2013 Seat Altea XL ignition

121
Lights and visibility
3. Switch the engine off.
4. Apply the handbrake.
5. On a manual gearbox engage 1st gear. On an automatic gear- box, move the selector lever to P.
6. Use the warning triangle to draw the attention of other road users to your vehicle.
7. Always take the vehicle key with you when you leave the vehi- cle.
Switch on the hazard warning lights to warn other road users, for example:
● reaching the tail end of a traffic jam,
● there is an emergency
● your vehicle breaks down due to a technical fault,
● you are towing another vehicle or your vehicle is being towed.
All turn signals flash simultaneously when the hazard warning lights are
switched on. The two turn signal turn signal lamps   and the turn signal
lamp in the switch  will flash at the same time. The hazard warning lights
also work when the ignition is switched off.
Emergency braking warning
If the vehicle is braked suddenly and continuously at a speed of more than
80 km/h (50 mph), the brake light flashes several times per second to warn
vehicles driving behind. If you continue braking, the hazard warning lights
will come on automatically when the vehicle comes to a standstill. They
switch off automatically when the vehicle starts to move again.
WARNING
● The risk of an accident increases if your vehicle breaks down. Always
use the hazard warning lights and a warning triangle to draw the atten-
tion of other road users to your stationary vehicle.
● Never park where the catalytic converter could come into contact with
inflammable materials under the vehicle, for example dry grass or spilt
petrol. This could start a fire!
Note
● The battery will run down if the hazard warning lights are left on for a
long time, even if the ignition is switched off.
● The use of the hazard warning lights described here is subject to the rel-
evant statutory requirements. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

122Lights and visibility
Turn signal and main beam headlight lever
The turn signal and main beam lever also operates the park-
ing lights and the headlight flasher.
Fig. 77 Turn signal and
main beam headlight lev-
er
The turn signal and main beam headlight lever has the following
functions:
Switching on the turn signals
– Move the lever all the way up ⇒ Fig. 77 1
to indicate right, and
all the way down 2 to indicate left.
Signalling a lane change
– Push the lever up 1
or down 2 to the point where you incur
resistance and then release it. The turn signal will flash several
times. The corresponding control lamp will also flash. Switching main beam on and off
–
If the dipped lights are on, push the lever forward ⇒ Fig. 77 3
to switch on the main beam.
– Push the lever towards the steering wheel ⇒ Fig. 77 4
to
switch off the main beam.
Headlight flashers
– Pull the lever towards the steering wheel 4
to operate the
flasher.
Switching on parking lights
– Switch the ignition off and remove the key from the lock.
– Move the turn signal lever up or down to turn the right or left-
hand parking lights on, respectively.
WARNING
The main beam can dazzle other drivers. Risk of accident! Never use the
main beam headlights or the headlight flasher if they could dazzle other
drivers.
Note
● The turn signals only work when the ignition is switched on. The corre-
sponding warning lamp  or  flashes in the instrument panel. The control
lamp  flashes when the turn signals are operated, provided a trailer is
correctly attached and connected to the vehicle. If a turn signal bulb is de-
fective, the control lamp flashes at double speed. If the trailer turn signal
bulbs are damaged, control lamp  does not light up. Change the bulb.
● The main beam headlights can only be switched on if the dipped beam
headlights are already on. The warning lamp  then comes on in the instru-
ment panel. 

123
Lights and visibility
● The headlight flasher comes on for as long as you pull the lever – even if
no other lights are switched on. The warning lamp  then comes on in the
instrument panel.
● When the parking lights are switched on, the headlight and the tail light
on the corresponding side of the vehicle light up. The parking lights will on-
ly work if the key is removed from the ignition. If the lights are switched on,
an audible warning will be emitted while the driver door is open.
● If the turn signal lever is left on after the key has been taken out of the
ignition lock, an acoustic signal sounds when the driver door is opened.
This is a reminder to switch off the turn signal, unless of course you wish to
leave the parking light on. 
Interior lights
Front interior light type 1
Fig. 78 Interior roof trim:
front interior lighting
The switch A

⇒  Fig. 78 is used to select the following positions: Courtesy light position

Rocker switch in flat position (not activated). The interior lighting is auto-
matically switched on when the vehicle is unlocked or the key removed from
the ignition. And turn off approx. 20 seconds after closing the doors. The
interior lights are switched off when the vehicle is locked or when the igni-
tion is switched on.
Interior light switched on 
Push the switch to the position .
Interior light switched off O
Push the switch to position O ⇒ Fig. 78.
Note
If not all the vehicle doors are closed, the interior lights will be switched off
after approx. 10 minutes, providing the ignition key has been removed and
the courtesy light position selected. This prevents the battery from dis-
charging. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

124Lights and visibility
Front interior light type 2
Fig. 79 Interior roof trim:
front interior lighting
The switch A

⇒  Fig. 79 is used to select the following positions:
Courtesy light position 
Rocker switch in flat position (not activated). The interior lighting is auto-
matically switched on when the vehicle is unlocked or the key removed from
the ignition. And turn off approx. 20 seconds after closing the doors. The
interior lights are switched off when the vehicle is locked or when the igni-
tion is switched on.
Interior light switched on 
Push the switch to the position .
Interior light switched off O
Push the switch to position O ⇒ Fig. 79.
Note
If not all the vehicle doors are closed, the interior lights will be switched off
after approx. 10 minutes, providing the ignition key has been removed and
the courtesy light position selected. This prevents the battery from dis-
charging. 

125
Lights and visibility
Front reading lights
Fig. 80 Interior roof trim:
front reading lights, type
1
Fig. 81 Interior roof trim:
front reading lights, type
2
Switching on the reading light 
Press the corresponding button ⇒ Fig. 80 B
and ⇒ 
Fig. 81 B to switch on
the reading light. Switching the reading lights off

Press the corresponding button to switch the reading light off. 
Rear interior and reading lights*
Fig. 82 Interior roof trim:
rear interior lights and
reading lights.
The switch ⇒ Fig. 82 C
is used to select the following positions:
Interior light switched off 0
In switch position ⇒ Fig. 82 1
, the interior and reading lights are switched
off.
Switching on the reading light 
Turn the switch to position 2
(left reading light) or to position 4 (right
reading light).
Courtesy light position 
Turn the control to position 3
. The interior lighting is automatically switch-
ed on when the vehicle is unlocked or the key removed from the ignition.
The light turns off about 20 seconds after closing the doors. The interior 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

126Lights and visibility
lights are switched off when the vehicle is locked or when the ignition is
switched on.
Interior lights or both reading lights switched on 
Turn the control to position 5
.
Note
If not all the vehicle doors are closed, the interior lights will be switched off
after approx. 10 minutes, providing the ignition key has been removed and
the courtesy light position selected. This prevents the battery from dis-
charging. 
Visibility Sun visors
Fig. 83 Sun visor on the
driver side The sun visors for the driver and the front passenger can be pulled out of
their mountings in the centre of the vehicle and turned towards the doors
⇒ Fig. 83
1
The vanity mirrors in the sun visors have covers. When you open the cover
2, a lamp in the roof lights up.
The light* in the roof lining will go out when the vanity mirror cover is push-
ed back or the sun visor is pushed back up.
Note
The roof lamp will turn off about 10 minutes following the removal of the ig-
nition key. This prevents the battery from discharging. 
Sun blind*
The windows on the rear doors are fitted with a sun blind
Fig. 84 Rear door sun vi-
sor 

128Lights and visibility
WARNING
● Worn and dirty wiper blades reduce visibility and safety levels while
driving.
● In cold conditions, you should not use the wash/wipe system unless
you have warmed the windscreen with the heating and ventilation sys-
tem. The windscreen washer fluid could otherwise freeze on the wind-
screen and obscure your view of the road.
● Always note the corresponding warnings on ⇒ page 243, Changing
windscreen wiper blades.
CAUTION
In icy conditions, always check that the wiper blades are not frozen to the
glass before using the wipers for the first time. If you switch on the wind-
screen wipers when the wiper blades are frozen to the windscreen, you
could damage both the wiper blades and the wiper motor.
Note
● The windscreen wipers will only work when the ignition is switched on.
● In certain versions of vehicles with alarms, the windscreen wiper will on-
ly work when the ignition is on and the bonnet closed.
● When in use, the wipers do not go as far as the rest position. When the
lever is moved to position 0, they are totally hidden.
● The next speed down will automatically be selected if speed ⇒ Fig. 85
2
or 3 is selected when the vehicle stops. The set speed will be resumed
when the vehicle starts again
● The windscreen will be wiped again after approximately five seconds
once the “automatic wipe/wash system” has been operated, provided the
vehicle is in transit (drip function). If you activate the wipers less than three
seconds after the drip function, a new wash sequence will begin without the
last wipe. For the “drip” function to work again, you have to turn the ignition
off and then on again. ●
When the “interval wipe function” is on, the intervals are directly propor-
tional to the speed. This way, the higher the vehicle speed the shorter the
intervals.
● The wiper will try to wipe away any obstacles that are on the windscreen.
The wiper will stop moving if the obstacle blocks its path. Remove the ob-
stacle and switch the wiper back on again.
● Before removing any objects that may be trapped in the side areas of
the windscreen, always move the wiper arms to the service position (hori-
zontal).
● The heat output of the heated jets is controlled automatically when the
ignition is switched on, depending upon the outside temperature. 

129
Lights and visibility
Rain sensor*
The rain sensor controls the frequency of the windscreen
wiper intervals, depending on the amount of rain.
Fig. 86 Rain sensor*
Fig. 87 Windscreen wip-
er lever Switching on the rain sensor
–
Move the windscreen wiper lever into position 1
⇒ Fig. 87.
– Move the control A
to the left or right to set the sensitivity of
the rain sensor. Control to the right: highly sensitive. Control to
the left: less sensitive.
The rain sensor is part of the interval wipe function. You will have to switch
the rain sensor back on if you switch off the ignition. This is done by switch-
ing the wiper interval wipe function off and back on.
Note
● Do not put stickers on the windscreen in front of the rain sensor. This
may cause sensor disruption or faults. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications