2015 Seat Altea XL key

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

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

Advice
To return to working position
Continue in the reverse order to the previous
instruction. CAUTION
If an automatic car wash tunnel is used, be-
fore entering the tunnel, put the aerial down
parallel to the roof and do not tighten to
avoid damage. Mobile phones and two-way radios
First consult your Technical Service if you
wish to use a mobile telephone or a two-way
radio with a transmitting power output in ex-
cess of 10 watts. Here you will receive infor-
mation concerning the technical possibilities
for retrofitting this equipment.
Mobile telephones and two-way radios
should be only fitted by a specialised work-
shop, for example a SEAT dealership.
WARNING
● Always concentrate primarily on driving. If
you are distracted while driving you could
have an accident.
● Never attach the telephone mountings to
the surfaces covering the airbag units or
within the range of the airbags. There is a
high danger of injury if the airbag is trig-
gered. Note
Please observe the operating instructions of
your mobile telephone/two-way radio. Care and cleaning
General information Vehicle maintenance
Regular care and washing help to maintain
the value
of the vehicle. This may also be one
of the requirements for acknowledging war-
ranty claims in the event of bodywork corro-
sion or paint defects.
The best way to protect your vehicle against
the harmful effects of the environment is
through correct maintenance and frequent
washing. The longer substances such as in-
sect remains, bird droppings, resinous tree
sap, road dirt, industrial deposits, tar, soot or
road salt and other aggressive materials re-
main on the vehicle, the more damage they
do to the paintwork. High temperatures, for
instance in strong sunlight, further intensify
the corrosive effect.
After winter, a period when salt is put on the
roads, it is important to have the underside
of the vehicle washed thoroughly. Products for vehicle maintenance
Car-care products are available in your Tech-
nical Services. Keep the product instructions
until you have used them up. WARNING
● Car-care products can be toxic. Because of
this, they must always be kept closed in their
original container. Keep them out of the reach
of children. Failure to comply could result in
poisoning.
● Always read and observe the instructions
and warnings on the package before using
car-care products. Improper use could cause
health problems or damage the vehicle. The
use of certain products may produce noxious
vapours; they should be used in well ventila-
ted areas.
● Never use fuel, turpentine, engine oil, nail
varnish remover or other volatile fluids.
These are toxic and highly flammable. Risk of
fire and explosion.
● Before washing your vehicle, or carrying
out any maintenance, switch the engine off,
apply the handbrake firmly and remove the
key from the ignition. CAUTION
Never attempt to remove dirt, mud or dust if
the surface of the vehicle is dry. Never use a
dry cloth or sponge for cleaning purposes.
This could damage the paintwork or the win-
dows of your vehicle. Soak dirt, mud or dust
with plenty of water. 148

Care and maintenance
running gear, and retouch it if necessary,
before and after the winter season.
We recommend that you go to your Technical
Service to carry out repair work and addition-
al anti-corrosion work. WARNING
Do not apply underseal or anti-corrosion
coatings to the exhaust pipes, catalytic con-
verter or the heat shields on the exhaust sys-
tem. The heat of the exhaust system or the
engine could cause them to ignite. Risk of
fire. Cleaning the engine compartment
Take special care when cleaning the engine
compartment.
Anti-corrosion treatment
The engine compartment and the surface of
the power unit are given anti-corrosion treat-
ment at the factory.
Good corrosion protection is particularly im-
portant in winter when the vehicle is fre-
quently driven on salted roads. To prevent
the salt corroding the vehicle, the entire en-
gine compartment should be thoroughly
cleaned before and after winter.
Technical Services
have the proper products
for cleaning and preservation as well as the necessary workshop equipment. For this rea-
son, we recommend having this work per-
formed by them.
The anti-corrosion protection is usually re-
moved if the engine compartment is cleaned
with grease removing solutions, or if you
have the engine cleaned. On commissioning
this work, ensure that all surfaces, seams,
joints and components in the engine com-
partment are given anti-corrosion treatment.
WARNING
● When working in the engine compartment,
always observe the safety warnings
››› page 163.
● Bef
ore opening the bonnet, switch the en-
gine off, apply the handbrake firmly and al-
ways remove the key from the ignition.
● Allow the engine to cool before you clean
the engine compartment.
● Do not clean, for example, the vehicle un-
derbody, wheel arches or wheel trims without
protecting your hands and arms. You may cut
yourself on sharp-edged metal parts. Failure
to comply could result in injury.
● Moisture, ice and salt on the brake system
may affect braking effectiveness. Risk of acci-
dent. Directly after washing, avoid sudden
and sharp braking.
● Never touch the radiator fan. It is tempera-
ture-controlled and could start automatically,
even when the key is removed from the igni-
tion! For the sake of the environment
Fuel, grease and oil deposits can be removed
when the engine is washed. The polluted wa-
ter must be cleaned in an oil separator. For
this reason, engine washing should be car-
ried out only by a specialised workshop or a
petrol station. Caring for the vehicle interior
Introduction The dye used in many modern garments, for
example dark jeans, is not always sufficiently
colour-fast. Seat upholstery (material and
leather), especially when light-coloured, may
visibly discolour if the dye comes out of
clothing (even when used correctly). This is
not an upholstery defect but indicates that
the dye in the item of clothing is not suffi-
ciently colour-fast.
The longer stains or dirt remain on the vehi-
cle surfaces, especially the fabrics covering
the padded upholstery, the more difficult it
becomes to clean and maintain them. If
stains and dirt are left for a long time, it may
be that they are impossible to remove.
WARNING
Car-care products may be toxic and hazard-
ous. Using unsuitable car-care products or, » 153
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety

Advice
Checking and refilling levels
Fuel Refuelling Fig. 139
Tank flap open. The tank flap is released manually and is lo-
cated at the rear of the vehicle on the right.
The tank holds approximately 55 litres. For
all-wheel drive vehicles, the tank capacity is
approximately 60 litres.
Vehicles using LPG have two fuel tanks: one
for LPG and another for petrol
››› page 160.
Opening the fuel tank cap
– Lift the lid.
– Hold the cap firmly with one hand, then in-
sert the key into the lock and rotate 180° to
the left. –
Unscrew the cap, turning it anticlockwise.
Closing the fuel tank cap
– Screw the tank cap to the right until it
“clicks”.
– Turn the key in the lock, without releasing
the cap, clockwise through 180°.
– Remove the key and close the flap until it
clicks into place. The tank cap is secured
with an anti-loss attachment
If the automatic filler nozzle is operated cor-
rectly, it will switch itself off as soon as the
tank is full. Never attempt to fill beyond this
point, as this will fill the expansion chamber.
Fuel may leak out if ambient conditions are
warm.
The correct fuel grade for your vehicle is giv-
en on a sticker on the inside of the fuel tank
flap. Here you will find further information on
fuel. WARNING
● Fuel is highly flammable and can cause se-
rious burns and other injuries.
–Never smoke or come into contact with
sparks when filling the fuel tank of the
vehicle or a spare fuel canister with fuel.
This is an explosion hazard.
– Follow legal requirements for the use of
spare fuel canisters. –
For safety reasons we do not recommend
carrying a spare fuel canister in the vehi-
cle. The canister could be damaged in an
accident and leak.
● If, in exceptional circumstances, you have
to carry a spare fuel canister, please observe
the following:
–Never fill the spare fuel canister inside
the vehicle or on it. An electrostatic
charge could build up during filling, caus-
ing the fuel fumes to ignite. This could
cause an explosion. Always place the
canister on the ground to fill it.
– Insert the fuel nozzle into the mouth of
the canister as far as possible.
– If the spare fuel canister is made of met-
al, the filling nozzle must be in contact
with the canister during filling. This
helps prevent an electrostatic charge
building up.
– Never spill fuel in the vehicle or in the
luggage compartment. Fuel vapours are
explosive. Danger of death. CAUTION
● Fuel spills should be removed from the
paintwork immediately.
● Never run the tank completely dry. Irregular
fuel supply can cause misfiring. As a result,
unburnt fuel could enter the catalytic convert-
er and cause damage. 158

Checking and refilling levels
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.
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.
LPG supplier network
The number of LPG pumps is constantly in-
creasing.
Lists of existing LPG pumps may be found on
Internet.
LPG safety A series of collision tests performed on this
vehicle while running with LPG have con-
firmed its high level of safety.
The safety of the LPG system guarantees op-
eration without risk. The following safety
measures have been adopted:
● The LPG tank has a solenoid valve which
closes automatically when the engine is
switched off (ignition off) or when running on
petrol. ●
A solenoid type main valve disconnects the
supply of gas to the engine compartment
when the engine is switched off or running
on petrol.
● A safety valve in the LPG tank with pipes to
the outside prevents the gas from entering
the vehicle interior.
● All anchorage points and materials have
been designed to ensure the maximum pos-
sible levels of safety.
The condition of the LPG system should be
checked regularly to guarantee safe driving
conditions ››› . These checks are included
in the Maintenance Programme. WARNING
● If there is a smell of gas or a suspected
leak, stop the vehicle immediately and switch
off the ignition. Open the doors to ventilate
the vehicle. Do not carry on driving! Take the
vehicle to a specialised workshop and have
the fault repaired.
● Immediately extinguish any cigarettes and
remove from the vehicle any objects which
might produce a spark or cause a fire, and
switch off immediately if gas is smelt or a
leak is detected.
● LPG tanks are subject to pressure and must
be checked regularly. The owner of the vehi-
cle must check that these services are per-
formed correctly. ●
When parking the vehicle in a closed area
(e.g. in a garage), make sure that there is ad-
equate ventilation, either natural or mechani-
cal, to neutralise the LPG in the event of a
leak. Note
For any fault in the LPG system, please refer
to the SEAT web page, which lists the work-
shops authorised to repair these faults. Working in the engine
compartment
Safety instructions on working in the
engine compartment Before starting any work on the engine or in
the engine compartment:
1. Switch off the engine and remove the key
from the ignition.
2. Apply the handbrake.
3. Move the gear lever to neutral or the selec- tor lever to position P.
4. Wait for the engine to cool down.
5. Keep children away from the vehicle.
6. Raise the bonnet ››› page 165.
»
163Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety