2011 Seat Alhambra heater

Table of Contents
Manual structure
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Safety First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Safe driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Dear SEAT Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Tips for driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Adjusting the seat position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Transporting objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Why wear seat belts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Seat belt tensioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Child seats (accessories) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Integrated child seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Operating instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Cockpit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Instrument panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
SEAT information system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Unlocking and locking
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Vehicle key set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Central locking and locking system . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Sliding doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Panorama sliding sunroof* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Lights and visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Sun blind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Windscreen wiper and washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Rear vision mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Seats and storage compartments . . . . . . . . . . 114
Seat adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Seat functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Head restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Centre armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Loading luggage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Roof carrier system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Storage compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Cup holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Ashtray and cigarette lighter* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Heating, Ventilation and Air conditioning . . . 155
Climate Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Auxiliary heater* (additional heater) . . . . . . . . . . 163
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Stopping and starting the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Changing gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Braking, stopping and parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Start assist systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Parking sensor system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 Park Assist system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Rear Assist system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Cruise control system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Lane Assist system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Sign Assist* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Tyre monitoring systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Practical tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Driving and the environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Running-in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Ecological driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Engine management and exhaust gas
purific ation sy
stem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Trailer towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Driving with a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Vehicle maintenance and cleaning . . . . . . . . . 242
Care and cleaning the vehicle exterior . . . . . . . . 242
Caring for and cleaning the vehicle interior . . . . 249
Notes for the user . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Accessories, parts replacement and
modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

257
Accessories, replacement of parts and
modifications
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Checking and refilling levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Filling the tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Selective Catalytic Reduction* (AdBlue) . . . . . . . 271
Working in the engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . 275
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Engine coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Vehicle battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288 3
Table of Contents

15
Safe driving WARNING
Toxic gases may enter the vehicle interior when the tailgate is open. This
cou l
d cause loss of consciousness, carbon monoxide poisoning, serious
injury and accidents.
● To avoid toxic gases entering the vehicle always drive with the tail-
gate c
losed.
● In exceptional circumstances, if you must drive with the tailgate
open, obser
ve the following to reduce the entry of toxic gases inside the
vehicle:
–Close all windows and the sliding roof.
– Turn off the air recirculation for the heating and air conditioning.
– Open all of the air outlets in the dashboard.
– Turn the heating fan and heater to the highest level. CAUTION
An open tailgate changes the length and height of the vehicle. 
Driving a loaded vehicle For the best handling when driving a loaded vehicle, note the following:
●
Secure all objects
⇒ pag
e 14.
● A

ccelerate gently and carefully.
● Avoid sudden braking and manoeuvres.
● Brake early.
● If necessary, read the instructions for driving with a trailer
⇒ page 233.
● If

necessary, read the instructions for driving with a roof carrier system
⇒  page 138. WARNING
A sliding load could considerably affect the stability and safety of the ve-
hicl e r

esulting in an accident with serious consequences.
● Secure loads correctly so they do not move.
● When transporting heavy objects, use suitable ropes or straps.
● Lock the seat backs in vertical position. 
Specific vehicle weight information The instructions in the official vehicle documents take precedence. All the
tec
hnic

al data provided in this documentation is applicable to the basic
model. The vehicle data label in the Maintenance Programme or the vehicle
documents show which engine is installed in your vehicle.
The figures may be different depending on if additional equipment is fitted,
for different models and for special vehicles. WARNING
Exceeding the maximum authorised weight and the load on the axles
cou l

d cause damage to the vehicle, accidents and serious injuries.
● The real load on the axles should never exceed the maximum permit-
ted.
● The loa

d and its distribution in the vehicle have effects on the vehicle
handling and the br
aking ability. Always drive at a suitable speed. CAUTION
Distribute the load as uniformly and as low down on the vehicle as possible.
When tran s

porting heavy objects in the trunk/boot, these should be placed
as far forward as possible or over the rear axle to have as little influence on
handling as possible. Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

163
Heating, Ventilation and Air conditioning
Auxiliary heater* (additional heater) Introduction The auxiliary heater is powered by fuel from the vehicle's fuel tank and can
be used whi
l
e the vehicle is in motion and at a standstill. Select the mode
required (heat or fan) ⇒  page 165 on the instrument panel.
In winter, the auxiliary heater can be used in heat mode before switching on
the ignition to remove any ice, mist or snow from the windscreen (thin lay-
ers only).
Additional information and warnings:
● SEAT information system ⇒  pag
e 62
● Refuelling ⇒  pag
e 264 WARNING
The auxiliary heater fumes contain carbon dioxide, an odourless and col-
ourle s

s toxic gas. Carbon monoxide can cause people to lose conscious-
ness. It can also cause death.
● Never switch on the auxiliary heater or leave it running in places that
are enclo
sed or unventilated.
● Never program the independent heating system to be activated and
operated in c
losed, unventilated areas. WARNING
The components of the auxiliary heater exhaust system heat up a great
dea l

. This could cause a fire.
● Always park your vehicle so that no part of the exhaust system can
come in cont
act with flammable materials (such as dried grass). CAUTION
Never place food, medicines or other heat-sensitive objects close to the air
vents. F ood, medic

ines and other heat-sensitive objects may be damaged
or made unsuitable for use by the air coming from the air vents. 
Switching the auxiliary heater on and off Switching the auxiliary heater on:

Manually using the instant on/off button. ⇒ page 157
ON
Manually using the remote control. ⇒ page 164
Automatically at the programmed and enabled on
time. ⇒ page 165
Switching the auxiliary heater off:
 Manually using the instant on/off button for the
clim
at

e control system. ⇒ page 157
OFF
Manually using the remote control. ⇒ page 164
Automatically after the programmed time. ⇒ page 165
Automatically when the light comes on
 (fuel r
e-
serve). ⇒ page 264
Automatically when the battery power drops to a
ver
y

low level. ⇒ page 288
Things to note
Aft
er sw

itching the auxiliary heater off, it continues to run for a short period
to completely burn any fuel remaining in the auxiliary heater. The exhaust
fumes are also extracted from the system. Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

164
Heating, Ventilation and Air conditioning
Remote control Fig. 125 Auxiliary heat-
er: remot
e c
ontrol. fig. 125 Meaning
ON
Switch the auxiliary heater on.
OFF
Switch the auxiliary heater off:
A
Aerial.
B
Light.
The auxiliary heater may accidentally switch on if a button is pressed on the
remot
e c

ontrol by mistake. This may also occur outside the range of the re-
mote control or if the light flashes.
Remote control light
The remote control light provides users with different information at the
push of a button: Battery light
fig. 125 B Meaning
Lights up green for around two
second
s. The auxiliary heater has been switched on
us
in

g the ON button.
Lights up red for around two
second
s. The auxiliary heater has been switched off
us
in

g the OFF button.
Slowly flashes green for
arou
nd tw

o seconds. No on
a)
signal has been received. Quickly flashes green for
arou
nd tw

o seconds. The auxiliary heater is locked.
Po
s
sible causes: the fuel tank is almost
empty, the battery charge is very low or
there is a fault. Flashes red for around two
second
s. No off
a)
signal has been received. Lights up orange for around
two sec
ond

s, then green or
red. The remote control battery is almost flat.
How
ev
er, the on or off signal has been re-
ceived, respectively. Lights up orange for around
two sec
ond

s, then flashes
green or red. The remote control battery is almost flat.
The on or off s
ign
al has not been received,
respectively. Flashes orange for around five
second
s. The remote control battery is flat. The on
or off s
ign

al has not been received, re-
spectively. a)
Within its range, the remote control might not receive the signal sent by the vehicle receiv-
er. In thi s

case, the remote control will send an error message despite the auxiliary heater
being on or off. Come closer to the vehicle and press the corresponding button on the re-
mote control once again.
Replacing the remote control battery
When the light B on the remote control does not come on when the button
is pr

essed, the remote control battery should soon be replaced.
The battery is located beneath a cover on the back of the remote control.
Turn the slot to the left using a flat, blunt object (e.g. a coin). When chang-
ing the battery, use another battery of the same model and observe the po-
larity when fitting it ⇒  .


165
Heating, Ventilation and Air conditioning
Range
The rec eiv
er is in the interior of the vehicle. The remote control, when fitted
with new batteries, has a range of several hundred metres. Obstacles be-
tween the remote control and the vehicle, bad weather conditions and dis-
charged batteries can considerably reduce the range of the remote control.
An optimum range is obtained by keeping the remote control vertical, with
the aerial A pointing upwards. When doing so, do not cover the aerial with
your fin g

ers or with the palm of your hand.
There must be a minimum distance of two metres between the remote con-
trol and the vehicle. CAUTION
● The radiofrequency remote control contains electronic components.
Ther ef

ore, avoid getting the remote control wet and from being knocked
and protect it from direct sunlight.
● Use of inappropriate batteries may damage the remote control. For this
rea

son, always replace the dead battery with another of the same voltage,
size and specifications. For the sake of the environment
● Please dispose of old batteries so that they do not harm the environ-
ment .
● The r

emote control battery may contain perchlorate. Observe the legal
requirements
for their disposal. 
Programming the auxiliary heater The heater or ventilation inside the vehicle can be programmed for a certain
period. Before programming, check that the day is correctly set in the
Auxi
liary heat-
er - day of the week menu ⇒  .
Enab lin
g the Auxiliary heater menu on the instrument panel
● From the main menu, select the Auxili
ary heater submenu and press the
OK button on the windscreen wiper lever.
● ALTERNATIVELY: pre s
s the  or
 arrow buttons on the multi-function
st eerin
g wheel until the Auxiliary heater menu is displayed. Menu options Description
Switching on
Swit
c

hing off The auxiliary heater can be set to come on automati-
cal
ly

if required. To do so, select a timer:
– The timer is displayed marked with a .
– Only one timer can be selected. If a timer has been
selected, Prog. ON will be displayed on the screen. If
no timer has been selected, the instrument panel
screen will display Prog. OFF.
– To modify the programmed timer, select another tim-
er or select the Off option. Timer 1
Timer 2
Timer 3 Three different timers (hh.mm) can later be selected
us
in

g the On option. If the auxiliary heater is to be
switched on for just a certain day of the week, select
the day of the week and the time for the auxiliary heat-
er to come on. Duration The operating time may vary between 10 and 60 mi-
nute
s

and can be set to 5-minute intervals. Operating mode Set to heat or ventilate the vehicle interior when the
auxi
li

ary heater is switched on. Day Set the current day of the week.
Manufacturer's
setting
s The predefined factory values for the functions of this
menu are r
e

stored. Back This returns to the main menu
Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

166
Heating, Ventilation and Air conditioning
Checking programming
If the timer h
as been switched on after switching the ignition off, the instant
on button  will remain lit for around ten seconds.
WARNING
Never program the independent heating system to be activated and oper-
ated in c lo

sed, unventilated areas. The auxiliary heater fumes contain
carbon dioxide, an odourless and colourless toxic gas. Carbon monoxide
can cause people to lose consciousness. It can also cause death. 
Operating instructions The auxiliary heater exhaust system located below the vehicle must be kept
cl
e

ar of snow, mud and other objects. The exhaust fumes must not be ob-
structed in any way. The exhaust fumes generated by the auxiliary heater
are removed via an exhaust pipe fitted underneath the vehicle.
On heating the vehicle interior, depending on the outside temperature the
warm air is first directed at the windscreen and then to the rest of the pas-
senger compartment through the air vents. If the air vents are turned to-
wards the windows, for example, the form of air distribution may be affec-
ted.
Depending on the outside temperature, the temperature at which the auxili-
ary heater warms the vehicle interior may be somewhat higher if the heating
or climate control temperature control is set to maximum before switching
the heating on.
Depending on the engine, vehicles with auxiliary heater may be fitted with a
second battery in the luggage compartment that is responsible for powering
the auxiliary heater. Cases in which the auxiliary heater will not switch on
●
The auxiliary heater requires about as much power as the dipped head-
lights. If the batt
ery charge is low, the auxiliary heater will switch off auto-
matically or will not even switch on. This avoids problems when starting the
engine.
● The heater will switch just once each time. The timer will also have to be
switc
hed back on every time it is required. Note
● Noise will be heard while the auxiliary heater is running.
● When the air humidity i

s high and the outside temperature low, the
heating sy
stem may evaporate condensation from the auxiliary heater. In
this case, steam may be released from underneath the vehicle. This is com-
pletely normal and there is no need to suspect a fault!
● If the auxiliary heater runs several times over a prolonged period, the ve-
hicle b
attery may run flat. To re-charge the battery, drive the vehicle for a
long distance. In general: drive for as much time as the auxiliary heating
was working. 

173
Driving WARNING
Cold start sprays could explode or cause a sudden increase in the engine
speed.
● Nev er u
se start boosters. CAUTION
● An attempt to start the engine while driving or starting the engine imme-
di at

ely after turning it off can cause damage to the engine or starter motor.
● When the engine is cold, avoid high revs and heavy acceleration and do
not mak
e the engine work hard.
● Do not push or tow start the engine. Sunburnt fuel could damage the
catalytic
converter. For the sake of the environment
Do not warm the engine at idle speed; start driving immediately if the visi-
bi lity

is OK. This helps the engine reach operating temperature faster and
reduces emissions. Note
● For example, if the key battery is very worn or flat, the engine cannot be
s t

arted with the starter button. In this case, remove the ignition button from
the lock and insert the key.
● Electrical components with a high power consumption are switched off
temporari
ly when the engine starts.
● When the engine is started cold, there may be strong vibrations for a few
moments for t
echnical reasons. This is quite normal, and no cause for con-
cern.
● At temperatures below +5°C (+41°F), smoke may be given off below the
vehicl
e when the additional heater is connected. Stopping the engine Complete operations only in the sequence given:
Step
1. Stopping the vehicle completely
⇒  .
2. Press the brake pedal and keep pressed until step 4 has been
comp
l

eted. 3. In automatic gearboxes, put the selector lever in position
P. 4. Connect the electronic parking brake
⇒ page 183. 5. Turn the key in the ignition lock to position
⇒ fig. 127 0 .
6. With a manual gearbox, put the vehicle in first or reverse gear.
WARNING
Never switch off the engine while the vehicle is moving. You may lose
contr o

l of the vehicle and there is a risk of serious accident.
● The airbags and belt tensioners do not work when the ignition is
switc
hed off.
● The brake servo does not work when the engine is not running. To
stop
, the brake pedal must be pressed with more force.
● As the power steering does not work if the engine is not running, you
wil

l need more strength to steer than normally.
● If the key is removed from the ignition, the steering may lock and it
wil

l not be possible to steer the vehicle. CAUTION
If the engine has been driven at high speed for a prolonged period of time,
it m a

y overheat when turned off. To avoid engine damage, allow the engine
to run for approximately two minutes in neutral before switching it off. Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

174
Driving Note
● In vehicles with automatic gearbox, the key can only be removed when
the sel ect
or lever is in position P.
● After stopping the engine, the engine compartment fan may continue
running f
or a few minutes, even when the ignition has been switched off or
the key removed. The radiator fan is automatically switched off. 
Electronic immobiliser The gear lock prevents the engine from being started with an unauthorised
key
and the

vehicle being moved.
The vehicle key has a built-in chip. It automatically deactivates the immobil-
izer when the key is inserted into the ignition lock.
For this reason, the vehicle can only be used with a genuine SEAT key with
the correct code. Coded keys can be obtained from your Authorised Service
Centre ⇒ page 71. If an unauthorised key is used, the message SAFE or Immobiliser active is
displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle cannot be started in this
case Note
The correct operation of the vehicle is only guaranteed when original SEAT
key s

are used. Changing gear
Introduction When reverse gear is engaged and the ignition is switched on the following
tak
e

s place:
● Reverse lights light up.
● When reversing, the air conditioner automatically changes to air recircu-
lation mode.
● The re

ar window heater switches on when the windscreen wiper is acti-
vated.
● A

lso, the parking sensor system, the optical parking sensor and the
camera f
or the reverse assist system are connected.
Additional information and warnings:
● Instruments ⇒ page 57
● Br

aking, stopping and parking ⇒ page 183
● P

arking sensor system ⇒ page 198
● P

ark Assist system ⇒ page 202
● R

everse assist system (Rear Assist) ⇒ page 207
● Air c

onditioning ⇒ page 155
● El

ectronic power control and exhaust gases purification system
⇒ page 228
● Emer

gency locking and unlocking ⇒ page 314 WARNING
Rapid acceleration can cause loss of traction and skidding, especially on
slip per

y ground. This could cause loss of control of the vehicle resulting
in an accident and considerable damage.
● Only use the kickdown or rapid acceleration if visibility, weather, road
and traffic c
onditions so permit. 