2012 Seat Altea Freetrack Owner's Manual

247
If and when
– Engage the first gear , or put the selector lever to position P for
those vehicles with an automatic gearbox.
– If you are towing a trailer, unhitch it from your vehicle.
– Take the vehicle tools and the spare wheel out of the luggage
compartment.
WARNING
Put the hazard warning lights on and place the warning triangle in posi-
tion. This is for your own safety and also warns other road users.
CAUTION
If you have to change the tyre on a gradient, block the wheel opposite the
wheel being changed by placing a stone or similar object under it to prevent
the vehicle from rolling away.
Note
Please observe legal requirements when doing so. 
Changing a wheel
Change the wheel as described below
– Pull off the hub cap. Also see ⇒ page 248.
– Slacken the wheel bolts .
– Raise the car with the jack at the corresponding point.
– Remove the wheel and then fit the spare wheel. –
Lower the vehicle.
– Tighten the wheel bolts firmly with the box spanner.
– Replace the hub cap. 
After changing a wheel
After changing the wheel there are still tasks to complete. – Put the tools and jack back in the luggage compartment.
– Place the wheel with the defective tyre in the luggage compart-
ment and secure it.
– Check the tyre pressure of the newly fitted tyre as soon as pos-
sible.
– Have the tightening torque of the wheel bolts checked as soon
as possible with a torque wrench. The prescribed torque must
be 120 Nm.
Note
● If you notice that the wheel bolts are corroded and difficult to turn when
changing a wheel, they must be replaced before having the wheel bolt tor-
que checked.
● For safety reasons, drive at moderate speeds until the wheel bolt tight-
ening torque has been checked. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

248If and when
Wheel trims
The wheel trims must be removed to gain access to the
wheel bolts.
Fig. 170 Changing the
wheel: Removing a hub
cap
Removing
– Insert the extraction hook from the tools into the designated
ring, located in one of the bolt hole covers of the wheel cover
⇒ fig. 170.
– Pull off the hub cap. Wheel covers*
The wheel covers must be removed for access to the wheel
bolts
Removing
– Remove the wheel cover using the wire hook.
– Hook this into one of the cut-outs of the wheel cover.
Fitting
– Fit the wheel cover onto the wheel rim by pressing it firmly. Put
pressure initially on the point of the cut-out for the valve. Then
press the wheel cover onto the steel rim so that it engages all
round. 

249
If and when
Loosening the wheel bolts
The wheel bolts must be loosened before raising the vehicle.
Fig. 171 Changing the
wheel: loosen the wheel
bolts
Loosening
– Fit the box spanner as far as it will go over the wheel bolt.
– Grasp the box spanner by the end turn it about one full turn to
the left ⇒ fig. 171.
Tightening
– Fit the box spanner as far as it will go over the wheel bolt.
– Grasp the box spanner close to the end and turn the bolt to the
right until it is secured.
– An adapter is required to unscrew or tighten the anti-theft
wheel bolts.
WARNING
Loosen the wheel bolts only about one turn before raising the vehicle
with the jack, otherwise there is a risk of accident.
Note
● If the wheel bolt is very tight, you may be able to loosen it by pushing
down the end of the spanner carefully with your foot. Hold on to the vehicle
for support and take care not to slip. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

250If and when
Raising the vehicle
In order to remove the wheel, the vehicle must be raised
with a jack.
Fig. 172 Jack position
points
Fig. 173 Fitting the jack –
Locate the jacking point under the door sill closest to the wheel
to be changed ⇒ fig. 172.
– Place the jack under the jacking point and turn the crank until
the arm of the jack is directly below the vertical rib under the
door sill.
– Align the jack so that the arm of the jack fits around the rib un-
der the door sill and the movable base plate of the jack is flat
on the ground ⇒ fig. 173.
– Raise the jack until the defective wheel is just clear of the
ground.
Recesses at the front and rear of the door sills mark the jacking points
⇒ fig. 172. There is only one jacking point for each wheel. Do not fit the jack anywhere else.
An unstable surface under the jack may cause the vehicle to slip off the
jack. Therefore, the jack must be fitted on solid ground offering good sup-
port. Use a large and stable base, if necessary. On a hard, slippery surface
(such as tiles) use a rubber mat or similar to prevent the jack from slipping.
WARNING
● Take all precautions so that the base of the jack does not slip. Failure
to do so could result in an accident.
● The vehicle can be damaged if the jack is not applied at the correct
jacking points. There is also a risk of injury since the jack can slip off
suddenly if it is not properly engaged.


251
If and when
Jack position points for vehicles with sill panel trim*
Fig. 174 Plastic sill pan-
el trim with jack allot-
ment cover
Vehicles with plastic sill panel trim, with cover*
– Remove the cap A
to access the anchor point for the vehicle
jack ⇒ fig. 174.
– Pull on the cover and remove it from its allotment in the direc-
tion of the arrow ⇒ fig. 174.
– Once the cover has been released, it will remain connected to
its strap so that is not lost. Removing and fitting the wheel
For removal and fitting the wheel, the following tasks must
be completed.
After loosening the wheel bolts and raising the vehicle with the
jack, change the wheel as described below:
Removing a wheel
– Unscrew the wheel bolts using the box spanner and place them
on a clean surface.
Fitting a wheel
– Screw on the wheel bolts in position and tighten them loosely
with a box spanner.
The wheel bolts should be clean and easily screwed. Before fitting the spare
wheel, inspect the wheel condition and hub mounting surfaces. These sur-
faces must be clean before fitting the wheel.
If tyres with a specific direction of rotation are fitted, note the direction of
rotation. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

252If and when
Anti-theft wheel bolts*
A special adapter is required to turn the anti-theft wheel
bolts.
Fig. 175 Anti-theft
wheel bolt
– Insert the adapter onto the wheel bolt and push it on as far as it
will go ⇒ fig. 175.
– Fit the box spanner as far as it will go over the adapter.
– Loosen or tighten the wheel bolt as appropriate.
Code
The code number of the anti-theft wheel bolt is stamped onto the front part
of the adaptor.
The code number should be noted and kept in a safe place, as it is only by
using the code number that a duplicate adaptor can be obtained from an
Authorised Service Centre. Tyres with directional tread pattern
Tyres with directional tread pattern must be fitted so that
they rotate in the correct direction.
A directional tread pattern can be identified by arrows on the sidewall that
point in the direction of rotation. Always note the direction of rotation indi-
cated when fitting the wheel. This is important so that these tyres can give
maximum grip and avoid excessive noise, tread wear and aquaplaning.
If, in an emergency, you have to fit the spare wheel so it rotates in the wrong
direction, you must drive extremely carefully. The tyre will not give optimum
performance. This is particularly important when driving on wet roads.
To benefit from the advantages of tyres with this type of tread pattern, the
defective tyre should be replaced as soon as possible so that all tyres again
rotate in the correct direction. 
Tyre repair kit (Tyre Mobility System)* General information and safety notes
Your vehicle is equipped with a tyre repair kit: the Tyre Mobility System.
In the event of a tyre puncture, a sealing compound and an air compressor
are located in the luggage compartment under the floor panel.
The Tyre Mobility System will reliably seal punctures caused by the penetra-
tion of a foreign body of up to about 4 mm in diameter.
It is not necessary to remove the foreign body from the tyre.
Instructions for the sealing compound are located on the sealing compound
container. 

253
If and when
You will also find instructions for operating the compressor.
WARNING
● Do not attempt to repair a puncture with the sealing compound if the
tyre has been damaged by driving the vehicle after the tyre has lost its
air.
● Always observe warnings and follow instructions concerning com-
pressor and sealing compound carefully.
● Do not drive faster than 80 km/h, avoid heavy acceleration, hard
braking and fast cornering.
● Tyres which have been repaired with sealing compound are only suit-
able for temporary use over a short period. Therefore, please drive care-
fully to the next available specialised workshop.
For the sake of the environment
If you have to dispose of a sealant can, go to a specialised waste service or
to a SEAT Technical Service, where the product can be recycled in an appro-
priate waste container.
Note
● If sealant should leak out, leave it to dry. This way you can pull it off like
a piece of foil.
● Observe the expiry date stated on the sealing compound can. Have the
sealing compound exchanged by a specialised workshop.
● Seek professional assistance if the repair of a tyre puncture is not possi-
ble with the sealing compound. Preparation work
Certain steps must be taken before repairing a tyre.
–
If you have a flat tyre or puncture, park the vehicle as far away
from the flow of traffic as possible.
– Apply the handbrake firmly.
– Engage first gear , or put the selector lever to position P.
– All passengers should leave the vehicle. They should wait in a
safe area (for instance behind the roadside crash barrier).
– Check whether a repair is possible using the Tyre Mobility Sys-
tem “General information and safety notes.”
– Unscrew inflation cap from the affected wheel.
– Take the tyre repair kit out of the luggage compartment.
WARNING
Put the hazard warning lights on and place the warning triangle in posi-
tion. This is for your own safety and also warns other road users.
CAUTION
Take special care if you have to repair a tyre on a slope.
Note
Please observe legal requirements when doing so. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

254If and when
Tyre repair
The following sections describe the procedures for repairing
a tyre.
Using the sealing compound
– The instructions on the container give detailed information on
how to use the sealing compound.
Inflating the tyre.
– Remove the air compressor and hose from the container.
– Screw the retaining nut onto the valve.
– Plug the compressor cable into a 12 volt power point.
– Turn on compressor and monitor the pressure shown on the
pressure gauge.
Completing the repair
– Remove the compressor hose from the valve.
– Fit the valve cap.
– Unplug the compressor from the socket.
– Return all tools to their proper storing location.
Note
● If the vehicle is equipped with tyre pressure control, enter the new tyre
pressures using the SET button on the centre console.
● The compressor should never be allowed to run for longer than 6 mi-
nutes. 