2018 Seat Alhambra oil type

The essentials
● Zone B : You can add oil but keep the level
in th at

zone.
● Zone C : Add oil up to zone
B .
T op
pin

g up engine oil
● Unscrew cap from oil filler opening.
● Add oil slowly.
● At the same time, check the level to ensure
you do not a
dd too much.
● When the oil level reaches at least zone B ,
u n
s

crew the engine oil filler cap carefully.
Motor oil specifications
Petrol engines
With LongLife serviceVW 504 00
Without LongLife serviceVW 504 00, VW 502 00
Diesel engines
With LongLife serviceVW 507 00
Without LongLife serviceVW 507 00 Engine oil additives
No type of
a
d

ditive should be mixed with the
engine oil. The deterioration caused by these
additives is not covered by the warranty. 
››› in Topping up engine oil on
page 277
››› page 274 Coolant
Fig. 55
Engine compartment: coolant expan-
s ion t
ank

cap. The coolant tank is located in the engine
c
omp
ar

tment ›››
 page 274.
When the engine is cold, replace the coolant
when the level is below .
Coolant specifications
The engine cooling system is supplied from
the factory with a specially treated mixture of
water and at least 40 % of the additive G13
(TL-VW 774 J), purple. This mixture gives the
necessary frost protection down to -25°C (-13°F) and protects the light alloy parts of
the engine coo

ling system against corrosion.
It also prevents scaling and considerably rai-
ses the boiling point of the coolant.
To protect the cooling system, the percentage
of additive must always be at least 40 %,
even in warm climates where anti-freeze pro-
tection is not required.
If for weather reasons further protection is
necessary, the proportion of additive may be
increased, but only up to 60 %; otherwise an-
tifreeze protection will diminish and this will
worsen cooling.
When the coolant is topped up, use a mixture
of distilled water and at least 40 % of the
G13 or G12 plus-plus (TL-VW 774 G) additive
(both are purple) to obtain an optimum anti-
corrosion protection ››› in Coolant specifi-
c ation
s on p

age 279. The mixture of G13
with G12 plus (TL-VW 774 F), G12 (red) or
G11 (green-blue) engine coolants will signifi-
cantly reduce anti-corrosion protection and
should therefore be avoided ››› in Coolant
s pec
ific

ations on page 279.

››› in Coolant specifications on
page 279
››› page 277 41

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
Automatic car washes
A lw
a
ys observe the instructions provided at
the automatic car wash. The standard pre-
cautionary measures prior to entering the car
wash should be taken to avoid damage to
the vehicle (close all windows and the roof,
fold in exterior mirrors). If the vehicle is fitted
with additional components (spoiler, roof-
rack, aerial, etc.), check with the car wash su-
pervisor whether these can enter the car
wash ››› .
The v
ehic

le paintwork is so durable that the
vehicle can normally be washed without
problems in an automatic car wash tunnel.
However, wear and damage to the paintwork
will depend on the type of car wash used.
SEAT recommends the use of car washes
without brushes.
To remove traces of wax on windows and to
prevent wiper blades from scratching, please
observe the following ››› page 255, Cleaning
windows and exterior mirrors .
Washing the car by hand
When washing the car by hand, use plenty of
water to soften the dirt first, and rinse off as
well as possible.
Then clean the vehicle with a soft sponge,
glove or brush using only slight pressure.
Start at the roof and work downwards. Spe-
cial car shampoo should only be used for
very persistent dirt. Rinse the sponge or glove thoroughly and of-
ten.
Wheels, s

ills and similar should be cleaned
last. Use a second sponge for this. WARNING
Sharp components on the vehicle may cause
injury .
● Pr

otect arms and hands from sharp edges
when cle
aning the vehicle undercarriage or
the interior of the wheel hubs. WARNING
After the vehicle has been washed, the brak-
ing eff ect

will be reduced (and the braking
distance increased) due to moisture (and ice
in winter) on the brakes.
● “Dry the brakes and remove ice” by braking
caref
ully. Ensure that you are not endanger-
ing other road-users or breaking traffic regu-
lations in the process. CAUTION
● The temper at

ure of the water must not ex-
ceed +60°C (+140°F).
● To avoid damage to the paintwork, do not
wash the
vehicle in full sun.
● Do not use rough sponges or similar which
coul
d damage the surface to clean away the
traces of insects. ●
Never w ipe the he

adlights with a dry cloth
or sponge, always moisten first. It is best to
use soapy water.
● Washing the vehicle in low temperatures:
When washin
g the vehicle with a hose, do
not direct water into the lock cylinders or the
gaps around the doors or roof. Locks and
seals could freeze! CAUTION
To avoid any risk of damage to the vehicle,
p le

ase check the following points before us-
ing an automatic car wash:
● Compare the distance between the vehicle
wheels and the di
stance between the guide-
rails of the car wash to prevent damage to the
wheels and tyres!
● Switch off the rain sensor and the Au-
to Hol
d function before entering a car wash.
● Compare the height and width of your vehi-
cle w
ith the available height and width when
entering and driving through the car wash.
● Fold in exterior mirrors Electrically retracta-
ble e
xterior mirrors must not be folded in or
out by hand. Always use the electrical power
control.
● To avoid damaging the bonnet paintwork,
res
t the wipers on the windscreen after dry-
ing them. Do not let them fall!
● Lock the rear lid to prevent it from opening
unexpect
edly while inside the car wash.254

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
burns. Always wait until the engine has fully
coo
l
ed. For the sake of the environment
Similar to the other service liquids, spilled
en gine oi l

can be bad for the environment.
Collect these liquids in suitable containers
and dispose of them while respecting the en-
vironment. Warning and control lamps

It lights up
Insufficient en-
gine oil.Switch the ignition off. Check the en-
gine oil level
››› page 276. 
Flashes
Engine oil sen-
sor faulty.Contact a specialised workshop.
Have the engine oil sensor checked.
Meanwhile, check the oil level man-
ually. 
Flashes
Engine oil pres-
sure too low.

Stop the vehicle!
Switch off the engine. Check the en-
gine oil level.
- If the warning lamp flashes al-
though the oil level is correct, do not
continue driving or leave the engine
running. Otherwise, the engine
could be damaged. Seek specialist
assistance. WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ›››
in Control
and warnin g l
amps on page 107. Engine oil specifications
Replacement engine oil must strictly comply
w
ith the s
pec

ifications.
The correct oil must be used to ensure the
correct operation and long service life of the
engine. The engine comes with a high-quality
multigrade oil that can generally be used all
year round.
Only use an engine oil that complies to SEAT
standards whenever possible ››› . If you
w i
sh t

o maintain the long-life service dura-
tion, only engine oils approved for this serv-
ice according to the corresponding VW stand-
ard ( ›››
 table on page 41) may be used.
All oils indicated are synthetic multigrade
oils. Engine oils are being continuously further
developed. T

echnical services are constantly
updated with any modifications. SEAT there-
fore recommends that you have the engine
oil changed by a technical service. CAUTION
● Only u

se engine oils whose specifications
are expressly approved by SEAT. The use of
any other type of oil could cause engine dam-
age! 275
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Checking and refilling levels
●
When refi l
ling liquids, avoid spilling them
on parts of the engine and the exhaust sys-
tem. Spilled liquids could cause a fire. Under
specific circumstances, the ethylene glycol
can catch fire. CAUTION
● On ly fi

ll with distilled water. Any other type
of water may lead to considerable rusting in
the engine due to its chemical components.
This could consequently damage the engine.
If you have not used distilled water but an-
other type of water to top up the coolant, a
specialised workshop must immediately re-
place all of the fluid in the engine cooling
system.
● Only top up coolant to the top level of the
marked ar
ea ››› Fig. 245. Otherwise the ex-
cess coolant will be forced out of the cooling
system when the engine is hot, causing dam-
age.
● If a lot of liquid coolant has been lost, wait
for the engine t
o cool down completely before
adding coolant. Extensive coolant loss is an
indication of leaks in the engine cooling sys-
tem. Have the engine cooling system inspec-
ted immediately by a specialised workshop.
Otherwise engine damage may occur.
● When refilling service liquids, ensure that
you put
the liquids into the right tank. Mak-
ing a mistake when refilling could cause seri-
ous malfunctions and damage the engine! Brake fluid
Chec k
in

g the brake fluid level Fig. 247
In the engine compartment: brake
fluid r e
ser

voir cap. Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 42
In the course of time, the brake fluid absorbs
water from the ambient air. If there is too
much water in the brake fluid, the brake sys-
tem could be damaged. In addition, the boil-
ing point of the brake fluid is significantly
lowered. When the brake fluid contains too
much water and the brakes are subject to
considerable forces, bubbles of water vapour
can form in the system. These bubbles can
significantly reduce braking power, notably
increasing braking distance, and could even
result in the total failure of the brake system.
Ensuring that the brake system is always
functioning correctly is essential for your own safety and the safety of other road users
›››
.
Br ak
e fluid s
pecifications
SEAT have developed a special brake fluid
optimised for the brake systems of their vehi-
cles. To ensure the optimum working of the
brake system, SEAT recommends the use of
brake fluid in accordance with the VW 501 14
standard. If this brake fluid is not available or
another brake fluid is used for different rea-
sons, use a brake fluid that complies with the
United States standard FMVSS 116 DOT 4 or
the German standard DIN ISO 4925 CLASS 4
››› .
Br ak
e fluid

s conforming to the standard
VW 501 14, fulfil the American requirements
of the FMVSS 116 DOT 4 standard and the
German DIN ISO 4925 CLASS 4 standard.
However, fluids that comply with the US
FMVSS 116 DOT 4 standard or the German
DIN ISO 4925 CLASS 4 standard do not nec-
essarily comply with the VW 501 14 stand-
ard. Always check the information on the
brake fluid container and ensure that you are
using suitable brake fluid.
A suitable brake fluid can be obtained from
technical service centres. »
281
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Wheels and tyres
● Re
gu
larly check tyres for non-visible dam-
age ››› page 293.
● Never exceed the maximum permitted
speed or loa
ds specified for the type of tyre
fitted on your vehicle ››› page 294.
● Do not allow tyres to come into contact with
aggre
ssive substances, grease, oil, fuel or
brake fluid ››› .
● Lost valve caps should be replaced imme-
di at
ely

.
Changing wheels
To ensure that the wear is equal on all tyres
the wheels should be changed round from
time to time according to the system
››› Fig. 251. The useful life of all the tyres will
then be about the same time.
SEAT recommends you take the vehicle to a
specialised workshop to have the tyres
changed.
Tyres over 6 years old
Tyres are subject to an ageing process as a
result of physical and chemical processes.
This may affect their performance. Tyres
which are stored for long periods of time
without being used, harden and become
more fragile than tyres which are in constant
use.
SEAT recommends that tyres over six years
old are replaced with new tyres. This also ap-
plies to tyres which appear to be in perfect condition on the outside and which have a
trea

d depth within the values stipulated by
the Law ››› .
The d at
e of

manufacture, part of the tyre
identification number (TIN), indicates the age
of the tyre ››› page 294.
Storing tyres
Mark tyres when you remove them to indicate
the direction of rotation (left, right, forwards,
backwards). This ensures you will be able to
mount them correctly when you replace
them. When removed, the wheels and/or
tyres should be stored in a cool, dry and pref-
erably dark location. Do not place tyres
mounted on the wheel in a vertical position.
Protect tyres not mounted on wheels from
dirt by storing them in suitable bags and
standing them on the ground on their tread. WARNING
Aggressive fluids or substances could result
in v i

sible or invisible damage with the conse-
quent risks.
● Always ensure that tyres do not come into
contact
with chemical products, oil, grease,
fuel, brake fluid or other aggressive substan-
ces. WARNING
Old tyres, even if they have never been used,
ma y

lose air or burst unexpectedly while driv-
ing, resulting in serious accident or damage.
● If tyres are over six years old, they should
only be u
sed in an emergency and with ex-
treme caution. For the sake of the environment
Old tyres must be disposed of by qualified
personnel ac

cording to the laws in the coun-
try concerned. Wheels
The design of wheel bolts is matched to the
rims. If
diff
er

ent rims are fitted, the correct
wheel bolts with the right length and correct-
ly shaped bolt heads must be used. This en-
sures that wheels are fitted securely and that
the brake system functions correctly
››› page 85.
For technical reasons, it is not generally pos-
sible to use the wheels from other vehicles.
In some cases, this may also be true for the
same model of wheel.
The tyres and rims approved by SEAT are spe-
cially matched to the characteristics of the
vehicle and are critical to good road holding
and safe handling. »
289
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety