2015 Seat Alhambra engine

Operation
Starting the engine Complete operations only in the sequence
given: Vehicles without
Keyless AccessVehicles with
Keyless Access
1.Press and hold the brake pedal until step 5 is per- formed.
1a.In vehicles with a manual gearbox: press and
hold the clutch down until the engine starts.
2.Put the gearbox lever in neutral or the selector lever in position P or N.
3.
Only in vehicles with
diesel engines: for pre-
heating, turn the key in the ignition lock to po-
sition ››› Fig. 125 1
. A
control lamp lights up
on the dash panel
.

4.
Turn the key in the igni- tion lock to position
››› Fig. 125 2
; do not
press the accelerator.
Press the starter button ››› Fig. 126; do not
press the accelerator. There needs to be a
valid key inside the ve- hicle for the engine to start.
5.Once the engine starts,release the key in the ignition lock.Once the engine starts,release the start-up button.
Vehicles without
Keyless AccessVehicles with
Keyless Access
6.
If the engine does not
start, stop and wait for around 1 minute to try again.If the engine does not
start, stop and wait for around 1 minute to try again. If necessary,
perform an emergency start ››› page 135.
7.Disconnect the electronic parking brake when you
are about to start driving ››› page 137. WARNING
Never leave the vehicle unattended if the en-
gine is running. The vehicle could move off
suddenly, especially if it is in gear, resulting
in an accident and serious injury. WARNING
Cold start sprays could explode or cause a
sudden increase in the engine speed.
● Never use start boosters. CAUTION
● An attempt to start the engine while driving
or starting the engine immediately after turn-
ing it off can cause damage to the engine or
starter motor.
● When the engine is cold, avoid high revs
and heavy acceleration and do not make the
engine work hard. ●
Do not push or tow start the engine. Un-
burnt fuel could damage the catalytic con-
verter. For the sake of the environment
Do not warm the engine at idle speed; start
driving immediately if the visibility is OK.
This helps the engine reach operating tem-
perature faster and reduces emissions. Note
● For example, if the key battery is very worn
or flat, the engine cannot be started with the
starter button. In this case, remove the igni-
tion button from the lock and insert the key.
● Electrical devices with a high power con-
sumption are switched off temporarily when
the engine starts.
● When the engine is started cold, there may
be strong vibrations for a few moments for
technical reasons. This is quite normal, and
no cause for concern.
● At temperatures below +5 °C (+41 °F),
smoke may be given off below the vehicle
when the additional heater is connected. Stopping the engine
Complete operations only in the sequence
given:
136

Driving Vehicles without
Keyless AccessVehicles with
Keyless Access
1.Bring the vehicle to a full stop ››› .
2.Press and hold the brake pedal until the step 4 is
performed.
3.If the vehicle has an automatic gearbox, place theselector lever in position P.
4.Connect the electronic parking brake ››› page 137.
5.Turn the vehicle key in
the ignition lock to po-
sition ››› Fig. 125 0
.
Briefly press the start-
up button
››› Fig. 126. If
the engine fails to
switch off, perform an
emergency disconnect
››› page 135.
6.If the vehicle is equipped with a manual gearbox,
put it into 1st or reverse. WARNING
Never switch off the engine while the vehicle
is moving. You may lose control of the vehicle
and there is a risk of serious accident.
● The airbags and belt tensioners do not
work when the ignition is switched off.
● The brake servo does not work with the en-
gine off. To stop, the brake pedal must be
pressed with more force.
● As the power steering does not work if the
engine is not running, you will need more
strength to steer than normally. ●
If the key is removed from the ignition, the
steering may lock and it will not be possible
to steer the vehicle. CAUTION
If the engine has been driven at high speed
for a prolonged period of time, it may over-
heat when turned off. To avoid engine dam-
age, allow the engine to run for approximate-
ly two minutes in neutral before switching it
off. Note
● In vehicles with automatic gearbox, the key
can only be removed when the selector lever
is in position P.
● After stopping the engine, the engine com-
partment fan may continue running for a few
minutes, even when the ignition has been
switched off or the key removed. The radiator
fan is automatically switched off. Electronic immobiliser
The gear lock prevents the engine from being
started with an unauthorised key and the ve-
hicle being moved.
The vehicle key has a chip that automatically
disables the immobilizer when the key is
placed in the ignition lock.The electronic immobiliser will be activated
again automatically as soon as you pull the
key out of the ignition lock. For vehicles with
the Keyless Access system, the key has to be
outside the vehicle
››› page 59.
For this reason, the vehicle can only be used
with a genuine SEAT key with the correct
code. Coded keys can be purchased from
your technical service centre ››› page 54.
If an unauthorised key is used, the message SAFE or Immobiliser active is displayed on the
instrument panel. The vehicle cannot be star-
ted in this case Note
The correct operation of the vehicle is only
guaranteed when original SEAT keys are
used. Braking and parking
Introduction The
assisted braking systems
include the an-
ti-loc

k braking system (ABS), the brake assist
system (BAS), the electronic differential lock
(EDL), the traction control system (ASR) and
the electronic stability control (ESC). »
137
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Operation
WARNING
Driving with worn brake pads or a faulty
brake system may lead to serious accident.
● If  lights, alone or accompanied by a
warning message on the instrument panel
display, please go immediately to a special-
ised workshop to check the brake pads and to
replace them if they are worn. WARNING
Careless parking can cause serious injury.
● Never remove the key from the ignition if
the vehicle is in motion. The steering lock
may engage and lock the steering wheel mak-
ing the vehicle impossible to control.
● 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.).
● Always apply the electronic parking brake
when you leave your vehicle and when you
park.
● Never leave children or disabled people
alone in the vehicle. They could release the
electronic parking brake, activate the selec-
tor lever or gear stick and start the vehicle
moving. This could result in a serious acci-
dent.
● Always take all the keys with you whenever
you leave the vehicle. The engine could acci-
dentally be started and electrical equipment
such as the windows could accidentally be
operated resulting in serious injury. ●
Never leave children or disabled people
alone in the car. They could be trapped in the
car in an emergency and will not be able to
get themselves to safety. For example, de-
pending on the time of the year, tempera-
tures inside a locked and closed vehicle can
be extremely high or extremely low resulting
in serious injuries and illness or even death,
particularly for young children. CAUTION
● Special care should be taken when parking
in areas with high kerbs or fixed barriers. Ob-
jects protruding from the ground may dam-
age the bumper or other parts of the vehicle
during manoeuvres. To avoid damage, stop
before the wheels touch the barrier or kerb.
● Special attention is required when driving
through entrances, over ramps, kerbs or oth-
er objects. The vehicle underbody, bumpers,
mudguards and running gear, and the engine
and exhaust system could be damaged as
you drive over these objects. Warning and control lampsIt lights
upPossible causeSolution 
(red)
Together with the
control lamp  on
the button: Elec-
tronic parking
brake on.››› page 140
Fault in the brake
system  Stop the vehicle!
Seek professional
assistance!
››› page 142.
Brake fluid level
inadequate.  Do not drive on!
Check brake fluid
level ››› page 225.
Together with the
ABS control lamp
: ABS fault.
Contact a special-
ised workshop. The
vehicle can be
braked without ABS. 
(red)Brake pedal not
pressed!Press brake pedal to
the floor.

(yellow)Front brake pads
worn.
Contact a special-
ised workshop im-
mediately. Inspect
all the brake pads
and replace as nec-
essary.
138

Operation
Electronic parking brake Fig. 128
Detailed view of the centre console:
electronic parking brake switch Applying the electronic parking brake
The parking brake can be applied whenever
the vehicle is at a standstill, even when the
ignition is switched off. Always apply the
parking brake when you leave your vehicle
and when you park.
●
Pull button  until the control lamp
 on
the button lights up.
● The parking brake is applied when the con-
trol lamp  lights up on the instrument pan-
el ››› page 138 .
R el
easing the electronic parking brake
● Switch the ignition on.
● Press button  . At the same time, press
the brake pedal hard or gently press the ac-
celerator pedal with the engine switched on. ●
The control lamps  on the button and 
on the in s

trument panel go out.
Automatic release of the electronic parking
brake on starting the engine
The electronic parking brake is automatically
released when the vehicle starts moving, if
the driver door is closed and
the driver is
wearing his/her seat belt. In addition, in ve-
hicles with a manual gearbox the clutch ped-
al should also be pressed to the floor before
starting the engine so that the system recog-
nises that the parking brake should be re-
leased.
Emergency braking function
Only use the emergency braking function if
the vehicle cannot be stopped with the brake
pedal ››› !
● Pull button 
hard
to stop the vehicle. The
w

arning display will be accompanied by the
corresponding audible warning.
● To stop the braking process, release the
button or press the accelerator. WARNING
The incorrect use of the electronic parking
brake may result in serious accident.
● Never use the electronic parking brake to
brake the vehicle except in an emergency.
The braking distance is considerably longer, because braking is only applied to the rear
wheels. Always use the foot brake.
●
Never accelerate from the engine compart-
ment with the engine running and a gear or a
gear range engaged. The vehicle could move,
even if the parking brake is applied. Note
● In vehicles with a manual gearbox: when
the clutch pedal is released and the accelera-
tor pressed at the same time, the electronic
parking brake is automatically released.
● If the vehicle battery is flat, it will not be
possible to disconnect the electronic parking
brake. Use the jump-start ››› page 253.
● When the electronic parking brake is ap-
plied or released, noises may be heard.
● If the electronic parking brake has not been
used for a long while, the system sometimes
performs automatic and audible checks while
the vehicle is at a standstill. Parking
When parking your vehicle, all legal require-
ments should be observed.
To park the vehicle
Complete operations only in the sequence
given.
● Park the vehicle on a suitable surface ››› .
140

Driving
● Press and hold the brake pedal until the ve-
hicle comes to a standstill.
● Connect the electronic parking brake
››› page 140 .
● For an aut
omatic gearbox, move the selec-
tor lever to position P.
● Sw

itch off the engine and release the brake
pedal.
● Remove the key from the ignition.
● If necessary, turn the steering wheel slight-
ly to lock the steering.
● With a manual gearbox, engage 1st gear on
flat ground and slopes, or even reverse gear
on hills, and release the clutch pedal.
● Ensure that all passengers leave the vehi-
cle, especially children.
● When leaving the vehicle, take all keys with
you.
● Lock the vehicle.
Additional information for steep slopes and
hills
Before switching off the engine, rotate the
steering wheel so that if the vehicle should
move, it will be held by the kerb.
● On slopes, turn the front wheels so that
they are against the edge of the kerb.
● Uphill, turn the wheels towards the centre
of the road. 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, or spilled fuel). CAUTION
● Special care should be taken when parking
in areas with high kerbs or fixed barriers. Ob-
jects protruding from the ground may dam-
age the bumper or other parts of the vehicle
during manoeuvres. To avoid damage, stop
before the wheels touch the barrier or kerb.
● Special attention is required when driving
through entrances, over ramps, kerbs or oth-
er objects. The vehicle underbody, bumpers,
mudguards and running gear, and the engine
and exhaust system could be damaged as
you drive over these objects. Information about the brakes
For the first 200 to 300 km, new brake pads
have not yet reached their maximum braking
capacity, and need to be “run in” first
››› .
The slightly reduced braking effect can be
compensated for by increasing pressure on
the brake pedal. While running in, the full
br ak

ing distance or emergency braking dis- tance is larger
then when the brake pads
have been run in. While running in, avoid full
power braking or situations requiring braking
performance. For example, in heavy traffic.
The
rate of wear of the brake pads depends
to a great extent on the conditions in which
the vehicle is used and the way the vehicle is
driven. If the vehicle is used frequently in city
traffic or for short trips or driven sport style,
visit a specialised workshop regularly, more
frequently than advised in the Maintenance
Programme, to have the brake pads checked.
If you drive with wet brakes, for example, af-
ter crossing areas of water, in heavy rainfall
or even after washing the car, the effect of
the brakes is lessened as the brake discs are
wet or even frozen (in winter). At higher
speed, “dry” the brakes as quickly as possi-
ble by braking gently several times. Only do
this without endangering vehicles behind
you or any other road users ››› .
A layer of salt on the discs and brake pads
w i

ll reduce the effectiveness of the brakes
and increase braking distance. If you drive for
a prolonged period on salted roads without
braking then brake carefully several times to
eliminate the layer of salt on the brakes ››› .
If the vehicle remains parked for considera-
ble lengths of time, is used little, or if the
brakes are not used, there may be corrosion
on the brake discs and a build up of dirt on
the brake pads. If the brakes are not used »
141
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

Operation
The position of each of the gears is shown on
the gear stick ››› Fig. 129 .
● Keep the c
lutch pedal pushed all the way
down.
● Move the gearbox lever to the required po-
sition.
In some countries, it is necessary to press the
clutch pedal to the floor to start the engine.
Selecting reverse gear
● With the vehicle at a standstill, press the
clutch pedal to the floor and keep pressed.
● Push the gear lever down.
● Move the gear stick to the left and then for-
wards to reverse gear ››› Fig. 129 R .
WARNING
When the engine is running, the vehicle will
start to move as soon as a gear is engaged
and the clutch released. This is also the case
with the electronic parking brake on.
● Never engage the reverse gear when a vehi-
cle is moving forward. CAUTION
To prevent damage and avoid premature
wear, please observe the following:
● While driving, do not leave your hand rest-
ing on the gear stick. The pressure applied by your hand is transmitted to the gearbox se-
lector forks.
● Always ensure that the vehicle is complete-
ly stopped before engaging the reverse gear.
● When changing gear, always make sure the
clutch pedal is pushed right to the floor.
● Never hold the vehicle “on the clutch” on
hills with the engine on. Automatic gearbox*: selecting gears
Fig. 130
Automatic gearbox selector lever
with locking button (arrow) The selector lever has a lock. When changing
the selector lever from position
P
to a range
of

gears, press the brake pedal and press the
lock on the selector lever, located on the
front part of the knob, in the direction of the
arrow ››› Fig. 130
. To move the gear selector
lever from the position N to D or to R, first
press and hold the brake pedal. When the ignition is on, the current position
of the selector lever is shown on the instru-
ment panel.
Selector
lever po- sitionsDenomi- nationMeaning ››› 
Parking
lock
The driven wheels are locked
mechanically.
They only engage when the
vehicle is at a standstill . To
change the position of the
selector lever, press the
brake pedal and switch on
the ignition. 
Reverse
gearReverse gear is engaged.
Only select reverse gear
when the vehicle is at a
standstill. 
Neutral
The gear box is in neutral. No
movement is transmitted to
the wheels and the engine
does not act as a brake.

Standard
forwards driving
position (normal pro-
gramme)The gears are changed (up
and down) automatically.
The gear shifts are deter-
mined by the engine load,
your individual driving style
and the speed of the vehicle. 144

DrivingSelector
lever po- sitionsDenomi- nationMeaning ››› 
Standard
forwards driving
position (sports pro-
gramme)
The shift up to a higher gear
is automatically delayed and
the shift down is faster with
respect to the D range of
gears, to take full advantage
of the engine power. The
gear shifts are determined by
the engine load, your individ-
ual driving style and the
speed of the vehicle. Selector lever locking
The gear selector lever lock prevents, in
P or
N , a gear selection from being inadvertently
en
gaged and the vehicle moving off acciden-
tally.
To release the gear selector lever lock, press
and hold the brake pedal with the ignition
on. Press simultaneously on the selector lev-
er lock.
The selector lever lock is not engaged if it is
moved quickly through position N (e.g. when
shiftin

g from R to D). This makes it possible,
for instance, to “rock the vehicle backwards
and forwards” if it is stuck in snow or mud.
The selector lever lock engages automatically
if the brake pedal is not pressed and the lev-
er is in position N
for more than about one
second at a speed of less than 5 km/h
(3 mph). In vehicles with a DSG
®
automatic gearbox,
on rare occasions the selector lever lock may
not engage. In this case, the transmission is
locked to prevent the vehicle from moving ac-
cidentally. The green control light  flashes
and an inform

ation text is displayed. Proceed
as follows to engage the selector lever lock:
● Press the brake pedal and then release. WARNING
Placing the selector lever in an incorrect posi-
tion may cause loss of control of the vehicle
and a serious accident.
● Do not press the accelerator when engag-
ing a range of gears.
● With the engine running and a range of
gears selected, the vehicle will move off
when the brake pedal is released.
● Never select reverse gear or the parking
lock while driving. WARNING
Unintentional movements of the vehicle
could cause serious injury.
● As a driver, you should never leave your ve-
hicle if the engine is running and a gear range
is engaged. If you have to leave your vehicle
while the engine is running, you must apply
the electronic parking brake and engage
parking lock P with the selector lever.
● While the engine is running and with the D,
S or R range of gears selected, keep the brake pressed to keep the vehicle at a standstill.
Transmission is not totally interrupted either
when the vehicle is idling or when the vehicle
“continues moving forwards”.
●
Never engage the R or P gear ranges when
the vehicle is moving.
● Never leave the vehicle with the gear selec-
tor in N. The vehicle may move downhill re-
gardless of whether the engine is switched
on or not. CAUTION
If, when the vehicle is at a standstill, the
electronic parking brake is not applied and
the brake pedal is released while in position
P, the vehicle may move a few centimetres
forwards or backwards. Note
If, while driving, the selector lever is acciden-
tally placed in position N, lift your foot off the
accelerator. Wait until the engine is running
at idle speed before selecting a new gear
range. 145
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety