2013 Seat Alhambra wiper blades

105
Lights and visibility
Windscreen wiper and washer
Introduction
Additional information and warnings:
● Recirculation of air conditioner air ⇒ page 156
● Working in the engine compartment ⇒ page 278
● Caring for and cleaning the vehicle exterior ⇒ page 245
WARNING
Water from the windscreen washer water bottle may freeze on the wind-
screen if it does not contain enough anti-freeze, reducing forward visibili-
ty.
● In winter, ensure the windscreen washer contains enough anti-freeze.
● In cold conditions, you should not use the wash/wipe system unless
you have warmed the windscreen with the ventilation system. The anti-
freeze could freeze on the windscreen and reduce visibility.
WARNING
Worn or dirty wiper blades reduce visibility and increase the risk of acci-
dent and serious injury.
● Always replace damaged or worn blades or blades which do not clean
the windscreen correctly.
CAUTION
In icy conditions, always check that the wiper blades are not frozen to the
glass before using the wipers for the first time. In cold weather, it may help
to leave the vehicle parked with the wipers in service position ⇒ page 107. Control lamp
lights upPossible causeSolution
Windscreen wiper fluid level
too lowTop up the windscreen wiper
reservoir as soon as possible
⇒ page 109.
Several warning and control lamps should light up for a few seconds when
the ignition is switched on, signalling that the function is being verified.
They will switch off after a few seconds.
CAUTION
Failure to heed the control lamps and text messages when they appear may
result in faults in the vehicle. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTechnical Specifications

109
Lights and visibility
● Damaged blades: A film of water on the damaged blades may lengthen
the activation time, reduce the washing intervals or result in a fast and con-
tinuous wipe.
● Insects: insects on the sensor may trigger the windscreen washer.
● Salt on roads: in winter, salt spread in the roads may cause an extra
long wipe when the windscreen is almost dry.
● Dirt: dry dust, wax, coating on glass (Lotus effect) or traces of detergent
(car wash) may reduce the effectiveness of the rain sensor or make it react
more slowly, later or not at all.
● Cracked windscreen: the impact of a stone will trigger a single wipe cy-
cle with the rain sensor on. Next the rain sensor detects the reduction in the
sensitive surface area and adapts accordingly. The behaviour of the sensor
will vary with the size of the damage caused by the stone.
WARNING
The rain sensor may not detect enough rain to switch on the wipers.
● If necessary, switch on the wipers manually when water on the wind-
screen obstructs visibility.
Note
● Clean the sensitive surface of the rain sensor regularly and check the
blades for damage ⇒ Fig. 69 (arrow).
● To remove wax and coatings, we recommend a window cleaner contain-
ing alcohol. Checking and topping up the windscreen washer reservoir
with water
Fig. 70 In the engine
compartment: wind-
screen washer reservoir
top
Check the water level in the windscreen washer reservoir regularly and top
up as required.
● Open the bonnet 
⇒  page 278.
● The washer reservoir is marked with the symbol  on the lid
⇒ Fig. 70.
● Check there is enough water in the reservoir.
● To top up, mix water with a window cleaner recommended by SEAT
⇒ 
.
Please follow the instructions for use found on the packaging.
● In cold weather, a special antifreeze should also be added to prevent
the water from freezing ⇒ 
.
Reservoir capacity
The reservoir holds approximately 3.0 litres; in vehicles with headlight
washer, it is approximately 7.0 litres. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTechnical Specifications

246Vehicle maintenance and cleaning
Washing the vehicle
The longer substances such as insects, bird droppings, resinous tree sap,
road dirt, industrial deposits, tar, soot or road salt and other aggressive ma-
terials remain on the vehicle, the more damage they do to the paintwork.
High temperatures (for instance due to strong sunlight) further intensify the
corrosive effect. The vehicle undercarriage should also be thoroughly wash-
ed at regular intervals.
Automatic car washes
Always observe the instructions provided at the automatic car wash. The
standard precautionary measures prior to entering the car wash should be
taken to avoid damage to the vehicle (close all windows, fold in exterior mir-
rors). If the vehicle is fitted with additional components (spoiler, roof-rack,
aerial...), check with the car wash supervisor whether these can enter the
car wash ⇒ 
.
The vehicle paintwork is so durable that the vehicle can normally be washed
without problems in an automatic car wash tunnel. However, wear and dam-
age to the paintwork will depend on the type of car wash used. SEAT recom-
mends the use of car washed without brushes.
To remove traces of wax on windows and to prevent wiper blades from
scratching, please observe the following ⇒ page 248, Cleaning windows
and exterior mirrors.
Washing the car by hand
When washing the car by hand, use plenty of water to soften the dirt first,
and rinse off as well as possible.
Then clean the vehicle with a soft sponge, glove or brush using only slight
pressure. Start at the roof and work downwards. Special car shampoo
should only be used for very persistent dirt.
Rinse the sponge or glove thoroughly and often.
Wheels, sills and similar should be cleaned last. Use a second sponge for
this.
WARNING
Sharp components on the vehicle may cause injury.
● Protect arms and hands from sharp edges when cleaning the vehicle
undercarriage or the interior of the wheel hubs.
WARNING
After the vehicle has been washed, the braking effect will be reduced
(and the braking distance increased) due to moisture (and ice in winter)
on the brakes.
● Dry the brakes and remove ice by braking carefully. Ensure that you
are not endangering other road-users or breaking traffic regulations in
the process.
CAUTION
● The temperature of the water must not exceed +60 °C (+140 °F).
● To avoid damage to the paintwork, do not wash the vehicle in full sun.
● Do not use rough sponges or similar which could damage the surface to
clean away the traces of insects.
● Never wipe the headlights with a dry cloth or sponge, always moisten
first. It is best to use soapy water.
● Washing the vehicle in low temperatures: When washing the vehicle
with a hose, do not direct water into the lock cylinders or the gaps around
the doors, rear lid, or sunroof. Locks and seals could freeze!
CAUTION
To prevent damage to the vehicle, please observe the following before en-
tering an automatic car wash :
● Compare the distance between the vehicle wheels and the distance be-
tween the guide-rails of the car wash to prevent damage to the wheels and
tyres! 

248Vehicle maintenance and cleaning
Cleaning windows and exterior mirrors
Cleaning windows and exterior mirrors
Spray windows and exterior windows with a standard window cleaner con-
taining alcohol.
Dry the windows with a clean chamois leather or a lint-free cloth. The cha-
mois leathers used on painted surfaces are not suitable for cleaning win-
dows because they are soiled with wax deposits which could smear the win-
dows.
Use window cleaner or a silicone remover to clean rubber, oil, grease and
silicone deposits off ⇒ 
.
Removing wax deposits
Automatic car washes and certain car care products may leave wax deposits
on the windows. These deposits can only be removed with a special product
or cleaning cloths. Wax deposits on the windscreen could cause the wiper
blades to judder. SEAT recommends you wipe the wax deposits off the wind-
screen with a soft cloth each time after you have washed the vehicle.
A window cleaning detergent which helps to dissolve the wax may be added
to the windscreen washer fluid to prevent the wiper blades from scratching
the windscreen. Please ensure the you add the cleaning product in the cor-
rect proportions. Products for removing grease do not eliminate the wax de-
posits ⇒ 
.
Special cleaning products or window cloths are available at any Technical
Service. To remove wax deposits, SEAT recommends the following products:
● For the hottest time of the year: the window cleaner for summer
use G 052 184 A1. Proportion 1:100 (1 part detergent, 100 parts water) in
the windscreen washer reservoir.
● All year round: the window cleaner G 052 164 A2; proportion 1:2 in
windscreen washer reservoir (1 part concentrate, 2 parts water) in winter, up
to -18 °C (-0.4 °F), or 1:4, during the rest of the year.
● Window cloths G 052 522 A1 for all windows and exterior mirrors. Removing snow
Use a small brush to remove snow from the windows and exterior mirrors.
Removing ice
If possible, use a de-icing spray to remove ice. If you use an ice scraper,
push it in one direction only
without swinging it. If you pull the scraper
backwards, the dirt may scratch the window.
WARNING
Dirty or misted windows reduce visibility in all directions and increase
the risk of accident and serious injury.
● Do not drive unless you have good visibility through all windows!
● Remove ice and snow from the windows and demist inside and out.
CAUTION
● Never mix our cleaning products with other products not recommended
by SEAT in the windscreen washer reservoir. This could lead to flocculation
and may block the windscreen washer jets.
● Do not use hot or warm water to remove ice or snow from the windows
and exterior mirrors. The glass could crack!
● The heating element for the rear window is located on the inner side of
the window. Do not stick adhesive labels over the heating elements and
never clean the inside of the rear window with corrosive or acid products or
other similar chemical cleaning products.
● Aerials on the inside of windows may be damaged if knocked or if
cleaned with corrosive or acid cleaning products. Do not stick adhesive la-
bels over the heating elements and never clean the inside of the rear win-
dow with corrosive or acid products or other similar chemical cleaning prod-
ucts. 

249
Vehicle maintenance and cleaning
Cleaning and changing windscreen wiper blades
Fig. 160 Changing the
front wiper blades
Fig. 161 Changing the
rear wiper blade
The windscreen wiper blades are supplied as standard with a layer of graph-
ite. This layer is responsible for ensuring that the wipe is silent. If the graph-
ite layer is damaged, the noise of the water as it is wiped across the wind-
screen will be louder. Check the condition of the wiper blades regularly.
If the wipers scrape
across the glass they should be changed if they are damaged, or cleaned if
they are dirty ⇒ 
.
Damaged wiper blades should be replaced immediately. Wiper blades are
available from specialised workshops.
Lifting and unfolding the wiper arms
The wiper arm may only be lifted at the point where it is fastened to the
blade.
For windscreen wipers, please note: the wiper should be in service position
before unfolding it ⇒ page 105.
Cleaning windscreen wiper blades
● Lifting and unfolding the wiper arms.
● Use a soft cloth to remove dust and dirt from the windscreen wiper
blades.
● If the blades are very dirty, a sponge or damp cloth may be used ⇒ 
.
Changing the windscreen wiper blades
● Lifting and unfolding the wiper arms.
● Hold down the release button ⇒ Fig. 160 1
while gently pulling the
blade in the direction of the arrow.
● Fit a new wiper blade of the same length and design on to the wiper arm
and hook it into place.
● Rest the wiper arms back onto the windscreen.
Changing the rear wiper blade
● Lift and unfold the wiper arm.
● Pull the wiper blade out of its mounting on the wiper arm ⇒ Fig. 161 (ar-
row A
).
● Hold down the release button 1 while gently pulling the blade in the
direction of the arrow B. This may require some strength.

Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTechnical Specifications

250Vehicle maintenance and cleaning
● Insert a new blade of the same length and type in the wiper arm in the
opposite direction to the arrow B
and hook into place. This feature is op-
erational when the knob is in position (arrow A).
● Replace the wiper arm on the rear window.
WARNING
Worn or dirty wiper blades reduce visibility and increase the risk of acci-
dent and serious injury.
● Always replace damaged or worn blades or blades which do not clean
the windscreen correctly.
CAUTION
● Damaged or dirty windscreen wipers could scratch the glass.
● If products containing solvents, rough sponges or sharp objects are
used to clean the blades, the graphite layer will be damaged.
● Never use fuel, nail varnish remover, paint thinner or similar products to
clean the windows. 
Caring for and polishing the vehicle paintwork
Waxing
Regular waxing protects the paintwork. It is time to apply a good coat of wax
when water no longer forms droplets and rolls off the clean paintwork.
Even if a wax solution is used regularly in the automatic car wash, SEAT rec-
ommends protecting the paint with a hard wax coating at least twice a year.
Polishing
Polishing is only necessary if the paint has lost its shine, and the gloss can-
not be brought back by applying wax. If the polish does not contain wax, a wax product should be applied after
polishing.
CAUTION
● To prevent damage, car polish or hard wax should not be used on com-
ponents painted in matt paint, plastic components and the glass headlamp
and tail light covers.
● Do not polish the paintwork if it is dirty, apply polish in dusty or sandy
zones. 
Cleaning chrome parts
Clean chrome parts with a damp cloth. SEAT recommends the use of a
chrome care product to clean stains and dirt from chrome surfaces. Use a
soft dry cloth to polish chrome parts.
CAUTION
To prevent scratching chrome surfaces:
● Do not use abrasive products.
● Do not clean or polish chrome parts in a sandy or dusty environment.
● Do not polish dirty surfaces. 
Caring for and cleaning anodized surfaces
It is not easy to detect the difference between aluminium and an anodized
surface, for example, a radiator grille. However, anodized surfaces must not
be treated in the same way as aluminium surfaces. Never use rough spong-
es or cloths to wipe away insect remains. 

Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184Brake servo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Electronic parking brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Emergency braking function . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Parking brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Brake assist systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Brake assist system (BAS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 Specification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Brakes Brake assist systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Brake fluid level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Brake pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Changing the brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Emergency brake indicator in case of sud-den braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Running-in brake pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Brake servo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188, 190
Brake system Malfunction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Brake systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Braking assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190 Brake assist system (BAS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Breakdown Securing the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Bulb fault See changing bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329 C
Card compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Care See "Care of your vehicle" . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Vehicle interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Care of your vehicle Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Caring for paintwork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Carrier system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232 Control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Malfunction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
CD changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141, 149
Central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74, 77 Anti-theft 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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309 Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Preparations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Raising the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Changing bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329 Bodywork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329 Front bumper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Halogen headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Initial operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Number plate light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Rear lid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Sea changing bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Tail lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335, 336
Xenon headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Changing gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Automatic gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Engaging gears (manual gearbox) . . . . . . 178
Manual gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Manually unlocking the gear selector lever . .322
Selecting gears (automatic gearbox) . . . . 179
Warning and control lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Changing gears Gear recommendation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Tiptronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Changing the battery of the vehicle key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Changing the wheel After changing the wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Checking Tyre pressures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Checking the oil level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Check list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Checklist Before working in the engine compart-ment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Changing bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
In case of an emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
369
Index

Check listPreparations for changing a wheel . . . . . . 309
Raising the vehicle with the jack . . . . . . . . 313
Checklist Refilling precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Seat upholstery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Transporting children in the vehicle . . . . . . 41
Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Child safety seat Securing with seat belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Child seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Integrated child seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
ISOFIX child seat on rear seats . . . . . . . . . . 44
Mounting child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Mounting systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
On rear seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
On the front passenger seat . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Regulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Securing using a Top Tether retaining strap 46
Securing using ISOFIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Securing using LATCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Transporting children in the vehicle . . . . . . 41
Weight categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Child seats Disabling the front passenger front airbag 36
Cigarette lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151, 152
Cleaning dash panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
See "Care of your vehicle" . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245 wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Windscreen wiper blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Cleaning chrome parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Cleaning the vehicle Folding exterior mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Climatronic see "Air conditioner" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Closing Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Electric sliding door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Panoramic sliding sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Rear lid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
See "Locking" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Sliding doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Sun blind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Coat hooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Cockpit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Code number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Collection of end-of-life vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Combined weight rating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Coming Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Compartment Glove compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Compartments Card compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Centre console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Drawers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Folding table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Front central armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Instrument panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Other storage compartments . . . . . . . . . . 148 Portable waste bin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Rear footwell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Roof console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Spectacle case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Connectors Faults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Consumer disconnection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Consumption How it is determined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Control lamp AdBlue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Brake pad wear indication . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Changing bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Changing gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Checking the engine oil level . . . . . . . . . . 282
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Cruise control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Diesel particulate filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Engine management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Engine oil sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
ESC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Exhaust gas purification system . . . . . . . . 231
Filling the tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Fuel level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Lane assist system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Pressing the brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Steering column lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
370 Index