2010 Seat Altea check engine

Checking and refilling levels
230Oil propertiesViscosity
The viscosity class of the oil is selected according to the diagram.
When the ambient temperature falls outside the limits of the scale for a short
period, an oil change is not required.
Mono-grade oil
Single grade oils are generally not suitable for all year round use, due to
ranges of viscosity
22). These oils are only useful in a climate that is constantly very cold or very
warm.
Engine oil additives
No type of additive should be mixed with the engine oil. The deterioration
caused by these additives is not covered by the warranty.
Note
Before a long trip, we recommend finding an engine oil that conforms to the
corresponding VW specifications and keeping it in the vehicle. This way, the
correct engine oil will always be available for a top-up if needed.Checking the engine oil level
The engine oil dipstick indicates the level of the oil.
Engine type
Specification
Petrol
VW 501 01/ VW 502 00/ VW 504 00
Diesel
VW 505 01/ VW 507 00/ VW 506 01
Diesel Engines with Particulate filter
(DPF)
a)
a)Only use recommended oils, otherwise you may damage the engine.
VW 507 00
Fig. 163 Types of oil
according to temperature
22)Viscosity: oil density
Fig. 164 Engine oil
dipstick.
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Checking and refilling levels231
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Technical Data
Checking oil level
– Park the vehicle in a horizontal position.
– Briefly run the engine at idle speed until the service temperature
is reached then stop.
– Wait two minutes.
– Pull out the dipstick. Wipe the dipstick with a clean cloth and insert it again, pushing it in as far as it will go.
– Then pull it out once more and check the oil level ⇒page 230,
fig. 164 . Top up with engine oil if necessary.Oil level in area
– Do not add oil.
Oil level in area
–Oil can be topped up. The indicated oil level should be after zone .
Oil level in area
–Oil must be topped up. The indicated oil level should be after in zone .
Depending on how you drive and the conditions in which the car is used, oil
consumption can be up to 0.5 l/1,000 km. Oil consumption is likely to be
higher for the first 5,000 km. For this reason the engine oil level must be
checked at regular intervals, preferably when filling the tank and before a
journey.
WARNING
Any work carried out in the engine compartment or on the engine must be
carried out cautiously.•When working in the engine compartment, always observe the safety
warnings ⇒page 226.
Caution
If the oil level is above the area do not start the engine. This could result
in damage to the engine and catalytic converter. Contact an Authorised
Service Centre.Topping up engine oil


Top up gradually with small quantities of oil.
Before opening the bonnet, read and observe the warnings ⇒ in
“Safety instructions on working in the engine compartment” on
page 226.
– Unscrew cap from oil filler opening ⇒fig. 165 .
– Top-up oil in small amounts, using the correct oil.
AAAB
AA
AC
AA
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Fig. 165 In the engine
compartment: Engine oil
filler cap
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Checking and refilling levels
232
– To avoid over-filling with engine oil, you should top-up using small quantities, wait a while and check the oil level before
adding any more oil.
– As soon as the oil level is in area , carefully close the cap.The position of the oil filler opening is shown in the corresponding engine
compartment diagram ⇒page 285.
Engine oil specification ⇒page 229.
WARNING
Oil is highly inflammable! Ensure that no oil comes into contact with hot
engine components when topping up.
Caution
If the oil level is above the area do not start the engine. This could result
in damage to the engine and catalytic converter. Contact a qualified work-
shop.
For the sake of the environment
The oil level must never be above area . Otherwise oil can be drawn in
through the crankcase breather and escape into the atmosphere via the
exhaust system.
Changing engine oil
The engine oil must be changed at the intervals given in the
service schedule.We recommend that you have the engine oil changed by an Authorised
Service Centre.
The oil change intervals are shown in the Maintenance Programme.
WARNING
Only change the oil yourself if you have the specialist knowledge required!•Before opening the bonnet, read and observe the warnings
⇒ page 226, “Safety instructions on working in the engine compartment”.•Wait for the engine to cool down. Hot oil may cause burn injuries.•Wear eye protection to avoid injuries caused by splashes of oil.•When removing the oil drain plug with your fingers, keep your arm hori-
zontal to help prevent oil from running down your arm.•Wash your skin thoroughly if it comes into contact with engine oil.•Engine oil is poisonous! Used oil must be stored in a safe place out of
the reach of children until it is disposed of.Caution
No additives should be used with engine oil. This could result in engine
damage. Any damage caused by the use of such additives would not be
covered by the factory warranty.
For the sake of the environment
•Because of the disposal problems, the necessary special tools and
specialist knowledge required, we recommend that you have the engine oil
and filter changed by an Authorised Service Centre.
AB
AA
AA
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Checking and refilling levels233
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Technical Data
•Never pour oil down drains or into the ground.•Use a suitable container when draining the used oil. It has to be large
enough to hold all the engine oilCoolantCoolant specifications
Coolant is a mixture of water and at least 40% coolant addi-
tive.The cooling system must be filled with a mixture of water and at least 40 % of
our coolant additive G12+ or an additive with the specification TT-VW 774 F (it
is dyed purple). This mixture gives the necessary frost protection down to -
25°C and protects the alloy parts of the cooling system against corrosion. It
also prevents scaling and raises the boiling point of the coolant.
The concentration of coolant must always be at least 40% - even if frost
protection is not required.
If greater frost protection is required in very cold climates, the proportion of
the antifreeze additive G12+ can be increased. However, the percentage of
coolant additives should not exceed 60%, as this would reduce the frost
protection. It would also reduce the cooling effect. A mixture with 60%
coolant additive will give frost protection to approx. -40°C.
WARNING
•The coolant additive is toxic. There is a toxic risk. Always keep the
coolant additive in the original container which should be stored out of the
reach of children. The same applies to coolant which you have drained off.
•The coolant additive G12+ must be added in sufficient quantities to
provide anti-freeze protection at the coldest ambient temperatures that
can be expected. At extremely cold ambient temperatures, the coolant
could freeze, causing the vehicle to breakdown. As the heater would also
not work in this situation, there is a risk of suffering exposure!Caution
•Other additives may give considerably inferior corrosion protection. The
resulting corrosion in the cooling system can lead to a loss of coolant,
causing serious damage to the engine.•The coolant additive G12+ (purple) can be mixed with the additive G12
(red) or G11. Never mix G12 (red colour) with G11.WARNING (continued)
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Checking and refilling levels
234Checking the coolant level and topping up

The correct coolant level is important for fault-free func-
tioning of the engine cooling system.Before opening the bonnet, read and observe the warnings ⇒ in
“Safety instructions on working in the engine compartment” on
page 226.
Opening the coolant expansion tank
– Switch off the engine and allow it to cool.
– To prevent scalding, cover the cap on the expansion tank with a
thick cloth and carefully unscrew the cap ⇒ .
Checking coolant level
– Look into the open coolant expansion tank and read off the coolant level. – If the level is underneath the “MIN” mark, top up with coolant.
To p p i n g u p c o o l a n t
–Only use new
coolant.
– Do not fill above the “MAX” mark.
Closing the coolant expansion tank
– Screw the cap on again tightly.
The position of the coolant expansion reservoir is shown in the corresponding
engine compartment diagram ⇒page 285.
Make sure that the coolant meets the required specifications ⇒page 233.
Do not use a different type of additive if coolant additive G12+ is not avail-
able. In this case use only water and bring the coolant concentration back up
to the correct level as soon as possible by putting in the specified additive
⇒ page 233.
Always top up with new coolant.
Do not fill above the “MAX” mark. Otherwise the excess coolant will be forced
out of the cooling system when the engine is hot.
The coolant additive G12+ (dyed purple) may be mixed with G12 (dyed red)
and also with G 11.
WARNING
Any work carried out in the engine compartment or on the engine must be
carried out cautiously.•When working in the engine compartment, always observe the safety
warnings ⇒page 226.
Fig. 166 In the engine
compartment: Coolant
expansion tank cap
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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 levels
236
WARNING
Any work carried out in the engine compartment or on the engine must be
carried out cautiously.•When working in the engine compartment, always observe the safety
warnings ⇒page 226.Caution
•Never put radiator anti-freeze or other additives into the windscreen
washer fluid.•Always use approved windscreen cleansing products diluted as per
instructions. If you use other washer fluids or soap solutions, the tiny holes
in the fan-shaped nozzles could become blocked.
Changing windscreen wiper blades
If the windscreen wiper blades are in perfect condition, you
will benefit from an improved visibility. Damaged wiper
blades should be replaced immediately.
Fig. 168 Windscreen
wipers in the service posi-
tionFig. 169 Changing the
front wiper blades
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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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