ised Service Centre. Wax deposits on the windscreen could cause the wiper
blades to judder. If a window cleanser, specifically for removing wax, is added
to the windscreen washer fluid prevents wiper blades from juddering. Wax
deposits are not removed.
Caution
•Never use warm or hot water to remove snow and ice from windows and
mirrors. This could cause the glass to crack!•The heating element for the rear window is located on the inner side of the
window. To prevent damage, do not put stickers on the heating elements
inside the window.Cleaning windscreen wiper bladesClean wiper blades are essent ial to provide clear vision.
1. Use a soft cloth to remove dust and dirt from the windscreen wiper blades.
2. Use window cleanser to clean the windscreen wiper blades. Use
a sponge or a cloth to remove stubborn stains.
Rubber seals maintenance
If rubber seals are well looked after, they will not freeze so
quickly.1. Use a soft cloth to remove dust and dirt from the rubber seals.
2. Apply a specialist care product to the rubber seals.The strips on the doors, windows, bonnet and rear lid will remain pliable and
last longer if they are treated with a suitable care product (for example sili-
cone spray).
Caring for rubber seals will also prevent premature ageing and leaks. The
doors will be easier to open. If rubber seals are well looked after, they will not
freeze so quickly in winter.Door lock cylinders
The door lock cylinders can freeze up in winter.To de-ice the lock cylinders you should only use spray with lubricating and
anti-corrosive properties.Cleaning chrome parts1. Clean chrome parts with a damp cloth.
2. Polish chrome parts with a soft, dry cloth.
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Cleaning and caring for your vehicle
214If this does not provide satisfying results, use a specialist chrome cleaning
product . Chrome cleaning products will remove stains and coatings from the
surface.
Caution
To prevent scratching chrome surfaces:•Never use an abrasive care product on chrome.•Do not clean or polish chrome parts in a sandy or dusty environment.Steel wheel rims– Clean steel wheel rims regularly using a separate sponge.Use an industrial cleanser to remove brake dust. Any damage to the paint on
steel wheel rims should be repaired before starting to rust.
WARNING
•Never wash tyres with a cylindrical jet. Even at large spraying distances
and short cleaning times, visible and invisible damage can occur to the
tyres. This may cause an accident.•Water, ice and salt on the brakes can reduce braking efficiency. Risk of
accident. Directly after washing, avoid sudden and sharp braking. “Dry”
⇒ page 200, “Braking effect and braking distance”the brakes by braking
several times.
Cleaning alloy wheel rimsEvery two weeks
– Wash salt and brake dust from alloy wheels.
– Use an acid free detergent to clean the wheel rims.
Every three months
– Apply a hard wax compound to the wheels.Alloy wheels require regular attention to preserve their appearance. If road
salt and brake dust are not often removed, the aluminium finish will be
impaired.
Always use an acid-free detergent for alloy wheel rims.
Car polish or other abrasive agents should not be used. If the protective
coating is damaged, e.g. by stone impact, the damaged area should be
repaired immediately.
WARNING
•Never wash tyres with a cylindrical jet. Even at large spraying distances
and short cleaning times, visible and invisible damage can occur to the
tyres. This may cause an accident.•Water, ice and salt on the brakes can reduce braking efficiency. Risk of
accident. Directly after washing, avoid sudden and sharp braking. “Dry”
⇒ page 200, “Braking effect and braking distance”the brakes by braking
several times.
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Cleaning and caring for your vehicle215
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Technical Data
Underbody sealant
The vehicle underbody is coated to protect it from chemical
and mechanical damage.The protective coating can be damaged when driving. We recommend you to
check the protective coating under the body and on the running gear, and
reinstated if necessary, before and after the winter season.
We recommend you to go to your Authorised Service Centre to carry out repair
work and additional anti-corrosion work.
WARNING
Do not apply underseal or anti-corrosion coatings to the exhaust pipes,
catalytic converter or the heat shields on the exhaust system. The heat of
the exhaust system or the engine could cause them to ignite! Fire hazard.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 winter.
Yo u r A u t h o r i s e d S e r v i ce Ce n t re has got the necessary equipment to provide
the correct cleaning and preserving products. For this reason, we recommend
having this work performed by them. The anti-corrosion protection is usually removed 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 compartment are given anti-corrosion treatment.
WARNING
•When working in the engine compartment, always observe the safety
warnings ⇒page 227.•Before opening the bonnet, switch the engine off, apply the parking
brake firmly and always remove the key from the ignition.•Allow the engine to cool before you clean the engine compartment.•Do not clean the vehicle underbody, wheel arches 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 brakes may affect braking efficiency. Risk
of accident. Directly after washing, avoid sudden and sharp braking.•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 petrol
station.
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Cleaning and caring for your vehicle
216Vehicle 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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Cleaning and caring for your vehicle217
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Technical Data
– Apply these products very sparingly.
– Then wipe off with a soft, dry cloth.SEAT does everything possible to preserve the genuine qualities of this
natural product. Due to the natural properties of the specially selected hides
employed, the finished leather has a certain sensitivity to grease and dirt, etc.
so a degree of care is required in everyday use and when looking after the
leather.
Dust and grit in the pores and seams can scratch and damage the surface. If
the vehicle is under solar radiation for long periods, the leather should be
protected to prevent it from fading. However, slight colour variations in high-
quality natural leather are normal.
Caution
•Do not use solvents, wax polish, shoe cream, spot removers or similar
products on leather.•To avoid damage, stubborn stains should be removed by a qualified
workshop.Seat belts cleaning
A dirty belt may not work properly.Check all seat belts regularly and keep them clean.
Seat belts cleaning
– Pull the dirty seat belt right out and unroll it.
– Clean the dirty seat belts with a gentle soap solution.
– Allow it to dry. – Do not roll the seat belt up until it is dry.
If large stains form on the belts, it will not retract correctly into the automatic
belt retractor.
WARNING
•Do not use chemical cleaning agents on the seat belts, as this can
impair the strength of the webbing. Ensure that belts do not come into
contact with corrosive fluids.•Check all seat belts condition at regular inter vals. If you notice that the
belt webbing, fittings, retractor mechanism or buckle of any of the belts is
damaged, the belt must be replaced by a specialist workshop.•Do not attempt to repair a damaged seat belt yourself. The seat belts
must not be removed or modified in any way.Caution
After cleaning, allow seat belts to dr y completely before rolling them up.
Otherwise, the belt retractors could become damaged.
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Accessories, replacement of parts and modifications
218Accessories, replacement of parts and modificationsAccessories and partsAlways consult an Authorised Service Centre before
purchasing accessories and parts.Your vehicle is designed to offer a high standard of active and passive safety.
Before purchasing accessories and parts, and before making technical
changes to your car, we recommend you consult your Authorised Service
Centre.
SEAT dealerships will be happy to provide you with the latest information
about the use, legal requirements and recommendations from the manufac-
turer regarding accessories and parts.
We recommend you use only SEAT Approved Accessories
® and SEAT
Approved Spare Parts
®. In this way, SEAT can guarantee that the product in
question is suitable, reliable and safe. SEAT Authorised Service Centres have
the necessary experience and facilities to ensure that parts are correctly and
professionally installed.
Despite continuous monitoring of the market, SEAT is not able to assess the
reliability, safety and suitability of those parts SEAT has not approved. For
this reason, SEAT cannot assume responsibility for any non-genuine parts
used, even if these parts have been approved by an official testing agency or
are covered by an official approval certificate.
Any equipment subsequently installed which has a direct effect on the
ve hi cle a nd/ or the way i t is d ri ve n ( e. g. cr u is e co ntrol s ys te m o r e lec tro ni ca lly-
controlled suspension) must be approved by SEAT and bear the e mark (the
European Union's authorisation symbol).
If any additional electrical components are fitted so that they do not serve to
control the vehicle itself (for instance a refrigerator box, laptop or ventilator fan, etc.), then they must bear the
CE mark (European Union manufacturer
conformity declaration).
WARNING
Accessories, for example telephone holders or drink holders, should never
be fitted on the covers of, or within the working range of the airbags. Other-
wise, there is a danger of injury if the airbag is triggered in an accident.Technical modificationsModifications must always be carried out according to our
specifications.Unauthorised modifications to the electronic components or software in the
vehicle may cause malfunctions. Due to the way the electronic components
are linked together in networks, other indirect systems may be affected by the
faults. This can seriously impair safety, lead to excessive wear of compo-
nents, and also invalidate your vehicle registration documents.
SEAT Authorised Service Centres cannot be held liable for any damage
caused by modifications and/or work incorrectly performed.
For this reason, we recommend that all work should be performed by an
Authorised Service Centre using genuine and SEAT
® approved parts and
accessories .
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