
Transporting children safetyWeight groupSize classElectrical equipmentMounting directionVehicle Isofix positions
Rear side seats
Group III 22 to 36 kg------Forward-facing---
Suitable for ISOFIX universal child re-
straint systems approved for use in this
weight group
ISOFIX position not suitable for ISOFIX
child restraint systems for this weight
group or size class.
WARNING
● The retaining rings are designed only for
use with “ISOFIX” and Top Tether* child
seats.
● Never secure other child seats without the
“ISOFIX”, Top Tether* system, nor retaining
belts or objects to the fastening rings; other-
wise this can result in potentially fatal inju-
ries to the child.
● Ensure that the child seat is secured cor-
rectly using the “ISOFIX” and Top Tether* se-
curing rings. IU:
X:
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Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Seats and head restraints
●
Never transport more than the permitted
amount of people in your vehicle.
● Every vehicle occupant must properly fas-
ten and wear the seat belt belonging to his or
her seat. Children must be protected with an
appropriate child restraint system ››› page 24,
Transporting children safety.
● The front seats and all head restraints must
always be adjusted to body size and the seat
belt must always be properly adjusted to pro-
vide you and your passengers with optimum
protection.
● Always keep your feet on the footwell when
the vehicle is moving; never rest them on the
dash panel, out of the window or on the seat.
This is also applied to passengers. An incor-
rect sitting position exposes you to an in-
creased risk of injury in case of a sudden
braking or an accident. If the airbag is trig-
gered, you could sustain severe injuries due
to an incorrect sitting position.
● It is important for the driver and front pas-
senger to keep a distance of at least 25 cm
from the steering wheel and dash panel. Fail-
ure to respect the minimum distance means
that the airbag will not protect you. Risk of
fatal injury. The distance between the driver
and the steering wheel or between the front
passenger and the dash panel should always
be as great as possible.
● Adjust the driver or front passenger seat
only when the vehicle is stationary. This also
applies to the forwards/backwards adjust-
ment of the rear seats. Otherwise, your seat
could move unexpectedly while the vehicle is moving. This could increase the risk of an ac-
cident and therefore, injury. In addition,
while adjusting your seat, you will assume an
incorrect sitting position. Risk of fatal acci-
dents.
●
Special guidelines apply to installing a
child seat on the front passenger seat. When
installing a child seat, please observe the
warnings described in ››› page 24, Transport-
ing children safety. Adjustment of the front seats
Fig. 74
Front left seat controls The control elements in
››› Fig. 74 are mir-
r or
ed for the front right-hand seat.
1 Adjusting the seat forwards and
backwards
– Pull up the grip and move the seat forwards
or backwards. –
Then release the grip 1 and move the seat
further until the catch engages.
2 Adjusting the seat height*
– Pull the lever up or push down (several
times if necessary) from its home position.
This adjusts the seat height in stages.
3 Adjusting the backrest angle
– Take your weight off the backrest and turn
the hand wheel.
4 Adjusting the lumbar support*
– Take your weight off the backrest and turn
the hand wheel to adjust the lumbar sup-
port.
As you make the adjustments, the curvature
of the cushioned area of the lumbar region
becomes more or less acute. In this way, it
adapts to the natural curvature of the spine. WARNING
● Never adjust the driver or front passenger
seat while the vehicle is in motion. While ad-
justing your seat, you will assume an incor-
rect sitting position. Risk of fatal accidents.
Adjust the driver or front passenger seat only
when the vehicle is stationary.
● To reduce the risk of injury to the driver and
front passenger in case of a sudden braking
or an accident, never drive with the backrest
tilted towards the rear. The maximum » 89
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Operation
risk of injury from the armrest during a sud-
den braking manoeuvre or in the event of an
accident.
Note
The CD changer is located in this compart-
ment. Storage compartment under the front
seats*
Fig. 85
Storage compartment under the front
seats. There is a storage compartment with a cover
under each front seat.
The drawer*
››› Fig. 85 is opened by pushing
the b utt
on and moving the cover back.
There are two open positions of 15 and 60
degrees depending on the pressure applied
to the cover. In the 60 degree position, the cover will collapse if too much pressure is ap-
plied.
To close the drawer, press the cover until it
locks into position.
WARNING
● The drawers will hold a maximum weight of
1.5 kg.
● Do not drive with the drawer cover open.
There is an injury risk for passengers if the
cargo is released in case of sudden braking or
an accident. Folding table*
Fig. 86
Folding tray on the front left seat. Folding trays are fitted to the rear of the front
seat backrests.
– To open the tray, open it up in the direction
of the arrow ›››
Fig. 86 . WARNING
● The folding trays may not be folded down
whilst the vehicle is in motion and anyone is
seated on the second row of seats. There is a
risk of injury during a sudden braking ma-
noeuvre! The tray must therefore be closed
and properly secured whilst the vehicle is in
motion.
● Do not put hot drinks in the drink holders.
During normal or sudden driving manoeuvres,
sudden braking or an accident, the hot drink
could be spilled. Danger of scalding. CAUTION
When driving, do not leave open cans in the
cup holders. The drink might be spilt on brak-
ing, for example, and could damage the vehi-
cle. Roof storage compartment*
Fig. 87
Roof storage compartments.94

Transport and practical equipment
Luggage compartment Loading the luggage compartment All luggage and other loose objects must be
safely secured in the luggage compartment.
Unsecured objects which shift back and forth
could impair the driving safety or driving
characteristics of the vehicle by shifting the
centre of gravity.
– Distribute the load evenly in the luggage
compartment.
– Place heavy objects as far forward as possi-
ble in the luggage compartment.
– Place the heavy objects first.
– Secure heavy objects to the fitted fastening
rings ›››
page 103 . WARNING
● Loose luggage and other objects in the lug-
gage compartment could cause serious inju-
ries.
● Always stow objects in the luggage com-
partment and secure them on the fastening
rings.
● Use suitable straps to secure heavy ob-
jects.
● During sudden manoeuvres or accidents,
loose objects can be thrown forward, injuring
vehicle occupants or passers-by. This in-
creased risk of injury will be further increased if a loose object is struck by an inflating air-
bag. If this happens, objects can be trans-
formed into “missiles”. Risk of fatal injury.
●
Please note that the centre of gravity may
shift when transporting heavy objects; this
may affect vehicle handling and lead to an ac-
cident. Therefore, it is essential to adjust
your speed and driving style accordingly, to
avoid accidents.
● Never exceed the allowed axle weights or
allowed maximum weight. If said weights are
exceeded, the driving characteristics of the
vehicle may change, leading to accidents, in-
juries and damage to the vehicle.
● Never leave your vehicle unattended, espe-
cially when the rear lid is open. Children
could climb into the luggage compartment,
closing the door behind them; they will be
trapped and run the risk of death.
● Never allow children to play in or around
the vehicle. Close and lock all the doors and
rear lid when you leave the vehicle. Before
you lock the vehicle, make sure that there are
no adults or children in the vehicle. CAUTION
Hard objects on the boot cover could chafe
against the wires of the heating element in
the rear window and cause damage. Note
● Air circulation in the vehicle helps reduce
fogging of the windows. Used air escapes through ventilation slits in the side trim of
the luggage compartment. Ensure that these
ventilation slits are never covered.
● Straps for securing the load to the fasten-
ing rings are commercially available. Rear shelf
3 Applies to the model: ALTEA
Fig. 103
Rear shelf. Fig. 104
Removing the storage compartment.
» 101Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Transport and practical equipment
Fastening rings* There can be four fastening rings in the lug-
gage compartment for fastening luggage and
other objects.
–
Always use suitable and undamaged straps
to secure luggage and other objects to the fastening rings ››› in Loading the lug-
gage compartment on page 101.
– Pull up the fastening rings to attach the
straps.
During a collision or an accident, even small
and light objects can build up so much ener-
gy that they can cause very severe injuries.
The amount of “energy” depends on the
speed of the vehicle and the weight of the
object. The most significant factor, however,
is the speed of the vehicle.
Example: An object weighing 4.5 kg is lying
unsecured in the vehicle. During a frontal col-
lision at a speed of 50 km/h (30 mph), this
object generates a force corresponding to 20
times its weight. This means that the effec-
tive weight of the object increases to about
90 kg. Imagine the injuries that may result
from said “object” if it hits any passenger
when flying through the passenger compart-
ment. This increased risk of injury will be fur-
ther increased if a loose object is struck by
an inflating airbag. WARNING
● If pieces of baggage or other objects are se-
cured to the fastening rings with inappropri-
ate or damaged retaining cords, injuries
could result in the event of braking manoeu-
vres or accidents.
● Never secure a child seat on the fastening
rings. Cargo separation net*
3 Applies to the model: ALTEA XL/ALTEA FREETRACK
Fig. 107
Separation net. Fig. 108
Fastening rings for the separation
net. The separation net prevents loose objects in
the boot from being thrown forward into the
passenger compartment (e.g. when braking
suddenly).
– Pull the net from underneath between the
backrest and the folding tray and fit it to
the slots in the roof, first the right then the
left ››› Fig. 107 .
– Hook the belts
into the front fastening
rings to tense the net ››› Fig. 108
.
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Technical specifications
Advice
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Safety

Operation
Storage in the boot floor* Fig. 109
Variable storage in the boot floor. Fig. 110
Boot floor partition. There is a variable storage compartment* in
the boot floor.
–
Lift the boot floor and fold it back all the
way ››› Fig. 109 .
– Fit the sep
arator A
››› Fig. 110
, into the
s ide gr
ooves depending on the size of the
objects to be transported. The on-board tool kit and the spare wheel are located un-
derneath the luggage compartment.
– Secure objects in the luggage compart-
ment with suitable straps on the fastening
rings. Note
● The maximum weight capacity of the varia-
ble boot floor is 100 kg distributed evenly
over the whole floor. Luggage compartment net*
Fig. 111
Boot storage net. There is a storage net in the luggage com-
partment for securing objects.
– Use the fastening rings located on the side
of the boot to attach the retaining net
››› Fig. 111 . Note
● Do not exceed the maximum authorised
weight for the vehicle ››› page 207. Roof carrier/rack system*
Introduction Please observe the following points if you in-
tend to carry loads on the roof:
● For safety reasons, only luggage racks and
accessories supplied by SEAT official services
are recommended.
● It is essential that you strictly follow the as-
sembly instructions included with the bars,
being especially careful to position the boot
cover bars on the special housings; you must
also respect their position according to the
direction of travel indicated in the assembly
manual. Not following these instructions may
cause marks on the bodywork and the longi-
tudinal bars.
● Pay special attention to the tightening tor-
que of the attachment bolts and check them
following a short journey. If necessary, re-
tighten the bolts and check them at regular
intervals.
● Distribute the load evenly. A maximum load
of 40 kg is permitted for each roof rack sys-
tem support bar, the load must be
104

Transport and practical equipment
distributed evenly along the entire length.
However, the maximum load permitted for
the entire roof (including the support system)
of 75 kg must not be exceeded nor the total
weight recommended for the entire vehicle.
See the “Technical Data” ››› page 207 sec-
tion.
● When transporting heavy or large objects
on the roof, any change in the normal vehicle
behaviour due to a change in the centre of
gravity or an increased wind resistance must
be taken into account. For this reason, a suit-
able speed and driving style must be used.
● On vehicles fitted with a sliding/tilting sun-
roof*, make sure it does not hit the load on
the roof upon opening. Attachment points
Fig. 112
Altea model: securing points for the
roof carrier. Fig. 113
Altea XL/Altea Freetrack model: se-
curing points for the roof carrier. Install and remove following the instructions
given.
Securing the base supports and roof carrier
system (Altea)
Location of the basic roof carrier attachment
points
››› Fig. 112 .
● A: marks for securing on the rear section.
● B: hole for securing on the front section.
Sec uring the base supports and roof carrier
system (Altea XL/Altea Freetrack)
Always secure the base supports and roof
carrier system correctly.
The roof carrier system must always be instal-
led exactly according to the instructions pro-
vided. »
105
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Driving
Some tips on how to help you reduce pollu-
tion while saving money are listed below.
Drive anticipating the traffic situation
A vehicle uses most fuel when accelerating.
When you anticipate situations, you have to
brake less often and, thus, accelerate less. If
it is possible, let the vehicle roll with a gear
engaged , for example, if you see a red light
ahe a
d. The braking effect achieved in this
way helps to reduce the wear of brakes and
tyres; emissions and fuel consumption are
reduced to zero (disconnection due to iner-
tia).
Change gear early to save energy
An effective way of saving fuel is to change
up
quickly through the gears. Running the
engine at high rpm in the lower gears uses
an unnecessary amount of fuel.
Manual gearbox: shift up from first to second
gear as soon as possible. We recommend
that, whenever possible, you change to a
higher gear upon reaching 2000 rpm. Follow
the “recommended gear” indication that ap-
pears on the instrument panel ››› page 47.
Avoid driving at high speed
We advise you not to drive at the top speed
permitted by the vehicle. Fuel consumption,
exhaust emissions and noise levels all in- crease very rapidly at higher speeds. Driving
at moderate speeds will help to save fuel.
Avoid idling
It is worthwhile switching off the engine
when waiting in a traffic jam, at level cross-
ings or at traffic lights with a long red phase.
The fuel saved after only 30 - 40 seconds is
greater than the amount of fuel needed to re-
start the engine.
The engine takes a long time to warm up
when it is idling. Mechanical wear and pollu-
tant emissions are also especially high dur-
ing this initial warm-up phase. It is therefore
best to drive off immediately after starting
the engine. Avoid running the engine at high
speed.
Periodic maintenance
Periodic maintenance work guarantees that,
before beginning a journey, you will not con-
sume more than the required amount of fuel.
A well-serviced engine gives you the benefit
of
improved fuel efficiency as well as maxi-
mum reliability and an enhanced resale val-
ue.
A badly serviced engine can consume up to
10% more fuel than necessary.
Avoid short journeys
To reduce the consumption and emission of
polluting exhaust gases, the engine and the exhaust gas filtration systems should reach
the optimum operating temperature.
With the en
gine cold, fuel consumption is
proportionally higher. The engine does not
warm up and fuel consumption does not nor-
malise until having driven approximately four
kilometres. This is why we recommend avoid-
ing short trips whenever possible.
Maintain the correct tyre pressures
Bear in mind that keeping the tyres at an ad-
equate pressure saves fuel. If the tyre pres-
sure is just one bar (14.5 psi / 100 kPa) too
low, fuel consumption can increase by as
much as 5%. Due to the greater rolling resist-
ance, under-inflation also increases tyre wear
and impairs handling.
The tyre pressures should always be checked
when the tyres are cold.
Do not u
se winter tyres
all year round as they
increase fuel consumption by up to 10%.
Avoid unnecessary weight
Given that every kilo of extra weight
will in-
crease the fuel consumption, it is advisable
to always check the luggage compartment to
make sure that no unnecessary loads are be-
ing transported.
A roof rack is often left in place for the sake
of convenience, even when it is no longer
needed. At a speed of 100 km/h (62 mph) »
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Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety