2012 Seat Alhambra wheel

171
Driving
WARNING
The counter steering assistance system combined with ESC helps the
driver to steer the vehicle in critical driving conditions. At all times, it is
the driver who steers the vehicle. The counter steering system does not
steer the vehicle.

Adjusting the steering wheel position
Fig. 127 Mechanical
steering wheel adjust-
ment.
Adjust the steering wheel before your trip and only when the vehicle is sta-
tionary.
● Push the lever ⇒ fig. 127 1
downwards.
● Adjust the steering wheel so that you can hold onto the steering wheel
with both hands on the outside of the ring at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock
positions and your arms slightly bent.
● Push the lever firmly upwards until it is flush to the steering column
⇒ 
.
WARNING
Incorrect use of the steering wheel adjustment function and an incorrect
adjustment of the steering wheel can result in severe or fatal injury.
● After adjusting the steering column, push the lever 1
firmly upwards
to ensure the steering wheel does not accidentally change position while
driving.
● Never adjust the steering wheel while the vehicle is in motion. If you
need to adjust the steering wheel while the vehicle is in motion, stop
safely and make the proper adjustment.
● The adjusted steering wheel should be facing your chest and not your
face so as not to hinder the driver's frontal airbag protection in the event
of an accident.
● When driving, always hold the steering wheel with both hands on the
outside of the ring at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions to reduce inju-
ries when the driver's frontal airbag deploys.
● Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position or in any oth-
er manner (e.g. in the centre of the steering wheel). In such cases, if the
driver's airbag deploys, you may sustain injuries to your arms, hands and
head.

Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTechnical Specifications

174Driving
Key not authorised for the vehicle
If a key which is not authorised for this vehicle is inserted in the ignition
lock, it can be removed as follows:
● Automatic gearbox: the key cannot be removed from the ignition lock.
Press and release the selector lever locking button. Key can be removed
from the vehicle.
● Manual gearbox: Remove the key from the ignition.
WARNING
Unsuitable or careless use of the vehicle key could result in serious in-
jury.
● Always take all the keys with you whenever you leave the vehicle. The
engine could accidentally be started and electrical equipment such as
the windows could accidentally be operated resulting in serious injury.
● Never leave children or disabled people alone in the car. They could
be trapped in the car in an emergency and will not be able to get them-
selves to safety. For example, depending on the time of the year, temper-
atures inside a locked and closed vehicle can be extremely high or ex-
tremely low resulting in serious injuries and illness or even death, partic-
ularly for young children.
● Never remove the key from the ignition if the vehicle is in motion. The
steering may lock and it will not be possible to turn the steering wheel.
Note
● If the key is left in the ignition lock with the engine off for long periods,
the vehicle battery will run flat.
● For automatic gearbox vehicles the key can only be removed from the ig-
nition lock if the gear selector lever is in position P. In this case, press and
release the selector lever locking button. Starting the engine
Complete operations only in the sequence given:
Step
1.Press the brake pedal and keep pressed until step 5 has been
completed.
1 a.In vehicles with a manual gearbox:
Press the clutch pedal all
the way and keep pressed until the engine starts.
2.Put the gearstick in neutral or the selector lever in position P
or N.
3.Only in vehicles with diesel engine: To preheat, turn the key
in the ignition lock to position ⇒ fig. 128 1. A warning lamp
lights up in the control panel .
4.Turn the key in the ignition lock to position ⇒ fig. 128 2; do
not press the accelerator.
5.When the engine has started, release the key in the ignition
lock.
6.If the engine does not start, stop the process and try again af-
ter one minute.
7.Disconnect the electronic parking brake when you wish to
start driving ⇒ page 185.
WARNING
Never leave the vehicle unattended if the engine is running. The vehicle
could move off suddenly, especially if it is in gear, resulting in an acci-
dent and serious injury. 

180Driving
Automatic gearbox*: Selecting gears
Fig. 132 Left-hand drive
vehicles: Automatic gear-
box selector lever with
locking button (arrow).
Fig. 133 Right-hand
drive vehicles: Automatic
gearbox selector lever
with locking button (ar-
row).
The gear selection lever has a lock. When changing the selector lever from
position P to a range of gears, press the brake pedal and press the lock on
the selector lever, located on the front part of the knob, in the direction of the arrow ⇒ fig. 132 or ⇒ 
fig. 133. To move the gear selector lever from the
position N to D or to R, first press and hold the brake pedal.
When the ignition is on, the current position of the selector lever is shown
on the instrument panel.
Selector
lever po- sitionsDenominationMeaning ⇒ 
Parking lock
The drive wheels are locked mechanically.
They only engage when the vehicle is at a
standstill. To change the position of the selec-
tor lever, press the brake pedal and switch on
the ignition.
Reverse gearReverse gear is engaged.
Only select reverse gear when the vehicle is at
a standstill .
NeutralThe gear box is in neutral. No movement is
transmitted to the wheels and the engine
does not act as a brake.

Standard for-
wards driving position (nor- mal pro-
gramme)The gears are changed (up and down) auto-
matically. The gear shifts are determined by
the engine load, your individual driving style
and the speed of the vehicle.

Standard for-
wards driving position
(sports pro- gramme)The shift up to a higher gear is automatically
delayed and the shift down is faster with re-
spect to the D range of gears, to take full ad-
vantage of the engine power. The gear shifts
are determined by the engine load, your indi-
vidual driving style and the speed of the vehi-
cle.
Selector lever locking
The gear selector lever lock prevents, in P or N, a gear selection from being
inadvertently engaged and the vehicle moving off accidentally. 

182Driving
Changing gears with Tiptronic*
Fig. 134 Selector lever
in Tiptronic position (left-
hand drive vehicles). The
lay-out in right-hand
drive vehicles is symmet-
rically opposed.
Fig. 135 Steering wheel
with two paddle shifts for
Tiptronic.
The Tiptronic system allows you to manually change gears in vehicles with
an automatic gearbox. When you change to the Tiptronic programme, the
vehicle remains in the currently selected gear. This is possible as long as
the system is not changing gear automatically due to a traffic situation. Using Tiptronic with the selector lever
●
Press the selector lever from position D to the right into the Tiptronic se-
lector gate ⇒ 
in Automatic gearbox*: Selecting gears on page 181.
● Press the lever forwards + or backwards – to move up or down a gear
⇒ fig. 134.
Using the Tiptronic with the steering wheel paddle shifts
● In D or S, move the steering wheel paddle shifts ⇒ fig. 135.
● Pull the right-hand side paddle + OFF
⇒ fig. 135 towards the steering
wheel to step up a gear.
● Pull the left-hand side paddle –
⇒ fig. 135 towards the steering wheel
step down a gear.
If the paddles are not used for a period of time, the vehicle leaves Tiptronic
mode.
CAUTION
● When accelerating, the gearbox automatically shifts up into the next
gear shortly before the maximum engine speed is reached.
● When reducing speed manually, the gear box only shifts gear when the
engine can no longer exceed the maximum engine speed. 
Driving with an automatic gearbox
The gearbox changes gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves.
Driving down hills
The steeper the gradient, the lower the gear you will need. The lowest gears
increase the engine braking work. Never go down hills with the selector lev-
er in neutral N. 

183
Driving
● You should reduce speed accordingly.
● Press the selector lever from position D to the right into the Tiptronic se-
lector gate ⇒ page 182.
● Gently pull the selector lever back to change down a gear.
● ALTERNATIVELY: Reduce using the steering wheel paddles ⇒ page 182.
Emergency program
If all the selector lever positions on the instrument panel display are shown
with a light-coloured background, this means there is a fault in the system.
The automatic gearbox will operate in emergency programme mode. When
the emergency program is activated, it is possible to drive the vehicle how-
ever, at low speeds and within a selected range of gears.
For the DSG ®
dual clutch gearbox, in some cases, this may mean that the
reverse gear does not engage . The gearbox should be checked by a Techni-
cal Service as soon as possible.
Overload protection for the 6-speed DSG gearbox ®
When the clutch is overloaded, the vehicle begins to jerk and the selector
lever position indicator begins to flash. To prevent damage to the clutch,
this interrupts the power transmission between the engine and the gearbox.
There is no more traction and it is not possible to accelerate. If the clutch is
opened automatically due to overloading, press the brake pedal. Wait a few
seconds before starting to move again.
Kick-down
The kick-down system provides maximum acceleration when the gear selec-
tor lever is in the positions D, S or in the Tiptronic position.
When the accelerator pedal is pressed right down, the automatic gearbox
will shift down to a lower gear, depending on road speed and engine speed.
This takes advantage of the maximum acceleration of the vehicle ⇒ 
.
When the accelerator is pressed to the floor, the automatic gearbox shifts to
the next gear only after the engine reaches the specified maximum engine
speed. Launch-Control Programme
The Launch-Control programme enables maximum acceleration while at a
standstill.
●
Switch off the ASR ⇒ page 185.
● Press and hold the brake pedal with your left foot.
● Place the selector lever in position S or Tiptronic.
● Press the accelerator with the right foot until the vehicle reaches an en-
gine speed of approximately 3200 rpm.
● Lift the left foot off the brake ⇒ 
. The vehicle starts with maximum ac-
celeration.
● Turn on the ASR after accelerating!
WARNING
Rapid acceleration can cause loss of traction and skidding, especially on
slippery ground. This could cause loss of control of the vehicle resulting
in an accident and considerable damage.
● Only use kick-down and rapid acceleration when weather conditions,
surface conditions and traffic conditions permit; accelerate and drive in a
manner that does not endanger other road users.
● Please remember that the driven wheels can slip and the vehicle can
skid if the ASR is turned off, especially on slippery ground.
● Turn on the ASR after accelerating!
CAUTION
● If you stop on a hill with a gear ratio engaged, do not try to prevent the
vehicle from rolling back by pressing on the accelerator. This could cause
overheating and damage the automatic gearbox.
● Never allow the vehicle to move with the gear selector lever in N, espe-
cially with the engine turned off. The automatic gearbox will not be lubrica-
ted and could be damaged. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTechnical Specifications

185
Driving
Braking, stopping and parking
Introduction
The assisted braking systems include the anti-lock braking system (ABS),
the brake assist system (BAS), the electronic differential lock (EDL), the trac-
tion control system (ASR) and the electronic stability control (ESC).
Additional information and warnings:
● Towing mode ⇒ page 237
● Start assist systems ⇒ page 196
● Wheels and tyres ⇒ page 297
● Accessories, parts replacement, repairs and modifications ⇒ page 261
WARNING
Driving with worn brake pads or a faulty brake system may lead to seri-
ous accident.
● If  lights, alone or accompanied by a warning message on the in-
strument panel, please go immediately to a specialised workshop to
check the brake pads and to replace them if they are worn.
WARNING
Careless parking can cause serious injury.
● Never remove the key from the ignition if the vehicle is in motion. The
steering lock may engage and locked the steering wheel making the vehi-
cle impossible to control.
● Always park your vehicle so that no part of the exhaust system can
come in contact with flammable materials (such as wood, leaves, spilled
fuel, dried grass, etc).
WARNING (Continued)
● Always apply the electronic parking brake when you leave your vehi-
cle and when you park.
● Never leave children or disabled people alone in the vehicle. They
could release the electronic parking brake, activate the selector lever or
gear stick and start the vehicle moving. This could result in serious acci-
dent.
● Always take all the keys with you whenever you leave the vehicle. The
engine could accidentally be started and electrical equipment such as
the windows could accidentally be operated resulting in serious injury.
● Never leave children or disabled people alone in the car. They could
be trapped in the car in an emergency and will not be able to get them-
selves to safety. For example, depending on the time of the year, temper-
atures inside a locked and closed vehicle can be extremely high or ex-
tremely low resulting in serious injuries and illness or even death, partic-
ularly for young children.
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. To avoid damage, stop be-
fore the wheels touched the barrier or kerb.
● 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

187
Driving
WARNING
Driving with brakes in bad condition could result in a serious accident.
● If the brake warning lamp  does not go out, or if it lights up when
driving, the brake fluid level in the reservoir is too low or there is a fault
in the brake system. Obtain professional assistance immediately
⇒ page 193, Brake fluid.
● If the brake warning lamp  lights up together with the ABS warning
lamp , the regulation function of the ABS could be malfunctioning. As a
result, the rear wheels can lock relatively easily when braking. If the rear
wheels lock this could result in loss of vehicle control! If possible, reduce
your speed and drive carefully to a specialised workshop close by to
check the brake system. During the following journey, avoid sudden brak-
ing and manoeuvres.
● If the ABS warning lamp  does not go out or if it lights while driv-
ing, the ABS is malfunctioning. The vehicle can only be stopped using
normal braking without ABS. The protection provided by the ABS is not
available. Visit a specialised workshop as soon as possible.
● If  lights, alone or accompanied by a warning message on the in-
strument panel screen, please go immediately to a specialised workshop
to check the brake pads and to replace them if they are worn.
CAUTION
Failure to heed the warning lamps and text messages when they appear
may result in faults in the vehicle. Electronic parking brake
Fig. 136 Detailed view of
the centre console: elec-
tronic parking brake
switch
Applying the electronic parking brake
The parking brake can be applied whenever the vehicle is at a standstill,
even when the ignition is switched off. Always apply the parking brake
when you leave your vehicle and when you park.
● Pull button 
until the control lamp
 on the button lights up.
● The parking brake is applied when the control lamp  lights up on the
instrument panel ⇒ page 186.
Releasing the electronic parking brake
● Switch the ignition on.
● Press button 
. At the same time, press the brake pedal hard or gently
press the accelerator pedal with the engine switched on.
● The control lamps  on the button and  on the instrument panel go
out. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTechnical Specifications

188Driving
Automatic release of the electronic parking brake on starting the engine
The electronic parking brake is automatically released when the vehicle
starts moving, if the driver's door is closed and the driver is wearing his/her
seat belt. In vehicles with a manual gearbox the clutch pedal should also be
pressed to the floor before starting the engine so that the system recogni-
ses that the parking brake should be released.
Emergency braking function
Only use the emergency braking function if the vehicle cannot be stopped
with the brake pedal ⇒ 
!
● Pull button 
hard to stop the vehicle. The warning display will be ac-
companied by the corresponding warning chime.
● To stop the braking process, release the button or press the accelerator.
WARNING
The incorrect use of the electronic parking brake may result in serious ac-
cident.
● Never use the electronic parking brake to brake the vehicle except in
an emergency. The braking distance is considerably longer, because
braking is only applied to the rear wheels. Always use the foot brake.
● Never accelerate from the engine compartment with the engine run-
ning and a gear or a gear range engaged. The vehicle could move, even if
the parking brake is applied.
Note
● In vehicles with a manual gearbox: When the clutch pedal is released
and the accelerator pressed at the same time, the electronic parking brake
is automatically released.
● If the vehicle battery is flat, it will not be possible to disconnect the elec-
tronic parking brake. Use the jump-start ⇒ page 341. ●
When the electronic parking brake is applied or released, noises may be
heard.
● If the electronic parking brake has not been used for a long while, the
system sometimes performs automatic and audible checks while the vehi-
cle is at a standstill. 
Parking
When parking your vehicle, all legal requirements should be observed.
To park the vehicle
Complete operations only in the sequence given.
● Park the vehicle on a suitable surface ⇒ 
.
● Press and hold the brake pedal until the vehicle comes to a standstill.
● Connect the electronic parking brake ⇒ page 187.
● For an automatic gearbox, move the selector lever to position P.
● Switch off the engine and release the brake pedal.
● Remove the key from the ignition.
● If necessary, turn the steering wheel slightly to lock the steering.
● With a manual gearbox, engage the 1st gear on flat ground and slopes,
or even the reverse gear on hills, and release the clutch pedal.
● Ensure that all passengers leave the vehicle, especially children.
● When leaving the vehicle, take all keys with you.
● Lock the vehicle.
Additional information for steep slopes and hills
Before switching off the engine, rotate the steering wheel so that if the vehi-
cle should move then it will be held by the kerb. 