2014 Seat Alhambra roof rack

14Safe driving
WARNING
The driving behaviour and braking ability change when transporting
heavy and large objects.
● Adjust your speed and driving style to visibility, road, traffic and
weather conditions.
● Accelerate gently and carefully.
● Avoid sudden braking and manoeuvres.
● Brake early.

Transporting a load
Secure all objects in the vehicle
● Distribute the load throughout the vehicle, on the roof and in a trailer as
uniformly as possible.
● Transport heavy objects as far forward as possible in the luggage com-
partment and lock the seat backs in the vertical position.
● Secure luggage in the luggage compartment with suitable straps on the
fastening rings ⇒ page 127.
● Check the headlight adjustment ⇒ page 96.
● Use the suitable tyre pressure according to the load being transported.
Read the tire inflation information label ⇒ page 297.
● For vehicles with a tire pressure indicator, change the vehicle load status
⇒ page 225.
CAUTION
Objects on the shelf could chafe against the wires of the heating element in
the heated rear window and cause damage.
Note
Please note the information about loading a trailer ⇒ page 237 and the
roof carrier system ⇒ page 140. 
Driving with the rear lid open
Driving with the rear lid open creates an additional risk. Secure all objects
and secure the rear lid correctly and take all measures possible to reduce
toxic gases from entering the vehicle.
WARNING
Driving with the rear lid unlocked or open could cause serious injuries.
● Always drive with the rear lid closed.
● Secure all objects in the vehicle. Loose items could fall out of the ve-
hicle and injure other road users or damage other vehicles.
● Drive particularly carefully and think ahead.
● Avoid sudden manoeuvres and braking given that this could cause an
uncontrolled movement of the open rear lid.
● When transporting objects that protrude out of the luggage compart-
ment, indicate them suitably. Observe legal requirements.
● If objects must project out of the luggage compartment, the rear lid
must never be used to “secure” or “attach” objects.
● If a baggage rack is fitted on the rear lid, it should be removed before
travelling with the rear lid open. 

232Driving and the environment
Avoid carrying unnecessary loads
The lighter the vehicle, the more economical and ecological the driving
style. For example, an additional weight of 100 kg will increase fuel con-
sumption up to 0.3 l/100 km.
Remove any unnecessary objects or loads from the vehicle.
Remove optional equipment and unnecessary accessories
The more aerodynamic the vehicle, the lower the fuel consumption. Option-
al equipment and accessories (such as roof racks or bike carriers) reduce
the aerodynamic benefits of the vehicle.
Therefore, we recommend you remove all optional and unnecessary equip-
ment and racks, especially if you intend to drive at high speeds. 
Environmental friendliness
Environmental protection is a top priority in the design, choice of materials
and manufacture of your new SEAT.
Constructive measures to encourage recycling
● Joints and connections designed for easy dismantling
● Modular construction to facilitate dismantling
● Increased use of single-grade materials.
● Plastic parts and elastomers are marked in accordance with ISO 1043,
ISO 11469 and ISO 1629.
Choice of materials
● Use of recycled materials.
● Use of compatible plastics in the same part if its components are not
easily separated.
● Use of recycled materials and/or materials originating from renewable
sources. ●
Reduction of volatile components, including odour, in plastic materials.
● Use of CFC-free coolants.
Ban on heavy metals, with the exceptions dictated by law (Annex II of ELV
Directive 2000/53/EC): cadmium, lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium.
Manufacturing methods
● Reduction of the quantity of thinner in the protective wax for cavities.
● Use of plastic film as protection during vehicle transport.
● Use of solvent-free adhesives.
● Use of CFC-free coolants in cooling systems.
● Recycling and energy recovery from residues (RDF).
● Improvement in the quality of waste water.
● Use of systems for the recovery of residual heat (thermal recovery, en-
thalpy wheels, etc.).
● The use of water-soluble paints. 
Engine management and exhaust gas
purification system Introduction
Additional information and warnings:
● Changing gear ⇒ page 176
● Refuelling ⇒ page 268
● Fuel ⇒ page 271
● Engine oil ⇒ page 283
● Vehicle battery ⇒ page 292 

247
Vehicle 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 249, 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! 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

318If and when
First aid kit, warning triangle, reflective vests and fire
extinguishers*
Fig. 190 On the rear lid:
Warning triangle bracket
Reflective vests
Some vehicles will have a driver door compartment to store a reflective vest
⇒  page 53.
Warning triangle
With the rear lid open, rotate the lock 90° ⇒ Fig. 190. Lower the bracket and
remove the warning triangle.
First-aid kit
There is a first aid kit
⇒  page 142 in the rear left-hand side storage com-
partment of the luggage compartment.
The first aid kit must comply with legal requirements. Check the expiry date
of the contents of the first aid kit.
Fire extinguisher
There is a Fire extinguisher underneath the front passenger seat. The fire extinguisher must conform to legal requirements, be ready for use
and be checked regularly. Check the certification seal on the extinguisher.
WARNING
Loose objects in the vehicle interior can be violently thrown in case of a
sudden manoeuvre or braking and especially in accidents causing seri-
ous injury.
● Secure fire extinguishers, first aid kit, reflective vests and warning
triangle securely to their respective supports.

Emergency locking and unlocking Introduction
The doors, rear lid and panoramic sliding sunroof can be locked manually
and partially opened, for example if the key or the central locking is dam-
aged.
Additional information and warnings:
● Vehicle key set ⇒ page 72
● Central locking and locking system ⇒ page 75
● Doors ⇒ page 81
● Rear lid ⇒  page 84
● Panoramic sliding sunroof ⇒ page 93
● In case of emergency ⇒ page 316 

N
Net Luggage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Net partition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
New engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
New tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
New tyres and wheels About your tyres and wheels . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Noise Auxiliary heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Parking brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Noises Brake assist systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Notes for the user . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Number of seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
O Octane rating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Oil See engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Older tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Onboard diagnostic system (ODB) . . . . . . . . . 265
Opening Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Electric sliding door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 From the inside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Panoramic sliding sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Rear lid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
See "Unlocking" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Sliding doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Sun blind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Opening doors individually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Operating fault Immobiliser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Operating faults Radio reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Optical parking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Outside temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Overview Dash panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
P Panoramic sliding sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Anti-trap function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Convenience closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Convenience opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Emergency locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Fault . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Sun blind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204 Brake operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Park assist system Automatic stoppage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Fault . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Leaving the parking space . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Preparing to park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Stopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Switching on or off (leaving the parking
space) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Switching on or off (parking) . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Park Assist system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185, 188
Parking aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Parking aid system Use of high pressure cleaning equipment 248
Parking brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Automatic release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Emergency braking function . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
See "Parking brake" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Parking distance warning system Use of high pressure cleaning equipment 248
Parking indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Parking light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Parking sensor system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200, 201 Fault . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Optical parking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
With towing bracket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Particulate filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Pedals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 178
Petrol Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Filling the tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Fuel gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
370 Index

Tiredness detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Traction control system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Traction control when accelerating (ASR) . 192
Tyre monitoring indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Tyre monitoring systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
T Technical data Axle loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Curb weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Engine oil specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Reservoir capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Roof load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Total weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Tyre pressures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Weights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Technical details Type of fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Technical modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262 Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Lifting platform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Technical specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Temperature display Outside temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Temperature gauge Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
The rear lid Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
See "The rear lid" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Unlocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Things to note
Auxiliary heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165, 168
Diesel particulate filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Electric sliding doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Fumes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Increase in exhaust gases . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Parking sensor system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Rear assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Removing the key from the vehicle . . . . . . 174
Switching Auto Hold off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Water underneath the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 162
Tightening torque Wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Tightening torque of wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . 351
TIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Tips for driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Before starting out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Tiptronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Tiredness detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Total weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Tow hitch Function control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Installing a bicycle carrier . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Tow hitch ball See "Trailer" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344 All-wheel drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Automatic gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Driving tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Front towline anchorage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Rear towline anchorage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Special notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Tow bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345 Towing prohibited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Towing rope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
With a tow hitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Towing a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Towing bracket Optical parking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Parking sensor system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Tow starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Traction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Traction control system (ASR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Traction control when accelerating (ASR) . . . . 192
Trailer Adjusting the headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Anti-theft alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Drawbar load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Driving with a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237, 241
Electrically releasing the hitch ball . . . . . . 238
Fitting a trailer tow hitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Function control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Hitch ball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Hitching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Loading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Power socket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Rear LED lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237, 240
Rear lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237, 240
Stabilising the vehicle and trailer combina-tion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Trailer cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237, 239
Trailer weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Wing mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Trailer cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237, 239
374 Index