2015 Seat Altea service interval

Operation
If the windscreen air output is on and air re-
circulation mode is pressed, this remains ac-
tive. When the recirculation mode is on, if the
air distribution towards the windscreen mode
is selected, the recirculation mode is deacti-
vated. For safety reasons, the air recirculation
mode should not be connected. WARNING
In air recirculation mode, no cold air from the
outside enters the vehicle interior. If the air
conditioning system is switched off, the win-
dows can quickly mist over. Therefore, never
leave the air recirculation mode switched on
for a long time (risk of accident). General notes
Pollution filter
The pollution filter (a combined particulate
filter and active carbon filter) serves as a bar-
rier against impurities in the outside air, in-
cluding dust and pollen.
For the climate control system to work with
maximum efficiency, the pollution filter must
be replaced at the specified intervals in the
Maintenance Programme.
If the filter loses efficiency prematurely due
to use in areas reaching very high pollution
levels, the pollen filter must be changed
more frequently than stated in the Service
Schedule. Air conditioner
When the air conditioning system is switched
on, not only the temperature, but also the air
humidity in the vehicle interior is reduced.
This improves comfort for the vehicle occu-
pants and prevents misting of the windows
when the ambient air humidity is high.
If the air conditioning system cannot be
switched on this may be caused by the fol-
lowing reasons:
● The engine is not running.
● The A/C button is switched off.
● The outside temperature is lower than ap-
proximately +3 °C (+37 °F).
● The air conditioning system compressor
has been temporarily switched off because
the engine coolant temperature is too high.
● The air conditioner fuse is faulty.
● Another fault in the vehicle. Have the air
conditioner checked by a specialised work-
shop. CAUTION
● If you suspect that the air conditioner is
damaged, switch it off with the A/C button to
prevent further damage and have it checked
by a specialised workshop.
● Repairs to the air conditioner require spe-
cialist knowledge and special tools. There-
fore, we recommend you to take the vehicle
to a specialised workshop. Note
● If the humidity and temperature outside the
vehicle are high, condensation can drip off
the evaporator in the cooling system and
form a pool underneath the vehicle. This is
normal and does not indicate a leak.
● Keep the air intake slots in front of the
windscreen free of snow, ice and leaves to en-
sure heating and cooling are not impaired,
and to prevent the windows from misting
over.
● The air from the vents flows through the ve-
hicle interior and is extracted by slots de-
signed for this purpose. Therefore, do not
cover these slots with items of clothing or
other objects.
● The air conditioner operates most effective-
ly with the windows and the sliding/tilting
sunroof* closed. However, if the temperature
inside the vehicle is excessive because of the
sun, the air inside can be cooled faster by
opening the windows for a short time.
● Do not smoke while air recirculation mode
is on, as smoke drawn into the air condition-
ing system leaves residue on the evaporator,
producing a permanent unpleasant odour.
● It is advisable to turn on the air condition-
ing at least once a month, to lubricate the
system gaskets and prevent leaks. If a de-
crease in the cooling capacity is detected, a
Technical Service should be consulted to
check the system. 116

Advice
Checking fluid levels Fig. 146
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 expansion tank
Windscreen washer reservoir
Engine oil filler cap
Engine oil dipstick
Brake fluid reservoir
Vehicle battery (underneath the cover)
The checking and refilling of service fluids
are carried out on the components men-
tioned above. These operations are descri-
bed in the ››› page 163 .
1 2
3
4
5
6 Overview
You will find further explanations, instruc-
tions and restrictions on the technical speci-
fications as of
››› page 207 .
En gine oi
l
General notes The engine comes with a special, multi-grade
oil that can be used all year round.
Because the use of high-quality oil is essen-
tial for the correct operation of the engine
and its long useful life, when topping up or
changing oil, use only those oils that comply
with VW standards.
The specifications (VW standards) set out on
the following page should appear on the con-
tainer of the service oil; when the container
displays the specific standards for petrol and
diesel engines together, it means that the oil
can be used for both types of engines.
We recommend that the oil change indicated
in the Maintenance Programme be performed
by a technical service or a specialised work-
shop.
The correct oil specifications for your engine
are listed in the
›››
page 167, Oil properties .Service intervals
Service intervals can be flexible (LongLife
service) or fixed (dependent on time/dis-
tance travelled).
If the PR code that appears on the back of the
Maintenance Programme booklet is PR QI6,
this means that your vehicle is programmed
with the LongLife service. If it lists the codes
QI1, QI2, QI3, QI4 or QI7, the interval service
is dependent on time/distance travelled.
Flexible service intervals (LongLife service
intervals*)
Special oils and processes have been devel-
oped which, depending on characteristics
and individual driving profiles, allow for
greater intervals between oil change services
(LongLife service intervals).
Because this oil is essential for extending the
service intervals, it
must only be used ob-
serving the following indications:
● Avoid mixing it with oil for fixed service in-
tervals.
● Only in exceptional circumstances, if the
engine oil level is too low ››› page 167 and
LongLife oil is not available, it is permitted to
top up (once) with oil for fixed service inter-
vals › ›
›
page 167 (up to a maximum of 0.5 li-
tres).
166

Checking and refilling levels
Fixed service intervals*
If your vehicle does not have the “LongLife
service interval” or it has been disabled (by
request), you may use oils for fixed service
intervals , which also appear in
›
› › page 167,
Oil properties . In this case, your vehicle must
be serviced after a fixed interval of 1
year/15 000 km (10 000 miles)(whatever
comes first) ››› Booklet Maintenance Pro-
gramme.
● In ex

ceptional circumstances, if the engine
oil level is too low ››› page 167 and you can-
not o

btain the oil specified for your vehicle,
you can put in a small quantity of oil con-
forming to the specification ACEA A2 or
ACEA A3 (petrol engines) or ACEA B3 or
ACEA B4 (diesel engines) (up to 0.5 l).
Vehicles with a diesel particulate filter*
The Maintenance Programme states whether
your vehicle is fitted with a diesel particulate
filter.
Only VW 507 00 engine oil, with reduced ash
formation, may be used in diesel engines
equipped with particulate filter. Using other
types of oil will cause a higher soot concen-
tration and reduce the life of the DPF. There-
fore:
● Avoid mixing this oil with other engine oils.
● Only in exceptional circumstances, if the
engine oil level is too low ››› page 167 and you cannot obtain the oil specified for your
vehicle, you can use a small quantity of oil
(once) conforming to the VW 506 00,
VW 506 01, VW 505 00, VW 505 01 or
ACEA B3/ACEA B4 specification. (up to 0.5 l).
Oil properties
Engine typeSpecification
Petrol without flexible
service intervalVW 502 00/VW 504 00
Petrol with flexible serv-
ice interval (LongLife)VW 504 00
Diesel. Engines without
Particulate filter (DPF)VW 505 01/VW 506 01/VW
507 00
Diesel. Particulate Filter
Engines (DPF).
With or without flexible
service interval (with
and without LongLife) a)VW 507 00
a)
Only use recommended oils, otherwise you may damage the
engine.
Engine oil additives
No type of additive should be mixed with the
engine oil. The deterioration caused by these
additives is not covered by the warranty. Note
Before a long trip, we recommend finding an
engine oil that conforms to the correspond-
ing VW specifications and recommend keep-
ing it in the vehicle. This way, the correct en-
gine oil will always be available for a top-up if
needed. Checking the engine oil level
Fig. 147
Engine oil dipstick. The engine oil dipstick indicates the level of
the oil.
Checking oil level
– Park the vehicle in a horizontal position.
– Briefly run the engine at idle speed until
the operating temperature is reached and
then stop.
– Wait for about two minutes.
»
167
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
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

Fuses and bulbs
the following spare bulbs, which are essen-
tial for road safety, should be kept in the ve-
hicle.
Main headlights - H7
- H1
- W5W - PY21W
Xenon headlights 1)
/adaptive*
- D1S 2)
- P21W SLL
- W5W - PY21W
Front fog light - H3
Dipped beam
Main beam
Position
Turn signal
Dipped and full beam
Daylight
Position
Turn signals
Front fog light Upper tail light (ALTEA)
- P21W3)
- R10W
Lower tail light (ALTEA) - P21W- P21W
Fixed tail light (ALTEA XL / ALTEA FREETRACK) - P21W3)
- P21W
Mobile tail light (ALTEA XL / ALTEA
FREETRACK) - P21W- P21W
- W5W
Stop/Position
Turn signal
Fog light
Reverse light
Stop/Position
Turn signal
Fog light (driver side)
Reverse (passenger side)
Position Side turn signal
- W5W
Number plate light - C5W Note
● Depending on weather conditions (cold or
wet), the headlights, the fog lights, the tail
lights and the turn signals may be temporari-
ly misted. This has no influence on the useful
life of the lighting system. By switching on
the lights, the area through which the beam
of light is projected will quickly be demisted.
However, the edges may continue to be mis-
ted.
● Please check at regular intervals that all
lighting (especially the exterior lighting) on
your vehicle is functioning properly. This is » Side turn signal
Number plate light
1)
On this type of headlight, the bulb changes must
be made by the technical service, given that complex
elements must be removed from the vehicle and the
incorporated automatic control system must be re-
set.
2) The Xenon bulbs discharge 2.5 times the light flux
and have an average lifespan of 5 times more than
that of halogen bulbs, this means that, except due to
unusual circumstances, there is no need to change
the bulbs for the whole life of the vehicle.
3) Electronically controlled single filament bulb for
Stop/side bulbs. If the bulb blows it will not work in
either position or Stop. 199Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Index
Digital clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Dipped beam headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Display (without warning or information texts) . . 47
Disposal Seat belt tensioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Door lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Door lock cylinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Door lock handle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Door release lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Doors Childproof locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Drawer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Driver see Correct sitting position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 8
Driv e
shaft differential
XDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Drive wheel traction control system (ASR) . . . . . 137
Driving Economically/with Respect for the Environ-ment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
journeys abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
steering lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
With a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Driving abroad Headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Driving Economically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Driving programmes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Driving safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Driving with automatic gearbox/DSG automatic gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Driving with Respect for the Environment . . . . . 132
Duplicate keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Dust filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Dynamic headlight range control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 E
EDL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Electric power steering Control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Electronic differential lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Electronic immobiliser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46, 121
Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Emergency braking warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 81, 136
Emergency manual locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Emergency opening Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Emission control system control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Engine Running in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Working in the engine compartment . . . . . . . . 163
Engine coolant G 12 plus-plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
G 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Engine coolant fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Engine fault Control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Engine management control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Checking engine oil level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Oil properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Topping up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Engine oil dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Engine oil pressure
control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44, 49
Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Environmental friendliness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Environmental tip Avoiding pollution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
ESC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45, 134 see also Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . 134
Examp

le of menu use
Open the Configuration menu with the steer- ing wheel controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Program a speed limit warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
To activate and deactivate the speed limit warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Example of the use of the menus Open the Configuration menu with the MFIlever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Examples of menu use Open the main menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Open the winter tyres menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
To close the winter tyres menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Exhaust gas emission control system . . . . . . . . . 131
F Fastening rings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Filling the tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Fire extinguisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
First-aid kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Flexible service interval display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Floor mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Fog lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Fog lights with cornering function . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Folding table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Folding the seat backrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
225