2016 Seat Alhambra ESP

AdviceIt lights upGauge position
››› Fig. 244Possible causeSolution 
Warning area
CExcessive engine coolant temperature. 
Stop the vehicle!
Stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible. Switch off the engine and wait
for it to cool down and for the needle to return to the normal area. Check
the engine coolant level ››› page 281.
Normal area BInsufficient engine coolant level.Check the engine coolant when the engine has cooled and, if it is low, refill
with engine coolant
››› page 281.
Although the coolant level is correct, there is a fault.
--Engine coolant system faulty.  Do not drive any further.
Obtain professional assistance.
--Cold area A--Avoid revving the engine too much or making it work hard while it has not
reached normal service temperature. 
Flashes
Engine coolant
system faulty.Seek specialist assistance.
WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ›››
in Warning
and indication l amp
s on page 105. Coolant specifications
Read the additional information carefully
› ››

 page 40 WARNING
If there is not enough anti-freeze in the cool-
ant sy s

tem, the engine may fail leading to se-
rious damage.
● Please make sure that the percentage of
additiv
e is correct with respect to the lowest
expected ambient temperature in the zone in
which the vehicle is to be used.
● When the outside temperature is very low,
the cool
ant could freeze and the vehicle
would be immobilised. In this case, the heat-
ing would not work either and inadequately
dressed passengers could die of cold. CAUTION
The original additives should never be mixed
with c oo

lants which are not approved by SEAT. Otherwise, you run the risk of causing
sever
e d

amage to the engine and the engine
cooling system.
● If the fluid in the expansion tank is not pur-
ple b
ut is, for example, brown, this indicates
that the G 13 additive has been mixed with
an inadequate coolant. The coolant must be
changed as soon as possible if this is the
case! This could result in serious faults and
engine damage. For the sake of the environment
Coolants and additives can contaminate the
en vir

onment. If any fluids are spilled, they
should be collected and correctly disposed
of, with respect to the environment. 280

Checking and refilling levels
and they must be charged in a controlled en-
v ir
onment
››› . SEAT recommends taking
y our c
ar in f
or technical service.
Replacing a vehicle battery
The battery has been developed to suit the
conditions of its location and has special
safety features. If the battery must be re-
placed, consult a technical service for infor-
mation on electromagnetic compatibility, the
size and maintenance, performance and
safety requirements of the new battery in
your vehicle before you purchase one. SEAT
recommends you have the battery replaced
by a technical service.
Use only maintenance-free genuine batteries
conforming to TL 825 06 and VW 7 50 73
Standards. These standards must be dated
April 2008 or later.
Start-Stop systems ( ››› page 209) are equip-
ped with a special battery. Therefore, it must
only be replaced with a battery of the same
specifications.
Disconnecting the vehicle's battery
If you must disconnect the battery from the
electrical system, please note the following:
● Switch off the ignition and all electrical
equipment. ●
The vehic le must be unlocked before dis-
connecting the battery, otherwise the alarm
will be triggered.
● First disconnect the negative cable and
then the positiv
e ››› .
C onnectin
g the
vehicle's battery
● Before reconnecting the battery, switch off
the engine and all
electrical devices.
● First reconnect the positive cable and then
the negativ
e ››› .
Diff er
ent
control lamps may light up after
connecting the battery and switching the ig-
nition on. They will be turned off after a short
trip at a speed of between 15-20 km/h
(10-12 mph). If the warning indicators remain
lit, please visit a specialised workshop to
have the vehicle checked.
If the battery has been disconnected for a
long time, it is possible that the next service
date is not displayed or calculated correctly
››› page 100. Respect the maximum service
intervals permitted ››› Booklet Maintenance
Programme.
Vehicles with Keyless Access (››› page 117):
if, after connecting the battery, the ignition
cannot be switched on, lock and unlock the
vehicle from outside. Then try to switch on
the ignition again. If the ignition does not
work, seek professional assistance. Automatically disconnecting devices
The intellig

ent vehicle electrical system auto-
matically implements a range of measures to
prevent the battery from discharging when
high demands are made on it:
● the idling speed is increased so that the al-
ternat
or provides more electricity.
● where necessary, the power of the most
power
ful devices is reduced or even com-
pletely disconnected.
● On starting the engine, the power supply
from the 12-v
olt power sockets and the ciga-
rette lighter may be interrupted for a short
time.
The on-board management program cannot
always prevent the battery from running flat.
For example, if the ignition is left on for a
long period with the engine off or if the side
lights or parking lights are left on while the
vehicle is stationary.
Why does the battery run flat?
● When stationary for a long time without
star
ting the engine, particularly if the ignition
is switched on.
● Use of electrical devices with the engine
switc
hed off.
● If the auxiliary heater is running
›››
page 180. »
287
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Advice
WARNING
Incorrectly securing the battery or using the
wron g b
attery can cause short-circuits, fire
and serious injuries.
● Always use only maintenance free batteries
that do not
run flat alone and whose proper-
ties, specifications and size correspond to
the standard battery. The specifications are
indicated on the battery case. WARNING
A highly explosive mixture of gases is re-
le a

sed when the battery is under charge.
● The batteries should be charged in a well-
ventil
ated room only.
● Never charge a frozen or recently thawed
batter
y. A flat battery can also freeze at tem-
peratures close to 0°C (+32°F).
● Always replace a battery which has frozen.
● Battery cables not correctly connected may
cause a shor
t circuit. Reconnect first the posi-
tive cable and then the negative cable. CAUTION
● Never di s

connect the battery if the ignition
is switched on or if the engine is running.
This could damage the electrical system or
electronic components.
● Never plug accessories that supply current,
such a
s solar panels or a battery charger, to
the 12-volt power sockets or the cigarette lighter. This could damage the vehicle's elec-
trica
l

system. For the sake of the environment
● Di spo

se of the battery in an environment-
friendly manner. Batteries contain toxic sub-
stances such as sulphuric acid and lead.
● Battery acid can contaminate the environ-
ment. If it
has leaked use adequate care col-
lecting it (gloves and protective glasses), and
dispose of it correctly. Wheels and tyres
T y
r

es
Introduction The SEAT Alhambra is equipped as standard
with anti-p
u

ncture technology tyres (Conti-
Seal). In the event of a puncture or air leak of
up to 5 mm, the tyre seals the hole with a
protective layer inside the tread.
The inclusion of this technology means that
there is no type of spare wheel included in
the vehicle's equipment.
SEAT recommend that all work on tyres and
wheels is carried out by a specialised work-
shop. These workshops have the necessary
special tools and replacement parts, trained
personnel and facilities for disposing of the
old tyres while respecting the environment.
SEAT recommends taking your car in for tech-
nical service. WARNING
The vehicle cannot be totally controlled or
brak ed if

the tyres (new or used) are worn or
damaged.
● Incorrect use of wheels and tyres could
make driv
ing more dangerous and result in
serious accidents and damage. 288

Advice
WARNING
There should be adequate space between the
tyr e
s and the vehicle in accordance with the
vehicle design. If this is not the case, the
tyres may rub against parts of the running
gear, chassis or brake lines, leading to faults
in the brake system or to tread detachment,
and the risk of burst tyres.
● The true tyre dimension should not be
great
er than the dimensions of tyres manu-
factured and approved by SEAT and should
not rub against parts of the vehicle. Note
● Although ty r

es may be shown as being the
same size, the true dimensions of different
types of tyre may vary with respect to the
nominal size, or tread patterns may be differ-
ent.
● If you use tyres that are approved by SEAT,
you can be s
ure that the true tyre dimensions
will be correct for your vehicle. For other tyre
models, the tyre vendor should provide the
manufacturer's certificate with the tyre, indi-
cating that this type of tyre is suitable for
your vehicle. This certificate should always
be carried with the vehicle. Tyre pressure
Fig. 252
Position of tyre pressure specifica-
tion p l
at
e The correct tyre pressures for tyres fitted at
the f
act
or

y is shown on a label and is valid
for summer and winter tyres. This label
››› Fig. 252 is either on the driver door strut or
inside the fuel tank flap.
Under-inflation or over-inflation will reduce
the life of the tyres considerably and also im-
pair the car's handling ››› . It is essential to
m aint
ain the c

orrect tyre pressures, especial-
ly if driving at high speeds. Incorrect tyre
pressure causes premature wear and could
cause tyre blow-out. The pressure should therefore be checked at
lea

st once a month and before starting a
journey.
As a general rule, the pressures given are for
cold tyres. When the tyres are hot, the pres-
sures are greater.
Never deflate a hot tyre in order to obtain the
required pressure. This could result in very
low tyre pressures which may lead to sudden
blow-outs.
Checking tyre pressures
Tyre pressures should only be checked when
the vehicle has not been driven for more than
a few kilometres (miles) at low speeds in the
past three hours.
● The tyre pressures should be checked regu-
larly, and on
ly when the tyres are cold. Al-
ways check all the tyres. Tyre pressures
should be checked more often in colder re-
gions, and only when the vehicle has not
been driven recently. Always use a correctly-
operating tyre gauge.
● Adjust tyre pressures to the loads carried in
the vehic
le.
● After checking the pressure, always replace
the valv
e caps, and where applicable, ob-
serve the instructions given for adjusting the
tyre control system ››› page 234.
292

Advice
●
Ty r
es must be replaced before the wear in-
dicators are at the same level as the tread
pattern.
● Worn tyres have significantly reduced grip,
espec
ially on wet surfaces, increasing the
risk of “aquaplaning”.
● Worn tyres make control of the vehicle
more difficu
lt in normal or difficult driving
conditions, increasing the braking distance
and the risk of skidding. Tyre damage
Damage to wheels and tyres is often invisible
t
o the n
ak

ed eye. If you notice unusual vibra-
tion or the car pulling to one side, this may
indicate that one of the tyres is damaged
››› .
● Slow down immediately if you think you
h av
e a d

amaged wheel.
● Check the wheels and tyres for damage.
● If tyres are worn, stop driving and seek
qualified ass
istance.
● If there is no visible exterior damage, drive
slowly
and carefully to the nearest special-
ised workshop and have the vehicle checked.
Foreign bodies in the tyre
● Do not remove foreign bodies if they have
penetrated thr
ough the tyre wall! ●
If the v
ehicle comes with a tyre mobility
system, where necessary seal the damaged
tyre as shown in section ››› page 85. Use a
specialised workshop for repair or replace-
ment. SEAT recommends visiting a SEAT deal-
ership for this.
The sealant at the lower part of the tyre tread
wraps around the foreign body and provision-
ally seals the tyre.
Tyre wear
The wear of tyres depends on a number of
factors, for example:
● Driving style.
● Unbalanced wheels.
● Running gear settings.
Driving
style: Driving round bends quickly or
sudden acceleration or braking speed accel-
erates tyre wear. When the driving style is
normal, if the tyres wear too quickly, have the
running gear settings checked at a special-
ised workshop.
Wheel run-out: The wheels on new vehicles
are balanced. However, certain circumstan-
ces may lead to imbalance (run-out), which is
detected as vibrations in the steering wheel.
Run-out leads to wear of the steering and
suspension. In the event of run out, the
wheels should be balanced again. When a
new wheel is fitted, it should be balanced
again. Running gear settings
: an incorrectly
posi-
tioned running gear increases the wear of
tyres and affects your safety while driving. If
tyres wear too quickly, have the wheel align-
ment checked at a specialised workshop. WARNING
If you notice unusual vibration or the car pulls
to one s ide whi

le driving, this may indicate
that one of the tyres is damaged.
● Reduce speed immediately and stop, while
obser
ving the highway code.
● Check the wheels and tyres for damage.
● Never carry on driving on worn tyres or
wheels. Reque
st qualified assistance immedi-
ately.
● If there is no visible exterior damage, drive
slowly
and carefully to the nearest special-
ised workshop and have the vehicle checked. 294

Wheels and tyres
Tyre code Fig. 254
Universal code on tyres Radial
Rim di
amet
er c
ode
Load index & speed rating
DOT tyre identification number
Severe snow conditions
Tyre ply composition and materials used
Max. load rating
Treadwear, traction and temperature
grades
Max. permissible inflation pressure
Passenger car tyre
Nominal width of tyre in millimetres
1 2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11 Ratio of height to width (aspect ratio)
Tyre code (example): Meaning
Make, logotypeManufacturer
Product nameName of tyre assigned by manufac-
turer.
P215 /
55 R 16Size:
PPassenger vehicle code.
215Nominal width between
walls, in mm.
55Height/width ratio in %
RTyre type (R indicates "ra-
dial").
16Rim diameter in inches
91 VLoad index
››› page 296 and speed
rating ››› page 296.
XLReinforced tyres (“Reinforced”).
M+S or M/SWinter tyres (mud and snow tyres)
››› page 296.
SSR or DSST,
Eufonia, RFT,
ROF, RSC, ZP,
Conti-SealSpecific manufacturer codes for run-
flat tyres.
RADIAL
TUBELESSRadial tyre without inner tube. 12
Tyre code (example): Meaning
E4 ...E-mark certifying tyre complies with
international legislation followed by
a number denoting the country
granting the authorisation. The au-
thorisation number ( several digits)
is shown below.
DOT BT RA TY5
1709Tyre identification number (TIN
a)
,
may be only on interior wall of wheel)
and date of manufacture:
DOTThe tyre complies with the
legal requirements of the
US Department of Trans-
port, responsible for tyre
safety regulations.
BTPlace of manufacture
code.
RAInformation about manu-
facturer and tyre size.
TY5Manufacturer's tyre speci-
fications.
1709Date of manufacture:
Week 17 of 2009.
TWIThis identifies the position of the
Tread Wear Indicator ››› page 293.
MAX LOAD
615 KG
(1356 LBS)US load rating, indicating maximum
permitted load per tyre.
MAX INFLATION
350 KPA
(51 PSI)US limit, indicating maximum permit-
ted tyre pressure.» 295
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

AdviceTyre code (example): Meaning
SIDEWALL 1 PLY
RAYONInformation about tyre wall compo-
nents:
1 layer of rayon (artificial silk).
TREAD 4 PLIES
1 RAYON +
2 STEEL +
1 NYLONInformation about tread compo-
nents:
In the example, there are 4 layers be-
low the tread: 1 layer of rayon (artifi-
cial silk), 2 layers of steel reinforce-
ment and 1 layer of nylon.
Information for the end consumer concerning the com-
parative values of the established base tyres (standar-
dised test procedures) :
TREADWEAR
280Relative service life of the tyre, with
respect to specific US standard test.
TRACTION AABraking capacity of tyre on wet sur-
face (AA, A, B or C).
TEMPERATURE ATyre temperature resistance at higher
test speeds (A, B or C).
If there are different letters, they are specific codes of
the tyre manufacturer or specific national codes.
a)
The letters TIN refer to the tyre serial number.
Tyres with directional tread patterns
Tyres with directional tread pattern have
been designed to operate best when rotating
in only one direction. An arrow on the tyre
sidewall indicates the direction of rotation on
tyres with directional tread. Always observe
the direction of rotation indicated when
mounting the wheel. This guarantees opti- mum grip and helps to avoid aquaplaning,
grip, noise and w

ear.
Tyre load rating
The load rating code indicates the maximum
load in kilogrammes each wheel can carry
(load capacity). 615 kg (1,356 pounds)
650 kg (1,433 pounds)
690 kg (1,521 pounds)
730 kg (1,609 pounds)
775 kg (1,709 pounds)
Speed rating
The speed rating indicates the maximum
speed permitted for the tyres. max. 150 km/h (93 mph)
max. 160 km/h (99 mph)
max. 170 km/h (106 mph)
max. 180 km/h (112 mph)
max. 190 km/h (118 mph)
max. 200 km/h (124 mph)
max. 210 km/h (130 mph)
max. 240 km/h (149 mph)
max. 240 km/h (149 mph)
max. 270 km/h (168 mph)
max. 300 km/h (186 mph)
91
93
95
97
99
P
Q
R
S
T
U
H
V
Z
W
Y Some manufacturers use the letters “ZR” for
tyre
s with a maximum authorised speed
above 240 km/h (149 mph).
Winter service Winter ty
res* In winter conditions winter tyres will consid-
erab
ly

improve the vehicle's handling. The
design of summer tyres (width, rubber com-
pound, tread pattern) gives less grip on ice
and snow. Winter tyres also improve the vehi-
cle braking performance, reducing the brak-
ing distance in winter weather. SEAT recom-
mend that winter tyres be fitted to the vehicle
at temperatures below +7°C (+45°F).
The performance of winter tyres is much re-
duced if the tyre tread is worn below 4 mm
(1/16 inch). The age of the tyre is another
factor affecting performance, regardless of
the depth of the tyre tread.
Please observe the following when using
winter tyres:
● Observe legal requirements in each coun-
try .
● W

inter tyres must be fitted on all four
wheels.
● Only

use winter tyres in wintery weather
conditions.
296

Wheels and tyres
● On ly
u
se winter tyres of the size authorised
for the vehicle.
● Only use radial winter tyres of the same
type, size (r
olling circumference) and tread
pattern.
● Adjust speeds to within the limits indicated
(code lett
er on tyre) ››› .
S peed limit
A c ode l
etter indicating the speed limit is
stamped on all winter tyres ››› page 296.
In some vehicles, it is possible to set a speed
warning in the MFA (multifunction
display) menu on the instrument panel
›››  page 26.
If you use V-rated tyres the speed limits and
tyre pressure will be determined by engine
size. Please ask your technical service centre
for further information on the maximum per-
mitted speed and the required pressures for
the tyres.
All-wheel drive*
Thanks to its all-wheel drive, your car will
have plenty of traction in winter conditions,
even with the standard tyres. Nevertheless,
SEAT still recommend that winter tyres or all-
season tyres should be fitted on all four
wheels when winter road conditions are ex-
pected, mainly because this will give a better
braking response. Please observe all instructions and warnings
when usin

g snow chains ›››
 page 49. WARNING
Although winter tyres help to make driving
saf er in the w

inter, you should not take un-
necessary risks.
● Adjust your speed and driving style to visi-
bility
, road, traffic and weather conditions.
● Never exceed the maximum permitted
speed or loa
ds specified for the type of winter
tyre fitted on your vehicle. For the sake of the environment
When winter is over, change back to summer
tyr e

s when you have the time. In tempera-
tures above +7°C (+45°F), performance will
be improved if summer tyres are used. Fuel
consumption, wear and noises while driving
will all be reduced. Note
● If the v

ehicle is fitted with a tyre control
system, this should be “reprogrammed”
whenever a tyre is changed ››› page 236.
● Please ask at a technical service centre for
information about
the permitted sizes for
winter tyres. 297
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety