2012 Seat Alhambra service indicator

276Checking and refilling levels
WARNING
If the warning lamps and messages are ignored, the vehicle may stall in
traffic, or may cause accidents and severe injuries.
● Never ignore the warning lamps or text messages.
● Stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible.
CAUTION
Failure to heed the warning lamps and text messages when they appear
may result in faults in the vehicle. 
Information on AdBlue
In vehicles with Selective Catalytic Reduction, a special urea solution (AdBl-
ue) is injected into the exhaust gas system in front of the catalytic converter
to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions.
The consumption of AdBlue depends on individual driving style, the tem-
perature at which the system operates and the outside temperature where
the vehicle is driven. AdBlue is kept in an independent tank in the vehicle and should be refilled
at an official supplier. The AdBlue tank holds about 17 litres.
A message will be displayed on the instrument panel around 2400 km be-
fore the next service to indicate that AdBlue must be refilled
⇒ page 277. If
you ignore this message and do not refill, you will be unable to start the en-
gine afterwards ⇒ page 275.
SEAT recommends contacting a specialised workshop. If you are unable to
visit a qualified specialised workshop, you should temporarily refill with a
minimum of 10.0 litres of AdBlue. Only refill using AdBlue expressly ap-
proved by SEAT.
When the indicators  and  light simultaneously, there is a fault. SEAT
recommends visiting the closest qualified workshop.
AdBlue ®
is a registered trademark in the US, Germany, the European Union
and other countries belonging to the German automobile industry ("Ver-
band der Automobilindustrie e. V.", VDA). 

283
Checking and refilling levels
CAUTION
● To avoid damage to the bonnet and to the windscreen wiper arms, only
open the bonnet when the windscreen wipers are in place against the wind-
screen.
● Before driving, always lower the wiper arms. 
Engine oil Introduction
Additional information and warnings:
● ⇒ Booklet Maintenance Programme
● Working in the engine compartment ⇒ page 279
● Accessories, parts replacement, repairs and modifications ⇒ page 261
WARNING
Incorrectly handling engine oil can cause injury and serious burns.
● Always protect your eyes when handling engine oil.
● Oil is toxic and must be kept out of the reach of children.
● Engine oil must only be kept closed in its original container. The same
applies to use oil until it has been disposed of.
● Never store engine oil in empty food containers or bottles as other
people may accidentally drink it.
● Regular contact with engine oil can be bad for the skin. If you come
into contact with engine oil, wash your skin with soap and water.
● With the engine running, the engine oil gets extremely hot and can
cause severe skin burns. Always wait until the engine has fully cooled.
For the sake of the environment
Similar to the other service liquids, spilled engine oil can be bad for the en-
vironment. Collect any spilt fluids in suitable containers and dispose of in
accordance with legislation and with the utmost respect for the environ-
ment. 
Warning and control lamps
lights upPossible causeSolution
Insufficient engine oil.Switch the engine off. Check the
engine oil level ⇒ page 285.
flashesPossible causeSolution
Engine oil pressure too low.
 Stop the vehicle!
Switch off the engine. Check the
engine oil level.
- If the warning indicator flashes
although the oil level is correct,
do not continue driving or leave
the engine running. Otherwise,
the engine could be damaged.
You should obtain professional
assistance.
Engine oil sensor faulty.Contact a specialised workshop.
Have the engine oil sensor
checked. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTechnical Specifications

288Checking and refilling levels
For the sake of the environment
Coolants and additives can contaminate the environment. Collect any spilt
fluids in suitable containers and dispose of in accordance with legislation
and with the utmost respect for the environment. 
Coolant temperature warning lamp and gauge
Fig. 172 Engine coolant
temperature gauge on
the instrument panel: A
cold area; B normal
area; C warning area.
When driving normally, the needle will remain in the middle area. The tem-
perature may also rise when the engine is working hard, especially at high
outside temperatures and so the indicator will move quite far to the right-
hand side.
Several warning and control lamps should light up for a few seconds when
the ignition is switched. This signals that the lamp is working properly. They
will switch off after a few seconds.
lights upGauge po- sition
⇒  fig. 172Possible causeSolution

Warning
area CExcessive engine
coolant tempera-
ture.

Stop the vehicle!
Stop the vehicle safely as
soon as possible. Switch off
the engine and wait for it to
cool down and for the needle
to return to the normal area.
Check the engine coolant lev-
el ⇒ page 290.
Normal
area BInsufficient engine
coolant level.
Check the engine coolant
when the engine has cooled
and, if it is low, refill with en-
gine coolant
⇒ page 290.
Although the coolant level is
correct, there is a fault.
--Engine coolant
system faulty. Do not drive any further.
Obtain professional assis-
tance.
--Cold area A--
Avoid revving the engine too
much or making it work hard
while it has not reached nor-
mal service temperature.
flashesPossible causeSolution
Engine coolant system faulty.You should obtain professio-
nal assistance. 

295
Checking and refilling levels
WARNING (Continued)
● Battery acid is very corrosive and caustic. It can burn skin and cause
blindness. When handling the battery, protect yourself from splashes of
acids, above all your hands, arms and face.
● Never tilt the vehicle battery. Battery acid could spill out of the open-
ings to release gases and cause corrosion damage.
● Never open the vehicle battery.
● If battery acid splashes on you, immediately rinse your eyes and skin
abundantly with water for several minutes. Then seek medical care imme-
diately.
● If acid is swallowed by mistake, consult a doctor immediately.

Charging, replacing and connecting or disconnecting the
battery
Charging the battery
The vehicle battery should be charged by a specialised workshop only, as
batteries using special technology have been installed and they must be
charged in a controlled environment ⇒ 
. SEAT recommends visiting a
Technical Service.
Replacing a vehicle battery
The battery has been developed to suit the conditions of its location and
has special safety features. If the battery must be replaced, consult a Tech-
nical Service for information on electromagnetic compatibility, the size and
maintenance, performance and safety requirements of the new battery in
your vehicle before you purchase one. SEAT recommends you have the bat-
tery replaced by a Technical Service.
Use only maintenance-free genuine batteries conforming to TL 825 06 and
VW 7 50 73 Standards. These standards must be dated April 2008 or later. Start-Stop systems (
⇒ page 198) are equipped with a special battery. There-
fore, it must only be replaced with a battery of the same specifications.
Disconnecting the vehicle's battery
If you must disconnect the battery from the electrical system, please note
the following:
● Switch off the ignition and all electrical equipment.
● The vehicle must be unlocked before disconnecting the battery, other-
wise the alarm will be triggered.
● First disconnect the negative cable and then the positive ⇒ 
.
Connecting the vehicle's battery
● Before reconnecting the battery, switch off the engine, the ignition and
electric devices.
● First reconnect the positive cable and then the negative ⇒ 
.
Different control lamps may light up after connecting the battery and switch-
ing the ignition on. They will be turned off after a short trip at a speed of
between 15 - 20 km/h (10 - 12 mph). If the warning indicators remain lit,
please visit a specialised workshop to have the vehicle checked.
If the battery has been disconnected for a long time, it is possible that the
next service date is not displayed or calculated correctly ⇒ page 57. Respect
the maximum service intervals permitted ⇒ Booklet Maintenance Pro-
gramme.
Automatic consumer disconnection
The intelligent vehicle electrical system automatically implements a range
of measures to prevent the battery from discharging when high demands
are made on it: 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTechnical Specifications

302Wheels and tyres
Never deflate a hot tyre in order to obtain the required pressure. This could
result in very low tyre pressures which may lead to sudden blow-outs.
Checking tyre pressures
Tyre pressures should only be checked when the vehicle has not been driv-
en for more than a few kilometres (miles) at low speeds in the past three
hours.
● The tyre pressures should be checked regularly, and only when the tyres
are cold. Always check all the tyres. Tyre pressures should be checked more
often in colder regions, and only when the vehicle has not been driven re-
cently. Always use a correctly-operating tyre gauge.
● Adjust tyre pressures to the loads carried in the vehicle.
● After checking the pressure, always replace the valve caps, and where
applicable, observe the instructions given for adjusting the tyre control sys-
tem ⇒ page 225.
WARNING
If tyre pressures are too high or too low, the tyre may deflate or burst
suddenly while driving. This could result in serious accident.
● If the tyre pressure is too low, the tyres could overheat, resulting in
tread detachment or even burst tyres.
● When driving at high speeds and/or fully loaded, the tyre could sud-
denly overheat, burst or be subject to tread detachment, with the resul-
tant loss of control of the vehicle.
● Tyre pressures which are too high or too low reduce the service life of
the tyre, affecting the vehicle's performance.
● Tyre pressures should be checked regularly, at least once a month
and before long journeys.
● Adjust the pressures of all the tyres to the vehicle load.
● Never deflate excess pressure from hot tyres.
CAUTION
● Take care not to tilt the manometer when placing it on the valve. Other-
wise, the valve may be damaged.
● To avoid damage to the valves, always replace valve caps correctly.
Check that the caps are identical to the standard caps and have been cor-
rectly tightened.
For the sake of the environment
Under-inflated tyres will increase the fuel consumption.
Note
When checking tyre pressures, please observe the instructions for the tyre
control system ⇒ page 225. 
Tread depth and wear indicators
Fig. 179 Tyre tread:
tread wear indicators. 

304Wheels and tyres
Driving style : driving round bends fast or sudden acceleration or braking
speed up the wear of tyres. When the driving style is normal, if the tyres
wear too quickly, have the running gear settings checked at a Technical
Service.
Wheel run-out: The wheels on new vehicles are balanced. However, certain
circumstances may lead to imbalance (run-out), which is detected as vibra-
tions in the steering wheel. Run-out leads to wear of the steering and sus-
pension. In the event of run out, the wheels should be balanced again.
When a new wheel is fitted, it should be balanced again.
Running gear settings : an incorrectly positioned running gear increases the
wear of tyres and affects your safety while driving. If tyres wear too quickly,
have the wheel alignment checked at a specialised workshop.
WARNING
If you notice unusual vibration or the car pulls to one side while driving,
this may indicate that one of the tyres is damaged.
● Reduce speed immediately and stop, while observing the highway
code.
● Check the wheels and tyres for damage.
● Never carry on driving on worn tyres or wheels. Request qualified as-
sistance immediately.
● If there is no visible exterior damage, drive slowly and carefully to the
nearest qualified workshop and have the vehicle checked.

Winter tyres*
In winter conditions winter tyres will considerably improve the vehicle's han-
dling. The design of summer tyres (width, rubber compound, tread pattern)
gives less grip on ice and snow. Winter tyres also improve the vehicle brak-
ing performance, reducing the braking distance in winter weather. SEAT rec- ommend that winter tyres be fitted to the vehicle at temperatures below
+7 °C (+45 °F).
The performance of winter tyres is much reduced if the
tyre tread is worn be-
low 4 mm (1/16 inch). The age of the tyre is another factor affecting per-
formance, regardless of the depth of the tyre tread.
Please observe the following when using winter tyres:
● Observe legal requirements in each country.
● Winter tyres must be fitted on all four wheels.
● Only use winter tyres in wintery weather conditions.
● Only use winter tyres of the size authorised for the vehicle.
● Only use radial winter tyres of the same type, size (rolling circumference)
and tread pattern.
● Adjust speeds to within the limits indicated (code letter on tyre) ⇒ 
.
Speed limit
A code letter indicating the speed limit is stamped on all winter tyres
⇒ page 307.
In some vehicles, it is possible to set a speed warning in the MFA (multifunc-
tion indicator) menu on the instrument panel ⇒ page 62.
If you use V-rated tyres the speed limits and tyre pressure will be deter-
mined by engine size. Please ask your Technical Service for further informa-
tion on the maximum permitted speed and the required pressures for the
tyres.
All-wheel drive*
Thanks to its all-wheel drive, your car will have plenty of traction in winter
conditions, even with the standard tyres. Nevertheless, SEAT still recom-
mend that winter tyres or all-season tyres should be fitted on all four wheels
when winter road conditions are expected, mainly because this will give a
better braking response. 

330If and when
Changing bulbs
Introduction
Changing bulbs requires a certain amount of manual skill. If you are unsure,
SEAT recommends that you consult an Technical Service or request assis-
tance from a specialist. In general, a specialist is required if other vehicle
components must be removed or if the discharge lamps must be replaced.
You should store spare light bulbs in the vehicle for safety-relevant lights.
Spare bulbs may be obtained from the Technical Services. In some coun-
tries, it is a legal requirement to carry spare bulbs in the vehicle.
Driving with faults and blown bulbs on the vehicle exterior lighting is
against the law.
Additional bulb specifications
The specifications of some headlamp bulbs and bulbs for the tail lamps fit-
ted at the factory may be different to those of conventional bulbs. Bulb in-
formation is displayed on the bulb socket or on the bulb itself.
Additional information and warnings:
● Lights and visibility ⇒ page 95
● Working in the engine compartment ⇒ page 279
● Vehicle tools ⇒ page 324
● Fuses ⇒ page 326
WARNING
If the road is not well-lit and the vehicle is not clearly visible to other
drivers, there is a risk of accident.
WARNING
Failure to replace bulbs correctly may cause serious accidents.
● Before carrying out any work in the engine compartment please read
and observe the warnings ⇒ page 279. In any vehicle, the engine com-
partment is a hazardous area and could cause severe injury.
● Discharge lamps work with high-voltage and can cause serious or fa-
tal injury if handled incorrectly.
● H7 and discharge lamps are highly pressurised and could explode
when being changed.
● Only replace the bulbs concerned when they have cooled.
● Never replace bulbs alone if you are not familiar with the operations
necessary. If you are not sure about procedures then visit a Technical
Service to carry out the necessary work.
● Never touch the bulb glass directly. Fingerprints will be evaporated by
the heat of the operating bulb thus “fogging” up the reflector.
● The headlamp frameworks in the engine compartment and the tail
lamps contain sharp elements. Always protect your hands when chang-
ing bulbs.
CAUTION
After changing a bulb, if the rubber covers and plastic caps are not replaced
correctly on the headlamp framework, the electrical installation may be
damaged, especially if water is allowed to enter. 
Indicator
lights upPossible causeSolution
A vehicle exterior lighting
bulb is not working.Replace the faulty bulb. 

Antitheft alarm systemAnti-tow system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Interior monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Armrests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Ashtray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151, 152
ASR See "Brake assist systems" . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
See "Braking assist" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Turning on and off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Assistance systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 Cruise control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Electronic differential lock system (EDL andXDS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) . . . . . . . 191
Assist systems Anti-lock brake system (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . 191
Auto Hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Braking assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Lane Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Lane Assist system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Optical parking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Park assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Park Assist system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Parking sensor system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Rear Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Rear assist system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Sign Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Start-Stop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Start assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Traction control system (ASR) . . . . . . . . . . 193
Traction control when accelerating (ASR) . 192
Tyre monitoring indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227 Auto Hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Automatic belt retainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Automatic car wash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Switching Auto Hold off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Switching the start assist off . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Automatic consumer disconnection . . . . . . . . 295
Automatic dipped beam control . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Automatic gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Changing gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
DSG automatic gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Ignition key lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Kickdown system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Launch-Control programme . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Malfunction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Manually unlocking the gear selection lev-er . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Please also see "Changing gears" . . . . . . 176
See "Automatic gearbox" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
AUX-IN connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Auxiliary heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165, 273 Automatic off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Operating instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Remote control range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Remote control: Replacing the battery . . . 166
Switching off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Switching on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Things to note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165, 168
Auxiliary heater remote control Replacing the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 Axle loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
B
BAS See "Brake assist systems" . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Battery Discharge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Discharging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
See Vehicle battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Battery acid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Before starting out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Belt height adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Belt tension device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Service and disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Belt tension limiter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Bicycle carrier Installing a bicycle carrier . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Maximum load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Biodiesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Bonnet Closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Bottle capacity Windscreen washer water bottle . . . . . . . . 109
Bottle holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185 Brake servo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Electronic parking brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Emergency braking function . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Parking brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
370 Index