
Contents3
ContentsManual structure
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Content
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Safety First
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Safe driving
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Brief introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Proper sitting position for occupants . . . . . . . . . 
Pedal area  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Stowing luggage  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Seat belts
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Brief Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Why wear seat belts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Belt tension devices  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Airbag system
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Brief introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Front airbags  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Side airbags* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Curtain airbags  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Deactivating airbags*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Child safety
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Brief introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Securing child seats  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Operating instructions
 . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Cockpit
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Overview  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Instruments  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Digital display in the instrument panel  . . . . . . . 
Instrument panel menus* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Warning lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Steering wheel controls*
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
General information  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Audio system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Radio navigation system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Unlocking and locking
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Keys  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Radio frequency remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Anti-theft alarm system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Windows  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Sliding/tilting roof* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Lights and visibility
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Lights  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Interior lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Windscreen wipers  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Mirrors  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Seats and stowage
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
The importance of correct seat adjustment . . . . 
Head restraints  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Front seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Rear seat bench . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Stowage compartments  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Ashtrays*, cigarette lighter* and electrical 
sockets* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
First-aid kit, warning triangle, fire extinguisher  
Luggage compartment  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Heating, Ventilation and Air conditioning
 . . 
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Climatic*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
2C-Climatronic*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
General notes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Driving
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Address  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Ignition lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Starting and stopping the engine  . . . . . . . . . . . 
Manual gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Automatic gearbox* / DSG automatic gearbox*  
Handbrake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Acoustic parking aid system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Cruise control system (CCS)*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Practical tips
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Intelligent technology
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Brakes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Anti-lock brake system and traction control M-ABS 
(ABS and TCS)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Electronic stabilisation programme (ESP)*  . . . . 
Driving and the environment
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Running-in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Exhaust gasses purification system . . . . . . . . . . 
Economical and ecological driving  . . . . . . . . . . 
Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
5
6
7
7
7
10
16
17
19
19
20
23
27
29
29
33
36
40
43
45
45
47
49 53
53
53
55
58
64
73
83
83
83
87
91
91
97
98
100
102
104
106
109
109
117
120
121
125
128
128
129
131
133
135 144
147
148
151
151
153
157
161
163
163
164
165
166
169
170
174
176
179
183
183
183
184
185
190
190
191
192
194
AlteaXL_EN.book  Seite 3  Montag, 2. Februar 2009  12:26 12 

Safe driving7
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l  D a t a
Safety FirstSafe drivingBrief introductionDear SEAT Driver
Safety first!This chapter contains important information, tips, suggestions and 
warnings that you should read and consider for both your own safety 
and for your passengers safety.
WARNING
•
This manual contains important info rmation concerning the driver's 
and passengers' handling of the vehicle. The other booklets in the on 
board manual also contain further information that you should be aware of 
for your own safety and for the safety of your passengers.
•
Ensure that the onboard documentatio n is kept in the vehicle at all 
times. This is especially important when lending or selling the vehicle to 
another person.
Safety equipment
The safety equipment is a part of the occupant protection 
system and can reduce the risk of injury in the event of acci-
dent.Never “put” your safety and the safety of your passengers in danger. In the 
event of an accident, the safety equipment may reduce the risk of injury. The 
following list includes most of the safety equipment in your SEAT:•
three-point seat belts,
•
belt tension limiters for the front and rear side seats,
•
belt tension devices for the front seats,
•
belt height adjustment for the front seats,
•
front airbags,
•
side airbags in the front seat backrests,
•
curtain airbags,
•
crash-active front head restraints*,
•
“ISOFIX” anchorage points for child se ats in the rear side seats with the 
“ISOFIX” system,
•
height-adjustable head restraints,
•
head restraints with in-use position and non-use position,
•
adjustable steering column.
The safety equipment mentioned above works together to provide you and 
your passengers with the best possible protection in the event of accidents. 
But this safety equipment cannot neither help you nor your passengers if you 
AlteaXL_EN.book  Seite 7  Montag, 2. Februar 2009  12:26 12 

Safe driving
8or they are sitting in an incorrect position  or d o not pro per ly adjust o r use this 
equipment.
Therefore, information is provided about why this equipment is so important, 
how it protects you, what you have to consider when using it and how you and 
your passengers can achieve the greatest possible benefit from the safety 
equipment fitted. This manual includes  important warnings that you and your 
passengers should note in order to reduce the risk of injury.
Safety is everyone's business!Before every trip
The driver bears the responsibility for his passengers and the 
operational worthiness of the vehicle.For your own safety and the safety of your passengers, always note 
the following points before every trip:
– Ensure that the vehicle's lights and turn signals operate flaw- lessly.
– Check tyre pressure.
– Ensure that all windows provide a clear and good view of the  surroundings.
– Securely restrain all parcels  ⇒page 17.
– Make sure that no objects can interfere with the pedals.
– Adjust front seat, head restraint and mirrors properly acoording  to your size. – Ensure that the passengers in the rear seats always have the 
head restraints in the in-use position  ⇒page 14.
– Instruct passengers to adjust the head restraints according to  their height.
– Protect children with appropriate child seats and properly  applied seat belts  ⇒page 45.
– Assume the correct sitting position. Instruct your passengers  also to assume a proper sitting position.  ⇒page 10.
– Fasten your safety belt securely. Instruct your passengers also to  fasten their seat belts properly  ⇒page 19.
What affects driving safety?
Driving safety is largely determined by your driving style and 
the personal behaviour of all occupants.As a driver, you are responsible for yourself and your passengers. 
When your concentration or driving safety is affected by any circum-
stance, you endanger yourself as well as others on the road  ⇒, 
for this reason:
– Do not allow yourself to be distracted from the traffic around you,  e.g. by passengers or telephone conversations.
– Never drive when your driving ability is impaired (e.g. by medica- tion, alcohol, drugs).
– Observe traffic laws and speed limits.
AlteaXL_EN.book  Seite 8  Montag, 2. Februar 2009  12:26 12 

Safe driving
12•
Adjust the front passenger seat so th at there is at least 25 cm between 
your breastbone and the dash panel. If you are sitting nearer than 25 cm, 
the airbag system cannot protect you properly.
•
If your physical constitution prevents you from maintaining the 
minimum distance of 25 cm, contact a qualified workshop. The workshop 
will help you decide if special specific modifications are necessary.
•
Always keep your feet in the footwell when the vehicle is moving; never 
rest them on the instrument panel, out the window or on the seat. An incor-
rect sitting position exposes you to an increased risk of injury in case of a 
sudden braking or an accident. If the airbag is triggered, you could sustain 
severe injuries due to an incorrect sitting position.
•
To reduce the risk of injury to the front passenger in events such sudden 
braking manoeuvres or an accident, never travel with the backrest tilted far 
back! The airbag system and seat belts can only provide optimal protection 
when the backrest is in an upright position and the front passenger is 
wearing his or her seat belt properly. The further the backrests are tilted to 
the rear, the greater the risk of injury  due to incorrect positioning of the 
belt web or to the incorrect sitting position!
•
Adjust the head restraint properly in order to achieve maximum 
protection.
Correct sitting position for passengers in the rear seats
Passengers in the rear seats must sit up straight, keep their 
feet in the foot well s and wear their seat belts properly.To reduce the risk of injury in the event of a sudden braking 
manoeuvre or an accident, passengers on the rear bench seat must 
consider the following: – Adjust the headrest to the correct position 
⇒page 14.
– Keep both feet in the foot well in front of the rear seat.
– Fasten your safety belt securely  ⇒page 19.
– Use an appropriate child restraint system when you take children  in the vehicle  ⇒page 45.
WARNING
•
If the passengers on the rear seat are not sitting properly, they could 
sustain severe injuries.
•
Adjust the head restraint properly in order to achieve maximum protec-
tion.
•
Seat belts can only provide optimal protection when backrests are in an 
upright position and the passengers ar e wearing their seat belts properly. 
If passengers on the rear seat are not  sitting in an upright position, the risk 
of injury due to incorrect positioning of the belt web increases.
WARNING (continued)
AlteaXL_EN.book  Seite 12  M ontag, 2. Februar 2009  12:26 12 

Safe driving15
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l  D a t a
Rear outer seat head restraints
– The rear outer seat head restraints have 3 positions.
–Two positions for  use ⇒ page 14, fig. 5 . In these positions, the 
head restraints are used normally, protecting passengers along 
with the rear seat belts.
– And one position for  non-use.
– To fit the head restraints in posi tion for use, pull on the edges 
with both hands in the direction of the arrow.
Centre rear head restraint
– The centre head restraint only has two positions,  in-use (head 
restraint up) and  non-use (head restraint down).
WARNING
•
Under no circumstances should the rear passengers travel while the 
head restraints are in the non-use position. See the warning label located 
on the rear side fixed window  ⇒page 14, fig. 6 .
•
Do not swap the centre rear head restraint with either of the outer seat 
rear head restraints.
•
Injury risk in case of an accident!Caution
Note the instructions on the adjustment of the head restraints  ⇒page 129.
Examples of incorrect sitting positions
An incorrect sitting position can lead to severe injuries to 
occupants.Seat belts can provide optimal protection only when the belt webs 
are properly positioned. Incorrec t sitting positions substantially 
reduce the protective function of se at belts and increase the risk of 
injury due to incorrect belt web position. As the driver, you are 
responsible for all vehicle occupants, especially children.
– Never permit anyone to assume an incorrect sitting position in  the vehicle while travelling ⇒ .The following list contains examples of sitting positions that could be 
dangerous for all occupants. The list is  not complete, but we would like to 
make you aware of this issue.
Therefore, whenever the vehicle is in motion:•
Never stand in the vehicle,
•
never stand on the seats,
•
never kneel on the seats,
•
never tilt your backrest far to the rear,
•
never lean against the dash panel,
•
never lie on the rear bench,
•
never sit on the front edge of a seat,
•
never sit sideways,
•
never lean out of a window,
•
never put your feet out of a window,
•
never put your feet on the dash panel,
•
never put your feet on the surface of a seat,
AlteaXL_EN.book  Seite 15  M ontag, 2. Februar 2009  12:26 12 

Seat belts19
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l  D a t a
Seat beltsBrief IntroductionBefore driving: remember your seat belt!
Wearing a seat belt properly can save your life!In this chapter you will learn the importance of wearing seat belts, 
how they work and how to properly fasten, adjust and wear them.
– Read and consider all the information as well as the warnings in 
this chapter.
WARNING
•
If seat belts are worn incorrectly or not at all, the risk of severe injuries 
increases.
•
Properly worn seat belts can reduce severe injuries in case of sudden 
braking manoeuvres or accidents. For safety reasons, you and your passen-
gers must always wear the seat belts properly while the vehicle is moving.
•
Pregnant women or people with physical disabilities must also use seat 
belts. Like all other passengers, these people can also sustain severe inju-
ries if they are not wearing their seat belts properly.
Number of seatsYour vehicle has five  seats, two on the front part and three on the rear part. 
Each seat is equipped with a three-point seat belt.
WARNING
•
More people than available seats must never be transported in your 
vehicle.
•
Every passenger in the vehicle must  properly fasten and wear the seat 
belt belonging to his or her seat. Chil dren must be protected with an appro-
priate child restraint system.
Seat belt warning lamp* 
The warning lamp acts as a reminder to the driver to fasten 
the seat belt.Before starting the vehicle:
– Fasten your safety belt securely.
– Instruct your passengers to fasten their seat belts properly before  driving off.
– Protect children by using a child seat according to the child's  height and weight.After the ignition has been switched on, the warning lamp   on the instru-
ment panel lights up
1) if the driver has not fastened his/her seat belt, and a 
warning signal* is heard if the vehicle is driven at more than 30 km/h for 90 
seconds.
1)Depending on the model version
AlteaXL_EN.book  Seite 19  M ontag, 2. Februar 2009  12:26 12 

Seat belts
24
– Adjust the seat and head restraint correctly.
– To fasten the belt, take hold of the latch plate and pull it slowly across your chest and lap.
– Insert the latch plate into the buckle for the appropriate seat and  push it down until it is securely locked with an audible click 
⇒page 23, fig. 12 .
– Pull the belt to ensure that the latch plate is securely engaged in  the buckle.The seat belts are equipped with an automatic retractor on the shoulder 
strap. Full freedom of movement is perm itted when the shoulder belt is pulled 
slowly. However, during sudden braking, during travel in mountains or bends 
and during acceleration, the automatic retractor on the shoulder belt is 
locked.
The automatic belt retractors on the front seats are fitted with belt tension 
devices  ⇒page 27.
WARNING
•
An incorrectly worn seat belt web c an cause severe injuries in the event 
of an accident.
•
The seat belts offer best protection only when the backrests are in an 
upright position and the seat belts have been fastened properly.
•
Never put the latch plate in the buckle  of another seat. If you do this, the 
seat belt will not protect you properly and the risk of injury is increased.
•
If an occupant is incorrectly belted  in, the belt cannot protect him or her 
properly. An incorrectly positioned belt web can cause extremely severe 
injuries.
•
Always engage the retractor lock when you are securing a child seat in 
group 0, 0+ or 1  ⇒page 45.
Seat belt position
Seat belts offer their maximum protection only when they are 
properly positioned.
Fig. 13  Correct belt web 
and head restraint posi-
tions, viewed from frontFig. 14  Correct belt web 
and head restraint posi-
tions, viewed from side
AlteaXL_EN.book  Seite 24  M ontag, 2. Februar 2009  12:26 12 

Seat belts25
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l  D a t a
The following features are available to adjust the seat belt in the shoulder 
region:
•
belt height adjustment
 for the front seats.
•
front seat height adjustment*.
WARNING
•
An incorrectly worn seat belt web can cause severe injuries in the event 
of an accident.
•
The shoulder part of the seat belt must lie on the centre of the shoulder, 
never across the neck. The seat belt must lie flat and snugly on the torso 
⇒ page 24, fig. 13 .
•
The lap part of the seat belt must l ie across the pelvis, never across the 
stomach. The seat belt must lie flat and snugly on the pelvis  ⇒page 24, 
fig. 14 . Pull the belt tight if necessary to take up any slack.
•
Read and observe the warnings  ⇒page 22.
Pregnant women must also fasten their seat belts properly
The best protection for the unborn child is for the mother to 
wear the seat belt properly at  all times during the pregnancy.The seat belt provides maximum protection only when the belt web 
is properly positioned ⇒page 24.
– Adjust the front seat and head restraint correctly  ⇒page 10.
– Holding the latch plate, pull the belt evenly across your chest and  as low as possible over the pelvis ⇒ fig. 15.
– Insert the latch plate into the buckle for the corresponding seat  and push it down until it is securely locked with an audible click 
⇒ .
– Pull the belt to ensure that the latch plate is securely engaged in  the buckle.
Fig. 15  Positioning seat 
belts during pregnancy
AlteaXL_EN.book  Seite 25  M ontag, 2. Februar 2009  12:26 12