2011 Seat Alhambra heating

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. 

265
Checking and refilling levels WARNING (Continued)
– If you are using a metal fuel canister, the nozzle must always touch
the c ani
s
ter while it is being filled to avoid static electricity.
– Follow the legal requirements for the use, storage and transport of
spar
e fuel canisters.
– Insure that the fuel container complies with manufacturing stand-
ards, f
or example, ANSI or ASTM F852-86. CAUTION
● Always remove any fuel spilled on the vehicle paintwork immediately to
av oid d

amage to the wheel housing, the tyre and vehicle paintwork.
● Refuelling a petrol engine with diesel or a diesel engine with petrol can
cause seriou
s engine and fuel system damage; the resulting malfunctions
are not covered by the SEAT warranty. If you refuel with the wrong type of
fuel, never start the engine. This applies to even the smallest amount of the
wrong fuel. You should obtain professional assistance. With the engine run-
ning, the composition of the wrong fuel could significantly damage the fuel
system and the engine itself.
● In vehicles with a diesel engine, under no cir
cumstances should you re-
fuel or drive with petrol, kerosene, heating oil or any other type of different
fuel. Other types of fuels could cause serious damage to the engine and to
the fuel supply system and the resulting problems are not covered by the
SEAT warranty. For the sake of the environment
Fuels can contaminate the environment. Collect any spilt service fluids and
allo w a pr

ofessional to dispose of them. Note
There is no emergency mechanism for the manual release of the tank flap. If
nece s

sary, request assistance from specialised personnel. Control lamps and fuel gauge
Fig. 162 On the instru-
ment p
anel: F

uel gauge
for petrol and diesel. lights up Gauge posi-
tion
⇒ fig. 162 Possible cause ⇒  Solution
 Red mark (ar-
row) The fuel tank is almost
empty.
The r
e

serve tank is be-
ing used ⇒ page 363. Refuel as soon as
pos
s
ible ⇒  .
 Fuel tank not closed
corr
ectly

. Stop the vehicle and
clo
se the t
ank flap
properly. 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.
When the control lamp lights up or the auxiliary heater and the auxiliary
heater running off petrol automatically switch off. Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

266
Checking and refilling levels WARNING
Driving with insufficient fuel reserve could result in the vehicle breaking
down in tr affic
and a serious accident.
● If the fuel level is too low then the fuel supply to the engine can be-
come irre
gular especially on slopes.
● If the engine “is choked” or stalls due to lack of or irregularity of the
fuel s
upply, the power steering as well as all of the driver assistance sys-
tems including braking assistance will stop working.
● Always refuel when there is only one quarter of the fuel tank left to
avoid runnin
g out of fuel. CAUTION
● Always pay attention to any lit lamps and to the corresponding descrip-
tion s

and instructions to avoid damage to the vehicle.
● Never run the tank completely dry. An irregular fuel supply may lead to
ignition faults
and unburnt fuel could enter the exhaust system. This could
damage the catalytic converter filter or the diesel particulate filter! Note
The arrow next to the fuel pump symbol on the instrument panel ⇒ fig. 162
indic
ates the side of the vehicle on which the tank flap is located. Filling the tank with petrol or diesel Fig. 163 Open tank flap
with t
ank

cap attached to
the holder.
Before refuelling, always turn off the engine, the ignition, mobile tele- phones, aux
iliary heating and keep them off during refuelling.
Unscrewing the tank cap
● The tank flap is at the rear of the vehicle on the right.
● Press the rear of the tank flap to open it.
● Unscrew the tank cap anti-clockwise and insert it in the hole in the tank
flap hing
e ⇒ fig. 163.
Refilling
The correct petrol type for the vehicle is located on a sticker inside the fuel
tank flap ⇒ page 267.
● If the automatic filler nozzle is operated correctly, it will switch itself off
as soon a
s the tank is full ⇒  .
● Do not continue to refuel if it is turned off! Otherwise, this will fill the ex-
pan s

ion chamber and fuel may leak out if the ambient conditions are warm. 

269
Checking and refilling levels
● If, in exceptional circumstances, petrol with a lower octane rating to that
r ec
ommended is used, only use moderate engine speeds and a light throt-
tle. Avoid using full throttle and overloading the engine. Otherwise you may
damage the engine. Fill up with fuel of a suitable octane rating as soon as
possible.
● Do not refuel if the filler indicates that the fuel contains metal. LRP (lead
repl
acement petrol) fuels also contain high concentrations of metal addi-
tives. This could damage the engine!
● Just one full tank of leaded fuel would seriously impair the efficiency of
the catalytic
converter and could damage it. 
Diesel Diesel fuel
Diesel
f

uel must correspond to European standard EN 590 (In Germany,
EN 590 or DIN 51628).
The use of diesel fuel with a high sulphur percentage requires shorter serv-
ice intervals ⇒ Booklet Maintenance Programme ⇒  . Your qualified work-
shop wi l

l be able to tell you which countries have diesel with a high sulphur
content.
Do not mix fuel additives (thinners, or similar additives) with diesel fuel.
Winter-grade diesel
When using “summer-grade diesel fuel”, difficulties may be experienced at
temperatures below 0°C (+32°F) because the fuel thickens due to wax sepa-
ration. For this reason, “winter-grade diesel fuel” is available in Germany,
for example, during the cold months. It can be used at temperatures as low
as -20°C (-4°F).
In countries with different climatic conditions, other types of diesel fuel are
available that are suitable to local temperatures. SEAT qualified workshops
and filling stations in the country concerned will inform you on the type of
diesel fuels available. A cold diesel engine makes more noise during winter temperatures than
summer temper

atures. Furthermore, the exhaust fumes may turn slightly
bluish while the engine is heating. The quantity of exhaust gases will de-
pend on the outside temperature.
Filter pre-heater
Vehicles with a diesel engine are fitted with a fuel filter pre-heater. This en-
sures that the fuel system remains operational to approx. -24°C (-11.2°F),
provided you use winter-grade diesel which is safe to -15°C (+5°F).
However, if the fuel has waxed to such an extent that the engine will not
start at temperatures of under -24°C (-11.2°F), simply place the vehicle in a
warm garage or workshop for a while to heat up.
Auxiliary heater
Vehicles with a diesel engine may be fitted with an auxiliary heater. The
heater runs off the fuel from the fuel tank. On doing so, smells and steam
may be noticed outside the vehicle for a short period. This is normal and it
is not an indication of a fault in the vehicle.
Whenever there is little fuel in the tank (reserve), the auxiliary heater auto-
matically switches off. WARNING
Never use start boosters. An aerosol start booster could explode or cause
a sud den ri

se in engine speed leading to engine damage and serious in-
jury. Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

283
Checking and refilling levels
Engine oil additives make new oil darker after the engine has been running
for a shor t
period. This is normal and does not mean more frequent oil
changes are required. WARNING
If, in exceptional circumstances, you must change the engine oil yourself,
pl e

ase note the following:
● Wear eye protection.
● Always wait until the engine has completely cooled to avoid being
burned.
● Alw

ays keep your arms horizontal when unscrewing the oil drainage
bolt so th
at the oil does not run down your arms when it begins to drain.
● Use a suitable and large enough container to collect all of the used oil
in the engine.
● Never c

ollect engine oil in empty food containers, cans, bottles and
other container
s as not all people are able to identify engine oil.
● Oil is toxic and must be kept out of the reach of children. For the sake of the environment
Before changing the engine oil, find a suitable location or service for proper
dis po

sal. For the sake of the environment
Always dispose of engine oil with the utmost respect for the environment.
Never di s

pose of used engine oil in places such as a garden, woods, drains,
roads, paths, rivers and drainage systems. Engine coolant
Introduction Never work on the engine cooling system or if you are not familiar with the
operation
s

to be carried out, the applicable safety standards and especially
if you do not have the instruments, liquids and tools necessary ⇒  ! Have
the work c

arried out by a Technical Service if you are uncertain. SEAT recom-
mends visiting a Technical Service.
Negligent work can cause serious injury.
Additional information and warnings:
● Towing mode ⇒ page 233
● W

orking in the engine compartment ⇒ page 275
● A

ccessories, parts replacement, repairs and modifications ⇒ page 257 WARNING
Engine coolant is toxic!
● Only keep engine coolant in its original container, tightly shut and in
a saf e p

lace.
● Never store engine coolant in empty food containers or bottles as
other people m
ay accidentally drink it.
● Always keep engine coolant out of reach of children.
● Ensure that the proportion of engine coolant additive corresponds to
the lowe
st outside temperature to which the vehicle will be exposed.
● If the outside temperature is extremely low, the engine coolant could
freeze c
ausing the vehicle to stop. As this would also cause the heating
to stop working, passengers without sufficient clothing could freeze. Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

285
Checking and refilling levels WARNING
If the warning lamps and messages are ignored, the vehicle may stall in
traffic, or m a
y cause accidents and severe injuries.
● Always observe any lit warning lamps and text messages.
● 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. 
Engine coolant specifications The engine cooling system comes with a special mixture of water and at
le
a

st 40% G 12 plus-plus (TL-VW 774 G) or G 12 plus (TL-VW 774 F) engine
coolant additive. Both are easily recognisable because they are purple in
colour.
This mixture gives the necessary frost protection down to -25°C (-13°F) and
protects the alloy parts of the cooling system against corrosion. It also pre-
vents scaling and raises the boiling point of the coolant.
To protect the engine cooling system, the proportion of additive must al-
ways be at least 40%, even if frost protection is not required in countries
with a warm climate.
If greater frost protection is required in very cold climates, the proportion of
additive can be increased. However, the percentage of additive should not
exceed 60 %, as this would reduce the frost protection and, in turn, de-
crease the cooling capacity. When adding coolant, a mixture of
disti
lled water and at least 40 % of the
additive G 12 plus-plus must be use to ensure optimum rust protection
⇒  .
WARNING
In the event of insufficient antifreeze protection in the engine cooling
sys t

em, the engine could be damaged and severe injuries caused.
● Ensure that the proportion of engine coolant additive corresponds to
the lowe
st outside temperature to which the vehicle will be exposed.
● If the outside temperature is extremely low, the engine coolant could
freeze c
ausing the vehicle to stop. As this would also cause the heating
to stop working, passengers without sufficient clothing could freeze. CAUTION
Never mix genuine additives with other additives that are not approved by
SEA T

. Otherwise, you run the risk of causing severe damage to the engine
and the engine cooling system.
● The engine coolant G 12 plus-plus can be mixed with G 12 plus and
G 11.
● If the fluid in the expansion reservoir is not purple but, for example,
brown, thi
s means that you have mixed G 12 plus-plus or G 12 plus with an-
other coolant. The coolant must be changed as soon as possible if this is
the case! Failure to observe this point will result in serious malfunctions and
engine damage! For the sake of the environment
Coolants and additives can contaminate the environment. Collect any spilt
fluids in s

uitable containers and dispose of in accordance with legislation
and with the utmost respect for the environment. Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

339
If and when
The vehicles should not touch. Otherwise, current may be allowed to flow
when the pos itiv
e poles are connected.
Connect the clamps so they have good metal-to-metal contact with the ter-
minals.
If the engine fails to start straight-away, switch off the starter after about 10
seconds and try again after about a minute.
Complete operations only in the sequence given.
Jump lead terminal connections
● Switch off the ignition of both vehicles ⇒ page 170.
● Lik

ewise, open the battery cover in the engine compartment
⇒  pag

e 288, or remove the positive pole cap from one side 1)
, in the direc-
tion of the arrow ⇒ fig. 215.
● Connect one end of the red
jump lead to the positive terminal
⇒  fig. 216 + or ⇒ 
fig. 215 + of the vehicle with the flat battery
A ⇒  .
● Connect the other end of the red
jump lead to the positive terminal + in
the v ehic
le providing assistance B .
● For vehicles without
Start-Stop system: Connect one end of the black
jump lead to the negative terminal - in the vehicle providing assistance
B ⇒ fig. 216.
● For vehicles with St
art-Stop system: Connect one end of the black X jump lead to a suitable ground connection, a solid piece of metal in the en-
gine bloc
k, or t
o the engine block ⇒ fig. 217.
● Connect the other end of the black
jump lead X to a solid metal compo-
nent c onnect
ed to the engine block, or onto the engine block itself of the
vehicle with the flat battery however, connect it as far away as possible from
the battery A ⇒  .
● Place the leads so that they cannot be caught by any moving parts in the
engine c omp

artment. Switching on
●
Start the engine of the vehicle supplying current and let it run at idling
speed.
● Star

t the engine of the car with the flat battery and wait two or three mi-
nutes
until the engine is “running smoothly”.
Removing the jump leads
● Before you remove the jump leads, switch off the headlights (if they are
switc
hed on).
● Turn on the heating and rear window heater in the vehicle with the flat
batter
y. This helps minimise voltage peaks which are generated when the
leads are disconnected.
● With the engines running, disconnect the leads in reverse order to con-
nection.
● Close the battery cover, or replace the positive pole cap 1)
. WARNING
Incorrectly jump starting could cause the battery to explode resulting in
serious injur

y. Please observe the following rules to minimise the risk of
a battery explosion:
● All work involving the vehicle battery and electrical system can cause
corro
sion, fire and serious electric shocks. Always read and take into ac-
count the safety warnings and standards before beginning work on the
battery ⇒ page 288, Vehicle battery.
● Always protect your eyes with suitable working goggles and never
lean o
ver the vehicle battery.
● The jump leads must be connected in the correct order: first the posi-
tive cab
le, then the negative cable. 1)
Vehicles whose battery is not located in the engine compartment ⇒ page 338. Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Underc
arri
age guard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Driving abroad Check list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Driving advice For a loaded vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Driving in winter Fuel consumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Snow chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Tread depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Tyre pressures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Windscreen washer bottle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Winter tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Driving through water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Driving with a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233 Extinguisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Technical requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
DSG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
DSG automatic gearbox See "Automatic gearbox" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
DSG Automatic gearbox Malfunction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Dust filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Dynamic headlight range control . . . . . . . . . . 102 Dynamic headlight range control . . . . . . . 102
E
Ecological driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Economic driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225 EDS
See "Brakin g assist systems" . . . . . . . . . . 190
Electrical components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152, 313
Electrical consumers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153, 166
Electric child safety lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Electric devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Electric sliding doors Opening and closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Rollback anti-trap function . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Electric sockets Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Anti-trap function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Automatic one-touch operation . . . . . . . . . 90
Closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Convenience closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Convenience opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Fault . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
One-touch opening/closing . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Electronic differential lock system (EDS) . . . . 190
Electronic immobiliser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Electronic parking brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Electronic stability programme ESC (ESP) . . . 189
Emergencies Fire extinguishers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
First aid kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Hazard warning triangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Emergency brake indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Emergency braking function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 Emergency locking and unlocking . . . . . . . . . 314
Driver's door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Manually unlocking the gear selection lev- er . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Panoramic sliding roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Passenger side door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Sliding doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Engine Noises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Running-in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Engine and ignition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170, 173 12 Volt sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Ignition lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Immobiliser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Pre-heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Starting the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Unauthorised vehicle key . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275 Engine coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Vehicle battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Water box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Engine coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283 Checking the level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Filler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
G 12 plus-plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Refilling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Engine fault . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Engine management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228 Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228370
Index