2007 Seat Alhambra check engine light

Driving and the environment185
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Driving and the environmentRunning-inRunning in a new engine
The engine needs to be run-in over the first 1,500 km.Up to 1,000 kilometres
– Do not drive faster than three quarters of top speed.
– Do not use full throttle.
– Avoid high engine revolutions.
– Do not tow a trailer.
From 1000 to 1500 km
–Speeds can be gradually increased to the maximum road speed
or maximum permissible engine speed (rpm).During its first few hours of running, the internal fric tion in the engine is
greater than later on when all the moving parts have bedded down.
For the sake of the environment
If the engine is run in gently, the life of the engine will be increased and its oil
consumption reduced.
Running in tyres and brake pads
New tyres should be run-in carefully for the first 500 km. New
brake pads should be run-in carefully for the first 200 km.During the first 200 km, you can compensate for the reduced braking effect
by applying more pressure to the brake pedal. If you need to make an emer-
gency stop, the braking distance will be longer with new brake pads than with
brake pads that have been run-in.
WARNING
•
New tyres do not give maximum grip to start with, and need running in.
This may cause an accident. Drive particularly carefully in the first 500 km.
•
New brake pads must be “run in” and do not have the correct friction
properties during the first 200 km. However, you can compensate for the
slightly reduced braking effect by applying more pressure on the brake
pedal.
Braking effect and braking distance
The braking effect and braking distance are influenced by
driving situations and road conditions.The efficiency of the brakes depends directly on the brake pad wear. The rate
of wear of the brake pads depends to a great extent on the conditions under
which the vehicle is operated and the way the vehicle is driven. If you often
drive in town traffic, drive short distances or have a sporty driving style, we
recommend that you have the thickness of your brake pads checked by SEAT
Service more frequently than reco mmended in the service schedule.
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Driving and the environment
190
Storing towing bracket in the luggage compartment
– First tension the towing bracket.
– Place the towing bracket in its casing on the right-hand side of the luggage compartment. The bracket engages and the tension
is released ⇒ .
– Check that it is correctly fitted.The ball coupling is provided with in structions on fitting and removing the
ball coupling of the towing bracket.
If the ball coupling is fitted it s possible to store the cover of the tow-bar in a
plastic bag next to the tools.
WARNING
The towing bracket ball coupling must be stored securely to prevent it
being flung through the vehicle and causing injury.•
When the pretensed towing bracket is being fitted, there is a risk of
injury in the event that the wheel goes back on itself.Note
By law, the ball coupling must be remo ved if a trailer is not being towed and
it obscures the number plate.•
When placing the towing bracket in the casing check that it is no longer
tensed and securely fastened.
Driving tips
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care.Weight distribution
The weight distribution of a loaded trailer with an unladen vehicle is very
unfavourable. However, if this cannot be avoided, drive extra slowly to allow
for the unbalanced weight distribution.
Speed
The stability of the car and trailer is reduced with increasing speed. For this
reason it is advisable not to drive at the maximum permissible top speed in
unfavourable road, weather or wind conditions. This applies especially when
driving downhill.
You should always reduce speed immediately if the trailer shows the slightest
sign of snaking . Never try to stop the “snaking” by increasing speed.
Always brake in good time. If the trailer has an overrun brake, apply the
brakes gently at first and then firmly. This will prevent the jerking that can be
caused by the trailer wheels locking. Select a low gear (in both manual and
automatic gearboxes) in good time before going down a steep hill. This
enables you to use the engine braking effect to slow down the vehicle.
Overheating
At very high temperatures and during prolonged ascents, driving in a low gear
and high engine speed, always moni tor the temperature indicator for the
coolant.
Electronic Stabilisation Program
Do not switch off the ESP when towing a trailer. The ESP makes it easier to
stabilise if the trailer starts to snake.
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Driving and the environment191
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Driving economically and with respect for the
environmentGeneral notes
Fuel consumption depends largely on your personal driving
style.Fuel economy, environmental impact and wear on the engine, brakes and
tyres depend largely on three factors:•
Personal driving style
•
Conditions of use (weather, road surface)
•
Technical requirements
By adopting an economical driving styl e and anticipating the traffic situation
ahead, you can easily reduce fuel consumption by 10-15%. This section
suggests methods of lessening the impact on the environment and reducing
your operating costs at the same time.
Think ahead when drivingA vehicle uses most fuel when accelera ting. If you think ahead when driving,
you will need to brake less and thus accelerate less. Wherever possible, let
the vehicle roll slowly to a stop, for instance when you can see that the next
traffic lights are red.
Regular servicingBy taking your car to an Authorised Se rvice Centre for regular servicing you
can establish a basis for good fuel economy before you start driving. A well-
serviced engine gives you the benefit of improved fuel efficiency as well as
maximum reliability and an enhanced resale value.
A badly serviced engine can consume up to 10% more fuel than necessary.
Check the oil level every time you fill the tank. Oil consumption depends to a
great extent on the engine load and engine speed. Depending on your
personal driving style, oil consumption can be up to 1 litre per 1,000 km.Avoid short journeysThe engine and catalytic converter need to reach their proper working
temperature in order to minimise fuel consumption and emissions.
Fig. 136 Fuel consump-
tion in litres per 100 km at
two different ambient
temperatures
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Checking and refilling levels
208Your Authorised Service Centre or automobile association will be able to
advise on where you can obtain RME biodiesel fuel.
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 using biodiesel may be slightly higher.
•
RME fuel can be used in winter at temperatures down to approx. -10°C.
•
At outside temperatures below -10°C, we recommend using winter diesel
fuel.
For technical reasons, vehicle fitted with diesel particle filters cannot use
biodiesel under any circumstances.
Your authorized SEAT dealer will confirm whether your vehicle is prepared to
use biodiesel.Caution
•
RME fuel can damage the fuel system in vehicles that 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 m eet the required standard, the fuel
filter could become clogged.
•
Your authorized SEAT dealer will be able to tell you if your vehicle is suit-
able for use with biodiesel, or whether it requires modifications in order to
use it.
•
Vehicles fitted with a diesel particle filter should not use biodiesel under
any circumstance, or even start the engine, at the risk of damaging the fuel
system.
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 that, about every 300 or 400 km, following a fuel
change, also change the fuel filter. Also. note the instructions in the inspec-
tion 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.
Winter driving
Diesel can thicken in winter.Winter-grade diesel
When using “summer-grade diesel fuel”, difficulties may be experienced at
sub-zero temperatures because the fuel thickens due to wax separation. For
this reason, “winter-grade diesel fuel” is available in some countries during
the cold months. It can be used at temperatures as low as -22
°C.
In countries with different climatic conditions the diesel fuel sold generally
has different temperature characteristic s. Check with an Authorised Service
Centre or filling stations in the countr y concerned regarding the type of diesel
fuels available.
Filter pre-heater
Your vehicle is fitted with a fuel filter pre-heater, making it well equipped for
operation in winter. This ensures that the fuel system remains operational to
approx. -24
°C, provided you use winter-grade diesel which is safe to -15
°C.
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Checking and refilling levels
218The coolant additive G 12+ (dyed purple) may be mixed with G 12 (dyed red)
and also with G 11.
WARNING
Any work carried out in the engine compartment or on the engine must be
carried out cautiously.•
When working in the engine compartment, always observe the safety
warnings ⇒ page 209
•
When the engine is warm or hot, th e cooling system is pressurised! Do
not unscrew the cap on the expansion t ank when the engine is hot. This is
a burn injury risk.Caution
•
When mixed with other additives the colour of G 12 will change to brown.
If this occurs you should have the coolant changed immediately. Failure to do
so will result in engine damage!
•
If a lot of coolant has been lost, wait for the engine to cool down before
putting in cold coolant. This avoids damaging the engine. Large coolant
losses are an indication of leaks in the cooling system. See a specialised
workshop immediately and have the cooling system checked. Otherwise,
there is a risk of engine damage.
Washer fluid and windscreen wiper bladesTopping up washer fluid

The water for cleaning the windscreen should always be
mixed with washer fluid.The windscreen washer and the headlight washing system are supplied with
fluid from the windscreen washer flui d container in the engine compartment.
The reservoir is located on the right-hand side of the engine compartment.
Plain water is not enough to clean the windscreen and headlights. We recom-
mend that you always add a product to the windscreen washer fluid.
Approved windscreen cleaning products exist on the market with high deter-
gent and anti-freeze properties, these may be added all-year-round. Please
follow the dilution instructions on the packaging.
Fig. 145 In the engine
compartment: Cap of
windscreen washer fluid
reservoir.
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Checking and refilling levels221
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
– Insert a new wiper blade of the same length and design in the
direction of arrow and hook the blade back onto the wiper
arm.
– Now pull the wiper blade against the direction of arrow until it engages.
– Push the wiper arm back against the glass.These are available from SEAT Service
®.
If the wiper scrapes , it should be replaced if damaged, or cleaned if soiled.
If this does not produce the desired results, the setting angle of the wind-
screen wiper arms might be incorrect. They should be checked by a qualified
workshop and corrected if necessary.
WARNING
Do not drive unless you have good visibility through all windows!•
Clean the windscreen wiper blades and all windows regularly.
•
The wiper blades should be changed once or twice a year.Caution
•
Damaged or dirty windscreen wipers could scratch the windscreen.
•
Never use fuel, nail varnish remover, paint thinner or similar products to
clean the windows. This could damage the windscreen wiper blades.
•
Never move the windscreen wiper or windscreen wiper arm manually - this
could cause damage!Note
•
The wiper arms can be moved to the service position only when the
bonnet is properly closed.
Brake 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 262. 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.
A2
A2
Fig. 149 In the engine
compartment: Brake fluid
reservoir cover
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Checking and refilling levels223
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
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 batteries. 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 smoking are prohibited. When handling
cables and electrical equipment, avoid causing sparks and electrostatic charge. Never short the battery terminals. High-energy sparks can cause
injury.
•
A highly explosive mixture of gases is released when the battery is
under charge. The batteries should be charged in a well-ventilated room
only.
•
Keep children away from acid and batteries.
•
Before working on the electrical system, you must switch off the
engine, the ignition and all consumers. The negative cable on the battery
must be disconnected. When a light bulb is changed, you need only switch
off the light.
•
Deactivate the anti-theft alarm by unlocking the vehicle before you
disconnect the battery! The alar m will otherwise be triggered.
•
When disconnecting the battery from the vehicle electrical system,
disconnect first the negative ca ble and then the positive cable.
•
Switch off all electrical consumers before reconnecting the battery.
Reconnect first the positive cable and then the negative cable. Never
reverse the polarity of the connections. This could cause an electrical fire.
•
Never charge a frozen battery, or one which has thawed. This could
result in explosions and chemical burns. Always replace a battery that has
frozen. A flat battery can freeze at temperatures around 0
°C.
•
Ensure that the vent hose is always connected to the battery.
•
Never use a defective battery. This may be fatally explosive. Replace a
damaged battery immediately.Caution
•
Never disconnect the battery if the ignition is switched on or if the engine
is running. This could damage the electrical system or electronic compo-
nents.
•
Do not expose the battery to direct sunlight over a long period of time, as
the intense ultraviolet radiation can damage the battery housing.

Wear eye protection

Battery acid is very corrosive and caustic. Wear protec-
tive 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!
WARNING (continued)
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Index
280Belt tensioner
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Biodiesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Bonnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Brake assist system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Brake pad wear Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Brake pad wear indicator* Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Brake pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Brake servo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179, 185
Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221 brake servo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179, 185
Braking distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Breakdown set storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Bulb change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Bulb defect warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Buzzer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161CCar care Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Car care products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Car phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Car washes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
CCS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
CD changer
Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 individual opening of doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Central locking button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Central stowage on instrument panel . . . . . . . 133
Cetane number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Changing a light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236, 240
Changing brake pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Changing bulbs lights on tailgate/rear door . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Lights on vehicle body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Reading light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Registration plate light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Changing gear See Manual gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Changing the bulbs interior light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
rear lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Changing the lamps Side indicator lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Chassis number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Checking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Checking battery electrolyte level . . . . . . . . . . 224
Checking engine oil level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Child seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Categorisation in groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Group 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Group 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Group 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Groups 0 and 0+ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
in front passenger seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Safety notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Childproof locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Cigarette lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Cleaning alloy wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Cleaning and caring for your vehicle . . . . . . . . 193
Cleaning chrome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Cleaning cloth seat covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Cleaning dash panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Cleaning engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Cleaning fabric trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Cleaning leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Cleaning plastic parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Cleaning seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Cleaning steel wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Cleaning windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Cleaning wooden trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Climatronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Air outlet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
faults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
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