2013 Seat Altea Freetrack lock

Table of Contents
Manual structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Safety First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Safe driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Proper sitting position for occupants . . . . . . . . . 10
Pedal area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Storing objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Why wear seat belts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Seat belt tensioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Side airbags* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Curtain airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Deactivating airbags* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Securing child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Operating Instructions
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Cockpit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Digital instrument panel display . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Instrument panel menus* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Warning lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Steering wheel controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Audio system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Radio navigation system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Opening and closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Radio frequency remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Anti-theft alarm system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Rear lid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Sliding/tilting sunroof* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Lights and visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Interior lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Windscreen wipers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Rear vision mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Seats and storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
The importance of correct seat adjustment . . . . . 131
Head restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Front seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Rear seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Storage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Ashtrays*, cigarette lighter* and electrical
sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 First-aid kit, warning triangle, fire extinguisher . 149
Luggage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Air conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Climatic* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
2C-Climatronic* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Ignition lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Starting and stopping the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Start-Stop function* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Manual gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Automatic gearbox* / DSG automatic gearbox* . 175
Handbrake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Parking aid acoustic system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Cruise speed* (Cruise control system) . . . . . . . . 183
Practical Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Intelligent technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Anti-lock brake and traction control systems M-
ABS (ABS and ASR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)* . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Driving and the environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Running-in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Exhaust gas purification system . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Economical and environmentally friendly driving 197
Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
3
Table of Contents

11
Safe driving
– Fasten your seat belt securely ⇒ page 19.
– Keep both feet in the footwell so that you have the vehicle un-
der control at all times.
Adjustment of the driver seat ⇒ page 131.
WARNING
● An incorrect sitting position of the driver can lead to severe injuries.
● Adjust the driver seat so that there is at least 25 cm distance between
the centre of the chest and the centre of the steering wheel ⇒ Fig. 1. If
you are sitting closer than 25 cm, the airbag system cannot protect you
properly.
● If your physical constitution prevents you from maintaining the mini-
mum distance of 25 cm, contact a specialised workshop. The workshop
will help you decide if special specific modifications are necessary.
● 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. This reduces
the risk of injury when the driver airbag is triggered.
● Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position, or in any
other manner (e.g. in the centre of the steering wheel). In such cases, if
the airbag is triggered, you may sustain injuries to the arms, hands and
head.
● To reduce the risk of injury to the driver during sudden braking ma-
noeuvres or an accident, never drive with the backrest tilted far back! The
airbag system and seat belts can only provide optimal protection when
the backrest is in an upright position and the driver is wearing his or her
seat belt correctly. The further the seat backrests are tilted to the rear,
the greater the risk of injury due to incorrect positioning of the belt web
or to the incorrect sitting position!
● Adjust the head restraint properly to achieve optimal protection.
 Correct sitting position for front passenger
The front passenger must sit at least 25 cm away from the
dash panel so that the airbag can provide the greatest pos-
sible protection in the event that it is triggered.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of injury in the event of
an accident, we recommend the following adjustments for the front
passenger:
– Move the front passenger seat back as far as possible ⇒ 
.
– Move the seat backrest to an upright position so that your back
rests completely against it.
– Adjust the head restraint so that its upper edge is at the same
level as the top of your head, or as close as possible to the
same level as the top of your head ⇒ page 13.
– Always keep both feet in the footwell in front of the front pas-
senger seat.
– Fasten your seat belt securely ⇒ page 19.
It is possible to deactivate the front passenger airbag in exceptional circum-
stances ⇒ page 26.
Adjusting the front passenger seat ⇒ page 134. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

17
Safe driving
WARNING
● If the pedals are obstructed, an accident may occur. Risk of serious
injuries.
● Ensure that the floor mats are always securely attached.
● Never lay or fit floor mats or other floor coverings over the original
floor mats. This would reduce the pedal area and could obstruct the ped-
als. Risk of accident.

Storing objects Loading the luggage compartment
All luggage and other loose objects must be safely secured
in the luggage compartment.
Unsecured objects which shift back and forth could impair the driv-
ing safety or driving characteristics of the vehicle by shifting the
centre of gravity.
– Distribute the load evenly in the luggage compartment.
– Place heavy objects as far forward as possible in the luggage
compartment.
– Place the heavy objects first.
– Secure heavy objects to the fastening rings ⇒ page 18.
WARNING
● Loose luggage and other objects in the luggage compartment could
cause serious injuries.
● Always stow objects in the luggage compartment and secure them on
the fastening rings.
● Use suitable straps to secure heavy objects.
● During sudden manoeuvres or accidents, loose objects can be thrown
forward, injuring vehicle occupants or passers-by. This increased risk of
injury will be further increased if a loose object is struck by an inflating
airbag. If this happens, objects can be transformed into “missiles”. Risk
of fatal injury.
● Please note that the centre of gravity may shift when transporting
heavy objects; this may affect vehicle handling and lead to an accident.
Therefore, it is essential to adjust your speed and driving style accord-
ingly, to avoid accidents.
● Never exceed the allowed axle weights or allowed maximum weight.
If the allowed axle load or the allowed total weight is exceeded, the driv-
ing characteristics of the vehicle may change, leading to accidents, inju-
ries and damage to the vehicle.
● Never leave your vehicle unattended, especially when the rear lid is
open. Children could climb into the luggage compartment, closing the
door behind them; they will be trapped and run the risk of death.
● Never allow children to play in or around the vehicle. Close and lock
all the doors and rear lid when you leave the vehicle. Before you lock the
vehicle, make sure that there are no adults or children in the vehicle.
● Never transport passengers in the luggage compartment. All vehicle
occupants must have their seat belt fastened ⇒ page 19.
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

24Seat belts
WARNING
● If the seat belts are worn incorrectly or not at all, the risk of severe
injuries increases. The optimal protection from seat belts can be ach-
ieved only if you use them properly.
● Fasten your seat belt before every trip - even when driving in town.
The other vehicle occupants must also wear the seat belts at all times,
otherwise they run the risk of being injured.
● The seat belt cannot offer its full protection if the seat belt is not
positioned correctly.
● Never allow two passengers (even children) to share the same seat
belt.
● Always keep both feet in the footwell in front of your seat as long as
the vehicle is in motion.
● Never unbuckle a seat belt while the vehicle is in motion. Risk of fatal
injury.
● The seat belt must never be twisted while it is being worn.
● The seat belt should never lie on hard or fragile objects (such as
glasses or pens, etc.) because this can cause injuries.
● Do not allow the seat belt to be damaged or jammed, or to rub on any
sharp edges.
● Never wear the seat belt under the arm or in any other incorrect posi-
tion.
● Loose, bulky clothing (such as an overcoat over a jacket) impairs the
proper fit and function of the seat belts, reducing their capacity to pro-
tect.
● The slot in the seat belt buckle must not be blocked with paper or
other objects, as this can prevent the latch plate from engaging securely.
● Never use seat belt clips, fastening rings or similar instruments to al-
ter the position of the belt webbing.WARNING (Continued)
● Frayed or torn seat belts or damage to the connections, belt retrac-
tors or parts of the buckle could cause severe injuries in the event of an
accident. Therefore, you must check the condition of all seat belts at reg-
ular intervals.
● Seat belts which have been worn in an accident and stretched must
be replaced by a specialised workshop. Renewal may be necessary even
if there is no apparent damage. The belt anchorage should also be
checked.
● Do not attempt to repair a damaged seat belt yourself. The seat belts
must not be removed or modified in any way.
● The belts must be kept clean, otherwise the retractors may not work
properly ⇒ page 216.


25
Seat belts
Seat belts
Seat belt adjustment
The seat belts for the front and rear occupants are locked in-
to position by a latch.
Fig. 12 Belt buckle and
latch plate of seat belt
The seat belt cannot offer its full protection if the seat belt is not
positioned correctly.
– Adjust the seat and head restraint correctly.
– To fasten the belt, take hold of the latch plate and pull it slowly
across your chest and lap.
– Insert the latch plate into the buckle for the appropriate seat
and push it down until it is securely locked with an audible click
⇒ Fig. 12. –
Pull the belt to ensure that the latch plate is securely engaged
in the buckle.
The seat belts are equipped with an automatic retractor on the shoulder
strap. Full freedom of movement is permitted when the shoulder belt is
pulled slowly. However, during sudden braking, during travel in steep areas
or bends and during acceleration, the automatic retractor on the shoulder
belt is locked.
The automatic belt retractors on the front seats are fitted with seat belt ten-
sioners ⇒ page 29.
WARNING
● An incorrectly worn seat belt can cause severe injuries in the event of
an accident.
● The seat belts offer best protection only when the backrests are in an
upright position and the seat belts have been fastened properly.
● Never put the latch plate in the buckle of another seat. If you do this,
the seat belt will not protect you properly and the risk of injury is in-
creased.
● If a vehicle occupant is incorrectly belted in, the seat belt cannot pro-
tect him or her properly. An incorrectly positioned seat belt can cause ex-
tremely severe injuries.
● Always engage the retractor lock when you are securing a child seat
in group 0, 0+ or 1 ⇒ page 46.

Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

27
Seat belts
Pregnant women must also fasten their seat belts properly
The best protection for the unborn child is for the mother to
wear the seat belt properly at all times during the pregnan-
cy.
Fig. 15 Positioning seat
belts during pregnancy
The seat belt provides maximum protection only when the seat belt
is properly positioned ⇒ page 26.
– Adjust the front seat and head restraint correctly ⇒ page 10.
– Holding the latch plate, pull the belt evenly across your chest
and as low as possible over the pelvis ⇒ Fig. 15.
– Insert the latch plate into the buckle for the corresponding seat
and push it down until it is securely locked with an audible click
⇒ 
.
– Pull the belt to ensure that the latch plate is securely engaged
in the buckle.
WARNING
● An incorrectly worn seat belt can cause severe injuries in the event of
an accident.
● For pregnant women, the lap part of the seat belt must lie as low as
possible over the pelvis, never across the stomach, and always lie flat so
that no pressure is exerted on the abdomen.
● Read and observe the warnings ⇒ page 23.

Seat belt release
The seat belt must not be unfastened until the vehicle has
come to a standstill.
Fig. 16 Remove latch
plate from buckle
– Press the red button on the belt buckle ⇒ 
Fig. 16. The latch
plate is released and springs out ⇒ 
.
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

31
Airbag system
WARNING (Continued)
● To reduce the risk of injury from an inflating airbag, always wear the
seat belt properly ⇒ page 19.
● Always adjust the front seats properly.

The danger of fitting a child seat on the front passenger
seat
Rear-facing child seats must never be used on the front pas-
senger seat when the front passenger airbag is enabled. The front passenger front airbag is a serious risk for a child if it is activated.
The front passenger seat is life threatening to a child if he/she is transpor-
ted in a rear-facing child seat. Children up to 12 years old should always
travel on the rear seat.
If a rear-facing child seat is secured to the front passenger seat, an inflating
airbag can strike it with such force that it can cause critical or fatal injuries.
Therefore we strongly recommend you to transport children on the rear
seats. That is the safest place for children in the vehicle. Alternatively, the
front passenger airbag can be disabled with a key-operated switch
⇒ page 44. When transporting children, use a child seat suitable for the
age and size of each child ⇒ page 46.
For those vehicles that do not include a key lock switch to turn the airbag
off, a Technical Service must be consulted.
WARNING
● If a child seat is secured to the front passenger seat, the risk to the
child of sustaining critical or fatal injuries in the event of an accident in-
creases.
● Never secure a rear-facing child seat to the front passenger seat if the
front passenger airbag is enabled. The child can suffer critical or fatal in-
juries if the front passenger airbag is triggered.
● An inflating front passenger airbag can strike the rear-facing child
seat and project it with great force against the door, the roof or the back-
rest.
● If, under special circumstances, it is necessary to transport a child in
a rear-facing child seat on the front passenger seat, it is absolutely es-
sential that you observe the following safety measures:
–Deactivate the front passenger airbag ⇒ page 44, Deactivating
airbags*.
– Child seats must be approved by the child seat manufacturer for
use on a front passenger seat with front or side airbag.
– Follow the installation instructions given by the child seat manu-
facturer and observe the safety instructions ⇒ page 46, Child safe-
ty.
– Before properly installing the child seat, push the front passenger
seat completely backwards so that the greatest possible distance to
the front passenger airbag is ensured.
– Ensure that no objects prevent the front passenger seat from being
pushed completely back.
– The backrest of the front passenger seat must be in an upright po-
sition.

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 front airbag has been disabled. Risk of
potentially fatal injuries to the child! However, if it is necessary, in excep-
tional cases, to transport a child in the front passenger seat, the front
passenger front airbag must always be disabled ⇒ page 44, Deactivating
airbags*. If the passenger seat has a height adjustment option, move it
to the highest position.
● For those vehicles that do not include a key lock switch to turn the
airbag off, a Technical Service must be consulted.
● All vehicle occupants, 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 vehicle occupants.
● 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