2012 Seat Alhambra ECO mode

287
Checking and refilling levels
Engine oil additives make new oil darker after the engine has been running
for a short period. This is normal and does not mean more frequent oil
changes are required.
WARNING
If, in exceptional circumstances, you must change the engine oil yourself,
please note the following:
● Wear eye protection.
● Always wait until the engine has completely cooled to avoid being
burned.
● Always keep your arms horizontal when unscrewing the oil drainage
bolt so that the oil does not run down your arms when it begins to drain.
● Use a suitable and large enough container to collect all of the used oil
in the engine.
● Never collect engine oil in empty food containers, cans, bottles and
other containers as not all people are able to identify engine oil.
● Oil is toxic and must be kept out of the reach of children.
For the sake of the environment
Before changing the engine oil, find a suitable location or service for proper
disposal.
For the sake of the environment
Always dispose of engine oil with the utmost respect for the environment.
Never dispose of used engine oil in places such as a garden, woods, drains,
roads, paths, rivers and drainage systems. Engine coolant
Introduction
Never work on the engine cooling system or if you are not familiar with the
operations to be carried out, the applicable safety standards and especially
if you do not have the instruments, liquids and tools necessary ⇒ 
! Have
the work carried out by a specialised workshop if you are uncertain. SEAT
recommends visiting a Technical Service.
Negligent work can cause serious injury.
Additional information and warnings:
● Towing mode ⇒ page 237
● Working in the engine compartment ⇒ page 279
● Accessories, parts replacement, repairs and modifications ⇒ page 261
WARNING
Engine coolant is toxic!
● Only keep engine coolant in its original container, tightly shut and in
a safe place.
● Never store engine coolant in empty food containers or bottles as
other people may accidentally drink it.
● Always keep engine coolant out of reach of children.
● Ensure that the proportion of engine coolant additive corresponds to
the lowest outside temperature to which the vehicle will be exposed.
● If the outside temperature is extremely low, the engine coolant could
freeze causing the vehicle to stop. As this would also cause the heating
to stop working, passengers without sufficient clothing could freeze. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTechnical Specifications

297
Wheels and tyres
Wheels and tyres
Wheels
Introduction
The SEAT Alhambra is equipped as standard with anti-puncture technology
tyres (Conti-Seal). In the event of a puncture or air leak of up to 5 mm, the
tyre seals the hole with a protective layer inside the tread.
SEAT recommend that all work on tyres and wheels is carried out by a Tech-
nical Service. They have the necessary special tools and replacement parts,
trained personnel and facilities for disposing of the old tyres. SEAT recom-
mends visiting a Technical Service.
Additional information and warnings:
● Transporting ⇒ page 13
● Towing mode ⇒ page 237
● Braking, stopping and parking ⇒ page 185
● Park assist system ⇒ page 204
● Tyre control systems ⇒ page 225
● Caring for and cleaning the vehicle exterior ⇒ page 246
● Wheel trims ⇒ page 308
● Change wheel ⇒ page 309
● Notes for the user ⇒ page 259
WARNING
The vehicle cannot be totally controlled or braked if the tyres (new or
used) are worn or damaged.
● Incorrect use of wheels and tyres could make driving more dangerous
and result in serious accidents and damage.
● All four wheels must be fitted with radial tyres of the same type, size
(rolling circumference) and the same tread pattern.
● New tyres do not give maximum grip and will not have reached their
maximum braking capacity to start with, and therefore need running in.
To prevent accidents and major damage, extreme caution should be tak-
en for the first 600 km (370 miles).
● Check tyre pressures regularly and ensure they are maintained at the
pressures indicated. If the tyre pressure is too low, the tyres could over-
heat, resulting in tread detachment or even burst tyres.
● Never drive on damaged (punctured, cut, cracked or dented) or worn
tyres. Driving on damaged or worn tyres could result in burst tyres, seri-
ous accidents or damage. Worn or damaged tyres must be replaced im-
mediately.
● Never exceed the maximum permitted speed or loads specified for the
type of tyre fitted on your vehicle.
● The efficiency of driver and brake assist systems also depends on the
grip of the tyres.
● If you notice unusual vibration or if the vehicle pulls to one side when
driving, stop the car immediately and check the tyres and wheels for
damage.
● To minimise the risk of losing control of the vehicle or causing a seri-
ous accident, never undo the bolted joints of beadlock wheels. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTechnical Specifications

300Wheels and tyres
Wheel rims
The design of wheel bolts is matched to the rims. If different rims are fitted,
the correct wheel bolts with the right length and correctly shaped bolt
heads must be used. This ensures that wheels are fitted securely and that
the brake system functions correctly ⇒ page 309.
For technical reasons, it is not generally possible to use the wheels from
other vehicles. In some cases, this may also be true for the same model of
wheel.
The tyres and rims approved by SEAT are specially matched to the character-
istics of the vehicle and are critical to good road holding and safe handling.
Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must be tightened to the correct torque ⇒ page 309.
Beadlock wheel rims
Beadlock wheel rims have various components. These are joined together
by special bolts using a special procedure. This ensures good performance,
a better seal, improved safety and wheel run out. Therefore, worn rims
should always be replaced and must only be repaired in a Technical Service.
SEAT recommends visiting a Technical Service ⇒ 
.
Wheel rims with bolted trims
Wheel rims may be fitted with interchangeable trim parts which are attach-
ed to the rim using self-locking bolts. Worn trims should only be replaced at
a Technical Service. SEAT recommends visiting a Technical Service ⇒ 
.
WARNING
The use of worn or damaged wheel rims could make driving more danger-
ous and result in serious accidents and damage.
● Only wheel rims which have been approved for use with your vehicle
should be used.
● Inspect wheel rims regularly for damage and replace as required.
WARNING
If the bolted joints of wheel rims with bolted ring trims are not correctly
tightened or loosened, this could result in serious accident.
● Never loosen the bolted joints of wheel rims with bolted ring trims.
● Any work relating to wheel rims with bolted rims should be carried
out at qualified workshop. SEAT recommends visiting a Technical Service.

Replacement of new tyres and wheel rims
New tyres
● When tyres are new, drive with extreme caution for the first 500 km
(310 miles), as all tyres need to be run-in. Tyres which have not been run-in
do not have such good grip ⇒ 
or braking capacity ⇒ .
● All four wheels must be fitted with radial tyres of the same type, size
(rolling circumference) and the same tread pattern.
● The tread depth of new tyres may vary, according to the type and make
of tyre and the tread pattern.
Replacing tyres
● Where possible, always replace both wheels on an axle (both wheels on
the front axle or both wheels on the rear axle) ⇒ 
.
● Old tyres should only be replaced by SEAT approved tyres for the vehicle
in question, and in accordance with the maximum permitted size, diameter,
load and speed capacity.
● Never use tyres which are larger than SEAT approved tyres. If the tyres
are too big, they may knock or rub against the chassis or other components,
resulting in damage. 

331
If and when
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.
Checking the bulbs of a trailer
For vehicles with the factory fitted trailer system, certain trailer lights are al-
so controlled if the socket is correctly connected.
A fault on a trailer turn indicator is indicated on the instrument panel by the
indicator blinking twice as fast (  or ) ⇒ page 95.
● General fault of all indicators on one side.
● Fault in one tail light (on some models, also the registration light).
● Fault in two brake lights.
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.
Note
A fault in the LED on the tail lights will not be indicated. However, if the fault
affects all the LEDs then this will be indicated by the indicator . Information for replacing bulbs
Checklist
To replace a bulb, carry out the following operations always in the order giv-
en ⇒ 
:
Park the vehicle a safe distance from traffic and on suitable ground.
Connect the electronic parking brake ⇒ page 185.
Turn the light switch to position 0 ⇒ page 95.
Move the gear lever into the neutral position ⇒ page 95.
Automatic gearbox: Move selector lever to position P ⇒ page 176.
Stop the engine and remove the key from the ignition ⇒ page 172.
Manual gearbox: Select a gear ⇒ page 176.
Wait until all of the passenger compartment lights are turned off
⇒ page 95.
Allow the corresponding bulb to cool. Visually inspect fuses to see if any are blown ⇒ page 326.
Replace the bulb according to the instructions ⇒ 
. Bulbs should only
be replaced by new identical models. Bulb information is displayed on
the bulb socket or on the bulb itself.
In general, never touch the bulb glass directly. The heat of the bulb
would cause the fingerprint to evaporate and condense on the reflector.
This will impair the brightness of the headlight.
Check if the new bulb is working. If the bulb is not working, it may not
have been correctly fitted, it could be damaged or the connector may
not be correctly connected.
Every time a bulb for the headlights is replaced, visit a specialised
workshop to check the headlights. 
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTechnical Specifications

348Description of specifications
Technical Specifications
Description of specifications
Important information
Important
The information in the vehicle documentation always has
precedence. All technical specifications provided in this manual are valid for the stand-
ard model in Spain. The vehicle data card included in the Inspection and
Maintenance Plan in the vehicle documents shows which engine is installed
in the vehicle.
The figures may be different depending on if additional equipment is fitted,
for different models, for special vehicles and for other countries.
Additional information and warnings:
● Transporting ⇒ page 13
● Ecological driving ⇒ page 229
● Fuel ⇒ page 271
● Engine oil ⇒ page 283
● Engine coolant ⇒ page 287
● Wheels and tyres ⇒ page 297
● Notes for the user ⇒ page 259 Abbreviations used in the Technical Specifications section
Abbrevia-
tionMeaning
kWKilowatt, engine power measurement.
PSPferdestärke (horsepower), formerly used to denote engine
power.
rpmRevolutions per minute - engine speed.NmNewton metres, unit of engine torque.l/100 kmFuel consumption in litres per 100 km.g/kmCarbon dioxide emissions in grams per km travelled.CO2Carbon dioxideCNCetane number, indication of the diesel combustion power.
RONResearch octane number, indication of the knock resistance
of petrol.
WARNING
Failure to observe requirements for weight, loads, dimensions and maxi-
mum speed may lead to severe accident.


Tyre monitoring systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Windscreen wiper fluid level . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Controlling function Electric exterior mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Control of function Rain sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Control units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264 Reprogramming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Convenience closing Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Panorama sliding sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Convenience functions Reprogramming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Convenience opening Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Panorama sliding sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Convenient entry function for the third row of seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Coolant Control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
See engine coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Temperature gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Counter steering assistance system . . . . . . . . 170
Crossing a river Salt water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Cruise control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 Control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Cruise control system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Cup holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Cup holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150, 151
Curb weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Curtain airbags
See "Airbag system" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
D Damaged tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Dangers of not using the seat belt . . . . . . . . . . 20
Dash panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Data link connector (DLC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Data plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349 Model identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Technical specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Vehicle chassis number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Data registry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Data storage during the journey . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Data stored by the control units . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Daytime driving light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
De-icing the door lock cylinder . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
De-icing the locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Details Driving with a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Diagnostics connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273 Auxiliary heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Biodiesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Filling the tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Filter pre-heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Fuel gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Winter-grade diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273 Diesel particle filter
Malfunction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Diesel particulate filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233 Recommended gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Things to note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Differential lock See "Brake assist systems" . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Digital clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Dipped beam headlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57, 58
Disposal Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Belt tension device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
End-of-life vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Door release lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Child safety lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Emergency locking and unlocking . . . . . . 319
Warning indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Drawbar load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235 Loading the trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Drawers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Driving Automatic gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Check list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Cross country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Data storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Driving through water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Ecological . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
373
Index

Parking light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Parking sensor system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200, 201Fault . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Optical parking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
With towing bracket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Particulate filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Pedals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 178
Petrol Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Filling the tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Fuel gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Polishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Portable waste bin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Pre-heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Preparation Checking the engine coolant level . . . . . . 290
Vehicle battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Work in the engine compartment . . . . . . . 281
Preparations Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Checking the engine oil level . . . . . . . . . . 285
Topping up the engine oil level . . . . . . . . . 285
Preparing for the journey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Principles of physics regarding a frontal colli- sion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Protection of vehicle undercarriage . . . . . . . . 252
Pushing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 R
Radio reception Aerial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Operating faults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Rails and attachment element system Baggage net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Rails and attachment system . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Rain sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Control of function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Raising the vehicle Check list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Jack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Raising vehicle Lifting platform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
With a lifting platform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Reading the Fault memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Rear assist Fault . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Mode 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Mode 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Things to note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
User instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Rear Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Rear assist systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Rear seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Rear shelf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Rear vision mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110, 111
Rear vision mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Recommended gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184 Recycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Refilling precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Reflective vest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Reflective vests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Refuelling
Mistakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Remote control Auxiliary heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
See "Keys" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Removing ice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Removing snow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Removing wax deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Repairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261, 262 Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Lifting platform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Replacement of parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Reprogramming control units . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Retaining hooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Retro-fitting Two-way radios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Vehicle telephone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Rev counter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Reversing camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Rocker switches Tiptronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Rollback anti-trap function Electric sliding doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Roof carrier system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Rubber seals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
379
Index