2015 Seat Altea ABS

Operation
and 120 km/h (75 mph) your vehicle will use
about 12% more fuel as a result of the extra
wind resistance caused by the roof rack even
when it is not in use.
Save electricity
The engine activates the alternator, which
produces electricity. With the need for elec-
tricity, fuel consumption is also increased.
Because of this, always turn off electrical de-
vices when you do not need them. Examples
of devices that use a lot of electricity are: the
fan at high speeds, the rear window heating
or the seat heaters*. Note
● If you vehicle has Start-Stop, it is not rec-
ommended t o sw
itch this function off.
● It is recommended to close the windows
when driving at more than 60 km/h
● Do not drive with your foot resting on the
clutch pedal,, as the pressure can make the
pl

ate spin, more fuel will be used and it can
burn the clutch plate lining, causing a serious
fault.
● Do not hold the vehicle on a hill with the
clutch, use the foot brake or hand brake, us-
ing the latter to start. The fuel consumption
will be lower and you will prevent the clutch
plate from being damaged.
● On descents, use the engine brake, chang-
ing to the gear that is more suitable for the slope. Fuel consumption will be “zero” and
the brakes will not suffer.
Driver assistance systems
Braking and stability systems Electronic Stability Control (ESC)* Fig. 131
Detailed view of the centre console:
ESC switch. This Electronic Stability System reduces the
risk of skidding and improves the vehicle's
stability and ability to hold the road.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) includes the
electronic differential lock (EDL), the traction
control system (TCS), the brake assist system
(BAS) and the trailer stabilisation programme
(TSP). The ESC works together with the ABS.
Both control lamps will light up if the ESC or
ABS systems are faulty.
The ESC system is started automatically
when the engine is started.
134

Driver assistance systems
The ESC system is always active and cannot
be switched off. The ESC switch only switches
the ASR off.
The ASR can be deactivated when wheel spin
is desirable.
For example:
● When driving with snow chains.
● When driving in deep snow or on loose sur-
faces.
● When the vehicle is stuck, to rock it back-
wards and forwards.
Press the button to switch the ASR back on
when you no longer need wheel spin.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)*
The ESC reduces the risk of skidding by brak-
ing the wheels individually.
The system uses the steering wheel angle
and road speed to calculate the changes of
direction desired by the driver, and constant-
ly compares them with the actual behaviour
of the vehicle. When irregularities occur, for
example, if the vehicle begins to skid, the
ESC brakes the appropriate wheel automati-
cally.
The forces acting on the braked wheel bring
the vehicle back to a stable condition. If the
vehicle tends to oversteer (the rear end
slides out), the system will act on the front
wheel on the outside of the turn. Steering manoeuvre recommendations
This is a complementary safety function in-
cluded in the ESC. This function aids the driv-
er to better stabilize the vehicle in a critical
situation. For example, in case of sudden
braking on a surface with varied adherence,
the vehicle will tend to destabilise its trajec-
tory to the right or to the left. In this case, the
ESC recognises the situation and assists the
driver with a counter steering manoeuvre
from the power steering.
This function simply provides the driver with
a recommended manoeuvre in critical situa-
tions.
The vehicle does not steer itself with this
function, the driver has full control of the ve-
hicle at all times.
WARNING
● Remember that not even the ESC can defy
the laws of physics. This should be kept in
mind, particularly on slippery and wet roads
and when towing a trailer.
● Always adapt your driving style to suit the
condition of the roads and the traffic situa-
tion. The greater safety provided by the ESC
should not encourage you to run any risks. CAUTION
● To ensure that the ESC works correctly, all
four wheels must be fitted with the same
tyres. Any differences in the rolling radius of the tyres can cause the system to reduce en-
gine power when this is not desired.
● Any modifications made to the vehicle (for
example, to the engine, brake system, run-
ning gear or to the combination of wheels
and tyres) may affect the operation of the
ABS, EDL, ESC and ASR. Electronic differential lock (EDL)*
EDL helps the vehicle to start moving, accel-
erate and climb a gradient in slippery condi-
tions where this may otherwise be difficult or
even impossible.
It uses the ABS sensors to monitor the speed
of the driven wheels. In case of an EDL fault,
the warning light for ABS lights up
››› page 41 .
At s
peeds of up to approximately 80 km/h
(50 mph), it is able to balance out differences
in the speed of the driven wheels of approxi-
mately 100 rpm/min caused by a partially
slippery road surface. It does this by braking
the wheel which has lost traction and distrib-
uting more driving force to the other driven
wheel via the differential.
To prevent the disc brake of the braking
wheel from overheating, the EDL cuts out au-
tomatically if subjected to excessive loads.
The vehicle will continue to function normally »
135
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Operation
without EDL. For this reason, the driver is not
informed that the EDL has been switched off.
The EDL will switch on again automatically
when the brake has cooled down. WARNING
● When accelerating on a slippery surface,
for example on ice and snow, press the accel-
erator carefully. Despite EDL, the driven
wheels may start to spin. This could impair
the vehicle's stability.
● Always adapt your driving style to suit road
conditions and the traffic situation. Do not let
the extra safety afforded by EDL tempt you in-
to taking any risks when driving, this can
cause accidents. CAUTION
Modifications to the vehicle (e.g. to the en-
gine, the brake system, running gear or any
components affecting the wheels and tyres)
could affect the efficiency of the EDL
››› page 147. Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA)*
The function (Hydraulic Brake Assist HBA) is
only included in vehicles with ESC.
In an emergency, most drivers brake in time,
but not with maximum force. This results in
unnecessarily long braking distances. This is when the brake assist system comes
into action. When pressing the brake pedal
rapidly, the assistant interprets it as an emer-
gency. It very quickly builds up the full brake
pressure so that the ABS can be activated
more quickly and efficiently, thus reducing
braking distance.
Do not reduce the pressure on the brake ped-
al, since the brake assist system switches off
automatically as soon as you release the
brake.
Emergency braking warning
If the vehicle is braked suddenly and continu-
ously at a speed of more than 80 km/h, the
brake light flashes several times per second
to warn vehicles driving behind. If you contin-
ue braking, the hazard warning lights will
come on automatically when the vehicle
comes to a standstill. They switch off auto-
matically when the vehicle starts to move
again.
WARNING
● The risk of accident is higher if you drive
too fast, if you do not keep your distance from
the vehicle in front, and when the road sur-
face is slippery or wet. The increased acci-
dent risk cannot be reduced by the brake as-
sist system.
● The brake assist system cannot defy the
laws of physics. Slippery and wet roads are
dangerous even with the brake assist system! Therefore, it is essential that you adjust your
speed to suit the road and traffic conditions.
Do not let the extra safety features tempt you
into taking any risks when driving.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
The anti-lock brake (ABS) system prevents
the wheels from locking during braking and
is an important part of the vehicle's active
safety system.
How the ABS works
If one of the wheels turns too slowly in rela-
tion to the vehicle's speed, and is close to
locking, the system will reduce the braking
pressure to this wheel. The driver is made
aware of this control process by a
pulsating
of the brake pedal and audible noise. This is
a deliberate warning to the driver that one or
more of the wheels is tending to lock and the
ABS control function has intervened. In this
situation it is important to keep the brake
pedal fully depressed so the ABS can regu-
late the brake application. Do not “pump”.
If you brake hard on a slippery road surface,
the best possible control is retained as the
wheels do not lock.
However, ABS will not necessarily guarantee
shorter braking distances in all conditions.
Br ak
ing distance could even be further if you
136

Driver assistance systems
brake on gravel or on fresh snow on a
slippery surface. WARNING
● The anti-lock brake system cannot defy the
laws of physics. Slippery and wet roads are
dangerous even with ABS! If you notice that
the ABS is working (to counteract locked
wheels under braking), you should reduce
speed immediately to suit the road and traffic
conditions. Do not let the extra safety fea-
tures tempt you into taking any risks when
driving.
● The effectiveness of ABS is also determined
by the tyres fitted ››› page 175.
● If the ru
nning gear or brake system is modi-
fied, the effectiveness of the ABS could be se-
verely limited. Drive wheel traction control system
(ASR)
The traction control system prevents the driv-
en wheels from spinning when the vehicle is
accelerating.
Description and operation of the traction
control system during acceleration (ASR
On front-wheel drive vehicles, the ASR sys-
tem intervenes, reducing engine power and
preventing the driven wheels from slipping
during acceleration. The system works in the entire speed range in conjunction with ABS.
If a failure occurs in the ABS, the ASR will al-
so stop working.
TCS helps the car to start moving, accelerate
and climb a gradient in slippery conditions
where this may otherwise be difficult or even
impossible.
The ASR automatically switches on when the
engine is started. If necessary, it may be
turned on or off by briefly pushing the button
on the centre console.
When the ASR is switched off, the
 OFF warning lamp will light up. The ASR should
normally be left on. Only in exceptional cir-
cumstances, when slipping of the wheels is
desired, should it be disconnected.
●
With compact temporary spare wheel.
● When using the snow chains.
● When driving in deep snow or on soft ter-
rain.
● When the vehicle is bogged-down, to free it
by “rocking.”
The ASR should be switched on again as
soon as possible. WARNING
● Remember that not even the ASR can defy
the laws of physics. This should be kept in
mind, particularly on slippery and wet roads
and when towing a trailer. ●
Always adapt your driving style to suit the
condition of the roads and the traffic situa-
tion. The greater safety provided by the ASR
should not encourage you to run any risks. CAUTION
● To ensure that the ASR works correctly,
identical tyres should be fitted on all four
wheels. Any differences in the rolling radius
of the tyres can cause the system to reduce
engine power when this is not desired.
● Any modifications made to the vehicle (for
example, to the engine, brake system, run-
ning gear or to the combination of wheels
and tyres) may affect the operation of the
ABS and ASR. XDS*
When taking a curve, the driveshaft differen-
tial mechanism allows the outer wheel to turn
at a higher speed than the inner wheel. In
this way, the wheel that is turning faster (out-
er wheel) receives less drive torque than the
inner wheel. This may mean that in certain
situations the torque delivered to the inner
wheel is too high, causing the wheels to
spin. On the other hand, the outer wheel is
receiving a lower drive torque than it could
transmit. This causes an overall loss of lateral
grip on the front axle, resulting in understeer
or “lengthening” of the trajectory.
»
137
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Advice
●
Never use brushes for cleaning damp mate-
rial as they could damage the surface. Cleaning and maintenance of natural
leather upholstery
Consult a professional cleaning workshop if
you have any doubts on cleaning and main-
taining the leather equipment in your vehicle.
Maintenance and treatment
Nappa natural leather is delicate because it
has no additional protective layer.
● After cleaning, regularly apply a condition-
er with sun-screen and impregnating action.
These products nourish the leather, soften it
and make it more breathable, as well as re-
hydrating it. They also provide it with a pro-
tective film.
● Clean the leather every two or three months
and remove stains as they appear.
● Treat the leather regularly (about twice a
year) with a suitable maintenance product.
● Apply as few cleaning and maintenance
products as possible, always using a dry, lint-
free cotton or woollen cloth. Do not apply
cleaning and maintenance products directly
to the leather. ●
Remove recent ball-point pen and ink
stains, lipstick, shoe cream and similar
stains as soon as possible.
● Maintain the colour of the leather. To do
this, use a special cream especially coloured
for leather to achieve the same overall colour,
if necessary.
● Afterwards, go over it with a soft cloth.
Cleaning the vehicle
SEAT recommends using a slightly damp cot-
ton or woollen cloth for general cleaning pur-
poses.
Generally, the leather should never be
soaked at any point, nor should water pene-
trate the seams.
Before cleaning the leather upholstery, bear
in mind the f o
llowing recommendations
››› page 154, Cleaning the fabric on heated
seats and electrically adjustable seats or
seats with airbag components . CAUTION
● On no account use solvents, wax polish,
shoe cream, stain removers or similar materi-
als on leather.
● If the stain remains on the leather for long,
it will soak in and be impossible to remove.
● In the event of spilt liquids, dry immediate-
ly with an absorbent cloth to prevent the liq-
uid penetrating through the leather or seams. ●
If the vehicle is left standing in the sun for
long periods, the leather should be protected
against direct sunlight to prevent it from fad-
ing. Note
The leather will usually change colour slight-
ly with use. Cleaning synthetic leather upholstery
Before cleaning synthetic leather upholstery,
bear in mind the following recommendations
››› page 154, Cleaning the fabric on heated
seats and electrically adjustable seats or
seats with airbag components
Only use water and neutral cleaning products
to clean synthetic leather upholstery. CAUTION
Do not use solvents, floor wax, shoe cream,
stain removers or similar products on syn-
thetic leather. These will stiffen the material,
causing it to crack prematurely. Cleaning plastic parts and the
instrument panel
–
Use a clean, damp cloth to clean plastic
parts and the dash panel.
156

Advice
Brake fluid Checking the brake fluid level Fig. 151
Engine compartment: brake fluid
reservoir cap –
Read off the fluid level at the transparent
brake fluid reservoir. It should always be
between the “MIN” and “MAX” marks.
The position of the brake fluid reservoir is
shown in the corresponding engine compart-
ment illustration ››› page 166. The brake fluid
reservoir has a black and yellow cap.
The brake fluid level drops slightly when the
vehicle is being used as the brake pads are
automatically adjusted as they wear.
However, if the level goes down noticeably in
a short time, or drops below the “MIN” mark,
there may be a leak in the brake system. A
display on the instrument panel will warn you
if the brake fluid level is too low ››› page 35. WARNING
Before opening the bonnet to check the brake
fluid level, read and observe the warnings
››› page 163. Changing the brake fluid
The Maintenance Programme indicates brake
fluid change intervals.
We recommend that you have the brake fluid
changed by a Technical Service.
Before opening the bonnet, please read and
follow the warnings
››› in Safety instruc-
tions on working in the engine compartment
on page 163 in section “Safety notes for
w ork
ing in the engine compartment”.
In the course of time, brake fluid becomes
hygroscopic and absorbs water from the am-
bient air. If the water content in the brake flu-
id is too high, the brake system could cor-
rode. This also considerably reduces the boil-
ing point of the brake fluid. Heavy use of the
brakes may then cause a vapour lock which
could impair the braking effect.
Be sure to always use the correct brake fluid.
Only use brake fluid that expressly meets the
VW 501 14 standard.
You can buy VW 501 14 standard brake fluid
at a SEAT dealership or a SEAT Official Serv-
ice. If none is available, use only high-quality brake fluid that meets DIN ISO 4925 CLASS 4
standards, or USA Standards FMVSS 116 DOT
4.
Using any other kind of brake fluid or one
that is not of a high quality may affect opera-
tion of the brake system and reduce its effec-
tiveness. Never use a brake fluid if the con-
tainer does not state that it complies with VW
501 14, DIN ISO 4925 CLASS 4 standards, or
USA standards FMVSS 116 DOT 4.
WARNING
Brake fluid is poisonous. Old brake fluid im-
pairs the braking effect.
● Before opening the bonnet to check the
brake fluid level, read and observe the warn-
ings ››› page 163.
● Br ak
e fluid should be stored in the closed
original container in a safe place out of reach
of children. There is a toxic risk.
● Perform the brake fluid change according to
the Maintenance Programme. Heavy use of
the brakes may cause a vapour lock if the
brake fluid is left in the brake system for too
long. This would seriously affect the effec-
tiveness of the brakes and the safety of the
vehicle. This may cause an accident. CAUTION
Brake fluid damages the vehicle paintwork.
Wipe off any brake fluid from the paintwork
immediately. 172

Advice
●
At continuously high speeds, a tyre with in-
sufficient pressure flexes more. In this way it
becomes too hot, and this can cause tread
separation and tyre blow-out. Always observe
the recommended tyre pressures.
● If the tyre pressure is too low or too high,
the tyres will wear prematurely and the vehi-
cle will not handle well. Risk of accident! For the sake of the environment
Under-inflated tyres will increase fuel con-
sumption. Tyre pressure monitoring
The tyre pressure monitoring system con-
stantly checks the pressure of the tyres.
The system uses the speed sensors of the
ABS wheels. It operates by analysing the
speed and frequency spectrum of each
wheel.
For optimum performance, use genuine SEAT
tyres. In addition, check and adjust tyre pres-
sures regularly.
Whenever the tyre pressure is are changed or
one or more tyres are changed, the system
should be reset by pressing the SET button
on the centre console.
The system warns the driver in the event of a
loss of pressure by means of symbols and messages in the instrument panel display.
The system operates via the ESC
››› page 134.
Note that tyre pressure also depends on tyre
temperature. Said pressure increases around
0.1 bar (2.9 psi/10 kPa) for each +10 °C
(+50 °F) in tyre temperature increase. The tyre
heats up while the vehicle is being driven
and the tyre pressure will rise accordingly.
Therefore, you should only adjust the tyre
pressure when they are cold (i.e. approxi-
mately at ambient temperature).
To ensure that the tyre pressure monitoring
system works reliably, you should check and,
if necessary, adjust the tyre pressures at reg-
ular intervals and store the correct pressures
(reference values) in the system.
A tyre pressure information label is attached
to the inside of the fuel tank flap. WARNING
● Never adjust tyre pressure when the tyres
are hot. This may damage or even burst the
tyres. Risk of accident!
● An insufficiently inflated tyre flexes a lot
more at high speeds and causes significant
heating of the tyre. Under these conditions,
the tyre bead may be released or the tyre may
burst. Risk of accident! For the sake of the environment
Under-inflated tyres lead to increased fuel
consumption and tyre wear. Significant tyre pressure loss
The tyre symbol
 is displayed and indicates
th at
the tyre pressure of at least one tyre is
insufficient.
– Stop the vehicle.
– Switch the ignition off.
– Check the tyre(s).
– Change the wheel if necessary.
176

AdviceColourAmp rating
Orange40
Opening and closing the fuse box situated
below the dash panel
●
Opening: fold the cover down ››
› Fig. 173.
● Closing:
push back the cover it in until it
clicks into place.
To open the engine compartment fuse box
● Open the bonnet  ›››
page 163.
● Press the locking tabs in the direction indi-
cated by the arrows to release the fuse box
cover ›››
Fig. 174.
● Then lif t

the cover out.
● To
fit the cover, place it on the fuse box.
Push the locking tabs down, in the opposite
direction to that indicated by the arrows, un-
til you hear them click into place. CAUTION
● Always carefully remove the fuse box cov-
ers and refit them correctly to avoid problems
with your vehicle.
● Protect the fuse boxes when open to avoid
the entry of dust or humidity. Dirt and humid-
ity inside fuse boxes can cause damage to
the electrical system. Note
In the vehicle, there are more fuses than
those indicated in this chapter. These should
only be changed by a specialised workshop. Replacing a blown fuse
Fig. 175
Image of a blown fuse Preparation
● Switch off the ignition, lights and all elec-
trical equipment.
● Open the corresponding fuse box
››› page 197 .
Identif y

ing a blown fuse
A fuse is blown if its metal strip is ruptured
››› Fig. 175
.
Point a lamp at the fuse. This will make it
easier to see if the fuse is blown. To replace a fuse
● Remove the fuse.
● Replace the blown fuse by one with an
identical amperage rating (same colour and
mark

ings) and identical size ››› .
● Replace the cover again or close the fuse
box lid. CAUTION
If you replace a fuse with higher-rating fuse,
you could cause damage to another part of
the electrical system. Changing the lights
General notes Before changing any bulb, first turn off the
failed device.
Do not touch the glass part of the bulb with
your bare hands. The fingerprints left on the
glass will vaporise as a result of the heat gen-
erated by the bulb, reducing bulb life and
causing condensation on the reflector sur-
face, thus reducing effectiveness.
A bulb must only be replaced by one of the
same type. The type is indicated on the bulb,
either on the glass part or on the base.
It is highly recommended to keep a box of
spare bulbs in the vehicle. At the very least,
198