2012 Seat Alhambra warning

126Seats and storage compartments
WARNING
Travelling with the head restraints removed or improperly adjusted in-
creases the risk of severe or fatal injuries in the event of accidents and
sudden braking or manoeuvres.
● Always fit and adjust the head restraint properly whenever a person
is occupying a seat.
● Refit any removed head restraints immediately so that passengers
are properly protected.
CAUTION
On removing and fitting the head restraint, make sure the head restraint
does not hit the interior roof of the vehicle or the backrest of the front seat.
This could damage the interior roof and other parts of the vehicle. 
Centre armrest
Fig. 88 Front centre arm-
rest. To lift the central armrest, lift it upwards in the direction of the arrow
⇒ fig. 88, setting by setting.
To lower the centre armrest, pull it downwards. Then lower the centre arm-
rest.
WARNING
The centre armrest may limit the freedom of movement of the driver's
arm and cause a serious accident.
● Keep the centre armrest compartments closed while the vehicle is in
motion.
● The centre armrest is not designed for children to sit on! Sitting in
this incorrect position can cause severe injuries.

Loading luggage compartment Introduction
Always transport heavy loads in the trunk and place the seat backs in a ver-
tical position. Always use the fastening rings with suitable rope or straps.
Never overload the vehicle. Both the carrying capacity as well as the distri-
bution of the load in the vehicle have effects on the driving behaviour and
braking ability ⇒ 
.
Additional information and warnings:
● Airbag system ⇒ page 31
● Light ⇒ page 95
● Transporting ⇒ page 13
● Towing mode ⇒ page 237
● Wheels and tyres ⇒ page 297 

127
Seats and storage compartments
WARNING
When the vehicle is not in use or being watched, always lock the doors
and the tailgate to reduce the risk of serious injury or death.
● Do not leave children unwatched, especially when the tailgate is
open. Children could climb into the luggage compartment, close the tail-
gate from inside and be unable to escape themselves. This could lead to
serious injury or death.
● Never allow children to play in or around the vehicle.
● Never transport people in the luggage compartment.
WARNING
Unsecured or incorrectly secured objects can cause serious injury in case
of a sudden 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
objects in the luggage compartment.
● Always secure objects with suitable rope or straps so that they can-
not enter the areas around the frontal or side airbags in case of sudden
braking or an accident.
● While driving, always keep object compartments closed.
WARNING (Continued)
● Do not place hard, heavy or sharp objects inside the passenger com-
partment, in open storage compartments, the rear shelf or on the dash-
board.
● Remove hard, heavy and sharp objects from clothes and pockets in-
side the vehicle and store securely.
WARNING
The transport of heavy object changes vehicle handling and increases
braking distance. Heavy loads that have not been stored or secured cor-
rectly could cause loss of control and result in serious injury.
● The vehicle handling changes when transporting heavy objects due
to a change in the centre of gravity.
● Distribute the load as uniformly and as low down on the vehicle as
possible.
● Store heavy objects in the luggage compartment as far from the rear
axle as possible.
CAUTION
● Hard objects on the shelf could chafe the wires of the heating element
and antenna of the rear window and cause damage.
● The side window antenna could be damaged due to chafing from ob-
jects.
Note
The ventilating slits between the heated rear window and the shelf must not
be covered so that used air can escape from the vehicle. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTechnical Specifications

129
Seats and storage compartments
Folding the seats in the second row of seats for loading
● If necessary, open the belt loop and wind up the seat belt by hand.
● If it is necessary, remove the head rests on the integrated child seats
then reinstalled the integrated child seats ⇒ page 45.
● If necessary, raise the armrests.
● Remove objects from the footrest area in front of and behind the rear
seat ⇒ 
.
● Move the rear seat all the way back.
● Push the head restraint down as far as it will go ⇒ page 10.
● In the middle seat, close the drinks carrier in the rear of the centre con-
sole, if necessary.
● Pull lever ⇒ fig. 89 1
back and fold the backrest forwards. The com-
plete rear seat folds forward ⇒ .
● Fold the backrest forwards until it locks into the load surface position
B
.
● If necessary, pull on the lever ⇒ fig. 90 2 to move the seat to the re-
quired position.
● When the seat is folded down, no adults or children should travel in it
⇒ 
.
Folding the seats in the third row of seats for loading
● If necessary, open the belt loop and wind up the seat belt by hand.
● Open the tailgate.
● Push the head restraint down as far as it will go ⇒ page 10.
● Remove objects from the footrest area in front of and behind the rear
seat ⇒ 
.
● Remove objects from the space below the rear seat.
● Remove the attachment elements and supports for the net from the rail
system.
● Pull lever 1
back and fold the backrest forwards. The rear seat folds for-
ward ⇒  and the cushion also moves forward. ●
Fold the seat tray forward on top of the folded seat.
● When the seat is folded down, no adults or children should travel in it
⇒ 
.
Putting the seats in the second row back in place
● Pull lever ⇒ fig. 89 1
upwards and place the backrests in vertical posi-
tion. The entire seat folds backwards.
● Pull on the rear seats and the backrest to ensure that they are correctly
locked in place and that the safety belt protection is guaranteed for rear
seat passengers.
Putting the seats in the third row back in place
● Open the tailgate.
● Pull on the handle ⇒ fig. 90 2
to put the seat tray back in position.
● Pull on the handle 3. The entire seat folds backwards.
● Press on the seat tray in the backrest until it is held in position by its
magnets.
● Open the sliding door.
● Put the backrest into position and press firmly until it clicks into place.
● Pull on the rear seats and the backrest to ensure that they are correctly
locked in place and that the safety belt protection is guaranteed for rear
seat passengers.
WARNING
Folding and lifting the rear seats carelessly without paying attention
could cause serious injury.
● Never fold or lift the seats while driving.
● Do no trap or damage seat belts when raising the backrest.
● Keep your hands, fingers, feet and other body parts out of the hinges
and the seat locking mechanism when folding and unfolding. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTechnical Specifications

130Seats and storage compartments
WARNING (Continued)
● Mats or other objects can be caught in the hinges of the backrests or
rear seat. This could prevent the seat or backrest from locking securely in
the vertical position.
● All backrests must engage correctly for the seat belts on the rear
seats to work properly. When the backrest of an occupied seat is not cor-
rectly locked in place, the passenger can be thrust forward with the back-
rest in case of sudden braking, sudden manoeuvres or an accident.
● No seat must be occupied if the backrest or seat is folded or not cor-
rectly engaged.
CAUTION
● Before folding the backrest of the rear seat, adjust the front seats so
that the head restraint or backrest do not hit them when it is folded.
● Objects placed in the footrest area in front of and behind the rear seats
can be damaged when seats are folded down or put back into position. Re-
move any objects in the way before folding seats down or repositioning
them. ●
Objects placed in the moulding on the back of the third row of seats can
be damaged when folding down the seats or putting them back into posi-
tion. Remove any objects in the way before folding seats down or reposi-
tioning them.
● The attachment elements and supports for the net partition placed on
the rail system can be damaged when folding down seats from the third row
or putting them back into position and these can also damage the seats
themselves. Before folding down or repositioning the seats, remove the at-
tachment elements and supports for the net from the rail system. 

132Seats and storage compartments
Closing the shelf
●Pull the unfolded shelf evenly on the guide backwards.
● Secure the shelf using the left and right side supports.
Installing the shelf behind the second row of seats
● Place the shelf in its position in the side lining, left-hand side first.
● Release the shelf in the direction of the arrow B
.
● Insert the shelf into the right-hand support, pressing down.
Installing the shelf behind the third row of seats
● Remove the shelf from the support in the side lining ⇒ fig. 92 A
. To do
this, press the shelf upwards (arrow) and remove it.
● Open the compartment in the left-hand side rear lining ⇒ page 142 and
hook the shelf to the rear of the luggage compartment cover B
.
● Close the rear left-hand side lining compartment.
● Place the shelf in its position in the side lining, left-hand side first.
● Lift the shelf off in direction of the arrow ⇒ fig. 91 B
.
● Insert the shelf into the right-hand support, pressing down.
Removing the shelf
● Release the shelf in the direction of the arrow B
and lift it in the direc-
tion of the arrow C.
● Remove the shelf from the right-hand side support. ●
Also, when removing from behind the third row of seats: Cover the side-
lining supports with their covers.
● Only with 5 places: Support the released shelf by placing it on the front
section of the luggage compartment floor ⇒ page 142.
WARNING
If the shelf is placed on one of the rear seats, this could cause serious
injury in case of sudden braking or an accident.
● Whenever it the third row seats are occupied, the shelf should be put
behind this row.
WARNING
Unsecured or incorrectly secured objects or animals on the rear shelf
could cause serious injuries in case of a sudden manoeuvre or braking or
even an accident.
● Do not leave hard, heavy or sharp objects (loose or in bags) on the
rear shelf.
● Never transport animals on the rear shelf.


134Seats and storage compartments
Installing the net partition behind the front seats
●Hook in the net partition on the left-hand side roof support C
. To do
this, guide the rod from up to down.
● Hook in the net partition on the rear right-hand side roof support by
pressing on the rod.
● Secure the hooks of the net partition to the attachment rings in the left
and right hand side foot rests on the second row of seats then tighten the
straps.
Removing the net partition
● Loosen the net partition straps.
● Release the net partition hooks from the rings B
.
● Release the net partition from the right and left roof supports A or Cby pressing on the rod.
●
Unhook the net partition from the left-hand side roof support.
Folding in the net partition
● Press on the release button ⇒ fig. 93 2
and bend the rod A in the di-
rection of the arrow with the release o button pressed.
● Press on the release button 3
and bend the rod B in the direction of
the arrow with the release button pressed.
● Store the net partition securely in the vehicle.
WARNING
Loose objects in the passenger compartment can be violently thrown in
case of a sudden manoeuvre or braking and especially in accidents caus-
ing serious injury.
● Ensure that the rods are correctly locked in place.
● Even when net partition is correctly fitted, objects must be secured.
● When driving with the net partition, no passengers should be behind
it.
 Fastening rings*
Fig. 95 In the luggage
compartment: fastening
rings
To the front and rear of the luggage compartment, there are fastening rings
for securing objects ⇒ fig. 95 (arrows). On some models, the fastening rings
are all the way to the back on the lock carrier plate.
There are other fastening rings located to the left and right hand side of the
second row footrests.
Some models of fastening rings must be lifted to use them.
WARNING
Unsuitable or damaged ropes or straps may be released in case of sud-
den braking or an accident. As a result, objects may be fired through the
passenger compartment causing serious injury or death.
● Always use suitable ropes and straps in good condition.
● Secure the ropes and straps to the fastening rings. 

135
Seats and storage compartments
WARNING (Continued)
● Loose objects in the luggage compartment can suddenly slide and
change the way the vehicle handles.
● Secure all objects, little and large.
● Never secure a load that is too heavy for the fastening rings.
● Never secure a child seat to the fastening rings.
Note
● The maximum load of the fastening rings is approximately 3.5 Kn (3.57
Kp).
● You can find suitable transport straps and load securing systems at a
specialised workshop. SEAT recommends visiting a Technical Service. 
Rails and attachment system*
Fig. 96 In the luggage
compartment: System in-
cluding rails, adjustable
attachment elements 1
and adjustable tighten-
ing straps 2.
The rails and attachment system consists of four rails, movable attachment
elements, straps to be secured to the rails and a net with supports to cover baggage ⇒ page 136. The rail and attachment system is designed to se-
cure light objects. If the seats in the third row are to be occupied by passen-
gers then attachment elements should never be placed in the section of the
rails close to the seats
⇒ 
.
Installing the attachment elements
● Fit the attachment element with the ruts facing upwards ⇒ fig. 96 1
to
the upper part of the guide and press downwards.
● Move the attachment element to the desired position.
● Always ensure that the attachment inserts into the guide system ⇒ 
.
Removing the attachment elements
● Remove the attachment element from the guide and pull downwards.
Securing a load
● Pull the strap through the attachment element and secure the load
⇒ 
.
WARNING
In case of an accident or sudden braking, the attachment elements in the
parts of the rails close to the seats of the third row could injure seat oc-
cupants.
● Whenever the seats on the third row are to be occupied, remove the
attachment elements from the rails or move them all the way back.
WARNING
Movable attachment elements that are not secured correctly can be re-
leased from the guide in case of sudden braking or accident. As a result,
objects may be fired through the passenger compartment causing seri-
ous injury or death.
● Always ensure that the movable attachment elements are correctly in-
serted into the guides. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTechnical Specifications

136Seats and storage compartments
WARNING
Unsuitable or damaged ropes or straps may be released in case of sud-
den braking or an accident. As a result, objects may be fired through the
passenger compartment causing serious injury or death.
● Always use the attachment straps of the rail and attachment system.
● Secure the attachment straps firmly to the attachment elements.
● Loose objects in the luggage compartment can suddenly slide and
change the way the vehicle handles.WARNING (Continued)
● Secure all objects, little and large.
● Never secure a child seat to the attachment elements.
CAUTION
● The attachment elements placed on the rail system can be damaged
when folding down seats from the third row or putting them back into posi-
tion and these can also damage the seats themselves. Before folding down
or repositioning the seats, remove the attachment elements and supports
for the net from the rail system. 
Baggage net*
Fig. 97 Hook the baggage net A and use it as a bag
B. 