
219
Vehicle maintenance and cleaning
CAUTION
To prevent scratching chrome surfaces:
● Never use an abrasive cleaning product on chrome.
● Do not clean or polish chrome parts in a sandy or dusty environment.
Steel wheel rims
– Clean steel wheel rims regularly using a separate sponge.
Use an industrial cleaner to remove brake dust. Any damage to the paint on
steel wheel rims should be repaired before starting to rust.
WARNING
● Never wash tyres with a cylindrical jet. Even at large spraying distan-
ces and short cleaning times, visible and invisible damage can occur to
the tyres. This may cause an accident.
● Water, ice and salt on the brake system can reduce braking effective-
ness. Risk of accident. Directly after washing, avoid sudden and sharp
braking. “Dry” the brakes by braking several times ⇒ page 204.
Alloy wheel rims
Every two weeks
– Wash salt and brake dust from alloy wheels.
– Use an acid free detergent to clean the wheel rims. Every three months
–
Apply a hard wax compound to the wheels.
Alloy wheels require regular attention to preserve their appearance. If road
salt and brake dust are not often removed, the aluminium finish will be im-
paired.
Always use an acid-free detergent for alloy wheel rims.
Car polish or other abrasive agents should not be used for maintaining the
rims. If the protective coating is damaged, e.g. by flying stones, the dam-
aged area should be repaired immediately.
WARNING
● Never wash tyres with a cylindrical jet. Even at large spraying distan-
ces and short cleaning times, visible and invisible damage can occur to
the tyres. This may cause an accident.
● Water, ice and salt on the brake system can reduce braking effective-
ness. Risk of accident. Directly after washing, avoid sudden and sharp
braking. “Dry” the brakes by braking several times ⇒ page 204.
Underbody protection
The vehicle underbody is coated to protect it from chemical
and mechanical damage.
The protective coating can be damaged when driving. We recommend you
to check the protective coating under the body and on the running gear, and
reinstated if necessary, before and after the winter season.
We recommend you to go to your Technical Service to carry out repair work
and additional anti-corrosion work.
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249
Checking and refilling levels
Brake fluid Checking the brake fluid level
The brake fluid is checked at the intervals given in the serv-
ice schedule.
Fig. 175 In the engine
compartment: Brake fluid
reservoir cover
– Read off the fluid level at the transparent brake fluid reservoir. It
should always be between the “MIN” and “MAX” marks.
The position of the brake fluid reservoir is shown in the corresponding en-
gine compartment illustration ⇒ page 297. The brake fluid reservoir has a
black and yellow cap.
The brake fluid level drops slightly when the vehicle is being used as the
brake pads are automatically adjusted as they wear.
However, if the level goes down noticeably in a short time, or drops below
the “MIN” mark, there may be a leak in the brake system. A display on the
instrument panel will warn you if the brake fluid level is too low ⇒ page 76.
WARNING
Before opening the bonnet to check the brake fluid level, read and ob-
serve the warnings ⇒ page 235.
Changing the brake fluid
The Maintenance Programme indicates the brake fluid
change intervals. We recommend that you have the brake fluid changed by a Technical Serv-
ice.
Before opening the bonnet, please read and follow the warnings ⇒
in
Safety instructions on working in the engine compartment on page 235 in
section “Safety notes for working in the engine compartment”.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture. In the course of time, it will absorb water from
the ambient air. If the water content in the brake fluid is too high, the brake
system could corrode. This also considerably reduces the boiling point of
the brake fluid. Heavy use of the brakes may then cause a vapour lock
which could impair the braking effect.
Be sure to always use the correct brake fluid. Only use brake fluid that ex-
pressly meets VW 501 14 standards.
You can buy VW 501 14 standard brake fluid in a SEAT dealership or SEAT
Official Service. If none is available, use only high quality brake fluid that
meets DIN ISO 4925 CLASS 4 standards, or USA Standards FMVSS 116 DOT
4.
Using any other kind of brake fluid or one that is not of a high quality may
affect operation of the brake system and reduce its effectiveness. Never use
a brake fluid if the container does not state that it complies with VW 501 14,
DIN ISO 4925 CLASS 4 standards, or USA standards FMVSS 116 DOT 4.
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

250Checking and refilling levels
WARNING
Brake fluid is poisonous. Old brake fluid impairs the braking effect.
● Before opening the bonnet to check the brake fluid level, read and ob-
serve the warnings ⇒ page 235.
● Brake fluid should be stored in the closed original container in a safe
place out of reach of children. There is a toxic risk.
● Complete the brake fluid change according to the Maintenance Pro-
gramme. Heavy use of the brakes may cause a vapour lock if the brake
fluid is left in the brake system for too long. This would seriously affect
the effectiveness of the brakes and the safety of the vehicle. This may
cause an accident.
CAUTION
Brake fluid damages the vehicle paintwork. Wipe off any brake fluid from
the paintwork immediately.
For the sake of the environment
The brake pads and brake fluid must be collected and disposed of accord-
ing the applicable regulations. The SEAT Technical Service network has the
necessary equipment and qualified personnel for collecting and disposing
of this waste material. Vehicle battery
Warnings on handling the battery
Wear eye protection
Battery acid is extremely corrosive. Wear protective
gloves and eye protection!
Fires, sparks, open flames and smoking are prohibited!
A highly explosive mixture of gases is released when
the battery is under charge.
Keep children away from acid and batteries!
WARNING
Always be aware of the danger of injury and chemical burns as well as
the risk of accident or fire when working on the battery and the electrical
system:
● Wear eye protection. Protect your eyes, skin and clothing from acid
and particles containing lead.
● Battery acid is extremely corrosive. Wear protective gloves and eye
protection. Do not tilt the batteries. This could spill acid through the
vents. Rinse battery acid from eyes immediately for several minutes with
clear water. Then seek medical care immediately. Neutralise any acid
splashes on the skin or clothing with a soapy solution, and rinse off with
plenty of water. If acid is swallowed by mistake, consult a doctor immedi-
ately.

259
Wheels and tyres
WARNING
● We recommend that you use only wheels and tyres which have been
approved by SEAT for your model. Failure to do so could impair vehicle
handling. Risk of accident.
● Avoid running the vehicle on tyres that are more than 6 years old. If
you have no alternative, you should drive slowly and with extra care at all
times.
● Never use old tyres or those with an unknown history of use.
● If wheel trims are retrofitted, you must ensure that the flow of air to
the brakes is not restricted. This could cause the brake system to over-
heat.
● All four wheels must be fitted with radial tyres of the same type, size
(rolling circumference) and the same tread pattern.
For the sake of the environment
Old tyres must be disposed of according to the laws in the country con-
cerned.
Note
● For technical reasons, it is not generally possible to use the wheels from
other vehicles. This can also apply to wheels of the same model. The use of
wheels or tyres which have not been approved by SEAT for use with your
model may invalidate the vehicle's type approval for use on public roads.
● If the spare tyre is not the same as the tyres that are mounted on the
vehicle (e.g. winter tyres) you should only use the spare tyre for a short peri-
od of time and drive with extra care. Refit the normal road wheel as soon as
possible. Wheel bolts
Wheel bolts must be tightened to the correct torque.
The design of wheel bolts is matched to the rims. If different wheel rims are
fitted, the correct wheel bolts with the right length and correctly shaped
bolt heads must be used. This ensures that wheels are fitted securely and
that the brake system functions correctly.
In certain circumstances, you should not use wheel bolts from a different
vehicle, even if it is the same model ⇒ page 226.
After the wheels have been changed, the tightening torque of the wheel
bolts should be checked as soon as possible with a torque wrench ⇒
.
The tightening torque for steel and alloy wheels is 120 Nm.
WARNING
If the wheel bolts are not tightened correctly, the wheel could become
loose while driving. Risk of accident.
● The wheel bolts must be clean and turn easily. Never apply grease or
oil to them.
● Use only wheel bolts which belong to the wheel.
● If the tightening torque of the wheel bolts is too low, they could loos-
en whilst the vehicle is in motion. Risk of accident! If the tightening tor-
que is too high, the wheel bolts and threads can be damaged.
CAUTION
The prescribed tightening torque for wheel bolts for steel and alloy wheels
is 120 Nm.
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298Technical specifications
Petrol engine 1.6 75 kW (102 PS)
Engine specifications
Power output in kW (PS) at rpmMaximum torque (Nm at rpm)No. of cylinders/capacity
(cm3
)Fuel
Running on LPGRunning on petrolRunning on LPGRunning on petrol4/1595LPGSuper 95 RON a)
/
Normal 91 RON b)
72 (98)/ 560075 (102)/ 5600144/3800148/3800
a)
Research Octane Number = Anti-detonation rating of the petrol.
b) Slight power loss.
PerformanceALTEA
(Running on LPG)ALTEA
(Running on petrol)ALTEA XL
(Running on LPG)ALTEA XL
(Running on petrol)
Top speed (km/h)178181178181Acceleration from 0-80 km/h (seconds)9.28.99.39.0Acceleration from 0-100 km/h (seconds)13.813.21413.4Weights (in kg)Gross vehicle weight1951195120392039Weight in running order (with driver)1456145614951495Gross front axle weight965967970971Gross rear axle weight100098010851025Permitted roof load75757575Maximum trailer weights (in kg)Trailer without brakes720720740740Trailer with brakes, gradients up to 8%1500150015001500Trailer with brakes, gradients up to 12%1200120012001200

299
Technical specifications
1.2 TSI 77 kW (105 HP) Start-Stop petrol engine
Engine specifications
Power output in kW (PS) at rpmMaximum torque (Nm at rpm)No. of cylinders/capacity (cm 3
)Fuel77 (105)/5000175/1550-41004/1197Super 95 RON a)
/Normal 91 RON b)a)
Research Octane Number = Anti-detonation rating of the petrol.
b) With a slight power loss
PerformanceALTEAALTEA XLTop speed (km/h)184184Acceleration from 0-80 km/h (seconds)7.37.5Acceleration from 0-100 km/h (seconds)11.311.6Weights (in kg)Gross vehicle weight18801939Weight in running order (with driver)13601395Gross front axle weight970980Gross rear axle weight9801025Permitted roof load7575Maximum trailer weights (in kg)Trailer without brakes680690Trailer with brakes, gradients up to 8%15001500Trailer with brakes, gradients up to 12%12001200
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

300Technical specifications
Petrol engine 1.4 92 kW (125 PS)
Engine specifications
Power output in kW (PS) at rpmMaximum torque (Nm at rpm)No. of cylinders/capacity (cm 3
)Fuel92 (125)/ 5000200/ 1500-40004/1390Super 95 RON a)
/Normal 91 RON b)a)
Research Octane Number = Anti-detonation rating of the petrol.
b) With a slight power loss
PerformanceALTEAALTEA XLALTEA FREETRACKTop speed (km/h)194194188Acceleration from 0-80 km/h (seconds)6.97.07.2Acceleration from 0-100 km/h (seconds)10.310.510.8Weights (in kg)Gross vehicle weight195920222032Weight in running order (with driver)143914781488Gross front axle weight100810041010Gross rear axle weight98710361035Permitted roof load757575Maximum trailer weights (in kg)Trailer without brakes710730740Trailer with brakes, gradients up to 8%150015001500Trailer with brakes, gradients up to 12%130013001300

301
Technical specifications
Petrol engine 2.0 155 kW (211 PS)
Engine specifications
Power output in kW (PS) at rpmMaximum torque (Nm at rpm)No. of cylinders/capacity (cm 3
)Fuel155 (211)/ 5300-6200280/ 1700 - 52004/1984Super 95 RON a)
/Normal 91 RON b)a)
Research Octane Number = Anti-detonation rating of the petrol.
b) With a slight power loss
PerformanceALTEA FREETRACK
Frontwheel driveALTEA FREETRACK Four-wheel drive
Top speed (km/h)220218Acceleration from 0-80 km/h (seconds)5.55.3Acceleration from 0-100 km/h (seconds)7.77.6Weights (in kg)Gross vehicle weight21502205Weight in running order (with driver)16061661Gross front axle weight11151140Gross rear axle weight10551085Permitted roof load7575Maximum trailer weights (in kg)Trailer without brakes750750Trailer with brakes, gradients up to 8%16501650Trailer with brakes, gradients up to 12%14001650
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications