2012 Seat Alhambra tyre pressure

301
Wheels and tyres
WARNING
New tyres do not give maximum grip and will not have reached their max-
imum braking capacity to start with, and therefore need running in.
● To prevent accidents and major damage, extreme caution should be
taken for the first 600 km (370 miles).
WARNING
There should be adequate space between the tyres and the vehicle in ac-
cordance with the vehicle design. If this is not the case, the tyres may
rub against parts of the running gear, chassis or brake lines, leading to
faults in the brake system or to tread detachment, and the risk of burst
tyres.
● The true tyre dimension should not be greater than the dimensions of
tyres manufactured and approved by SEAT and should not rub against
parts of the vehicle.
Note
● Although tyres may be shown as being the same size, the true dimen-
sions of different types of tyre may vary with respect to the nominal size, or
tread patterns may be different.
● If you use tyres that are approved by SEAT, you can be sure that the true
tyre dimensions will be correct for your vehicle. For other tyre models, the
tyre vendor should provide the manufacturer's certificate with the tyre, indi-
cating that this type of tyre is suitable for your vehicle. This certificate
should always be carried with the vehicle. Tyre pressuresFig. 178 Position of tyre pressure specification plate.
The correct tyre pressures for tyres fitted at the factory is shown on a label
and is valid for summer and winter tyres. This label ⇒ fig. 178 is either in
the driver's door strut or inside the fuel cap.
Under-inflation or over-inflation will reduce the life of the tyres considerably
and also impair the car's handling ⇒ 
. It is essential to maintain the cor-
rect tyre pressures, especially if driving at high speeds. Incorrect tyre pres-
sure causes premature wear and could cause tyre blow-out.
The pressure should therefore be checked at least once a month and before
starting a journey.
As a general rule, the pressures given are for cold tyres. When the tyres are
hot, the pressures are greater. 
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. 

306Wheels and tyres
Tyre code
Fig. 180 Universal code on tyres.
Radial
Rim diameter code
Load index & speed rating
DOT tyre identification number
Severe snow conditions
Tyre ply composition and materials used
Max. load rating
Treadwear, traction and temperature grades
Max. permissible inflation pressure
Passenger car tyre
Nominal width of tyre in millimetres
Ratio of height to width (aspect ratio)
1
23456789101112
Tyre code (example)MeaningMake, logotypeManufacturerProduct nameName of tyre assigned by manufacturer.P215 / 55 R 16Size:PPassenger vehicle code.215Nominal width between walls, in mm.55Height/width ratio in %RTyre type (R indicates "radial").16Rim diameter in inches91 VLoad index
⇒ page 307 and speed rating
⇒ page 307.
XLReinforced tyres.M+S or M/SWinter tyres (mud and snow tyres) ⇒ page 304.SSR or DSST, Eufonia,
RFT, ROF, RSC, ZP,
Conti-SealSpecific manufacturer codes for run-flat tyres.
RADIAL TUBELESSRadial tyre without inner tube.E4 ...E-mark certifying tyre complies with internation-
al legislation followed by a number denoting the
country granting the authorisation. The authori-
sation number ( several digits) is shown below.
DOT BT RA TY5 1709Tyre identification number (TINa)
, may be only on
interior wall of wheel) and date of manufacture:
DOTThe tyre complies with the legal require-
ments of the US Department of Trans-
port, responsible for tyre safety regula-
tions.
BTPlace of manufacture code.RAInformation about manufacturer and tyre
size.
TY5Manufacturer's tyre specifications.1709Date of manufacture: Week 17 of 2009. 

307
Wheels and tyres
Tyre code (example)MeaningTWIThis identifies the position of the Tread Wear In-
dicator ⇒ page 302.
MAX LOAD 615 KG
(1356 LBS)US load rating, indicating maximum permitted
load per tyre.
MAX INFLATION 350 KPA
(51 PSI)US limit, indicating maximum permitted tyre
pressure.
SIDEWALL 1 PLY RAYONInformation about tyre wall components:
1 layer of rayon (artificial silk).
TREAD 4 PLIES
1 RAYON + 2 STEEL +
1 NYLONInformation about tread components:
In the example, there are 4 layers below the
tread: 1 layer of rayon (artificial silk), 2 layers of
steel reinforcement and 1 layer of nylon.
Information for the end consumer concerning the comparative values of
the established base tyres (standardised test procedures) :
TREADWEAR 280Relative service life of the tyre, with respect to
specific US standard test.
TRACTION AABraking capacity of tyre on wet surface (AA, A, B
or C).
TEMPERATURE ATyre temperature resistance at higher test
speeds (A, B or C).
If there are different letters, they are specific codes of the tyre manufac-
turer or specific national codes.
a)
The letters TIN refer to the tyre serial number.
Tyres with directional tread pattern
Tyres with directional tread pattern have been designed to operate best
when rotating in only one direction. An arrow on the tyre sidewall indicates
the direction of rotation on tyres with directional tread. Always observe the
direction of rotation indicated when mounting the wheel. This guarantees
optimum grip and helps to avoid aquaplaning, excessive noise and wear. Tyre load rating
The load rating code indicates the maximum load in kilogrammes each
wheel can carry (load capacity).
615 kg (1356 pounds)
650 kg (1433 pounds)
690 kg (1521 pounds)
730 kg (1609 pounds)
775 kg (1709 pounds)
Speed rating
The speed rating indicates the maximum speed permitted for the tyres.
max. 150 km/h (93 mph)
max. 160 km/h (99 mph)
max. 170 km/h (106 mph)
max. 180 km/h (112 mph)
max. 190 km/h (118 mph)
max. 200 km/h (124 mph)
max. 210 km/h (130 mph)
max. 240 km/h (149 mph)
max. 240 km/h (149 mph)
max. 270 km/h (168 mph)
max. 300 km/h (186 mph)
Some manufacturers use the letters “ZR” for tyres with a maximum author-
ised speed above 240 km/h (149 miles). 
91
93
95
97
99
P
Q
R
S
T
U
H
V
Z
W
Y
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTechnical Specifications

351
Description of specifications
Towing a trailer Trailer weights
Trailer weight
The trailer weights and drawbar loads approved are selected in intensive tri-
als according to precisely defined criteria. The approved trailer weights are
valid for vehicles in the EU for maximum speeds of 80 km/h (in certain cir-
cumstances up to 100 km/h). The figures may be different in other coun-
tries. All data in the official vehicle documents take precedence over these
data ⇒ 
.
Drawbar load
The maximum permitted weight exerted by the trailer drawbar on the ball
joint of the towing bracket must not exceed 100 kg.
In the interest of road safety, we recommend that you always tow approach-
ing the maximum drawbar load. The response of the trailer on the road will
be poor if the drawbar load is too small.
If the maximum permissible drawbar load cannot be met (e.g. with small,
empty and light-weight single axle trailers or tandem axle trailers with a
wheelbase of less than 1 metre), a minimum of 4% of the actual trailer
weight is legally required for the drawbar load.
WARNING
● For safety reasons, do not exceed the 80 km/h limit. This is also valid
in countries where higher speeds are permitted.
● Never exceed the maximum trailer weights or the drawbar load. If the
permissible axle load or the permissible total weight is exceeded, the
driving characteristics of the vehicle may change, leading to accidents,
injuries and damage to the vehicle.
 Wheels
Tyre pressure, snow chains, wheel bolts
Tyre pressures
The sticker with the tyre pressure values can be found on the inside of the
tank flap. The tyre pressure values given there are for cold tyres. The slightly
raised pressures of warm tyres must not be reduced. ⇒ 
Snow chains
Snow chains may be fitted only to the front wheels.
Consult the chapter “wheels” of this manual.
Wheel bolts
After the wheels have been changed, the tightening torque of the wheel
bolts should be checked as soon as possible with a torque wrench ⇒ 
.
The tightening torque for steel and alloy wheels is 140 Nm.
WARNING
● Check the tyre pressure at least once per month. Checking the tyre
pressure is very important. If the tyre pressure is too high or too low,
there is an increased danger of accidents, particularly at high speeds.
● If the torque of the wheel bolts is too low, they could loosen while the
vehicle is in motion. Risk of accident! If the tightening torque is too high,
the wheel bolts and threads can be damaged.
Note
We recommend that you ask your Technical Service for information about
appropriate wheel, tyre and snow chain size. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTechnical Specifications

367
Technical specifications
Dimensions and capacities
DimensionsLength, width 4854 mm1904 mmHeight at kerb weight 1720 mmFront and rear projection Wheelbase 2919 mmTurning circle
Track width a)FrontRear1557 – 1569 mm1605 – 1617 mmCapacitiesFuel tank 70 litres. Reserve 8 litres.Windscreen washer fluid container with headlight washer 3.5 l/ 6 lTyre pressureSummer-grade tyres:The correct tyre pressure can be seen on the sticker on the inside of the tank flap.Winter tyres:The pressure of these tyres is the same as the summer tyre pressure plus 0.2 bar.a)
This data will change depending on the type of wheel rim.
CAUTION
● Special care should be taken when parking in areas with high kerbs or
fixed barriers. Objects protruding from the ground may damage the bumper
or other parts of the vehicle during manoeuvres.
● Special attention is required when driving through entrances, over
ramps, kerbs 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 FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTechnical Specifications

Brake assist systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Brake assist system (BAS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193Specification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Brakes Brake assist systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Brake fluid level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Brake pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Changing the brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Emergency brake indicator in case of sud-den braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Running-in brake pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Brake servo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189, 191
Brake system Malfunction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Brake systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Braking assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 Brake assist system (BAS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Breakdown Securing the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Bulb fault See changing bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
C
Card compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Care See "Care of your vehicle" . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Vehicle interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253 Care of your vehicle
Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Caring for paintwork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Carrier system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233 Malfunction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
CD changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142, 149
Central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74, 77 Antitheft alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Locking/unlocking the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 76
Central locking system After airbag deployment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Opening doors individually . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Centre armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Changing Windscreen wiper blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309 Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Preparations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Raising the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Changing bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330 Bodywork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Front bumper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Halogen headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Initial operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Number plate light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Sea changing bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330 Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Tail lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336, 337
Xenon headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Changing gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Automatic gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Engaging gears (manual gearbox) . . . . . . 179
Manual gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Manually unlocking the gear selection lev-er . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Selecting gears (automatic gearbox) . . . . 180
Warning and control lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Changing gears Gear recommendation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Tiptronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Changing the battery of the vehicle key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Changing the wheel After changing the wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Checking Tyre pressures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Checking the oil level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Check list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Checklist Before working in the engine compart-ment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Changing bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
In case of an emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Check list Preparations for changing a wheel . . . . . . 310
Raising the vehicle with the jack . . . . . . . . 314
Checklist Refilling precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
371
Index