2011 Seat Alhambra tailgate

Table of Contents
Manual structure
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Safety First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Safe driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Dear SEAT Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Tips for driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Adjusting the seat position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Transporting objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Why wear seat belts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Seat belt tensioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Child seats (accessories) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Integrated child seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Operating instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Cockpit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Instrument panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
SEAT information system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Unlocking and locking
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Vehicle key set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Central locking and locking system . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Sliding doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Panorama sliding sunroof* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Lights and visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Sun blind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Windscreen wiper and washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Rear vision mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Seats and storage compartments . . . . . . . . . . 114
Seat adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Seat functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Head restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Centre armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Loading luggage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Roof carrier system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Storage compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Cup holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Ashtray and cigarette lighter* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Heating, Ventilation and Air conditioning . . . 155
Climate Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Auxiliary heater* (additional heater) . . . . . . . . . . 163
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Stopping and starting the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Changing gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Braking, stopping and parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Start assist systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Parking sensor system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 Park Assist system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Rear Assist system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Cruise control system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Lane Assist system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Sign Assist* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Tyre monitoring systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Practical tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Driving and the environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Running-in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Ecological driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Engine management and exhaust gas
purific ation sy
stem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Trailer towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Driving with a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Vehicle maintenance and cleaning . . . . . . . . . 242
Care and cleaning the vehicle exterior . . . . . . . . 242
Caring for and cleaning the vehicle interior . . . . 249
Notes for the user . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Accessories, parts replacement and
modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

257
Accessories, replacement of parts and
modifications
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Checking and refilling levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Filling the tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Selective Catalytic Reduction* (AdBlue) . . . . . . . 271
Working in the engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . 275
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Engine coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Vehicle battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288 3
Table of Contents

13
Safe driving
Also valid for the front passenger:
● Move the front passenger seat back as far as possible for optimum pro-
tection shou l
d the airbag deploy. 
Transporting objects Introduction Always transport heavy loads in the trunk and place the seat backs in a ver-
tical
po

sition. Always use the anchors provided with suitable rope to secure
heavy objects. Never overload the vehicle. Both the carrying capacity as well
as the distribution of the load in the vehicle have effects on the driving be-
haviour and braking ability ⇒  .
Addition a

l information and warnings:
● Tailgate ⇒ page 84
● T

o lower the passenger seat back ⇒ page 117
● Light

⇒ page 95
● Lug

gage compartment ⇒ page 125
● R

oof carrier ⇒ page 138
● T

owing mode ⇒ page 233
● Wheel

s and tyres ⇒ page 293 WARNING
Unsecured or incorrectly secured objects can cause serious injury in case
of a s ud

den manoeuvring or breaking or in case of an accident. This is es-
pecially true when objects are struck by a detonating airbag and fired
through the vehicle interior. To reduce the risks, please note the follow-
ing:
● Secure all objects in the vehicle. Always keep equipment and heavy
obj

ects in the luggage compartment.
● Always secure objects with suitable rope or slings so that they cannot
enter the are
as around the frontal or side airbags in case of sudden brak-
ing or an accident.
● Always ensure that objects inside the vehicle cannot move into the
area of
the bags while driving.
● While driving, always keep object compartments closed.
● Remove all objects from the passenger seat when this is followed
down. When the se
at back is folded down, it presses on small and light
objects and these are detected by the weight sensor on the seat; this
sends false information to the airbag control unit.
● While the backrest of the front passenger's seat is folded, the frontal
airbag mus
t remain disconnected and the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF  light
on.
● Objects secured in the vehicle should never be placed in such a way
as t
o make passengers sit in an incorrect position.
● If secured objects occupy a seat then this should not be occupied or
used by
anybody. Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

14
Safe driving WARNING
The driving behaviour and braking ability change when transporting
heavy and l
arge objects.
● Adjust your speed and driving style to visibility, road, traffic and
weather c
onditions.
● Accelerate gently and carefully.
● Avoid sudden braking and manoeuvres.
● Brake early. 
Transporting a load Secure all objects in the vehicle
●
Distribute the load throughout the vehicle, on the roof and in a trailer as
unif orm

ly as possible.
● Transport heavy objects as far forward as possible in the luggage com-
partment
and lock the seat backs in the vertical position.
● Secure luggage in the luggage compartment with suitable straps on the
fas

tening rings ⇒ page 125.
● Check the headlight adjustment ⇒ page 95.
● U

se the suitable tyre pressure according to the load being transported.
Rea
d the tire inflation information label ⇒ page 293.
● For vehicles with a tire pressure indicator, change the vehicle load status
⇒ page 221. CAUTION
Objects on the shelf could chafe against the wires of the heating element in
the re ar w

indow and cause damage. Note
Please note the information about loading a trailer ⇒ pag
e 233 and the
roof carrier system ⇒ page 138. 
Driving with the tailgate open Driving with the tailgate open creates an additional risk. Secure all objects
and secur
e the t

ailgate correctly and take all measures possible to reduce
toxic gases from entering the vehicle. WARNING
Driving with the tailgate unlocked or open could cause serious injuries.
● Always drive with the tailgate closed.
● Secure all objects in the vehicle. Loose items could fall out of the ve-
hicl e and injur

e other road users or damage other vehicles.
● Drive particularly carefully and think ahead.
● Avoid sudden manoeuvres and braking given that this could cause an
uncontr
olled movement of the open tailgate.
● When transporting objects that protrude out of the luggage compart-
ment, indicate them s
uitably. Observe legal requirements.
● If objects must project out of the luggage compartment, the tailgate
must
never be used to “secure” or “attach” objects.
● If a baggage rack is fitted on the tailgate, it should be removed before
travel
ling with the tailgate open. 

15
Safe driving WARNING
Toxic gases may enter the vehicle interior when the tailgate is open. This
cou l
d cause loss of consciousness, carbon monoxide poisoning, serious
injury and accidents.
● To avoid toxic gases entering the vehicle always drive with the tail-
gate c
losed.
● In exceptional circumstances, if you must drive with the tailgate
open, obser
ve the following to reduce the entry of toxic gases inside the
vehicle:
–Close all windows and the sliding roof.
– Turn off the air recirculation for the heating and air conditioning.
– Open all of the air outlets in the dashboard.
– Turn the heating fan and heater to the highest level. CAUTION
An open tailgate changes the length and height of the vehicle. 
Driving a loaded vehicle For the best handling when driving a loaded vehicle, note the following:
●
Secure all objects
⇒ pag
e 14.
● A

ccelerate gently and carefully.
● Avoid sudden braking and manoeuvres.
● Brake early.
● If necessary, read the instructions for driving with a trailer
⇒ page 233.
● If

necessary, read the instructions for driving with a roof carrier system
⇒  page 138. WARNING
A sliding load could considerably affect the stability and safety of the ve-
hicl e r

esulting in an accident with serious consequences.
● Secure loads correctly so they do not move.
● When transporting heavy objects, use suitable ropes or straps.
● Lock the seat backs in vertical position. 
Specific vehicle weight information The instructions in the official vehicle documents take precedence. All the
tec
hnic

al data provided in this documentation is applicable to the basic
model. The vehicle data label in the Maintenance Programme or the vehicle
documents show which engine is installed in your vehicle.
The figures may be different depending on if additional equipment is fitted,
for different models and for special vehicles. WARNING
Exceeding the maximum authorised weight and the load on the axles
cou l

d cause damage to the vehicle, accidents and serious injuries.
● The real load on the axles should never exceed the maximum permit-
ted.
● The loa

d and its distribution in the vehicle have effects on the vehicle
handling and the br
aking ability. Always drive at a suitable speed. CAUTION
Distribute the load as uniformly and as low down on the vehicle as possible.
When tran s

porting heavy objects in the trunk/boot, these should be placed
as far forward as possible or over the rear axle to have as little influence on
handling as possible. Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

54
Cockpit
Radio or navigation system (fitted at factory) ⇒ Booklet Ra-
dio or ⇒ Booklet Navigation system
Storage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Hazard warning lights switch  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Switches for:
– Climatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
– C

limatronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Right se
at heating controls  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Button for:
– Anti-slip r

egulation (ASR)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
– Start/stop operation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
– Parking distance warning system (Park Pilot)  . . . . . . . . . . 198
– Park Assist system  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
– Tyre pressure monitor  
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
– Opening the tailgate  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
– Opening and closing of electric sliding doors  . . . . . . . . . 81
Loc
king lever to open glove compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
Position of passenger front airbag on the instrument panel . .31
Key-operated switch in glove box for deactivating front pas-
senger's
airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Passenger front airbag off warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Lever for:
– Manual g

earbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
– Automatic gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
12 V
olt socket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Auto Hold Switch - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Electr
onic parking brake switch  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Ignition lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Pedals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Steering column adjustment lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
13 14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29 Fuse box cover
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Lever for:
– Crui se c

ontrol system (GRA)  –  –  –  / -
- / -- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Open bonnet lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Controls for:
– Electric w

indows  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
– Childproof locks  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Note
● Some of the items of equipment listed here are fitted only on certain
model s/model

years or are optional extras.
● In versions with the steering wheel on the right, the layout of the control
elements i
s somewhat different. But the symbols assigned to the controls
correspond to the symbols used in the versions with the steering wheel on
the left 
Instrument panel Contro
l and warning lamps The control and warning lamps are indicators of warnings,
⇒  , faults
⇒  or certain functions. Some control and warning lamps come on when the ig-
nition is
sw

itched on, and go out when the engine starts running, or while
driving.
Depending on the model, additional text messages may be viewed on the
instrument panel display. These may be purely informative or they may be
advising of the need for action ⇒ page 57, Instruments. 
30 31
32
33

68
Cockpit Configuration
Menu Function
Winter tyres Changing the visual and audible speed warnings. This
fu
nction shou
ld only be used when the vehicle is fitted
with winter tyres, which are not designed for travel at high
speeds. Settings: Lan-
guage Changing the language of the display texts and the navi-
gation sy
s

tem. Units Changing the units of measurement for the temperature,
con
s

umption and distance. Second speed Switching second speed display on and off
Autohold Selecting whether the Auto-Hold function should remain
on permanently
. Configuration
Menu Function
Tourist light Headlamp adjustment for countries in which vehicles are
driven on the other s
ide of

the road. When the mark is acti-
vated, the headlamps of a left-hand drive vehicle are ad-
justed for driving on the left. This function must only be
used for a short period. Service Check the service notifications or reset the service inter-
val
s

to zero Manufacturer's
setting
s Some functions of the
Configuration
menu will be reset to
the factory value. Back The main menu is displayed again. 
Submenu Con v
enienceConvenience menu Function
Open door
⇒  pag

e 74 Manual When the vehicle is unlocked with the key, the following doors (depending upon the configuration)
are u
n

locked:
 all doors : All of the doors will be unlocked.
 one door: see above Method 1.
 Side of vehicle : The driver side doors will unlock.

 Individually: Only the driver's door is unlocked. automatic mode Automatic locking function
(Auto Loc
k) All doors are automatically locked at speeds above approxi-
mately 15 km/h. To unlock when the vehicle is stopped, push the central locking button or remove
the key from the ignition lock. Automatic unlock
: When the key
is removed from the ignition lock, all doors and the tailgate are
unlocked. Electronic childproof locks Switching the childproof locks on or off
⇒ page 81. Confirm anti-theft alarm Switching on or off the audible confirmation that the anti-theft alarm is activated
⇒ page 74. 

74
Unlocking and locking
SEAT recommend having the batteries changed in a Technical Service.
The batt er
y is located to the rear of the vehicle key, under a cover ⇒ fig. 43.
When changing the battery, use another battery of the same model and ob-
serve the polarity when fitting it ⇒  .
To c h

ange the battery
● Unfold the key shaft ⇒ page 71.
● R

emove the cover from the back of the vehicle key ⇒ fig. 43 in the direc-
tion of
the arrow ⇒  .
● Extract the battery from the compartment using a suitable thin object
⇒ fig. 44.
● Place the new battery in the compartment, pressing in the direction of
the arro w a

s shown ⇒ fig. 44 ⇒  .
● Fit the battery compartment cover, pressing in the direction of the arrow
as sho

wn ⇒ fig. 43 until it clicks into place. CAUTION
● If the battery is not changed correctly, the vehicle key may be damaged.
● Use of

unsuitable batteries may damage the vehicle key. For this reason,
alway
s replace the dead battery with another of the same voltage, size and
specifications. For the sake of the environment
● Please dispose of your used batteries correctly and with respect for the
en v

ironment.
● The vehicle key battery may contain perchlorate. Observe the legal re-
quirements f
or their disposal. To synchronise the vehicle key If the button
 is pressed frequently outside of the vehicle range, it is pos-
sib l

e that the vehicle can no longer be locked or unlocked using the key. In
this case, the vehicle key must be synchronised once more as follows:
● Unfold the key shaft ⇒ page 72.
● R

emove the cover from the driver's door handle ⇒ page 314.
● Pr

ess the button  on the vehicle key. For this, it must remain with the
vehic l

e.
● Open the vehicle within one minute using the key shift.
● Turn on the ignition using the vehicle key. The key has been synchron-
ised.
● Rep

lace the driver's door handle cover. 
Central locking and locking system
Introduction Central locking functions correctly when all the doors and the tailgate are
corr
ectly

shut. If the driver's door is open, the vehicle cannot be locked with
the key.
The battery of a vehicle left unlocked during a long period (for instance, in a
private garage) may run down and fail to start the motor.
Additional information and warnings:
● Personal convenience settings in the SEAT information system
⇒ page 62
● V

ehicle key set ⇒ page 71
● Slidin

g doors ⇒ page 81 

75
Unlocking and locking
● Electric windows ⇒ p age 89
● Panorama sliding sunroof ⇒ page 92
● T

owing mode ⇒ page 233
● Emer

gency locking and unlocking ⇒ page 314WARNING
The incorrect use of the central locking system may cause serious inju-
ries.
● The c entr

al locking system will lock all doors. A vehicle locked from
the inside c
an prevent any non-authorised individual from opening the
doors and accessing the vehicle. Nevertheless, in case of emergency or
accident, locked doors will complicate access to the passenger compart-
ment to help the passengers.
● Never leave children or disabled people alone in the vehicle. The cen-
tral

locking button can be used to lock all the doors from within. There-
fore, passengers will be locked inside the vehicle. Individuals locked in
the vehicle can be exposed to very high or very low temperatures.
● 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.
● Never leave individuals locked in a closed and locked vehicle. In case
of emerg
ency, they may not be able to exit the vehicle by themselves or
get help. 
Description of the central locking system The central locking system allows all doors and the tailgate to be locked
and un
loc

ked centrally.
● From outside, using the vehicle key.
● From inside, by pushing the central locking button ⇒ pag
e 77.In the submenu Conv

enience in the Configuration menu, or by visiting a spe-
cialized workshop, special functions of the central locking system can be
switched on or off ⇒ page 62.
In case of a vehicle key fault or central locking system fault, all doors can be
locked or unlocked manually.
Locking the vehicle after the airbags have been deployed
If the airbags are deployed due to an accident, the vehicle will be automati-
cally and completely unlocked. Depending on the amount of damage, the
vehicle can be locked following an accident in the following ways: Function Necessary operations
Locking the vehicle
from w
ithin

: – Turn off the ignition and turn it on again.
– Pu
sh the c
entral locking button  .
Locking the vehicle
from the out
s

ide: – Turn off the ignition and turn it on again.
OR: – Remo
v
e the key from the ignition.
– Open any door just once.
– Lock the vehicle with the key. 
Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data