2014 Seat Alhambra service

263
Accessories, replacement of parts and modifications
The vehicle owner should keep the documentation for the additional equip-
ment safely and hand it over to the scrap yard at the end of the vehicle's
service life. This ensures that any additional equipment mounted in end-of-
life vehicles is correctly disposed of with respect for the environment.
WARNING
Repairs or modifications which are not performed correctly may result in
damage or errors in the vehicle operation, affecting the effectiveness of
the driver assist systems. This could result in serious accident.
● All repairs and modifications to the vehicle should only be performed
by a specialised workshop.

Repair and faults in the airbag system
When performing repairs and technical modifications, SEAT's directives
must be observed! ⇒ 
Modifications and repairs to the front bumper, doors, front seats, and re-
pairs to the roof or chassis should only be carried out in a specialised work-
shop. These components may contain parts or sensors belonging to the air-
bag system.
If work is carried out on the airbag system or parts have to be removed and
fitted on the system when performing other repair work, parts of the airbag
system may be damaged. The consequence may be that, in the event of an
accident, the airbag inflates incorrectly or does not inflate at all.
So that the effectiveness of the airbag is not reduced and that removed
parts do not cause any injuries or environmental pollution, regulations must
be observed. These requirements are known to specialised workshops.
Modifications to the vehicle suspension may affect the operation of the air-
bag system in the event of collision. For example, if wheel and tyre combi-
nations not approved by SEAT are used, or if the vehicle height is lowered, the suspension is stiffened or the suspension springs, telescopic arms,
dampers, etc., are modified, the results received by the airbag sensors and
sent to the control unit may not be accurate. For example, some modifica-
tions to the suspension could increase the force measured by the sensors
and result in the triggering of the airbag systems in collisions. Under normal
conditions, the measured values would be lower and the airbag would not
have been triggered. Other modifications may reduce the forces measured
by the sensors and therefore the airbags are not triggered in situations
when they should have triggered.
WARNING
Repairs or modifications which are not performed correctly may result in
damage or errors in the vehicle operation, affecting the effectiveness of
the airbag systems. This could result in serious or fatal accident.
● All repairs and modifications to the vehicle should only be performed
by a specialised workshop.
● Airbag modules must never be repaired: if damaged, they must be re-
placed.
● Never fit recycled or reused airbag components in your vehicle.
WARNING
Modifications to the vehicle suspension, including the use of unauthor-
ised wheel and tyre combinations, may affect the performance of the air-
bags and increase the risk of serious or fatal injury in the event of acci-
dent.
● Never fit suspension components which are not identical to the origi-
nal parts mounted in the vehicle.
● Never use wheel and tyre combinations not approved by SEAT.

Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

264Accessories, replacement of parts and modifications
Retro-fitting of two-way radios
An exterior aerial is required for the use of two-way radios in the vehicle.
The retro-fitting of electrical or electronic appliances in the vehicle is sub-
ject to their approval for use in your vehicle. Under certain circumstances,
this could mean that your vehicle registration documents are no longer val-
id.
SEAT has approved your vehicle for use with two-way radios providing the
following conditions are observed:
●The exterior aerial must be mounted professionally.
● The maximum transmitting power is 10 watts.
The optimal reach of the equipment is only achieved with an external aerial.
Check first with a specialised workshop if you wish to use a two-way radio
with a transmitting power of over 10 watts. The specialised workshops are
familiar with the technical options for installation. SEAT recommends visit-
ing a Technical Service.
All legal requirements, together with the instructions for the use of two-way
radios must be observed.
WARNING
If the two-way radio is not securely fastened in position, it could be sent
flying around the vehicle in the event of sharp braking, sudden manoeu-
vres or accident, causing injury.
● While driving, two-way radios must be securely fastened in position,
outside the radius of action of the airbags, or safely stowed away.
WARNING
When using a two-way radio without a connection to an exterior aerial,
the maximum permitted levels of electromagnetic radiation may be ex-
ceeded. This is also the case if the aerial has not been correctly installed.
● You should only use a two-way radio inside the vehicle if it has first
been correctly connected to an exterior aerial.

Information stored by the control units
Your vehicle is fitted at the factory with a series of electronic control units
responsible for the engine and gearbox management. In addition, the con-
trol units supervise the performance of the exhaust gas system and the air-
bag systems.
Therefore, while the vehicle is being driven, these electronic control units
are continuously analysing the vehicle data. In the event of faults or devia-
tions from the theoretical values, only this data is stored. Normally, the
warning lamps on the instrument panel light up in the event of faults.
This data can only be read and analysed using special equipment.
The storing of the data allows specialised workshops to detect and repair
faults. Stored data may include:
● Data relating to the engine or the gearbox
● Speed
● Direction of travel
● Braking force
● Detection of seat belt
The vehicle control units never record conversations held by passengers in
the vehicle. 

265
Accessories, replacement of parts and modifications
In vehicles equipped with an emergency call function via the mobile phone
or other appliances connected in the vehicle, it is possible to send the vehi-
cle position. If the control unit records an accident with airbag activation,
the system may automatically send a signal. This will depend on the net-
work operator. Normally, transmission is only possible in areas with good
coverage.
Event Data Recorder
The vehicle is not fitted with an event data recorder.
An event data recorder temporarily stores the vehicle information. There-
fore, in the event of accident, it is possible to obtain detailed information
about how the accident occurred. For example, in vehicles with airbag sys-
tems, data relating to speed of impact, seat belt status, seat positions and
airbag activation times may be stored. The volume of data depends on the
manufacturer.
Event data recorders can only be mounted with authorisation from the vehi-
cle owner and, in some countries, they are governed by local legislation.
Reprogramming control units
On the whole, all the data required for the component management is stor-
ed in the control units. The programming of certain convenience functions,
such as the convenience turn signals, individual door opening and instruc-
tions on the display can be modified using special equipment at the work-
shop. If this is the case, the information and descriptions given in the In-
struction Manual will not match the original functions. Therefore, SEAT rec-
ommends that any modifications are recorded in the section “Other work-
shop notes” in the Maintenance Programme.
The Technical Service must have a record of any modification to the pro-
gramming.
Reading the vehicle fault memory
There is a diagnostics connector in the vehicle interior for reading the vehi-
cle fault memory. The fault memory documents errors and deviations from
the theoretical values of the electronic control units. The diagnostics connector is in the driver side footwell area, next to the lev-
er for opening the bonnet, below a cover.
The fault memory should only be read and reset by a specialised workshop.

Using a mobile telephone in a vehicle without connection
to an exterior aerial
Mobile telephones transmit and receive radio waves, both when in use and
when on stand-by. Scientific studies state that radio waves exceeding cer-
tain values may be harmful to the human body. International committees
and authorities have established limits and directives in order to ensure
electromagnetic radiation from mobile phones remains within certain limits
that do not endanger human health. Nevertheless, there is no conclusive
scientific evidence that wireless telephones are totally safe.
Therefore, some experts recommend that use of mobile phone be kept to a
minimum until the results of current research are published.
When a mobile phone not connected to an exterior aerial is used inside the
vehicle, the electromagnetic radiation may be greater than if the mobile
phone were connected to a built-in aerial or to another exterior aerial.
If the vehicle is fitted with a suitable hands-free device, it will comply with
the legislation in many countries which only permits the use of mobile
phones inside vehicles using a hands-free device.
The hands-free system mounted at the factory has been designed for use
with conventional mobile phones and phones with Bluetooth technology.
Mobile phones should be placed on a suitable phone cradle. In addition,
the cradle should always be correctly fitted into the base plate. This ensures
that the mobile phone is securely attached to the dash panel, it is always
within reach of the driver and is connected to the vehicle exterior aerial.
If the mobile phone is connected to an aerial incorporated into the vehicle
or an exterior aerial connected to the vehicle, this will help to reduce the 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

268Checking and refilling levels
Checking and refilling levels
Filling the tank
Introduction
The fuel tank flap is on the rear right of the vehicle.
Additional information and warnings:
● Fuel ⇒ page 271
● Selective Catalytic Reduction (AdBlue) ⇒ page 275
● Working in the engine compartment ⇒ page 279
WARNING
Refuelling or handling fuel carelessly can cause an explosion or fire re-
sulting in serious burns and injuries.
● Always make sure that you correctly close the fuel cap to avoid evap-
oration and fuel spillage.
● Fuels are highly explosive and inflammable substances that can
cause serious burns and injuries.
● Fuel could leak out or be spilt if the engine is not switched off or if the
filler fuel nozzle is not fully inserted into the tank filler neck when refuel-
ling. This could lead to a fire, explosion and severe injuries.
● When refuelling, turn off the engine, the auxiliary heating
(⇒ page 165) and turn off the ignition for safety reasons.
● Always turn off mobile telephones, radio apparatus and other radio
wave emitting equipment before refuelling. Electromagnetic waves could
cause sparks and lead to a fire.
WARNING (Continued)
● Never enter the vehicle while refuelling. If it is absolutely necessary
to enter the vehicle, close the door and touch a metal surface before
touching the filler nozzle again. This will prevent the generation of static
electricity. Sparks could cause a fire when refuelling.
● Never handle fuel close to open flames, sparks or objects with slow
combustion (e.g. cigarettes).
● Avoid static electricity and electro-magnetic radiation when refuel-
ling.
● Observe the safety regulations of the service station.
● Never spill fuel on the vehicle or in the luggage compartment.
WARNING
For safety reasons, SEAT does not recommend carrying a spare fuel canis-
ter in the vehicle. Fuel could be spilled and catch fire, above all in case of
an accident and this applies to a full container as well as empty contain-
ers. This could lead to explosions, fires and injuries.
● Observe the following if you exceptionally have to carry fuel in a can-
ister:
–Never place a fuel container to fill it inside the vehicle or on the ve-
hicle, for example, in the luggage compartment or on the rear lid. Fill-
ing in these circumstances could create an electrostatic charge and
spark that could ignite fuel fumes.
– Always place the canister on the ground to fill it.
– Insert the fuel nozzle into the neck of the canister as far as possi-
ble. 

269
Checking and refilling levels
WARNING (Continued)
– If you are using a metal fuel canister, the nozzle must always touch
the canister while it is being filled to avoid static electricity.
– Follow the legal requirements for the use, storage and transport of
spare fuel canisters.
– Insure that the fuel container complies with manufacturing stand-
ards, for example, ANSI or ASTM F852-86.
CAUTION
● Always remove any fuel spilled on the vehicle paintwork immediately to
avoid damage to the wheel housing, the tyre and vehicle paintwork.
● Refuelling a petrol engine with diesel or a diesel engine with petrol can
cause serious engine and fuel system damage; the resulting malfunctions
are not covered by the SEAT warranty. If you refuel with the wrong type of
fuel, never start the engine. This applies to even the smallest amount of the
wrong fuel. Seek specialist assistance. With the engine running, the compo-
sition of the wrong fuel could significantly damage the fuel system and the
engine itself.
● In vehicles with a diesel engine, under no circumstances should you re-
fuel or drive with petrol, kerosene, heating oil or any other type of different
fuel. Other types of fuels could cause serious damage to the engine and to
the fuel supply system and the resulting problems are not covered by the
SEAT warranty.
For the sake of the environment
Fuels can contaminate the environment. Collect any spilt service fluids and
allow a professional to dispose of them.
Note
There is no emergency mechanism for the manual release of the tank flap. If
necessary, request assistance from specialised personnel. Control lamps and fuel gauge
Fig. 165 On the instru-
ment panel: Fuel gauge
for petrol and diesel
lights upGauge posi-
tion
⇒ Fig. 165Possible cause ⇒ Solution
Red mark (ar- row)The fuel tank is almost
empty.
The reserve tank is be-
ing used ⇒ page 359.Refuel as soon as
possible ⇒ .
 Fuel tank not closed
correctly.Stop the vehicle and
close the tank flap
properly.
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.
When the control lamp lights up or the auxiliary heater and the auxiliary
heater running off petrol automatically switch off. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

272Checking and refilling levels
WARNING
Refuelling or handling fuel carelessly can cause an explosion or fire re-
sulting in serious burns and injuries.
● Fuel is a highly explosive, easily flammable substance.
● Observe current safety instructions and local regulations concerning
the handling of fuel.

Types of fuel
The type of fuel to use when refilling will depend on the vehicle's engine.
You will find a factory-fitted sticker containing information on the type of
fuel for your vehicle on the inside of the fuel tank flap.
SEAT recommends the use of sulphur-free or low sulphur fuel to reduce con-
sumption and prevent engine damage.
Possible types of fuelAlternative namesFurther information
91a)
RONNormal petrol, normal unlea-
ded petrol
⇒ page 27295 a)
RONPremium unleaded petrol (95
RON)
98 a)
RONPremium unleaded petrol (98
RON)
Diesel ⇒ page 273a) RON = Regulation Octane Number Petrol
Petrol types
Vehicles with petrol engines must refuel using unleaded petrol according to
European norm EN 228 ⇒ 
.
Petrol types are categorised according to their octane number (e.g. 91, 95,
98 or 99 RON (RON = “Research Octane Number”). You may use petrol with
a high octane number than the one recommended for your engine. Howev-
er, this has no advantage in terms of fuel consumption and engine power.
SEAT recommends refuelling with a low sulphur content or sulphur-free pet-
rol to reduce fuel consumption for petrol engines.
Petrol additives
The quality of the fuel influences the behaviour, performance and service
life of the engine. This is why the petrol you use should carry suitable addi-
tives already included by the petrol industry, free of metals. These additives
will help to prevent corrosion, keep the fuel system clean and prevent de-
posits from building up in the engine.
If good quality petrol with metal-free additives is not available or engine
problems arise, the necessary additives must be added when refuelling
⇒ 
.
Not all petrol additives have been shown to be effective. The use of unsuita-
ble petrol additives may cause significant damage to the engine and the
catalytic converter. Metal additives should never be used. Metal additives
may also be contained in petrol additives for improving anti-detonation rat-
ings or octane ratings ⇒ 
.
SEAT recommends “genuine Volkswagen Group fuel additives for petrol en-
gines”. These additives can be bought at SEAT Authorised Services, where
information on how to use them can also be obtained. 

273
Checking and refilling levels
CAUTION
● Do not refuel if the filler indicates that the fuel contains metal. LRP (lead
replacement petrol) fuels contain high concentrations of metal additives.
Using them may damage the engine!
● Only use fuel with an octane rating that is in line with the norm EN 228,
otherwise significant damage could be caused to the engine and fuel sys-
tem. Furthermore, it could lead to a loss of performance with the conse-
quent engine fault.
● The use of unsuitable petrol additives could damage the engine.
● If, in exceptional circumstances, petrol with a lower octane rating to that
recommended is used, only use moderate engine speeds and a light throt-
tle. Avoid using full throttle and overloading the engine. Otherwise you may
damage the engine. Fill up with fuel of a suitable octane rating as soon as
possible.
● Just one full tank of leaded fuel would seriously impair the efficiency of
the catalytic converter and could damage it. 
Diesel
Diesel fuel
Diesel fuel must correspond to European standard EN 590 (in Germany,
EN 590 or DIN 51628).
The use of diesel fuel with a high sulphur percentage requires shorter serv-
ice intervals ⇒ Booklet Maintenance Programme ⇒ 
. Your Technical Serv-
ice will be able to tell you which countries have diesel with a high sulphur
content.
Do not mix fuel additives (thinners, or similar additives) with diesel fuel.
Winter-grade diesel
When using “summer-grade diesel fuel”, difficulties may be experienced at
temperatures below 0 °C (+32 °F) because the fuel thickens due to wax sep- aration. For this reason, “winter-grade diesel fuel” is available in Germany,
for example, during the cold months. It can be used at temperatures as low
as -20 °C (-4 °F).
In countries with different climatic conditions, other types of diesel fuel are
available that are suitable to local temperatures. Technical Services and fill-
ing stations in the country concerned will inform you on the type of diesel
fuels available.
A cold diesel engine makes more noise during winter temperatures than
summer temperatures. Furthermore, the exhaust gases may turn slightly
bluish while the engine is heating. The quantity of exhaust gases will de-
pend on the outside temperature.
Filter pre-heater
Vehicles with a diesel engine are fitted with a fuel filter pre-heating system.
This ensures that the fuel system remains operational to approx. -24 °C
(-11.2 °F), provided you use winter-grade diesel which is safe to -15 °C
(+5,0 °F).
However, if the fuel has waxed to such an extent that the engine will not
start at temperatures of under -24 °C (-11.2 °F), simply place the vehicle in a
warm garage or workshop for a while to heat up.
Auxiliary heater
Vehicles with a diesel engine may be fitted with an auxiliary heater. The
heater runs off the fuel from the fuel tank. On doing so, smells and steam
may be noticed outside the vehicle for a short period. This is normal and it
is not an indication of a fault in the vehicle.
Whenever there is little fuel in the tank (reserve), the auxiliary heater auto-
matically switches off.

Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

274Checking and refilling levels
WARNING
Never use start boosters. An aerosol start booster could explode or cause
a sudden rise in engine speed leading to engine damage and serious in-
jury.
CAUTION
● The vehicle is not prepared for the use of biodiesel. Never, under any
circumstances refuel with biodiesel. It could damage the fuel system and
subsequently lead to engine faults!
● The addition of biodiesel to diesel by the diesel producer according to
Standard EN 590 or other equivalent (DIN 51628 in Germany, for example)
is authorised and causes no type of damage to the engine or the fuel sys-
tem.
● The diesel engine has been designed for to use diesel fuel exclusively.
Therefore, never use petrol, fuel oil or other unsuitable fuels. The composi-
tion of these fuels may significantly damage the fuel system and the en-
gine.
● The use of diesel fuels with a high sulphur percentage could considera-
bly reduce the service life of the diesel particulate filter. Your Technical Serv-
ice will be able to tell you which countries have diesel with a high sulphur
content. 
Information on fuel consumption
The consumption and emission values indicated do not refer to one specific
vehicle. They are only to be used to compare the values of the different ve-
hicle versions. The fuel consumption and CO 2 emissions of a vehicle not on-
ly depend on the effective use of fuel. They also depend on your driving
style and other non-technical factors. Calculation of fuel consumption
Fuel consumption and emission values are determined according to the cur-
rent version of the 715/2007/EC or 80/1268/EEC regulation and are valid
for the vehicle kerb weight. The specifications do
not refer to an individual
vehicle. Two measuring cycles are carried out on a rolling road test bed to
calculate fuel consumption. The test criteria are as follows:
Urban cycleMeasurement of the urban cycle starts with an engine cold
start. City driving is then simulated at between 0 and 50 km/
h (31 mph).
Road cycle
In the road cycle simulation, the car undergoes frequent ac-
celeration and braking in all gears, as in normal everyday
driving. The road speed ranges from 0 to 120 km/h
(75 mph).
CombinedThe average combined consumption is calculated with a
weighting of around 37 % for the urban cycle and 63 % for
the road cycle.
CO 2 emis-
sions of the
combinationThe exhaust gases are collected during both driving cycles
to calculate carbon dioxide emissions (urban and road). The
gas composition is then analysed to evaluate the CO 2 con-
tent and other emissions.
Note
● The kerb weight may vary according to the vehicle equipment. This
could raise consumption and the CO 2 emissions slightly.
● In practice, consumption values could be different to the values calcula-
ted based on the 715/2007/EC or 80/1268/EEC regulations. 