2016 Seat Alhambra service

Care and maintenance
Advice
C ar
e and m
aintenance
Accessories, replacement of
parts and modifications Introduction WARNING
The use of spare parts and accessories, or in-
corr ectly

performed modifications or repairs
may result in damage to the vehicle, acci-
dents and serious injury.
● SEAT strongly recommends you to only use
SEAT ap
proved accessories and SEAT ®
origi-
nal spare parts. These parts and accessories
have been specially tested by SEAT for suita-
bility, reliability and safety.
● Have any repairs or modifications carried
out at a s
pecialised workshop. These work-
shops have the necessary tools, diagnostics
equipment, repair information and qualified
personnel.
● Only mount parts with the same specifica-
tions a
s the parts fitted at factory.
● Never mount, fasten or fit objects such as
drink hol
ders or telephone cradles over the
covers of the airbag modules or within their
radius of action. ●
Only u

se wheels and tyre combinations
which have been approved by SEAT for your
vehicle type. Accessories and spare parts
SEAT recommends you consult an Official
Serv
ic

e before purchasing accessories and
spare parts or consumables. For example,
when fitting accessories at a later date, or
when replacing a component. A technical
service centre will advise you as to the legal
requirements and manufacturer's recommen-
dations regarding accessories, spare parts
and other components.
SEAT recommend you use only approved
SEAT accessories and genuine SEAT spare
parts ®
. These parts and accessories have
been specially tested by SEAT for suitability,
reliability and safety. In addition the techni-
cal service centre will guarantee that the as-
sembly is carried out professionally.
Although we continually monitor the market,
SEAT cannot guarantee that products not ap-
proved by SEAT are reliable, safe and suita-
ble for the vehicle. Therefore, SEAT cannot ac-
cept liability, even in those cases authorised
by an officially recognised technical inspec-
tion office or other official body.
Any retro-fitted equipment which has a direct
effect on the vehicle and/or the way it is driv- en must be approved by SEAT for use in your
vehic
l

e and bear the e mark (the European
Union's authorisation symbol). This includes
cruise control systems or electronically con-
trolled suspension.
If any additional electrical devices are fitted
which do not serve to control the vehicle it-
self, these must bear the  mark (European
Union manufacturer conformity declaration).
This includes refrigerator boxes, laptops or
ventilator fans. WARNING
Unprofessional repairs or modifications to
the v ehic

le may affect the performance of the
airbags, and may cause operating faults or fa-
tal accidents.
● Never mount, fasten or fit objects such as
drink hol
ders or telephone cradles over the
covers of the airbag modules or within their
radius of action.
● Objects placed over the airbag covers, or
within their ra
dius of action, could lead to se-
rious injury or loss of life if the airbags are
triggered. Service fluids and components
All vehicle fluids and consumables
, s
uc h a

s
notched belts, tyres, coolant fluids, engine
oils, spark plugs and batteries are continual-
ly being developed. Therefore all fluids and »
247
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Advice
consumables should be changed at a speci-
ali sed w
ork
shop. Technical services are per-
manently informed of any modifications. WARNING
The incorrect use or handling of fluids or con-
sum ab

les may result in accident, serious in-
jury, burns or intoxication.
● Therefore, fluids must always be stored
closed in their origin
al container.
● Never store fluids in empty food containers
or bottles
as other people may accidentally
drink the fluid.
● Keep all fluids and consumables out of
reac
h of children.
● Read and observe the information and
warning
s given on the fluid containers.
● Only work in the open air or in well-ventila-
ted z
ones, when using products which give
off harmful vapours.
● Never use fuel, turpentine, engine oil, ace-
tone or any
other volatile liquid in the main-
tenance of the vehicle. These are toxic and
highly flammable. They could lead to fire or
explosions! CAUTION
● Only u

se appropriate fluids. Do not confuse
fluids as this can cause serious malfunctions
or engine damage.
● Accessories and other components moun-
ted in front
of the air inlet reduce the cooling effect of the coolant. If the engine is running
under gr
e

at strain in high outside tempera-
tures, it could overheat. For the sake of the environment
Leaking fluids could pollute the environment.
C o l

lect any spilt fluids in suitable containers
and dispose of them in accordance with legis-
lation and with respect for the environment. Technical repairs and replacements
When performing repairs and technical mod-
ific
ation
s,

SEAT's directives must be ob-
served! ››› Unauthorised modifications to the electronic
c
omponents
or sof

tware in the vehicle may
cause malfunctions. Due to the way the elec-
tronic components are linked together in net-
works, other indirect systems may be affec-
ted by the faults. This may significantly affect
the vehicle's performance, increase compo-
nent wear and could mean that the vehicle
registration documents are no longer valid.
Your technical service centre cannot be held
liable for any damage caused by technical
modifications or repairs performed incorrect-
ly.
The technical service centre does not accept
liability for damage resulting from technical
modifications or repairs performed incorrect- ly; neither is the SEAT warranty valid in these
case

s.
SEAT recommends you have any technical
modifications or repairs performed at a tech-
nical service centre and that you use genuine
SEAT spare parts ®
.
Vehicles with special accessories and equip-
ment
The manufacturers of additional equipment
guarantee that the equipment complies with
applicable laws and regulations with respect
to the environment, in particular Directives
2000/53/CE and 2003/11/CE. The first direc-
tive governs the disposal of end-of-life vehi-
cles while the second refers to the restric-
tions on the marketing and use of certain
dangerous substances and preparations.
The vehicle owner should keep the documen-
tation for the additional equipment safely
and hand it over to the scrap yard at the end
of the vehicle's service life. This ensures that
any additional equipment mounted in end-of-
life vehicles is correctly disposed of with re-
spect for the environment. 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 systems. This
could result in serious accident. 248

Advice
The optimal reach of the equipment is only
ac hiev
ed w
ith an external aerial.
Check first with a specialised workshop that
understands the technical possibilities of in-
stallation if you wish to use a two-way radio
with a transmitting power of over 10 watts.
SEAT recommends taking your car in for tech-
nical service.
All legal requirements, together with the in-
structions for the use of two-way radios must
be observed. WARNING
If the two-way radio is not securely fastened
in pos ition, it

could be sent flying around the
vehicle in the event of sharp braking, sudden
manoeuvres or accident, causing injury.
● While driving, two-way radios must be se-
curely
fastened in position, outside the radi-
us of action of the airbags, or safely stowed
away. WARNING
When using a two-way radio without a con-
nection to an e xt

erior aerial, the maximum
permitted levels of electromagnetic radiation
may be exceeded. This is also the case if the
aerial has not been correctly installed.
● You should only use a two-way radio inside
the vehic
le if it has first been correctly con-
nected to an exterior aerial. Information stored by the control
u
nit
s Your vehicle is fitted at the factory with a ser-
ies
of

electronic control units responsible for
the engine and gearbox management. In ad-
dition, the control units supervise the per-
formance of the exhaust gas system and the
airbag systems.
Therefore, while the vehicle is being driven,
these electronic control units are continuous-
ly analysing the vehicle data. In the event of
faults or deviations from the theoretical val-
ues, only this data is stored. Normally, the
warning lamps on the instrument panel light
up in the event of faults.
This data can only be read and analysed us-
ing special equipment.
The storing of the data allows specialised
workshops to detect and repair faults. Stored
data may include:
● Data relating to the engine or the gearbox
● Speed
● Direction of travel
● Braking force
● Detection of seat belt
The v ehic

le control units never record conver-
sations held by passengers in the vehicle.
In vehicles equipped with an emergency call
function via the mobile phone or other appli- ances connected in the vehicle, it is possible
to send the v

ehicle position. If the control
unit records an accident with airbag activa-
tion, the system may automatically send a
signal. This will depend on the network oper-
ator. Normally, transmission is only possible
in areas with good coverage.
Event Data Recorder
The vehicle is not fitted with an event data re-
corder.
An event data recorder temporarily stores the
vehicle information. Therefore, in the event of
an accident, it is possible to obtain detailed
information about how the accident occur-
red. For example, in vehicles with airbag sys-
tems, data relating to speed of impact, seat
belt status, seat positions and airbag activa-
tion times may be stored. The volume of data
depends on the manufacturer.
Event data recorders can only be mounted
with authorisation from the vehicle owner
and, in some countries, they are governed by
local legislation.
Reprogramming control units
On the whole, all the data required for the
component management is stored in the con-
trol units. The programming of certain con-
venience functions, such as the turn signals,
individual door opening and instructions on
the display can be modified using special
250

Care and maintenance
equipment at the workshop. If this is the
c a
se, the inf
ormation and descriptions given
in the Instruction Manual will not match the
original functions. Therefore, SEAT recom-
mends that any modifications be recorded in
the section “Other workshop notes” in the
Maintenance Programme.
The technical service centre must have a re-
cord of any modification to the programming.
Reading the vehicle fault memory
There is a diagnostics connector in the vehi-
cle interior for reading the vehicle fault mem-
ory. The fault memory documents errors and
deviations from the theoretical values of the
electronic control units.
The diagnostics connector is in the driver
side footwell area, next to the lever for open-
ing the bonnet, below a cover.
The fault memory should only be read and re-
set by a specialised workshop.
Using a mobile telephone in a vehicle
without c
onnection to an exterior aer-
ial Mobile telephones transmit and receive radio
w
av
e

s, both when in use and when on stand-
by. Scientific studies state that radio waves
exceeding certain values may be harmful to
the human body. International committees and authorities have established limits and
directive

s in order to ensure electromagnetic
radiation from mobile phones remains within
certain limits that do not endanger health.
Nevertheless, there is no conclusive scientif-
ic evidence that wireless telephones are to-
tally safe.
Therefore, some experts recommend that use
of mobile phone be kept to a minimum until
the results of current research are published.
When a mobile phone not connected to an
exterior aerial is used inside the vehicle, the
electromagnetic radiation may be greater
than if the mobile phone were connected to a
built-in aerial or to another exterior aerial.
If the vehicle is fitted with a suitable hands-
free device, it will comply with the legislation
in many countries which only permits the use
of mobile phones inside vehicles using a
hands-free device.
The hands-free system mounted at the facto-
ry has been designed for use with conven-
tional mobile phones and phones with Blue-
tooth technology. Mobile phones should be
placed on a suitable phone cradle. In addi-
tion, the cradle should always be correctly fit-
ted into the base plate. This ensures that the
mobile phone is securely attached to the
dash panel, it is always within reach of the
driver and is connected to the vehicle exterior
aerial. If the mobile phone is connected to an aerial
incorporat
ed into the vehicle or an exterior
aerial connected to the vehicle, it will help re-
duce the electromagnetic radiation transmit-
ted and the risk to human health. It will also
improve the quality of the connection.
If the phone is used inside the vehicle with-
out the hands-free system, it will not be se-
curely fastened and will not be connected to
the exterior aerial of the vehicle telephone.
Nor will the telephone charge if it is not on
the support. In addition, some calls may
break off and the quality of the connection
will be affected.
Mobile phones should only be used inside
the vehicle if they are connected to a hands-
free system with an exterior aerial. WARNING
If the mobile phone is not securely fastened
in pos ition, it

could be sent flying around the
vehicle in the event of sharp braking, sudden
manoeuvres or accident, causing injury.
● While driving, mobile phones must be se-
curely
fastened in position, outside the radi-
us of action of the airbags, or safely stowed
away. WARNING
When using a mobile phone without a con-
nection to an e xt

erior aerial, the maximum
permitted levels of electromagnetic radiation » 251
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

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
removing grease do not eliminate the wax
depo s
its
››› .
S pec
i
al cleaning products or window cloths
are available at any technical service. To re-
move wax deposits, SEAT recommends the
following products:
● For the hottest time of the year: the
G 052 184 A1 window c
leaner for summer
use. Proportion 1:100 (1 part detergent,
100 parts water) in the windscreen washer
reservoir.
● All year round: window cleaning product
G 052 164 A2; proportion 1:2 in w
indscreen
washer container (1 part concentrate, 2 parts
water) in winter, up to -18 ℃ (-0.4 ºF), or 1:4,
during the rest of the year.
● Window cloths G 052 522 A1 for all win-
dows
and exterior mirrors.
Removing snow
Use a small brush to remove snow from the
windows and exterior mirrors.
Removing ice
If possible, use a de-icing spray to remove
ice. If you use an ice scraper, push it in one
direction only without swinging it. If you pull
the scraper backwards, the dirt may scratch
the window. WARNING
Dirty or misted windows reduce visibility in
al l

directions and increase the risk of acci-
dent and serious injury.
● Do not drive unless you have good visibility
through al
l windows!
● Remove ice and snow from the windows
and demist
inside and out. CAUTION
● Never mi x

our cleaning products with other
products not recommended by SEAT in the
windscreen washer reservoir. This could lead
to flocculation and may block the windscreen
washer jets.
● Do not use hot or warm water to remove ice
or snow fr
om the windows and exterior mir-
rors. The glass could crack!
● The heating element for the rear window is
located on the inner s
ide of the window. Do
not stick adhesive labels over the heating el-
ements and never clean the inside of the rear
window with corrosive or acid products or
other similar chemical cleaning products.
● Aerials on the inside of windows may be
damag
ed if knocked or if cleaned with corro-
sive or acid cleaning products. Do not stick
adhesive labels over the heating elements
and never clean the inside of the rear window
with corrosive or acid products or other simi-
lar chemical cleaning products. Caring for and polishing the vehicle
p
aintw
ork Waxing
Re
gu

lar waxing protects the paintwork. It is
time to apply a good coat of wax when water
no longer forms droplets and rolls off the
clean paintwork.
Even if a wax solution is used regularly in the
automatic car wash, SEAT recommends pro-
tecting the paint with a hard wax coating at
least twice a year.
Polishing
Polishing is only necessary if the paint has
lost its shine, and the gloss cannot be
brought back by applying wax.
If the polish does not contain wax, a wax
product should be applied after polishing. CAUTION
● To pr ev

ent damage, car polish or hard wax
should not be used on components painted in
matt paint, plastic components and the glass
headlamp and tail light covers.
● Do not polish the paintwork if it is dirty, ap-
ply po
lish in dusty or sandy zones.256

Care and maintenance
Notes for the user Label s
and p
latesSome parts in the engine compartment come
from the f
act

ory with certificates of safety, la-
bels or plates containing important informa-
tion regarding the operation of the vehicle,
for example, on the fuel tank flap, on the pas-
senger's sun visor, on the driver door strut, or
on the floor of the boot.
● Never remove these certificates of safety,
label s

or plates, and ensure they are kept in
good condition and are legible.
● If a vehicle part, bearing a certificate of
safety
, label or plate, is replaced, the special-
ised workshop should attach the information
back in the same place.
Certificate of safety
A certificate of safety on the door strut states
that all the safety standards and regulations
established by the national traffic authorities
responsible for road safety were met at the
time of manufacture. It may also give the
month and year of manufacture, together
with the chassis number.
Warning of high voltage label*
There is a label close to the bonnet lock
which warns of high voltage in the vehicle's
electrical system. The vehicle ignition system complies with several standards, including
the Cana

dian standard, ICES-002.
Using your vehicle in other countries
and continents The vehicle is manufactured at the factory for
use in a p
ar

ticular country in accordance with
the national legislation in force at the time of
manufacture.
If the vehicle is sold in another country or
used in another country for an extended peri-
od of time, the applicable legislation of that
country should be observed.
It may be necessary to fit or remove certain
pieces of equipment or to deactivate certain
functions. Service work may also be affected.
This is particularly true if the vehicle is used
in a different climate for an extended period
of time.
As there are different types of frequency
bands around the world, you may find that
the radio or navigation system supplied at
the factory does not work in another country. CAUTION
● SEA T doe

s not accept liability for any dam-
age to the vehicle due to the use of a lower
quality fuel, an inadequate service or the
non-availability of genuine spare parts. ●
SEA T doe

s not accept liability if the vehicle
does not comply in part or in full with the le-
gal requirements of other countries or conti-
nents. Radio and antenna reception
The aerial of radio and navigation systems
fitted at
the f

actory may be mounted in differ-
ent parts of the vehicle:
● On the inside of the rear window, next to
the re ar w

indow heating,
● on the inside of the rear side windows,
● on the inside of the windscreen,
● on the roof of the vehicle.
Aerials
mounted on the inside of a window
can be recognised by the fine wires. CAUTION
Aerials on the inside of windows may be dam-
aged if knoc

ked or if cleaned with corrosive or
acid cleaning products. Do not stick adhesive
labels over the heating elements and never
clean the inside of the rear window with cor-
rosive or acid products or other similar chem-
ical products. » 263
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

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