2013 Seat Altea deactivate airbag

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 135.
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 138. 
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 deactivate the air-
bag, the vehicle must be taken to a Technical Service.
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

44Airbag system
Deactivating airbags*
Front passenger front airbag deactivation
If you fit a rear-facing child seat to the front passenger seat,
the front passenger front 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 Control lamp for
deactivated front passen-
ger airbag in centre con-
sole
When the front passenger airbag is deactivated, only the front air-
bag is deactivated. All the other airbags in the vehicle remain acti-
vated.
Deactivating the front passenger front 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 control lamp, “OFF”, on the instrument panel
⇒ Fig. 27 remains lit when the ignition is switched on ⇒ 
.
Activating the front passenger front airbag
– Switch the ignition off.
– Turn the ignition key in the key-operated switch in the glove
compartment to the position ON ⇒ Fig. 26. 

45
Airbag system
– Check that the control lamp on the instrument panel ⇒ Fig. 27
does not light up when the ignition is switched on ⇒ 
.
WARNING
● The driver is responsible for the proper position of the key-operated
switch.
● You should only deactivate the front passenger front airbag when, in
exceptional cases, you have to use a rear-facing child seat on the front
passenger seat ⇒ page 46, Child safety.
● Never install a child seat facing backwards on the front passenger
seat unless the front passenger front airbag has been disabled. Other-
wise, there is a risk of death. If under exceptional circumstances it is nec-
essary to transport a child in a rear-facing child seat on the front passen-
ger seat, you must always disable the front passenger front airbag.
● As soon as the child seat is no longer needed on the front passenger
seat, enable the front passenger front airbag again.
● Only deactivate the front passenger front airbag when the ignition is
off, otherwise a fault may occur in the airbag system, which could cause
the airbag to not deploy properly or not deploy at all.
WARNING (Continued)
● When the front passenger front airbag is deactivated, if the control
lamp AIRBAG OFF is not continuously lit up, there may be a fault in the
airbag system:
–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 front 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 front airbag, only the front passenger airbag will be activated/deacti-
vated. The side airbag and head airbag on the passenger side will remain
active.

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 deactivate
the airbag, the vehicle must be taken to a Technical Service.
● 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

55
Cockpit
Operating Instructions Cockpit
Overview Overview of the dash panel
This overview will help you to familiarise yourself with the
controls and displays. Door release lever
Light switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Light intensity regulator for the instruments and controls . . . .120
Headlight range control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Air vents
Turn signal and main beam lever and cruise control system* 123, 190
Controls on the steering wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Instrument panel:
– Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
– Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
– Control and warning lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Horn (works only when the ignition is on)/ Driver front airbag . .30
Windscreen wiper and washer lever and operation of the
multifunction display* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128, 63
Left seat heating button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
1
2345678
910
11
Controls for
–
Heating* and ventilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
– Climatic* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
– Climatronic* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Radio/Navigator*
Right seat heating button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Control lamp for deactivated front passenger airbag . . . . . . . .44
Front passenger front airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Glove compartment lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Selector lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Cup holder compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Controls on the centre console:
– Central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
– ESC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
– Tyre pressure control* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
– Park Pilot* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
– Cigarette lighter/Power socket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
– Exterior mirror adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
– Start-Stop* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Handbrake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Hazard warning light switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Pedals
Ignition lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Steering column control lever* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
12
1314151617181920
2122232425
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

170Driving
WARNING (Continued)
● Adjust the driver seat or steering wheel so that there is a distance of
at least 25 cm between the steering wheel and your chest ⇒ Fig. 133. If
you fail to observe the minimum distance, the airbag will not protect you.
Risk of fatal injury.
● If your physical constitution does not allow you to maintain the mini-
mum distance of 25 cm, contact a Technical Service. The Technical Serv-
ice will help you to decide if special specific modifications are necessary.
● If you adjust the steering wheel so that it points towards your face,
the driver airbag will not protect you properly in the event of an accident.
Make sure that the steering wheel points towards your chest.
● 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. 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, or on the inside of the rim). In
such cases, if the airbag is triggered, you may sustain injuries to the
arms, hands and head.
 Safety
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)*
The ESC helps make driving safer in extreme driving condi-
tions.
Fig. 134 Detailed view of
the centre console: ESC
switch.
The Electronic Stability Control ESC includes the electronic differential lock
(EDL), the traction control system (ASR), the brake assist system (BAS) and
the trailer stabilisation programme (TSP). The ESC works together with the
ABS. Both control lamps will light up if the ESC or ABS systems are faulty.
The ESC system is started automatically when the engine is started.
The ESC system is always active and cannot be switched off. The ESC switch
only switches the ASR off.
The ASR can be deactivated when wheel spin is desirable.
For example: 

Engine coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240G 12 plus-plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
G 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Engine fault Control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Engine management control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Checking engine oil level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Oil properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Topping up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Engine oil dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Engine oil pressure control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66, 87
Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204 Environmental friendliness . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Environmentally friendly driving . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Environmental tip Avoiding pollution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
ESC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89, 170, 196 see also Electronic Stability Control . . . . . 170
Example of menu use Program a speed limit warning . . . . . . . . . . 69
To activate and deactivate the speed limitwarning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Example of the use of the menus Open the Configuration menu with the MFIlever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Open the Configuration menu with the steering wheel controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Examples of menu use
Open the main menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Open the winter tyres menu . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
To close the winter tyres menu . . . . . . . . . . 69
Exhaust gas purification system . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Exterior mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
F
Fastening rings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Fire extinguisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
First-aid kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Flexible service interval display . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Floor mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Fog lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Fog lights with cornering function . . . . . . . . . 121
Folding table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Folding the seat backrests down . . . . . . . . . . 141
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Safety notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Front drinks holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Front passenger airbag deactivation . . . . . . . . 44
Front reading lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Front seat adjustment Lumbar support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Fuel Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Petrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
fuel consumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Fuel consumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288 Fuel level
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Fuel reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Warning message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Fuel tank see Fuel reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Fuel Tank Opening the fuel tank flap . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Fuel: save . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
G
Gear shift pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
General overview of the engine compartment 291
Glove compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Glow plug system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
H
Handbrake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185 Control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Hazard warning lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
HBA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Headlight flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Headlight range control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Headlights Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Fog lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Headlight washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
306 Index