2010 Seat Altea check engine light

Checking and refilling levels225
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Technical Data
Petrol additives
Petrol additives improve the quality of the petrol.The quality of the petrol influences running behaviour, performance and
service life of the engine. For this reason, you should use good quality petrol
containing additives. These additives will help to prevent corrosion, keep the
fuel system clean and prevent deposits from building up in the engine.
If good quality petrol with additives is not available or engine problems occur,
the required additives must be added during refuelling.DieselDiesel*Diesel fuel must correspond to DIN EN 590 (EN = “European standard”). It
must have a cetane number (CN) of at least 51. The cetane number indicates
the ignition quality of the diesel fuel.
Notes on filling with fuel ⇒page 220.Biodiesel*The biodiesel fuel must comply with the DIN EN 14.214 (FAME) Standard.•Biodiesel is a methyl ester obtained from rapeseed oil.•DIN is the German abbreviation for “ Deutsches Institut für N ormung e.V.”,
the German standards institute.•EN means European Norm.•FAME is the English abbreviation for “ Fatty Acid Methyl Ester”. Your Authorised Service Centre can also be consulted to know if the vehicle
has been prepared for biodiesel use.
Things to note about RME fuel (biodiesel)
•The performance of a vehicle using biodiesel maybe somewhat reduced.•Fuel consumption of a vehicle using biodiesel may be slightly higher.•RME fuel is resistant to the cold down to approx. -10°C.•At temperatures below -10°C, we recommend using winter diesel fuel.•Your vehicle is designed to be refuelled with up to a maximum of 7%
blended biodiesel in accordance with standard DIN 51628.Caution
•RME fuel can damage the fuel system in vehicles which are not suitably
adjusted.•If you decide to use biodiesel in your vehicle, please use only RME fuel
which is DIN EN 14,214 compliant.•If you use biodiesel that does not meet the required standard, the fuel
filter could become clogged.Note
•In case of low exterior temperatures and a fuel biodiesel percentage of
higher than 50%, an increase in gas emission may occur during operation of
the independent heating.•The fuel filter may become clogged when fuel is changed to biodiesel. For
this reason, we recommend you that, when having run 300 or 400 km after a
fuel change, the fuel filter change must also be done. Also note the instruc-
tions in the Inspection and Maintenance plan.•If the vehicle is to remain parked for more than about two weeks, we
recommend filling the fuel tank with biodiesel and driving about 50 km in
order to avoid damage to the injection system.
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Checking and refilling levels229
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Technical Data
•Wait until no more steam, smoke or coolant is emitted from the bonnet,
then carefully open the bonnet.•When working in the engine compartment, always observe the safety
warnings ⇒page 226.
Closing the bonnet– Raise the bonnet slightly.
– Release the bonnet stay and replace it in its support.
– At a height of about 30 cm let it fall so it is locked.If the bonnet does not close, do not press downwards. Open it once more and
let it fall as before.
WARNING
If the bonnet is not closed properly, it could open while you are driving and
completely obscure your view of the road. Risk of accident.•After closing the bonnet, always check that it is properly secured. The
bonnet must be flush with the surrounding body panels.•If you notice that the bonnet latch is not secured when the vehicle is
moving, stop the vehicle immediately and close the bonnet properly. Risk
of accident.
Engine oilEngine oil specifications
The engine oil used must conf orm with exact specifications.Specifications
The engine comes with a special, high quality, multi grade oil that can be
used in all seasons of the year except for those regions affected by extreme
cold.
As the use of good quality oil is necessary for the correct operation and long
service life of the engine, when it becomes necessary to replenish or change
the oil, always use an oil that complies to the VW standards.
If it is not possible to find oil conforming to the VW standards then oil
conforming to the ACEA or API standards with an appropriate viscosity at
atmospheric temperature should be used instead. The use of this type of oil
may have some repercussions on the performance of the engine for example,
long starting time, increased consumption and a higher emission level.
If a top up is required then different oils may be mixed as long as they all
conform to the VW standards.
The specifications (VW standards) set out in the following page should
appear on the container of the service oil; the container will display together
the different standards for petrol and diesel engines, the oil can be used for
both types of engines.
WARNING (continued)
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Checking and refilling levels235
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Technical Data
•When the engine is warm or hot, the cooling system is pressurised! Do
not unscrew the cap on the expansion tank when the engine is hot. This is
a burn injury risk.Caution
•When mixed with other additives the colour of G12 will change to brown.
If this occurs you should have the coolant changed immediately. Failure to do
so will result in engine damage!•If a lot of coolant has been lost, wait for the engine to cool down before
putting in cold coolant. This avoids damaging the engine. Large coolant
losses are an indication of leaks in the cooling system. See a specialised
workshop immediately and have the cooling system checked. Otherwise,
there is a risk of engine damage.
Washer fluid and windscreen wiper bladesTopping up washer fluid

The water for cleaning the windscreen should always be
mixed with washer fluid.The windscreen washer and the headlight washing system are supplied with
fluid from the windscreen washer fluid container in the engine compartment.
The reservoir is located on the right-hand side of the engine compartment.
Plain water is not enough to clean the windscreen and headlights. We recom-
mend that you always add a product to the windscreen washer fluid.
Approved windscreen cleaning products exist on the market with high deter-
gent and anti-freeze properties, these may be added all-year-round. Please
follow the dilution instructions on the packaging.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 167 In the engine
compartment: Cap of
windscreen washer fluid
reservoir.
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Checking and refilling levels239
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Technical Data
Brake fluidChecking the brake fluid level
The brake fluid is checked at the intervals given in the service
schedule.– Read off the fluid level at the transparent brake fluid reservoir. It
should always be between the “MIN” and “MAX” marks.The position of the brake fluid reservoir is shown in the corresponding engine
compartment diagram ⇒page 285. The brake fluid reservoir has a black and
yellow cap.
The brake fluid level drops slightly when the vehicle is being used as the
brake pads are automatically adjusted as they wear. However, if the level goes down noticeably in a short time, or drops below the
“MIN” mark, there may be a leak in the brake system. A display on the instru-
ment panel will warn you if the brake fluid level is too low ⇒
page 77.
WARNING
Before opening the bonnet to check the brake fluid level, read and observe
the warnings ⇒page 226.Changing the brake fluid
The Maintenance Program indicates the brake fluid change
intervals.We recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by an Authorised
Service Centre.
Before opening the bonnet, please read and follow the warnings ⇒ in
“Safety instructions on working in the engine compartment” on page 226 in
“Working in the engine compartment”.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture. In the course of time, it will absorb water from
the ambient air. If the water content in the brake fluid is too high, the brake
system could corrode. This also considerably reduces the boiling point of the
brake fluid. Heavy use of the brakes may then cause a vapour lock which
could impair the braking effect.
It is important that you use only brake fluid compliant with the US standard
FMVSS 116 DOT 4. We recommend the use of Genuine SEAT brake fluid.
WARNING
Brake fluid is poisonous. Old brake fluid impairs the braking effect.
Fig. 172 In the engine
compartment: Brake fluid
reservoir cover
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Checking and refilling levels241
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Technical Data
charge. 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 226 ⇒ in “Warnings on handling the battery” on
page 240.
– 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 shown in the corresponding engine compart-
ment diagram ⇒ page 285.
The “magic eye” indicator, located on the top of the battery changes colour,
depending on the charge state and electrolyte level of the battery.
There are two different colours:•Black: correct charge status.•Transparent/clear yellow: the battery must be replaced. Contact a
specialist workshop.
WARNING (continued)
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If and when
262
Fuse cover underneath the steering wheel
– Switch off the ignition and the component concerned.
– Identify the fuse for the failed component ⇒page 264.
– Take the plastic clip from inside the fuse cover, fit it onto the blown fuse and pull the fuse out.
– Replace the blown fuse (which will have a melted metal strip) with a new fuse of the same ampere rating.
Fuse cover in engine compartment
– Switch off the ignition and its failed electrical component.
– Prise off the fuse cover in the engine compartment by pressing the tabs towards the centre of the cover ⇒page 261, fig. 183 .
– Identify the fuse for the failed component ⇒ page 264.
– Take the plastic clip from inside the fuse cover (at left-hand end of the dash panel), fit it onto the blown fuse and pull the fuse out.
– Replace the blown fuse (which will have a melted metal strip) with a new fuse of the same ampere rating.
– Carefully fit the fuse cover back on to ensure no water can enter the fuse box.The individual electrical circuits are protected by fuses. The fuses are located
behind a cover at the left-hand end of the dash panel and on the left-hand
side of the engine compartment.
The electric windows are protected by circuit breakers. These reset automat-
ically after a few seconds when the overload (caused for example by frozen
windows) has been corrected. Fuses colour code
WARNING
Never “repair” damaged fuses and never replace them with fuses with a
higher rating. Failure to comply could result in fire. This could also cause
damage to other parts of the electrical system.
Note
•If a newly replaced fuse blows again after a short time, the electrical
system must be checked by a qualified workshop as soon as possible.•If you replace a fuse with higher-rating fuse, you could cause damage to
another location in the electrical system.•Always keep some spare fuses in the vehicle. These are available from
SEAT dealers.
Co lo ur
Amps
light brown
5
Red
10
Blue
15
Yellow
20
Natural (white)
25
Green
30
orange
40
Red
50
white
80
Blue
100
grey
150
violet
200
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Index
300CCatalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
CD changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Automatic locking system for involuntary unlocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Automatic speed dependent locking and un- locking system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Emergency unlocking system . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Selective unlocking system* . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Unlocking system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Central locking button Central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
unlocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Centre arm rest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Cetane number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Changing gear See Manual gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Changing gear in Tiptronic mode . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Changing the lamps Main headlight lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
rear lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Changing the main headlight lamps dipped beam lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
main beam lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Side lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
turn signal lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Changing the rear lights indicator lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
luggage compartment lights . . . . . . . . . . . 273 rear fog light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
reverse light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
side lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Changing windscreen wiper blades . . . . . . . . . 236
Chassis number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Checking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Checking battery electrolyte level . . . . . . . . . . 241
Checking engine oil level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Child seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Categorisation in groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Group 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Group 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Group 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Groups 0 and 0+ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
ISOFIX system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Safety notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Child seats on the front passenger seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Cigarette lighter* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Cleaning alloy wheel rims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Cleaning and caring for your vehicle . . . . . . . . 209
Cleaning chrome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Cleaning engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Cleaning steel wheel rims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Cleaning windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Climatic* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Climatronic General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Cloth seat covers cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Clothes hook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Cockpit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Control lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Control lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Controls
Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Light switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Convenience closing Sliding/tilting roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Convenience opening Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233, 234 Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Coolant Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Coolant level warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Coolant Loss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Coolant temperature Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Cruise control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Cruise control system Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Cruise control* Turning off the cruise control system . . . . 190
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Index
302Engine fault
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Engine management Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Checking level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Oil properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Topping up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Engine oil dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Engine oil pressure monitor indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 Environmental friendliness . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Environmental tip Avoiding pollution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
ESP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85, 195
Example of menu use Program a speed limit warning . . . . . . . . . . 69
To activate and deactivate the speed limit warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Example of the use of the menus Open the Configuration menu with the MFD lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Open the Configuration menu with the steering wheel controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Examples of menu use
Open the main menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Open the winter tyres menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
To close the winter tyres menu . . . . . . . . . . 69
Exhaust gasses purification system . . . . . . . . 201
Exterior mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
FFabric trim cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Fastening rings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Fire extinguisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
First-aid kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Floor mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Fog lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Fog lights with cornering function . . . . . . . . . . 118
folding table* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Folding the seat backrests down . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Foot brake Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Four wheel drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Front passenger airbag deactivation . . . . . . . . . 44
Front reading lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Front seat adjustment Lumbar support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Frontal airbags Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
safety notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Fuel
Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Petrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Fuel level Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Fuel reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 warning message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Fuel Tank Opening the fuel tank flap . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Fuel tank See Fuel reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Fuel: saving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
GG 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Gear shift pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
General overview of the engine compartment 285
Glove compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Glow plug system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
GRA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188HHandbrake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183 Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83, 183
Hazard warning lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
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