2018 Seat Alhambra Owner's Manual

Care and maintenance
vehicle in question by SEAT. Seat belts which
hav
e been w
orn in an accident and stretched
must be replaced by a specialised workshop.
Renewal may be necessary even if there is no
apparent damage. The belt anchorage should
also be checked. Notes for the user
Labels and p

latesSome parts in the engine compartment come
fr
om 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,
labels
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 ye

ar 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 Canadian standard, ICES-002.
Using your vehicle in other countries
and continents The vehicle is manufactured at the factory for
u
se 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 factor

y 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.
● SEAT does 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
fitt
ed at
the f

actory may be mounted in differ-
ent parts of the vehicle:
● On the inside of the rear window, next to
the rear 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 » 263
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Advice
labels over the heating elements and never
cl
e
an the inside of the rear window with cor-
rosive or acid products or other similar chem-
ical products. Note
If electrical equipment is used near an aerial
b ui 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
vehicl

e in accordance with applicable legisla-
tion.
We will collect the used vehicle free of
charge, 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

Advice
Control lamps and fuel gauge Fig. 235
On the instrument panel: Fuel gauge
f or petr
o
l and diesel 
Lights up.
Position of the gauge in
the red (arrow)
››› Fig. 235
The fuel tank is al-
most empty ››› . The
fuel reserve is being
used ››› page 40.Refuel as soon as possible
››› . 
It lights up
Fuel tank not closed
correctly.Stop the vehicle and close the
tank flap properly.
Several warning and control lamps light up
f
or a f
ew sec

onds when the ignition is switch-
ed on, signalling that the function is being
verified. They will switch off after a few sec-
onds. When the  or  contro

l lamp lights up, the
auxiliary heater running and the supplemen-
tary heater automatically switch off. WARNING
Driving with insufficient fuel reserve could re-
su lt

in the vehicle breaking down in traffic
and a serious accident.
● If the fuel level is too low then the fuel sup-
ply t
o the engine can become irregular espe-
cially on slopes.
● If the engine “is choked” or stalls due to
lack
of or irregularity of the fuel supply, the
power steering as well as all of the driver as-
sistance systems including braking assis-
tance will stop working.
● Always refuel when there is only one quar-
ter of the f
uel tank left to avoid running out of
fuel. CAUTION
● Alw a

ys pay attention to any lit control
lamps and to the corresponding descriptions
and instructions to avoid damage to the vehi-
cle.
● Never run the fuel tank completely dry. An
irregu
lar fuel supply may lead to ignition
faults and unburnt fuel could enter the ex-
haust system. This could damage the catalyt-
ic converter filter or the diesel particulate fil-
ter! Note
The arrow next to the fuel pump symbol on
the ins trument

panel ››› Fig. 235 indicates the
side of the vehicle on which the fuel tank flap
is located. Refuelling
Fig. 236
Open fuel tank flap with tank cap in
the ho l
der Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 40
Refuelling
The correct petrol type for the vehicle is loca-
ted on a sticker inside the fuel tank flap
››› page 267.
● If the automatic filler nozzle is operated
correctly
, it will switch itself off as soon as
the tank is full ››› .
266

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
Ty pe

s of petrol The correct grade of petrol is listed inside the
f
uel
t

ank flap.
The vehicle is equipped with a catalytic con-
verter and must only be run on unleaded pet-
rol. The petrol must comply with European
Standard EN 228 or German standard DIN 51626-1 and must be
unl
eaded. You can re-
fuel with a maximum ethanol proportion of
10 % (E10). The types of petrol are differenti-
ated by their octane rating (RON).
The following titles appear on the corre-
sponding adhesive on the fuel tank flap:
Super unleaded 95 octane or normal 91 oc-
tane unleaded petrol
We recommend you use super 95 octane pet-
rol. If this is not available: normal 91 octane
petrol, with a slight decrease in power.
Super unleaded petrol with a minimum of 95
octanes
You should use super petrol with a minimum
of 95 octanes.
If super is not available, in an emergency you
may refuel with normal 91 octane petrol. In
this case only use moderate engine speeds
and a light throttle. Refuel with super as soon
as possible.
Super unleaded 98 octane or super 95 oc-
tane unleaded petrol
We recommend you use super plus 98 octane
petrol. If this is not available: super 95 oc-
tane petrol, with a slight decrease in power.
If super is not available, in an emergency you
may refuel with normal 91 octane petrol. In
this case only use moderate engine speeds and a light throttle. Refuel with super as soon
as po
ssible.
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.
If good-quality petrol with metal-free addi-
tives is not available or engine problems
arise, the necessary additives must be added
when refuelling ››› .
Not al
l

petrol additives have been shown to
be effective. The use of unsuitable petrol ad-
ditives may cause significant damage to the
engine and the catalytic converter. Metal ad-
ditives should never be used. Metal additives
may also be contained in petrol additives for
improving anti-detonation ratings or octane
ratings ››› .
S EA
T r

ecommends “genuine Volkswagen
Group Fuel Additives for petrol engines”.
These additives can be bought at SEAT deal-
ers, where information on how to use them
can also be obtained. »
267
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Advice
CAUTION
● Do not r ef
uel if the filler indicates that the
fuel contains metal. LRP ( lead replacement
petrol) fuels contain high concentrations of
metal additives. Using them may damage the
engine!
● Never refuel with fuels containing a large
proportion of
ethanol (for example, E50, E85).
This could damage the fuel system.
● Just filling one full tank of leaded fuel or
fuel c
ontaining other metal additives would
seriously impair the efficiency of the catalytic
converter.
● Only use fuel additives that have been ap-
prov
ed by SEAT. Octane boosting or anti-
knock additives may contain metal additives
that could seriously damage the engine or
the catalytic converter. These additives must
not be used.
● High engine speed and full throttle can
damag
e the engine when using petrol with an
octane rating lower than the correct grade for
the engine. Note
● You m a

y use petrol with a high octane num-
ber than the one recommended for your en-
gine.
● In those countries where unleaded petrol is
not avai
lable, you may refuel with a fuel with
a low lead content. Diesel fuel
Please note the information on the inside of
the fuel
t

ank flap.
We recommend the use of diesel fuel which
complies to European standard EN 590. If
diesel fuel which meets European standard
EN 590 is not available, the Cetane number
(CZ) must, at minimum, be 51. If the engine
is equipped with a particulate filter, the sul-
phur content of the fuel must be below 50
parts per million.
Winter-grade diesel
Summer fuel becomes thicker in winter and it
is more difficult to start the engine. For this
reason, petrol stations in some countries al-
so offer winter diesel with improved fluidity
when cold (winter-grade diesel). CAUTION
● The v ehic

le is not designed for the use of
FAME fuel (biodiesel). The fuel system would
be damaged if you used biodiesel.
● Do not mix fuel additives, the so-called
“thinners”, petro
l or similar additives with
diesel fuel.
● If poor-quality diesel fuel is used, it may be
neces
sary to drain the fuel filter more fre-
quently than is specified in the Maintenance
Programme. We recommend having this done
by a specialised workshop. If water is allowed to collect in the filter, this can cause engine
perf
orm

ance problems. Selective catalytic reduction*
(AdBlue)
Introduction 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 approxi-
mately 17 litres.
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! 268

Checking and refilling levels
●
Top up w ith AdBlue at
the latest 1,000 km
or 600 miles before it runs out.
● Do not allow the AdBlue to run too low. WARNING
AdBlue is an irritant, corrosive liquid that can
c au 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. Control and warning lamps

It lights up red
The engine cannot
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 required ››› page 270. 
It lights up redtogether with

The engine cannot
be restarted! AdBlue
system malfunction.Contact a specialised workshop.
Have the system checked there.

It lights up yellow
The AdBlue reserve
is low.
Refill AdBlue over the next kilo-
metres or miles as indicated
››› page 270. SEAT recommends
contacting a specialised work-
shop. 
It lights up yellowtogether with

There is a fault in
the AdBlue system
or unsuitable
AdBlue fluid has
been used.
Contact a specialised workshop.
Have the system checked there. Several warning and control 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. WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ›››
in Control
and warnin g l
amps on page 107. Information on AdBlue
A message will be displayed on the dash
p
anel
ar

ound 2,400 km before the next serv-
ice to indicate that AdBlue must be refilled
››› page 270. If you ignore this message and
do not refill, you will be unable to start the
engine afterwards ›››
page 269.
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  and  warning lamps light up
simultaneously, there is a fault. SEAT recom-
mends visiting the closest specialised work-
shop.
AdBlue ®
is a registered trademark in the US,
Germany, the European Union and other »
269
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Advice
countries belonging to the German automo-
b i
l
e 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. Opening the tank filling neck
● Open the rear lid.
● Rotate the shut off on the cover clockwise
›››
Fig. 237 and open the cover forwards.
● Unscrew the tank filler neck cap ›››
Fig. 238
1 anticlockwise.
R efi
l
ling AdBlue
Only use AdBlue that is approved by SEAT
and that complies with ISO 22241-1 Stand-
ard. Only use genuine bottles.
● Observe the instructions and information
prov
ided by the refill bottle manufacturer.
● Observe the expiry date.
● Unscrew the cap on the refill bottle.
● Place the refill bottle 2 upside down in-
s ide the t
ank

filler neck.
● Press the refill bottle against the filler neck
and keep in this
position.
● Add at least 5.0 litres of AdBlue (6 bottles).
A lower quantity
would be insufficient.
● Wait until the contents of the refill bottle
have been pour
ed into the AdBlue tank. Do
not crush or damage the bottle!
● Unscrew the liquid bottle anticlockwise and
remov
e it carefully ››› .
● You can tell when the AdBlue tank is full
bec au
se the bottl

e will be empty.
270