2015 Seat Altea open bonnet

Checking and refilling levels
LPG quality and consumption
Quality requirements for LPG are regulated
for all Europe in DIN EN 589 and permit the
use of LPG throughout Europe.
A difference is drawn between winter gas and
summer gas. Winter gas has a higher propor-
tion of propane gas. As a result, the driving
range of winter gas may be lower (due to in-
creased consumption) than that of summer
gas.
LPG supplier network
The number of LPG pumps is constantly in-
creasing.
Lists of existing LPG pumps may be found on
Internet.
LPG safety A series of collision tests performed on this
vehicle while running with LPG have con-
firmed its high level of safety.
The safety of the LPG system guarantees op-
eration without risk. The following safety
measures have been adopted:
● The LPG tank has a solenoid valve which
closes automatically when the engine is
switched off (ignition off) or when running on
petrol. ●
A solenoid type main valve disconnects the
supply of gas to the engine compartment
when the engine is switched off or running
on petrol.
● A safety valve in the LPG tank with pipes to
the outside prevents the gas from entering
the vehicle interior.
● All anchorage points and materials have
been designed to ensure the maximum pos-
sible levels of safety.
The condition of the LPG system should be
checked regularly to guarantee safe driving
conditions ››› . These checks are included
in the Maintenance Programme. WARNING
● If there is a smell of gas or a suspected
leak, stop the vehicle immediately and switch
off the ignition. Open the doors to ventilate
the vehicle. Do not carry on driving! Take the
vehicle to a specialised workshop and have
the fault repaired.
● Immediately extinguish any cigarettes and
remove from the vehicle any objects which
might produce a spark or cause a fire, and
switch off immediately if gas is smelt or a
leak is detected.
● LPG tanks are subject to pressure and must
be checked regularly. The owner of the vehi-
cle must check that these services are per-
formed correctly. ●
When parking the vehicle in a closed area
(e.g. in a garage), make sure that there is ad-
equate ventilation, either natural or mechani-
cal, to neutralise the LPG in the event of a
leak. Note
For any fault in the LPG system, please refer
to the SEAT web page, which lists the work-
shops authorised to repair these faults. Working in the engine
compartment
Safety instructions on working in the
engine compartment Before starting any work on the engine or in
the engine compartment:
1. Switch off the engine and remove the key
from the ignition.
2. Apply the handbrake.
3. Move the gear lever to neutral or the selec- tor lever to position P.
4. Wait for the engine to cool down.
5. Keep children away from the vehicle.
6. Raise the bonnet ››› page 165.
»
163Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Advice
You should not do any work in the engine
compartment unless you know exactly how to
carry out the jobs and have the correct tools!
Have the work carried out by a specialised
workshop if you are uncertain.
All service fluids and consumables, e.g. cool-
ant, engine oil, spark plugs and batteries,
are under constant development. SEAT pro-
vides a constant flow of information to Tech-
nical Services concerning modifications. For
this reason, we recommend you have service
fluids and consumables replaced by a Techni-
cal Service. Please observe the relevant in-
structions ››› page 147 . The engine compart-
ment of
the vehicle is a hazardous area.
››› .
WARNING
All work on the engine or in the engine com-
partment, e.g. checking and refilling fluids,
involves the danger of injury and burns, acci-
dents and even fire.
● Never open the bonnet if you see steam,
smoke or coolant escaping from the engine
compartment. Otherwise, there is a risk of
sustaining burns. Wait until no more steam or
coolant is emitted, then allow the engine to
cool before carefully opening the bonnet.
● Switch off the engine and remove the key
from the ignition.
● Apply the handbrake and move the gear
lever to neutral or selector lever to position P.
● Keep children away from the vehicle. ●
Never touch hot engine parts. There is a
risk of burns.
● Never spill liquids on a hot engine or on a
hot exhaust gas system. This is a fire hazard.
● Avoid causing short-circuits in the electri-
cal system, particularly at the points where
the jump leads are attached ››› page 190. The
battery could explode.
● Never touch the radiator fan. It is tempera-
ture controlled and could start automatically,
even when the engine has been switched off
and the key removed from the ignition!
● Never cover the engine with additional in-
sulating materials such as a blanket. Risk of
fire!
● Do not unscrew the cap on the coolant ex-
pansion tank when the engine is hot. If the
coolant is hot, the cooling system will be
pressurised!
● Protect face, hands and arms by covering
the cap with a large, thick cloth to protect
against escaping coolant and steam.
● Always make sure you have not left any ob-
jects, such as cleaning cloths or tools, in the
engine compartment.
● 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!. A hydraulic jack is insufficient for se-
curing the vehicle and there is a risk of injury.
● If any work has to be performed when the
engine is started or with the engine running,
there is an additional, potentially fatal, safety
risk from the rotating parts, such as the drive belts, alternator, radiator fan, etc., and from
the high-voltage ignition system. You should
also observe the following:
– Never touch the electrical wiring of the
ignition system.
– Ensure that jewellery, loose clothing and
long hair do not get trapped in rotating
engine parts. Danger of death. Before
starting any work remove jewellery, tie
back and cover hair, and wear tight-fit-
ting clothes.
– Never accelerate with a gear engaged
without taking the necessary precau-
tions. The vehicle could move, even if the
handbrake is applied. Danger of death.
● If work has to be carried out on the fuel
system or on electrical components, you
must observe the following safety notes in
addition to the above warnings:
– Always disconnect the battery from the
on-board network. The vehicle must be
unlocked when this is done, otherwise
the alarm will be triggered.
– Do not smoke.
– Never work near naked flames.
– Always have a fire extinguisher on hand. CAUTION
When topping up service fluids, make sure
not to mistake them. Using the wrong fluids
could cause serious malfunctions and engine
damage! 164

Checking and refilling levels
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. If you find spots of oil or other
fluids, have your vehicle inspected in a speci-
alised workshop. Opening the bonnet
Fig. 144
Detail of footwell area on driver side:
lever for unlocking the bonnet Fig. 145
Handle for releasing the bonnet. The bonnet is released from inside the vehi-
cle.
Before opening the bonnet ensure that the
windscreen wipers are in rest position.
– To release the bonnet, pull the lever under
the dash panel ››› Fig. 144 in the direction
indic at
ed (arrow). The bonnet will be re-
leased by a spring action ››› .
– Lift the bonnet using the release lever (ar-
row) and open the bonnet.
– Release the bonnet stay and secure it in
the fixture designed for this in the bonnet. WARNING
Hot coolant can scald!
● Never open the bonnet if you see steam,
smoke or coolant escaping from the engine
compartment. ●
Wait until no more steam, smoke or coolant
is emitted from the bonnet, then carefully
open the bonnet.
● When working in the engine compartment,
always observe the safety warnings
››› page 163. Closing the bonnet
–
Slightly lift the bonnet.
– Release the bonnet stay and replace it in its
support.
– At a height of approximately 30 cm let it fall
so it locks.
If the bonnet does not close, do not press
downwards. Open it once more and let it fall
as before. WARNING
If the bonnet is not closed properly, it could
open while you are driving and completely
obscure your view of the road. Risk of acci-
dent.
● After closing the bonnet, always check that
it is properly secured. The bonnet must be
flush with the surrounding body panels.
● If you notice that the bonnet latch is not se-
cured when the vehicle is moving, stop the
vehicle immediately and close the bonnet
properly. Risk of accident. 165
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Advice
– Pull out the dipstick. Wipe the dipstick with
a clean cloth and insert it again, pushing it
in as far as it will go.
– Then pull it out once more and check the oil
level ››› Fig. 147 . Top up with engine oil if
nec e
ssary.
Oil level in area ADo
not
add oil ›
›› .
Oil level in area BYou
can
add oil, but keep the level in
thi

s zone.
Oil level in area COil
must be added.
Afterwards
, the oil
level should be in the lined area B .
Depending on how you drive and the condi-
tions in which the vehicle is used, oil con-
sumption can be up to 0.5 l/1000 km. Oil
consumption is likely to 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. WARNING
Any work carried out in the engine compart-
ment or on the engine must be carried out
cautiously. –
–
– ●
When working in the engine compartment,
always observe the safety warnings
››› page 163. CAUTION
If the oil level is above the area A do not
start the engine. This could result in damage
to the engine and catalytic converter. Contact
a Technical Service. Topping up engine oil
 Fig. 148
In the engine compartment: Engine
oil filler cap Before opening the bonnet, read and observe
the warnings
››› in Safety instructions on
working in the engine compartment on
page 163 .
– Un s

crew cap from engine oil filler opening
››› Fig. 148. –
Top-up oi
l in small amounts, using the cor-
rect oil.
– To avoid over-filling with engine oil, you
should top-up using small quantities, wait
a while and check the oil level before add-
ing any more oil.
– As soon as the oil level is in area B , care-
fully close the cap.
The position of the oil filler opening is shown
in the corresponding engine compartment il-
lustration ››› page 166 .
En gine oi

l specification ››› page 166. WARNING
Oil is highly inflammable! Ensure that no oil
comes into contact with hot engine compo-
nents when topping up. CAUTION
If the oil level is above the area A do not
start the engine. This could result in damage
to the engine and catalytic converter. Contact
a specialised workshop. For the sake of the environment
The oil level must never be above area A .
Otherwise oil can be drawn in through the
crankcase breather and escape into the at-
mosphere via the exhaust system. 168

Checking and refilling levels
Changing engine oil The engine oil must be changed at the inter-
vals given in the service schedule.
We recommend that you have the engine oil
changed by a Technical Service.
The oil change intervals are shown in the
Maintenance Programme.
WARNING
Only change the engine oil yourself if you
have the specialist knowledge required!
● Before opening the bonnet, read and ob-
serve the warnings ››› page 163, Safety in-
structions on working in the engine compart-
ment.
● Wait
for the engine to cool down. Hot oil
may cause burn injuries.
● Wear eye protection to avoid injuries, such
as acid burns, caused by splashes of oil.
● When removing the oil drain plug with your
fingers, keep your arm horizontal to help pre-
vent oil from running down your arm.
● Wash your skin thoroughly if it comes into
contact with engine oil.
● Engine oil is poisonous! Used oil must be
stored in a safe place out of the reach of chil-
dren. CAUTION
No additives should be used with engine oil.
This could result in engine damage. Any dam-
age caused by the use of such additives
would not be covered by the factory warranty. For the sake of the environment
● Because of disposal problems and the spe-
cial tools and specialist knowledge required,
we recommend that you have the engine oil
and filter changed by a Technical Service.
● Never pour oil down drains or into the
ground.
● Use a suitable container when draining the
used oil. It must be large enough to hold all
the engine oil. Cooling system
Engine coolant specifications The engine cooling system is supplied from
the factory with a specially treated mixture of
water and, at least, 40 % of the additive
G 13
(TLVW 774 J). The engine coolant additive is
recognisable by its purple colour. This mix-
ture of water and additive gives the necessa-
ry frost protection down to -25°C (-13 F) and
protects the light alloy parts of the cooling
system against corrosion. It also prevents scaling and considerably raises the boiling
point of the coolant.
To protect the engine cooling system, the
percentage of additive must
always be at
l e

ast 40 %, even in warm climates where an-
ti-freeze protection is not required.
If greater frost protection is required in very
cold climates, the proportion of additive can
be increased. However, the percentage of ad-
ditive should not exceed 60%, as this would
reduce frost protection and, in turn, decrease
cooling capacity.
When the coolant is topped up, use a mixture
of distilled water and, at least, 40 % of the G
13 or G 12 plu

s-plus (TL-VW 774 G) additive
(both are purple) to obtain an optimum anti-
corrosion protection ››› . The mixture of G
13 with G 12 plus (TL-VW 774 F), G 12 (red) or
G 11 (green-blue) engine coolants will signifi-
cantly reduce the anticorrosion protection
and should, therefore be avoided ››› .
WARNING
If there is not enough anti-freeze in the cool-
ant system, the engine may fail leading to se-
rious damage.
● Please make sure that the percentage of
additive is correct with respect to the lowest
expected ambient temperature in the zone
where the vehicle is to be used.
● When the outside temperature is very low,
the coolant could freeze and the vehicle » 169
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Advice
would be immobilised. In this case, the heat-
ing would not work either and inadequately
dressed passengers could die of cold.
CAUTION
The original additives should never be mixed
with coolants which are not approved by
SEAT. Otherwise, you run the risk of causing
severe damage to the engine and the engine
cooling system. ● If the fluid in the expansion tank is not pur-
ple but is, for example, brown, this indicates
that the G 13 additive has been mixed with
an inadequate coolant. The coolant must be
changed as soon as possible if this is the
case! This could result in serious faults and
engine damage. For the sake of the environment
Coolants and additives can contaminate the
environment. If any fluids are spilled, they
should be collected and correctly disposed
of, with respect to the environment. Checking the coolant level and
topping up
Fig. 149
Engine compartment: coolant expan-
sion tank cap. Top up coolant when the level is below the
MIN (minimum) mark.
Before opening the bonnet, read and observe
the warnings
››› in Safety instructions on
working in the engine compartment on
page 163 .
Openin g the c
oolant expansion tank
– Switch off the engine and allow it to cool.
– To prevent scalding, cover the cap on the
coolant expansion tank with a thick cloth
and carefully unscrew the cap ››› .
Checking coolant level
– Look into the open coolant expansion tank
and read off the coolant level. –
If the level is below the “MIN” mark, top up
with coolant.
Topping up coolant – Only use new coolant liquid.
– Do not fi

ll above the “MAX” mark.
Closing the coolant expansion tank – Screw the cap on again tightly.
The position of the coolant expansion reser-
voir is shown in the corresponding engine
compartment illustration ››› page 166.
Make sure that the coolant meets the re-
quired specifications ››› page 169. Do not use
a different type of additive if additive G12+ is
not available. In this case use only water and
bring the coolant concentration back up to
the correct level as soon as possible by put-
ting in the specified additive ››› page 169.
Always top up with new coolant.
Do not fi

ll above the “MAX” mark. Otherwise
the excess coolant will be forced out of the
cooling system when the engine is hot.
The coolant additive G12+ (dyed purple) may
be mixed with G12 (dyed red) and also with G
11.
170

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
Checking the electrolyte level The electrolyte level should be checked regu-
larly in high-mileage vehicles, in hot coun-
tries and in older batteries.
– Open the bonnet and open the battery cov-
er at the front ››› in Safety instructions
on working in the engine compartment on
page 164 ››› in Warnings on handling
the battery on page 173.
– Check the colour display in the "magic eye"
on the top of the battery.
– If there are air bubbles in the window, tap
the window gently until they disperse.
The position of the battery is shown in the
corresponding engine compartment diagram
››› page 166 .
The “m agic
eye” indicator, located on the top
of the battery changes colour, depending on
the charge state and electrolyte level of the
battery.
There are two different colours:
● Black: correct charge status.
● Transparent/clear yellow: the battery must
be replaced. Contact a specialised workshop. Charging and changing the vehicle
battery The battery is maintenance-free and is
checked during the inspection service. All
work on the vehicle battery requires special-
ist knowledge.
If you often drive short distances or if the ve-
hicle is not driven for long periods, the bat-
tery should be checked by a specialised
workshop between the scheduled services.
If the battery has discharged and you have
problems starting the vehicle, the battery
might be damaged. If this happens, we rec-
ommend you have the vehicle battery
checked by a Technical Service where it will
be re-charged or replaced.
Charging the battery
The vehicle battery should be charged by a
specialised workshop only, as batteries us-
ing special technology have been installed
and they must be charged in a controlled en-
vironment.
Replacing a vehicle battery
The battery has been developed to suit the
conditions of its location and has special
safety features.
Genuine SEAT batteries meet the mainte-
nance, performance and safety specifications
of your vehicle. WARNING
● We recommend you use only maintenance-
free or cycle free leak-proof batteries which
comply with standards T 825 06 and
VW 7 50 73. This standard applies as of
2001.
● Before starting any work on the batteries,
you must read and observe the warnings
››› in Warnings on handling the battery on
page 173. For the sake of the environment
Batteries contain toxic substances such as
sulphuric acid and lead. They must be dis-
posed of appropriately and must not be dis-
posed of with ordinary household waste. 174