2006 Seat Alhambra ESP

Cleaning and caring for your vehicle 194
Care of the vehicle exterior
Automatic car washes
The paint is so durable that the car can normally be washed without problems
in an automatic car wash. However, the effect on the paint depends to a large
extent on the design of the car wash, the brushes used, the filtering of the
wash water and the type of detergents and wax solutions used, etc.
After the car has been washed, the brakes could respond later than normal
as the brake discs and brake pads will be wet, or even frozen in winter. “Dry
” the brakes by applying the brakes carefully several times
WARNING
Moisture, ice and salt on the brakes may affect braking efficiency. Risk of
accident.
Washing by hand
Washing the vehicle
– First soften the dirt with plenty of water and rinse off.
– Clean the vehicle with a soft sponge, a glove or a brush. Start on
the roof and work your way down. Use only light pressure.
– Rinse the sponge or glove as much as possible.
– Special car shampoo should only be used for very stubborn dirt.
– Clean the wheels, sill panels etc. last using a different sponge or
glove.– Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water.
– Dry the surface of the vehicle gently using a chamois leather.
–If it is cold, dry the rubber seals and the surfaces they touch with
a cloth to prevent them freezing. Apply silicone spray to the
rubber seals.
After cleaning the vehicle
– If possible, avoid sudden braking directly after washing the
vehicle. “Dry” the brakes by applying the brakes carefully several
times
WARNING
•The ignition must always be switched off before the vehicle is washed.
•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.
•Moisture, ice and salt on the brakes may affect braking efficiency. Risk
of accident.
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 scratch
the paintwork or glass on your vehicle.
•Washing the vehicle in cold weather: if the vehicle is rinsed with a hose,
do not direct the water into the lock cylinders or the gaps around the doors,
luggage compartment, or bonnet. This could cause them to freeze. Otherwise
there is a risk of malfunction.

Cleaning and caring for your vehicle195
Safety FirstOperating instructionsTips and MaintenanceTe c h n i c a l D a t a
For the sake of the environment
In the interests of environmental protection, 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 anywhere
else may be 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 Ÿpage 196.
– Never use concentrated jet nozzles or so-called “dirt blasters”
Ÿ.
– If possible, avoid sudden braking directly after washing the
vehicle. “Dry ” the brakes by applying the brakes carefully
several times
WARNING
•Never wash tyres with a concentrated jet or cylindrical 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.
•Moisture, ice and salt on the brakes may affect braking efficiency. Risk
of accident.
Caution
•Do not use water hotter than 60°C. This could damage the car.
•To avoid damage to the vehicle, maintain a sufficient distance from sensi-
tive materials for example: flexible hoses, plastic, sound proofing, etc. This is
especially important for bumpers painted in the same colour as the vehicle.
The closer the nozzle is to the surface, the greater the wear on the material.
Waxing the car
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.
Good quality hard wax is available from your Authorised Service Centre.
A good coat of wax helps to protects the paintwork from environmental
contaminants Ÿpage 193. It is also effective in protecting against minor
scratches.
Even if a wax solution is used regularly in the car wash, it is advisable to
protect the paint with a coat of hard wax at least twice a year.

Cleaning and caring for your vehicle 200
Caution
Cleaning products which contain solvents will damage the material.
Cleaning wooden trim*
– Clean the wooden trim with a clean cloth moistened with water.
– If this does not provide satisfactory results, use a gentle soap
solution.
Caution
Cleaning products which contain solvents will damage the material.
Cleaning cloth seat covers and fabric trim
Cloth 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 leather*
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 care
– The leather should be treated regularly (about twice a year) with
a special leather-care product, which is available from your
Authorised Service Centre.
– Apply these products very sparingly.
– Then wipe off with a soft, dry cloth.
SEAT does everything possible to preserve the special qualities of leather, as
a natural product. Because of 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 left standing in the sun for long periods, the leather should be
protected against direct sunlight 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.

Accessories, parts replacement and modifications 202
Accessories, parts replacement and modifications
Accessories and parts
Always 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 that 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® . This way, SEAT can guarantee that the product in
question is suitable, reliable and safe. Authorised Service Centres have the
necessary experience and facilities to ensure that parts are installed correctly
and professionally.
Despite continuous observation of the market, SEAT is not able to assess the
reliability, safety and suitability of parts not approved by SEAT. 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
vehicle and/or the way it is driven (e.g. cruise control system or electronically-
controlled suspension) must be approved by SEAT for use in your vehicle and
bear the e mark (the European Union's authorisation symbol).
If any additional electrical components are fitted which do not serve to
control the vehicle itself (for instance a refrigerator box, laptop or ventilator fan, etc.), these 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. If
they are, there is a danger of resulting injury if the airbag is triggered in an
accident.
Modifications
Modifications 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 systems may be affected by the faults.
This can seriously impair safety, lead to excessive wear of components, and
also invalidate your vehicle registration documents.
SEAT Authorised Service Centres cannot be held liable for any damage
caused by modifications and/or work performed incorrectly.
For this reason, we recommend that all work should be performed by an
Authorised Service Centre using genuine and SEAT
® approved parts and
accessories.

Checking and refilling levels 206
Checking and refilling levels
Refilling
The tank filler neck is located at the rear right-hand side of the vehicle.
The tank flap is locked and unlocked automatically by the central locking
system.
The fuel tank holds about 70 litres.
The tank cap can, once unscrewed, be hung on the tank flap Ÿfig. 138.
After filling up, screw the tank cap back in firmly and close the tank flap until
it engages.
WARNING
All legal stipulations must be observed when transporting a reserve
supply. For safety reasons, we do not recommend carrying a spare fuel
canister in the vehicle. The canister could be damaged in an accident and
leak.
Caution
•Never run the fuel tank empty on vehicles equipped with a catalytic
converter. An irregular fuel supply could cause misfiring. In this way the fuel
can arrive without burning the exhaust system, which could cause the cata-
lyser to overheat resulting in damage.
•Spilt fuel should be removed from the vehicle paint finish as quickly as
possible as the paint could otherwise be damaged. Especially if biodiesel
fuel is being used Ÿpage 207.
For the sake of the environment
If the automatic filler nozzle is operated correctly, it will switch itself off as
soon as the tank is “full”. Never attempt to fill beyond this point, as this will
fill the expansion chamber. Fuel may leak out if ambient conditions are
warm.
Fig. 138 Tank filler neck
and tank flap

Checking and refilling levels207
Safety FirstOperating instructionsTips and MaintenanceTe c h n i c a l D a t a
Petrol
Petrol types
The correct petrol types are listed on a sticker inside the fuel
tank flap.
Only unleaded petrol, corresponding to the standard DIN EN 228, may be
used for vehicles with catalytic converters (EN = “European Norm”).
Petrol types are categorised according to their octane number, e. g. 91, 95,
98 or 99. You may use petrol with a higher octane number than the one
recommended for your engine. However this has no advantage in terms of
fuel consumption and engine power.
Caution
If you must drive with fuel of a lower octane rating than recommended then
avoid driving at high engine speeds or putting demand on your engine.
Otherwise engine damage may occur. Fill up with petrol with the correct
octane number as soon as possible.
For the sake of the environment
Just one full tank of leaded fuel would seriously impair the efficiency of the
catalytic converter.
Petrol additives
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, this may cause engine
problems (e.g. engine does not run smoothly or problems occur when
starting).
Not all petrol additives are effective. We recommend you use only “genuine
SEAT fuel additives for petrol engines”. They are available from SEAT Service
Centres
®. Your dealer will also be able to provide information on how to use
them.
Do not mix other fuel additives with the fuel.
Diesel
Diesel*
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 Ÿpage 206.
RME fuel*
Only vehicles fitted with special equipment may drive with
biodiesel fuel in accordance with standard DIN EN 14214.
The biodiesel fuel must comply with the DIN EN 14.214 (FAME) Standard.
•Biodiesel is a methylester obtained from rapeseed oil.
•DIN is a German abbreviation for “ Deutsches Institut für Normug e.V.”, the
German standards institute.
•EN means European Norm.

Checking and refilling levels213
Safety FirstOperating instructionsTips and MaintenanceTe c h n i c a l D a t a
Oil properties
Viscosity
The viscosity class of the oil is selected according to the diagram.
When the ambient temperature falls outside the limits of the scale for a short
period, an oil change is not required.
Mono-grade oil
Single grade oils are generally not suitable for all year round use, due to
ranges of viscosity
43).These oils are only useful in a climate that is constantly very cold or very
warm.
Engine oil additives
No type of additive should be mixed with the engine oil. The deterioration
caused by these additives is not covered by the warranty.
Fig. 141 Types of oil
according to temperature
Engine typeSpecification
PetrolVW 501 01/ VW 502 00/ VW 504 00
DieselVW 505 00/ VW 505 01/ VW 507 00/ VW 506 01
Diesel Injector Pump
a)
a)Only use recommended oils, otherwise you may damage the engine.
VW 505 01/ VW 507 00/ VW 506 01
Diesel Injector Pump Motor 118 kW
a)VW 506 01/ VW 507 00
Diesel Engines with Particulate filter (DPF)
a)VW 507 00
43)Viscosity: Ability to flow

Checking and refilling levels 214
Note
Before a long trip, we recommend finding an engine oil that conforms to the
corresponding VW specifications and keeping it in the vehicle. This way, the
correct engine oil will always be available for a top-up if needed.
Checking the engine oil level
The engine oil dipstick indicates the level of the oil.
Before opening the bonnet, read and observe the warnings
Ÿpage 209.
– Park the vehicle on an even surface.
– Stop the engine and wait a few minutes for the oil to drain back
into the sump.
– Raise the bonnet Ÿpage 211.– Pull out the dipstick.
– Wipe the dipstick with a cloth and insert it again, pushing it in as
far as it will go.
– Then pull the dipstick out again and check the oil level .
– Replace the dipstick, pushing it in as far as it will go.
If the oil level is in area Ÿfig. 142 , you must not top up with oil.
If the oil level is in area , you may top up with oil (approx. 0,5 l).
If the oil level is in area , you must top up with oil (approx. 1,0 l).
It is normal for the engine to consume a certain amount of oil. Consumption
can be up to 1.0 litres per 1,000 km. For this reason the engine oil level must
be checked at regular intervals, preferably when filling the tank and before a
journey.
When the engine is working hard, for instance during sustained high-speed
motorway cruising in summer, when towing a trailer or climbing on mountain
passes, the oil level should preferably be kept within area (but not above).
WARNING
Special care must be taken when working on the engine or on components
in the engine compartment.
•When working in the engine compartment, always observe the safety
warnings Ÿpage 209
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 SEAT Service Centre ®.
Fig. 142 Dipstick
AA
AB
AC
AA
AA