2011 Seat Alhambra towing

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

Wheels and tyres
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Wheel trims* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Changing a wheel* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
If and when . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
In case of emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Emergency locking and unlocking . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Tools* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Changing bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Starting assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Towing and tow starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Technical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
General notes on the technical data . . . . . . . . 344
Outstanding information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Data on fuel consumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Towing a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Technical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
Checking fluid levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
Petrol engine 1.4 110 kW (150 PS) . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Petrol engine 1.4 110 kW (150 HP). Automatic . 350
Petrol engine 2.0 147 kW (200 HP). Automatic . 351
Diesel engine 2.0 TDI CR 85 kW (115 PS) . . . . . . 352
Diesel engine 2.0 TDI CR 100 kW (136 PS) . . . . . 354
Diesel engine 2.0 TDI CR 100 kW (136 PS)
Autom atic
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Diesel engine 2.0 TDI CR 103 kW (140 PS) . . . . . 356
Diesel engine 2.0 TDI CR 103 kW (140 PS)
Automatic
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Diesel engine 2.0 TDI CR 103 kW (140 PS) four-
wheel drive
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Diesel engine 2.0 TDI CR 125 kW (170 PS) . . . . . 360 Diesel engine 2.0 TDI CR 125 kW (170 PS)
Automatic

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Dimensions and capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3654
Table of Contents

80
Unlocking and locking
● Push the 
OFF button. A yellow warning lamp will light up in the button
unti l
the vehicle is locked.
● Lock all doors and tailgate.
● Use the key to lock the vehicle. The interior monitor and / or anti-towing
alarm are sw
itched off until the next time the vehicle is locked.
To turn off the interior monitoring and anti-tow systems before unlocking
the vehicle, for example in the following situations:
● When leaving animals inside the vehicle  ⇒ page 74.
● When the

vehicle must be loaded.
● When the vehicle is being transported, for example, by ferry.
● When the vehicle must be towed with the axle raised.
Risk of
false alarms
The interior monitoring system only operates correctly if the vehicle is com-
pletely closed. Observe legal requirements. The alarm may be accidentally
triggered in the following cases:
● When a window is completely or partially open.
● If the sunglasses storage compartment in the roof console is open.
● When the panorama sliding sunroof is completely or partially open.
● When suspended objects are hung from the interior mirror (air freshen-
er) or there are loo
se papers in the vehicle.
● If the separation net is fitted and moves (due to heating).
● Due to a vibrating mobile telephone inside the vehicle. Note
Upon activating the alarm, if any door or the tailgate is open, only the alarm
wi l

l be activated. The interior monitoring and anti-tow systems will only be
activated when the doors and tailgate are fully closed. Doors
Introduction Additional information and warnings:
●
Vehicle key set ⇒ page 71
● C

entral locking and locking system ⇒ page 74
● Emer

gency locking and unlocking ⇒ page 314 WARNING
If a door is not correctly closed, it could open unexpectedly when driving
and cau se seriou

s injuries.
● Always stop immediately and close the door.
● When closing, ensure that the door has closed correctly. A closed
door should be flu
sh with the corresponding parts of the bodywork.
● Open and close doors only when nobody is in the way of the door. WARNING
A door held open by its retainer could be blown closed by the wind or
clo se if

the vehicle is on a hill causing injury.
● When opening and closing doors, always use the door handle. 
Warning indicator lights up Possible cause Solution
 At least one vehicle door is
open or not c
orr

ectly shut. 
Stop driving immediately!
Open the c orr
esponding door
and close it immediately. 

84
Unlocking and locking WARNING
When the electric child safety function is activated, the sliding door can
be opened from the out s
ide only.
● Never leave children or disabled people alone in the vehicle if the
doors ar
e to be locked. Therefore, passengers will be locked inside the
vehicle. They could be trapped in the car in an emergency and will not be
able to get themselves to safety. 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. 
Tailgate Introduction Additional information and warnings:
●
Central locking ⇒ page 74
● T

ransporting ⇒ page 13
● Emer

gency locking and unlocking ⇒ page 314WARNING
Careless and unsuitable locking, opening and closing of the tailgate can
cau se ac

cidents and serious injury.
● Open and close the tailgate only when nobody is in the way.
● Do not close the tailgate by pushing it down with your hand on the
rear w
indow. The rear window could break and cause injury. WARNING (Continued)
● Ensure the tailgate is locked after closing, otherwise, it may open un-
e xpect

edly while driving. A closed tailgate should be flush with the cor-
responding parts of the bodywork.
● Always keep the tailgate closed while driving to avoid toxic gases en-
tering the p
assenger compartment.
● Do not open the tailgate when there is a load carrier installed. Like-
wise, the t
ailgate cannot be opened when a load is attached to it, for ex-
ample bicycles. An open tailgate could close itself if there is an addition-
al weight on it. If necessary, press down on the tailgate and remove the
load.
● Close and lock both the tailgate and all the other doors when you are
not us
ing the vehicle. Ensure that nobody remains inside the vehicle.
● Never allow children to play inside or around the vehicle without su-
pervi
sion, especially if the tailgate is open. Children could enter the lug-
gage compartment, close the tailgate and become trapped. Depending
on the time of the year, temperatures inside a locked and closed vehicle
can be extremely high or extremely low resulting in serious injuries and
illness or even death, particularly for young children.
● Never leave children or disabled people alone in the vehicle. If the ve-
hicle k
ey or the central locking button is used, they may be locked in the
vehicle. CAUTION
Before opening the tailgate, ensure that there is sufficient free space to
open and clo se it, f

or example if you are towing a trailer or in a garage. 

167
Driving
Driving SteeringIntroduction The power steering is not hydraulic but electromechanical. The advantage
of thi
s
steering system is that it disposes of hydraulic tubes, hydraulic oil,
the pump, filter and other components. The electromechanical system
saves fuel. While a hydraulic system requires oil pressure to be maintained,
electromechanical steering only requires energy when the steering wheel is
turned.
With the power steering system, the assisted steering function automatical-
ly adjusts according to the vehicle speed, the steering torque and the wheel
turning angle. The power steering only works when the engine is running.
Additional information and warnings:
● Start and stop the engine ⇒ page 170
● V

ehicle battery ⇒ page 288
● T

ow-starting and towing away ⇒ page 340WARNING
If the power steering is not working then the steering wheel is much
more diffic u

lt to turn and the vehicle more difficult to control.
● The power steering only works when the engine is running.
● Never allow the vehicle to move when the engine is switched off.
● Never remove the key from the ignition if the vehicle is in motion. The
steerin
g may lock and it will not be possible to turn the steering wheel. Control and warning lamps lights up Possible cause Solution
 (red) Power steering faulty. The steering system should be
chec
k

ed by a Technical Service
as soon as possible. 
(yel-
lo w) Power steering operation re-
duced. The steering system should be
chec
k

ed by a Technical Service
as soon as possible.
If, after restarting the engine
and driving for a short distance,
the yellow warning light no lon-
ger comes on, it will not be nec-
essary to take the vehicle to a
specialised workshop. The vehicle battery was dis-
connect
ed and h

as been re-
connected. Drive for a short distance at 15 –
20 km/h.
Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data

170
Driving
Stopping and starting the engine
Introduction Immobiliser display
When an inv
alid k
ey is used or in the event of a system fault,  or Immo-
biliser on is displayed on the instrument panel. The engine cannot be star- ted.
Pushing or towing
For technical reasons, the vehicle must not be push- or tow-started. Jump
starting is preferable.
Additional information and warnings:
● Vehicle key set ⇒ pag
e 71
● Changing gear ⇒  pag
e 174
● Braking, stopping and parking ⇒ page 183
● St

eering ⇒  pag
e 167
● Start assist systems ⇒ pag
e 194
● Refuelling ⇒  pag
e 264
● Fuel ⇒ page 267
● Emer

gency locking and unlocking ⇒ page 314
● Jump s

tarting ⇒  pag
e 337
● Tow-starting and towing away ⇒ pag
e 340 WARNING
Turning off the engine while driving will make stopping the vehicle diffi-
cu lt; thi

s could even result in the loss of control causing an accident with
serious consequences.
● The assisted braking and steering systems, the airbag system, safety
belts and c
ertain safety equipment are only active while the engine is
running.
● The engine should only be switched off when the vehicle is at a
stand
still. WARNING
While the engine is running or starting it could help reduce the risk of se-
rious injur

y.
● Never start or leave the engine running in poorly ventilated or closed
spac
es. Exhaust gas contains carbon monoxide, a toxic, colourless and
odourless gas. Carbon monoxide can cause people to lose conscious-
ness. It can also cause death.
● Never leave the vehicle unattended if the engine is running. The vehi-
cle c
ould move off suddenly or something unexpected could happen re-
sulting in damage and serious injury.
● Never use start boosters. Cold start sprays could explode or increase
the engine speed u
nexpectedly. 

182
Driving
Recommended gear indication In some vehicles, the recommended gear for reducing fuel consumption is
dis
p
layed on the instrument panel: Display Meaning
 Optimum gear.
 Recommendation to change up a gear.
 Recommendation to change down a gear.
Information for cleaning the diesel particulate filter
The exh
au

st gas system control recognises when the diesel particulate filter
is blocked, and helps to clean it by recommending a specific gear for driv-
ing. It may therefore be necessary to drive with the engine at an exception-
ally high speed ⇒ page 228. WARNING
The recommended gear display is intended as a guideline only; it should
never r ep

lace the driver's attention to driving carefully.
● Responsibility for selecting the correct gear for each situation contin-
ues t
o lie with the driver, for example when overtaking, climbing a hill or
towing a trailer. For the sake of the environment
Selecting the most appropriate gear for the situation will help you to save
fuel . Note
The recommended gear display is switched off when the clutch pedal is
pre s

sed. 

183
Driving
Braking, stopping and parking
Introduction The assisted braking systems include the anti-lock braking system (ABS),
the br
ak
e assist system (BAS), the electronic differential system (EDS), the
ASR traction control system (TCS) and the ESC electronic stabilisation pro-
gram (ESP).
Additional information and warnings:
● Towing mode ⇒ page 233
● St

art assist systems ⇒ page 194
● Wheel

s and tyres ⇒ page 293
● A

ccessories, parts replacement, repairs and modifications ⇒ page 257WARNING
Driving with worn brake pads or a faulty brake system may lead to seri-
ous ac

cident.
● If  lights, alone or accompanied by a warning message on the in-
strument
panel, please go immediately to a specialist workshop to check
the brake pads and to replace them if they are worn. WARNING
Careless parking can cause serious injury.
● Never remove the key from the ignition if the vehicle is in motion. The
st eerin

g lock may engage and locked the steering wheel making the vehi-
cle impossible to control. WARNING (Continued)
● Always park your vehicle so that no part of the exhaust system can
c ome in c

ontact with flammable materials (such as wood, leaves, spilled
fuel, dried grass, etc).
● Always apply the electronic parking brake when you leave your vehi-
cle and when
you park.
● Never leave children or disabled people alone in the vehicle. They
coul
d release the electronic parking brake, activate the selector lever or
gear stick and start the vehicle moving. This could result in serious acci-
dent.
● Always take all the keys with you whenever you leave the vehicle. The
engine cou
ld accidentally be started and electrical equipment such as
the windows could accidentally be operated resulting in serious injury.
● Never leave children or disabled people alone in the car. They could
be trapped in the c
ar in an emergency and will not be able to get them-
selves to safety. For example, depending on the time of the year, temper-
atures inside a locked and closed vehicle can be extremely high or ex-
tremely low resulting in serious injuries and illness or even death, partic-
ularly for young children. CAUTION
● Special care should be taken when parking in areas with high kerbs or
fi x

ed barriers. Objects protruding from the ground may damage the bumper
or other parts of the vehicle during manoeuvres. To avoid damage, stop be-
fore the wheels touched the barrier or kerb.
● Special attention is required when driving through entrances, over
ramps, k
erbs or other objects. The vehicle underbody, bumpers, mudguards
and running gear, and the engine and exhaust system could be damaged as
you drive over these objects. Safety First Operating instructions Practical tips Technical Data