2011 Seat Alhambra air condition

161
Heating, Ventilation and Air conditioning
Air vents Fig. 124 Air vents in the instrument panel.
Air vents
Never c lo
se the air vents ⇒ fig. 124 A completely to ensure heating, cool-
ing and v

entilation inside the vehicle.
● Turn the thumbwheel in the required direction to open and close the air
vents.
● Chan

ge the air direction using the ventilation grille lever.
There are a
dditional vents in the footwell areas and in the rear of the pas-
senger compartment. 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. Air recirculation mode Important
Air rec
ir

culation works in two ways:  Manual air recirculation mode.
 Automatic air recirculation mode.
Air recirculation mode  prev
ents
the ambient air from entering the vehicle
interior.
When the outside temperature is very high or very low, selecting manual air
recirculation mode for a short period refreshes or heats the vehicle interior
more quickly.
For safety reasons, air recirculation mode is switched off when the  but-
ton i s

pressed or the air distributor turned to  ⇒  .
Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

162
Heating, Ventilation and Air conditioning
Switching air recirculation mode on and off manually 
Swit c
hing on: press the corresponding button until the light under the sym-
bol  comes on.
Switching off: press the button until no indicator remains lit.
Automatic air recirculation mode 
Fresh air enters the vehicle interior in position . If the system detects a
high concentration of hazardous substances in the ambient air, air recircu-
lation mode is switched on automatically. When the level of impurities
drops to within a normal range, recirculation mode is switched off.
The system is unable to detect unpleasant smells.
Air recirculation mode is not automatically switched on in the following ca-
ses of outside temperatures and conditions:
● The cooling system is switched on (the AC button is lit up) and the out-
side t emper

ature is below +3°C (+38°F).
● The cooling system and the windscreen wipers are switched off and the
outside temper
ature is below +10°C (+50°F).
● The cooling system is switched on, the outside temperature is below
+15°C (+59°F) and the wind
screen wipers are switched on.
Switching the automatic air recirculation mode on and off
Switching on: press the   button until the light under the symbol

come s

on.
Switching off: press the   button until no button remains lit.
Swit c

hing the automatic air recirculation mode off temporarily
● Press the   button once to temporarily switch to manual air recircula-
tion mode in the event of

unpleasant smells from outside. The control light
under the symbol  comes on.
● After more than two seconds, press the 
 button again to restart au-
tom atic

air recirculation. The control light under the symbol  comes on. WARNING
Stuffy or used air will increase fatigue and reduce driver concentration
pos s

ibly resulting in a serious accident.
● Never use recirculation mode for long periods as it does not refresh
the air inside the
vehicle.
● If the cooling mode is switched off and air recirculation mode switch-
ed on, the window
s can mist over very quickly, considerably limiting visi-
bility.
● Switch air recirculation mode off when it is not required. CAUTION
Do not smoke when air recirculation is switched on in vehicles with a cli-
mat e c

ontrol system. The smoke taken in could lie on the cooling system va-
poriser and on the activated charcoal cartridge of the dust and pollen filter,
leading to a permanently unpleasant smell. Note
Air recirculation mode switches on to prevent exhaust gas from entering the
vehic l

e interior when it is in reverse and while the automatic windscreen
wash and wipe is working. 

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. 

169
Driving WARNING
The counter steering assistance system combined with ESC (ESP) helps
the driver t o s
teer the vehicle in critical driving conditions. At all times, it
is the driver who steers the vehicle. The counter steering system does
not steer the vehicle. 
Adjusting the steering wheel position Fig. 126 Mechanical
st
eerin

g wheel adjust-
ment.
Adjust the steering wheel before your trip and only when the vehicle is sta-
tionary
.
● Push the lever ⇒ fig. 126 1 downwards.
● Adjust the steering wheel so that you can hold onto the steering wheel
with both h and

s on the outside of the ring at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock
positions and your arms slightly bent.
● Push the lever firmly upwards until it is flush to the steering column
⇒  . WARNING
Incorrect use of the steering wheel adjustment function and an incorrect
adju s

tment of the steering wheel can result in severe or fatal injury.
● After adjusting the steering column, push the lever 1 firmly upwards
to en s

ure the steering wheel does not accidentally change position while
driving.
● Never adjust the steering wheel while the vehicle is in motion. If you
need to adju
st the steering wheel while the vehicle is in motion, stop
safely and make the proper adjustment.
● The adjusted steering wheel should be facing your chest and not your
face so a
s not to hinder the driver's frontal airbag protection in the event
of an accident.
● 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 to reduce inju-
ries when the driver's frontal airbag deploys.
● Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position or in any oth-
er manner (e.g. in the c
entre of the steering wheel). In such cases, if the
driver's airbag deploys, you may sustain injuries to your arms, hands and
head. 
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. 