2011 Seat Alhambra ignition

287
Checking and refilling levels WARNING
Hot vapours and coolant can cause serious burns.
● Never open the coolant expansion tank if steam or coolant is coming
from the en gine c
ompartment. Wait until you cannot see or hear any
steam or coolant escaping.
● Always wait until the engine has completely cooled before very care-
ful

ly opening the expansion tank cap. Contact with hot elements of the
engine can cause skin burns.
● Once the engine has cooled, follow the instructions below before
opening the bonnet:
–Turn on the el

ectronic parking brake and place the gear selector
lever in P or the g
ear stick in neutral.
– Remove the key from the ignition.
– Keep children away from the engine compartment and never leave
them uns
upervised.
● When the engine is warm or hot, the cooling system is pressurised!
Do not un
screw the cap on the expansion tank when the engine is hot.
Otherwise, coolant may spray out under pressure causing burns and seri-
ous injury.
–Carefully and slowly unscrew the cap anticlockwise, gently press-
ing down on it
.
– Always protect your face, hands and arms from hot coolant and
ste
am using a large, thick cloth.
● When refilling liquids, avoid spilling them on parts of the engine and
the exhau
st system. Spilled liquids could cause a fire. Under specific cir-
cumstances, the ethylene glycol can catch fire. CAUTION
● Top up with distilled water only. Any other type of water may lead to con-
s ider

able rusting in the engine due to its chemical components. This could
consequently damage the engine. If you have not used distilled water but
another type of water to top up the coolant, a specialist workshop must im-
mediately replace all of the fluid in the engine cooling system.
● Only top up coolant to the top level of the marked area ⇒ fig. 171. Other-
wi

se the excess coolant will be forced out of the cooling system when the
engine is hot, causing damage.
● If a lot of liquid coolant has been lost, wait for the engine to cool do
wn
completely before adding coolant. Extensive coolant loss is an indication of
leaks in the engine cooling system. Have the engine cooling system inspec-
ted immediately by a Technical Service. Otherwise you may damage the en-
gine.
● When refilling or changing service liquids, ensure that you put the liq-
uids int
o the right tank. Making a mistake when refilling could cause seri-
ous malfunctions and damage the engine! Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

288
Checking and refilling levels
Vehicle battery
Introduction The battery is a component of the vehicle's electrical system.
Never w
ork
on the electrical system without fully understanding the opera-
tions required, the applicable safety standards and without the correct tools
⇒  ! Have the work carried out by a Technical Service if you are uncertain.
SEA T r

ecommends visiting a Technical Service. Negligent work can cause
serious injury.
Location and number of batteries in the vehicle
The battery is located in the engine compartment.
Explanation of the warning indications on the vehicle's battery Symbol Meaning
 Wear eye protection!
 Battery acid is very corrosive and caustic. Always wear
prot
ectiv

e gloves and eye protection!  Fires, sparks, naked lights and smoking are prohibited.
 A highly explosive mixture of gases is released when
the batt
er

y is under charge.  Keep children away from acid and batteries!
Additional information and warnings:
●
⇒ Book l
et Maintenance Programme
● St

arter assist systems (Start-Stop function) ⇒ page 194
● W

orking in the engine compartment ⇒ page 275
● A

ccessories, parts replacement, repairs and modifications ⇒ page 257 WARNING
Working on the vehicle battery and the electrical system can cause corro-
sion, fir e and el

ectric shocks. Always read and take into account the fol-
lowing warnings and safety standards before carrying out any work:
● Before working on the battery, switch off the engine, the ignition and
all

electrical devices then disconnect the negative connection on the bat-
tery.
● Keep children away from acid and the battery itself!
● Wear eye protection.
● Battery acid is very corrosive and caustic. It can burn skin and cause
blindnes
s. When handling the battery, protect yourself from splashes of
acids, above all your hands, arms and face.
● Do not smoke and never work close to places exposed to flames or
spark
s.
● Avoid sparks and electrostatic discharges when working with cables
and electrica
l devices.
● Never short the battery terminals.
● Never use a damaged battery. It can explode. Replace a damaged bat-
tery
immediately.
● Replaced damaged or frozen batteries as soon as possible. A flat bat-
tery
can freeze at temperatures around 0°C (+32°F).
● Vehicles with the battery in the luggage compartment: Ensure that
the batter
y ventilation hose is correctly secured. 

289
Checking and refilling levels CAUTION
● Never disconnect the battery if the ignition is switched on or if the en-
gine i s
running. This could damage the electrical system or electronic com-
ponents.
● Do not expose the battery to direct sunlight over a long period of time,
as the int
ense ultraviolet radiation can damage the battery housing.
● If the car is left standing for long periods, protect the battery from ex-
treme co
ld temperature so that it does not “freeze up” and become dam-
aged. 
Warning lamp lights up Possible cause Solution
 Faulty generator. Contact a specialist workshop.
Have the el
ectric

al system
checked.
Disconnect any unnecessary
electrical consumers. The gener-
ator does not charge the battery
while the vehicle is in motion. Several warning and control lamps should light up for a few seconds when
the ignition is
sw

itched. This signals that the lamp is working properly. They
will switch off after a few seconds. WARNING
If the warning lamps and messages are ignored, the vehicle may stall in
traffic, or m a

y cause accidents and severe injuries.
● Never ignore the warning lamps or text messages.
● Stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible. CAUTION
Failure to heed the warning lamps and text messages when they appear
ma y

result in faults in the vehicle. Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

291
Checking and refilling levels WARNING (Continued)
● Battery acid is very corrosive and caustic. It can burn skin and cause
b lindne
ss. When handling the battery, protect yourself from splashes of
acids, above all your hands, arms and face.
● Never tilt the vehicle battery. Battery acid could spill out of the open-
ings
to release gases and cause corrosion damage.
● Never open the vehicle battery.
● If battery acid splashes on you, immediately rinse your eyes and skin
abund
antly with water for several minutes. Then seek medical care imme-
diately.
● If acid is swallowed by mistake, consult a doctor immediately. 
Charging, replacing and connecting or disconnecting the
batt er

y Charging the battery
The v
ehic

le battery should be charged by a specialist workshop only, as bat-
teries using special technology have been installed and they must be charg-
ed in a controlled environment ⇒  . SEAT recommends visiting a Technical
Serv ic

e.
Replacing a vehicle battery
The battery has been developed to suit the conditions of its location and
has special safety features. If the battery must be replaced, consult a quali-
fied SEAT workshop for information on electromagnetic compatibility, the
size and maintenance, performance and safety requirements of the new bat-
tery in your vehicle before you purchase one. SEAT recommends you have
the battery replaced by a qualified SEAT workshop.
Use only maintenance-free genuine batteries conforming to TL 825 06 and
VW 7 50 73 Standards. These standards must be dated April 2008 or later. Start-Stop systems (
⇒ page 196) ar
e equipped with a special battery. There-
fore, it must only be replaced with a battery of the same specifications.
Disconnecting the vehicle's battery
If you must disconnect the battery from the electrical system, please note
the following:
● Switch off the ignition and all electrical equipment.
● The vehicle must be unlocked before disconnecting the battery, other-
wise the al
arm will be triggered.
● First disconnect the negative cable and then the positive ⇒  .
Connectin g the

vehicle's battery
● Before reconnecting the battery, switch off the engine, the ignition and
electric dev
ices.
● First reconnect the positive cable and then the negative ⇒  .
Differ ent

control lamps may light up after connecting the battery and switch-
ing the ignition on. They will be turned off after a short trip at a speed of
between 15 - 20 km/h (10 - 12 mph). If the warning indicators remain lit,
please visit a specialised workshop to have the vehicle checked.
If the battery has been disconnected for a long time, it is possible that the
next service date is not displayed or calculated correctly ⇒ page 57. Respect
the maximum service intervals permitted ⇒ Booklet Maintenance Pro-
gramme.
Automatic consumer disconnection
The intelligent vehicle electrical system automatically implements a range
of measures to prevent the battery from discharging when high demands
are made on it: Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

292
Checking and refilling levels
● the idling s peed i s increased so that the alternator provides more elec-
tricity.
● where necessary, the power of the most powerful consumers is reduced
or even comp
letely disconnected.
● On starting the engine, the power supply from the 12-volt sockets and
the cigar
ette lighter may be interrupted for a short time.
The on-board management program cannot always prevent the battery from
running flat. For example, if the ignition is left on for a long period with the
engine off or if the side lights or parking lights are left on while the vehicle
is stationary.
Why does the battery run flat?
● When stationary for a long time without starting the engine, particularly
if the ignition is
switched on.
● Use of electrical consumers with the engine switched off.
● If the auxiliary heater is running ⇒ page 163.WARNING
Incorrectly securing the battery or using the wrong battery can cause
short -c

ircuits, fire and serious injuries.
● Always use only maintenance free batteries that do not run flat alone
and whose proper
ties, specifications and size correspond to the stand-
ard battery. The specifications are indicated on the battery case. WARNING
A highly explosive mixture of gases is released when the battery is under
ch ar

ge.
● The batteries should be charged in a well-ventilated room only.
● Never charge a frozen or recently thawed battery. A flat battery can
freeze at
temperatures around 0°C (+32°F). WARNING (Continued)
● Always replace a battery which has frozen.
● B
att

ery cables not correctly connected may cause a short circuit. Re-
connect fir
st the positive cable and then the negative cable. CAUTION
● Never disconnect the battery if the ignition is switched on or if the en-
gine i s

running. This could damage the electrical system or electronic com-
ponents.
● Never plug accessories supply current, such as solar panels or a battery
char
ger, to the 12-volt sockets or the cigarette lighter. This could damage
the vehicle's electrical system. For the sake of the environment
● Dispose of the battery in an environment-friendly manner. Batteries con-
t ain t

oxic substances such as sulphuric acid and lead.
● Battery acid can contaminate the environment. Collect any spilt service
fluids and al
low a dispose of them correctly. 

306
Wheels and tyres WARNING (Continued)
● Only use suitable tools that are not damaged when changing a wheel.
● A
lw
ays stop the engine, turn on the electronic parking brake and
plac
e the gear selector lever in position P, for an automatic gearbox, or
engage a gear for a manual gearbox to reduce the risk of the vehicle mov-
ing accidentally.
● Have the tightening torque of the wheel bolts checked as soon as
poss
ible with a reliable torque wrench. 
Preparations for changing a wheel Check list
Bef
or

e changing a wheel, complete the following operations in the order
given ⇒  :
Park the

vehicle on an even and solid surface.
Connect the electronic parking brake ⇒ page 183.
Automatic gearbox: Move selector lever to position P ⇒ page 174.
Stop the engine and remove the key from the ignition ⇒ page 170.
Manual gearbox: Select a gear ⇒ page 174.
Have all vehicle occupants get out of the vehicle and wait in a safe
place (for example, behind the safety barrier).
Block the opposite wheel with wedges or a similar object.
When towing a trailer: unhook the trailer from the towing vehicle and
park it correctly.
If the luggage compartment is full: take the baggage out of the vehicle. Take the vehicle tool kit out of the luggage compartment.
Remove the wheel trims ⇒ page 304.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11. WARNING
Failure to follow the checklist prepared for your own safety could lead to
acc ident

s and severe injuries.
● Always complete the operations given in the checklist and observe
the genera
l rules of safety. 

313
If and when
Move the selector lever to its intermediate position or to P ⇒ page 174.
St op the engine and remove the key from the ignition ⇒ page 170.
Have all occupants leave the vehicle and move to safety, for example
behind a guard rail.
When leaving the vehicle, take all keys with you.
Place an emergency warning triangle to indicate the position of your ve-
hicle to other road users.
Allow the engine to cool and check if a specialist is required.
Examples of when to use the hazard warning lights:
● If the vehicles ahead suddenly slow down or reach the end of a traffic
jam, to w
arn the vehicles behind.
● In case of an emergency.
● If the vehicle breaks down.
● When being towed.
Alwa
ys comply with the applicable laws regarding the use of hazard warn-
ing lights.
If the hazard warning lights are not working, you must use an alternative
method of drawing attention to your vehicle. This method must comply with
traffic legislation. WARNING
Failure to follow the checklist prepared for your own safety could lead to
acc ident

s and severe injuries.
● Always complete the operations given in the checklist and observe
the genera
l rules of safety. 4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
WARNING
The components of the exhaust system reach very high temperatures.
This c

ould cause a fire and considerable damage.
● Always park your vehicle so that no part of the exhaust system can
come in cont
act with flammable materials (such as dried grass or fuel). Note
● The vehicle battery will discharge and run down if the hazard warning
lights r

emain on for too much time (even with the ignition turned off).
● For some vehicles, the brake lights will blink when braking suddenly at
speeds
of approximately 80 km/h to warn vehicles behind. If braking con-
tinues, then the hazard warning lights will automatically be turned on at the
speed of less than approximately 10 km an hour. The brake lights remain lit.
Upon accelerating, the hazard warning lights will be automatically turned
off. Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

315
If and when WARNING
Opening and closing doors carelessly can cause serious injury.
● If the vehicle is locked from outside, the doors and windows cannot
be opened from the in s
ide.
● Never leave children or disabled people alone in the car. They could
be trapped in the c
ar in an emergency and will not be able to get them-
selves to safety.
● Depending on the time of the year, temperatures inside a locked and
closed
vehicle can be extremely high or extremely low resulting in seri-
ous injuries and illness or even death, particularly for young children. WARNING
Getting in the way of the doors and the panoramic sliding roof is danger-
ous and c

an lead to serious injury.
● Open and close the doors and the panoramic sliding roof only when
nobody i
s in the way. CAUTION
When opening and closing in an emergency, carefully disassemble compo-
nents and then r e

assemble them carefully to avoid damage to the vehicle. Manually locking and unlocking the driver's door Fig. 188 Driver's door
handl
e: Hid

den lock cyl-
inder.
In general, when the driver's door is locked all other doors are locked. Un-
lockin
g manually only opens the driver's door. Please note the instructions
for the antitheft alarm ⇒ page 74.
● Unfold the key shaft ⇒ page 71.
● In

sert the key shaft into the opening in the cover on the driver's door
handle fr
om below ⇒ fig. 188 (arrow) then remove the cover upwards.
● Insert the key shaft into the lock cylinder to unlock or lock the vehicle.
Unlock
ing notes:
● The antitheft alarm will remain active when vehicles are unlocked. How-
ever, the al
arm will not yet be triggered ⇒ page 74.
● If the driver's door is opened, the alarm will be triggered.
● Switch the ignition on. When the ignition is switched on, the electronic
immobi
liser recognises a valid vehicle key and deactivates the anti-theft
alarm system. Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data