2011 Seat Alhambra towing

321
If and when
Components Fig. 198 Components of
the onboar
d t
ool kit.
The set of on-board tools depends on the vehicle equipment. The following
is a de
scription for a vehicle with all options.
The individual elements of the on-board toolkit ⇒ fig. 198
Adapter for antitheft bolt. SEAT recommend you carry the wheel bolt
adapter in the vehicle tool kit at all times. The code number of the anti-
theft wheel bolt is stamped on the front of the adapter. In case it is lost,
another adapter can be ordered using this number. Note the antitheft
bolt code for the wheels and keep it in a place other than the vehicle.
Towing eye, removable.
Wheel spanner.
Jack. Fold the jack before returning it to the toolkit.
Jack. Before storing the jack in the toolkit, fold its hook.
Screwdriver with hexagon socket in the handle for screwing and un-
screwing the wheel bolts once loosened. The screwdriver bit is inter-
1 2
3
4
5
6 changeable. The screwdriver may be found underneath the wheel span-
ner.
W
ir

e hook for pulling off the wheel cover, integral hubcaps and the
wheel bolt caps.  7
Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

340
If and when WARNING (Continued)
● Do not attach the negative cable to parts of the fuel system or to the
br ak
e hose/pipe.
● The non-insulated parts of the battery clamps must not be allowed to
touch. A
lso, the cable connected to the positive pole of the battery
should never enter into contact with electrically conductive parts of the
vehicle.
● Check the magic eye on the battery; use a lamp if necessary. If it is
cle

ar yellow or clear, do not start the vehicle: obtain specialist technical
assistance.
● Avoid static electricity discharges in the area around the battery. In
the event of
sparks, explosive gases coming from the battery could ig-
nite.
● Never use starting assistance if the vehicle battery is damaged, fro-
zen or ha
s been frozen. 
Towing and tow starting Introduction When towing, always respect legal requirements.
For t
ec

hnical reasons, it is not possible to tow a vehicle if the battery is flat.
Additional information and warnings:
● Electronic power control and exhaust gases purification system
⇒  pag

e 228 WARNING
A vehicle with a flat battery should never be towed.
● Never remove the key from the ignition lock. The electronic steering
lock c

ould engage. Then the vehicle will be uncontrollable. You may lose
control of the vehicle and there is a risk of serious accident. WARNING
When towing the vehicle, the handling and braking efficiency change
cons
iderably. Please observe the following instructions to minimise the
risk of serious accidents and injury:
● As the driver of the vehicle being towed:
– The brake must be depressed must harder as the brake servo does
not operat
e. Always remain aware to avoid collision with the towing
vehicle.
– More strength is required at the steering wheel as the power steer-
ing does
not operate when the engine is switched off.
● As the driver of the towing vehicle:
– Accelerate gently and carefully.
– Avoid sudden braking and manoeuvres.
– Brake well in advance than usual and brake gently. CAUTION
● Carefully fit and remove the towing ring and its cover to avoid damage to
the v

ehicle (for example, paintwork).
● When towing, fuel could enter the catalytic converter and cause dam-
age! 

341
If and when
Instructions for tow starting In general, the vehicle should not be started by towing. Jump-starting is
much mor
e pr
eferable ⇒ page 337.
For technical reasons, the following vehicles can not be tow started:
● Vehicles with an automatic gearbox.
● Vehicles with an electronic parking brake, given that it is possible that
the brake w
ill not be disengaged.
● If the vehicle battery is flat, it is possible that the engine control units do
not operat
e correctly.
However, if your vehicle must absolutely be tow-started (manual gearbox):
● Engage the 2nd or 3rd gear.
● Keep the clutch pressed down.
● Switch on the ignition and the hazard warning lights.
● Release the clutch when both vehicles are moving.
● As soon as the engine starts, press the clutch and move the gear lever
into neutral
. This helps to prevent a collision with the towing vehicle. CAUTION
When tow-starting, fuel could enter the catalytic converter and damage it. 
Towing instructions Tow-rope or tow-bar
When to
w

ing, the tow bar is the safest and vehicle friendly way. You should
only use a tow-rope if you do not have a tow-bar. A tow-rope should be slightly elastic to avoid damage to both vehicles. It is
advi

sable to use a tow-rope made of synthetic fibre or similarly elastic mate-
rial.
Only secure the tow rope or tow bar to the tow ring or specially designed
fitting.
Vehicles with a factory fitted towing device , can only be used for towing
with a tow-bar, specially designed to fit on a tow hitch ball ⇒ page 233.
Towing vehicles with an automatic gearbox
Note the following for a towed vehicle:
● Make sure the gear selector lever is in the N position.
● Do not

drive faster than 50 km/h (30 mph) when towing a vehicle.
● Do not tow further than 50 km (30 miles).
● If a breakdown truck is used, the vehicle must be towed with the front
wheels r
aised. Note the following instructions for towing four wheel drive
vehicles.
Instructions for towing four-wheel-drive vehicles
Four wheel drive vehicles can be towed using a toolbar or tow rope. If the
vehicle is towed with the front or rear axle raised, the engine must be turned
off to avoid transmission damage.
For vehicles with a double clutched DSG ®
(direct shift gearbox) the instruc-
tions for towing vehicles with an automatic gearbox apply ⇒ page 341.
Situations in which the vehicle should not be towed
In the following cases, the vehicle should not be towed but transported on a
trailer or special vehicle:
● If the vehicle gearbox does not contain lubricant due to a fault.
● If the vehicle battery is flat and, as a result, the electronic steering lock
and electronic
parking brake cannot be disengaged if applied.
● If the vehicle to be towed has an automatic gearbox and the distance to
be cov
ered is greater than 50 km (30 miles). Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

342
If and when Note
The vehicle can only be towed if the electronic parking brake and steering
lock ar
e deactivated. If the vehicle has no power supply or there is an elec-
tric system fault, the engine must be started using jump leads to deactivate
the electronic parking brake and electronic steering lock. 
Fitting the front tow ring Fig. 218 On the right-
hand s
ide of

the front
bumper: Screw in the
towing ring.
The location for the removable tow ring is on the right-hand side of the front
bumper ⇒ fig. 218. The t

owing eye should always be kept in the vehicle.
Note the instructions for towing ⇒ page 341.
To fit the tow ring
● Take the tow ring from the vehicle tool kit ⇒ page 320.
● Pr

ess on the upper cover and carefully remove it forwards. Allow the cov-
er to han
g. ●
Screw in the tow ring into its position anticloc
kwise as far as it will go
⇒ fig. 218 ⇒  . Use a suitable tool to firmly tighten the tow ring in its loca-
tion.
● After towing, remove the tow ring by turning it clock
wise and put the
cover back in place. CAUTION
The tow ring must always be completely and firmly tightened. Otherwise, it
cou l

d be released while towing and tow-starting. 
Fitting the rear tow ring Fig. 219 On the rear
bumper
, t

o the right hand
side: Tow ring in position.
The location for the removable tow ring is on the right-hand side of the rear
bumper ⇒ fig. 219. F
or vehicles with a factory fitted trailer system , there is
no fitting behind the cover to insert the tow ring. For towing, fit and use the
trailer hitch ⇒ page 233, ⇒  .
Note the in s

tructions for towing ⇒ page 341. 

343
If and when
Fitting the tow ring to the rear for vehicles without factory fitted tow hitch
● Take the tow ring from the on-board tools ⇒ page 320.
● Pr
ess on the upper cover and carefully remove it back. This may require
some stren
gth. Allow the cover to hang.
● Screw in the tow ring into its position anticlock
wise as far as it will go
⇒  . Use a suitable tool to firmly tighten the tow ring in its location.
● After towing, remove the tow ring by turning it clock
wise and put the
cover back in place. CAUTION
● The tow ring must always be completely and firmly tightened. Other-
w i

se, it could be released while towing and tow-starting.
● Vehicles with a factory fitted towing device, can on
ly be used for towing
with a tow-bar, specially designed to fit on a tow hitch ball. Otherwise, the
tow hitch ball and the vehicle may be damaged. Otherwise, a tow rope
should be used. 
Towing advice Towing requires some experience, especially when using a tow-rope. Both
driver
s

should be familiar with the technique required for towing. For this
reason, inexperienced drivers should abstain.
While driving, avoid excessive traction forces and jerking. When towing on
an unpaved road, there is always a risk of overloading and damaging the
anchorage points.
If the vehicle is towed, with the hazard warning lights on and the ignition
switched on, the turn signal may be used to indicate changes of direction.
Simply operate the turn indicator lever as usual. Meanwhile, the hazard
warning lights will go off. When the turn signal lever is returned to the rest
position, the hazard warning lights will be turned on automatically. Notes for the driver of the towed vehicle
●
Leave the ignition on to avoid locking the steering wheel, to release the
electronic
parking brake and to activate the turn signal indicators, the horn
as well as the window wipers and window washers.
● As the power assisted steering does not work if the engine is not run-
ning, y
ou will need more strength to steer than normally.
● The brake must be depressed must harder as the brake servo does not
operate. A
void hitting the towing vehicle.
● Note the instructions and information contained in the instruction man-
ual for the
vehicle to be towed.
Notes for the driver of the towing vehicle
● Accelerate gently and carefully. Avoid sudden manoeuvres.
● Brake well in advance than usual and brake gently.
● Note the instructions and information contained in the instruction man-
ual for the
vehicle to be towed. Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

347
General notes on the technical data
Towing a trailer Tr ai
ler weights Trailer weight
The trai
l

er weights and drawbar loads approved are selected in intensive tri-
als according to precisely defined criteria. The approved trailer weights are
valid for vehicles in the EU for maximum speeds of 80 km/h (in certain cir-
cumstances up to 100 km/h). The figures may be different in other coun-
tries. All data in the official vehicle documents take precedence over these
data ⇒  .
Dra wb

ar load
The maximum permitted weight exerted by the trailer drawbar on the ball
joint of the towing bracket must not exceed 85 kg.
In the interest of road safety, we recommend that you always tow approach-
ing the maximum drawbar load. The response of the trailer on the road will
be poor if the drawbar load is too small.
If the maximum permitted drawbar load is not reached (e.g. in the case of
small single-axle trailers, light and without load, or tandem axle trailers with
a wheelbase of less than 1 m) it is compulsory for the drawbar load to be at
least 4% of the trailer's weight. WARNING
● For safety reasons, do not exceed the 80 km/h limit. This is also valid
in c ou

ntries where higher speeds are permitted.
● Never exceed the maximum trailer weights or the drawbar load. If the
permiss
ible axle load or the permissible total weight is exceeded, the
driving characteristics of the vehicle may change, leading to accidents,
injuries and damage to the vehicle. Wheels
Ty r

e pressure, snow chains, wheel bolts Tyre pressures
The stic
k

er with the tyre pressure values can be found on the inside of the
tank flap. The tyre pressure values given there are for cold tyres. The slightly
raised pressures of warm tyres must not be reduced. ⇒  Snow chains
Snow c
h

ains may be fitted only to the front wheels.
Consult the chapter “wheels” of this manual.
Wheel bolts
After the wheels have been changed, the tightening torque of the wheel
bolts should be checked as soon as possible with a torque wrench ⇒  .
The tightenin g t

orque for steel and alloy wheels is 120 Nm. WARNING
● Check the tyre pressure at least once per month. Checking tyre pres-
s ur

e value is very important. If the tyre pressure is too high or too low,
there is an increased danger of accidents, particularly at high speeds.
● If the torque of the wheel bolts is too low, they could loosen while the
vehicl
e is in motion. Risk of accident! If the tightening torque is too high,
the wheel bolts and threads can be damaged. Note
We recommend that you ask your Authorised Service Centre for information
about ap pr

opriate wheel, tyre and snow chain size. Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

ASR
See "Brak in
g assist systems" . . . . . . . . . . 191
See "Braking assist" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Turning on and off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Assistance systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212 Cruise control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Electronic differential lock system (EDS) . 190
Assisted braking systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Assist systems Anti-lock brake system (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . 189
Auto Hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Braking assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Electronic stability programme ESC (ESP) 189
Lane Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Lane Assist system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Optical parking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Park assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Park Assist system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Parking sensor system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Rear Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Rear assist system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Sign Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Start-Stop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Start assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Traction control system ASR (TCS) . . . . . . . 191
Traction control when accelerating ASR(TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Tyre monitoring indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Auto Hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Automatic belt retainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Automatic car wash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Switc hing Auto Hold off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Switching the start assist off . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Automatic consumer disconnection . . . . . . . . 291
Automatic dipped beam control . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Automatic gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Changing gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
DSG automatic gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Ignition key lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Kickdown system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Launch-Control programme . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Malfunction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Manually unlocking the gear selection lev-er . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Please also see "Changing gears" . . . . . . 174
See "Automatic gearbox" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
AUX-IN connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Auxiliary heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163, 269 Automatic off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Operating instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Remote control range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Remote control: Replacing the battery . . . 164
Switching off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Switching on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Things to note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163, 166
Auxiliary heater remote control Replacing the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Axle loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 B
BAS
See "Brak
ing assist systems" . . . . . . . . . . 190
Battery Discharge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Discharging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
See Vehicle battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Battery acid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Before starting out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Belt height adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Belt tension device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Service and disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Belt tension limiter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Bicycle carrier Installing a bicycle carrier . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Maximum load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Biodiesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Bonnet Closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Bottle capacity Windscreen washer water bottle . . . . . . . . 109
Bottle holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183 Brake servo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Electronic parking brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Emergency braking function . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Parking brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 Specification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192366
Index

Control of function
Rain sen sor
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Control units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260 Reprogramming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Convenience closing Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Panorama sliding sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Convenience functions Reprogramming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Convenience opening Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Panorama sliding sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Convenient entry function for the third row of seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Coolant Control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
See engine coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Temperature gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Counter steering assistance system . . . . . . . . 168
Crossing a river Salt water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Cruise control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212 Control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Cruise control system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Cup holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Cup holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148, 150
Curb weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Curtain airbags See "Airbag system" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 D
Damaged ty res . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Dangers of not using the seat belt . . . . . . . . . . 20
Dash panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Data link connector (DLC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Data plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345 Model identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Technical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Vehicle identification number . . . . . . . . . . 345
Data registry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Data storage during the journey . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Data stored by the control units . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Daytime driving light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
De-icing the door lock cylinder . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
De-icing the locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Details Driving with a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Diagnostics connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 Auxiliary heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Biodiesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Filling the tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Filter pre-heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Fuel gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Winter-grade diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Diesel particulate filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229 Malfunction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Recommended gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Things to note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228 Differential lock
See "Brakin g assist systems" . . . . . . . . . . 190
Digital clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Dipped beam headlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57, 58
Disposal Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Belt tension device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
End-of-life vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Door release lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Child safety lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Emergency locking and unlocking . . . . . . 315
Warning indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Drawbar load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231 Loading the trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Drawers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Driving Automatic gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Check list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Cross country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Data storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Driving through water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Ecological . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Economic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Fuel gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Fuel level to low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Parking downhill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Parking uphill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343 369
Index