2016 Seat Alhambra check engine

Care and maintenance
CAUTION
● Never r ai
se the vehicle at the engine oil
sump, the gearbox or the rear or front axles.
● Always use an intermediate rubber support
to prev
ent damage to the vehicle underbody.
Check that the arms of the lifting platform are
able to move with obstruction.
● The arms should not come into contact with
the side runnin
g boards or other parts of the
vehicle. Caring for and cleaning the ve-
hic
l
e int

erior
Introduction Regular maintenance and washing help to
m
aint
ain the

value of the vehicle. This may
also be one of the requirements for acknowl-
edging warranty claims in the event of body-
work corrosion or paint defects.
Products suitable for the care of your vehicle
are available at any technical service. WARNING
Car-care products may be toxic and hazard-
ous. If c

ar care products are not suitable or
are used inappropriately, this could result in
accident, serious injury, burns or intoxica-
tion. ●
Car c ar

e products must always be stored in
the original container which should be kept
closed.
● Observe information provided by the manu-
factur
er.
● To prevent confusion, never store car care
products
in empty food cans, bottles or other
containers.
● Keep all care products out of reach of chil-
dren.
● Harmfu

l vapours may be produced when us-
ing car c
are products. Therefore, care prod-
ucts should only be used in well-ventilated
spaces or in the open air.
● Never use fuel, turpentine, engine oil, ace-
tone or any
other volatile liquid to wash,
clean or care for the vehicle. These are toxic
and highly flammable. WARNING
Inappropriate care and cleaning of vehicle
component s

may effect the vehicle safety
equipment, increasing the risk of severe in-
jury.
● Vehicle components should only be
cle
aned and maintained in accordance with
the manufacturer's instructions.
● Only use approved or recommended care
products. CAUTION
Cleaning products which contain solvents will
dam ag

e the material. For the sake of the environment
● Only w

ash the vehicle in areas allocated for
this purpose, to prevent dirty water which
may be contaminated by oil, grease or fuel,
from entering the drains. In some places,
washing it outside the planned areas is even
banned.
● Where possible, always use products which
res
pect the environment.
● The remains of car care products should not
be dispo
sed of with ordinary household
waste. Observe information provided by the
manufacturer. Washing the vehicle
The longer substances such as insects, bird
dr
op
pin

gs, resinous tree sap, road dirt, in-
dustrial deposits, tar, soot or road salt and
other aggressive materials remain on the ve-
hicle, the more damage they do to the paint-
work. High temperatures (for instance due to
strong sunlight) further intensify the corro-
sive effect. The vehicle undercarriage should
also be thoroughly washed at regular inter-
vals. »
253
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Advice
Protection of vehicle undercarriage The vehicle underbody is coated to protect it
from c
hemic
al and mechanical damage. The
protective coat on the undercarriage may
wear from use while driving. Therefore, SEAT
recommends that the protective coating on
the undercarriage and on the running gear
should be regularly checked, and repaired if
necessary. WARNING
Additional underseal or anti-corrosion prod-
ucts c

ould catch fire due to the high tempera-
tures reached by the exhaust gas system and
other engine components.
● Do not apply additional underseal or anti-
corro
sion products to the exhaust pipes, cat-
alytic converters, heat shields or other parts
of the vehicle which reach high temperatures. Cleaning the engine compartment
The engine compartment of any motor vehi-
c
l
e i

s a potentially hazardous area
››› page 272.
The engine compartment should only be
cleaned by qualified personnel. If it is not
correctly cleaned, the anti-corrosion coating
and consequently electrical components may
be damaged. Moreover, water may filter di- rectly into the vehicle interior through the wa-
ter ch

amber ››› .
If the en
gine c
ompartment is very dirty, al-
ways take the vehicle to a specialised work-
shop for professional cleaning. SEAT recom-
mends taking your car in for technical serv-
ice.
Water box
The water box is in the engine compartment,
between the windscreen and the engine, and
beneath a perforated cover. Air is taken in
through the water box from outside to the ve-
hicle interior via the heating and air condi-
tioner.
Leaves and other loose objects should be
regularly cleaned away from the water box ei-
ther by hand or with a vacuum. WARNING
When working on the engine or in the engine
comp ar

tment, there is a risk of injury, burns,
accident or fire.
● Before starting work, please ensure you are
famili
ar with the required procedure and the
safety precautions ››› page 272.
● SEAT recommends getting a specialised
workshop t
o do these jobs. CAUTION
If water is manually poured into the water box
(e.g. u s

ing a high pressure cleaning appli-
ance), this could cause significant damage to
the vehicle. For the sake of the environment
Only wash the engine compartment in areas
al loc

ated for this purpose, to prevent dirty
water which may be contaminated by oil,
grease or fuel, from entering the drains. In
some places, washing this compartment out-
side the planned areas is even banned. Caring for and cleaning the ve-
hic
l
e int

erior
Introduction The dye used in many modern garments, for
e
x
amp

le 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
258

Advice
Note
If electrical equipment is used near an aerial
bui lt
-into the window, you may observe inter-
ference in the reception of AM stations. Notes on SEAT repairs
WARNING
Repairs or modifications which are not per-
formed c orr

ectly may result in damage or er-
rors in the vehicle operation, affecting the ef-
fectiveness of the driver assist and airbag
systems. This could result in serious acci-
dent.
● Have any repairs or modifications carried
out at a s
pecialised workshop. Collection and scrapping of end-of-life
v
ehic
l

es Collection of end-of-life vehicles
An e
xt
en

sive network of used car reception
centres already exists in much of Europe. Af-
ter the vehicle has been delivered, you will
receive a certificate of destruction describing
the environmentally friendly scrapping of the
vehicle in accordance with applicable legisla-
tion. We will collect the used vehicle free of
char

ge, provided it complies with all national
legislation.
Please see your technical service for further
information about the collection and scrap-
ping of end-of-life vehicles.
Scrapping
The relevant safety requirements must be ob-
served when the vehicle or components of
the airbag or belt tensioner systems are
scrapped. These requirements are known to
specialised workshops. Checking and refilling levels
Fi l
lin
g the tank
Introduction The fuel tank flap is on the rear right of the
vehic
l

e. WARNING
Refuelling or handling fuel carelessly can
cau se an e

xplosion or fire resulting in serious
burns and injuries.
● Always make sure that you correctly close
the fuel c
ap to avoid evaporation and fuel
spillage.
● Fuels are highly explosive and inflammable
subs
tances that can cause serious burns and
injuries.
● Fuel could leak out or be spilt if the engine
is not
switched off or if the filler fuel nozzle is
not fully inserted into the tank filler neck
when refuelling. This could lead to a fire, ex-
plosion and severe injuries.
● When refuelling, turn off the engine, the
auxili
ary heating ( ››› page 180) and turn off
the ignition for safety reasons.
● Always turn off mobile telephones, radio
appar
atus and other radio wave emitting
equipment before refuelling. Electromagnetic
waves could cause sparks and lead to a fire. 264

Checking and refilling levels
●
Never ent er the
vehicle while refuelling. If it
is absolutely necessary to enter, close the
door and touch a metal surface before touch-
ing the filler nozzle again. This will prevent
the generation of static electricity. Sparks
could cause a fire when refuelling.
● Never handle fuel close to flames, sparks or
obj
ects with slow combustion (e.g. ciga-
rettes).
● Avoid static electricity and electro-magnet-
ic ra
diation when refuelling.
● Observe the safety regulations of the serv-
ice st
ation.
● Never spill fuel on the vehicle or in the lug-
gage c
ompartment. WARNING
For safety reasons, SEAT does not recommend
carr y

ing a spare fuel canister in the vehicle.
Fuel could be spilled and catch fire, above all
in case of an accident and this applies to a
full container as well as empty containers.
This could lead to explosions, fires and inju-
ries.
● Observe the following if you exceptionally
have t
o carry fuel in a canister:
– Never place a fuel container to fill it in-
side the vehicle or on the vehicle, for ex-
ample, in the boot or on the hatch. Filling
in these circumstances could create an
electrostatic charge and spark that could
ignite fuel fumes. –
Alw a

ys place the canister on the ground
to fill it.
– Insert the fuel nozzle into the neck of the
canister as far as possible.
– If you are using a metal fuel canister, the
nozzle must always touch the canister
while it is being filled to avoid static elec-
tricity.
– Follow the legal requirements for the use,
storage and transport of spare fuel canis-
ters.
– Insure that the fuel container complies
with manufacturing standards, for exam-
ple, ANSI or ASTM F852-86. CAUTION
● Alw a

ys remove any fuel spilled on the vehi-
cle paintwork immediately to avoid damage
to the wheel housing, the tyre and vehicle
paintwork.
● Refuelling a petrol engine with diesel or a
diesel en
gine with petrol can cause serious
engine and fuel system damage; the resulting
malfunctions are not covered by the SEAT
warranty. If you refuel with the wrong type of
fuel, never start the engine. This applies to
even the smallest amount of the wrong fuel.
Seek specialist assistance. With the engine
running, the composition of the wrong fuel
could significantly damage the fuel system
and the engine itself.
● In vehicles with a diesel engine, under no
circ
umstances should you refuel or drive with petrol, kerosene, heating oil or any other
type of
diff

erent fuel. Other types of fuels
could cause serious damage to the engine
and to the fuel supply system and the result-
ing problems are not covered by the SEAT
warranty. For the sake of the environment
Fuels can contaminate the environment. Col-
l ect an

y spilt service fluids and allow a pro-
fessional to dispose of them. Note
There is no emergency mechanism for the
manua l

release of the fuel tank flap. If neces-
sary, request assistance from specialised per-
sonnel. 265
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Checking and refilling levels
● Do not c
ontinue t
o refuel if it is turned off!
Otherwise, this will fill the expansion cham-
ber and fuel may leak out if the ambient con-
ditions are warm. WARNING
Do not continue refilling once the fuel nozzle
ha s

switched itself off. The fuel tank may be
filled too much. As a result, fuel may spurt
out and spill. This could lead to a fire, explo-
sion and severe injuries. CAUTION
● Alw a

ys remove any fuel spilled on the vehi-
cle paintwork immediately to avoid damage
to the wheel housing, the tyre and vehicle
paintwork. For the sake of the environment
Spilt fuel can contaminate the environment. Fuel
Intr oduction You will find a factory-fitted sticker containing
inf
orm
ation on the type of

fuel for your vehi-
cle on the inside of the fuel tank flap. WARNING
Refuelling or handling fuel carelessly can
cau se an e

xplosion or fire resulting in serious
burns and injuries.
● Fuel is a highly explosive, easily flammable
subs
tance.
● Observe current safety instructions and lo-
cal
regulations concerning the handling of
fuel. Types of fuel
The type of fuel to use when refilling will de-
pend on the
v
ehic

le's engine. You will find a
factory-fitted sticker containing information
on the type of fuel for your vehicle on the in-
side of the fuel tank flap.
SEAT recommends the use of sulphur-free or
low sulphur fuel to reduce consumption and
prevent engine damage.
Possible types of fuel
91 a)
RONNormal petrol, normal unleaded
petrol ››› page 267
95 a)
RONPremium unleaded petrol (95 RON)
››› page 267
98 a)
RONPremium unleaded petrol 98
››› page 267
Possible types of fuel
Diesel››› page 268
a)
RON = Regulation Octane Number
Petrol Petrol types
Vehic
l

es with petrol engines must refuel us-
ing unleaded petrol according to European
norm EN 228 ››› .
P etr
o

l types are categorised according to
their octane number (e.g. 91, 95, 98 or 99
RON (RON = “Research Octane Number”).
You may use petrol with a high octane num-
ber than the one recommended for your en-
gine. However, this has no advantage in
terms of fuel consumption and engine power.
SEAT recommends refuelling with a low sul-
phur content or sulphur-free petrol to reduce
fuel consumption for petrol engines.
Petrol additives
The quality of the fuel influences the behav-
iour, power and service life of the engine.
This is why the petrol you use should carry
suitable additives already included by the
petrol industry, free of metals. These addi-
tives will help to prevent corrosion, keep the
fuel system clean and prevent deposits from
building up in the engine. »
267
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Checking and refilling levels
Auxiliary heater
V ehic
l
es with a diesel engine may be fitted
with an auxiliary heater. The heater runs off
the fuel from the fuel tank. On doing so,
smells and steam may be noticed outside the
vehicle for a short period. This is normal and
it is not an indication of a fault in the vehicle.
Whenever there is little fuel in the tank (re-
serve), the auxiliary heater automatically
switches off. WARNING
Never use start boosters. An aerosol start
boos t

er could explode or cause a sudden rise
in engine speed leading to engine damage
and serious injury. CAUTION
● The v ehic

le is not prepared for the use of
biodiesel. Never, under any circumstances re-
fuel with biodiesel. It could damage the fuel
system and subsequently lead to engine
faults!
● The addition of biodiesel to diesel by the
diesel pr
oducer according to Standard EN 590
or other equivalent (DIN 51628 in Germany,
for example) is authorised and causes no
type of damage to the engine or the fuel sys-
tem.
● The diesel engine has been designed for to
use diesel
fuel exclusively. Therefore, never
use petrol, fuel oil or other unsuitable fuels. The composition of these fuels may signifi-
cantly
d

amage the fuel system and the en-
gine.
● The use of diesel fuels with a high sulphur
percent
age could considerably reduce the
service life of the diesel particulate filter.
Your technical service centre will be able to
tell you which countries have diesel with a
high sulphur content. Information on fuel consumption
The consumption and emission values indi-
c
at
ed do not

refer to one specific vehicle.
They are only to be used to compare the val-
ues of the different vehicle versions. The fuel
consumption and CO 2 emissions of a vehicle
not only depend on the effective use of fuel.
They also depend on your driving style and
other non-technical factors.
Calculation of fuel consumption
Fuel consumption and emission values are
determined according to the current version
of the 715/2007/EC or 80/1268/EEC regula-
tion and are valid for the vehicle kerb weight.
The specifications do not refer to an individu-
al vehicle. Two measuring cycles are carried
out on a rolling road test bed to calculate fuel
consumption. The test criteria are as follows:
Urban cycle
Measurement of the urban cycle
starts with an engine cold start. City
driving is simulated below at be-
tween 0 and 50 km/h (31 mph).
Road cycle
In the road cycle simulation, the car
undergoes frequent acceleration and
braking in all gears, as in normal ev-
eryday driving. The road speed rang-
es from 0 to 120 km/h (0 to 75 mph).
Combined
The average combined consumption
is calculated with a weighting of
around 37 % for the urban cycle and
63 % for the road cycle.
CO 2 emissions
of the combina-
tion
The exhaust gases are collected dur-
ing both driving cycles to calculate
carbon dioxide emissions (urban and
road). The gas composition is then
analysed to evaluate the CO 2 content
and other emissions. Note
● The kerb w eight

may vary according to the
vehicle equipment. This could raise consump-
tion and the CO 2 emissions slightly.
● In practice, consumption values could be
different
to the values calculated based on
the 715/2007/EC or 80/1268/EEC regula-
tions. 269
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Advice
Selective catalytic reduction*
(AdBlue) Intr oduction In vehicles with “Selective Catalytic Reduc-
tion”, a spec
i
al urea solution (AdBlue) is in-
jected into the exhaust gas system in front of
the catalytic converter to reduce nitrogen ox-
ide emissions.
The consumption of AdBlue depends on indi-
vidual driving style, the temperature at which
the system operates and the outside temper-
ature where the vehicle is driven.
AdBlue is kept in an independent tank in the
vehicle and should be refilled at an official
supplier. The AdBlue tank holds about 17 li-
tres.
The AdBlue fill level must be checked when
the vehicle is being serviced. WARNING
If the AdBlue fill level is too low, the vehicle
ma y

not restart after switching the ignition
off. The emergency start or jump start will not
be possible either!
● Top up with AdBlue at the latest 1,000 km
or 600 mile
s before it runs out.
● Do not allow the AdBlue to run too low. WARNING
AdBlue is an irritant, corrosive liquid that can
cau se injurie

s if it touches the skin, eyes or
respiratory organs.
● If AdBlue get in contact with eyes and skin,
rinse for at
least 15 minutes with plenty of
water and seek medical help.
● If the AdBlue is swallowed, wash your
mouth with pl
enty of water for at least 15 mi-
nutes. Do not try to provoke vomiting unless
recommended by a Doctor. Seek medical ad-
vice immediately. CAUTION
AdBlue damages surfaces such as painted ve-
hicl e p

arts, plastic, items of clothing and car-
pets. Spilt AdBlue should be removed as
quickly as possible using a damp cloth and
plenty of cold water.
● If the AdBlue has crystallised, remove with
warm wat
er and a sponge. Warning and indication lamps

It lights up red
The engine can-
not be restarted!
The level of
AdBlue is too
low.Stop the vehicle in a suitable, safe
and flat area then top up with the
minimum quantity of AdBlue re-
quired
››› page 271. 
It lights up red
together with

The engine can-
not be restarted!
AdBlue system
malfunction.Contact a specialised workshop.
Have the system checked there.

It lights up yellow
The AdBlue re-
serve is low.Refill AdBlue over the next kilome-
tres or miles as indicated
››› page 271. SEAT recommends
contacting a specialised workshop. 
It lights up yellow
together with

There is a fault
in the AdBlue
system or un-
suitable AdBlue
fluid has been
used.
Contact a specialised workshop.
Have the system checked there.
Several warning and indication lamps should
light
up f
or a f

ew seconds when the ignition
is switched on, signalling that the function is
being verified. They will switch off after a few
seconds.
270

Checking and refilling levels
WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ››› in Warning
and indication l amp
s on page 105. Information on AdBlue
A message will be displayed on the dash
panel
ar

ound 2,400 km before the next serv-
ice to indicate that AdBlue must be refilled
››› page 271. If you ignore this message and
do not refill, you will be unable to start the
engine afterwards ›››
page 270.
SEAT recommends contacting a specialised
workshop. If not possible, it should be parti-
ally filled with a minimum 5.0 litres of
AdBlue. Only refill using AdBlue expressly
approved by SEAT.
When the indicators  and  light simulta-
neously, there is a fault. SEAT recommends
visiting the closest specialised workshop.
AdBlue ®
is a registered trademark in the US,
Germany, the European Union and other
countries belonging to the German automo-
bile industry association (“"Verband der Au-
tomobilindustrie e. V."”, VDA). Refilling AdBlue
Fig. 237
At the rear left of the luggage com-
p ar
tment: AdBlue t

ank, behind a cover panel Fig. 238
AdBlue tank with filler neck cap and
r efi
l

ling bottle To refill AdBlue, the vehicle must be on flat
gr
ou
nd and not, f

or example, parked on a
kerb or slope. If the vehicle is not on flat
ground then the filling indicator cannot
measure the filling quantity. »
271
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety