2015 Seat Alhambra air condition

Air conditioning
burn any fuel remaining in the auxiliary heat-
er. The exhaust gases are also extracted from
the system.
Remote control Fig. 124
Auxiliary heater: remote controlFig. 124Meaning
ONSwitch the auxiliary heater on.
OFFSwitch the auxiliary heater off:
AAerial.
BLight. The auxiliary heater may accidentally switch
on if a button is pressed on the remote con-
trol by mistake. This may also occur outside
the range of the remote control or if the light
flashes. Remote control light
The remote control light provides users with
different information at the push of a button:
Battery light
Fig. 124
BMeaning
Lights up green for
around two seconds.The auxiliary heater has been
switched on using the ON but-
ton.
Lights up red for
around two seconds.The auxiliary heater has been
switched off using the OFF but-
ton.
Slowly flashes green
for around two sec-
onds.No on a)
signal has been re-
ceived.
Quickly flashes green
for around two sec-
onds.The auxiliary heater is locked.
Possible causes: the fuel tank
is almost empty, the battery
charge is very low or there is a
fault.
Flashes red for
around two seconds.No off a)
signal has been re-
ceived.
Lights up orange for
around two seconds,
then green or red.The remote control battery is
almost flat. However, the on or
off signal has been received,
respectively.
Lights up orange for
around two seconds,
then flashes green or
red.The remote control battery is
almost flat. The on or off signal
has not been received, respec-
tively.
Battery light
Fig. 124 BMeaning
Flashes orange for
around five seconds.The remote control battery is
flat. The on or off signal has
not been received, respective-
ly.
a)
Within its range, the remote control might not receive the sig-
nal sent by the vehicle receiver. In this case, the remote control
will send an error message whether the auxiliary heater is on or
off. Come closer to the vehicle and press the corresponding but-
ton on the remote control once again.
Replacing the remote control battery
When the light ›››
Fig. 124 B on the remote
control does not come on when the button is
pressed, the remote control battery should
soon be replaced.
The battery is located beneath a cover on the
back of the remote control. Turn the slot to
the left using a flat, blunt object (e.g. a coin).
When changing the battery, use another bat-
tery of the same model and observe the po-
larity when fitting it ››› .
Range
The receiver is in the interior of the vehicle.
The remote control, when fitted with new bat-
teries, has a range of several hundred me-
tres. Obstacles between the remote control
and the vehicle, bad weather conditions and
discharged batteries can considerably reduce
the range of the remote control. »
129
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Driving
Operating instructions The auxiliary heater exhaust system located
below the vehicle must be kept clear of snow,
mud and other objects. The exhaust gases
must not be obstructed in any way. The ex-
haust gases generated by the auxiliary heater
are removed via an exhaust pipe fitted under-
neath the vehicle.
On heating the vehicle interior, depending on
the outside temperature the warm air is first
directed at the windscreen and then to the
rest of the vehicle interior through the air
vents. If the air vents are turned towards the
windows, for example, the form of air distri-
bution may be affected.
Depending on the outside temperature, the
temperature at which the auxiliary heater
warms the vehicle interior may be somewhat
higher if the heating or air conditioner tem-
perature control is set to maximum before
switching the heating on.
Depending on the engine, vehicles with aux-
iliary heater may be fitted with a second bat-
tery in the luggage compartment that is re-
sponsible for powering the auxiliary heater.
Cases in which the auxiliary heater will not
switch on
● The auxiliary heater requires about as
much power as the dipped beam headlights.
If the battery charge is low, the auxiliary heat- er will switch off automatically or will not
even switch on. This avoids problems when
starting the engine.
●
The heater will switch on just once each
time. The timer will also have to be switched
back on every time it is required. Note
● Noise will be heard while the auxiliary
heater is running.
● When the air humidity is high and the out-
side temperature low, the heating system
may evaporate condensation from the auxili-
ary heater. In this case, steam may be re-
leased from underneath the vehicle. This is
completely normal and there is no need to
suspect a fault!
● If the auxiliary heater runs several times
over a prolonged period, the vehicle battery
may run flat. To re-charge the battery, drive
the vehicle for a long distance. As a general
rule, drive for as much time as the auxiliary
heating was working. Driving
Address Introduction The power steering is not hydraulic but elec-
tromechanical. The advantage of this steer-
ing system is that it disposes of hydraulic
tubes, hydraulic oil, the pump, filter and oth-
er components. The electromechanical sys-
tem saves fuel. While a hydraulic system re-
quires oil pressure to be maintained, electro-
mechanical steering only requires energy
when the steering wheel is turned.
With the power steering system, the assisted
steering function automatically adjusts ac-
cording to the vehicle speed, the steering tor-
que and the wheel turning angle. The power
steering only works when the engine is run-
ning.
WARNING
If the power steering is not working then the
steering wheel is much more difficult to turn
and the vehicle more difficult to control.
● The power steering only works when the
engine is running.
● Never allow the vehicle to move when the
engine is switched off.
● Never remove the key from the ignition if
the vehicle is in motion. The steering may » 131Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Driving
Electromechanical power steering
With the power steering system, the assisted
steering function automatically adjusts ac-
cording to the vehicle speed, the steering tor-
que and the wheel turning angle. The power
steering only works when the engine is run-
ning.
You should remember that you will need con-
siderably more power than normal to steer
the vehicle if the power steering is not work-
ing correctly or not at all.
Counter steering assistance system
The counter steering assistance system helps
the driver in critical situations. Additional
steering power helps the driver when counter
steering. WARNING
The counter steering assistance system com-
bined with ESC helps the driver to steer the
vehicle in critical driving conditions. At all
times, it is the driver who steers the vehicle.
The counter steering system does not steer
the vehicle. Stopping and starting the
engine
Introduction Immobiliser display
When an invalid key is used or in the event of
a system fault, 
or Immobiliser on is dis-
played on the instrument panel. The engine
cannot be started.
Pushing or towing
For technical reasons, the vehicle must not
be push- or tow-started. Jump starting is pref-
erable. WARNING
Turning off the engine while driving will make
stopping the vehicle difficult; this could even
result in the loss of control causing an acci-
dent with serious consequences.
● The assisted braking and steering systems,
the airbag system, seat belts and certain
safety equipment are only active while the
engine is running.
● The engine should only be switched off
when the vehicle is at a standstill. WARNING
While the engine is running or starting it
could help reduce the risk of serious injury. ●
Never start or leave the engine running in
poorly ventilated or closed spaces. Exhaust
gas contains carbon monoxide, a toxic, col-
ourless and odourless gas. Carbon monoxide
can cause people to lose consciousness. It
can also cause death.
● Never leave the vehicle unattended if the
engine is running. The vehicle could move off
suddenly or something unexpected could
happen resulting in damage and serious in-
jury.
● Never use start boosters. Cold start sprays
could explode or increase the engine speed
unexpectedly. WARNING
The components of the exhaust system reach
very high temperatures. This could cause a
fire and considerable damage.
● Always park your vehicle so that no part of
the exhaust system can come in contact with
flammable materials (such as wood, leaves,
dried grass, spilled fuel, etc.).
● Do not apply additional underseal or anti-
corrosion coatings to the exhaust pipes, cata-
lytic converter, heat shields or the diesel par-
ticulate filter. 133
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Operation
frequently, or if rust has formed on the discs,
SEAT recommends cleaning the pads and
discs by braking firmly a few times at a mod-
erately high speed. Only do this without en-
dangering vehicles behind you or any other
road users ››› .
Faults in the brake system
During braking, if you notice that the vehicle
does not react as usual (that the braking dis-
tance has increased suddenly) it may be pos-
sible that there is a fault in the braking sys-
tem. The  warning lamp lights up and a
text message displayed. Take the vehicle to a
specialised workshop immediately and have
the fault repaired. Drive at a moderate speed
and be prepared to use more pressure on the
brake pedal, and allow for longer stopping
distances.
Brake servo
The brake servo only operates when the en-
gine is running and the pressure applied by
the driver on the brake pedal increases.
If the brake servo does not operate or the ve-
hicle must be towed, then the brake pedal
will have to be pressed with more force given
that the braking distance will be increased
when the brake servo does not operate ››› . WARNING
New brake pads do not brake to full efficien-
cy.
● For the first 320 km, new brake pads have
not yet reached their maximum braking ca-
pacity, and need to be “run in” first. For this,
to compensate for reduced braking efficiency
the brake pedal will have to be pressed with
more force.
● To avoid losing control of the vehicle and
causing serious accidents, always take great
care when driving with new brake pads.
● When running in new brake pads, always
respect the safety distances between you and
other vehicles and do not cause situations re-
quiring extreme braking performance. WARNING
When brakes overheat, braking is less effi-
cient and braking distances increase.
● When driving on slopes, brakes can be
overloaded and overheat quickly.
● Reduce speed or change down a gear when
faced with steep and long slopes. This allows
you to use the engine braking effect and to
reduce the strain on the brake system.
● Non-standard or damaged front spoilers
could restrict the airflow to the brakes and
cause them to overheat. WARNING
Wet, frozen or salt-covered brakes take lon-
ger to engage and this increases braking dis-
tances.
● Test the brakes carefully.
● Dry the brakes, free them of ice and salt by
braking gently several times, when weather,
road and traffic conditions permit. WARNING
Driving without the brake servo may signifi-
cantly increase the braking distance and re-
sult in a severe accident.
● Never allow the vehicle to move forwards
when the engine is switched off.
● If the brake servo does not operate or the
vehicle must be towed, then the brake pedal
will have to be pressed with more force given
that the braking distance will be increased
when the brake servo does not operate. CAUTION
● Never make the brakes “slip” by pressing
the pedal gently, if it is not really necessary
to brake. Continuously pressing on the brake
pedal will heat the brakes. This could signifi-
cantly reduce braking power, increase brak-
ing distance or even result in the total failure
of the brake system.
● Reduce speed or change down a gear when
faced with steep and long slopes. This allows
you to use the engine braking effect and to 142

Driving
reduce the strain on the brake system. Other-
wise, the brakes may overheat and fail. Only
use the brakes to reduce speed or to stop.
Note
When checking the front brake pads, take the
time to also check the rear brake pads. The
thickness of the brake pads should be
checked visually and regularly, by looking
through the openings in the wheel rims or
from underneath the vehicle. If necessary, re-
move the wheels to check them thoroughly.
SEAT recommends taking your car in for tech-
nical service. Changing gear
Introduction When reverse gear is engaged and the
ignition is switched on the following takes
place:
● Reverse lights light up.
● When reversing, the air conditioner auto-
matically changes to air recirculation mode.
● The rear window heater switches on when
the windscreen wiper is activated.
● Also, the parking sensor system, the opti-
cal parking sensor and the camera for the re-
verse assist system are connected. WARNING
Rapid acceleration can cause loss of traction
and skidding, especially on slippery ground.
This could cause loss of control of the vehicle
resulting in an accident and considerable
damage.
● Only use the kick-down function or rapid
acceleration if visibility, weather, road and
traffic conditions so permit. WARNING
Do not allow the brakes to “rub” for a pro-
longed period of time, or brake frequently or
for long periods of time. Continuous braking
heats up the brakes. This could significantly
reduce braking power, increase braking dis-
tance or even result in the total failure of the
brake system. Warning and control lampsIt lights
upPossible causeSolution 
(red)Brake pedal not
pressed!Press brake pedal to
the floor.

(green)Brake pedal not
pressed.
To select a range of
gears, press the
brake pedal.
Please also see "Elec-
tronic parking brake"
››› page 137.
FlashesPossible causeSolution 
(green)
The selector lever
locking button
has not engaged.
The vehicle does
not start to move.Engage the selector
lever lock
››› page 145. Several warning and control lamps light up
for a few seconds when the ignition is switch-
ed on, signalling that the function is being
verified. They will switch off after a few sec-
onds.
WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ››› in Control
and warning lamps on page 47. Manual gearbox: Engaging gears
Fig. 129
Gear shift pattern of a 6-speed man-
ual gearbox » 143
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Operation
Think ahead and “flow” with the traffic
Frequent acceleration and braking considera-
bly increase fuel consumption. If you think
ahead as you drive and keep a safe distance
from the vehicle in front, it is possible to slow
down by simply lifting your foot off the accel-
erator. This eliminates the need for constant
braking and acceleration.
Calm and steady driving
Constancy is more important than speed: The
more you drive at a constant speed, the lower
the fuel consumption.
When driving on the motorway, it is more effi-
cient to drive at a constant and more moder-
ate speed than to be continuously accelerat-
ing and braking. As a general rule, you will
reach your destination just as quickly when
you drive at a constant speed.
The cruise control function helps you to ach-
ieve a constant style of driving.
Moderate use of additional devices
It is important to travel in comfort, but con-
venience systems should be used ecological-
ly.
Some equipment, when connected, increase
fuel consumption considerably, for example:
● Air conditioning cooling system: If the air
conditioning system is required to cool to
significantly lower temperatures than the true outside temperature, it will require a large
amount of energy from the engine. Therefore,
we recommend that the selected temperature
for the vehicle is not too different to the out-
side temperature. It is a good idea to air the
vehicle before starting your journey and to
drive a short distance with all the windows
open. Only then should you close all the win-
dows and switch on the air conditioning.
Keep windows closed when travelling at high
speeds. Driving with the windows open in-
creases fuel consumption.
●
Switch off the seat heating when the seats
have warmed up.
● Switch off the heated rear window and the
windscreen heating when the windows have
demisted and are free of ice.
● Do not leave the auxiliary heater switched
on when the vehicle is moving ››› page 128.
Avoid short journeys
Fuel consumption is much higher when the
engine is cold, immediately after it has been
started. It takes a few kilometres of driving
for the engine to warm up and to normalise
consumption.
The engine and catalytic converter need to
reach their proper working temperature in or-
der t o minimi
se fuel consumption and emis-
sions. The ambient temperature has a deci-
sive influence. Fig. 133 shows the difference in consump-
tion for the same journey at +20 °C (+68 °F)
and at -10 °C (+14 °F).
Therefore, unnecessary short journeys
should be avoided. Try to combine trips.
The vehicle uses more fuel in winter than in
summer, even when other conditions are the
same.
“Warming” the engine is not only forbidden
in some countries, but in practice it is techni-
cally superfluous as it is a waste of fuel.
Adjusting type pressures.
Having the correct pressure in your tyres
helps to reduce rolling resistance and, as a
result reduces fuel consumption. Increasing
the tyre pressure slightly (+0.2 bar
[2.9 psi/20 kPa]) can help to save fuel.
If you are prepared to accept a slight reduc-
tion in comfort, the tyres may be filled to the
pressures recommended for a fully-loaded
vehicle. This is also valid when driving alone
without luggage.
When you buy new tyres, make sure they are
optimised for minimum rolling resistance.
Use low friction engine oil
The use of low viscosity totally synthetic oils,
known as low friction engine oil, helps to re-
duce fuel consumption. These oils reduce the
resistance caused by friction in the engine,
150

Driving
automatically. The control lamp will not light
up in this case . For the sake of the environment
Even when the emission control system is
working perfectly, there may be a smell of
sulphur under certain conditions. This de-
pends on the sulphur content of the fuel be-
ing used. Driving abroad
In some countries, certain safety regulations
and requirements are in force relating to ex-
haust gas emissions, which differ from the
technical characteristics of the vehicle. Be-
fore travelling abroad, SEAT recommends you
consult a technical service about the legal re-
quirements and the following points:
●
Does the vehicle need technical modifica-
tions for driving abroad, for example, adjust-
ment of the headlamps?
● Does the vehicle have all the tools, diag-
nostics equipment and spare parts required
for inspections and repairs?
● Are there any SEAT dealers in the destina-
tion country?
● For petrol vehicles: Is unleaded petrol avail-
able at the right octane rating?
● For diesel engines: Is diesel fuel available
with a low sulphur content? ●
Are a suitable engine oil ( ››› page 218) and
other engine fluids complying with SEAT
specifications available in the destination
country?
● Will the navigation system fitted at the fac-
tory operate correctly in the destination coun-
try with the available navigation data?
● Are special tyres required in the destination
country? CAUTION
SEAT does not accept liability for any damage
to the vehicle due to the use of a lower quali-
ty fuel, an inadequate service or the non-
availability of genuine spare parts. Driving along flooded roadways
To prevent damage to the vehicle when driv-
ing through water, for example, along a floo-
ded road, please observe the following:
● Check the depth of the water before enter-
ing the flooded zone. The water should never
come above the lower edge of the bodywork
››› .
● Do not drive faster than a pedestrian.
● Do not stop in the water, use reverse gear
or switch off the engine.
● Oncoming traffic will cause waves which
raise the level of the water, making it difficult
to cross the water. WARNING
When driving through water, mud, melted
snow, etc., please remember that due to
damp or frozen brake discs and shoes in win-
ter, the braking effect may be delayed, there-
fore the required braking distance is greater.
● “Dry the brakes and remove ice” by braking
carefully. Ensure that you are not endanger-
ing other road-users or breaking traffic regu-
lations in the process.
● After driving through water, avoid sudden
sharp manoeuvres. CAUTION
● Driving through flooded areas may severely
damage vehicle components such as the en-
gine, transmission, drive train or electrical
system.
● Never drive through salt water as salt cau-
ses corrosion. Always rinse any parts of the
vehicle which have been in contact with salt
water. 153Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Operation
CAUTION
Before entering an automatic car wash, al-
ways switch the Auto Hold function off, as it
could be damaged when the electronic park-
ing brake automatically engages. Start-Stop Function*
Fig. 136
Detailed view of the centre console:
Start-Stop function button With the Start-Stop system enabled, the en-
gine is automatically stopped when the vehi-
cle is at a standstill. The engine restarts auto-
matically when required.
The function is enabled automatically when-
ever the ignition is switched on. The instru-
ment panel displays information on the cur-
rent status. Vehicles with a manual gearbox
● When the vehicle is at a standstill, leave it
in neutral and take your foot off the clutch.
The engine switches off.
● Simply depress the clutch pedal to move
off again.
Vehicles with an automatic gearbox
● When the vehicle is at a standstill, depress
the brake or keep it pressed down. The en-
gine switches off.
● The engine will start again as soon as you
release the brake pedal.
● With the selector lever set to position P, the
en gine w
ill not start until a range of gears is
selected or the accelerator pedal is de-
pressed.
Important conditions for the engine to
automatically switch off
● The driver seat belt must be buckled.
● The driver door must be closed.
● The bonnet must be closed.
● The factory-fitted towing bracket must not
be electrically connected to a trailer.
● A minimum engine temperature has been
reached.
● The steering wheel must not be turned
more than 270 degrees.
● The vehicle has moved since the last stop. ●
In vehicles with Climatronic: the tempera-
ture inside the vehicle is within the pre-set
temperature range.
● The temperature set is neither very high nor
very low.
● The air conditioning defrost function is not
switched on.
● In vehicles with Climatronic: the blower has
not been manually set to a high speed.
● The power level of the vehicle's battery is
sufficient.
● The vehicle's battery temperature is neither
too high nor too low.
● The vehicle is not on a steep gradient or
slope.
● The front wheels are not overly turned.
● The heated windscreen is not switched on.
● Reverse gear is not engaged.
● The park assist system is not switched on.
Conditions for automatically restarting the
engine
The engine may automatically restart under
the following conditions:
● If the vehicle interior is too hot or too cold.
● If the vehicle moves.
● If the vehicle's battery voltage drops.
158