2015 Seat Altea technical specifications

Care and maintenance
Advice
Care and maintenance
Accessories and technical
modifications Accessories, modifications and spare
parts Your vehicle is designed to offer a high
standard of active and passive safety.
Before purchasing accessories and parts,
and before making technical changes to your
vehicle, we recommend that you consult your
Technical Service.
SEAT dealerships will be happy to provide
you with the latest information about the
use, legal requirements and recommenda-
tions from the manufacturer regarding acces-
sories and spare parts.
We recommend you use only
SEAT Approved
Accessories ®
and SEAT Approved Spare
P ar
ts ®
. This way, SEAT can guarantee that
the product in question is suitable, reliable
and safe. SEAT Technical Services have the
necessary experience and facilities to ensure
that parts are correctly and professionally in-
stalled. Despite a continuous observation of the mar-
ket, SEAT is not able to assess the reliability,
safety and suitability of parts that
SEAT has
not approved . For this reason, SEAT cannot
assume responsibility for any non-genuine
parts used, even if these parts have been ap-
proved by an official testing agency or are
covered by an official approval certificate.
Any retro-fitted equipment which has a direct
effect

on the vehicle and/or the way it is driv-
en, such as a cruise control system or elec-
tronically-controlled suspension), must be
SEAT-approved for use in your vehicle and
bear the
e mark (the European Union's au-
thorisation symbol).
If any additional electrical devices are fitted
which do not serve to control the vehicle it-
self (e.g. refrigerator box, laptop or ventilator
fan), these must bear the CE mark (European
Union manufacturer conformity declaration). WARNING
Accessories, for example telephone holders
or cup holders, should never be fitted on the
covers or within the working range of the air-
bags. Otherwise, there is a danger of injury if
the airbag is triggered in an accident. Technical modifications
Modifications must always be carried out ac-
cording to our specifications.Unauthorised modifications to the electronic
components or software in the vehicle may
cause malfunctions. Due to the way the elec-
tronic components are linked together in net-
works, other indirect systems may be affec-
ted by the faults. This can seriously impair
safety, lead to excessive wear of compo-
nents, and also invalidate your vehicle regis-
tration documents.
SEAT Technical Services cannot be held liable
for any damage caused by modifications
and/or work incorrectly performed.
For this reason, we recommend having all
work performed by a SEAT Technical Service
using
SEAT®
O riginal Spare Parts. WARNING
Any type of work or modification performed
incorrectly on your vehicle can lead to mal-
functions and can cause accidents. Roof aerial*
The vehicle may be fitted with a foldable*
and anti-theft* aerial that may be positioned
parallel to the roof.
To fold down
Unscrew the rod, position parallel to the roof
and tighten once again.
»
147
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Care and maintenance
For the sake of the environment
● When purchasing products for your vehicle
maintenance, select the ones which are not
harmful to the environment.
● The waste from car-care products should
not be disposed of with ordinary household
waste. Observe the disposal information on
the package. Care of the vehicle exterior
Automatic car wash tunnel The vehicle paintwork is so durable that the
vehicle can normally be washed without
problems in an automatic car wash tunnel.
However, the paintwork wear depends to a
large extent on the kind of the car wash tun-
nel, the brushes used, its water filtering and
the type of cleaning and preservative prod-
ucts.
Before going through a vehicle wash, be sure
to take the usual precautions such as closing
the windows and sunroof.
If the vehicle has special accessories such as
spoilers or a roof rack or two-way radio aerial,
etc., it is advisable to consult the car wash
tunnel operator.
After washing,
the brakes
could take some
time t
o respond as the brake discs and pads could be wet, or even frozen in winter. “Dry”
the brakes by braking several times. WARNING
Water, ice and salt on the brake system can
reduce braking effectiveness. Risk of acci-
dent. CAUTION
Before putting the vehicle through the car
wash, do not tighten the aerial if it is folded
because it can be damaged. Washing by hand
Vehicle washing
– First soften the dirt and rinse it off with wa-
ter.
– Clean your vehicle from top to bottom with
a soft sponge, a glove or a brush. Use very
light pressure.
– Rinse the sponge or glove often with clean
water.
– Special car shampoo should only be used
for very stubborn dirt.
– Leave the wheels, sill panels etc. until last,
using a different sponge or glove.
– Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water. –
Dry the vehicle surface gently with a cha-
mois leather.
– In cold temperature
, dry the rubber seals
and their s

urfaces to prevent them from
freezing. Apply silicone spray to the rubber
seals.
After washing the vehicle – After washing, avoid sudden and sharp
braking. “Dry” the brakes by braking sever-
al times ››› page 123, Braking capacity and
distance. WARNING
● Wash your vehicle with the ignition switch-
ed off.
● Protect your hands and arms from cuts on
sharp metal edges when cleaning the under-
body, the inside of the wheel housings etc.
Risk of injury.
● Water, ice and salt on the brake system can
reduce braking effectiveness. Risk of acci-
dent. CAUTION
● Never remove dirt, mud or dust if the vehi-
cle surface is dry. Never use a dry cloth or
sponge for cleaning purposes. This could
scratch the paintwork or glass on your vehi-
cle. » 149
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Care and maintenance
CAUTION
To prevent damage to the paintwork:
● Do not use polishes and hard wax on pain-
ted parts with a matt finish or on plastic
parts.
● Do not polish your vehicle in a sandy or
dusty environment. Caring for plastic parts
If normal washing fails to clean plastic parts,
clean them with approved solvent-free plas-
tic cleaning and care products.
CAUTION
● The use of liquid air freshener directly over
the air vents of the vehicle may damage plas-
tic parts if the liquid is accidentally spilled.
● Cleaning products which contain solvents
will damage the material. Cleaning windows and exterior
mirrors
Cleaning windows
– Moisten the windows with commercially
available, alcohol based glass cleaner.
– Dry the windows with a clean chamois
leather or a lint-free cloth. Removing snow
– Use a small brush to remove snow from the
windows and mirrors.
Removing ice – Use a de-icer spray.
Use a clean cloth or chamois leather to dry
the windows. The chamois leathers used on
painted surfaces are not suitable to clean
windows because they are soiled with wax
deposits which could smear the windows.
If possible, use a de-icing spray to remove
ice. If you use an ice scraper, push it in one
direction only without swinging it.
Use window cleaner or a silicone remover to
clean rubber, oil, grease and silicone depos-
its off.
Wax deposits can only be removed with a
special cleaner available at your Technical
Service. Wax deposits on the windscreen
could cause the wiper blades to judder. Add-
ing a window cleaner that dissolves wax to
the windscreen washer fluid prevents wiper
blades from juddering, but wax deposits are
not removed. CAUTION
● Never use warm or hot water to remove
snow and ice from windows and mirrors. This
could cause the glass to crack! ●
The heating element for the rear window is
located on the inner side of the window. To
prevent damage, do not put stickers over the
heating elements on the inside of the win-
dow. Cleaning windscreen wiper blades
Clean wiper blades improve visibility.
1. Use a soft cloth to remove dust and dirt
from the windscreen wiper blades.
2. Use window cleaner to clean the wind- screen wiper blades. Use a sponge or a
cloth to remove stubborn dirt.
Care of rubber seals If rubber seals are well looked after, they will
not freeze so quickly.
1. Use a soft cloth to remove dust and dirt
from the rubber seals.
2. Apply a specialist care product to the rub- ber seals.
The rubber strips on the doors, windows, etc.
will remain pliable and last longer if they are
treated with a suitable rubber care product
from time to time (for example silicone
spray). »
151Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Care and maintenance
running gear, and retouch it if necessary,
before and after the winter season.
We recommend that you go to your Technical
Service to carry out repair work and addition-
al anti-corrosion work. WARNING
Do not apply underseal or anti-corrosion
coatings to the exhaust pipes, catalytic con-
verter or the heat shields on the exhaust sys-
tem. The heat of the exhaust system or the
engine could cause them to ignite. Risk of
fire. Cleaning the engine compartment
Take special care when cleaning the engine
compartment.
Anti-corrosion treatment
The engine compartment and the surface of
the power unit are given anti-corrosion treat-
ment at the factory.
Good corrosion protection is particularly im-
portant in winter when the vehicle is fre-
quently driven on salted roads. To prevent
the salt corroding the vehicle, the entire en-
gine compartment should be thoroughly
cleaned before and after winter.
Technical Services
have the proper products
for cleaning and preservation as well as the necessary workshop equipment. For this rea-
son, we recommend having this work per-
formed by them.
The anti-corrosion protection is usually re-
moved if the engine compartment is cleaned
with grease removing solutions, or if you
have the engine cleaned. On commissioning
this work, ensure that all surfaces, seams,
joints and components in the engine com-
partment are given anti-corrosion treatment.
WARNING
● When working in the engine compartment,
always observe the safety warnings
››› page 163.
● Bef
ore opening the bonnet, switch the en-
gine off, apply the handbrake firmly and al-
ways remove the key from the ignition.
● Allow the engine to cool before you clean
the engine compartment.
● Do not clean, for example, the vehicle un-
derbody, wheel arches or wheel trims without
protecting your hands and arms. You may cut
yourself on sharp-edged metal parts. Failure
to comply could result in injury.
● Moisture, ice and salt on the brake system
may affect braking effectiveness. Risk of acci-
dent. Directly after washing, avoid sudden
and sharp braking.
● Never touch the radiator fan. It is tempera-
ture-controlled and could start automatically,
even when the key is removed from the igni-
tion! For the sake of the environment
Fuel, grease and oil deposits can be removed
when the engine is washed. The polluted wa-
ter must be cleaned in an oil separator. For
this reason, engine washing should be car-
ried out only by a specialised workshop or a
petrol station. Caring for the vehicle interior
Introduction The dye used in many modern garments, for
example dark jeans, is not always sufficiently
colour-fast. Seat upholstery (material and
leather), especially when light-coloured, may
visibly discolour if the dye comes out of
clothing (even when used correctly). This is
not an upholstery defect but indicates that
the dye in the item of clothing is not suffi-
ciently colour-fast.
The longer stains or dirt remain on the vehi-
cle surfaces, especially the fabrics covering
the padded upholstery, the more difficult it
becomes to clean and maintain them. If
stains and dirt are left for a long time, it may
be that they are impossible to remove.
WARNING
Car-care products may be toxic and hazard-
ous. Using unsuitable car-care products or, » 153
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Care and maintenance
caused at other points in the vehicle's electri-
cal system.
For this reason, bear the following indica-
tions in mind for cleaning:
● Do not use high-pressure or steam cleaning
equipment or cold aerosols.
● Do not use cream detergents or detergent-
based solutions for delicate garments.
● Prevent the fabric from getting wet at all
times.
● Only use cleaning products approved by
SEAT.
● If in doubt, take the vehicle to a professio-
nal cleaning company.
Cleaning the fabric on unheated seats, non-
electrically adjustable seats and seats
without airbag components
● Before using any cleaning products, con-
sult and keep in mind the instructions of use,
indications and warnings on the container.
● Use a vacuum cleaner (with the brush at-
tachment) on the trim and seat fabrics, the
Alcantara ®
upholstery of the seats and the
carpet.
● Do not use high-pressure or steam cleaning
equipment or cold aerosols.
● For general cleaning, use a soft sponge or
an ordinary lint-free microfibre cloth ››› .●
Clean Alcantara ®
surfaces with a slightly
damp cotton or woollen cloth, or a standard
lint-free microfibre cloth ››› .
If the dirt on the trim and upholstery fabrics
is only superficial, you can use a standard
foam cleaner.
If the upholstery and trim are very dirty, be-
fore cleaning them we recommend you find
out about the most suitable cleaning options
from a professional cleaning company. If nec-
essary, cleaning should be done by a special-
ised firm.
Stain removal
When removing stains, it may be necessary
to clean the whole surface and not just the
stain itself. Especially if the surface has been
dirtied through normal use. If you only clean
the stained area, that part may then look
lighter than the rest. If in doubt, take the ve-
hicle to a professional cleaning company. WARNING
If there is a fault in the airbag system, it is
likely that the airbag will not deploy correct-
ly, not deploy at all, or do so unexpectedly,
which could cause serious or fatal injuries.
● Have the system checked immediately by a
specialised workshop. CAUTION
If the upholstery on electrically operated
seats or seats with airbag components gets
soaked, the vehicle's electric system and cer-
tain other components may be damaged.
● If the seat gets soaked, take the vehicle im-
mediately to a specialised workshop to be
dried and for the system components to be
inspected.
● Do not use steam cleaning equipment as
the dirt becomes more encrusted and fixed in
the material.
● High-pressure cleaning equipment and cold
aerosols may damage the upholstery. CAUTION
● Brushes should only be used to clean the
mats and floor mat! Other fabrics may be
damaged if cleaned with a brush.
● If cream detergents or detergents for deli-
cate garments are applied with a damp cloth
or sponge, they may, for example, leave rings
when dry because of the surfactant compo-
nents they contain. Generally, such rings are
very difficult or almost impossible to remove. CAUTION
● Do not let water soak into Alcantara ®
car-
pet under any circumstances.
● Do not use leather cleaning products, sol-
vents, wax polish, shoe cream, stain remov-
ers or similar products on Alcantara ®
. » 155Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Care and maintenance
– If this does not provide satisfactory results,
use a special solvent-free plastic cleaning
product. WARNING
Never clean the dash panel and the airbag
module surface with cleaners containing sol-
vents. Solvents cause the surface to become
porous. If the airbag triggered, plastic parts
could become detached and cause injuries. CAUTION
Cleaning products which contain solvents will
damage the material. Wooden trim cleaning*
–
Clean the wooden trim with a water-mois-
tened clean cloth.
– If this does not provide satisfactory results,
use a gentle
soap solution. CAUTION
Cleaning products which contain solvents will
damage the material. Cleaning the radio and climate
controls
To clean the radio and/or climate controls,
use a soft damp cloth. For more resistant dirt,
a neutral soap solution may be used.
Seat belts cleaning A dirty belt may not work properly. Check all
seat belts regularly and keep them clean.
Seat belts cleaning
– Pull the dirty seat belt right out and unroll
it.
– Clean dirty seat belts with a gentle
soap
so lution.
– A
llow it to dry.
– Do not roll the seat belt up until it is dry.
If large stains form on the belts, the automat-
ic belt retractor will not work correctly. WARNING
● Do not use chemical cleaning agents on the
seat belts, as this can impair the strength of
the webbing. Ensure that seat belts do not
come into contact with corrosive fluids.
● Check the condition of the seat belts at reg-
ular intervals. If you notice that the belt web-
bing, fittings, retractor mechanism or buckle of any of the belts is damaged, the belt must
be replaced by a specialised workshop.
●
Do not attempt to repair a damaged seat
belt yourself. The seat belts must not be re-
moved or modified in any way. CAUTION
After cleaning, allow seat belts to dry com-
pletely before rolling them up. Otherwise, the
belt retractors could become damaged. 157
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Checking and refilling levels
●
When filling the fuel tank after having run it
completely dry on a vehicle with a diesel en-
gine the ignition must be switched on for at
least 30 seconds before starting the engine.
Subsequently, when you start the engine it
may take longer than normal to start firing
(up to one minute). This is due to the fact that
the fuel system has to purge itself of air be-
fore starting. For the sake of the environment
Do not try to put in more fuel after the auto-
matic filler nozzle has switched off; this may
cause the fuel to overflow if it becomes warm. Petrol
Petrol types The recommended fuel types are listed on a
sticker inside the fuel tank flap.
Only
unleaded petrol conforming to standard
DIN EN 228 may be used for vehicles with
c at
alytic converters (EN = “European Stand-
ard”).
Petrol types are categorised according to
their
octane number, e.g. 91, 95, 98 RON
(RON = “research octane number”). You may
use petrol with a higher octane number than
the one recommended for your engine. How- ever, this has no advantage in terms of fuel
consumption and engine power. CAUTION
● Petrol with standard EN 228 may be mixed
with small quantities of ethanol. However,
the so-called “bioethanol fuels” available at
commercial establishments with reference
E50 or E85, which contain a high percentage
of ethanol, may not be used, as they will
damage the fuel system.
● Even one tankful of leaded fuel would per-
manently impair the efficiency of the catalyt-
ic converter.
● High engine speed and full throttle can
damage the engine when using petrol with an
octane rating lower than the correct grade for
the engine. For the sake of the environment
Just one full tank of leaded fuel would seri-
ously impair the efficiency of the catalytic
converter. Petrol additives
The quality of the fuel influences the behav-
iour, power and service life of the engine.
This is why the petrol you use should carry
suitable additives already included by the
petrol industry, free of metals. These addi-
tives will help to prevent corrosion, keep thefuel system clean and prevent deposits from
building up in the engine.
If good-quality petrol with metal-free addi-
tives is not available or engine problems
arise, the necessary additives must be added
when refuelling.
Not all petrol additives have been shown to
be effective. The use of unsuitable petrol ad-
ditives may cause significant damage to the
engine and the catalytic converter. Metal ad-
ditives should never be used. Metal additives
may also be contained in petrol additives for
improving anti-detonation ratings or octane
ratings.
SEAT recommends “genuine Volkswagen
Group fuel additives for petrol engines”.
These additives can be bought at SEAT Au-
thorised Services, where information on how
to use them can also be obtained.
CAUTION
Do not refuel if the filler indicates that the
fuel contains metal. LRP (lead replacement
petrol) fuels contain high concentrations of
metal additives. Using them may damage the
engine! 159
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Checking and refilling levels
Fig. 141
LPG tank in spare wheel well Before refuelling, turn off the engine and
switch off the ignition and mobile telephone
››› .
Read carefully the instructions on how to use
the LPG pump.
Opening the fuel tank cap
The LPG filler neck is behind the fuel cap,
next to the petrol filler neck.
● The tank flap is located on the rear right-
hand side of the vehicle.
● Open the fuel tank flap.
Refuelling
● Remove the plug from the gas filler mouth
››› Fig. 140 1 .
● Screw the required adapter 2 onto the
LPG gas filler neck. ●
Refuel as indicated in the pump instruc-
tions.
● The fuel tank will be full when the pump
c ompr
essor automatically cuts the supply.
● If you wish to finish refuelling sooner, re-
lease the button on the pump to stop the
flow.
Closing the fuel tank cap
● Unscrew the adapter from the gas filler
neck 2 .
● Screw the cap onto the gas filler neck 1 .
● Close the fuel tank flap. The cover should
be flush with the bodywork. WARNING
Incorrect handling of LPG can cause explo-
sions, fire, serious burns and other injuries.
● LPG is a highly explosive and inflammable
substance.
● Small quantities of LPG may leak out after
refuelling. If LPG comes into contact with the
skin there is a risk of freezing. Note
● The vehicle includes one adapter for the
country in question, the most common one.
We generally recommend that you carry all
the adapters in your vehicle, as some coun-
tries use more than one type of filling sys-
tem. ●
If the outside temperature is very high, the
protection against overheating for the LPG
pump may disconnect automatically.
● If the outside temperature is very high, the
pressure of the LPG tank may be equal to or
greater than that of the gas tank of the LPG
pump. In this case, refuelling will be physi-
cally impossible.
● The filling nozzles of LPG pumps can differ
in the way they are operated. If you do not
know, ask a qualified employee at the petrol
station to do the refuelling.
● Noises heard when refuelling are normal
and do not indicate the presence of a fault in
the system. 161
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety