2018 Seat Alhambra brake pads

The essentials
Warning lamps C ontr
o
l and warning lamps Red warning lamps
 
Do not continue driving!
The electronic parking brake is
on, the brake fluid level is too
low or the brake system is faul-
ty.
››› page
188  
Do not continue driving!
Fault in the engine cooling sys-
tem.››› page
277  
Do not continue driving!
Engine oil pressure too low.››› page
274  
Do not continue driving!
At least one of the vehicles
doors is open, or is not correct-
ly closed.››› page
121  
Do not continue driving!
The rear lid is open or is incor-
rectly closed.››› page
124  
Do not continue driving!
Fault in the steering.››› page
198 
Engine cannot be started
again!
“AdBlue” too low.›››
page
268 
Driver or passenger has not fas-
tened seat belt.›››
page
65 
Use the foot brake!
Change
››› page
193
Brake
››› page
188 
Faulty generator.›››
page
283 Yellow warning lamps

Front brake pads worn.
›››
page
188 
lights up
: ESC malfunction or
off.
flashes: ESC working. 
ASR manually deactivated.

ABS faulty or does not work.

Electronic parking brake faulty.›››
page
188 
Rear fog light switched on.›››
page
130 
lights up
: Driving light totally or
partially faulty.››› page
92
flashes: Fault in the adaptive
light system.››› page
130 
lights up or flashes
: fault in the
emission control system.
››› page
202 
lights up
: pre-heating of diesel
engine.
flashes: fault in the diesel en-
gine management. 
fault in the petrol engine man-
agement.

Diesel particulate filter blocked

Fault in the steering system.›››
page
198 
Tyre pressure too low.›››
page
287
Fault in the tyre pressure
gauge.››› page
234 
Level of windscreen washer flu-
id too low.›››
page
137 
Fuel tank almost empty.›››
page
264 
flashes: engine oil sensor faul-
ty.
›››
page
274
lights up : insufficient engine
oil. 
Fault in airbag system and seat
belt tensioners.›››
page
73 

Front passenger front airbag is
disabled (  
 ).
››› page
73 34

Operation
Note
The correct operation of the vehicle is only
guarant eed when origin
al SEAT keys are
used. Braking and parking
Introduction The assisted braking systems include the an-
ti-loc
k

braking system (ABS), the brake assist
system (BAS), the electronic differential lock
(EDL), the traction control system (ASR) and
the electronic stability control (ESC). WARNING
Driving with worn brake pads or a faulty
brak e sy

stem may lead to serious accident.
● If  lights, alone or accompanied by a
warnin
g message on the instrument panel
display, please go immediately to a special-
ised workshop to check the brake pads and to
replace them if they are worn. WARNING
Careless parking can cause serious injury.
● Never remove the key from the ignition if
the v ehic

le is in motion. The steering lock
may engage and lock the steering wheel mak-
ing the vehicle impossible to control. ●
Alw a

ys park your vehicle so that no part of
the exhaust system can come in contact with
flammable materials (such as wood, leaves,
dried grass, spilled fuel, etc.).
● Always apply the electronic parking brake
when you l
eave your vehicle and when you
park.
● Never leave children or disabled people
alone in the v
ehicle. They could release the
electronic parking brake, activate the selec-
tor lever or gear stick and start the vehicle
moving. This could result in a serious acci-
dent.
● Always take all the keys with you whenever
you le
ave the vehicle. The engine could acci-
dentally be started and electrical equipment
such as the windows could accidentally be
operated resulting in serious injury.
● Never leave children or disabled people
alone in the car
. They could be trapped in the
car in an emergency and will not be able to
get themselves to safety. For example, de-
pending on the time of the year, tempera-
tures inside a locked and closed vehicle can
be extremely high or extremely low resulting
in serious injuries and illness or even death,
particularly for young children. CAUTION
● Spec i

al care should be taken when parking
in areas with high kerbs or fixed barriers. Ob-
jects protruding from the ground may dam-
age the bumper or other parts of the vehicle during manoeuvres. To avoid damage, stop
befor
e the wheel

s touch the barrier or kerb.
● Special attention is required when driving
through entranc
es, over ramps, kerbs or oth-
er objects. The vehicle underbody, bumpers,
mudguards and running gear, and the engine
and exhaust system could be damaged as
you drive over these objects. Control and warning lamps

It lights up red
Together with the control lamp on the
button: Electronic
parking brake on.›››
page 190
Fault in the brake sys-
tem  Stop the vehicle!
Seek professional assistance!
››› page 192.
Brake fluid level inad-
equate.  Do not drive on!
Check brake fluid level
››› page 282.
Together with the ABS
control lamp : ABS
fault.Contact a specialised work-
shop. The vehicle can be
braked without ABS. 
It lights up red
Brake pedal not press-
ed!Press brake pedal to the floor.
188

Driving
It lights up yellow
Front brake pads
worn.Contact a specialised work-
shop immediately. Inspect
all
the brake pads and replace as
necessary. 
It lights up yellow
ESC disconnected by
the system.Switching the ignition on and
off If necessary, drive for a
short distance.
Fault in the ESC.Contact a specialised work-
shop.
Together with the ABS
control lamp : Fault
in the ABS.Contact a specialised work-
shop. The vehicle can be
braked without ABS.
The battery has been
reconnected.››› page 283 
It lights up yellow
ASR manually deacti-
vated.Switch on ASR
››› page 207.
ASR is automatically activated
when the ignition is switched
on or off. 
It lights up yellow
Together with the ESC
control lamp : Fault
in the ABS.Contact a specialised work-
shop. The vehicle can be
braked without ABS.
Together with the
warning lamp  o: ABS fault. 
It lights up yellow
Together with the warning lamp flash-
ing: electronic parking
brake faulty.Contact a specialised work-
shop.

It lights up green
Brake pedal not press-
ed.
Press the brake pedal to select
a gear range.
Press the brake pedal to dis-
connect the electronic parking
brake
››› page 190. 
Flashes red
Electronic parking
brake faulty. At the
same time the
 con-
trol lamp may light up
or the
 control lamp
on the button may
flash.
Contact a specialised work-
shop, as it may not be possi-
ble to park the vehicle in safe-
ty. 
It flashes yellow
ESC or ASR regulating.Take your foot off the accelera-
tor. Adjust your driving style to
the road conditions.
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. WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ›››
in Control
and warnin g l
amps on page 107. WARNING
Driving with brakes in bad condition could re-
su lt

in a serious accident.
● If the brake warning lamp  does not
turn
off or if it lights up when driving, the brake
fluid level in the reservoir is too low or there
is a fault in the brake system. Obtain profes-
sional assistance immediately ››› page 281,
Checking the brake fluid level.
● If the brake warning lamp  lights up t
o-
gether with the ABS warning lamp , the
ABS regulation could be malfunctioning. As a
result, the rear wheels can lock relatively
easily when braking. If the rear wheels lock
this could result in loss of vehicle control! If
possible, reduce your speed and drive care-
fully to a specialised workshop close by to
check the brake system. During the following
journey, avoid sudden braking and manoeu-
vres.
● If the ABS warning lamp  does not
go out
or if it lights up while driving, the ABS is not
working properly. The vehicle can only be
stopped using normal braking without ABS.
The protection provided by the ABS is not
available. Visit a specialised workshop as
soon as possible.
● If the  lights up
, alone or accompanied by
a warning message on the instrument panel » 189
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
display, please go immediately to a
spec
i
alised workshop to check the brake
pads and to replace them if they are worn. Electronic parking brake
Fig. 200
Detailed view of the centre console:
el ectr
onic

parking brake switch Applying the electronic parking brake
The p
ark
in

g brake can be applied whenever
the vehicle is at a standstill, even when the
ignition is switched off. Always apply the
parking brake when you leave your vehicle
and when you park.
● Pull the  button u
ntil the control lamp 
on the button lights up.
● The parking brake is applied when the 
contro
l lamp lights up on the instrument pan-
el ››› page 188. Disengaging the electronic parking brake
● Switch the ignition on.
● Press the  button. At
the same time,
press the brake pedal hard or gently press
the accelerator pedal with the engine switch-
ed on.
● The control lamps  on the button and

on the instrument panel go off.
Automatic release of the electronic parking
brake on starting the engine
The electronic parking brake is automatically
released when the vehicle starts moving, if
the driver door is closed and the driver is
wearing his/her seat belt. In addition, in ve-
hicles with a manual gearbox the clutch ped-
al should also be pressed to the floor before
starting the engine so that the system recog-
nises that the parking brake should be re-
leased.
Emergency braking function
Only use the emergency braking function if
the vehicle cannot be stopped with the brake
pedal ››› !
● Pull the  butt
on f
or a longer duration to
brake the vehicle hard. The warning display
will be accompanied by the corresponding
audible warning.
● To stop the braking process, release the
button or pr
ess the accelerator. WARNING
The incorrect use of the electronic parking
brak e m

ay result in serious accident.
● Never use the electronic parking brake to
brake the
vehicle except in an emergency.
The braking distance is considerably longer,
because braking is only applied to the rear
wheels. Always use the foot brake.
● Never accelerate from the engine compart-
ment with the en
gine running and a gear or a
gear range engaged. The vehicle could move,
even if the parking brake is applied. Note
● In v ehic

les with a manual gearbox: when
the clutch pedal is released and the accelera-
tor pressed at the same time, the electronic
parking brake is automatically released.
● If the vehicle battery is flat, it will not be
poss
ible to disconnect the electronic parking
brake. Use the jump-start ›››
 page 52.
● When the electronic parking brake is ap-
plied or rel
eased, noises may be heard.
● If the electronic parking brake has not been
used for a lon
g while, the system sometimes
performs automatic and audible checks while
the vehicle is at a standstill. Parking
When parking your vehicle, all legal require-
ments
shou
l

d be observed.
190

Driving
To park the vehicle
C omp
l
ete operations only in the sequence
given.
● Park the vehicle on a suitable surface ›››
.
● Press and hold the brake pedal until the ve-
hic l
e c

omes to a standstill.
● Connect the electronic parking brake
›››
page 190.
● For an automatic gearbox, move the selec-
tor lev
er to position P.
● Switch off the engine and release the brake
pedal.
● R

emove the key from the ignition.
● If necessary, turn the steering wheel slight-
ly to loc
k the steering.
● With a manual gearbox, engage 1st gear on
flat gr
ound and slopes, or even reverse gear
on hills, and release the clutch pedal.
● Ensure that all passengers leave the vehi-
cle, e
specially children.
● When leaving the vehicle, take all keys with
you.
● Loc

k the vehicle.
Additiona
l information for steep ascents and
descents
Before switching off the engine, rotate the
steering wheel so that if the vehicle should
move, it will be held by the kerb. ●
On slopes, t
urn the front wheels so that
they are against the edge of the kerb.
● Uphill, turn the wheels towards the centre
of the ro
ad. WARNING
The components of the exhaust system reach
ver y

high temperatures. This could cause a
fire and considerable damage.
● Always park your vehicle so that no part of
the exhau
st system can come in contact with
flammable materials (such as wood,
leaves,dried grass, or spilled fuel). CAUTION
● Spec i

al care should be taken when parking
in areas with high kerbs or fixed barriers. Ob-
jects protruding from the ground may dam-
age the bumper or other parts of the vehicle
during manoeuvres. To avoid damage, stop
before the wheels touch the barrier or kerb.
● Special attention is required when driving
through entranc
es, over ramps, kerbs or oth-
er objects. The vehicle underbody, bumpers,
mudguards and running gear, and the engine
and exhaust system could be damaged as
you drive over these objects. Information on the brakes
For the first 200 to 300 km (100 to 200
mi
l
e

s), new brake pads have not yet reached their maximum braking capacity, and need to
be “run in” firs

t ››› . The slightly reduced
br ak
in
g effect can be compensated for by in-
creasing pressure on the brake pedal. While
running in, the full braking distance or emer-
gency braking distance is larger then when
the brake pads have been run in. While run-
ning in, avoid full power braking or situations
requiring braking performance. For example,
in heavy traffic.
The rate of wear of the brake pads depends
to a great extent on the conditions in which
the vehicle is used and the way the vehicle is
driven. If the vehicle is used frequently in city
traffic or for short trips or driven sport style,
visit a specialised workshop regularly, more
frequently than advised in the Maintenance
Programme, to have the brake pads checked.
If you drive with wet brakes, for example, af-
ter crossing areas of water, in heavy rainfall
or even after washing the car, the effect of
the brakes is lessened as the brake discs are
wet or even frozen (in winter). At higher
speed, “dry” the brakes as quickly as possi-
ble by braking gently several times. Only do
this without endangering vehicles behind
you or any other road users ››› .
A l a
y

er of salt on the discs and brake pads
will reduce the effectiveness of the brakes
and increase braking distance. If you drive for
a prolonged period on salted roads without
braking then brake carefully several times to
eliminate the layer of salt on the brakes ››› .
»
191
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
If the vehicle remains parked for considera-
b l
e l
engths of time, is used little, or if the
brakes are not used, there may be corrosion
on the brake discs and a build up of dirt on
the brake pads. If the brakes are not used fre-
quently, or if rust has formed on the discs,
SEAT recommends cleaning the pads and
discs by braking firmly a few times at a mod-
erately high speed. Only do this without en-
dangering vehicles behind you or any other
road users ››› .
F au
lt

s in the brake system
During braking, if you notice that the vehicle
does not react as usual (that the braking dis-
tance has increased suddenly) it may be pos-
sible that there is a fault in the braking sys-
tem. The  warning lamp lights up and a
text message displayed. Take the vehicle to a
specialised workshop immediately and have
the fault repaired. Drive at a moderate speed
and be prepared to use more pressure on the
brake pedal, and allow for longer stopping
distances.
Brake servo
The brake servo only operates when the en-
gine is running and the pressure applied by
the driver on the brake pedal increases.
If the brake servo does not operate or the ve-
hicle must be towed, then the brake pedal
will have to be pressed with more force given that the braking distance will be increased
when the brake ser

vo does not operate ››› .
WARNING
New brake pads do not brake to full efficien-
cy.
● For the fir

st 320 km (200 miles), new brake
pad
s have not yet reached their maximum
braking capacity, and need to be “run in”
first. For this, to compensate for reduced
braking efficiency the brake pedal will have
to be pressed with more force.
● To avoid losing control of the vehicle and
caus
ing serious accidents, always take great
care when driving with new brake pads.
● When running in new brake pads, always
res
pect the safety distances between you and
other vehicles and do not cause situations re-
quiring extreme braking performance. WARNING
When brakes overheat, braking is less effi-
cient and br

aking distances increase.
● When driving on slopes, brakes can be
overlo
aded and overheat quickly.
● Reduce speed or change down a gear when
faced w
ith steep and long slopes. This allows
you to use the engine braking effect and to
reduce the strain on the brake system.
● Non-standard or damaged front spoilers
coul
d restrict the airflow to the brakes and
cause them to overheat. WARNING
Wet, frozen or salt-covered brakes take lon-
ger t o en

gage and this increases braking dis-
tances.
● Test the brakes carefully.
● Dry the brakes, free them of ice and salt by
brakin
g gently several times, when weather,
road and traffic conditions permit. WARNING
Driving without the brake servo may signifi-
cantly inc

rease the braking distance and re-
sult in a severe accident.
● Never allow the vehicle to move forwards
when the engine is
switched off.
● If the brake servo does not operate or the
vehicl
e must be towed, then the brake pedal
will have to be pressed with more force given
that the braking distance will be increased
when the brake servo does not operate. CAUTION
● Never m ak

e the brakes “slip” by pressing
the pedal gently, if it is not really necessary
to brake. Continuously pressing on the brake
pedal will heat the brakes. This could signifi-
cantly reduce braking power, increase brak-
ing distance or even result in the total failure
of the brake system.
● Reduce speed or change down a gear when
faced w
ith steep and long slopes. This allows
you to use the engine braking effect and to 192

Driving
reduce the strain on the brake system. Other-
wi
se, the br
akes may overheat and fail. Only
use the brakes to reduce speed or to stop. Note
When checking the front brake pads, take the
time t o al

so check the rear brake pads. The
thickness of the brake pads should be
checked visually and regularly, by looking
through the openings in the wheel rims or
from underneath the vehicle. If necessary, re-
move the wheels to check them thoroughly.
SEAT recommends taking your car in for tech-
nical service. Gearbox
Intr oduction When reverse gear is engaged and the igni-
tion i
s
sw

itched on the following takes place:
● Reverse lights light up.
● When reversing, the air conditioner auto-
matical
ly changes to air recirculation mode.
● The rear window heater switches on when
the winds
creen wiper is activated.
● Also, the parking sensor system, the opti-
cal p
arking sensor and the camera for the re-
verse assist system are connected. WARNING
Rapid acceleration can cause loss of traction
and skid din

g, especially on slippery ground.
This could cause loss of control of the vehicle
resulting in an accident and considerable
damage.
● Only use the kick-down function or rapid
accel
eration if visibility, weather, road and
traffic conditions so permit. WARNING
Do not allow the brakes to “rub” for a pro-
long ed period of

time, or brake frequently or
for long periods of time. Continuous braking
heats up the brakes. This could significantly
reduce braking power, increase braking dis-
tance or even result in the total failure of the
brake system. Control and warning lamps

It lights up red
Brake pedal not press-
ed!Press brake pedal to the floor.

It lights up green
Brake pedal not press-
ed.To select a range of gears,
press the brake pedal.
Please also see “Electronic
parking brake”
››› page 188. 
Flashes green
The selector lever
locking button has not
engaged. The vehicle
does not start to
move.
Engage the selector lever lock
››› page 195. Several warning and control lamps light up
for 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. WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ›››
in Control
and warnin g l
amps on page 107. Manual gear change
Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 35
In some countries, it is necessary to press the
clutch pedal to the floor to start the engine.
Selecting reverse gear
Engage reverse gear only when the vehicle is
stopped. »
193
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
● Do not u
se f
ull throttle.
● Do not force the engine above two thirds of
its max
imum speed.
● Do not tow a trailer.
Between 1000 and 1500 k
ilometres (600 to
1000 miles), gradually increase power until
reaching the maximum speed and high en-
gine speeds.
Running in new tyres and brake pads
● Replacement of wheel rims and new tyres
›››
page 287
● Notes on the brakes ›››
page 191 For the sake of the environment
If the engine is run in gently, the life of the
engine w i

ll be increased and the engine oil
consumption reduced. Environmental compatibility
Environmental protection is a top priority in
the de
s
ign, c

hoice of materials and manufac-
ture of your new SEAT.
Constructive measures to encourage recy-
cling
● Joints and connections designed for easy
dismantlin
g. ●
Modular c
onstruction to facilitate disman-
tling.
● Increased use of single-grade materials.
● Plastic parts and elastomers are marked in
accor
dance with ISO 1043, ISO 11469 and
ISO 1629.
Choice of materials
● Use of recycled materials.
● Use of compatible plastics in the same part
if its c
omponents are not easily separated.
● Use of recycled materials and/or materials
originating fr
om renewable sources.
● Reduction of volatile components, includ-
ing odour, in p
lastic materials.
● Use of CFC-free coolants.
Ban on heavy
metals, with the exceptions
dictated by law (Annex II of ELV Directive
2000/53/EC): cadmium, lead, mercury, hexa-
valent chromium.
Manufacturing methods
● Reduction of the quantity of thinner in the
protectiv
e wax for cavities.
● Use of plastic film as protection during ve-
hicle tr
ansport.
● Use of solvent-free adhesives.
● Use of CFC-free coolants in cooling sys-
tems. ●
Recyc
ling and energy recovery from resi-
dues (RDF).
● Improvement in the quality of waste water.
● Use of systems for the recovery of residual
heat (therm
al recovery, enthalpy wheels,
etc.).
● The use of water-soluble paints.
Economical and environmentally
friendly drivin
g Fuel consumption, environmental impact and
en
gine, br
ak

e and tyre wear depend largely
on three factors:
● Personal driving style.
● Conditions of use (weather, road surface).
● Technical requirements.
Saving
s of up to 25% in fuel consumption
are possible with an appropriate driving style
and the adoption of certain simple tips.
Changing gear early
General instructions: The highest gear is al-
ways the most economical. As a guideline,
for the majority of vehicles: at a speed of
30 km/h (19 mph), drive in third gear, at
40 km/h (25 mph) in fourth gear and at
50 km/h (31 mph) in fifth gear.
200