2015 Seat Alhambra check engine

AdviceCO
2 emis-
sions of
the combi-
nationThe exhaust gases are collected during
both driving cycles to calculate carbon di-
oxide emissions (urban and road). The gas
composition is then analysed to evaluate
the CO 2 content and other emissions. Note
● The kerb weight may vary according to the
vehicle equipment. This could raise consump-
tion and the CO 2 emissions slightly.
● In practice, consumption values could be
different to the values calculated based on
the 715/2007/EC or 80/1268/EEC regula-
tions. Selective catalytic reduction*
(AdBlue)
Introduction The AdBlue fill level must be checked when
the vehicle is being serviced.
WARNING
If the AdBlue fill level is too low, the vehicle
may not restart after switching the ignition
off. The emergency start or jump start will not
be possible either!
● Top up with AdBlue at the latest 1,000 km
or 600 miles before it runs out.
● Do not allow the AdBlue to run too low. WARNING
AdBlue is an irritant, corrosive liquid that can
cause injuries if it touches the skin, eyes or
respiratory organs.
● If AdBlue get in contact with eyes and skin,
rinse for at least 15 minutes with plenty of
water and seek medical help.
● If the AdBlue is swallowed, wash your
mouth with plenty of water for at least 15 mi-
nutes. Do not try to provoke vomiting unless
recommended by a Doctor. Seek medical ad-
vice immediately. CAUTION
AdBlue damages surfaces such as painted ve-
hicle parts, plastic, items of clothing and car-
pets. Spilt AdBlue should be removed as
quickly as possible using a damp cloth and
plenty of cold water.
● If the AdBlue has crystallised, remove with
warm water and a sponge. Control and warning lamps
It lights
upPossible causeSolution 
(red)
The engine cannot
be restarted! The
level of AdBlue is
too low.Stop the vehicle in a
suitable, safe and flat
area then top up with
the minimum quanti-
ty of AdBlue required
››› page 213. 
(red)
with

The engine cannot
be restarted! AdBl-
ue system malfunc-
tion.Contact a specialised
workshop. Have the
system checked
there. 
(yellow)The AdBlue reserve
is low.
Refill AdBlue over the
next kilometres or
miles as indicated
››› page 213. SEAT
recommends contact-
ing a specialised
workshop. 
(yellow)
together with

There is a fault in
the AdBlue system
or unsuitable AdBl-
ue fluid has been
used.Contact a specialised
workshop. Have the
system checked
there. Several warning and control lamps should
light up for a few seconds when the ignition
is switched on, signalling that the function is
212

Checking and refilling levels
being verified. They will switch off after a few
seconds. WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ››› in Control
and warning lamps on page 47. Information on AdBlue
In vehicles with "Selective Catalytic Reduc-
tion", a special urea solution (AdBlue) is in-
jected into the exhaust gas system in front of
the catalytic converter to reduce nitrogen ox-
ide emissions.
The consumption of AdBlue depends on indi-
vidual driving style, the temperature at which
the system operates and the outside temper-
ature where the vehicle is driven.
AdBlue is kept in an independent tank in the
vehicle and should be refilled at an official
supplier. The AdBlue tank holds about 17 li-
tres.
A message will be displayed on the dash
panel around 2,400 km before the next serv-
ice to indicate that AdBlue must be refilled
››› page 213 . If you ignore this message and
do not r
efill, you will be unable to start the
engine afterwards ›››
page 212.
SEAT recommends contacting a specialised
workshop. If not possible, it should be parti-
ally filled with a minimum 10 litres of AdBlue. Only refill using AdBlue expressly approved
by SEAT.
When the indicators
 and 
light simulta-
neously, there is a fault. SEAT recommends
visiting the closest specialised workshop.
AdBlue ®
is a registered trademark in the US,
Germany, the European Union and other
countries belonging to the German automo-
bile industry ("Verband der Automobilindus-
trie e. V.", VDA).
Refilling AdBlue Fig. 160
At the rear left of the luggage com-
partment: AdBlue tank, behind a cover panel Fig. 161
AdBlue tank with filler neck cap and
refilling bottle To refill AdBlue, the vehicle must be on flat
ground and not, for example, parked on a
kerb or slope. If the vehicle is not on flat
ground then the filling indicator cannot
measure the filling quantity.
»
213
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Checking and refilling levels
carried out by a specialised workshop if you
are uncertain. Negligent work can cause seri-
ous injury. WARNING
If the vehicle moves unexpectedly, this could
cause serious injury.
● Never work under the vehicle if it has not
been immobilized. If you must work under-
neath the vehicle with the wheels in contact
with the ground then it should be parked on
flat ground, the wheels should be prevented
from moving and the key should be removed
from the ignition.
● If you have to work underneath the vehicle,
you must use suitable stands additionally to
support the vehicle, there is a risk of acci-
dent!. The jack is not intended for this kind of
work and its failure could lead to severe inju-
ries. WARNING
The engine compartment is a dangerous area
capable of causing serious injury.
● For all type of work, always take the utmost
precautions, work carefully and note the gen-
eral safety standards in force. Never take per-
sonal risks.
● Never work on the engine or in the engine
compartment if you are not familiar with the
necessary operations. If you are not sure
about procedures then visit a specialised
workshop to carry out the necessary work. Working incorrectly can cause serious inju-
ries.
●
Never open the bonnet if you see steam or
coolant escaping from the engine compart-
ment. This may cause serious burns. Always
wait until you cannot see or hear the sound of
steam or coolant coming from the engine
compartment.
● Always allow the engine to cool down be-
fore opening the bonnet.
● Contact with hot elements of the engine
and the exhaust system can cause burns.
● Once the engine has cooled, follow the in-
structions below before opening the bonnet:
– Turn on the electronic parking brake and
place the gear selector lever in P or the
gearbox lever in neutral.
– Remove the key from the ignition.
– Keep children away from the engine com-
partment and never leave them unsuper-
vised.
● When the engine is warm or hot, the cool-
ing system is pressurised. Do not unscrew
the cap on the expansion tank when the en-
gine is hot. Otherwise, coolant may spray out
under pressure causing burns and serious in-
jury.
– Carefully and slowly unscrew the cap an-
ticlockwise, gently pressing down on it.
– Always protect your face, hands and arms
from hot coolant and steam using a large,
thick cloth. ●
When refilling liquids, avoid spilling them
on parts of the engine and the exhaust sys-
tem. Spilled liquids could cause a fire. WARNING
The high voltages of the electrical system can
give electric shocks as well as causing burns
and serious injury and possibly even death!
● Never cause short circuits in the electrical
system. The battery could explode.
● To minimise the risk of electric shock and
serious consequences while the engine is
running or starting the engine, note the fol-
lowing:
– Never touch the electrical wiring of the
ignition system.
– Never touch electric cables or the gas dis-
charge lamps. WARNING
In the engine compartment, there are rotat-
ing parts that could cause serious injury.
● Never place your hands on or near the radi-
ator fan. Touching the rotor blades could seri-
ously harm you. The ventilator works accord-
ing to the engine temperature and could start
suddenly even when the ignition is turned off
and the key is removed.
● If any work has to be performed when the
engine is started or with the engine running,
there is an additional, potentially fatal, safety » 215Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Advice
risk from rotating parts, such as the drive
belts, alternator, radiator fan, etc., as well as
from the high-voltage ignition system. Al-
ways work with the utmost caution.
– Always make sure that no parts of your
body, jewellery, ties, loose clothing and
long hair can be trapped by the rotating
parts of the engine. Before any work, re-
move ties and jewellery (necklaces, etc),
tie long hair back and tie all items of
loose clothing to your body to make sure
that they cannot be trapped by engine
components.
– Take extreme caution when operating the
accelerator and remain attentive. The ve-
hicle could move, even with the electron-
ic parking brake activated.
● Always make sure you have not left any ob-
jects, such as cleaning cloths and tools, in
the engine compartment. If any object is left
in the engine compartment, this could cause
malfunctions, engine faults and even a fire. WARNING
Refill liquids and certain materials can catch
fire easily in the engine compartment, caus-
ing a fire and serious injury!
● Never smoke.
● Never work close to places exposed to
flames or sparks.
● Never pour service fluids over the engine.
These fluid may ignite hot engine parts and
cause injuries. ●
If it is necessary to work on the fuel system
or the electrical system, please follow the in-
structions below:
–Always disconnect the vehicle battery.
When disconnecting the battery, ensure
that the vehicle is unlocked otherwise
the anti-theft alarm will be triggered.
– Never work close to heaters, heat sources
or places exposed to flames or sparks.
● Always keep a recently serviced and per-
fectly working fire extinguisher close by.
● Never cover the engine with additional in-
sulating materials such as a blanket. Risk of
fire! CAUTION
When refilling or changing service liquids,
ensure that you put the liquids into the right
tank. Making a mistake when refilling could
cause serious malfunctions and damage the
engine! For the sake of the environment
Service fluids leaks are harmful to the envi-
ronment. For this reason you should make
regular checks on the ground underneath
your vehicle. Take the vehicle to a specialised
workshop to be checked if you see stains, oil
or other fluids on the ground. Collect any
spilt service fluids and allow a professional to
dispose of them. Opening and closing the bonnet
Fig. 162
In the footwell on the driver side:
Lever for unlocking the bonnet Fig. 163
Release lever to open the bonnet in
the radiator grille Opening the bonnet
The lever to open the bonnet can only be
used if the driver door is open.
216

Checking and refilling levels
● Before opening the bonnet, make sure that
the windscreen wiper arms are in place
against the windscreen ››› .
● Open the driver door.
● Pull the release lever ››› Fig. 162 in the di-
r ection of
the arrow. The bonnet is released
from the lock carrier by a spring mechanism
››› .
● Lift the bonnet using the release lever
››› Fig. 163 (arrow) and open the bonnet fully.
The bonnet i

s held open thanks to the gas
strut.
Closing the bonnet
● To close the bonnet, pull it down to over-
come the gas strut pressure ››› .
● Allow the bonnet to fall into the lock carrier.
Do not press down.
If the bonnet is not correctly closed, open it
once again and close it correctly.
The bonnet is correctly closed when it is flush
with the corresponding parts on the body-
work. WARNING
If the bonnet is not correctly closed, it could
suddenly open while driving leaving the driv-
er without visibility. This could result in a se-
rious accident.
● After closing the bonnet, always check that
it is properly secured by the locking mecha- nism in the lock carrier. The bonnet must be
flush with the surrounding body panels.
●
While driving, if you notice that the bonnet
is not correctly closed then stop immediately
and close it correctly.
● Only open and close the bonnet when there
is nobody within its range. CAUTION
● To avoid damage to the bonnet and to the
windscreen wiper arms, only open it when
the windscreen wipers are in place against
the windscreen.
● Before driving, always lower the wiper
arms. Checking fluid levels
Fig. 164
Diagram for the location of the vari-
ous elements. From time to time, the levels of the different
fluids in the vehicle must be checked. Never
fill with incorrect fluids, otherwise serious
damage to the engine may be caused.
Coolant fluid deposit
Engine oil dipstick
Oil filler neck
Brake fluid reservoir
Vehicle battery (underneath a cover)
Windscreen washer fluid reservoir »
1 2
3
4
5
6
217
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Advice
The checking and refilling of service fluids
are carried out on the components men-
tioned above. These operations are descri-
bed in ››› page 214 .
Ov er
view
Further explanations, instructions and restric-
tions on the technical data are contained as
of ››› page 274
Engine oil Introduction WARNING
Incorrectly handling engine oil can cause in-
jury and serious burns.
● Always protect your eyes when handling
engine oil.
● Oil is toxic and must be kept out of the
reach of children.
● Engine oil should only be kept in its origi-
nal packaging; the same goes for used oil un-
til it is disposed of.
● Never store engine oil in empty food con-
tainers or bottles as other people may acci-
dentally drink it.
● Regular contact with engine oil can be bad
for the skin. If you come into contact with en-
gine oil, wash your skin with soap and water. ●
With the engine running, the engine oil
gets extremely hot and can cause severe skin
burns. Always wait until the engine has fully
cooled. For the sake of the environment
Similar to the other service liquids, spilled
engine oil can be bad for the environment.
Collect these liquids in suitable containers
and dispose of them while respecting the en-
vironment. Warning and control lamps
It lights
upPossible causeSolution 
Insufficient engine
oil.Switch the ignition
off. Check the en-
gine oil level
››› page 219.
FlashesPossible causeSolution 
Engine oil pres-
sure too low. 
Stop the vehicle!
Switch off the en-
gine. Check the en-
gine oil level.
- If the warning lamp
flashes although the
oil level is correct,
do not continue driv-
ing or leave the en-
gine running. Other-
wise, the engine
could be damaged.
Seek specialist as-
sistance. 
Engine oil sensor
faulty.Contact a special-
ised workshop. Have
the engine oil sensor
checked.
WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ››› in Control
and warning lamps on page 47. Engine oil specifications
Replacement engine oil must strictly comply
with the specifications.
The correct oil must be used to ensure the
correct operation and long service life of the
engine. The engine comes with a high-quality
multigrade oil that can generally be used all
year round.
218

Checking and refilling levels
Only use an engine oil that complies to SEAT
standards whenever possible ››› . If you
wish to maintain the long-life service dura-
tion, only engine oils approved for this serv-
ice according to the corresponding VW stand-
ard ( ››› table on page 219 ) may be used. All
oi l
s indicated are synthetic multigrade oils .
Engine oils are being continuously further
developed. Technical services are constantly
updated with any modifications. SEAT there-
fore recommends that you have the engine
oil changed by a technical service.
Engines
Engine oil specifications
with LongLife servicewithout Long-Life service
Petrol enginesVW 504 00,VW 503 00VW 504 00, VW 502 00
Diesel enginesVW 507 00VW 507 00 CAUTION
● Only use engine oils whose specifications
are expressly approved by SEAT. The use of
any other type of oil could cause engine dam-
age!
● No additives should be used with engine
oil. Any damage caused by the use of such
additives would not be covered by the factory
warranty. Checking the engine oil level and
topping up
Fig. 165
Marked engine oil dipstick Fig. 166
In the engine compartment: Engine
oil filler cap. Preparations
● Park the vehicle on flat ground so that the
engine oil reading is correct.
● Stop the engine and wait a few minutes for
the oil to drain back into the sump. When the engine has cooled down, immediately check
the oil level and top up if necessary.
●
Open the bonnet  ››› page 214.
● The engine oil filler neck can be recognised
by the symbol  on the cap
›
›› Fig. 166
and
the dipstick by its coloured handle.
Checking the engine oil level
● Pull out the dipstick and wipe it on a clean
cloth.
● Replace the dipstick, pushing it in as far as
it will go. If the dipstick has a mark, when you
reintroduce it this mark should slot into the
corresponding groove located on the upper
end of the tube.
● Remove the dipstick again and check the
engine oil level ››› table on page 219.
● After reading the oil level, replace the dip-
stick in the tube completely.
Engine oil topping up ranges
Fig. 165Operations required depending on
the engine oil level:
Area ADo not top up oil
››› .
Area BAdd approximately 0.5 L of oil (1/2 quarter
of a gallon). The oil level can be in the zone
A
, but never above A.» 219
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

AdviceFig. 165Operations required depending on
the engine oil level:
Area
C
It is
essential to add oil (approximately 1 li-
tre or quarter of a gallon). Ensure that the
level is around the centre of the zone B
after adding oil.Adding oil after checking the level
Only add engine oil in small quantities and in
steps:
● Unscrew the cap from engine oil filler neck
on the cylinder head ›››
Fig. 166 . If you are
not s

ure where the cap is, request help from
a specialist.
● Only refill using engine oil expressly ap-
proved by SEAT and in small quantities (not
more than 0.5 l or 1/2 a quarter of a gallon at
a time) ›››
page 218
.
● To avoid adding too much oil, each time
you add a quantity, wait until the oil has flow-
ed into the crankcase so that it can be meas-
ured with the dipstick.
● Check the oil level before adding any more
oil. Do not top up with too much engine oil
››› .
● When the oil level is at least in the
››› Fig. 165 B zone, insert the dipstick into
the tube fully to avoid engine oil escaping
when the engine is running.
● After topping up the oil, ensure that the
cap is screwed on to the filler neck correctly. WARNING
Oil could catch fire if it comes into contact
with hot engine components. This could lead
to a fire, explosion and severe injuries.
● Always ensure that after topping of oil, the
engine oil filler cap is correctly tightened.
This will avoid engine oil spilling onto hot en-
gine parts when the engine is running. CAUTION
● If the engine oil level is above the area
››› Fig. 165 A do not start the engine. Seek
specialist assistance. Otherwise catalytic
converter and engine damage may occur.
● When refilling or changing service liquids,
ensure that you put the liquids into the right
tank. Making a mistake when refilling could
cause serious malfunctions and damage the
engine! For the sake of the environment
The oil level must never be above area
››› Fig. 165 A . Otherwise oil can be drawn in
through the crankcase breather and escape
into the atmosphere via the exhaust system. Engine oil consumption
The consumption of engine oil can be differ-
ent from one engine to another and can vary
during the useful life of the engine.Depending on driving style and the condi-
tions of use, the consumption of engine oil
can reach 1 litre every 2000 km (one quarter
of a gallon every 1200 miles); for new vehi-
cles, this could be higher for the first
5,000 km. For this reason the engine oil level
must be checked at regular intervals, prefera-
bly when filling the tank and before a jour-
ney.
When the engine is working hard, for in-
stance, during long motorway journeys in
summer, when towing a trailer or climbing
high mountain passes, the oil level should
preferably be kept within area
››› Fig. 165 A .
Changing the engine oil The engine oil must be changed regularly ac-
cording to the specifications of the Mainte-
nance Programme.
Due to the problems linked with disposing of
used oil and the need for suitable tools and
special knowledge, always visit a specialised
workshop to have the engine oil and filter
changed. SEAT recommends taking your car
in for technical service.
Detailed information on the service intervals
is shown in the Maintenance Programme.
220