2012 Seat Altea Freetrack airbag off

41
Airbag system
Curtain airbags
Description of curtain airbags
The airbag system is not a substitute for the seat belts.
Fig. 24 Location of head airbags on the left side of the
vehicle
The curtain airbags are located on both sides in the interior above the doors
⇒ fig. 24 and are identified with the text “AIRBAG”.
In conjunction with the seat belts, the curtain airbag system gives the occu-
pants additional protection for the head and upper body in the event of a
severe side collision ⇒ page 42, Safety notes on the operation of the cur-
tain airbag system.
The airbag system is not a substitute for seat belts, but it is an integral part
of the vehicle's overall passive safety system. Please bear in mind that the
airbag system can only work effectively when the occupants are wearing
their seat belts correctly and have adjusted the head restraints properly.
Therefore, it is most important to wear the seat belts at all times, not only
because this is required by law in most countries, but also for your safety
⇒ page 19, Brief introduction. The main parts of the curtain airbag system are:
●
an electronic control and monitoring system (control unit)
● the curtain airbags (airbags with gas generator) for the driver, front pas-
senger and passengers on the rear seats,
● a warning lamp  on the instrument panel ⇒ page 32
The airbag system operation is monitored electronically.
The curtain airbag system will not be triggered if:
● the ignition is switched off
● there is a frontal collision
● there is a rear-end collision 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

44Airbag system
Deactivating airbags*
Front passenger airbag deactivation
If you fit a rear-facing child seat to the front passenger seat,
the front passenger airbag must be de-activated.
Fig. 26 In the glove com-
partment: switch for acti-
vating and deactivating
the front passenger air-
bag
Fig. 27 Warning lamp for
deactivated passenger
airbag in centre console
When the passenger airbag is deactivated, only the front airbag is
deactivated. All the other airbags in the vehicle remain activated.
Deactivating the front passenger airbag
– Switch the ignition off.
– Turn the ignition switch in the key operated switch in the glove
compartment to the position OFF ⇒ fig. 26.
– Check that the warning lamp “OFF” on the instrument panel
⇒ fig. 27 remains lit when the ignition is switched on ⇒ 
.
Activating the front passenger airbag
– Switch the ignition off.
– Turn the ignition key in the key-operated switch in the glove
compartment to the position ON ⇒ fig. 26.
– Check that the warning lamp on the instrument panel ⇒ fig. 27
does not light up when the ignition is switched on ⇒ 
.

45
Airbag system
WARNING
● The driver is responsible for the proper position of the key-operated
switch.
● You should deactivate the front passenger airbag only if you have to
use a rear-facing child seat in exceptional cases. ⇒ page 46, Child safe-
ty.
● Never install a child seat facing backwards on the front passenger
seat unless the front passenger airbag has been disabled. Otherwise,
there is a risk of death. If under exceptional circumstances it is necessary
to transport a child in a rear-facing child seat on the front passenger
seat, you must always disable the front passenger airbag.
● As soon as the child seat is no longer needed on the front passenger
seat, enable the front passenger airbag again.
● Only deactivate the passenger airbag when the ignition is off, other-
wise a fault may occur in the airbag system, which could cause the airbag
to not deploy properly or not deploy at all.
● When the passenger airbag is deactivated, if the warning lamp AIR-
BAG OFF is not continuously lit up, there may be a fault in the airbag sys-
tem:
–Have the airbag system inspected immediately by a specialised
workshop.
– Do not use a child seat on the front passenger seat! The front pas-
senger airbag could be triggered despite the fact that there is a fault
in the system and, as a result, a child could sustain serious or fatal
injuries.
– It is unpredictable whether the front passenger airbag will deploy
in the event of an accident. Warn all your passengers of this.
● When using the ignition key to activate/deactivate the front passen-
ger airbag, only the front passenger airbag will be activated/deactivated.
The side airbag and head airbag on the passenger side will remain ac-
tive.

Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

47
Child safety
WARNING
● Never install a child seat facing backwards on the front passenger
seat unless the front passenger airbag has been disabled. This could
lead to a risk of potentially fatal injuries to the child! However, if it is nec-
essary, in exceptional cases, to transport a child in the front passenger
seat, the front passenger airbag must always be disabled ⇒ page 44, De-
activating airbags*. If the passenger seat has a height adjustment op-
tion, move it to the highest position.
● For those vehicles that do not include a key lock switch to turn the
airbag off, an Authorised Service Centre must be consulted.
● All passengers, especially children, must assume the proper sitting
position and be properly belted in while travelling.
● Never hold children or babies on your lap, this can result in potential-
ly fatal injuries to the child!
● Never allow a child to be transported in a vehicle without being prop-
erly secured, or to stand up or kneel on a seat while travelling. In an acci-
dent, the child could be flung through the vehicle, causing possibly fatal
injuries to themselves and to the other passengers.
● If children assume an improper sitting position when the vehicle is
moving, they expose themselves to greater risk of injury in the event of a
sudden braking manoeuvre or in an accident. This is particularly impor-
tant if the child is travelling on the front passenger seat and the airbag
system is triggered in an accident; as this could cause serious injury or
even death.
● A suitable child seat can protect your child!
● Never leave an unsupervised child alone on a child seat or in the vehi-
cle.
● Depending on weather conditions, it may become extremely hot or
cold inside the vehicle. This can be fatal.WARNING (Continued)
● Children who are less than 1.5 metres tall must not wear a normal
seat belt without a child seat, as this could cause injuries to the abdomi-
nal and neck areas during a sudden braking manoeuvre or in an accident.
● Do not allow the seat belt to become twisted or jammed, or to rub on
any sharp edges.
● Incorrectly worn seat belts can cause injuries even in a minor colli-
sion or in sudden braking manoeuvres.
● The seat belt provides maximum protection only when the seat belt is
properly positioned ⇒ page 25, Seat belts.
● Only one child may occupy a child seat ⇒ page 48, Child seats.

Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

97
Unlocking and locking
Automatic speed dependent locking and unlocking system*
This is a safety system which prevent the access to the vehi-
cle from the outside when it is running (for example, when
stopped at a traffic light).
Locking
The doors and the tailgate are automatically locked when vehicle speed ex-
ceeds 15 km/h.
If the vehicle is stopped and one of the doors is opened, when the vehicle
moves off again and exceeds a speed of 15 km/h, the unlocked door(s) will
be locked once more.
Unlocking
The driver door automatically unlocks when the key is removed from the ig-
nition.
Each door can be unlocked and opened independently from the inside (for
example, when a passenger gets out of it). To do it, simply operate the lever
inside the door.
WARNING
The door handles must not be operated when the vehicle is running: the
door would open.

Automatic locking system for involuntary unlocking*
It is an anti-theft system and prevents the unintentional un-
locking of the vehicle. If the vehicle is unlocked and any of the doors (including the tailgate) are
opened within 30 seconds, it gets re-locked automatically. This function prevents the vehicle from remaining unlocked if the unlock button is press-
ed by mistake.

Emergency unlocking system
If the airbags are triggered during an accident, the vehicle is unlocked, ex-
cept for the luggage compartment. It is possible to lock the vehicle from in-
side with the central locking, after turning the ignition off and back on
again.
If the doors must be locked from the outside, see “Emergency locking of the
doors” 
Central lock button
The central lock button allows you to lock and unlock the ve-
hicle from the inside.
Fig. 57 Detailed view of
the centre console: cen-
tral locking button 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

212Vehicle maintenance and cleaning
WARNING
Never clean the dash panel and the airbag module surface with cleaners
containing solvents. Solvents cause the surface to become porous. If the
airbag triggered, plastic parts could become detached and cause inju-
ries.
CAUTION
Cleaning products which contain solvents will damage the material. 
Wooden trim cleaning*
– Clean the wooden trim with a water-moistened clean cloth.
– If this does not provide satisfactory results, use a gentle soap
solution.
CAUTION
Cleaning products which contain solvents will damage the material. 
Cloth seat covers and fabric trim cleaning
Cloth seat covers and fabric trim on the doors, headlining etc. can be
cleaned with a special interior cleaner or with dry foam and a soft brush. Cleaning the radio and climate controls
To clean the radio and/or climate controls, use a soft damp cloth. For more
resistant dirt, a neutral soap solution may be used.

Leather cleaning*
Normal cleaning
– Moisten a cotton or woollen cloth with water and wipe over the
leather surfaces.
Cleaning stubborn stains
– More stubborn dirt can be removed using a mild soap solution
(pure liquid soap; two tablespoons diluted in one litre of water)
and a cloth.
– Do not let the water soak through the leather or soak into the
seams.
– Then wipe off with a soft, dry cloth.
Leather maintenance
– The leather should be treated twice a year with a special leath-
er-care product, available in your Authorised Service Centre.
– Apply these products very sparingly.
– Then wipe off with a soft, dry cloth.
SEAT does everything possible to preserve the genuine qualities of this nat-
ural product. Due to the natural properties of the specially selected hides
employed, the finished leather has a certain sensitivity to grease and dirt, 

214Accessories, parts replacement and modifications
Accessories, parts replacement and modifications
Accessories and spare parts
Always consult an Authorised Service Centre before purchas-
ing accessories and parts.Your vehicle is designed to offer a high standard of active and passive safe-
ty.
Before purchasing accessories and parts, and before making technical
changes to your vehicle, we recommend you to consult your Authorised
Service Centre.
SEAT dealerships will be happy to provide you with the latest information
about the use, legal requirements and recommendations from the manufac-
turer regarding accessories and parts.
We recommend you use only SEAT Approved Accessories®
and SEAT Ap-
proved Spare Parts ®
. This way, SEAT can guarantee that the product in
question is suitable, reliable and safe. SEAT Authorised Service Centres
have the necessary experience and facilities to ensure that parts are correct-
ly and professionally installed.
Despite a continuous observation of the market, SEAT is not able to assess
the reliability, safety and suitability of those parts SEAT has not approved.
For this reason, SEAT cannot assume responsibility for any non-genuine
parts used, even if these parts have been approved by an official testing
agency or are covered by an official approval certificate.
Any equipment subsequently installed which has a direct effect on the driv-
er's control of the vehicle (e.g. cruise control system or electronically-con-
trolled suspension) must be approved by SEAT and bear the e mark (the Eu-
ropean Union's authorisation symbol). If any
additional electrical components are fitted which do not serve to con-
trol the vehicle itself (e.g. refrigerator box, laptop or ventilator fan), these
must bear the CE mark (European Union manufacturer conformity declara-
tion).
WARNING
Accessories, for example telephone holders or cup holders, should never
be fitted on the covers, or within the working range, of the airbags. Oth-
erwise, there is a danger of injury if the airbag is triggered in an accident.

Technical modifications
Modifications must always be carried out according to our
specifications.
Unauthorised modifications to the electronic components or software in the
vehicle may cause malfunctions. Due to the way the electronic components
are linked together in networks, other indirect systems may be affected by
the faults. This can seriously impair safety, lead to excessive wear of compo-
nents, and also invalidate your vehicle registration documents.
SEAT Authorised Service Centres cannot be held liable for any damage
caused by modifications and/or work incorrectly performed.
For this reason, we recommend having all work performed by a SEAT Author-
ised Technical Service using Genuine SEAT®
Spare Parts. 

Index
A
ABS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Acoustic signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Acoustic warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Adaptive headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Adjusting the seat belt height . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
AFS (cornering lights) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Airbag covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Curtain airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Side airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Air conditioner General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Air conditioner automatic mode 2C-Climatronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Air conditioner* 2C-Climatronic* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Air conditioning* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Air recirculation mode 2C-Climatronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Manual air conditioner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Alarm system Switching off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
All-wheel drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 Alternator
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Anti-freeze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Anti-lock brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Anti-theft alarm system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Switching off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Anti-theft wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Aquaplaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Ashtray* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Aspects to note before setting off . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
ASR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 Control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Automatic anti-dazzle interior mirror* Activating the anti-dazzle function . . . . . . 128
Deactivating anti-dazzle function . . . . . . . 128
Automatic car wash tunnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Automatic gearbox Kick-down feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Automatic gearbox / DSG automatic gearbox 175
Automatic lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Automatic windscreeen wiper/washer . . . . . . 124
Auxiliary audio connection: AUX-IN . . . . . . . . 148
B
Ball coupling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 Battery
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Winter conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Before setting off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Biodiesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Biodiesel fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Bonnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Brake pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Brake pedal warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 Worn brake pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Brake servo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187, 195
Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231 Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Brake servo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Braking distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Bulb changes General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Bulb defect warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Buzzer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120, 168
285
Index