Checking and refilling levels223
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Changing the rear wiper blade
A good rear wiper blade is essential for clear rear vision.
Damaged wiper blades should be replaced immediately.Removing the wiper blade
– Lift the wiper arm away from the glass ⇒ fig. 172.
– Unclip the wiper blade and pull ⇒fig. 172.
Fitting the wiper blade
– With one hand, hold the top end of the wiper arm.
– With the other hand, press the wiper blade into the retainer.Check the condition of the wiper blade regularly. Change as required.
If the windscreen wiper scrapes, it should be replaced if damaged, or cleaned
if soiled. If this is not sufficient, refer to a qualified workshop.
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
•
A damaged or dirty window wiper could scratch the rear window.
•
Never use fuel, nail varnish remover,
paint thinner or similar products to
clean the window.
•
Never move the windscreen wiper by hand. This could cause damage.
Fig. 172 Changing the
rear window wiper blade
A1
A2
altea_xl ingles.book Seite 223 Donnerstag, 12. April 2007 12:56 12
Checking and refilling levels
224Brake 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 275. 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 72.
WARNING
Before opening the bonnet to check the brake fluid level, read and observe
the warnings ⇒page 211.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 211 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. 173 In the engine
compartment: Brake fluid
reservoir cover
altea_xl ingles.book Seite 224 Donnerstag, 12. April 2007 12:56 12
Wheels and tyres
228Wheels and tyresWheelsGeneral notesAvoiding damage
– If you have to drive over a kerb or similar obstacle, drive very
slowly and as near as possible at a right angle to the kerb.
– Keep grease, oil and fuel off the tyres.
– Inspect the tyres regularly for damage (cuts, cracks or blisters, etc.). Remove any foreign objects embedded in the treads.
Storing tyres
– Mark tyres when you remove them to indicate the direction of
rotation. This ensures you will be able to install them correctly
when you replace them.
– When removed, the wheels and/or tyres should be stored in a cool, dry and preferably dark location.
– Store tyres in a vertical position if they are not fitted on wheel rims.New tyres
New tyres have to be run in ⇒page 186.
The tread depth of new tyres may vary, according to the type and make of tyre
and the tread pattern. Concealed damage
Damage to tyres and rims is often not re
adily visible. If you notice unusual
vibrations or the car pulling to one side, this may indicate that one of the tyres
is damaged. The tyres should be checked immediately by an Authorised
Service Centre.
Tyres with directional tread pattern
An arrow on the tyre sidewall indicates the direction of rotation on tyres with
directional tread. Always observe the di rection of rotation indicated when
fitting the wheel. This guarantees optimum grip and helps to avoid aqua-
planing, excessive noise and wear.
WARNING
•
New tyres do not have maximum grip in the first 500 km. Drive particu-
larly carefully to avoid risk of accident.
•
Never drive with damaged tyres. This may cause an accident.
•
If you notice unusual vibration or if the vehicle pulls to one side when
driving, stop the vehicle immediately and check the tyres for damage.
Checking tyre pressure
The correct tyre pressure can be seen on the sticker on the
inside of the tank flap.1. Read the required tyre inflatio n pressure from the sticker. The
values refer to Summer tyres. For Winter tyres, you must add 0.2
bar to the values given on the sticker.
altea_xl ingles.book Seite 228 Donnerstag, 12. April 2007 12:56 12
Wheels and tyres231
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Changing wheels around
If the front tyres are worn considerably more than the rear ones it is advisable
to change them around as shown
⇒page 230, fig. 175 . All the tyres will then
last for about the same time.
Wheel balance
The wheels on new vehicles are balanced. However, various factors encoun-
tered in normal driving can cause them to become unbalanced, which results
in steering vibration.
Unbalanced wheels should be rebalanced, as they otherwise cause excessive
wear on steering, suspension and tyres. A wheel must also be rebalanced
when a new tyre is fitted.
Incorrect wheel alignment
Incorrect wheel alignment causes excessive tyre wear, impairing the safety of
the vehicle. If tyres show excessive wear, you should have the wheel align-
ment checked by an Authorised Service Centre.
WARNING
There is a serious danger of accidents if a tyre bursts during driving!•
The tyres must be replaced at the latest when the tread is worn down to
the tread wear indicators. Failure to do so could result in an accident. Worn
tyres do not grip well at high speeds on wet roads. There is also a greater
risk of “aquaplaning”.
•
At continuously high speeds, a tyre with insufficient pressure flexes
more. This causes it to overheat. This can cause tread separation and tyre
blow-out. Risk of accident. Always observe the recommended tyre pres-
sures.
•
If tyres show excessive wear, you should have the running gear checked
by an Authorised Service Centre.
•
Keep chemicals such as oil, fuel and brake fluid away from tyres.
•
Damaged wheels and tyres must be replaced immediately!
For the sake of the environment
Under-inflated tyres will increase fuel consumption.Anti-puncture tyres
Anti-puncture tyres allow you to continue driving even with a
punctured tyre, in the majority of cases.Vehicles equipped with anti-puncture
22)
tyres from the factory indi-
cate the loss of tyre pressure on the instrument panel.
Driving with anti-puncture tyres (emergency gear)
– Leave the ESP/TCS (electronic stability program) on, or switch it on ⇒page 183.
– Continue driving carefully and slowly (80 km/h maximum).
– Avoid sudden manoeuvres and sharp turns.
– Avoid driving over obstacles (for example kerbs) or potholes.
– Look out for the ESP/TCS intervening often, smoke coming from the tyres or the smell of rubber, the vehicle vibrating or a clat-
tering noise. If any of these occur, stop the vehicle.
The anti-puncture tyres have a tag on the side of the tyre, with the description:
“DSST”, “Eufonia”, “RFT”, “ROF”, “RSC”, “SSR” or “ZP”.
The sides of this type of tyre are reinforced. When the tyres lose air they are
supported on the sides (emergency driving).22)According to version and country.
altea_xl ingles.book Seite 231 Donnerstag, 12. April 2007 12:56 12
Wheels and tyres
234Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must be tightened to the correct torque.The design of wheel bolts is matched to the rims. If different wheel rims are
fitted, the correct wheel bolts with the right length and correctly shaped bolt
heads must be used. This ensures that wheels are fitted securely and that the
brake system functions correctly.
In certain circumstances, you may not use wheel bolts from a different car -
even if it is the same model ⇒page 204.
After the wheels have been changed, the tightening torque of the wheel bolts
should be checked as soon as possible with a torque wrench. ⇒ The tight-
ening torque for steel and alloy wheels is 120 Nm.
WARNING
If the wheel bolts are not tightened correctly, the wheel could become
loose while driving. Risk of accident.•
The wheel bolts must be clean and turn easily. Never apply grease or oil
to them.
•
Use only wheel bolts which belong to the wheel.
•
If the torque of the wheel bolts is to o low, they could loosen whilst the
vehicle is in motion. Risk of accident! If the tightening torque is too high,
the wheel bolts and threads could be damaged.Caution
The prescribed torque for wheel bolts for steel and alloy wheels is 120 Nm.
Winter tyres
Winter tyres will improve the vehicles handling on snow and
ice.In winter conditions winter tyres will considerably improve the vehicles
handling. The design of summer tyres (width, rubber compound, tread
pattern) gives less grip on ice and snow.
Winter tyres must be inflated to a pressure 0.2 bar higher than the pressures
specified for summer tyres (see sticker on tank flap).
Winter tyres must be fitted on all four wheels.
Information on permitted winter tyre sizes can be found in the vehicle's regis-
tration documents. Use only radial winter tyres. All tyre sizes listed in the
vehicle documentation also apply to winter tyres.
Winter tyres lose their effectiveness when the tread is worn down to a depth
of 4 mm.
The speed rating code ⇒page 232, “New tyres and wheels” determines the
following speed limits : ⇒ ⇒
Q max. 160 km/h
S max. 180 km/h
T max. 190 km/h
H max. 210 km/h
In some countries, vehicles which can exceed the speed rating of the fitted
tyre must have an appropriate sticker in the driver's field of view. These
stickers are available from your Authorised Service Centre. The legal require-
ments of each country must be followed.
Do not have winter tyres fitted for unnecessarily long periods. Vehicles with
summer tyres handle better when the roads are free of snow and ice.
If you have a flat tyre, please refer to the notes on the spare wheel
⇒ page 232, “New tyres and wheels”.
altea_xl ingles.book Seite 234 Donnerstag, 12. April 2007 12:56 12
Technical Data275
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Te c h n i c a l D a t aChecking fluid levelsFrom time to time, the levels of the different fluids in the
vehicle must be checked. Never fill with incorrect fluids, to do
so may cause serious damage to the engine.
Radiator expansion tank
Windscreen washer fluid reservoir
Engine oil filler cap
Engine oil dipstick
Brake fluid reservoir
Vehicle battery (underneath the cover)
The checking and replenishment of the service fluids are carried out on the
components mentioned above. These operations are described in the
⇒ page 211. Overview
Further explanations, instructions and restrictions on the technical data are
contained as of
⇒page 271.
Fig. 211 Diagram for the
location of the various
elements
A1A2A3A4A5A6
altea_xl ingles.book Seite 275 Donnerstag, 12. April 2007 12:56 12
Index
302Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Braking distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Bulb changes
general notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Bulb defect warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Buzzer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117, 163CCar care Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Car care products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
CD changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Automatic speed dependent locking and un-locking system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Emergency unlocking system . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Locking system for invo luntary unlocking . . 95
Selective unlocking system* . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Central locking button Central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
unlocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Central locking system Automatic speed dependent locking and un-locking system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Centre arm rest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Cetane number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Changing gear See Manual gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Changing the lamps
Main headlight lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
rear lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Changing the main headlight lamps dipped lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
full beam lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Side lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
turn signal lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Changing the rear light lamps Position light, fog ligh t and rear light on the
tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Changing the rear lights Indicator, side and brake lights on the bodywork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
luggage compartment lights . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Changing windscreen wiper blades . . . . . . . . . 221
Chassis number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Checking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Checking battery electrolyte level . . . . . . . . . . 226
Checking engine oil level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Child seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Categorisation in groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Group 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Group 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Group 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Groups 0 and 0+ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Safety notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Child seats
ISOFIX and Toptether system . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
on the front passenger seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Cigarette lighter* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Cleaning alloy wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Cleaning and caring for your vehicle . . . . . . . . 195
Cleaning chrome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Cleaning cloth seat covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Cleaning dash panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Cleaning engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Cleaning fabric trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Cleaning leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Cleaning plastic parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Cleaning seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Cleaning steel wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Cleaning windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Cleaning wooden trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Climatic* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Climatronic General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Clothes hook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Cockpit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Connector for Apple iPod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Control Light switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Control lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Control lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Controls Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
altea_xl ingles.book Seite 302 Donnerstag, 12. April 2007 12:56 12
Index
304Engine compartment
Working in the engine compartment . . . . . 211
Engine coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Engine fault Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Engine management Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Checking level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Oil properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Topping up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Engine oil dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Engine oil pressure Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64, 78
Environmental tip Avoiding pollution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
ESP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81, 183
Example of menu use Open the configuration menu . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Program a speed limit warning . . . . . . . . . . 67
To activate and deactivate the speed limit warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Examples of menu use Open the main menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Open the winter tyres menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
To close the winter tyres menu . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Exterior mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
FFastening rings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Fire extinguisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Floor mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Fog lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
folding table* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Folding the seat backrests down . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Foot brake Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Four-wheel drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Freetrack towing ring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Safety notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Front interior light type 1 Switching light off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Switching light on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Front interior light type 2 Switching light off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Switching light on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Front passenger airbag deactivation . . . . . . . . . 44
Front reading lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Front seat adjustment Lumbar support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Fuel Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Petrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Fuel level Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Fuel reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Fuel Tank Opening the fuel tank flap . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Fuel tank See Fuel reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
GG 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Gear shift pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
General overview of the engine compartment 275
Glove compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Glow plug system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81HHandbrake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77, 173
Hazard warning lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
head restraints Adjusting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129, 130
adjustment of the head restraint angle . . . 130
Removing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
head restraints, correct adjustment . . . . . . . . . 13 In-use and non-use positions . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Headlight flasher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Headlight range control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
altea_xl ingles.book Seite 304 Donnerstag, 12. April 2007 12:56 12