2014 Seat Altea XL ESP

130Lights and visibility
Rear window wiper 
The window wiper lever operates the windscreen wiper and
the wash and wipe system for the rear window.
Fig. 86 Windscreen wip-
er and windscreen wash
lever: rear window wiper
Switching on the interval wipe
– Press the lever forwards to position 6
⇒ Fig. 86. The wiper will
wipe the window approximately every 6 seconds.
Switching off the interval wipe function
– Pull the lever back from position 6
towards the steering wheel.
The wiper will continue to function for a short period if you
switch off whilst the wipers are in motion.
Switching on the windscreen wiper and washer system
– Press the lever fully forwards to position 7
⇒ Fig. 86. The wash
function will start immediately and the wiper will start with a
slight delay. The windscreen wash system will function as long
as you hold the lever in this position. –
Release the lever. The wiper then wipes for approximately 4 sec-
onds, and then in intervals again.
– Release the lever. The washer system stops and the wipers
function.
WARNING
● A worn or dirty wiper blade will obstruct visibility and reduce safety.
● Always note the corresponding warnings on ⇒ page 245.
CAUTION
In icy conditions, always check that the wiper blade is not frozen to the
glass before using the wiper for the first time. If you switch on the wiper
when the wiper blade is frozen to the glass, this could damage both the
wiper blade and the wiper motor.
Note
● The windscreen wiper will only function when the ignition is switched on
and the rear lid is closed.
● In reverse gear, with the windscreen wipers switched on, the rear wind-
screen wiper will make one wipe. 
Headlight washer*
The headlight washers clean the headlight lenses. The headlight washers are activated automatically when the windscreen
washer is used and the window wiper lever is pulled towards the steering
wheel for at least 1.5 seconds – provided the dipped beam headlights or
main beams are switched on. Clean off stubborn dirt (insects, etc.) from the
headlights at regular intervals, for instance when filling the fuel tank. 

134Seats and storage
Seats and storage
The importance of correct seat adjustment
Proper seat adjustment optimises the level of protection of-
fered by seat belts and airbags.
Your vehicle has five seats, two in the front and three in the rear. Each seat
is equipped with a three-point seat belt.
The driver seat and the front passenger seat can be adjusted in many ways
to suit the physical requirements of the vehicle occupants. The correct seat
position is very important for:
● a fast and easy operation of all controls on the instrument panel,
● a relaxed posture which does not cause drowsiness,
● a safe driving ⇒ page 7,
● ensuring that the seat belts and airbag system provide maximum pro-
tection ⇒  page 19.
WARNING
● If the driver and passengers assume improper sitting positions, they
may sustain critical injuries.
● Never transport more than the permitted amount of people in your ve-
hicle.
● Every vehicle occupant must properly fasten and wear the seat belt
belonging to his or her seat. Children must be protected with an appro-
priate child restraint system ⇒ page 46, Child safety.
● The front seats and all head restraints must always be adjusted to
body size and the seat belt must always be properly adjusted to provide
you and your passengers with optimum protection.
WARNING (Continued)
● Always keep your feet on the footwell when the vehicle is moving;
never rest them on the dash panel, out of the window or on the seat. This
is also applied to passengers. An incorrect sitting position exposes you
to an increased risk of injury in case of a sudden braking or an accident.
If the airbag is triggered, you could sustain severe injuries due to an in-
correct sitting position.
● It is important for the driver and front passenger to keep a distance of
at least 25 cm from the steering wheel and dash panel. Failure to respect
the minimum distance means that the airbag will not protect you. Risk of
fatal injury. The distance between the driver and the steering wheel or
between the front passenger and the dash panel should always be as
great as possible.
● Adjust the driver or front passenger seat only when the vehicle is sta-
tionary. This also applies to the forwards/backwards adjustment of the
rear seats. Otherwise, your seat could move unexpectedly while the vehi-
cle is moving. This could increase the risk of an accident and therefore,
injury. In addition, while adjusting your seat, you will assume an incor-
rect sitting position. Risk of fatal accidents.
● Special guidelines apply to installing a child seat on the front passen-
ger seat. When installing a child seat, please observe the warnings de-
scribed in ⇒ page 46, Child safety.


155
Seats and storage
– Distribute the load as evenly as possible.
– Place heavy objects as far forward in the luggage compartment
as possible.
– Secure luggage in the luggage compartment with suitable
straps on the fastening rings.
WARNING
● Loose luggage and other loose items in the vehicle can cause serious
injuries.
● Loose objects in the luggage compartment can suddenly move and
change the way the vehicle handles.
● During sudden manoeuvres or accidents, loose objects in the passen-
ger compartment can be flung forward, injuring vehicle occupants.
● Always store objects in the luggage compartment and secure with
suitable straps. This is especially important for heavy objects.
● When you transport heavy objects, always take in account that a
change in the centre of gravity can also cause changes in vehicle han-
dling.
● Please observe information on safe driving ⇒  page 7, Safe driving.
CAUTION
Hard objects on the shelf could chafe against the wires of the heating ele-
ment in the rear window and cause damage.
Note
The ventilation slots in front of the rear side windows must not be covered
as this would prevent stale air being extracted from the vehicle. Applies to the model: ALTEA
Rear shelf
Fig. 123 Rear shelf
Fig. 124 Removing stor-
age compartment
Removing the shelf
– Unhook the loops ⇒ Fig. 123 B
from housings A.
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

158Seats and storage
–Pull the net from underneath between the backrest and the fold-
ing tray and fit it to the slots in the roof, first the right then the
left ⇒ Fig. 127.
– Hook the belts into the front fastening rings to tense the net
⇒ Fig. 128. 
Roof rack*
Please observe the following points if you intend to carry loads on the roof:
● For safety reasons, only luggage racks and accessories supplied by SEAT
Official Services are recommended.
● It is essential that you follow the assembly instructions included with
the bars exactly, being especially careful to position the luggage compart-
ment cover bars on the special housings, you must also respect their posi-
tion according to the direction of travel indicated in the assembly manual.
Not following these instructions may cause marks on the bodywork and the
longitudinal bars.
● Pay special attention to the tightening torque of the attachment bolts
and check them following a short journey. If necessary, retighten the bolts
and check them at regular intervals.
● Distribute the load evenly. A maximum load of 40 kg only is permitted
for each roof rack system support bar, the load must be distributed evenly
along the entire length. However, the maximum load permitted for the en-
tire roof (including the support system) of 75 kg must not be exceeded nor
should the total weight of the vehicle be exceeded. See the Technical Data
section.
● When transporting heavy or large objects on the roof, any change in the
normal vehicle behaviour due to a change in the centre of gravity or an in- creased wind resistance must be taken into account. For this reason, a suit-
able speed and driving style must be used.
●
For those vehicles fitted with a sliding/tilting sunroof*, ensure that it
does not interfere with the load on the roof rack system when opened. 

164Air conditioning
WARNING
In air recirculation mode, no cold air from the outside enters the vehicle
interior. If the air conditioning system is switched off, the windows can
quickly mist over. Therefore, never leave the air recirculation mode
switched on for a long time (risk of accident).

2C-Climatronic* Controls
The controls allow separate adjustment of air conditioner settings for the left and right.
Fig. 133 On the dash panel: 2C Climatronic controls
The air conditioner controls the temperature when the engine is
running and the blower is switched on. –
Turn the temperature control knobs ⇒ Fig. 133 to adjust the
temperature on the left hand side or the right hand side respec-
tively. 

173
Driving
● When driving with snow chains.
● When driving in deep snow or on loose surfaces.
● When the vehicle is stuck, to rock it backwards and forwards.
Press the button to switch the ASR back on when you no longer need wheel
spin.
WARNING
● Do not forget that the Electronic stability control (ESC) cannot defy
the laws of physics. This should be kept in mind, particularly on slippery
and wet roads and when towing a trailer.
● Always adapt your driving style to suit the condition of the roads and
the traffic situation. The greater safety provided by the ESC should not
encourage you to run any risks.
● Please refer to the corresponding warning notes on ESC in
⇒ page 196, Intelligent technology.
 Ignition lock
Position of the ignition keyFig. 140 Ignition key po-
sitions
Ignition switched off, steering lock 0
In this position
⇒ Fig. 140 the ignition and the engine are OFF and the steer-
ing may get locked.
For the Steering lock to operate without the ignition key, turn the steering
wheel until it locks with an audible sound. You should always lock the steer-
ing wheel when you leave your vehicle. This will help prevent vehicle theft
⇒ 
.
Switching the ignition or the glow plug system on 1
Turn the ignition key to this position and release it. If the key cannot be
turned or it is difficult to turn from position 0 to position 1, move the
steering wheel from one side to the other until it is released. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

174Driving
Starting 2
The engine is started when the key is in this position. Electrical components
with a high power consumption are switched off temporarily.
Every time the vehicle is started again, the ignition key must be turned to
position 0
. The
repetitive start prevention lock of the ignition prevents
possible damage to the starter motor if the engine is already running.
WARNING
● The ignition key must NOT be removed from the lock until the vehicle
comes to a standstill. Otherwise, the steering could be immediately
blocked- Risk of accident!
● Always remove the key from the ignition when leaving the vehicle,
even for a short period. This is especially important if children or disa-
bled people are left alone in the vehicle. They could accidentally start the
engine or work electrical equipment such as the electric windows, conse-
quently resulting in an accident.
● Unsupervised use of the keys could start the engine or any electrical
system, such as the electric window. This could result in serious injury.
CAUTION
The starter motor will only work when the engine is stopped (ignition key
position 2
). 
Electronic immobiliser
The electronic immobiliser prevents unauthorised persons
from driving the vehicle.
Inside the key there is a chip that deactivates the electronic immobiliser au-
tomatically when the key is inserted into the ignition. The electronic immobiliser will be activated again automatically as soon as
you pull the key out of the ignition lock.
The engine can only be started using a genuine SEAT key with its correct
code.
Note
A perfect operation of the vehicle is ensured if genuine SEAT keys are used. 
Starting and stopping the engine Starting petrol engines
The engine can only be started using a genuine SEAT key
with its correct code. – Move the gearbox lever to the neutral position and depress the
clutch pedal thoroughly and hold it in this position for the start-
er to turn the engine on.
– Turn the ignition key to the starting ⇒ page 173 position.
– Let go of the ignition key as soon as the engine starts; the start-
er motor must not run on with the engine.
After starting a very hot engine, you may need to slightly press down the ac-
celerator.
When starting a very cold engine, it may be a little noisy for the first few sec-
onds until oil pressure has built up in the hydraulic valve compensators.
This is quite normal, and no cause for concern. 

178Driving
A difference is drawn between winter gas and summer gas. Winter gas has a
higher proportion of propane gas. As a result, the driving range of winter
gas may be lower (due to increased consumption) than that of summer gas.
The vehicle's engine management adapts automatically to the LPG used.
Therefore, both types of LPG can be mixed in the tank, without the need for
comprehensive draining before applying a different quality LPG.
LPG and safety
If you can smell gas or suspect that there is a leak in the LPG system. ⇒ 
●Stop the vehicle immediately.
● Switch the ignition off.
● Open the doors to appropriately ventilate the vehicle.
● Extinguish cigarettes immediately.
● Move away from the vehicle or switch off objects that may cause sparks
or a fire.
● If you continue to smell gas, do not continue driving!
● Seek specialist assistance. Have the fault repaired.
WARNING
LPG is a highly explosive and inflammable substance. It may cause se-
vere burns and other injury.
● Due care must be taken to avoid any risk of fire or explosion.
● When parking the vehicle in a closed area (for example in a garage),
make sure that there is adequate ventilation, either natural or mechani-
cal, to neutralise the LPG in the event of a leak.
WARNING
Failure to act when you can smell gas in the vehicle or when refuelling
can cause serious injuries.
● Carry out the necessary operations.
● Leave the danger zone.
● If necessary, warn the emergency services.
Note
● The LPG system must be subject to regular inspections at a specialised
workshop in accordance with the Maintenance Plan.
● The engine is always started with petrol, even when LPG was being used
when it was switched off. For this reason the tank should never be drained
of petrol completely.
● If frequent short journeys are made, especially when the outside tem-
perature is low, the vehicle will tend to run on petrol more often than on
LPG. Therefore, the petrol tank may empty before the LPG tank.
● If while you were driving the system switched automatically to petrol op-
erating mode because the LPG tank was almost empty, the next few times
the engine starts up, and according to the outside temperature and and
driving style, it may switch briefly to LPG operating mode to use up what is
left in the tank.
● When the system switches automatically to petrol operating mode be-
cause the LPG tank is almost empty, you can revert to gas operating mode
by pressing the button ⇒ Fig. 141 GAS
while driving slowly and with low ac-
celeration. This procedure can be repeated several times while driving with
precaution until all the LPG left in the tank has been used up.
● Vehicles that can display information or warning messages on the dash-
board may show information related to LPG.
● The notification LPG mode not possible may be displayed.