2010 Seat Alhambra roof rack

Safe driving 14
xBrake early.
Transporting a load
Secure all objects in the vehicle
xDistribute the load throughout the vehicle, on the roof and in a trailer as
uniformly as possible.
xTransport heavy objects as far forward as possible in the luggage
compartment and lock the seat backs in the vertical position.
xSecure luggage in the luggage compartment with suitable straps on the
fastening rings Ÿpage 146.
xCheck the headlight adjustment Ÿpage 113.
xUse the suitable tyre pressure according to the load being transported.
Read the tire inflation information label Ÿpage 323.
xFor vehicles with a tire pressure indicator, change the vehicle load status
Ÿpage 245.
Caution
Objects on the shelf could chafe against the wires of the heating element in
the rear window and cause damage.
Note
Please note the information about loading a trailer Ÿpage 260 and the roof
carrier system Ÿpage 159.
Driving with the tailgate open
Driving with the tailgate open creates an additional risk. Secure all objects
and secure the tailgate correctly and take all measures possible to reduce
toxic gases from entering the vehicle.
WARNING
Driving with the tailgate unlocked or open could cause serious injuries.
xAlways drive with the tailgate closed.
xSecure all objects in the vehicle. Loose items could fall out of the
vehicle and injure other road users or damage other vehicles.
xDrive particularly carefully and think ahead.
xAvoid sudden manoeuvres and braking given that this could cause an
uncontrolled movement of the open tailgate.
xWhen transporting objects that protrude out of the luggage compart-
ment, indicate them suitably. Observe legal requirements.
xIf objects must project out of the luggage compartment, the tailgate
must never be used to “secure” or “attach” objects.
xIf a baggage rack is fitted on the tailgate, it should be removed before
travelling with the tailgate open.
WARNING
Toxic gases may enter the vehicle interior when the tailgate is open. This
could cause loss of consciousness, carbon monoxide poisoning, serious
injury and accidents.
xTo avoid toxic gases entering the vehicle always drive with the tailgate
closed.
xIn exceptional circumstances, if you must drive with the tailgate open,
observe the following to reduce the entry of toxic gases inside the vehicle:
Close all windows and the sliding roof.
WARNING (continued)

Driving and the environment 254
Unnecessary short journeys should be avoided. Try to combine trips.
The vehicle uses more fuel in winter than in summer, even when other condi-
tions are the same.
“Warming” the engine is not only forbidden in some countries, but in practice
it is technically superfluous as it is a waste of fuel.
Adjusting type pressures.
Having the correct pressure in your tyres helps to reduce rolling resistance
and, as a result reduces fuel consumption. Increasing the tyre pressure
slightly (+ 0.2 bar / + 3 psi) can help to save fuel.
If you are prepared to accept a slight reduction in comfort, the tyres may be
filled to the pressures recommended for a fully-loaded vehicle. This is also
valid when driving alone without luggage.
When you buy new tyres, make sure they are optimised for minimum rolling
resistance.
Use low friction engine oil
The use of low viscosity totally synthetic oils, known as low friction engine oil,
help to reduce fuel consumption. Low friction engine oils reduce the resist-
ance caused by friction in the engine, they flow around the engine more
quickly and efficiently, particularly in cold starts. The effect is particularly
noticeable in vehicles frequently used for short journeys.
Always check the engine oil level and observe service intervals (engine oil
change intervals).
When purchasing engine oil, always observe legal requirements and ensure
that the oil is approved by SEAT.
Avoid carrying unnecessary loads
The lighter the vehicle, the more economical and ecological the driving style.
For example, an additional weight of 100 kg will increase fuel consumption
up to 0.3 l/100 km.
Remove any unnecessary objects or loads from the vehicle.Remove optional equipment and unnecessary accessories
The more aerodynamic the vehicle, the lower the fuel consumption. Optional
equipment and accessories (such as roof racks or bike carriers) reduce the
aerodynamic benefits of the vehicle.
Therefore, we recommend you remove all optional and unnecessary equip-
ment and racks, especially if you intend to drive at high speeds.

Vehicle maintenance and cleaning 270
For the sake of the environment
The remains of car care products should not be disposed of with ordinary
household waste. Observe information provided by the manufacturer.
Washing the vehicle
The longer substances such as insects, bird droppings, resinous tree sap,
road dirt, industrial deposits, tar, soot or road salt and other aggressive mate-
rials remain on the vehicle, the more damage they do to the paintwork. High
temperatures (for instance due to strong sunlight) further intensify the corro-
sive effect. The vehicle undercarriage should also be thoroughly washed at
regular intervals.
Automatic car washes
Always observe the instructions provided at the automatic car wash. The
standard precautionary measures prior to entering the car wash should be
taken to avoid damage to the vehicle (close all windows, fold in exterior
mirrors). If the vehicle is fitted with additional components (spoiler, roof-rack,
aerial...), check with the car wash supervisor whether these can enter the car
wash Ÿ.
The vehicle paintwork is so durable that the car can normally be washed
without problems in an automatic car washing tunnel. However, wear and
damage to the paintwork will depend on the type of car wash used. SEAT
recommends the use of car washed without brushes.
To remove traces of wax on windows and to prevent wiper blades from
scratching, please observe the following Ÿpage 272, “Cleaning windows
and exterior mirrors”.
Washing the car by hand
When washing the car by hand, use plenty of water to soften the dirt first, and
rinse off as well as possible.Then clean the vehicle with a soft sponge, glove or brush using only slight
pressure. Start at the roof and work downwards. Special car shampoo should
only be used for very persistent dirt.
Rinse the sponge or glove thoroughly and often.
Wheels, sills and similar should be cleaned last. Use a second sponge for
this.WARNING
Sharp components on the vehicle may cause injury.
xProtect arms and hands from sharp edges when cleaning the vehicle
undercarriage or the interior of the wheel hubs.
WARNING
After the vehicle has been washed, the braking effect will be reduced (and
the braking distance increased) due to moisture (and ice in winter) on the
brakes.
xDry the brakes and remove ice by braking carefully. Ensure that you are
not endangering other road-users or breaking traffic regulations in the
process.
Caution
xThe temperature of the water must not exceed +60 °C (+140 °F).
xTo avoid damage to the paintwork, do not wash the vehicle in full sun.
xDo not use rough sponges or similar which could damage the surface to
clean away the traces of insects.
xNever wipe the headlights with a dry cloth or sponge, always moisten
first. It is best to use soapy water.

Vehicle maintenance and cleaning 272
xDo not use a high pressure cleaner to remove ice or snow from windows
xWashing the vehicle in low temperatures: When washing the vehicle with
a hose, do not direct water into the lock cylinders or the gaps around the
doors, tailgate, or sunroof. Locks and seals could freeze!
Cleaning windows and exterior mirrors
Cleaning windows and exterior mirrors
Spray windows and exterior windows with a standard window cleaner
containing alcohol.
Dry the windows with a clean chamois leather or a lint-free cloth. The chamois
leathers used on painted surfaces are not suitable for cleaning windows
because they are soiled with wax deposits which could smear the windows.
Use window cleaner or a silicone remover to clean rubber, oil, grease and sili-
cone deposits off Ÿ.
Removing wax deposits
Automatic car washes and certain car care products may leave wax deposits
on the windows. These deposits can only be removed with a special product
or cleaning cloths. Wax deposits on the windscreen could cause the wiper
blades to judder. SEAT recommends you wipe the wax deposits off the wind-
screen with a soft cloth each time after you have washed the vehicle.
A window cleaning detergent which helps to dissolve the wax may be added
to the windscreen washer fluid to prevent the wiper blades from scratching
the windscreen. Please ensure the you add the cleaning product in the correct
proportions. Products for removing grease do not eliminate the wax deposits
Ÿ.
Special cleaning products or window cloths are available at any Technical
Service. To remove wax deposits, SEAT recommends the following products:
xFor the hottest time of the year: the window cleaner for summer use G 052
184 A1 . Proportion 1:100 (1 part detergent, 100 parts water) in the wind-
screen washer bottle.
xAll year round: the window cleaner G 052 164 A2; Proportion 1:2 in wind-
screen washer bottle (1 part concentrate, 2 parts water) in winter, up to
-18 °C (-0.4 °F), or 1:4, during the rest of the year.
xWindow cloths G 052 522 A1 for all windows and exterior mirrors.
Removing snow
Use a small brush to remove snow from the windows and exterior mirrors.
Removing ice
If possible, use a de-icing spray to remove ice. If you use an ice scraper, push
it in one direction only without swinging it. If you pull the scraper backwards,
the dirt may scratch the window.
WARNING
Dirty or misted windows reduce visibility in all directions and increase the
risk of accident and serious injury.
xDo not drive unless you have good visibility through all windows!
xRemove ice and snow from the windows and demist inside and out.
Caution
xNever mix our cleaning products with other products not recommended
by SEAT in the windscreen washer bottle. This could lead to flocculation and
may block the windscreen washer jets.
xDo not use hot or warm water to remove ice or snow from the windows and
exterior mirrors. The glass could crack!
xThe heating element for the rear window is located on the inner side of the
window. Do not stick adhesive labels over the heating elements and never
clean the inside of the rear window with corrosive or acid products or other
similar chemical cleaning products.

Index403
Sunshade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
The tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Opening doors individually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Operating fault
Immobiliser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Operating faults
Radio reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Optical parking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Outside temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Overview
Dash panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
P
Panorama sliding sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Anti-trap function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Convenience closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Convenience opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Fault . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Sunshade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Panoramic sliding roof
Emergency locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Brake operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Park assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Park Assist system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Park assist system
Automatic stoppage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Fault . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230Leaving the parking space . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Preparing to park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Stopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Switching on or off (leaving the parking space)
232
Switching on or off (parking) . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210, 213
Parking aid system
Use of high pressure cleaning equipment . 271
Parking brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Automatic release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Emergency braking function . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
See "Parking brake" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Parking distance warning system
Use of high pressure cleaning equipment . 271
Parking indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Parking light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Parking sensor system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225, 226
Fault . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Optical parking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
With towing bracket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Particulate filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Pedals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 203
Petrol
Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Filling the tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297Fuel gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Polishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Pollen filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Pollution filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Portable waste bin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Pre-heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Preparation
Checking the engine coolant level . . . . . . . 315
Vehicle battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Work in the engine compartment . . . . . . . . 306
Preparations
Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Checking the engine oil level . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Topping up the engine oil level . . . . . . . . . 310
Preparing for the journey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Principles of physics regarding a frontal collision .
18
Programmable remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Programming the garage door remote control 110
Protection of vehicle undercarriage . . . . . . . . . 276
Pushing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
R
Radio reception
Aerial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Operating faults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Rails and attachment element system
Baggage net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

Index407
Technical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
Axle loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Bottle capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Curb weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Engine oil specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Roof load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Total weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Tyre pressures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Weights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Technical details
Type of fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Technical modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Lifting platform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Temperature display
Outside temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Temperature gauge
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
The tailgate
Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
See "The tailgate" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Unlocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84, 98
Things to note
Auxiliary heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188, 190
Diesel particulate filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Electric sliding doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Fumes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Increase in exhaust fumes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Parking sensor system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226Rear assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Switching Auto Hold off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Water underneath the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 184
Tightening torque
Wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Tightening torque of wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . . 382
TIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Tips for driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Before starting out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Tiptronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Toll reader
ETC ("e-toll") card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Tolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Total weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Tow hitch
Function control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Installing a bicycle carrier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Tow starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Automatic gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Driving advice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Four-wheel-drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Front tow ring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
Rear tow ring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
Special notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Tow bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Towing prohibited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Towing rope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
With a tow hitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Towing a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382Towing bracket
Optical parking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Parking sensor system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Traction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Traction control system (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Traction control when accelerating (TCS) . . . . 217
Trailer
Adjusting the headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Antitheft alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Drawbar load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Driving with a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260, 264
Electric socket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Electrically releasing the hitch ball . . . . . . 261
Fitting a trailer tow hitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Function control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Hitch ball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Hitching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Loading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Rear LED lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260, 263
Rear lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260, 263
Stabilising the vehicle and trailer combination
265
Trailer cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260, 262
Trailer weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Wing mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Trailer cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260, 262
Trailer hitch ball
See "Trailer" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Trailer tow hitch
Electric release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261