2015 Seat Altea stop start

Operation
Switching on automatic wipe – Press the lever fully forwards to position 7›››
Fig. 71 . The rear wash function will start
immedi at
ely and the wiper will start a few
seconds later. The rear window wash sys-
tem will function as long as you hold the
lever in this position.
– Release the lever. The wiper then wipes for
approximately 4 seconds, and then in inter-
vals again.
– Release the lever. The washer system stops
and the wipers function. WARNING
● Worn and dirty wiper blades reduce visibili-
ty and safety levels while driving.
● Always note the corresponding warnings
on ››› page 194. CAUTION
In icy conditions, always check that the wiper
blade is not frozen to the glass before using
the wiper for the first time. If you switch on
the wiper when the wiper blade is frozen to
the glass, this could damage both the wiper
blade and the wiper motor. Note
● The windscreen wiper will only function
when the ignition is switched on and the rear
lid is closed. ●
In reverse gear, with the windscreen wipers
switched on, the rear windscreen wiper will
make one wipe. Headlight washer*
The headlight washers clean the headlight
lenses.
The headlight washers are activated auto-
matically when the windscreen washer is
used and the window wiper lever is pulled to-
wards the steering wheel for at least 1.5 sec-
onds – provided the dipped beam headlights
or main beams are switched on. Clean off
stubborn dirt (insects, etc.) from the head-
lights at regular intervals, for instance, when
filling the fuel tank.
Note
● To ensure that the headlight washers work
properly in winter, keep the nozzle holders in
the bumper free of snow and remove any ice
with a de-icer spray.
● To remove water, the windscreen wipers
will be activated from time to time, the head-
light washers will be activated every three cy-
cles. Rear vision mirrors
Interior rear vision mirror It is dangerous to drive if you cannot see
clearly through the rear window.
Manual anti-dazzle function for interior rear
vision mirror
In the basic mirror position, the lever at the
bottom edge of the rear vision mirror should
be at the front. Pull the lever to the back to
select the anti-dazzle function.
Automatic anti-dazzle interior rear
vision mirror* Fig. 72
Automatic anti-dazzle interior rear vi-
sion mirror. 86

DrivingMessage in the instru-
ment panel displayHow to proceed
Gas operating mode cur-
rently impossible See the
manual!
Check that all conditions
for LPG operating mode
have been met
››› page 118. If so, have
the system checked imme-
diately by a specialised
workshop.
Petrol operating mode cur-
rently impossible. See the
manual!Have the system checked
immediately by a special-
ised workshop. 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 without any
problems.
LPG is a mixture of propane and butane.
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.
The vehicle's engine management adapts au-
tomatically to the LPG used. Therefore, both
types of LPG can be mixed in the tank, with-
out the need for comprehensive draining be-
fore applying a different quality LPG. LPG and safety
If you smell gas or suspect that there is a
leak in the LPG system.
››› ●
Stop the vehicle immediately.
● Switch the ignition off.
● Open all the doors to properly ventilate the
vehicle.
● Extinguish cigarettes immediately.
● Move away from the vehicle or switch off
objects that may cause sparks or a fire.
● If you continue to smell gas, do not contin-
ue driving!
● Seek specialist assistance. Have the fault
repaired. WARNING
LPG is a highly explosive and inflammable
substance. It may cause severe burns and
other injury.
● Due care must be taken to avoid any risk of
fire or explosion.
● When parking the vehicle in a closed area
(for example in a garage), make sure that
there is adequate ventilation, either natural
or mechanical, to neutralise the LPG in the
event of a leak. WARNING
Failure to act when you can smell gas in the
vehicle or when refuelling can cause serious
injuries.
● Carry out the necessary operations.
● Leave the danger zone.
● If necessary, warn the emergency services. Note
● The LPG system must be subject to regular
inspections at a specialised workshop in ac-
cordance with the Maintenance Plan.
● The engine is always started with petrol,
even when LPG was being used when it was
switched off. For this reason the tank should
never be drained of petrol completely.
● If frequent short journeys are made, espe-
cially when the outside temperature is low,
the vehicle will tend to run on petrol more of-
ten than on LPG. Therefore, the petrol tank
may empty before the LPG tank.
● If while driving the system switches auto-
matically to petrol operating mode because
the LPG tank is almost empty, the next few
times the engine starts up, and depending on
the outside temperature and driving style, it
may automatically switch briefly to LPG oper-
ating mode to use up what is left in the tank.
● When the system automatically switches to
petrol operating mode because the LPG tank
is almost empty, you can revert to gas operat-
ing mode by pressing the ››› Fig. 121 GAS »
119
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Driving
WARNING
● The ignition key must NOT be removed from
the lock until the vehicle comes to a stand-
still. Otherwise, the steering could be imme-
diately blocked- Risk of accident!
● Always remove the key from the ignition
when leaving the vehicle, even if only for a
short period. This is especially important if
children or disabled people are left alone in
the vehicle. They could accidentally start the
engine or work electrical equipment such as
the electric windows, resulting in an acci-
dent.
● Unsupervised use of the key could start the
engine or any electrical system, such as the
electric windows. This could result in serious
injury. CAUTION
The starter motor will only work when the en-
gine is stopped (ignition key position 2 ).
Electronic immobiliser
The electronic immobiliser prevents unau-
thorised persons from driving the vehicle.
Inside the key there is a chip that deactivates
the electronic immobiliser automatically
when the key is inserted into the ignition. The electronic immobiliser will be activated
again automatically as soon as you pull the
key out of the ignition lock.
The engine can only be started using a genu-
ine SEAT key with its correct code.
Note
A perfect operation of the vehicle is ensured
if genuine SEAT keys are used. Starting petrol engines
The engine can only be started using a genu-
ine SEAT key with its correct code.
– Move the gearbox lever to the neutral posi-
tion and depress the clutch pedal thor-
oughly and hold it in this position for the
starter to turn the engine on.
– Turn the ignition key to the starting posi-
tion ›››
page 120 .
– Let
go of the ignition key as soon as the en-
gine starts; the starter motor must not run
on with the engine.
After starting a very hot engine, you may
need to slightly press down the accelerator.
When starting a cold engine, it may be a little
noisy for the first few seconds until oil pres-
sure has built up in the hydraulic valve com-
pensators. This is quite normal, and no cause
for concern. If the engine does not start immediately,
switch the starter off after 10 seconds and try
again after half a minute. If the engine still
does not start, the fuel pump fuse should be
checked
››› page 196, Fuses. WARNING
● Never start or run the engine in unventila-
ted or closed rooms. The exhaust gases con-
tain carbon monoxide, an odourless and col-
ourless poisonous gas. Risk of fatal acci-
dents. Carbon monoxide can cause loss of
consciousness and result in death.
● Never leave the vehicle unattended if the
engine is running.
● Never use “cold start sprays”, they could
explode or cause the engine to run at high
revs. Risk of injury. CAUTION
● When the engine is cold, you should avoid
high engine speeds, driving at full throttle
and over-loading the engine. Risk of engine
damage.
● The vehicle should not be pushed or towed
more than 50 metres to start the engine. Un-
burnt fuel could enter the catalytic converter
and damage it.
● Before attempting to push-start or tow a ve-
hicle in order to start it, you should first try to
start it using the battery of another vehicle.
Note and follow the instructions in
››› page 189, Jump-starting.
» 121
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Operation
For the sake of the environment
Do not warm-up the engine by running the
engine with the vehicle stationary. Start off
immediately, driving gently. This helps the
engine reach operating temperature faster
and reduces emissions. Starting diesel engines
The engine can only be started using a genu-
ine SEAT key with its correct code.
– Move the gearbox lever to the neutral posi-
tion and depress the clutch pedal thor-
oughly and hold it in this position for the
starter to turn the engine on.
– Turn the ignition key to position ›››
Fig. 122
1 . The warning lamp
 will light for en-
gine pre-heating.
– When the lamp turns off, turn the ignition
key to position 2 to start the engine. Do
not press the accelerator.
– Release the ignition key as soon as the en-
gine starts. The starter motor should not
turn at the same time.
When starting a cold engine, it may be a little
noisy for the first few seconds until oil pres-
sure has built up in the hydraulic valve com-
pensators. This is quite normal, and no cause
for concern. If there are problems starting the engine, see
the
››› page 189 .
Glo w p
lug system for the diesel engine
To avoid unnecessary discharging of the bat-
tery, do not use any other major electrical
equipment while the glow plugs are pre-heat-
ing.
Start the engine as soon as the glow plug
warning lamp ››› page 41 goes out.
Starting a diesel engine after the fuel tank
has been completely run dry
If the fuel tank has been completely run dry,
it may take longer than normal (up to one mi-
nute) to start a diesel engine after refuelling.
This is because the fuel system must elimi-
nate air first. WARNING
● Never start or run the engine in unventila-
ted or closed rooms. The exhaust gases con-
tain carbon monoxide, an odourless and col-
ourless poisonous gas. Risk of fatal acci-
dents. Carbon monoxide can cause loss of
consciousness and result in death.
● Never leave the vehicle unattended if the
engine is running.
● Never use “cold start sprays”, they could
explode or cause the engine to run at high
revs. Risk of injury. CAUTION
● When the engine is cold, you should avoid
high engine speeds, driving at full throttle
and over-loading the engine. Risk of engine
damage.
● The vehicle should not be pushed or towed
more than 50 metres to start the engine. Un-
burnt fuel could enter the catalytic converter
and damage it.
● Before attempting to push-start or tow a ve-
hicle in order to start it, you should first try to
start it using the battery of another vehicle.
Note and follow the instructions in
››› page 189, Jump-starting. For the sake of the environment
Do not warm-up the engine by running the
engine with the vehicle stationary. You
should drive off as soon as you start the en-
gine. This helps the engine reach operating
temperature faster and reduces emissions. Switching off the engine
–
Stop the vehicle.
– Turn the ignition key to position ›››
Fig. 122
0 .
After switching the engine off, the radiator
fan may run on for up to 10 minutes. The fan
may also turn on again if coolant temperature
increases from accumulated heat in the
122

Driving
engine compartment or due to its prolonged
exposure to solar radiation. WARNING
● Never switch the engine off until the vehi-
cle is completely stationary.
● The brake servo works only when the en-
gine is running. With the engine switched off,
more strength is needed to brake. As normal
brake operation cannot be performed, risk of
accidents and serious injury may exist.
● The steering lock can be immediately
blocked once the key is removed from the ig-
nition. The vehicle cannot be steered. Risk of
accident. CAUTION
When the engine has been running under a
heavy load for a long period, heat can accu-
mulate in the engine compartment and cause
engine damage. For this reason, idle the en-
gine for approximately 2 minutes before
switching it off. Braking and parking
Braking capacity and distance The following factors impair braking capacity: New brake pads
New brake pads do not provide optimal per-
formance during the first 400 km; first they
must be “run in”. However, the reduced brak-
ing capacity may be compensated by press-
ing on the brake pedal a little harder. Avoid
overloading the brakes during run-in.
Wear
The rate of wear on the
brake pads depends
a great deal on how you drive and the condi-
tions in which the vehicle is operated. Nega-
tive factors are, for instance, city traffic, fre-
quent short trips or hard driving with abrupt
starts and stops.
Wet roads or road salt
In certain conditions, such as in heavy rain,
or after washing the vehicle or driving
through water, the full braking effect can be
delayed by moisture (or in winter by ice) on
the discs and brake pads. In this case the
brakes should be “dried” by pressing the
brake pedal several times.
The effectiveness of the brakes can also be
temporarily reduced if the vehicle is driven
for some distance without using the brakes
when there is a lot of salt on the road in win-
ter. In this case, the layer of salt on the brake
discs and pads has to wear off before brak-
ing. Corrosion
There may be a tendency for corrosion to
form on the discs and dirt to build up on the
brake pads if the vehicle is used infrequently
or the brakes are not used very often.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if
rust has formed on the disks, it is advisable
to clean off the pads and disks by braking
firmly a few times at a moderately high speed
››› .
Faults in the brake system
If the brake pedal travel should ever increase
suddenly , this may mean that one of the two
br ak
e circuits has failed. Drive immediately
to the nearest specialised workshop and
have the fault repaired. Drive there slowly
and remember that you will have to apply
more pressure on the brake pedal and allow
for longer stopping distances.
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if
the brake fluid level is too low. The brake flu-
id level is monitored electronically.
Brake servo
The brake servo increases the pressure you
apply to the brake pedal. It works only when
the engine is running. »
123
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Driving
●
If the handbrake is only partially released,
this will cause the rear brakes to overheat,
which can impair the function of the brake
system and could lead to an accident. This al-
so causes premature wear on the rear brake
pads. CAUTION
Always apply the handbrake before you leave
the vehicle. Put it in 1st gear as well. Parking
The handbrake should always be firmly ap-
plied when the vehicle is parked.
Always note the following points when park-
ing the vehicle:
– Use the brake pedal to stop the vehicle.
– Apply the handbrake.
– Put it in 1st gear.
– Switch the engine off and remove the key
from the ignition. Turn the steering wheel
slightly to engage the steering lock.
– Always take you keys with you when you
leave the vehicle ››› .Additional notes on parking the vehicle on
gradients:
Turn the steering wheel so that the vehicle
rolls against the kerb if it started to roll.
●
If the vehicle is parked facing downhill,
turn the front wheels so that they point to-
wards the kerb .
● If the vehicle is parked facing uphill, turn
the fr ont
wheels so that they point away from
the kerb
.
● Secure the vehicle as usual by applying the
handbrake firmly and putting it in 1st gear. WARNING
● Take measures to reduce the risk of injury
when you leave your vehicle unattended.
● Never park where the hot exhaust system
could ignite inflammable materials, such as
dry grass, low bushes, spilt fuel etc.
● Never allow vehicle occupants to remain in
the vehicle when it is locked. They would be
unable to open the vehicle from the inside,
and could become trapped in the vehicle in
an emergency. In the event of an emergency,
locked doors will delay assistance to vehicle
occupants.
● Never leave children alone in the vehicle.
They could set the vehicle in motion, for ex-
ample, by releasing the handbrake or the
gearbox lever. ●
Depending on weather conditions, it may
become extremely hot or cold inside the vehi-
cle. This can be fatal. Hill driving assistant*
This function is only included in vehicles with
ESC.
The hill driving assistant helps the driver to
move off and upward on a hill without rolling
backward.
The system maintains brake pressure for ap-
proximately 2 seconds after the driver takes
his foot off the brake pedal to prevent the ve-
hicle from rolling backward when starting off.
During these 2 seconds, the driver has
enough time to release the clutch pedal and
accelerate without the vehicle moving and
without having to use the handbrake, making
starting off easier, more comfortable and saf-
er.
These are the basic operation conditions:
● being on a ramp or hill/slope,
● closed doors,
● vehicle completely stationary,
● engine running and foot on the brake,
● besides having a gear engaged or being in
neutral for manual gear change and with the
selector lever at position S,
D
or R for an au-
tomatic gearbox. »
125
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Operation
prevented from passing from P
and N to any
other gear without first pressing the brake
pedal.
The selector lever must be put in the position
P
in order to remove the key.
Driving with automatic gearbox/DSG
automatic gearbox* Fig. 127
Centre console: automatic gearbox
selector lever. The gearbox changes gear ratios automatical-
ly as the vehicle moves.
Starting
– Start the engine with the selector lever in
position P
or
N.
Driving – Press and hold the brake pedal. –
Holding down the lock button (button on
the selector lever), select R or D.
– Rel

ease the lever and wait a little for the
gearbox to engage the gear (a slight move-
ment can be felt).
– Release the brake and press the accelerator
››› .
Stopping briefly – If stopping for a short time, keep the vehi-
cle stationary by pressing the foot brake
hard to prevent the vehicle moving back-
wards on a slope or “creeping” forwards,
e.g. at traffic lights. The selector lever does
not need to be put into the positions P or N
f or thi

s.
– Do not press the accelerator.
Parking
– Press and hold the brake pedal until the ve-
hicle comes to a standstill ››› .
– Apply the handbrake.
– By pressing the lock button down, move
the selector lever to P
and release the lock
b

utton.
Driving up and down hills
– Press the selector lever from position “D”
to the right into the tiptronic selector gate. –
Lightly press the selector lever back to
change down.
Holding the car on a hill – The brake must be always pressed down to
prevent the vehicle from “rolling back-
wards” ››› . Do not try to prevent the vehi-
cle from “rolling backwards” by increasing
the engine speed while a range of gears is
selected.
Starting the vehicle up hills
– Apply the handbrake.
– With a selected gear, accelerate slowly and
at the same time, release the handbrake.
The steeper the slope, the lower the needed
gear. This increases the braking effect of the
engine. For example, when driving down a
very steep slope in third gear. If the engine
brake effect is not enough, the vehicle will
speed up. The automatic gearbox automati-
cally changes up to prevent the engine over-
revving. Use the foot brake to reduce speed
and change into 3rd gear using Tiptronic*
››› .
Your vehicle has an automatic interlock
which prevents the selector lever from being
put into a position for driving forwards or in
reverse from positions P or N
if the brake
ped

al is not depressed.
128

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