Page 219 of 312

Checking and refilling levels217
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Topping up engine oil
Top up gradually with small quantities of oil.
Before opening the bonnet, read and observe the warnings ⇒ in
“Safety instructions on working in the engine compartment” on
page 211.
– Unscrew cap from oil filler opening ⇒fig. 167.
– Top-up oil in small amounts, using the correct oil.
– To avoid over-filling with engine oil, you should top-up using small quantities, wait a while and check the oil level before
adding any more oil.
– As soon as the oil level is in area , carefully close the cap.The position of the oil filler opening is shown in the corresponding engine
compartment diagram ⇒page 275. Engine oil specification
⇒page 214.
WARNING
Oil is highly inflammable! Ensure that no oil comes into contact with hot
engine components when topping up.
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 a qualified work-
shop.
For the sake of the environment
The oil level must never be above area . Otherwise oil can be drawn in
through the crankcase breather and escape into the atmosphere via the
exhaust system.Changing engine oil
The engine oil must be changed at the intervals given in the
service schedule.We recommend that you have the engine oil changed by an Authorised
Service Centre.
The oil change intervals are shown in the Maintenance Programme ⇒ .
WARNING
Only change the oil yourself if you have the specialist knowledge required!
Fig. 167 In the engine
compartment: Engine oil
filler cap
AB
AA
AA
altea_xl ingles.book Seite 217 Donnerstag, 12. April 2007 12:56 12
Page 226 of 312

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
Page 229 of 312

Checking and refilling levels227
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Charging and changing the vehicle battery
The battery is maintenance-free and is checked during the
inspection service. All work on the vehicle battery requires
specialist knowledge.If you often drive short distances or if the vehicle is not driven for long
periods, the battery should be checked by a qualified workshop between the
scheduled services.
If the battery has discharged and you have problems starting the vehicle, the
battery might be damaged. If this happens, we recommend you have the
vehicle battery checked by an Authorised Service Centre where it will be re-
charged or replaced.
Charging the battery
The vehicle battery should be charged by a qualified workshop only, as
batteries using special technology have been installed and they must be
charged in a controlled environment.
Replacing a vehicle battery
The battery has been developed to suit the conditions of its location and has
special safety features.
Genuine SEAT batteries fulfil the maintenance, performance and safety spec-
ifications of your vehicle.
WARNING
•
We recommend you use only maintenance-free or cycle free leak-proof
batteries which comply with the st andards T 825 06 and VW 7 50 73. This
standard applies as of 2001.
•
Before starting any work on the batteries, you must read and observe
the warnings ⇒ in “Warnings on handling the battery” on page 225.
For the sake of the environment
Batteries contain toxic substances such as sulphuric acid and lead. They
must be disposed of appropriately and must not be disposed of with ordinary
household waste.
altea_xl ingles.book Seite 227 Donnerstag, 12. April 2007 12:56 12
Page 273 of 312

General notes on the technical data 271
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 aGeneral notes on the technical dataWhat you should be aware ofGeneral notes
All data in the official vehicle documents take precedence over this data.All data in these documents are valid for the basic model as offered in Spain.
The vehicle data card included in the inspection and maintenance schedule
in the vehicles registration documents show which engine is installed in the
vehicle. The figures may be different if addition
al equipment is fitted, for different
models, for special vehicles and for other countries.
Abbreviations used in this paragraph of the Technical Data Abbreviation MeaningkW Kilowatt, engine power measurement.
bhp Brake horse power, formerly used to denote engine power
at rpm Revolutions per minute - engine speed. Nm Newton metres, unit of engine torque.
l/100 km Fuel consumption in litres per 100 kilometres g/km Carbon dioxide emission s in grams per kilometre.
CO
2
Carbon dioxide
CN Cetane number, indication of the ignition quality of the diesel.
RON Research octane number, indication of the knock resistance of petrol.
altea_xl ingles.book Seite 271 Donnerstag, 12. April 2007 12:56 12