roof Seat Altea XL 2013 User Guide

124Lights and visibility
Front interior light type 2
Fig. 79 Interior roof trim:
front interior lighting
The switch A

⇒  Fig. 79 is used to select the following positions:
Courtesy light position 
Rocker switch in flat position (not activated). The interior lighting is auto-
matically switched on when the vehicle is unlocked or the key removed from
the ignition. And turn off approx. 20 seconds after closing the doors. The
interior lights are switched off when the vehicle is locked or when the igni-
tion is switched on.
Interior light switched on 
Push the switch to the position .
Interior light switched off O
Push the switch to position O ⇒ Fig. 79.
Note
If not all the vehicle doors are closed, the interior lights will be switched off
after approx. 10 minutes, providing the ignition key has been removed and
the courtesy light position selected. This prevents the battery from dis-
charging. 

125
Lights and visibility
Front reading lights
Fig. 80 Interior roof trim:
front reading lights, type
1
Fig. 81 Interior roof trim:
front reading lights, type
2
Switching on the reading light 
Press the corresponding button ⇒ Fig. 80 B
and ⇒ 
Fig. 81 B to switch on
the reading light. Switching the reading lights off

Press the corresponding button to switch the reading light off. 
Rear interior and reading lights*
Fig. 82 Interior roof trim:
rear interior lights and
reading lights.
The switch ⇒ Fig. 82 C
is used to select the following positions:
Interior light switched off 0
In switch position ⇒ Fig. 82 1
, the interior and reading lights are switched
off.
Switching on the reading light 
Turn the switch to position 2
(left reading light) or to position 4 (right
reading light).
Courtesy light position 
Turn the control to position 3
. The interior lighting is automatically switch-
ed on when the vehicle is unlocked or the key removed from the ignition.
The light turns off about 20 seconds after closing the doors. The interior 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

126Lights and visibility
lights are switched off when the vehicle is locked or when the ignition is
switched on.
Interior lights or both reading lights switched on 
Turn the control to position 5
.
Note
If not all the vehicle doors are closed, the interior lights will be switched off
after approx. 10 minutes, providing the ignition key has been removed and
the courtesy light position selected. This prevents the battery from dis-
charging. 
Visibility Sun visors
Fig. 83 Sun visor on the
driver side The sun visors for the driver and the front passenger can be pulled out of
their mountings in the centre of the vehicle and turned towards the doors
⇒ Fig. 83
1
The vanity mirrors in the sun visors have covers. When you open the cover
2, a lamp in the roof lights up.
The light* in the roof lining will go out when the vanity mirror cover is push-
ed back or the sun visor is pushed back up.
Note
The roof lamp will turn off about 10 minutes following the removal of the ig-
nition key. This prevents the battery from discharging. 
Sun blind*
The windows on the rear doors are fitted with a sun blind
Fig. 84 Rear door sun vi-
sor 

143
Seats and storage
Roof storage compartment*
There are four storage compartments in the roof
Fig. 105 Roof storage
compartments
– Press the button on the cover to open these compartments
⇒ Fig. 105. The cover will then open.
– To close the cover, press it up until it engages.
WARNING
Always keep the storage compartment cover closed while the vehicle is
in motion to reduce the risk of injury during a sudden braking manoeuvre
or in the event of an accident and to prevent any items from being thrown
through the vehicle interior.
 Storage in the luggage compartment*
There is a variable storage compartment* in the luggage
compartment floor.
Fig. 106 Variable lug-
gage compartment floor
storage compartment
Fig. 107 Variable lug-
gage compartment floor
storage compartment

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145
Seats and storage
● in the side trims of the luggage compartment,
● in the spare wheel recess in the luggage compartment (only on vehicles
with an optional anti-puncture kit*.
The clothes hooks are located on the rear roof handles.
WARNING
● Do not store loose objects on the dash panel. These objects could be
flung through the passenger compartment when the vehicle is moving
(e.g. while accelerating, braking or cornering) and distract the driver.
Risk of accident.
● Ensure that no objects can fall from the centre console or other stor-
age compartments into the driver footwell while the vehicle is moving. In
the event of a sudden braking manoeuvre, you will not be able to use the
brake, clutch or accelerator. Risk of accident.
● Clothing hung on the coat hooks must not restrict the driver's view.
Risk of accident. The coat hooks are intended only for use with light arti-
cles of clothing. Do not leave any hard, sharp or heavy objects in hanging
articles of clothing. During sudden braking manoeuvres or accidents, es-
pecially those involving airbag deployment, these objects could injure
the vehicle occupants.
 Front drinks holders
Fig. 109 Front drink
holders
In the centre console, in front of the gear lever, there are two drink holders
⇒  Fig. 109.
WARNING
● Never place hot drinks in the drink holders. During normal or sudden
driving manoeuvres, sudden braking or an accident, the hot drink could
be spilled. Danger of scalding.
● Never use rigid materials (for example, glass or ceramic), these could
cause injury in the case of an accident.

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155
Seats and storage
CAUTION
● Before closing the rear lid, ensure that the rear shelf is correctly fitted.
● An overloaded luggage compartment could mean that the rear shelf is
not correctly seated and it may be bent or damaged.
● If the luggage compartment is overloaded, remove the tray.
Note
● Ensure that, when placing items of clothing on the luggage compart-
ment cover, rear visibility is not reduced. 
Partition net*
The net partition prevents loose objects in the luggage com-
partment from being thrown forward into the passenger
compartment (e.g. under sudden braking).
Fig. 125 Partition net
Fig. 126 Fastening rings
for the separation net
– Pull the net from underneath between the backrest and the fold-
ing tray and fit it to the slots in the roof, first the right then the
left ⇒ Fig. 125.
– Hook the belts into the front fastening rings to tense the net
⇒ Fig. 126. 
Roof rack*
Please observe the following points if you intend to carry loads on the roof:
● For safety reasons, only luggage racks and accessories supplied by SEAT
Official Services should be used.
● It is essential that you follow the assembly instructions included with
the bars exactly, being especially careful to position the front and rear lug-
gage compartment cover bars on the special housings on the longitudinal
bars. You must also respect their position according to the direction of trav-
el indicated in the assembly manual. Not following these instructions may
cause marks on the longitudinal bars. 
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156Seats and storage
● Distribute the load evenly. A maximum load of 40 kg only is permitted
for each roof rack system support bar, the load must be distributed evenly
along the entire length. However, the maximum load permitted for the en-
tire roof (including the support system) of 75 kg must not be exceeded nor
should the total weight of the vehicle be exceeded. See the Technical Data
section.
● When transporting heavy or large objects on the roof, any change in the
normal vehicle behaviour due to a change in the centre of gravity or an in-
creased wind resistance must be taken into account. For this reason, a suit-
able speed and driving style must be used.
● For those vehicles fitted with a sunroof*, ensure that it does not interfere
with the load on the roof rack system when opened. 

168Air conditioning
● The air conditioner operates most effectively with the windows and the
sliding/tilting sunroof* closed. However, if the temperature inside the vehi-
cle is excessive because of the sun, the air inside can be cooled faster by
opening the windows for a short time.
● Do not smoke while air recirculation mode is on, as smoke drawn into
the air conditioning system leaves a residue on the evaporator, producing a
permanent unpleasant odour.
● It is advisable to connect the air conditioning at least once a month, to
lubricate the system gaskets and prevent leaks. If a decrease in the cooling
capacity is detected, a Technical Service should be consulted to check the
system. 

205
Driving and the environment
let the vehicle roll with a gear engaged, for example, if you see a red light
ahead. The braking effect achieved in this way helps to reduce the wear of
brakes and tyres; emissions and fuel consumption are reduced to zero (dis-
connection due to inertia).
Change gear early to save energy
An effective way of saving fuel is to change up quickly through the gears.
Running the engine at high rpm in the lower gears uses an unnecessary
amount of fuel.
Manual gearbox: Change from first to second gear as quickly as possible.
We recommend that, whenever possible, you change to a higher gear upon
reaching 2000 rpm. Follow the “recommended gear” indication that ap-
pears on the instrument panel ⇒ page 62.
Avoid driving at high speed
We advise you not to drive at the top speed permitted by the vehicle. Fuel
consumption, exhaust emissions and noise levels all increase very rapidly
at higher speeds. Driving at moderate speeds will help to save fuel.
Avoid idling
It is worthwhile switching off the engine when waiting in a traffic jam, at lev-
el crossings or at traffic lights with a long red phase. The fuel saved after
only 30 - 40 seconds is greater than the amount of fuel needed to restart
the engine.
The engine takes a long time to warm up when it is idling. Mechanical wear
and pollutant emissions are also especially high during this initial warm-up
phase. It is therefore best to drive off immediately after starting the engine.
Avoid running the engine at high speed.
Periodic maintenance
Periodic maintenance work guarantees that, before beginning a journey,
you will not consume more than the required amount of fuel. A well-serviced
engine gives you the benefit of improved fuel efficiency as well as maxi-
mum reliability and an enhanced resale value.
A badly serviced engine can consume up to 10% more fuel than necessary. Avoid short journeys
To reduce the consumption and emission of polluting exhaust gases, the
engine and the exhaust gas filtration systems should reach the optimum
operating temperature.
With the engine cold, fuel consumption is proportionally higher. The engine
does not warm up and fuel consumption does not normalise until having
driven approximately
four kilometres (2.5 miles). This is why we recommend
avoiding short trips whenever possible.
Maintain the correct tyre pressures
Bear in mind that keeping the tyres at an adequate pressure saves fuel. If
the tyre pressure is just one bar too low, fuel consumption can increase by
as much as 5%. Due to the greater rolling resistance, under-inflation also
increases tyre wear and impairs handling.
The tyre pressures should always be checked when the tyres are cold.
Do not use winter tyres all year round as they increase fuel consumption by
up to 10%.
Avoid unnecessary weight
Given that every kilo of extra weight will increase the fuel consumption, it is
advisable to always check the luggage compartment to make sure that no
unnecessary loads are being transported.
A roof rack is often left in place for the sake of convenience, even when it is
no longer needed. At a speed of 100-120 km/h (60-75 mph) your vehicle
will use about 12% more fuel as a result of the extra wind resistance caused
by the roof rack even when it is not in use.
Save electricity
The engine activates the alternator, which produces electricity. With the
need for electricity, fuel consumption is also increased. Because of this, al-
ways turn off electrical components when you do not need them. Examples
of components that use a lot of electricity are: the fan at high speeds, the
rear window heating or the seat heaters*. 
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213
Vehicle maintenance and cleaning
Care of the vehicle exterior Automatic car wash tunnel
The vehicle can normally be washed without problem in an
automatic car wash.
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 tunnel, the
brushes used, its water filtering and the type of cleaning and preservative
products.
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 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 brake system can reduce braking effectiveness.
Risk of accident.
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 hand
Vehicle washing
–
First soften the dirt and rinse it off with water.
– 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 chamois leather.
– In cold temperature, dry the rubber seals and their surfaces 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 several times ⇒ page 202, Braking capacity and
braking distance. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications