
Cockpit
74
WARNING
•
Failure to observe warning lamps and warning messages can result in 
serious personal injury or damage to your vehicle.
•
The risk of an accident increases if your vehicle breaks down. Use a 
warning triangle to draw the attention of other road users in order to 
prevent danger to thirds.
Item
Symbol
Meaning of warning  and control lamps
Further 
information
Fuel level / reserve 
⇒ page 75 
Coolant level / coolant temperature 
⇒page 75
Rear fog light switched on
⇒page 76
 
Turn signals in operation
⇒page 76
Engine fault (petrol engine)
⇒page 76
Glow plug system for diesel engine
⇒page 76
Main beam switched on
⇒page 77
 
Pollen accumulation in the diesel 
engine particulate filter
⇒page 77
ABS system fault
⇒page 77
Windscreen washer fluid level
⇒page 78
Alternator fault
⇒page 78
Fasten seat belts!
⇒page 19
Tyre pressure 
⇒page 78
Airbag or belt tension device system 
fault or airbag disabled
⇒page 27 
⇒ page 30
A1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8A9A10A11A12A13
Bulb defective
⇒page 79
Parking brake applied
or low brake fluid level or
fault in brake system
⇒page 79
Engine oil pressure
⇒page 80
Cruise control system switched on
⇒page 80
Door open indicator
⇒page 80
Electromechanical steering
⇒page 80
Fault in the emission control system
⇒page 81
If flashing:  electronic stabilisation pro-
gramme (ESP) is working
If it remains lit:  ESP malfunction or off
⇒page 81
Automatic selector lever lock (auto-
matic gearbox)
⇒page 82
SAFE
Electronic immobiliser
⇒page 82
Item
Symbol
Meaning of warning 
and control lamps
Further 
information
A14A15A16A17A18A19A20A21A22
AlteaXL_EN.book  Seite 74  M ontag, 2. Februar 2009  12:26 12 

Checking and refilling levels
214
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. Otherwise, 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 gea r 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 263. 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 belt s, 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 clothing 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 safety 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)
AlteaXL_EN.book  Seite 214  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
AlteaXL_EN.book  Seite 287  M ontag, 2. Februar 2009  12:26 12