2018 Seat Alhambra traction control

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
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

Driving
checked by a specialised workshop as soon
a s
po
ssible.
Protection against overloading the DSG ®
6-
gear automatic gearbox
When the clutch is overloaded, the vehicle
begins to jerk and the selector lever position
indicator begins to flash. To prevent damage
to the clutch, this interrupts the power trans-
mission between the engine and the gear-
box. There is no more traction and it is not
possible to accelerate. If the clutch is opened
automatically due to overloading, press the
brake pedal. Wait a few seconds before start-
ing to move again.
Kick-down
The kick-down system provides maximum ac-
celeration when the gear selector lever is in
the positions D, S or in the Tiptronic position.
When the accelerator pedal is pressed right
down, the automatic gearbox will shift down
to a lower gear, depending on road speed
and engine speed. This takes advantage of
the maximum acceleration of the vehicle
››› .
When the ac c
el

erator is pressed to the floor,
the automatic gearbox shifts to the next gear
only after the engine reaches the specified
maximum engine speed. Launch-Control Programme
The Launch-C

ontrol programme enables max-
imum acceleration while at a standstill.
● Switch off the ASR ›››
page 188.
● Press and hold the brake pedal with your
left
foot.
● Place the selector lever in position S or Tip-
tronic
.
● Press the accelerator with the right foot un-
til the
vehicle reaches an engine speed of ap-
proximately 3200 rpm.
● Lift the left foot off the brake ›››
. The ve-
hic l
e s
tarts with maximum acceleration.
● Turn on the ASR after accelerating! 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 kick-down and rapid acceleration
when weather c
onditions, surface conditions
and traffic conditions permit; accelerate and
drive in a manner that does not endanger
other road users.
● Please remember that the driven wheels
can slip and the
vehicle can skid if the ASR is
turned off, especially on slippery ground.
● Turn on the ASR after accelerating! CAUTION
● If y

ou stop on a hill with a gear range en-
gaged, do not try to prevent the vehicle from
rolling back by pressing on the accelerator.
This could cause overheating and damage the
automatic gearbox.
● Never allow the vehicle to move with the
gear sel
ector lever in N, especially with the
engine turned off. The automatic gearbox will
not be lubricated and could be damaged. Recommended gear display
In some vehicles, the recommended gear for
r
educ
in

g fuel consumption is displayed on
the instrument panel:
DisplayMeaning 
Optimum gear.

Recommendation to change up a
gear.

Recommendation to change down a
gear.
Information for “cleaning” the diesel partic-
u
l
at

e filter
The exhaust gas system control recognises
when the diesel particulate filter is blocked,
and helps to clean it by recommending a spe-
cific gear for driving. It may therefore be »
197
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Driver assistance systems
● Do not driv
e f
aster than a pedestrian.
● Do not stop in the water, use reverse gear
or switc
h off the engine.
● Oncoming traffic will cause waves which
raise the l
evel of the water, making it difficult
to cross the water.
The Start/Stop system must be deactivated
when driving through flooded areas WARNING
When driving through water, mud, melted
sno w

, etc., please remember that due to
damp or frozen brake discs and shoes in win-
ter, the braking effect may be delayed, there-
fore the required braking distance is greater.
● “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.
● After driving through water, avoid sudden
sharp manoeu
vres. CAUTION
● Drivin g thr

ough flooded areas may severely
damage vehicle components such as the en-
gine, transmission, drive train or electrical
system.
● Never drive through salt water as salt cau-
ses c
orrosion. Always rinse any parts of the
vehicle which have been in contact with salt
water. Driver assistance systems
Br ak
in

g and stability systems
Brake assist systems The brake assist systems ESC, ABS, BAS, ASR
and EDL on
ly

operate when the ignition is
switched on. They contribute significantly to
increasing active safety.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
ESC reduces the risk of skidding and increa-
ses the vehicle stability by braking individual
wheels under specific driving conditions. ESC
detects critical handling situations, such as
understeer, oversteer and wheelspin on the
driven wheels. The system stabilises the ve-
hicle by braking individual wheels or by re-
ducing the engine torque.
The ESC has limits. It is important to realise
that the ESC is also subject to the laws of
physics. ESC will not be able to deal with all
situations with which drivers may be faced.
For example, if the road surface changes sud-
denly then ESC will not be useful in all cases.
If the vehicle suddenly enters a section cov-
ered by water, mud or snow then ESC will not
provide assistance in the same way as on dry
ground. If the vehicle loses its grip on the
ground and moves on a film of water (“aqua-
planing”), the ESC will not be able to assist the driver to control the vehicle as the loss of
adher
enc

e with the road surface will prevent-
ing braking and steering. If the vehicle is
driven through series of bends at high
speed, the ESC will not always be as effec-
tive: the vehicle reaction to aggressive driv-
ing is not the same as at reduced speeds.
When driving with a trailer, ESC does not pro-
vide the same amount of vehicle control as
without a trailer.
Adjust your speed and driving style to road,
traffic and weather conditions. ESC cannot
push the limits of the laws of physics; im-
prove the transmission available or maintain
the vehicle on the road if a lack of driver at-
tention creates an inevitable situation. Other-
wise, ESC assists in maintaining vehicle con-
trol in extreme situations and uses the move-
ments of the steering made by the driver to
maintain the vehicle moving in the desired
direction. If the vehicle is driven at such a
speed that it will leave the road before ESC
can intervene then the system cannot pro-
vide assistance.
The ABS, BAS, ASR and EDL systems are in-
corporated into the ESC. The ESC is always
on. The ESC should only be turned off using
the ASR button ›››
Fig. 204 when traction is
insufficient. Always remember to turn on the
ASR once more when the vehicle has traction
again. »
205
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
Anti-lock system (ABS)
ABS c
an pr
event the wheels from locking dur-
ing braking until just before the vehicle stops
thus helping the driver to steer the vehicle
and maintain control. This means that, even
during full braking, the risk of skidding is re-
duced:
● Press and hold the brake pedal fully. Do not
remov
e your foot from the brake pedal or re-
duce braking force!
● Do not “pump” the brake pedal, or reduce
brakin
g force!
● Maintain vehicle direction when braking
ful
ly.
● When the brake pedal is released or when
the brake f
orce is reduced, ABS is turned off.
ABS control can be observed by vibration of
the brake pedal and noise. You should never
expect the ABS to reduce the braking dis-
tance under any circumstances. This distance
will increase when driving on gravel, recent
snow or on icy and slippery ground.
When driving on loose ground, the all-terrain
configuration of the ABS is automatically
turned on. When ABS is activated, the front
wheels may lock briefly. This shortens the
braking distance in off-road situations as the
wheels are prevented from digging into loose
surfaces. All-terrain ABS only intervenes
when driving in a straight line. When the front wheels are turned, the normal ABS is
activated.
Br

ake assist system (BAS)
The brake assist system may reduce the re-
quired braking distance. The brake assist
system boosts the braking force if you press
the brake pedal quickly in an emergency. As
a result, the braking pressure increases rap-
idly, the braking force is multiplied and the
braking distance is reduced. This enables the
ABS to be activated more quickly and effec-
tively.
¡Do not lift your foot off the brake pedal!
When the brake pedal is released or when
the brake force is reduced, braking assist au-
tomatically turns off the brake servo.
Traction control when accelerating (ASR)
In the event of wheelspin, the traction control
system reduces the engine torque to match
the amount of grip available. The ASR makes
some situations easier, for example, when
starting, accelerating or going uphill, even in
unfavourable road conditions.
The ASR can be switched on or off manually
››› page 207.
Electronic differential lock system (EDS)
EDL is available when driving in straight lines
under normal conditions. When the EDL de-
tects wheelspin, it brakes the spinning wheel and directs the power to the other drive
wheels. T
o prevent the disc brake of the
braked wheel from overheating, the EDL cuts
out automatically if subjected to excessive
loads. The EDL will switch on again automati-
cally when the brake has cooled down.
Electronic drive torque management (XDS)
When taking a curve, the driveshaft differen-
tial mechanism allows the outer wheel to turn
at a higher speed than the inner wheel. In
this way, the wheel that is turning faster (out-
er wheel) receives less drive torque than the
inner wheel. This may mean that in certain
situations the torque delivered to the inner
wheel is too high, causing the wheels to
spin. On the other hand, the outer wheel is
receiving a lower drive torque than it could
transmit. This causes an overall loss of lateral
grip on the front axle, resulting in understeer
or “lengthening” of the trajectory.
The XDS system can detect and correct this
effect via the sensors and signals of the ESC.
Via the ESC, the XDS will brake the inside
wheel and counter the excess driving torque
of that wheel. This means that the driver's
desired trajectory is much more precise.
The XDS system works in combination with
the ESC and is always active, even when ASR
traction control is disconnected.
206

Driver assistance systems
WARNING
Driving at high speed on icy, slippery wet
grou nd c
an result in loss of vehicle control
and serious injury to the driver and passen-
gers.
● Adjust your speed and driving style to visi-
bility
, road, traffic and weather conditions.
Even though the brake assist systems, ABS,
BAS, EDL, ASR and ESC, provide more securi-
ty, do not take unnecessary risks while driv-
ing.
● Brake assist systems can not overcome the
law
s of physics. Even with ESC and other sys-
tems, slippery and wet roads will always be
dangerous.
● Driving to quickly on wet ground can result
in the wheels lo
sing contact with the ground
in an effect known as “aquaplaning”. Without
adherence, it is impossible to brake, steer or
control the vehicle.
● Brake assist systems cannot avoid acci-
dents if
, for example, the driver does not re-
spect safety distances or drives to quickly in
difficult conditions.
● Even though brake assist systems are ex-
tremely eff
ective and help control the vehicle
in difficult situations, remember that the ve-
hicle stability depends on tyre grip.
● When accelerating on a slippery surface,
for ex
ample on ice or snow, press the acceler-
ator carefully. The wheels can still slip even
with brake assist systems resulting in loss of
vehicle control. WARNING
The effectiveness of the ESC can be consider-
ably r

educed if other components and sys-
tems affecting driving dynamics are not main-
tained or are not functioning correctly. This
includes, among others, brakes, tyres and
other systems already mentioned.
● Remember that changing and fitting other
components
to the vehicle can affect opera-
tion of the ABS, BAS, ASL EDL and ESC.
● Changes to the vehicle suspension or using
unap
proved wheel/tyre combinations can af-
fect operation of the ABS, BAS, ASL EDL and
ESC, as well as their effectiveness.
● Likewise, the effectiveness of ESC depends
on the use of s
uitable tyres ››› page 287. Note
● To en s

ure that the ESC and ASR work prop-
erly, all four wheels must be fitted with iden-
tical tyres. Any differences in the rolling radi-
us of the tyres can cause the system to re-
duce engine power when this is not desired.
● If a malfunction should occur in the ABS,
the ESC, EDL and ASR w
ill also be out of ac-
tion.
● Noises may be heard while any of the
above sy
stems are operating. Switching ASR on and off
Fig. 204
Detailed view of the centre console:
b utt
on u

sed to switch ASR on and off (vehi-
cles with ESC) The electronic stability control ESC consists
of
ABS, EDL
and ASR and on

ly works when
the engine is running.
The ASR can be switched off while the engine
is running by pressing the   button
››› Fig. 204. The ASR (and similar) is only
switched off when the required traction is not
obtained:
● When driving through deep snow or on
loose grou
nd (gravel, etc.).
● When “freeing” a trapped vehicle.
Turn the ASR bac
k on by pressing the
  button ››› Fig. 204.
207
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Driver assistance systems
behind the vehicle while parking, and inter-
vene pr
omptly
if necessary.
● To ensure that the system works properly,
the bumper sensor
s must be kept clean, free
of ice and snow and uncovered.
● The bumper sensors may become damaged
or misa
ligned, for example, when parking.
● When cleaning the sensors with high-pres-
sure or s
team cleaning equipment, spray the
sensors briefly at a distance of no less than
10 cm. Note
Contact a specialised workshop with any sys-
tem f au

lts. SEAT recommends taking your car
in for technical service. Parking using the park assist system
Fig. 212
Detailed view of the centre console:
b utt on t

o switch the park assist system on
manually Fig. 213
Gap detected: engage the reverse
g e
ar t

o park (parallel or nose/tail to the kerb) Preparing to park
● The Traction control system ASR must be
t urned on ›
›

› page 188.
● Parallel parking: Pres
s the  button at
speeds up to 50 km/h (31 mph) once. When
the function is enabled, the button
››› Fig. 212 will light up. ●
Perpendicu
lar parking: Press the  button
at speeds up to 50 km/h (31 mph) twice.
When the function is enabled, the button
››› Fig. 212 will light up.
● If necessary, press the  button onc
e more
to change parking mode.
● Apply the turn signal for the side on which
a gap is
to be detected for parking. The in-
strument panel displays the side correspond-
ing to the road.
Parking
● Parking parallel to the road: drive next
to
the gap at a speed of no more than 40 km/h
(25 mph) and at a distance of between 0.5 m
and 2 m.
● Parking perpendicular to the road: drive
next
to the gap at a speed of no more than
20 km/h (12 mph) and at a distance of be-
tween 0.5 m and 2 m.
● The best parking results will be achieved if
you pos
ition the vehicle as parallel as possi-
ble to the line of parked cars or the kerb.
● When a suitable parking place is displayed
on the instrument
panel, stop and select re-
verse gear.
● Follow the instructions given on the instru-
ment panel
display
● Then, release the steering wheel when the
warning s
ignal sounds ››› : The system
will move the steering wheel! Ob-
serve the surrounding area. »
215
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Driver assistance systems
Note
● The tiredne s
s detection function has only
been designed for driving on motorways and
wide roads.
● If there is a fault in the system, refer to a
Speci
alised workshop to have the system in-
spected. Function and operation
Fig. 227
On the instrument panel display:
tir edne
s

s detection symbol The tiredness detection function registers the
beh
av
iour of

the driver at the wheel at the
beginning of a journey and, using this, evalu-
ates the tiredness. This is continually com-
pared with the current behaviour at the
wheel. If the system detects that the driver is
tired, an audible warning using a “gong” is
given and a symbol and complementary mes-
sage on the instrument panel display are shown
››› Fig. 227.
The on-screen message
on the dash panel is displayed for 5 seconds
and, where required, repeated again. The
system stores the last message displayed.
The message that appears on the instrument
panel display can be switched off by pressing
the OK button on the multifunction steering
wheel or on the w
indo

w wiper lever
›››  page 29. Using the multifunction dis-
play ›››
 page 29 the message on the in-
strument panel display can be shown.
Conditions of operation
Behaviour at the wheel is only evaluated at
speeds of above 65 km/h (40 mph).
Switching on and off
The system can be switched on or off in the
Assistants menu. If an assistance system
is switched on, this is indicated with a
“mark”.
Limited operation
The tiredness detection function is subject to
certain limitations. Therefore it is possible
that in some driving situations behaviour at
the wheel cannot be correctly interpreted.
E.g. in the following situations:
● at speeds lower than 65 km/h (40 mph),
● in sections with corners,
● on roads in poor condition, ●
in the event of
adverse weather conditions,
● when a sporty driving style is employed,
● in the event of a major distraction for the
driver,
The tir

edness detection function switches off
when the ignition is switched off or when the
driver unbuckles their seat belt and opens
the door. If driving for a long time under 65
km/h (40 mph), the system ceases to assess
tiredness automatically. If driving speed is
then increased, the behaviour at the wheel
will again be evaluated.
Dynamic Chassis control (DCC)*
Operation and contr
ol Fig. 228
In the centre console: button for set-
tin g the dy
n

amic chassis control. » 233
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety