Driving
162Starting
The engine is started when the key is in this position. Electrical components
with a high power consumption are switched off temporarily.
Each time that the vehicle must be star ted, the ignition key must be turned to
the position . The repetitive start prevention lock of the ignition prevents
possible damage to the starter moto r if the engine is already running.
WARNING
•
Wait for the vehicle to come to a standstill before removing the ignition
key from the lock. The steering lock could be activated immediately - Risk
of accident!
•
Always remove the key from the ignition lock when leaving the vehicle,
even if you only intend to be gone for a short period. This is especially
important if you must leave children or disabled people in the vehicle.
•
They could accidentally start the engine or work electrical equipment
such as the windows possibly resulting in an accident.
•
Unsupervised use of the keys could result in the engine being started
or electrical systems, such as the el ectric windows, being used. This can
result in serious injury.Caution
The starter motor will only work when the engine is stopped (ignition key
position ).
Electronic immobiliser
The immobiliser prevents unauthorised persons from driving
the vehicle.Inside the key there is a chip that deac tivates the electronic immobiliser auto-
matically when the key is inserted into the ignition.
The immobiliser will be activated again automatically as soon as you pull the
key out of the ignition lock.
The engine can only be started using a genuine SEAT key with the correct
code.
Note
The vehicle cannot be operated properly if you do not have a genuine SEAT
key.Starting and stopping the engineStarting petrol engines
The engine can only be started using a genuine SEAT key with
the correct code.– Move the gear lever to the ne utral position and depress the
clutch pedal fully and hold it in this position, the starter will then
only have to turn the engine.
– Turn the ignition key to the starting position ⇒page 161.
A2A0
A2
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Driving
172Parking
The handbrake should always be firmly applied when the
vehicle is parked.Always note the following points when parking the vehicle:
– Use the foot brake to stop the vehicle.
–Apply the handbrake.
– The first gear should also be selected.
– Switch off the engine and remove the key from the ignition lock.
Turn the steering wheel slightly to engage the steering lock.
– Always take you car keys with you when you leave the vehicle ⇒ .Additional notes on parking the vehicle on gradients:
Turn the steering wheel so that the vehicle would roll against the kerb if it did
start to roll.•
If the vehicle is facing downhill, turn the front wheels so that they point
towards the kerb.
•
If the vehicle is facing uphill, turn the front wheels so that they point away
from the kerb .
•
Secure the vehicle as normal by applying the handbrake firmly and
selecting first gear.
WARNING
•
Take measures to reduce the risk of injury when you leave your vehicle
unattended.
•
Never park where the hot exhaust system could ignite inflammable
materials, such as dry grass, low bushes, spilt fuel etc.
•
Never allow vehicle occupants to remain in the vehicle when it is
locked. They would be unable to open the vehicle from the inside, and
could become trapped in the vehicle in an emergency. In the event of an
emergency, locked doors will delay assistance to occupants.
•
Never leave children unsupervised in the vehicle. They could set the
vehicle in motion, for example, by releasing the handbrake or the gear
lever / selector lever.
•
Depending on weather conditions, it may become extremely hot or cold
inside the vehicle. This can be fatal.
Acoustic parking aid system*Rear parking aid
The parking aid system will use an acoustic signal to warn of
the approach of any object towards the rear of the vehicle.Description
The acoustic parking aid system will measure the distance between the rear
of the vehicle and any possible obstacle using four ultrasonic sensors located
on the rear bumper. The measuring range of the sensors starts at approxi-
mately and depending on the nature of the obstacle at a distance of:•
side of the rear bumper: 0.8 m
•
centre of the rear bumper: 1.3 mWARNING (continued)
altea_ingles_0706.book Seite 172 Mittwoch, 30. August 2006 3:48 15
Checking and refilling levels209
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
WARNING
All work on the engine or in the engine compartment, e.g. checking and
refilling fluids, involves the danger of injury and scalding as well as the risk
of accident or fire.•
Never open the bonnet if you see steam, smoke or coolant escaping
from the engine compartment. Otherwis e, there is a risk of sustaining
burns. Wait until no more steam or coolant is emitted, then allow the
engine to cool before carefully opening the bonnet.
•
Switch off the engine and remove the key from the ignition.
•
Apply the handbrake and move the gear stick to neutral or selector
lever to position P.
•
Keep children away from the vehicle.
•
Never touch hot engine parts. There is a risk of burns.
•
Never spill liquids on a hot engine or on a hot exhaust gas system. This
is a fire hazard.
•
Avoid causing short-circuits in the electrical system, particularly at the
points where the jump leads are attached ⇒page 259. The battery could
explode.
•
Never touch the radiator fan. It is temperature controlled and could
start automatically, even when the engine has been switched off and the
key removed from the ignition!
•
Do not unscrew the cap on the expansion tank when the engine is hot.
If the coolant is hot, the cooling system will be pressurised!
•
Protect face, hands and arms by covering the cap with a large, thick
cloth to protect against escaping coolant and steam.
•
Always make sure you have not left any objects, such as cleaning cloths
and tools, in the engine compartment.
•
If you have to work underneath the vehicle, you must use suitable
stands additionally to support the vehicle, there is a risk of accident!. A
hydraulic jack is insufficient for securing the vehicle and there is a risk of
injury.
•
If any work has to be performed when the engine is started or with the
engine running, there is an additional, potentially fatal, safety risk from the
rotating parts, such as the drive belts, alternator, radiator fan, etc., and
from the high-voltage ignition system. You should also observe the
following points:
−Never touch the electrical wiring of the ignition system.
− Ensure that jewellery, loose cl othing and long hair do not get
trapped in rotating engine parts. Danger of death. Before starting any
work remove jewellery, tie back and cover hair, and wear tight-fitting
clothes.
− Always think carefully about pressing the accelerator if a gear is
engaged in either an automatic or manual gearbox. The vehicle could
move, even if the handbrake is applied. Danger of death.
•
If work has to be carried out on the fuel system or on electrical compo-
nents, you must observe the following sa fety notes in addition to the above
warnings:
−Always disconnect the battery. The vehicle must be unlocked when
this is done, otherwise the alarm will be triggered.
− Do not smoke.
− Never work near naked flames.
− Always have a fire extinguisher on hand.Caution
When changing or topping up service fluids, make absolutely certain that you
fill the fluids into the correct reservoirs. Failure to observe this point will result
in serious malfunctions and engine damage!
WARNING (continued)
altea_ingles_0706.book Seite 209 Mittwoch, 30. August 2006 3:48 15
Checking and refilling levels
222However, if the level goes down noticeably 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 208.Changing the brake fluid
The brake fluid must be renewed every two years.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 208 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 considerably 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.
For this reason the brake fluid must be renewed every two years.
It is important that you use only use 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.
•
Before opening the bonnet to check the brake fluid level, read and
observe the warnings ⇒page 208.
•
Brake fluid should be stored in the closed original container in a safe
place out of reach of children. There is a toxic risk.
•
Have the brake fluid changed every two years at the latest. Heavy use
of the brakes may cause a vapour lock if the brake fluid is left in the system
for too long. This would seriously affect the efficiency of the brakes and the
safety of the vehicle. This may cause an accident.Caution
Brake fluid could damage the paintwork. Wipe off any brake fluid from the
paintwork immediately.
For the sake of the environment
Brake fluid must be drained and disposed of in the proper manner observing
environmental regulations.
WARNING (continued)
altea_ingles_0706.book Seite 222 Mittwoch, 30. August 2006 3:48 15
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)
altea_ingles_0706.book Seite 223 Mittwoch, 30. August 2006 3:48 15
Index
292CCar care
Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Car care products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Car phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Car washes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
CD changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
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
Unlocking system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Central locking button Central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
unlocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Centre arm rest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Cetane number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Changing gear See Manual gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Changing the lamps Main headlight lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
rear lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Changing the main headlight lamps
dipped beam lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
main beam lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Side lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
turn signal lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251 Changing the rear lights
indicator lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
luggage compartment lights . . . . . . . . . . . 256
rear fog light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
reverse light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
side lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Changing windscreen wiper blades . . . . . . . . . 219
Chassis number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Checking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Checking battery electrolyte level . . . . . . . . . . 224
Checking engine oil level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
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* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Cleaning alloy wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Cleaning and caring for your vehicle . . . . . . . . 192
Cleaning chrome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Cleaning cloth seat covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Cleaning dash panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Cleaning engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Cleaning fabric trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 Cleaning leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Cleaning plastic parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Cleaning seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Cleaning steel wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Cleaning windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Cleaning wooden trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Climatic* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Climatronic
General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Clothes hook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Cockpit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Control Light switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Control lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Control lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Controls Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Convenience closing Sliding/tilting roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Convenience opening Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215, 216 Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Coolant Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Coolant level warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Coolant Loss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
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Index293
Coolant temperature
Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Covering bi-xenon headlights driving on the left . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
driving on the right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Covering simple headlights driving on the left . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
driving on the right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Cruise control system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Cruise control* Turning off the cruise control system . . . . . 176
Curtain airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Safety notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42DDanger of fitting a child seat on the front passenger seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Diesel engine Winter driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Diesel engine particulate filter* . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Differential lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Differential lock fault (EDL) warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Digital clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Dipped headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Disabling front passenger airbag
Safety notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Disabling the airbag Disabling front passenger airbag . . . . . . . . . 44
Display (without warning or information texts) . 59
Displays in the Mult i-function display
Memory displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Door lock cylinders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Door release lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Doors Childproof locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Drawer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Drinks holders at the front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Drive wheels traction control system . . . . . . . . 180
Driving Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
With a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
with a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185 Headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Driving economically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Driving programmes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Driving safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Driving with an automati c gearbox / DSG automatic
gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Driving with respect for the environment . . . . . 190
Duplicate keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Dust filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Dynamic headlight range control . . . . . . . . . . . 113
EEDL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
EDS Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Electric steering system warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Electrical sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Electronic differential lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182 Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Electronic immobiliser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83, 162 warning message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Electronic stabilisation program . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Electronic stabilisation programme . . . . . . . . . . 81 Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Electronic stabilisation programme (ESP) warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
emergency manual locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Emergency opening Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Emission control system warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Engine Running-in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Engine compartment Working in the engine compartment . . . . . 208
Engine coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Engine fault Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
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