
Contents
4Trailer towing
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Instructions to follow  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Ball coupling of towing bracket*  . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Driving tips  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Fitting a towing bracket* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Vehicle maintenance and cleaning
 . . . . . . . . 
General notes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Vehicle exterior maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Vehicle interior maintenance  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Accessories, parts replacement and 
modifications
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Accessories and spare parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Technical modifications  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Roof aerial*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Mobile phones and two-way radios . . . . . . . . . . 
Checking and refilling levels
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Refuelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
LPG system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Petrol  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Working in the engine compartment . . . . . . . . . 
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Washer fluid and windscreen wiper blades . . . . 
Brake fluid  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Vehicle battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Wheels and tyres
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
If and when
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Tools, tyre repair kit and spare wheel  . . . . . . . . 
Wheel change  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Tyre repair kit* (Tyre Mobility System)  . . . . . . . . 
Fuses  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Bulb change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Jump-starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Towing and tow-starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Technical Specifications
 . . . . . . . . . . 
Description of specifications
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Important information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Information on fuel consumption . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Towing a trailer  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Technical Specifications
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Checking fluid levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Petrol engine 1.4 63 kW (85 PS)  . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Petrol engine 1.6 75 kW (102 PS)  . . . . . . . . . . . 
Petrol engine 1.2 77 kW (105 PS)  . . . . . . . . . . . 
Petrol engine 1.4 92 kW (125 PS)  . . . . . . . . . . . 
Petrol engine 1.8 118 kW (160 PS)  . . . . . . . . . . 
Diesel engine 1.6 TDI CR 77 kW (105 PS) 
with/without DPF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Diesel engine 1.6 TDI CR 77 kW (105 PS) DPF 
Start&Stop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Diesel engine 2.0 TDI CR 103 kW (140 PS) DPF  
Diesel engine 2.0 TDI PD 103 kW (140 PS) without 
DPF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Dimensions and capacities  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Index
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
211
211
212
212
213
215
215
216
221
224
224
224
225
225
226
226
227
230
231
232
235
239
241
245
246
249
249
257
257
259
265
267
272
281
284 287
287
287
289
289
290
291
291
292
293
294
296
297
298
300
301
302
304
305
Altea_EN.book  Seite 4  Donnersta
g, 2. September 2010  2:00 14 

Seats and storage compartments157
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
Rear shelfRemoving the shelf
– Unhook the loops ⇒fig. 123   from housings  – Extract the cover from its slot, in its rest position and pull 
outwards. The storage compartment should remain closed.
To remove the storage compartment
– Pull outwards until the compartment is freed from the pivot point  ⇒fig. 124 .
WARNING
Do not place heavy or hard objects on the rear shelf, because they will 
endanger the vehicle occupants in case of sudden braking.
Caution
•Before closing the tailgate, ensure that the rear shelf is correctly fitted.•An overloaded luggage compartment could mean that the rear shelf is not 
correctly seated and it may be bent or damaged.•If the luggage compartment is overloaded, remove the tray.Note
•Ensure that, when placing items of clothing on the luggage compartment 
cover, rear visibility is not reduced.•If the vehicle is fitted with a storage compartment*, it should only be used 
to store the emergency triangles and light-weight articles.Roof rack*Please observe the following points if you intend to carry loads on the roof:•For safety reasons, only luggage racks and accessories approved by SEAT 
should be used.
Fig. 123  Rear shelfFig. 124  Removing 
storage compartment
AB
AA
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Seats and storage compartments
158•It is imperative to precisely follow the fitting instructions included for the 
rack, taking special care when fitting the front bar in the holes designed for 
this and the rear bar between the marks on the upper part of the rear door 
frame while respecting the correct direction of travel indicated in the installa-
tion manual. Not following these instructions may damage the bodywork.•Pay special attention to the tightening torque of the attachment bolts and 
check them following a short journey. If necessary, retighten the bolts and 
check them at regular intervals.•Distribute the load evenly. A maximum load of 40 kg only is permitted for 
each roof rack system support bar, the load must be distributed evenly along 
the entire length. However, the maximum load permitted for the entire roof 
(including the support system) of 75 kg must not be exceeded nor should the 
total weight of the vehicle be exceeded. See the Technical Data section.•When transporting heavy or large objects on the roof, any change in the 
normal vehicle behaviour due to a change in the centre of gravity or an 
increased wind resistance must be taken into account. For this reason, a suit-
able speed and driving style must be used.•For those vehicles fitted with a sunroof*, ensure that it does not interfere 
with the load on the roof rack system when opened.
Altea_EN.book  Seite 158  Donnerstag, 2. September 2010  2:00 14 

Driving and the environment
208Drive anticipating the traffic situation
A vehicle uses most fuel when accelerating. When you anticipate the situa-
tion, you have to brake less often and, thus, accelerate less. If it is possible, 
let the vehicle roll with a  gear engaged, for example, if you see a red light 
ahead. The braking effect achieved in this way helps to reduce the wear of 
brakes and tyres; emissions and fuel consumption are reduced to zero 
(disconnection due to inertia).
Change gear early to save energy
An effective way of saving fuel is to change up  quickly through the gears. 
Running the engine at high rpm in the lower gears uses an unnecessary 
amount of fuel.
Manual gearbox:  Change from first to second gear as quickly as possible. We 
recommend that, whenever possible, you change to a higher gear upon 
reaching 2000 rpm. Follow the recommended gear indication that appears on 
the instrument panel  ⇒page 62.
Avoid driving at high speed
We advise you not to drive at the top speed permitted by the vehicle. Fuel 
consumption, exhaust emissions and noise levels all increase very rapidly at 
higher speeds. Driving at moderate speeds will help to save fuel.
Avoid idling
It is worthwhile switching off the engine when waiting in a traffic jam, at level 
crossings or at traffic lights with a long red phase. The fuel saved after only 
30 - 40seconds is greater than the amount of fuel needed to restart the 
engine.
The engine takes a long time to warm up when it is idling. Mechanical wear 
and pollutant emissions are also especially high during this initial warm-up 
phase. It is therefore best to drive off immediately after starting the engine. 
Avoid running the engine at high speed. Periodic maintenance
Periodic maintenance work guarantees that, before beginning a journey, you 
will not consume more than the required amount of fuel. A well-serviced 
engine gives you the benefit of 
improved fuel efficiency as well as maximum 
reliability and an enhanced resale value.
A badly serviced engine can consume up to 10% more fuel than necessary.
Avoid short journeys
To reduce the consumption and emission of polluting gases, the engine and 
the exhaust filtration systems should reach the optimum  service tempera-
ture .
With the engine cold, fuel consumption is proportionally higher. The engine 
does not warm up and fuel consumption does not normalise until having 
driven approximately  four kilometres. This is why we recommend avoiding 
short trips whenever possible.
Maintain the correct tyre pressures
Bear in mind that keeping the tyres at an adequate pressure saves fuel. If the 
tyre pressure is just one bar too low, fuel consumption can increase by as 
much as 5%. Due to the greater rolling resistance, under-inflation also 
increases  tyre wear and impairs handling.
The tyre pressures should always be checked when the tyres are  cold.
Do not use  winter tyres  all year round as they increase fuel consumption by 
up to 10%.
Avoid unnecessary weight
Every kilo of  extra weight  will put up the fuel consumption, so it is worth 
checking the luggage compartment occasionally to make sure that no unnec-
essary loads are being transported.
A roof rack is often left in place for the sake of convenience, even when it is 
no longer needed. At a speed of 100-120km/h your vehicle will use about 
12% more fuel as a result of the extra wind resistance caused by the roof rack 
even when it is not in use.
Altea_EN.book  Seite 208  Donnerstag, 2. September 2010  2:00 14 

Vehicle maintenance and cleaning
216Vehicle exterior maintenanceAutomatic car wash tunnel
The vehicle can normally be washed without problem in an 
automatic car wash.The vehicle paintwork is so durable that the vehicle can normally be washed 
without problems in an automatic car wash tunnel. However, the paintwork 
wear depends to a large extent on the kind of the car wash tunnel, the 
brushes used, its water filtering and the type of cleaning and preservative 
products.
Before going through a vehicle wash, be sure to take the usual precautions 
such as closing the windows and sunroof.
If the vehicle has special accessories such as spoilers or a roof rack or two-
way radio aerial, etc., it is advisable to consult the car wash tunnel operator.
After washing, the brakes  could take some time to respond as the brake discs 
and pads could be wet, or even frozen in winter. Dry the brakes by braking 
several times.
WARNING
Water, ice and salt on the brakes can reduce braking efficiency. Risk of acci-
dent.
Caution
If an automatic car wash tunnel is used, before entering the tunnel, put the 
aerial down parallel to the roof and do not tighten to avoid damage.
Washing by handVehicle washing
– First soften the dirt and rinse it off with water.
– Clean your vehicle from top to bottom with a soft sponge, a glove  or a brush. Use very light pressure.
– Rinse the sponge or glove often with clean water.
– Special car shampoo should only be used for very stubborn dirt.
– Leave the wheels, sill panels etc. until last, using a different  sponge or glove.
– Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water.
– Dry the vehicle surface gently with a chamois leather.
–In  cold temperature , dry the rubber seals and their surfaces to 
prevent them from freezing. Apply silicone spray to the rubber 
seals.
After washing the vehicle
– After washing, avoid sudden and sharp braking. Dry the brakes  by braking several times  ⇒page 205, “Braking capacity and 
braking distance”.
WARNING
•Wash your vehicle with the ignition switched off.•Protect your hands and arms from cuts on sharp metal edges when 
cleaning the underbody, the inside of the wheel housings etc. Risk of 
injury.
Altea_EN.book  Seite 216  Donnerstag, 2. September 2010  2:00 14 

Index
310OObservations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  210
Octane number  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  230
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  62
Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
 235
Oil change  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  238
Oil properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  236
One-touch opening and closing
Electric windows  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  114
Opening and locking  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  111
Outside temperature display  . . . . . . . . . . . . 65, 73
Overview Control lamps  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  77
Dash panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  55
Indicator lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  80
Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  57
Warning lamps  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77, 80PPaintworkPolishing  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  218
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  187
Parking aid acoustic system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  189
Parking lights  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  125
Parking system  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  189
Parking system plus  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  190
Passenger See Correct sitting position  . . . . . . . . . . 11, 12
Pedals  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  16 Petrol  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  230
Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  210
Petrol additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  231
Physical principles of a frontal collision  . . . . . .  21
Plastic parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  218
Plastic parts cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  221
Pollen filter  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  169
Pollution filter  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  169
Power steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  203 Warning lamp  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  88
Products for vehicle maintenance  . . . . . . . . . .  215
RRadio frequency remote control . . . . . . . . . . . .  107 Changing the battery  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  108
Radio navigation controls on the steering wheel Audio + telephone version . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  96
Rain sensor*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  132
Rear drink holder* Armrest* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  149
Rear fog light Indicator lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  83
Warning lamp  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  118
Rear interior lights  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  128
Rear reading lights  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  128
Rear seats  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  142
Rear shelf Storage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  157
Rear window automatic wiper/washer  . . . . . .  133 Rear window wiper  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  133
Recommended gear display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  62
Refuelling  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  226
Registration light  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  280
Remote control key
Buttons  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  107
Synchronising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  108
Removing and fitting the wheel . . . . . . . . . . . .  264
Repairs Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  32
Replacement keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  105
Replacement of parts  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  224
Rev counter  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  59
Reverse gear Manual gearbox  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  181
Roll-back function Sliding/tilting sunroof  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  117
Windows  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  114
Roof aerial  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  225
Roof rack*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  157
Roof storage compartment* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  146
Rubber seals  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  219
Run-flat tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  252
Running in Engine  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  205
SSafe driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  8
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Index
312Tank
Fuel level  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  58
Reserve indicator  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  58
Tank capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  58
TCS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  198
TCS (Traction control system) Warning lamp  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  89
Technical modifications  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  224
The danger of not using the seat belt  . . . . . . . .  22
Tightening torque of wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . .  290
Tilting sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  115
Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  257
Top Tether system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  52
Tow starting General notes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  284
Towing  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  284
Towing a trailer  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  289
Towing bracket  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  212
Towing bracket, fitting  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  213
Towing eye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  284
Towing eyes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  286
Tow-starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  284
Traction control system Warning lamp  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  89
Trailer Trailer towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  211
Trailer turn signals Warning lamp  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  125
Trailer weights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  289 Turn signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  125
Indicator lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  83
Warning lamp  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  125
Tyre Mobility System (Tyre repair kit) . . . . . . . .  265
Tyre Mobility-System (Tyre repair kit)  . . . . . . .  258
Tyre pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  249 Loss  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  251
Tyre pressure monitoring  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  250
Tyre pressure warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  85
Tyre pressures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  290
Tyre repair kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258, 265
Tyres and wheels Dimensions  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  254
Tyres service life  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  251
Tyres tread depth  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  252
Tyres with directional tread pattern . . . . . . . . .  249
UUnderbody protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  220
Unlocking and locking Personalisation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  103VVehicle battery  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  246
Vehicle data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  288
Vehicle identification data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  288
Vehicle identification number  . . . . . . . . . . . . .  288
Vehicle MaintenanceExterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  216 Vehicle modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  224
Vehicle paintwork
Maintenance  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  217
Products for vehicle maintenance . . . . . . .  215
Vehicle tools Storage  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  257
Vehicle washing  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  216
Ventilation slits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  17
Volumetric sensor* Activation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  109
Deactivation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  109
WWarning lamp  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  31
Warning lamps  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  77
Warning messages in the display  . . . . . . . . . . .  66
Warning reportsRed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66, 80
Yellow  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66, 81
Warning symbols  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  80
Warning triangle  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  155
Washer fluid  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  241
Washing by hand  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  216
Washing with high pressure cleaners . . . . . . .  217
Water Warning message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  67
Water in the windscreen washer tank  . . . . . . .  241
Wear indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  252
Wearing suitable shoes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  16
Altea_EN.book  Seite 312  Donnerstag, 2. September 2010  2:00 14