
Contents3
ContentsManual structure
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Content
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Safety First
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Safe driving
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Brief introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Proper sitting position for occupants . . . . . . . . . 
Pedal area  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Storing objects  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Seat belts
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Brief introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Why wear seat belts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Seat belt tensioners  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Airbag system
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Brief introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Front airbags  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Side airbags* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Curtain airbags  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Deactivating airbags*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Child safety
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Brief introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Securing child seats  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Operating Instructions
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Cockpit
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Overview  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Instruments  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
LPG system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Digital instrument panel display  . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Instrument panel menus* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Warning lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Steering wheel controls
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General information  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Audio system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Radio navigation system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Unlocking and locking
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Keys  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Radio frequency remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Anti-theft alarm system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Windows  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Sliding/tilting sunroof* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Lights and visibility
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Lights  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Interior lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Windscreen wipers  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Rear-view mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Seats and storage compartments
. . . . . . . . . . 
The importance of correct seat adjustment . . . . 
Head restraints  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Front seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Rear seats  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Storage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Ashtrays*, cigarette lighter* and electrical 
sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
First-aid kit, warning triangle, fire extinguisher  
Luggage compartment  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Air conditioning
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Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Climatic*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
2C-Climatronic*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
General notes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Driving
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Steering  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Ignition lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Starting and stopping the engine  . . . . . . . . . . . 
Start-Stop function*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Manual gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Automatic gearbox*/DSG automatic gearbox . . 
Handbrake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Parking aid acoustic system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Cruise control* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Practical Tips
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Intelligent technology
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Brakes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Anti-lock brake system and traction control M-ABS 
(ABS and TCS)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Electronic Stability Programme (ESP)* . . . . . . . . 
Driving and the environment
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Running-in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Exhaust gas purification system . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Economical and environmentally friendly driving
Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
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Unlocking and locking115
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
•Always take the key with you when leaving the vehicle, even if you only 
intend to be gone for a short time. Please ensure that children are never left 
alone inside the vehicle.•The electric windows will work until the key has been removed from the 
ignition and one of the front doors has been opened.•Never close the tailgate without observing and ensuring it is clear, to do 
otherwise could cause serious injury to you and third parties. Make sure 
that no one is in the path of a window.•Never allow people to remain in the vehicle when you close the vehicle 
from the outside. The windows cannot be opened even in an emergency.Note
The roll-back function is deactivated if the windows are closed from the 
outside of the vehicle using the ignition key for convenience closing 
⇒ page 115.Convenience opening and closing* Using the door lock
– Hold the key in the door lock of the driver door in either the 
locking or the unlocking position until all windows are either 
opened or closed.
– Release the key to interrupt this function. Using the remote control
– Push the lock or unlock button on the remote control for about 3 
seconds. All windows which function electrically will be either 
opened or closed.
– Release the unlock button to interrupt the function.
– Once the windows are completely closed, the turn signals will  flash.
Sliding/tilting sunroof*Opening and closing the  sliding/tilting sunroof
The sliding/tilting sunroof is opened and closed using the 
rotary knob when the ignition is switched on.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 70  Roof lining 
description: 
sliding/tilting sunroof 
rotary knob
Altea_EN.book  Seite 115  Donnerstag, 2. September 2010  2:00 14 

Unlocking and locking
116
Closing the sliding/tilting sunroof
– Turn the rotary button to position    ⇒fig. 70  ⇒ .
Opening the sliding/tilting sunroof
– Turn the rotary button to position  . The sunroof opens to the  convenience position where wind noise is reduced.
– To open the roof further, turn the switch to position   and hold  the switch in this position until the roof opens to the desired 
position.
Tilting the sliding/tilting sunroof
– Turn the rotary button to position  .Always close the sliding/tilting sunroof fully if you park the vehicle or leave it 
unattended ⇒ .
The sliding/tilting sunroof can be operated for up to about 10 minutes after 
the ignition has been switched off, provided the driver door and the front 
passenger door are not opened.
Sun visor
The sun visor is opened together with the sliding/tilting sunroof. If required, 
it can be closed by hand when the sunroof is closed.
WARNING
•Incorrect use of the sliding/tilting sunroof can result in injury.•Never close the sliding/tilting sunroof without checking there are no 
obstructions, to do otherwise could cause serious injury to you and others. 
Make sure that no one is in the path of the sliding/tilting sunroof.•Always take the vehicle key with you when you leave the vehicle.
•Never leave children or disabled persons in the vehicle, particularly if 
they have access to the keys. Unsupervised use of a key could mean that 
the engine is started or that electrical equipment is used (e.g. electric 
sliding/tilting sunroof). Risk of accident! The doors can be locked using the 
remote control key. This could make the aid difficult in an emergency situ-
ation.•The sliding/tilting sunroof continues to function until one of the front 
doors is opened and the key removed from the ignition.
Convenience closing* Using the door lock
– Hold the key in the door lock of the driver door in the locking  position until the sliding/tilting sunroof is closed.
– Release the key to interrupt this function.
Using the remote control
– Push the lock button on the remote control for about 3 seconds.  The sliding/tilting sunroof is closed.
– Release the unlock button to interrupt the function.
– When the sliding/tilting sunroof has closed completely, the turn  signals flash once.
AAAB
AC
AD
WARNING (continued)
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Unlocking and locking117
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
Note
The sliding/tilting sunroof rotary knob remains in the last position selected if 
the roof is closed using convenience closing from outside the vehicle and will 
have to be re-positioned the next time you drive.Roll-back function of the sliding/tilting sunroof*
The sliding/tilting sunroof has a  roll-back function which prevents larger 
objects getting trapped when the roof is closed. The roll-back function does 
not prevent fingers getting pinched against the roof opening. The 
sliding/tilting sunroof stops and opens again immediately if it is obstructed 
when closing.
If the sliding/tilting sunroof has been opened again by the roll-back function, 
it can be closed only by pressing the rotary button at the front in position   
⇒ fig. 71  until the sliding/tilting sunroof has closed fully.  Please note that 
the sunroof will now close without the roll-back function.
Operation in the event of a breakdown
In case of a breakdown, the sunroof may be closed manually.•Remove the plastic cover by inserting a screwdriver in the rear section.•Remove the lever from the cover fastening, insert it in the opening as far 
as possible (pushing against the spring) and close the sliding roof.•Fit the lever back into position.
Fig. 71  Roof lining 
description: 
sliding/tilting sunroof 
rotary knob
Fig. 72  Emergency 
closing handle
AA
Altea_EN.book  Seite 117  Donnerstag, 2. September 2010  2:00 14 

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.
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Air conditioning
170comfort for the vehicle occupants and prevents misting of the windows when 
the ambient air humidity is high.
If the air conditioning system cannot be switched on this may be caused by 
the following reasons:•The engine is not running.•The   button is disconnected.•The outside temperature is below +3 °C.•The air conditioning system compressor has been temporarily switched 
off because the engine coolant temperature is too high.•The air conditioner fuse is faulty.•Another fault in the vehicle. Have the air conditioner checked by a special-
ised workshop.Caution
•If you suspect that the air conditioner is damaged, switch it off with button   to prevent further damage and have it checked by a specialised work-
shop.•Repairs to the air conditioner require specialist knowledge and special 
tools. Therefore, we recommend you to take the vehicle to a specialised work-
shop.Note
•If the humidity and temperature outside the vehicle are high, condensa-
tion  can drip off the evaporator in the cooling system and so forming a puddle 
underneath the vehicle. This is completely normal and there is no need to 
suspect a leak.•Keep the air intake slots in front of the windscreen free of snow, ice and 
leaves to ensure heating and cooling are not impaired, and to prevent the 
windows from misting over.
•The air from the vents flows through the vehicle interior and is extracted 
by slots designed for this purpose. Therefore, do not cover these slots with 
items of clothing or other objects.•The air conditioner operates most effectively with the windows and the 
sliding/tilting sunroof* closed. However,  if the temperature inside the vehicle 
is excessive because of the sun, the air inside can be cooled faster by opening 
the windows for a short time.•Do not smoke while air recirculation mode is on, as smoke drawn into the 
air conditioning system leaves a residue on the evaporator, producing a 
permanent unpleasant odour.•It is advisable to connect the air conditioning at least once a month, to 
lubricate the system gaskets and prevent leaks. If a decrease in the cooling 
capacity is detected, an Authorised Service Centre should be consulted to 
check the system.
AC
AC
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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.
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Vehicle maintenance and cleaning217
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
•Water, ice and salt on the brakes can reduce braking efficiency. Risk of 
accident.Caution
•Never remove dirt, mud or dust if the vehicle surface is dry. Never use a 
dry cloth or sponge for cleaning purposes. This could scratch the paintwork 
or glass on your vehicle.•Washing the vehicle in low temperatures: when washing the vehicle with 
a hose, do not direct water into the lock cylinders or the gaps around the 
doors, tailgate, or sunroof. Risk of freezing.For the sake of the environment
To protect environment, the vehicle should be washed only in specially 
provided wash bays. This prevents toxic, oil-laden waste water entering the 
sewerage system. In some places, washing vehicles outside wash bays is 
prohibited.
Note
Do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight.Washing the vehicle with a high pressure cleaner
Be particularly careful when using a high pressure cleaner!– Always observe the instructions for the high-pressure cleaner,  particularly those concerning the pressure  and the spraying 
distance. – Increase the spraying distance 
for soft materials and painted 
bumpers.
– Do not use a high pressure cleaner to remove ice or snow from  windows  ⇒page 218.
– Never use concentrated jet nozzles (“rotating jets”)  ⇒.
– After washing, avoid sudden and sharp braking. Dry the brakes  by braking several times  ⇒page 205.
WARNING
•Never wash tyres with a concentrated jet (“rotating nozzle”). Even at 
large spraying distances and short cleaning times, visible and invisible 
damage can occur to the tyres. This may cause an accident.•Water, ice and salt on the brakes can reduce braking efficiency. Risk of 
accident.Caution
•Do not use water hotter than 60 °C. This could damage the vehicle.•To avoid damage to the vehicle, keep a sufficient distance from sensitive 
materials such as flexible hoses, plastic, soundproofing material, etc. This is 
also important for bumpers painted in the colour of the bodywork. The closer 
the nozzle is to the surface, the greater the wear on the material.Vehicle paint maintenance
Regular waxing protects the paintwork.You need to apply wax to your vehicle if water does not form small drops and 
run off the paintwork when it is  clean.
WARNING (continued)
Altea_EN.book  Seite 217  Donnerstag, 2. September 2010  2:00 14