2010 Seat Alhambra warning

Driving201
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTe c h n i c a l D a t a
Changing gear
Introduction
When reverse gear is engaged and the ignition is switched on the following
takes place:
xReverse lights light up.
xWhen reversing, the air conditioner automatically changes to air recircu-
lation mode.
xThe rear window heater switches on when the windscreen wiper is acti-
vated.
xAlso, the parking sensor system, the optical parking sensor and the
camera for the reverse assist system are connected.
Additional information and warnings:
xInstruments Ÿpage 64
xBraking, stopping and parking Ÿpage 210
xParking sensor system Ÿpage 225
xPark Assist system Ÿpage 229
xReverse assist system (Rear Assist) Ÿpage 234
xAir conditioning Ÿpage 179
xElectronic power control and exhaust gases purification system
Ÿpage 255
xEmergency locking and unlocking Ÿpage 348
WARNING
Rapid acceleration can cause loss of traction and skidding, especially on
slippery ground. This could cause loss of control of the vehicle resulting in
an accident and considerable damage.
xOnly use the kickdown or rapid acceleration if visibility, weather, road
and traffic conditions so permit.
WARNING
Do not allow the brakes to “rub” for a prolonged period of time, or brake
frequently or for long periods of time. Continuous braking heats up the
brakes. This could significantly reduce braking power, increase braking
distance or even result in the total failure of the brake system.
Caution
xNever make the brakes slip by pressing the pedal gently, if it is not really
necessary to brake. This will increase wear.
xReduce speed, move down a gear or select a shorter range of gears before
long steep slopes. This allows you to use the engine braking effect and to
reduce the strain on the brake system. Otherwise, the brakes may overheat
and fail. Only use the brakes to reduce speed or to stop.
WARNING (continued)

Driving 202
Warning and control lamps
Several warning and control lamps should light up for a few seconds when
the ignition is switched. This signals that the lamp is working properly. They
will switch off after a few seconds.
WARNING
If the warning lamps and messages are ignored, the vehicle may stall in
traffic, or may cause accidents and severe injuries.
xNever ignore the warning lamps or text messages.
xStop the vehicle safely as soon as possible.
xIf the vehicle stops and must be stopped for repairs, always park a safe
distance from surrounding traffic, turn on the hazard warning lights, stop
the engine and take all of the safety measures necessary to warn other road
users.
Caution
Failure to heed the warning lamps and text messages when they appear may
result in faults in the vehicle.lights upPossible causeSolution
K (red)Brake pedal not pressed!Press brake pedal to the floor.
K
(green)Brake pedal not pressed.
To select a range of gears, press
the brake pedal.
Please also see "Electronic park-
ing brake" Ÿpage 210.
flashesPossible causeSolution
K
(green)The selector lever locking but-
ton has not engaged. The
vehicle does not start to
move.Engage the selector lever lock
Ÿpage 206.

Driving203
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTe c h n i c a l D a t a
Pedals
Do not allow floor mats or other objects to obstruct the free passage of the
pedals.Floor mats should leave the pedal area free and unobstructed and be
correctly secured in the footwell zone.
In the event of failure of a brake circuit, the brake pedal must be pressed
harder than normal to brake the vehicle.
WARNING
Objects falling into the driver's footwell could prevent use of the pedals.
This could lead the driver to lose control of the vehicle, increasing the risk
of a serious accident.
xMake sure the pedals can be used at all times, with no objects rolling
underneath them.
xAlways secure the mat in the foot well.
xNever place other mats or rugs on top of the original mat supplied by
the factory.
xEnsure that no objects can fall into the driver's footwell while the
vehicle is in motion.
Caution
The pedals must always have free and unobstructed passage to the floor. For
example, in case of a fault in the brake circuit, the brake pedal will need to be
pressed further to stop the vehicle. To press the brake pedal down further will
require more force than usual.
Fig. 136 Pedals in vehi-
cles with a manual
gearbox: accelerator;
brake; clutch.
A1A2A3
Fig. 137 Pedals in vehi-
cles with an automatic
gearbox: accelerator;
brake.
A1A2

Driving 204
Manual gearbox: Engaging gears
The position of each of the gears is shown on the gear stick Ÿfig. 138.
xKeep the clutch pedal pushed all the way down.
xMove the gear stick to the required position.
In some countries, it is necessary to press the clutch pedal to the floor to start
the engine.
Selecting reverse gear
xWith the vehicle at a standstill, press the clutch pedal to the floor and
keep pressed.
xPush the gear lever down.
xMove the gear stick to the left and then forwards to reverse gear
Ÿfig. 138 .
WARNING
When the engine is running, the vehicle will start to move as soon as a gear
is engaged and the clutch released. This is also the case with the electronic
parking brake on.
xNever engage the reverse gear when a vehicle is moving forward.
Caution
To prevent damage and avoid premature wear, please observe the following:
xWhile driving, do not leave your hand resting on the gear stick. The pres-
sure applied by your hand is transmitted to the gearbox selector forks.
xAlways ensure that the vehicle is completely stopped before engaging the
reverse gear.
xWhen changing gear, always make sure the clutch pedal is pushed right
to the floor.
xNever hold the vehicle on the clutch on hills.
Fig. 138 Gear shift
pattern of a 6-speed
manual gearbox.
AR

Driving 206
Selector lever locking
The gear selector lever lock prevents, in P or N, a gear selection from being
inadvertently engaged and the vehicle moving off accidentally.
To release the gear selector lever lock, press and hold the brake pedal with
the ignition on. Press simultaneously on the selector lever lock.
The selector lever lock is not engaged if the selector lever is moved quickly
through position N (e.g. when shifting from R to D). This makes it possible, for
instance, to rock the vehicle backwards and forwards if it is stuck in snow or
mud. The selector lever lock engages automatically if the brake pedal is not
pressed and the lever is in position N for more than about one second at a
speed of less than 5 km/h (3 mph).
In vehicles with a DSG
® automatic gearbox, on rare occasions the selector
lever lock may not engage. In this case, the transmission is locked to prevent
the vehicle from moving accidentally. The green control light
K flashes and
an information text is displayed. Proceed as follows to engage the selector
lever lock:
xPress the brake pedal and then release.
WARNING
Placing the selector lever in an incorrect position may cause loss of control
of the vehicle and a serious accident.
xDo not press the accelerator when engaging a range of gears.
xWith the engine running and a range of gears selected, the vehicle will
move off when the brake pedal is released.
xNever select reverse gear or the parking lock while driving.
WARNING
Unintentional movements of the vehicle could cause serious injury.
xAs a driver, you should never leave your vehicle if the engine is running
and a gear is engaged. If you have to leave your vehicle while the engine is running, you must apply the electronic parking brake and engage parking
lock P.
xWhile the engine is running and with the D, S or R range of gears
selected, keep the brake pressed to keep the vehicle at a standstill. Trans-
mission is not totally interrupted either when the vehicle is idling or when
the vehicle continues moving forwards.
xNever engage the R or P gear ranges when the vehicle is moving.
xNever leave the vehicle with the gear selector in N. The vehicle may
move downhill regardless of whether the engine is switched on or not.
Caution
If, when the vehicle is at a standstill, the electronic parking brake is not
applied and the brake pedal is released while in position P, the vehicle may
move a few centimetres forwards or backwards.
Note
If, while driving, the selector lever is accidentally placed in position N, lift your
foot off the accelerator. Wait until the engine is running at idle speed before
selecting a new gear ratio.
WARNING (continued)

Driving 208
Driving down hills
The steeper the gradient, the lower the gear you will need. The lowest gears
increase the engine braking work. Never go down hills with the selector lever
in neutral N.
xYou should reduce speed accordingly.
xPress the selector lever from position D to the right into the Tiptronic
selector gate Ÿpage 207.
xGently pull the selector lever back to change down a gear.
xALTERNATIVELY: Reduce using the steering wheel paddles Ÿpage 207.
Emergency program
If all the selector lever positions on the instrument panel display are shown
with a light-coloured background, this means there is a fault in the system.
The automatic gearbox will operate in emergency programme mode. When
the emergency program is activated, it is possible to drive the vehicle
however, at low speeds and within a selected range of gears.
For the DSG
® dual clutch gearbox, in some cases, this may mean that reverse
gear does not engage. The gearbox should be checked by a qualified work-
shop as soon as possible.
Overload protection for the 6-speed DSG gearbox
®
When the clutch is overloaded, the vehicle begins to jerk and the selector
lever position indicator begins to flash. To prevent damage to the clutch, this
interrupts the power transmission between the engine and the gearbox.
There is no more traction and it is not possible to accelerate. If the clutch is
opened automatically due to overloading, press the brake pedal. Wait a few
seconds before starting to move again.
Kick-down
The kick-down system provides maximum acceleration when the gear
selector lever is in the positions D, S or in the Tiptronic position.When the accelerator pedal is pressed right down, the automatic gearbox will
shift down to a lower gear, depending on road speed and engine speed. This
takes advantage of the maximum acceleration of the vehicle Ÿ.
When the accelerator is pressed to the floor, the automatic gearbox shifts to
the next gear only after the engine reaches the specified maximum engine
speed.
Launch-Control Programme
The Launch-Control programme enables maximum acceleration while at a
standstill.
xDeactivating the TCS Ÿpage 210.
xPress and hold the brake pedal with your left foot.
xPlace the selector lever in position S or Tiptronic.
xPress the accelerator with the right foot until the vehicle reaches an
engine speed of approximately 3,200 rpm.
xLift the left foot off the brake Ÿ. The vehicle starts with maximum
acceleration.
xTurn on the TCS after accelerating!
WARNING
Rapid acceleration can cause loss of traction and skidding, especially on
slippery ground. This could cause loss of control of the vehicle resulting in
an accident and considerable damage.
xOnly use kick-down and rapid acceleration when weather conditions,
surface conditions and traffic conditions permit; accelerate and drive in a
manner that does not endanger other road users.
xPlease remember that the driven wheels can slip and the vehicle can
skid if the TCS is turned off, especially on slippery ground.
xTurn on the TCS after accelerating.

Driving209
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTe c h n i c a l D a t a
Caution
xIf you stop on a hill with a gear ratio engaged, do not try to prevent the
vehicle from rolling back by pressing on the accelerator. This could cause
overheating and damage the automatic gearbox.
xNever allow the vehicle to move with the gear selector lever in N, espe-
cially with the engine turned off. The automatic gearbox will not be lubricated
and could be damaged.
Recommended gear indication
In some vehicles, the recommended gear for reducing fuel consumption is
displayed on the instrument panel:
Information for cleaning the diesel particulate filter
The exhaust gas system control recognises when the diesel particulate filter
is blocked, and helps to clean it by recommending a specific gear for driving.
It may therefore be necessary to drive with the engine at an exceptionally high
speed Ÿpage 255.
WARNING
The recommended gear display is intended as a guideline only; it should
never replace the driver's attention to driving carefully.
xResponsibility for selecting the correct gear for each situation
continues to lie with the driver, for example when overtaking, climbing a
hill or towing a trailer.
For the sake of the environment
Selecting the most appropriate gear for the situation will help you to save
fuel.
Note
The recommended gear display is switched off when the clutch pedal is
pressed.
DisplayMeaning
ˆOptimum gear.
žRecommendation to change up a gear.
ŸRecommendation to change down a gear.
WARNING (continued)

Driving 210
Braking, stopping and parking
Introduction
The assisted braking systems include the anti-lock braking system (ABS), the
brake assist system (BAS), the electronic differential system (EDS), the trac-
tion control system (TCS) and the electronic stabilisation program (ESP).
Additional information and warnings:
xTo wi ng m o d e Ÿpage 260
xStart assist systems Ÿpage 221
xWheels and tyres Ÿpage 323
xAccessories, parts replacement, repairs and modifications Ÿpage 285
WARNING
Driving with worn brake pads or a faulty brake system may lead to serious
accident.
xIf I lights, alone or accompanied by a warning message on the instru-
ment panel, please go immediately to a specialist workshop to check the
brake pads and to replace them if they are worn.
WARNING
Careless parking can cause serious injury.
xNever remove the key from the ignition if the vehicle is in motion. The
steering lock may engage and locked the steering wheel making the
vehicle impossible to control.
xAlways park your vehicle so that no part of the exhaust system can
come in contact with flammable materials (such as wood, leaves, spilled
fuel, dried grass, etc).
xAlways apply the electronic parking brake when you leave your vehicle
and when you park.
xNever leave children or disabled people alone in the vehicle. They could
release the electronic parking brake, activate the selector lever or gear
stick and start the vehicle moving. This could result in serious accident.
xAlways take all the keys with you whenever you leave the vehicle. The
engine could accidentally be started and electrical equipment such as the
windows could accidentally be operated resulting in serious injury.
xNever leave children or disabled people alone in the car. They could be
trapped in the car in an emergency and will not be able to get themselves
to safety. For example, depending on the time of the year, temperatures
inside a locked and closed vehicle can be extremely high or extremely low
resulting in serious injuries and illness or even death, particularly for
young children.
Caution
xSpecial care should be taken when parking in areas with high kerbs or
fixed barriers. Objects protruding from the ground may damage the bumper
or other parts of the vehicle during manoeuvres. To avoid damage, stop
before the wheels touched the barrier or kerb.
xSpecial attention is required when driving through entrances, over ramps,
kerbs or other objects. The vehicle underbody, bumpers, mudguards and
running gear, and the engine and exhaust system could be damaged as you
drive over these objects.
WARNING (continued)