2011 Seat Alhambra ABS

238
Trailer towing
●The vehicle centre of gravity and handling change because of the trailer
lo a
d and because of the increased combined mass of the vehicle and trail-
er.
● If the towing vehicle is empty and the trailer loaded then the load distri-
bution is
incorrect. If you must travel in these conditions, drive carefully and
reduce your speed accordingly.
Hill starts with a trailer
Depending on the hill and the gross combined weight, it is possible that the
combined vehicle and trailer move backwards slightly when starting.
For a hill start with a trailer, proceed as follows:
● Press and hold the brake pedal.
● Press the button  once to turn off the electric parking brake
⇒ p ag

e 183.
● Press and hold the button  to hold the vehicle and trailer combination
us in

g the parking brake.
● With a manual gearbox: press the clutch pedal to the floor.
● Engage first gear or the gear range D ⇒ page 174, Ch
anging gear.
● Release the brake pedal.
● Move off slowly. To do this, gently release the clutch pedal (for manual
gearbo
x).
● Release the button  only when the engine provides sufficient power
to mo v

e the vehicle and trailer combination. WARNING
Jerking the trailer in an unsuitable manner could cause loss of vehicle
contr o

l with the subsequent serious consequences.
● Driving with a trailer and transporting heavy or a large objects will
chan
ge the vehicle handling and braking distances. WARNING (Continued)
● Antic ipate traffic and be extremely cautious. Brake early.
● Adju
s

t your speed and driving style to visibility, road, traffic and
weather c
onditions. Reduce your speed, especially on steep hills.
● Accelerate gently and carefully. Avoid brusque manoeuvres and sud-
den brakin
g.
● Always take the following precautions seriously. Reduce your speed
immediately
if you observe the trailer rocking from side to side.
● Never try to stop the “snaking” by increasing speed.
● Always take the speed limits for vehicles with and without trailers in
each c
ountry into account. 
Stabilising the vehicle and trailer combination Stabilisation of the vehicle and trailer combination is an extension of the
electr
onic

stability control ESC (ESP) and helps, with the assistance of the
trajectory control, to reduce trailer “snaking”.
Stabilisation of the vehicle and trailer combination is active when the ESC
(ESP)  indicator on the dashboard remains lit for about two seconds more
than the ABS indicator.
Requirements for stabilising the vehicle/trailer combination
● An original tow hitch is fitted by the manufacturer or a compatible model
is r

etrofitted.
● The ESC (ESP) is on. The warning indicator in the control panel  is not
lit

.
● The trailer is connected to the vehicle using the socket.
● The vehicle is driven faster than 60 km/h.
● The maximum drawbar load is used. 

251
Vehicle maintenance and cleaning CAUTION
Failure to observe the instructions in the check list for caring for your up-
hol s
tery could result in damage or discolouration of the upholstery and cov-
ers.
● Always follow the check list and perform the necessary operations. Note
SEAT recommends you take the vehicle to a Technical Service to treat any
stain
s on the upholstery caused by the discolouration of clothing. 
Cleaning upholstery, textile covers and Alcantara ®
mat eri
alNormal cleaning
●
Before applying cleaning products, please read the instructions for han-
dling and the w arnin

gs shown on the container.
● The upholstery, textile covers, Alcantara ®
materi
al and mats should be
regularly vacuumed (with vacuum brush).
● We recommend that you use a soft sponge or lint-free, micro-fibre cloth
for normal
cleaning ⇒  .
● Clean Alcantara ®
sur f
aces with a damp lint-free cotton, wool or micro-
fibre cloth used for normal cleaning ⇒  .
General s
uperficial dirt on upholstery and textile covers can be cleaned with
a normal foam cleaning product.
If the upholstery and the material trims are very dirty, we recommend you
have them cleaned by a specialist cleaning form.
Cleaning stains
It may be necessary to clean the whole surface and not only the stain itself.
Especially if the surface has been dirtied through normal use. Otherwise, the stained area may become lighter than the rest of the surface after treat-
ment. Type of stain Cleaning the vehicle
Water-based stains
,
e.g. c off

ee or fruit
juice. 
Use a sponge and wipe with a solution of water
and w oo
l wash.
 Dry the area gently with a soft dry cloth. Persistent stains
,
e.g. c hoc

olate or
make-up. 
Apply cleaning paste a)
dir ectly to the stain and
treat.
 Next, rinse with clean water using a sponge or
damp cloth to remove the cleaning product deposits.
 Carefully dry the area with an absorbent dry cloth. Grease-based
st
ain

s, e.g. oil or lip-
stick. 
Apply a neutral soap or cleaning paste a)
and tr e at
the stain.
 Apply absorbent material to loose colorants or par-
ticles of grease.
 Then rinse the area with clean water. Take care not
to soak the upholstery. a)
Bile soap can be used as a cleaning paste. CAUTION
● Brushes should only be used to clean the mats and floor mat! Other sur-
f ac

es may be damaged if a brush is used.
● Do not use steam cleaning equipment, as the dirt becomes more incrus-
ted in the mat
erial when steam is applied.
● Alcantara ®
uphols
teries should never be soaked.
● Do not use leather cleaning products, solvents, wax polish, shoe cream,
spot r
emovers or similar products on Alcantara ®
.
● Never use brushes for cleaning damp material as they could damage the
surf
ace.
● Do not use steam cleaning equipment, as the dirt becomes more incrus-
ted in the mat
erial when steam is applied. Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

252
Vehicle maintenance and cleaning
Cleaning and care of real leather upholstery In the event of query regarding the care or cleaning of the leather in your
vehic
l
e, please ask a Technical Service or specialised workshop.
Cleaning and care
Untreated Nappa is delicate as it is not covered with a layer of colour.
● Use a suitable impregnating cream with ultra-violet protection at regular
interv
als and after cleaning. This cream will nourish and moisturise the
leather, keep it supple and able to breathe. It will also form a protective
film.
● Clean the leather every two to three months and remove fresh dirt as
neces
sary.
● Leather should be treated every six months with a suitable leather care
product ⇒

  .
● When using care and cleaning products, only apply the minimum re-
quired quantitie s.
● R

emove stains from fresh ball-pen and other inks, lipstick, shoe cream
and simil
ar stains as soon as possible.
● Caring for coloured leather. A special coloured cream will renew the col-
our of the le
ather when required and will eliminate differences in colour.
● Then wipe off with a soft, dry cloth.
Cle

aning the vehicle
SEAT recommends the use of a damp cotton or wool cloth for general clean-
ing.
Do not let the water soak through the leather or soak into the seams. Type of stain Cleaning the vehicle
More stubborn dirt 
Apply a mild soap and water solution a)
u s
ing a
cloth. (Squeeze out the cloth well before applica-
tion).
 Carefully dry the area with an absorbent dry cloth. Water-based stains
,
e.g. c off

ee, tea, fruit
juice, blood, etc. 
Remove fresh stains with an absorbent cloth.
 U se a s
uitable cleaning product to treat dried-in
stains ⇒  .
Grease-based
st
ain

s, e.g. oil or lip-
stick, etc. 
Remove fresh stains with an absorbent cloth.
 U se a s
uitable cleaning product if the stain has not
yet penetrated the surface ⇒  .
 Tr e

at dry stains with a grease-removal spray ⇒  .
Dry
difficult stains ,
e. g. ink, f

elt-tip pen,
nail varnish, pig-
ment dispersions or
shoe polish. 
Carefully dry the area with an absorbent dry cloth.
 C l
ean using a special stain remover suitable for
use on leather. a)
Mild soap and water solution: two table spoons of neutral soap per litre of water. CAUTION
● On no acc ou
nt use solvents, wax polish, shoe cream, spot removers or
similar materials.
● In the event of spilt liquids, dry immediately with an absorbent cloth to
prevent
the liquid penetrating through the leather. CAUTION
If the car is left standing in the sun for long periods, the leather should be
prot ect

ed against direct sunlight to prevent it from fading. Note
However, slight colour variations will arise in normal use. 

264
Checking and refilling levels
Checking and refilling levels
Filling the tank
Introduction The fuel tank flap is on the rear right of the vehicle.
Addition
a
l information and warnings:
● Fuel ⇒ page 267
● Selectiv

e Catalytic Reduction (AdBlue) ⇒ page 271
● W

orking in the engine compartment ⇒ page 275WARNING
Refuelling or handling fuel carelessly can cause an explosion or fire re-
su ltin

g in serious burns and injuries.
● Always make sure that you correctly close the fuel cap to avoid evap-
oration and fuel
spillage.
● Fuels are highly explosive and inflammable substances that can
cause seriou
s burns and injuries.
● Fuel could leak out or be spilt if the engine is not switched off or if the
fill

er fuel nozzle is not fully inserted into the tank filler neck when refuel-
ling. This could lead to a fire, explosion and severe injuries.
● When refuelling, turn off the engine, the auxiliary heating
(⇒ page 163) and t
urn off the ignition for safety reasons.
● Always turn off mobile telephones, radio apparatus and other radio
wave emittin
g equipment before refuelling. Electromagnetic waves could
cause sparks and lead to a fire. WARNING (Continued)
● Nev er enter the vehicle while refuelling. If it is absolutely necessary
t o ent

er the vehicle, close the door and touch a metal surface before
touching the filler nozzle again. This will prevent the generation of static
electricity. Sparks could cause a fire when refuelling.
● Never handle fuel close to open flames, sparks or objects with slow
combu
stion (e.g. cigarettes).
● Avoid static electricity and electro-magnetic radiation when refuel-
ling.
● Ob

serve the safety regulations of the service station.
● Never spill fuel on the vehicle or in the luggage compartment. WARNING
For safety reasons, SEAT does not recommend carrying a spare fuel canis-
ter in the v

ehicle. Fuel could be spilled and catch fire, above all in case of
an accident and this applies to a full container as well as empty contain-
ers. This could lead to explosions, fires and injuries.
● Observe the following if you exceptionally have to carry fuel in a can-
ist

er:
– Never place a fuel container to fill it inside the vehicle or on the ve-
hicle, f
or example, in the luggage compartment or on the tailgate.
Filling in these circumstances could create an electrostatic charge
and spark that could ignite fuel fumes.
– Always place the canister on the ground to fill it.
– Insert the fuel nozzle into the mouth of the canister as far as possi-
ble. 

323
If and when
Vehicle fuses Fig. 199 On the driver-
side d
a
shboard: fuse box
cover. Fig. 200 In the engine
comp
ar

tment: fuse box
cover.
Only replace fuses with a fuse of the same amperage (same colour and
markin
gs) and size. Identifying fuses by colours Colour Amp rating
purple 3
light brown 5
Brown 7.5
Red 10
Blue 15
Yellow 20
White or transparent 25
Green 30
orange 40
To open the dashboard fuse box
●
To remove the cover, move the activation lever in the lower part to the
right ⇒ fig. 199 .
● F

or right-hand drive vehicles, move the lever to the left.
To open the engine c
ompartment fuse box
● Open the bonnet  ⇒ pag
e 275.
● Move the attachment tabs forwards, in the direction indicated by the ar-
row t
o release the fuse box cover ⇒ fig. 200.
● Then lift the cover out.
● To fit the cover, place it on the fuse box. Push the attachment tabs back,
in the oppo
site direction indicated by the arrow until they click audibly into
place.
In is possible that there are more fuses behind a cover in the lower left-hand
side of the luggage compartment. Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

332
If and when
To replace the tailgate light bulbs Fig. 209 On the boot lid:
Remo
v
e the cover. Fig. 210 On the boot lid:
Remo
v

e the lamp holder. Complete operations only in the sequence given: 1. Always take the checklist into account and take the necessary ac-
tions
⇒ 

page 327. 2. Open the tailgate ⇒ pag
e 84. 3. Extract the cover carefully using the flat part of the screwdriver as a
lev
er (

⇒ fig. 198) on the indent ⇒ fig. 209 1 .
4. Release the lamp holder connector by pulling on the red connector
bloc
k. 5. Press on the attachment tabs in the direction of the arrow
⇒ fig. 210 and pu
l

l out the lamp holder. 6. Replace the faulty bulb by a new identical bulb.
7. Install the lamp holder. The attachment tabs should audibly click
into p
l

ace. 8. Insert the cover. The cover should lock into place. 

334
If and when
To change the bulb 9. To release the lamp holder, press on the attachment tabs
⇒ fig. 212
1 to
4 in the direction of the arrow.
10. Remove the lamp holder from the tail light unit.
11. Replace the faulty bulb by a new identical bulb.
12. Place the lamp holder in the tail light unit. The attachment tabs
shoul
d audib
ly click into place. 13. Insert the connector and press the red attachment strip in so that
the connect
or i

s locked into place.Assembling the tail light units
Comp
l

ete operations only in the sequence given: Rear light, left Rear light, right
14. Carefully insert the tail light unit into the opening in the bodywork.
To do thi s, in

sert the upper tail light unit guide into the attachment ring.15. Tighten the white attachment screw using the screwdriver from the
on-board t

ools. Rear light, left Rear light, right
16. Ensure that the tail light unit has been correctly fitted and is firmly
secured. 17. Replace the cap
1 and rotate it
90° in the oppo s

ite direction of
the arrow. Move the 12 V socket support
upw
ar
ds gently until it is correct-
ly closed. 18. Close the storage compartment.
19. Close the tailgate ⇒ 
pag
e 84. 

335
If and when
Changing the number plate light Fig. 213 On the rear
bumper: number p
l
ate
lights. Fig. 214 Number plate
light: T
o r
emove the lamp
holder.
Complete operations only in the sequence given: Fixed number plate light Bolted number plate light
1. Always take the checklist into account and take the necessary actions
⇒ page 327. 2. Press the flat part of the screwdriver included in the vehicle on-board
too
l

s (⇒ fig. 198) in the direction of the arrow, in the groove of the
number plate light ⇒ fig. 213. Unscrew the number plate light screws using the screwdriver from the
on-boar
d t
ools (⇒ fig. 198). 3. Detach the number plate light.
4. Press on the connector lock in the direction of the arrow
⇒ fig. 214 A and pull out the connector. Separate the attachment tabs from the rear panel of the number plate
light b
y

pressing. 5. Rotate the lamp holder in the direction of the arrow
⇒ fig. 214 B and
extr act

it with the lamp. Take the lamp holder out of the number plate light.
6. Replace the faulty bulb by a new identical bulb.
7. Insert the lamp holder into the number plate light and rotate all the
wa
y

in the opposite direction to the arrow ⇒ fig. 214 B . Insert the lamp holder into the number plate light.
8. Plug the connector into the lamp holder. Press on the attachment tabs. The lamp holder must be firmly attached
to the number p
l

ate light. Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data