2015 Seat Altea check engine light

Advice
using them in the wrong way, may cause acci-
dents, serious injury, burns or intoxication.
●
Keep your car-care products in their origi-
nal containers.
● Read the instructions.
● Never keep car-care products in empty food
containers, bottles or other similar contain-
ers. Other people may confuse them.
● Keep all car-care products out of the reach
of children.
● Some products may give off harmful va-
pours during use. Therefore, they should be
used outdoors in well-ventilated places.
● Never use fuel, turpentine, engine oil, nail-
varnish remover or any other volatile product
for washing, maintenance or cleaning. These
are toxic and highly flammable. WARNING
Unsuitable maintenance and cleaning of vehi-
cle components may impair proper operation
of safety equipment and cause serious injury.
● Maintain and clean vehicle components ac-
cording to the manufacturer's instructions.
● Only use approved or recommended clean-
ing products. CAUTION
● Cleaning products which contain solvents
have a corrosive effect and may damage the
material irreparably. ●
Stains and dirt containing aggressive sub-
stances or solvents attack the material and
may damage it irreparably, even when they
are cleaned quickly.
● Dirt and stains should not be allowed to dry
and should be cleaned as quickly as possible.
● In the case of stubborn stains, take the ve-
hicle to a specialised workshop to avoid dam-
age. Treating your upholstery
To treat and maintain your seat upholstery,
keep the following in mind
››› :
Before entering the vehicle, close any Velcro
fasteners that might snag on the upholstery
or trim fabric. Any open Velcro fasteners may
damage the trim or upholstery fabrics.
To prevent damage, avoid direct contact be-
tween sharp decorative objects and the up-
holstery and trim fabrics. Decorative objects
include zips, rivets and rhinestones on cloth-
ing and belts.
From time to time, clean the dust that gath-
ers in the perforations, folds and seams so
that the surfaces of the seats are not dam-
aged by its abrasive effect.
Make sure clothes are colour-fast to avoid
them running and staining the upholstery.
This is especially important if the upholstery
is light in colour. CAUTION
If you ignore this checklist, which is impor-
tant for maintaining your seat upholstery, the
fabric may be damaged or stained.
● Consult the checklist and carry out the op-
erations it describes. Note
SEAT recommends you take the vehicle to a
specialised workshop to treat any stains on
the upholstery caused by the discolouration
of clothing. How to clean the upholstery, trim
fabrics and Alcantara
® Cleaning the fabric on heated seats and
electrically adjustable seats or seats with
airbag components
There may be important airbag components
and electrical connections inside the driver
seat, passenger seat and possibly the outer
rear seats. If these seats and seat backrests
are damaged, or are cleaned and are treated
incorrectly, or if they get wet, the vehicle
electric system may be destroyed and the air-
bag system damaged
››› .
Electric and heated seats contain compo-
nents and electrical connections that may be
damaged if the seats are cleaned or incor-
rectly treated ››› . Similarly, damage may be
154

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

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

Checking and refilling levels
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.
● When the engine is warm or hot, the cool-
ing system is pressurised! Do not unscrew
the cap on the coolant expansion tank when
the engine is hot. This is a burn injury risk. CAUTION
● When mixed with other additives the colour
of G12 will change to brown. If this occurs
you should have the coolant changed imme-
diately. Failure to do so will result in engine
damage!
● If a lot of coolant fluid has been lost, wait
for the engine to cool. This avoids damaging
the en gine. Lar
ge coolant losses are an indi-
cation of leaks in the cooling system. See a
specialised workshop immediately and have
the cooling system checked. Otherwise, there
is a risk of engine damage. Windscreen washer reservoir
Topping up washer fluid  Fig. 150
In the engine compartment: Cap of
windscreen washer fluid reservoir The
windscreen washer
and the
headlight
washers are supplied with fluid from the
windscreen washer fluid container in the en-
gine compartment. The container holds ap-
prox. 3 litres; in vehicles with headlight
washers* it holds approx. 5.5 litres.
The reservoir is located on the right-hand
side of the engine compartment.
Plain water is not enough to clean the wind-
screen and headlights. We recommend that
you always add a product to the windscreen
washer fluid. Approved windscreen cleaning
products exist on the market with high deter-
gent and anti-freeze properties, these may be
added all-year-round. Please follow the dilu-
tion instructions on the packaging. 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
● Never put radiator anti-freeze or other addi-
tives into the windscreen washer fluid.
● Always use approved windscreen cleansing
products diluted as per instructions. If you
use other washer fluids or soap solutions,
the tiny holes in the fan-shaped nozzles
could become blocked. 171
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

Checking and refilling levels
For the sake of the environment
The brake pads and brake fluid must be col-
lected and disposed of according the applica-
ble regulations. The SEAT Technical Service
network has the necessary equipment and
qualified personnel for collecting and dispos-
ing of this waste material. Vehicle battery
Warnings on handling the battery Wear eye protection

Battery acid is extremely corrosive. Wear pro-
tective gloves and eye protection!

Fires, sparks, open flames and smoking are
prohibited!

A highly explosive mixture of gases is released
when the battery is under charge.

Keep children away from acid and batteries!
WARNING
Always be aware of the danger of injury and
chemical burns as well as the risk of accident
or fire when working on the battery and the
electrical system:
● Wear eye protection. Protect your eyes,
skin and clothing from acid and particles con-
taining lead. ●
Battery acid is extremely corrosive. Wear
protective gloves and eye protection. Do not
tilt the batteries. This could spill acid through
the vents. Rinse battery acid from eyes imme-
diately for several minutes with clear water.
Then seek medical care immediately. Neutral-
ise any acid splashes on the skin or clothing
with a soapy solution, and rinse off with plen-
ty of water. If acid is swallowed by mistake,
consult a doctor immediately.
● Fires, sparks, open flames and smoking are
prohibited. When handling cables and electri-
cal equipment, avoid causing sparks and
electrostatic charge. Never short the battery
terminals. High-energy sparks can cause in-
jury.
● A highly explosive mixture of gases is re-
leased when the battery is under charge. The
batteries should be charged in a well-ventila-
ted room only.
● Keep children away from acid and batteries.
● Before working on the electrical system,
you must switch off the engine, the ignition
and all electrical devices. The negative cable
on the battery must be disconnected. When a
light bulb is changed, you need only switch
off the light.
● Deactivate the anti-theft alarm by unlock-
ing the vehicle before you disconnect the bat-
tery! The alarm will otherwise be triggered.
● When disconnecting the battery from the
vehicle on-board network, disconnect first
the negative cable and then the positive ca-
ble. ●
Switch off all electrical devices before re-
connecting the battery. Reconnect first the
positive cable and then the negative cable.
Never reverse the polarity of the connections.
This could cause an electrical fire.
● Never charge a frozen battery, or one which
has thawed. This could result in explosions
and chemical burns. Always replace a battery
which has frozen. A flat battery can also
freeze at temperatures close to 0 °C (+32 °F).
● Ensure that the vent hose is always connec-
ted to the battery.
● Never use a defective battery. This could
cause an explosion. Replace a damaged bat-
tery immediately. CAUTION
● Never disconnect the battery if the ignition
is switched on or if the engine is running.
This could damage the electrical system or
electronic components.
● Do not expose the battery to direct sunlight
over a long period of time, as the intense ul-
traviolet radiation can damage the battery
housing.
● If the vehicle is left standing in cold condi-
tions for a long period, protect the battery
from “freezing”. If it freezes it will be dam-
aged. 173
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Emergencies
– Switch off the engine. Switch on the hazard
warning lights.
– Apply the handbrake firmly.
– En g
age the first gear , or put
the selector
lever to position P for those vehicles with
an automatic gearbox.
– If you are towing a trailer, unhitch it from
your vehicle.
– Take the vehicle tools and the spare wheel
out of

the luggage compartment. WARNING
Put the hazard warning lights on and place
the warning triangle in position. This is for
your own safety and also warns other road
users. CAUTION
If you have to change the tyre on a gradient,
block the wheel opposite the wheel being
changed by placing a stone or similar object
under it to prevent the vehicle from rolling
away. Note
Please observe related legal requirements. Changing a wheel
Change the wheel as described below: –
Remove the wheel cover
. A
l
so refer to
››› Fig. 155.
– Slac
ken the wheel bolts .
– Rai

se the vehicle with the jack at the corre-
spondin
g area.
– Remove the wheel and put
on the spare
one.
– Lower the vehicle.
– Tighten the wheel

bolts firmly with the box
sp

anner.
– Replace the hub cap.
Aft

er changing a wheel –
Put the tools back in their storage location.
– Place the wheel with the defective tyre in
the luggage compartment and secure it.
– Check the tyre pressure of the newly fitted
tyre as soon as possible.
– Have the tightening torque of the wheel
bolts checked as soon as possible with a
torque wrench. The prescribed torque must
be 120 Nm. Note
● If you notice that the wheel bolts are corro-
ded and difficult to turn when changing a wheel, they must be replaced before having
the wheel bolt tightening torque checked.
● For safety reasons, drive at moderate
speeds until the wheel bolt tightening torque
has been checked. Wheel trims
Fig. 155
Changing a wheel: remove the wheel
trim. The wheel trims must be removed to gain ac-
cess to the wheel bolts.
Removing
– Insert the extraction hook from the tools in-
to the designated ring, located in one of
the bolt hole covers of the wheel cover
››› Fig. 155 .
»
183
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Emergencies
After inserting the sealant residue in the tyre,
you must again check the tyre pressure about
10 minutes after starting the engine.
You should only use the tire mobility set if
the vehicle is parked in a safe place, you are
familiar with the procedure and you have the
necessary tire mobility set! Otherwise, you
should seek professional assistance.
The tyre sealant must not be used in the
following cases:
● If the wheel rim has been damaged.
● In outside temperatures below -20 °C
(-4 °F).
● In the event of cuts or perforations in the
tyre greater than 4 mm.
● If you have been driving with very low pres-
sure or a completely flat tyre.
● If the sealant bottle has passed its use by
date. WARNING
Using the tyre mobility system can be dan-
gerous, especially when filling the tyre at the
roadside. Please observe the following rules
to minimise the risk of injury:
● Stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible.
Park it at a safe distance from surrounding
traffic to fill the tyre.
● Ensure the ground on which you park is flat
and solid. ●
All passengers and particularly children
must keep a safe distance from the work area.
● Turn on the hazard warning lights to warn
other road users.
● Use the tyre mobility system only if you are
familiar with the necessary procedures. Oth-
erwise, you should seek professional assis-
tance.
● The tyre mobility set is intended for tempo-
rary emergency use only until you can reach
the nearest specialised workshop.
● Replace the repaired tyre with the tire mo-
bility set as soon as possible.
● The sealant is a health hazard and must be
cleaned immediately if it comes into contact
with the skin.
● Always keep the tire mobility set out of the
reach of small children.
● Never use an equivalent jack, even if it has
been approved for your vehicle.
● Always stop the engine, apply the hand-
brake lever firmly and engage gear if using a
manual gearbox, in order to reduce the risk of
vehicle involuntary movement. WARNING
A tyre filled with sealant does not have the
same performance properties as a conven-
tional tyre.
● Never drive faster than 80 km/h (50 mph).
● Avoid heavy acceleration, hard braking and
fast cornering. ●
Drive only during 10 minutes at a maximum
speed of 80 km/h (50 mph) and subsequently
check the tyre. For the sake of the environment
Dispose of used or expired sealant observing
any legal requirements. Note
● A new bottle of sealant can be purchased at
SEAT dealerships.
● Take into account the separate instruction
manual from the tyre mobility set* manufac-
turer. Contents of the tyre mobility system*
Fig. 162
Standard representation: contents of
the tyre mobility system. » 187Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety