2014 Seat Altea XL airbag

43
Airbag system
WARNING (Continued)
not been expressly approved for use in your vehicle may not be attached
to the side windows ⇒ page 226, Accessories, replacement of parts and
modifications.
● The built-in coat hooks should be used only for lightweight clothing.
Do not leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets. Please, do
not hang the clothes on coat hangers.
● The airbags provide protection for just one accident; replace them
once they have deployed.
● Any work on the curtain airbag system or removal and installation of
the airbag components for other repairs (such as removal of the roof lin-
ing) should only be performed by a specialised workshop. Otherwise,
faults may occur during the airbag system operation.
● Do not attempt to modify components of the airbag system in any
way.
● The side and head airbags are managed through sensors located in
the interior of the front doors. To ensure the correct operation of the side
and head airbags neither the doors nor the door panels should be modi-
fied in any way (e.g. fitting loudspeakers). If the front door is damaged,
the airbag system may not work correctly. All work carried out on the
front door must be done in a specialised workshop.

Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

44Airbag system
Deactivating airbags*
Front passenger front airbag deactivation
If you fit a rear-facing child seat to the front passenger seat,
the front passenger front airbag must be de-activated.
Fig. 26 In the glove com-
partment: switch for acti-
vating and deactivating
the front passenger air-
bag
Fig. 27 Control lamp for
deactivated front passen-
ger airbag in centre con-
sole
When the front passenger airbag is deactivated, only the front air-
bag is deactivated. All the other airbags in the vehicle remain acti-
vated.
Disabling the front passenger front airbag
– Switch the ignition off.
– Insert the key into the slot of the switch for deactivating the
front passenger airbag ⇒ Fig. 26. About 3/4 of the key should
enter, as far as it will go.
– Then turn the key gently to the OFF position. Do not force it if
you feel resistance, and make sure you have inserted the key
fully.
– Check that the control lamp, “OFF”, on the instrument panel
⇒ Fig. 27 remains lit when the ignition is switched on ⇒ 
.
Activating the front passenger front airbag
– Switch the ignition off. 

45
Airbag system
– Insert the key into the slot of the switch for deactivating the
front passenger airbag ⇒ Fig. 26. About 3/4 of the key should
enter, as far as it will go.
– Then turn the key gently to the ON position. Do not force it if you
feel resistance, and make sure you have inserted the key fully.
– Check that the control lamp on the instrument panel ⇒ Fig. 27
does not light up when the ignition is switched on ⇒ 
.
WARNING
● The driver is responsible for the proper position of the key-operated
switch.
● You should only deactivate the front passenger front airbag when, in
exceptional cases, you have to use a rear-facing child seat on the front
passenger seat ⇒ page 46, Child safety.
● Never install a child seat facing backwards on the front passenger
seat unless the front passenger front airbag has been disabled. Other-
wise, there is a risk of death.
● As soon as the child seat is no longer needed on the front passenger
seat, enable the front passenger front airbag again.
● Only deactivate the front passenger front airbag when the ignition is
off, otherwise a fault may occur in the airbag system, which could cause
the airbag to not deploy properly or not deploy at all.
● Never leave the key in the airbag deactivation switch as it could get
damaged or activate or deactivate the airbag during driving.
WARNING (Continued)
● When the front passenger front airbag is deactivated, if the control
lamp AIRBAG OFF is not continuously lit up, there may be a fault in the
airbag system:
–Have the airbag system inspected immediately by a specialised
workshop.
– Do not use a child seat on the front passenger seat! The front pas-
senger front airbag could be triggered despite the fact that there is a
fault in the system and, as a result, a child could sustain serious or
fatal injuries.
– It is unpredictable whether the front passenger airbag will deploy
in the event of an accident. Warn all your passengers of this.
● When using the ignition key to activate/deactivate the front passen-
ger front airbag, only the front passenger airbag will be activated/deacti-
vated. The side airbag and head airbag on the passenger side will remain
active.

Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

47
Child safety
WARNING
● Never install a child seat facing backwards on the front passenger
seat unless the front passenger front airbag has been disabled. Risk of
potentially fatal injuries to the child! However, if it is necessary, in excep-
tional cases, to transport a child in the front passenger seat, the front
passenger front airbag must always be disabled ⇒ page 44, Deactivating
airbags*. If the passenger seat has a height adjustment option, move it
to the highest position.
● For those vehicles that do not include a key lock switch to deactivate
the airbag, the vehicle must be taken to a Technical Service.
● All vehicle occupants, especially children, must assume the proper
sitting position and be properly belted in while travelling.
● Never hold children or babies on your lap, this can result in potential-
ly fatal injuries to the child!
● Never allow a child to be transported in a vehicle without being prop-
erly secured, or to stand up or kneel on a seat while travelling. In an acci-
dent, the child could be flung through the vehicle, causing possibly fatal
injuries to themselves and to the other vehicle occupants.
● If children assume an improper sitting position when the vehicle is
moving, they expose themselves to greater risk of injury in the event of a
sudden braking manoeuvre or in an accident. This is particularly impor-
tant if the child is travelling on the front passenger seat and the airbag
system is triggered in an accident; as this could cause serious injury or
even death.
● A suitable child seat can protect your child!
● Never leave an unsupervised child alone on a child seat or in the vehi-
cle.
● Depending on weather conditions, it may become extremely hot or
cold inside the vehicle. This can be fatal.WARNING (Continued)
● Children who are less than 1.5 metres tall must not wear a normal
seat belt without a child seat, as this could cause injuries to the abdomi-
nal and neck areas during a sudden braking manoeuvre or in an accident.
● Do not allow the seat belt to become twisted or jammed, or to rub on
any sharp edges.
● Incorrectly worn seat belts can cause injuries even in a minor colli-
sion or in sudden braking manoeuvres.
● The seat belt provides maximum protection only when the seat belt is
properly positioned ⇒ page 25, Seat belts.
● Only one child may occupy a child seat ⇒ page 48, Child seats.

Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

51
Child safety
Securing child seats
Ways to secure a child seat
A child seat can be secured differently on the rear seat and
on the front passenger seat. You can secure a child seat to the rear seat or front passenger seat in the
following ways:
● Child seats in groups 0 to 3 can be secured with a seat belt.
● Child seats in groups 0, 0+ and 1 with the ISOFIX and Top Tether* sys-
tems can be secured without using the seatbelt, thanks to the ISOFIX and
Top Tether* ⇒ page 52 securing rings.
Mass groupSeating positionFront passenger seatRear side seatRear centralseat
Group 0
to 10 kgU*UU
Group 0+ to 13 kgU*UU
Group I
9 to 18 kgU*UU
Group II
15 to 25 kgU*UU
Group III
22 to 36 kgU*UU
Suitable for universal restraint systems for use in this mass group.
Move the front passenger seat as far back as possible, as high as pos-
sible and always disable the airbag.
WARNING
● When travelling, children must be secured in the vehicle with a re-
straint system suitable for age, weight and size.
● Never install a child seat facing backwards on the front passenger
seat unless the front passenger airbag has been disabled. This could
cause fatal injuries to the child! However, if, in exceptional cases, it is
necessary to transport a child in the front passenger seat, the front pas-
senger airbag ⇒ page 44, Deactivating airbags* must always be disabled
and the seat adjusted to its highest position, where possible.
● Read and always observe information and warnings concerning the
use of child seats ⇒ 
in Safety notes on using child seats on page 47.
U:
*:
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

55
Cockpit
Operating instructions Cockpit
Overview Overview of the dash panel
This overview will help you to familiarise yourself with the
controls and displays. Door release lever
Light switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Light intensity regulator for the instruments and controls . . . .119
Headlight range control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Air vents
Turn signal and main beam lever and cruise control system* 122, 193
Controls on the steering wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Instrument panel:
– Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
– Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
– Control and warning lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Horn (works only when the ignition is on)/ Driver front airbag . .30
Windscreen wiper and washer lever and operation of the
multifunction display* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127, 63
Left seat heating button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
1
2345678
910
11
Controls for
–
Heating* and ventilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
– Climatic* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
– Climatronic* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Radio/Navigator*
Right seat heating button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Control lamp for deactivated front passenger airbag . . . . . . . .44
Front passenger front airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Glove compartment lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Selector lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Cup holder compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Controls on the centre console:
– Central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
– ESC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
– Tyre pressure control* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
– Park Pilot* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
– Cigarette lighter/Power socket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
– Exterior mirror adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
– Start-Stop* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Handbrake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Hazard warning light switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Pedals
Ignition lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Steering column control lever* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
12
1314151617181920
2122232425
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

77
Cockpit
ItemSymbolMeaning of control and warning lampsFurther infor-
mation
1Fuel level / reserve⇒ page 80
2Coolant level / coolant temperature⇒ page 81
3Rear fog light switched on⇒ page 82
4
Turn signals in operation⇒ page 82
5Engine fault (petrol engine)⇒ page 82
Glow plug system (diesel engines)⇒ page 82
6Main beam switched on⇒ page 82
7Soot accumulation in the diesel engine
particulate filter⇒ page 82
8ABS system fault⇒ page 83
9Windscreen washer fluid level⇒ page 83
10Alternator fault⇒ page 84
11Fasten seat belts!⇒ page 19
12Brake pad worn⇒ page 84
13Tyre pressure⇒ page 84
ItemSymbolMeaning of control and warning lampsFurther infor- mation
14Airbag or belt tensioner system fault or
airbag disabled⇒ page 29
⇒ page 32
15Bulb defective⇒ page 86
16Brake fluid required or
brake system fault⇒ page 85
17
Red:
Engine oil pressure
⇒ page 86Yellow:
If flashing: engine oil sensor faulty
If it remains lit: insufficient engine oil
18Handbrake on⇒ page 188
19Cruise speed activated (Cruise control)⇒ page 87
20Door open indicator⇒ page 87
21If it stays lit: ASR switched off⇒ page 88
⇒ page 88
⇒ page 172
22Electromechanical steering⇒ page 87
23Fault in the emission control system⇒ page 87
24If flashing: the Electronic Stability Con-
trol (ESC) is working or the ASR is work-
ing
If the following remain lit: ESC or ASR
faulty⇒ page 88
⇒ page 88
⇒ page 172

25Selector lever lock (automatic gearbox)⇒ page 89 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

98Opening and closing
Automatic speed-dependent locking and unlocking
system*
This is a safety system which prevent the access to the vehi-
cle from the outside when it is running (for example, when
stopped at a traffic light).
Locking
The doors and rear lid will lock automatically if the speed of 15 km/h
(9 mph) is exceeded.
If the vehicle is stopped and one of the doors is opened, when the vehicle
moves off again and exceeds a speed of 15 km/h (9 mph), the unlocked
door(s) will be locked once more.
Unlocking
The driver door automatically unlocks when the key is removed from the ig-
nition.
Each door can be unlocked and opened independently from the inside (for
example, when a passenger gets out of it). To do it, simply operate the lever
inside the door.
WARNING
The door handles must not be operated when the vehicle is running: the
door would open.
 Automatic locking system for involuntary unlocking*
It is an anti-theft system and prevents the unintentional un-
locking of the vehicle.
If the vehicle is unlocked and any of the doors (including the rear lid) are
opened within 30 seconds, it gets re-locked automatically. This function
prevents the vehicle from remaining unlocked if the unlock button is press-
ed by mistake. 
Emergency unlocking system
If the airbags are triggered during an accident, the vehicle is unlocked, ex-
cept for the luggage compartment. It is possible to lock the vehicle from in-
side with the central locking, after turning the ignition off and back on
again.
If the doors must be locked from the outside, see “Emergency locking of the
doors”. 