2009 Seat Altea XL battery

Checking and refilling levels227
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
•
Before opening the bonnet to check the brake fluid level, read and
observe the warnings ⇒page 213.
•
Brake fluid should be stored in the closed original container in a safe
place out of reach of children. There is a toxic risk.
•
Complete the brake fluid change according to the Maintenance
Program. 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.
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 batter ies. 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 smoki ng are prohibited. When handling
cables and electrical equipment, avoid causing sparks and electrostatic
WARNING (continued)

Wear eye protection

Battery acid is very corrosive and caustic. Wear protective
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!
AlteaXL_EN.book Seite 227 M ontag, 2. Februar 2009 12:26 12

Checking and refilling levels
228charge. 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 alarm will otherwise be triggered.
•
When disconnecting the battery from the vehicle electrical system,
disconnect first the negative cable 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 which
has frozen. A flat battery can freeze at temperatures around 0°
•
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.
•
If the vehicle is left standing in cold conditions for a long period, protect
the battery from frost. If it “freezes” it will be damaged.
Checking the electrolyte level
The electrolyte level should be checked regularly in high-
mileage vehicles, in hot countries and in older batteries.– Open the bonnet and open the battery cover at the front ⇒ in
“Safety instructions on working in the engine compartment” on
page 213 ⇒ in “Warnings on handling the battery” on
page 227.
– Check the colour display in the "magic eye" on the top of the battery.
– If there are air bubbles in the window, tap the window gently until they disperse.The position of the battery is show n in the corresponding engine compart-
ment diagram ⇒page 273.
The round window (“magic eye”) on the top of the battery changes colour,
depending on the charge level and electrolyte level of the battery.
If the colour in the window is colourless or bright yellow, the electrolyte level
of the battery is too low. Have the battery checked by a qualified workshop.
The colours green and black are used by the workshops for diagnostic
purposes.
WARNING (continued)
AlteaXL_EN.book Seite 228 M ontag, 2. Februar 2009 12:26 12

Checking and refilling levels229
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
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 227.
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.
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If and when
262Sunroof light– Carefully remove the lamp, using the flat side of the screwdriver,
as shown in the figure ⇒fig. 198 . – Remove the bulb, moving it in the direction of the arrow and
outwards ⇒fig. 198 .
Jump-startingJump leads
The jump lead must have a sufficient wire cross section.If the engine fails to start because of a discharged battery, the battery can be
connected to the battery of anot her vehicle to start the engine.
Jump leads
Jump leads must comply with the standard DIN 72553 (see manufacturer's
documentation). The wire cross section must be at least 25 mm
2 for petrol
engines and at least 35 mm
2 for diesel engines.
Note
•
The vehicles must not touch each other, otherwise electricity could flow as
soon as the positive terminals are connected.
•
The discharged battery must be properly connected to the vehicle elec-
trical system.
Fig. 197 Removing
sunroof lightFig. 198 Removing
sunroof light
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If and when263
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
How to jump start: description⇒fig. 199 shows the flat battery and the charged battery.
Jump lead terminal connections
– Switch off the ignition on both vehicles ⇒.
1. Connect one end of the red jump lead to the positive ⇒fig. 199
terminal of the vehicle with the flat battery ⇒.
2. Connect the other end of the red jump lead to the positive terminal in the vehicle providing assistance.
3. Connect one end of the black jump lead to the negative terminal on the battery of the vehicle providing assistance. 4. Connect the other end of the black jump lead to a solid metal
component which is bolted on to the engine block, or onto the
engine block itself of the vehicle with the flat battery. Do not
connect it to a point near the battery ⇒.
5. Position the leads in such a way that they cannot come into contact with any moving parts in the engine compartment.
Starting
6. Start the engine of the vehicle with the boosting battery and let
it run at idling speed.
7. Start the engine of the car with the flat battery and wait one or two minutes until the engine is “running”.
Removing the jump leads
8. Before you remove the jump leads, switch off the headlights (if they are switched on).
9. Turn on the heater blower and rear window heater in the vehicle with the flat battery. This helps minimise voltage peaks which are
generated when the leads are disconnected.
10. When the engine is running, disconnect the leads in reverse order to the details given above.
Connect the battery clamps so they ha ve good metal-to-metal contact with
the battery terminals.
If the engine fails to start, switch off the starter after about 10 seconds and
try again after about half a minute.
Fig. 199 How to connect
the jump leads
AA
AB
A+
A+
A-
AX
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If and when
264
WARNING
•
Please note the safety warnings referring to working in the engine
compartment ⇒page 213, “Working in the engine compartment”.
•
The battery providing assistance must have the same voltage as the flat
battery (12V) and approximately the same capacity (see imprint on
battery). Failure to comply could result in an explosion.
•
Never use jump leads when one of the batteries is frozen. Danger of
explosion! Even after the battery has thawed, battery acid could leak and
cause chemical burns. If a battery freezes, it should be replaced.
•
Keep sparks, flames and lighted cigarettes away from batteries, danger
of explosion. Failure to comply could result in an explosion.
•
Observe the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the jump
leads.
•
Do not connect the negative cable from the other vehicle directly to the
negative terminal of the flat battery. The gas emitted from the battery could
be ignited by sparks. Danger of explosion.
•
Do not attach the negative cable from the other vehicle to parts of the
fuel system or to the brake line.
•
The non-insulated parts of the battery clamps must not be allowed to
touch. The jump lead atta ched to the positive battery terminal must not
touch metal parts of the vehicle, this can cause a short circuit.
•
Position the leads in such a way that they cannot come into contact
with any moving parts in the engine compartment.
•
Do not bend over the batteries. This could result in chemical burns.Note
The vehicles must not touch each other, otherwise electricity could flow as
soon as the positive terminals are connected.
AlteaXL_EN.book Seite 264 M ontag, 2. Februar 2009 12:26 12

Technical Data273
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
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,
otherwise serious damage to the engine may be caused.
Coolant expansion tank
Windscreen washer fluid reservoir
Engine oil filler cap
Engine oil dipstick
Brake fluid reservoir
Vehicle battery (underneath the cover)
The checking and refilling of service fluids are carried out on the components
mentioned above. These operations are described in the ⇒page 213. Overview
Further explanations, instructions and restrictions on the technical data are
contained as of
⇒page 269.
Fig. 203 Diagram for the
location of the various
elements
A1A2A3A4A5A6
AlteaXL_EN.book Seite 273 M ontag, 2. Februar 2009 12:26 12

Index287
Index
AABS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Acoustic signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Acoustic warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Adjusting the seat belt height . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
AFS (curve lights) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Air conditioner* 2C-Climatronic* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Air conditioning system General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Air conditioning* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Air recirculation mode 2C-Climatronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Manual air conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Airbag covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Curtain airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Side airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Alarm system Switching off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Alternator Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Ambient temperature display . . . . . . . . . . . . 62, 69 Anti-freeze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Anti-lock brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Anti-puncture tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Anti-theft alarm system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Switching off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Anti-theft wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Aquaplaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Ashtray* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Automatic anti-dazzle interior mirror* Activating the anti-dazzle function . . . . . . 125
Deactivating anti-dazzle function . . . . . . . . 125
Automatic car wash tunnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Automatic gearbox / DS G automatic gearbox . 170
Automatic lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Automatic mode 2C-Climatronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Automatic wiper/wash function for the rear window 124
Auxiliary audio connection: AUX-IN . . . . . . . . . 146
BBall coupling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
BAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183 Battery
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Winter conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Belt tension device Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Belt tension devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Biodiesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Biodiesel fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Bonnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Brake assist system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226 Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Brake pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Brake servo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183, 190
Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226 Brake servo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Braking distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Bulb changes general notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Bulb defect warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Buzzer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116, 165
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