2015 Seat Altea brake

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

Operation
WARNING
● Apply the brakes heavily to clean the brake
system only in a suitable traffic situation. Do
not put other road users in danger: there is
risk of causing an accident.
● Ensure the vehicle does not move while in
neutral, when the engine is stopped. Failure
to follow this instruction could result in an
accident.
● If the brake fluid loses its viscosity and is
subjected to heavy use, vapour bubbles can
form in the brake system. This reduces the ef-
ficiency of the brakes.
● If a brake system circuit fails, the braking
distance will be increased considerably. Con-
tact a specialised workshop immediately and
avoid unnecessary journeys. CAUTION
● Never let the brakes “drag” by leaving your
foot on the pedal when it is not necessary to
brake. This overheats the brakes, resulting in
longer stopping distances and greater wear.
● Before driving down a long, steep gradient,
it is advisable to reduce speed and select a
lower gear. This makes use of engine braking
and relieves the brakes. If you still have to
use the brakes, it is better to brake firmly at
intervals than to apply the brakes continu-
ously. Note
● If the brake servo is out of action, for exam-
ple when the car is being towed, you will
have to press the brake pedal considerably
harder than normal to make up for the lack of
servo assistance.
● If you wish to equip the vehicle with acces-
sories such as a front spoiler or wheel covers,
it is important that the flow of air to the front
wheels is not obstructed, otherwise the
brakes can overheat. Before purchasing ac-
cessories please observe the relevant instruc-
tions ››› page 147, Technical modifications . Operating the handbrake
Fig. 123
Handbrake between the front seats. The handbrake should be applied firmly to
prevent the vehicle from accidentally rolling
away.Always apply the handbrake when you leave
your vehicle and when you park.
Applying the handbrake
– Pull the handbrake lever up firmly
››› Fig. 123 .
R el
easing the handbrake
– Pull the lever up slightly and press the re-
lease knob in the direction of the arrow
››› Fig. 123 and guide the handbrake lever
down f

ully ››› .
Always pull the handbrake all the way up, so
there is less risk of driving off with it still en-
gaged ››› .
The handbrake warning lamp  lights up
when the handbrake is applied and the igni-
tion switched on. The warning lamp turns off
when the handbrake is released.
If you drive faster than 6 km/h (4 mph) with
the handbrake on, the following message*
will appear on the instrument panel: HAND-
BRAKE ON. You will also hear an audible
warning. WARNING
● Never use the handbrake to stop the vehi-
cle when it is in motion. The braking distance
is considerably longer, because braking is
only applied to the rear wheels. Risk of acci-
dent! 124

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
This system is also active when reversing up-
hill. WARNING
● If you do not start the vehicle immediately
after taking your foot off the brake pedal, the
vehicle may start to roll back under certain
conditions. Depress the brake pedal or use
the hand brake immediately.
● If the engine stalls, depress the brake ped-
al or use the hand brake immediately.
● When following a line of traffic uphill, if you
want to prevent the vehicle from rolling back
accidentally when starting off, hold the brake
pedal down for a few seconds before starting
to move. Note
The official service or a specialist workshop
can tell you if your vehicle is equipped with
this system. Manual gearbox
Driving with a manual gearbox Fig. 124
Detailed view of the centre console:
gear shift pattern of a 5- or 6-speed manual
gearbox. Engaging the reverse gear
– The vehicle should be stationary with the
engine idling. Press the clutch down thor-
oughly.
– Place the gearbox lever into neutral and
push the lever downwards.
– Slide the gearbox lever to the left, and then
into the reverse position shown on the lev-
er.
The reverse gear can only be engaged when
the vehicle is stationary. When the engine is
running and before engaging this gear, wait
about 6 seconds with the clutch pressed down thoroughly in order to protect the gear-
box.
The reverse lights switch on when the reverse
gear is selected and the ignition is on.
WARNING
● When the engine is running, the vehicle
will start to move as soon as a gear is engag-
ed and the clutch released.
● Never select the reverse gear when the ve-
hicle is in motion. Risk of accident. Note
● Do not rest your hand on the gear lever
while driving. The pressure of your hand
could cause premature wear on the selector
forks in the gearbox.
● When changing gear, you should always
depress the clutch fully to avoid unnecessary
wear and damage.
● Do not “slip” the clutch to hold the vehicle
on a hill. This causes premature wear and
damage to the clutch.
● Do not leave your foot on the clutch pedal;
although the pressure may seem insignifi-
cant, it can cause the premature wear of the
clutch plate. Use the foot rest when you do
not need to change gear. 126

Driving
Automatic gearbox/DSG
automatic gearbox* Selector lever positions Fig. 125
Centre console: selector lever for au-
tomatic gearbox/DSG automatic gearbox. Selector lever positions indicated on the
cover
Parking position (lever locked).
Reverse position.
Neutral position (lever locked). This po-
sition is similar to the neutral position
for manual gearboxes).
Drive position (economic driving pro-
gramme).
Sports driving position.
Tiptronic driving position (this pro-
gramme is similar to the operation of a
manual gearbox).
P
R
N
D
S
+/- Driving programmes The automatic gearbox / DSG gearbox has
three programmes.
Selecting the economy programme
– This programme selects a higher gear earli-
er rather than remain in a lower gear.
– Put the selector lever into position D to
driv e f
orwards.
– Put the selector lever into position R to re-
ver

se. This position is shared by all pro-
grammes for reversing.
Selecting the sport programme – Move the lever to position S.
If you select sport programme S, the pro-
gr amme i

s designed for sport mode, that is,
a programme which changes up at higher en-
gine speeds to use the full power of the en-
gine. This programme is not recommended
for use on the motorway or in the city.
Selecting the manual programme (Tiptronic)
This programme allows driving similar to a
manual gearbox.
This programme may be accessed using the
selector lever or from the steering wheel con-
trols when this option is fitted ›››
page 129. Selector lever locking
Fig. 126
Centre console: automatic gearbox
selector lever. The selector lever lock prevents gears from
being engaged inadvertently, which would
cause the vehicle to move.
Releasing the selector lever lock
– Start the vehicle.
– Press and release the brake pedal, at the
same time press the button on the selector
lever.
The lock can only be engaged when the vehi-
cle is stationary or at a speed of less than
5 km/h (3 mph). It is automatically switched
off at higher speeds in position N.
F or r

apid gear changes (e.g. from R
to D) the
lever will not lock. If the lever remains in po-
sition
N for more than one second it will lock.
With the automatic lock, the lever is »
127
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

Driving
The ignition key cannot be removed unless
the selector lever is in position P.
C ontr
ol lamp “Pressing brake pedal” 
When the warning lamp next to the selector
lever lights up, press the brake pedal. This is
necessary when the automatic gearbox selec-
tor lever is moved out of positions P or N
. A
text message or instructions to perform nec-
essary operations may appear on the instru-
ment panel. WARNING
● As a driver, you should never leave your ve-
hicle if the engine is running and a gear range
is engaged. If you have to leave your vehicle
while the engine is running, you must apply
the parking brake and put the selector lever
in position P.
● If the engine is running and if D or R is en-
gaged, you will need to hold the car on the
foot brake. The car will creep forward as the
power transmission is not fully interrupted
even when the engine is idling.
● Never accelerate when moving the selector
lever or you may cause an accident.
● Never move the selector lever to R or P
when driving. Risk of accident!
● Before driving down a long, steep slope, it
is advisable to reduce speed and change into
a lower gear. ●
If you stop the vehicle up hill, always hold
the foot brake strongly depressed down to
stop it from rolling back.
● Never allow the brake to rub and do not use
the brake pedal too often or for long periods.
Constant braking will cause the brakes to
overheat and will considerably reduce the
brake effect. This increases the braking dis-
tance and could cause the brake system to
fail.
● Never allow the car to roll down a gradient
with the gear in neutral N, or in selector lever
position D, even if the engine is not running. CAUTION
● If you stop the vehicle up hills, do not at-
tempt to stop it from rolling back by depress-
ing the accelerator when a gear has been se-
lected. Otherwise, the automatic gearbox
may overheat causing damage. Pull the hand-
brake up or fully depress the brake pedal to
prevent the vehicle from rolling away.
● If you allow the vehicle to roll when the en-
gine is not running, or with the selector lever
in position N, a lack of lubrication in the auto-
matic gearbox will damage it. Changing gear in Tiptronic mode*
Fig. 128
Changing gear with Tiptronic. Fig. 129
Steering wheel with paddle shifters
for automatic gearbox. The Tiptronic system allows the driver to se-
lect gears manually.
Changing gear with the selector lever
– Press the selector lever from position D to
the right int

o the tiptronic selector gate. »
129
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Operation
●
Do not apply additional underseal or anti-
corrosion coatings to the exhaust pipes, cata-
lytic converter or the heat shields on the ex-
haust system. These materials could catch
fire when the vehicle is being driven. CAUTION
Never run the fuel tank completely dry be-
cause the irregularity of the fuel supply may
cause ignition problems. This allows unburnt
fuel to enter the exhaust system, which could
cause overheating and damage the catalytic
converter. For the sake of the environment
Even when the emission control system is
working perfectly, there may be a smell of
sulphur from the exhaust gas under some
conditions. This depends on the sulphur con-
tent of the fuel used. Quite often the problem
can be solved by changing to another brand
of fuel. Diesel engine particulate filter*
Fig. 130
Vehicle data sticker on back cover of
the Maintenance Programme. Your vehicle is fitted with a DPF (Diesel partic-
ulate filter) if the vehicle data sticker (back
cover of the “Maintenance Programme)” lists
the PR code 7GG or 7MG
››› Fig. 130 .
The die sel
engine particulate filter eliminates
most of the soot from the exhaust gas sys-
tem. Under normal driving conditions, the fil-
ter cleans itself. If this is not possible (for ex-
ample, multiple short trips) the filter will be
obstructed by soot and  the diesel engine
particulate filter warning lamp will light up.
This does not represent a fault, it is a warning
that indicates that the filter has not been
able to regenerate automatically and that you
must perform a cleaning cycle, as indicated
in ››› page 41
. WARNING
● The diesel engine particulate filter may
reach extremely high temperatures; the vehi-
cle should be parked so that the exhaust pipe
does not come into contact with flammable
materials underneath the vehicle. Otherwise
there is a risk of fire. CAUTION
● Your vehicle is not designed to use biodie-
sel fuel. Never, under any circumstances re-
fuel with biodiesel. The use of biodiesel fuel
could damage the engine and the fuel sys-
tem. The addition of biodiesel to diesel by
the diesel producer in accordance with stand-
ard EN 590 is authorised and will not cause
damage to the engine or the fuel system.
● Using diesel fuel with a high sulphur con-
tent may significantly reduce the useful life of
the diesel particulate filter. Your Technical
Service will be able to tell you which coun-
tries have diesel with a high sulphur content. Economical and environmentally
friendly driving
Fuel consumption, environmental pollution
and wear to the engine, brakes and tyres de-
pends in large part on your driving style. By
adopting an economical driving style and an-
ticipating the traffic situation ahead, you can
easily reduce fuel consumption by 10-15%.
132