2010 Seat Altea steering wheel

Seats and stowage
132Seats and stowageThe importance of correct seat adjustmentProper seat adjustment optimises the level of protection
offered by seat belts and airbags.Your vehicle has five passenger seats, two individual front seats and three
places on the rear seat.. Each seat is equipped with a three-point seat belt.
The driver seat and the front passenger seat can be adjusted in many ways to
suit the physical requirements of the vehicle occupants. The correct seat
position is very important for:•a fast and easy operation of all controls on the instrument panel,•a relaxed posture which does not cause drowsiness,•safe driving ⇒ page 7,•ensuring that the seat belts and airbag system provide maximum protec-
tion ⇒page 19.WARNING
•If the driver and passengers assume improper sitting positions, they
may sustain critical injuries.•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. Children must be protected with an appro-
priate child restraint system ⇒page 46, “Child safety”.•The front seats and all head restraints must always be adjusted to body
size and the seat belt must always be properly adjusted to provide you and
your passengers with optimum protection.
•Always keep your feet on the foot well when the vehicle is moving;
never rest them on the dash panel, out of the window or on the seat. This
is also applied to passengers. An incorrect 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.•It is important for the driver and front passenger to keep a distance of
at least 25 cm from the steering wheel or dash panel. Failure to respect the
minimum distance means that the airbag will not protect you. Risk of fatal
injury. The distance between the driver and the steering wheel or between
the front passenger and the dash panel should always be as great as
possible.•Adjust the driver or front passenger seat only when the vehicle is
stationary. This also applies to the forwards/backwards adjustment of the
rear seats. Otherwise, your seat could move unexpectedly while the vehicle
is moving. This could increase the risk of an accident and therefore, injur y.
In addition, while adjusting your seat, you will assume an incorrect sitting
position. Risk of fatal accidents.•Special guidelines apply to installing a child seat on the front
passenger seat. When installing a child seat, observe the warning note in
the ⇒page 46, “Child safety”.WARNING (continued)
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Driving167
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Operating instructions
Practical tips
Technical Data
DrivingAddressAdjusting the steering wheel position
The height and reach of the steering wheel can be freely
adjusted to suit the driver.
– Adjust the driver seat to the correct position.
– Push the lever under the steering column ⇒fig. 134 down
⇒ .
– Adjust the steering wheel in this way until the correct position is set ⇒fig. 135 .
– Then push the lever up again firmly ⇒.
WARNING
•Incorrect use of the steering column adjustment function and an incor-
rect seating position can result in serious injury.•To avoid accidents, the steering column should be adjusted only when
the vehicle is stationary.
Fig. 134 Adjusting the
steering wheel position
Fig. 135 Proper sitting
position for driver
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Driving
168•Adjust the driver seat or steering wheel so that there is a distance of at
least 25 cm between the steering wheel and your chest ⇒page 167,
fig. 135 . If you fail to observe the minimum distance, the airbag will not
protect you. Risk of fatal injury.•If your physical constitution does not allow you to maintain the
minimum distance of 25 cm, contact an Authorised Service Centre. The
Authorised Service Centre will help you to decide if special specific modifi-
cations are necessary.•If you adjust the steering wheel so that it points towards your face, the
driver airbag will not protect you properly in the event of an accident. Make
sure that the steering wheel points towards your chest.•When driving, always hold the steering wheel with both hands on the
outside of the ring at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions. Never hold the
steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position, or in any other manner (e.g. in
the centre of the steering wheel, or on the inside of the rim). In such cases,
you could receive severe injuries to the arms, hands and head.
SafetyElectronic stabilisation programme (ESP)*
ESP helps make driving safer in certain situations.The electronic stabilisation programme (ESP) includes the electronic differen-
tial lock (EDS), the traction control system (TCS), the brake assist system
(BAS) and the trailer stability programme (TSP). The ESP function works
together with the ABS. Both warning lamps will light up if the ESP or ABS
systems are faulty.
The ESP is started automatically when the engine is started.
The ESP is always active, and cannot be switched off. With the ESP switch it is
only possible to switch TCS off.
The TCS can be deactivated when in cases where wheel sliding is desirable.
For example:•When driving with snow chains,
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 136 Detail of the
centre console: ESP
button
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Driving169
Safety First
Operating instructions
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Technical Data
•when driving in deep snow or on loose surfaces,•when rocking the vehicle backwards and forwards to free it from mud, for
example.
Next, the button should be pressed to reactivate the TCS.
When does the warning light switch on or flash? •On switching the ignition on, it lights up for about two seconds to carry
out a function control.•The warning lamp will start flashing when the vehicle is moving if the ESP
or the TCS is activated. The warning lamp will light up slowly if the TCS is
switched off.•It will light up continuously if there is a malfunction in the ESP.WARNING
•The electronic stabilisation programme (ESP) cannot defy the laws of
physics. This should be kept in mind, particularly on slippery and wet
roads and when towing a trailer.•Always adapt your driving style to suit the condition of the roads and
the traffic situation. Do not let the extra safety afforded by ESP tempt you
into taking any risks when driving, this can cause accidents.•Please refer to the corresponding warning notes on ESP in ⇒page 193,
“Intelligent technology”.
Ignition lockPosition of the ignition keyIgnition switched off, steering lock
In this position ⇒fig. 137 the ignition and the engine are OFF and the
steering may be locked.
For the Steering lock to operate without the ignition key, turn the steering
wheel until it locks with an audible sound. You should always lock the
steering wheel when you leave your vehicle. This will help prevent vehicle
theft ⇒ .
Switching the ignition or the glow plug system on
Turn the ignition key to this position and release it. If the key cannot be turned
or it is difficult to turn from position to position , move the steering
wheel back and forth until it loosens up.

Fig. 137 Ignition key
positions
A0
A1
A0
A1
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Driving
174•If there is a fault in the LPG system.•At very low temperatures below minus 10°C.
Manual switch from petrol to LPG
Press the GAS button to switch modes. When the necessary conditions are
met, the system switches to LPG mode and the ON lamp is lit. If the ON
lamp flashes, the following conditions have not been met:•There is enough LPG in the tank.•The temperature of the vehicle coolant is above 30°C.•Engine speed while driving is above 1200 rpm.
When these conditions are met, the system switches to LPG mode and the ON
lamp is lit .
Manual switch from LPG to petrol
Press the button to switch modes. When the OFF lamp is lit, the
vehicle is running on petrol.
Running on petrol
Run the engine with petrol for short journeys at regular intervals to avoid
problems in the petrol system.WARNING
LPG is a highly explosive and inflammable substance. It may cause severe
burns and other injury.•Due care must be taken to avoid any risk of fire or explosion.•When parking the vehicle in a closed area (for example in a garage),
make sure that there is adequate ventilation, either natural or mechanical,
to neutralise the LPG in the event of a leak.
Note
•If frequent short journeys are made, especially when the outside temper-
ature is low, the vehicle will tend to run on petrol more often than on LPG.
Therefore, the petrol tank may empty before the LPG tank.Start-Stop function*Description and operationThe Start-Stop function stops the engine when the vehicle is
stopped and starts it automatically when required.
– When the vehicle is stopped, put it in neutral and release the clutch pedal. The engine will stop.
– When the clutch pedal is pressed, the engine starts again.
– The instrument panel screen displays information about the status of the Start-Stop function ⇒page 176, fig. 140 .Start-Stop function conditions•The driver's seat belt must be buckled.•The engine hood must be closed.•The engine must be at operating temperature•The steering wheel must be straight.•The vehicle must be on flat ground.•The vehicle must not be in reverse.•A trailer must not be connected.
A1
A3
A3A3GAS
A1
A2
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Operating instructions
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Technical Data
•The temperature of the passenger compartment must be within the
convenience limits (button ⇒page 164, fig. 133 should be selected).•The windscreen de-mist function must be off.•If not , it requires an increase in airflow ⇒page 164, fig. 133 for more
than three presses.•Either of the temperature settings, HI or LO must not be set.•The driver's door must be closed.•The diesel particulate filter must not be in regeneration mode, for diesel
engines.•The battery charge must not be low for the next start.•The battery temperature must be between -1°C and 55°C.•The parking assistant, Park Assist* must not be activated.
Interrupting the Start-Stop function
In the following situations, the Start-Stop function will be interrupted and the
engine will automatically start:•The vehicle is moving.•The brake pedal is pressed several times in a row.•The battery has been discharged excessively.•The Start-Stop System has been manually deactivated.•The windscreen de-mist function is turned on.•The temperature of the passenger compartment exceeds the convenience
limits (button ⇒page 164, fig. 133 should be selected).•If in an increase in airflow ⇒page 164, fig. 133 is required for more
than three presses.•Either of the temperature settings, HI or LO, is selected.•The engine coolant temperature is insufficient.•The alternator is faulty, for example the V-belt has ruptured.•If any of the conditions described in the previous section are not fulfilled.
WARNING
Never allow the vehicle to move with the engine off for any reason. You
could lose control of your vehicle. This could cause an accident and serious
injury.•The brake servo does not work when the engine is not running. You
need more force to stop the vehicle.•Power assisted steering does not work when the engine is not running.
That is why it is much more difficult to turn the steering wheel.Note
•For vehicles with the Start-Stop function and a manual gearbox, when the
engine is started, the clutch must be pressed.•When the conditions for the Start-Stop function are not fulfilled, the dash
panel displays the Start-Stop indicator dimmed.•The vehicle can be restarted by rotating the steering wheel three times,
that is, more than 270°.
ACA11
A10
ACA11
A10
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Operating instructions
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Technical Data
the full power of the engine. This programme is not recommended for use on
the motorway or in the city.
Selecting the manual programme (tiptronic)
This programme allows driving similar to a manual gearbox.
This programme may be accessed using the selector lever or from the
steering wheel controls when this option is fitted
⇒page 181.
Selector lever locking
The selector lever lock prevents gears from being engaged
inadvertently, which would cause the vehicle to move.Releasing the selector lever lock
– Start the vehicle. – Press and release the brake pedal, at the same time press the
button on the selector lever.
The lock is only activated when the vehicle is stopped or at a speed of less
than 5 km/h. At higher speeds, the lock is automatically released in position
N.
For rapid changes of position (e.g. from R to D ) the lever will not lock. If the
lever remains in the position N more than one second then it is locked. With
the automatic lock, the lever is prevented passing from P and N to any other
gear without first pressing the brake pedal.
The selector lever must be put in the position P in order to remove the key.Driving with an automatic gearbox* / DSG automatic gearbox
The drive and reverse gears are automatically engaged.
Fig. 145 Deactivating the
lock
Fig. 146 Driving
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•If you must stop on a hill, always hold the vehicle using the footbrake
to avoid rolling back.•The footbrake must not be held for a long period of time, not even
lightly; continuous braking will cause overheating of the brakes and a
reduction or even a loss of braking power and a significant increase in
braking distances.•Never allow the vehicle to coast down a gradient with the selector lever
in positions N or D, even when the engine is not running. For descents, the
use of the Tiptronic programme is recommended to keep the speed
reduced.Caution
•Never use the automatic gearbox to hold the vehicle stationary on a hill,
even for short periods, as this may overheat the gearbox and cause damage.
Apply the handbrake or depress the foot brake to hold the vehicle in position.•If the vehicle is allowed to roll with the engine stopped but the selector in
position N then the gearbox may be damaged because it will not be
lubricated.
Changing gear in Tiptronic* mode*
The Tiptronic system allows the driver to manually select
gears
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 147 Changing gear
with TiptronicFig. 148 Steering wheel
with levers for automatic
gearbox
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