
Driving
140•
Never move the selector lever to “R” or “P” when driving. Risk of acci-
dent.
•
Before driving down a very steep slope, reduce your speed and shift to
position 1st.
•
Always hold the vehicle on the foot brake if you stop uphills. Otherwise,
the vehicle could roll back.
•
Never allow the brake to rub and do not use the brake pedal too often
or for long periods. Constant braking will cause the brakes to overheat and
will considerably reduce the brake effect. This increases the braking
distance and could cause the brake system to fail.WARNING
Never switch the engine off until the vehicle is stationary. You could lose
control of your vehicle. This could cause an accident and serious injury.•
The airbags and belt tensioners do not work when the ignition is
switched off.
•
The brake servo does not work when the engine is not running. You
need more force to stop the vehicle.
•
Power assisted steering does not wo rk when the engine is not running.
That is why it is much more difficult to turn the steering wheel.
•
Never remove the key from the ignition if the vehicle is in motion. The
steering lock could suddenly engage, and you would not be able to steer
the vehicle.
•
Never allow the car to roll downhill with the gear in “N”, regardless of
the engine is running or not.
Caution
If you allow the vehicle to move when the engine is switched off or with the
selector lever in position “N”, take your foot off the accelerator and wait until
the engine starts idling before returning to position “D”.Kickdown feature
The kickdown feature is designed to give maximum accelera-
tion.If you press the accelerator down thoroughly, the gearbox automatically
changes down, depending on speed and engine speed, into a lower gear to
take full advantage of give the vehicle maximum acceleration.
The gearbox does not change gear until the engine reaches the maximum
determined engine speed for the gear.
WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle if you accelerate on slippery road
surfaces. Risk of serious injury.•
Be particularly careful when using the kickdown features on slippery
road surfaces. With a fast acceleration , the vehicle could lose traction and
skid.
•
You should use the kickdown feature only when traffic and weather
conditions allow it to be used safely.
WARNING (continued)
Ibiza SC_EN.book Seite 140 Dienstag, 8. Juli 2008 5:36 17

Driving
142
– Switch the engine off and remove the key from the ignition lock. Turn the steering wheel slightly to engage the steering lock.
– Always take you car keys with you when you leave the vehicle ⇒ .Additional notes on parking the vehicle on gradients:
Turn the steering wheel so that the vehicle rolls against the kerb if it started
to roll.•
If the vehicle is parked facing downhill , turn the front wheels so that they
point towards the kerb .
•
If the vehicle is parked facing uphill, turn the front wheels so that they
point away from the kerb .
•
Secure the vehicle as normal by applying the handbrake firmly and
engaging first gear.
WARNING
•
Take measures to reduce the risk of injury when you leave your vehicle
unattended.
•
Never park where the hot exhaust system could ignite inflammable
materials, such as dry grass, low bushes, spilt fuel etc.
•
Never allow vehicle occupants to remain in the vehicle when it is
locked. They would be unable to open the vehicle from the inside, and
could become trapped in the vehicle in an emergency. In the event of an
emergency, locked doors will delay assistance to occupants.
•
Never leave children alone in the vehicle. They could set the vehicle in
motion, for example, by releasing the handbrake or the gear lever /
selector lever.
•
Depending on weather conditions, it may become extremely hot or cold
inside the vehicle. This can be fatal.
Starting on an uphill*
This function is only included in vehicles with ESP.This device helps when starting uphill.
These are the basic operation conditions: doors closed, brake pedal pressed
down and vehicle in neutral. The system gets activated on engaging gear.
After removing your foot from the brake pedal, the braking force is maintained
for a few seconds to prevent the vehicle from moving backward when putting
into gear. This short space of time is enough to start the vehicle with ease.
This system also works when reversing uphill.
WARNING
•
If you do not start the vehicle immedi ately after taking your foot off the
brake pedal, the vehicle may start to roll back under certain conditions.
Depress the brake pedal or use the hand brake immediately.
•
If the engine stalls, depress the brake pedal or use the hand brake
immediately.
•
When following a line of traffic uphill, if you want to prevent the vehicle
from rolling back accidentally when starting off, hold the brake pedal down
for a few seconds before starting off.Note
The Official Service or a specialist workshop can tell you if your vehicle is
equipped with this system.
Ibiza SC_EN.book Seite 142 Dienstag, 8. Juli 2008 5:36 17

Intelligent technology151
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
stances, when the slipping of the wheels is required, they can be discon-
nected with the ESP button, for example.
•
With compact temporary spare wheel.
•
When using the snow chains.
•
When driving in deep snow or on loose surfaces
•
When the vehicle is bogged-down, to free it by “rocking.”
The TCS should be switched on again afterwards as soon as possible.
WARNING
•
It must be remembered that TCS cann ot defy the laws of physics. This
should be kept in mind, particular ly on slippery and wet roads and when
towing a trailer.
•
Always adapt your driving style to suit the condition of the roads and
the traffic situation. Do not let the extra safety afforded by TCS tempt you
into taking any risks when driving, this can cause accidents.Caution
•
In order to ensure that TCS function correctly, all four wheels must be
fitted with the same tyres. Any differences in the rolling radius of the tyres can
cause the system to reduce engine power when this is not desired.
•
Modifications to the vehicle (e.g. to the engine, the brake system, running
gear or any components affecting the wh eels and tyres) could affect the effi-
ciency of the ABS and TCS.
Electronic stabilisation programme (ESP)*General notes
The electronic stabilisation programme increases the
vehicle?s stability on the road.The electronic stabilisation programme helps to reduce the danger of skid-
ding.
The electronic stabilisation programme (ESP) consists of ABS, EDL and TCS.
Electronic Stabilising Program (ESP)*
ESP reduces the danger of skidding by braking the wheels individually.
The system uses the steering wheel angle and road speed to calculate the
changes of direction desired by the driver, and constantly compares them
with the actual behaviour of the vehi cle. If the desired course is not being
maintained (for instance, if the car is starting to skid), then the ESP compen-
sates automatically by braking the appropriate wheel.
The forces acting on the braked wheel bring the vehicle back to a stable
condition. If the vehicle tends to oversteer, the system will act on the front
wheel on the outside of the turn.
WARNING
•
It must be remembered that ESP cann ot defy the laws of physics. This
should be kept in mind, particularly on slippery and wet roads and when
towing a trailer.
•
Always adapt your driving style to suit the condition of the roads and
the traffic situation. Do not let the extra safety afforded by ESP tempt you
into taking any risks when driving, this can cause accidents.
Ibiza SC_EN.book Seite 151 Dienstag, 8. Juli 2008 5:36 17

Checking and refilling levels199
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Wear indicators
The original tyres on your vehicle have 1.6 mm high “tread wear indicators”
⇒
page 198, fig. 132 , running across the tread. Depending on the make,
there will be six to eight of them evenly spaced around the tyre. Markings on
the tyre sidewall (for instance the letters “TWI” or other symbols) indicate the
positions of the tread wear indicators. The minimum tread depth required by
law is 1.6 mm (measured in the tread grooves next to the tread wear indica-
tors). Worn tyres must be replaced. Different figures may apply in export
countries ⇒.
Tyre pressure
Incorrect tyre pressure causes premature wear and could cause tyre blow-out.
For this reason, the tyre pressure should be checked at least once per month
⇒ page 197.
Driving style
Fast cornering, heavy acceleration and hard braking all increase tyre wear.
Changing wheels around
If the front tyres are worn considerably more than the rear ones it is advisable
to change them around as shown ⇒page 198, fig. 133 . All the tyres will then
last for about the same time.
Wheel balance
The wheels on new vehicles are balanced. However, various factors encoun-
tered in normal driving can cause them to become unbalanced, which results
in steering vibration.
Unbalanced wheels should be rebalanced, as they otherwise cause excessive
wear on steering, suspension and tyres. A wheel must also be rebalanced
when a new tyre is fitted.
Incorrect wheel alignment
Incorrect wheel alignment causes excessive tyre wear, impairing the safety of
the vehicle. If tyres show excessive wear, you should have the wheel align-
ment checked by an Authorised Service Centre.
WARNING
There is a serious danger of accidents if a tyre bursts during driving!•
The tyres must be replaced at the latest when the tread is worn down to
the tread wear indicators. Failure to do so could result in an accident. Worn
tyres do not grip well at high speeds on wet roads. There is also a greater
risk of “aquaplaning”
•
At continuously high speeds, a tyre with insufficient pressure flexes
more. This causes it to overheat. This can cause tread separation and tyre
blow-out. Risk of accident. Always observe the recommended tyre pres-
sures.
•
If tyres show excessive wear, you should have the running gear checked
by an Authorised Service Centre.
•
Keep chemicals such as oil, fuel and brake fluid away from tyres.
•
Damaged wheels and tyres must be replaced immediately!For the sake of the environment
Under-inflated tyres will increase fuel consumption.New tyres and wheels
New tyres and wheels have to be run-in.The tyres and wheel rims are an essential part of the vehicle's design. The
tyres and rims approved by SEAT are specially matched to the characteristics
of the vehicle and make a major contribution to good road holding and safe
handling ⇒.
Tyres should be replaced at least in pair s and not individually (i.e. both front
tyres or both rear tyres together). A knowledge of tyre designations makes it
Ibiza SC_EN.book Seite 199 Dienstag, 8. Juli 2008 5:36 17

If and when
212The individual electrical circuits are pr otected by fuses. The fuses are located
behind a cover at the left-hand end of the dash panel. When the steering
wheel is on the right, the fuses are on the right-hand side of the instrument
panel, behind a cover.
The electric windows are protected by circuit breakers. These reset automat-
ically after a few seconds when the overload (caused for example by frozen
windows) has been corrected.
Fuses colour code
WARNING
Never “repair” damaged fuses and never replace them with fuses with a
higher rating. Failure to comply could result in fire. This could also cause
damage to other parts of the electrical system.
Note
•
If a newly replaced fuse blows again after a short time, the electrical
system must be checked by a qualified workshop as soon as possible.
•
If you replace a fuse with higher-rating fuse, you could cause damage to
another location in the electrical system.
•
Always keep some spare fuses in the vehicle. These are available from
SEAT dealers.
Colour Amperes
Beige 5
Brown 7,5 Red 10
Blue 15
Yellow 20
Natural (white) 25
Green 30
Ibiza SC_EN.book Seite 212 Dienstag, 8. Juli 2008 5:36 17

If and when215
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Fuses below steering wheel in relay holderPTC fuses45
Rear window heater 20
46 Radio/telephone VDA/Bluetooth/Steering column controls 20
47 Climatronic/autoclimate 5
48 Locking unit 15
49 Front electric window 30
50 Rear electric windows 30
51 Mirror heater 5
52 Alarm/Volume sensor 15
53 Fuel control unit TF3 15
54 Reverse light for automatic gearbox 15
55 Transformer on 15
56 Bi-turbo fuel control unit 15
57 Dipped headlight (right side) 15
58 Dipped headlight (left side) 15
Number Consumer Amperes
1 Supplementary electrical heating using air 40
2 Supplementary electrical heating using air 40
3 Supplementary electrical heating using air 40
Number
Consumer Amperes
Ibiza SC_EN.book Seite 215 Dienstag, 8. Juli 2008 5:36 17

If and when231
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Do not pull too hard with the towing vehi
cle and take care to avoid jerking the
tow-rope. When towing on an unpaved road, there is always a risk of over-
loading and damaging the anchorage points.
The ignition of the vehicle being towed must be switched on to prevent the
steering wheel from locking and also to allow the use of the turn signals,
horn, windscreen wipers and washers.
As the brake servo does not work if th e engine is not running, you must apply
considerably more pressure to the brake pedal than you normally would.
As the power assisted steering does not wo rk if the engine is not running, you
will need more strength to steer than you normally would.
Towing vehicles with an automatic gearbox
•
Put the selector lever into position “N”.
•
Do not drive faster than 50 km/h when towing a vehicle.
•
Do not tow further than 50 km.
•
If a breakdown vehicle is used, the vehicle must be towed with the front
wheels raised.Note
•
Observe legal requirements when towing or tow-starting.
•
Switch on the hazard warning lights of both vehicles. However, observe
any regulations to the contrary.
•
For technical reasons, vehicles with an automatic gearbox must not be
tow-started.
•
If damage to your vehicle means that there is no lubricant in the gearbox,
you must raise the drive wheels while the vehicle is being towed.
•
If the vehicle has to be towed more than 50 km, the front wheels must be
raised during towing, and towing should be carried out by a qualified person.
•
The steering wheel is locked when the vehicle has no electrical power. The
vehicle must then be towed with the front wheels raised. Towing should be
carried out by a qualified person.
•
The towing eye should always be kept in the vehicle. Please consider the
notes on.
Trailer eyesFitting the towing eye
– Take the towing ring from the onboard tools.
– Pull the lower front cover down and leave the cover hanging on the vehicle.
– Remove the cover of the screw hole, insert a screwdriver into the lower slot and lever gently.
– Screw the eye to its limit to the left, in the direction of the arrow
⇒ fig. 164.
Fig. 164 Fitting the
towing eye to the rear of
the vehicle
Ibiza SC_EN.book Seite 231 Dienstag, 8. Juli 2008 5:36 17

Index249
DDanger of fitting a child seat on the front passenger
seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Dash panel cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Diesel engine Winter driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Diesel engine particulate filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Differential lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Differential lock fault (EDL) warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Digital clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Dipped headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Disabling front passenger airbag Safety notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Disabling the airbag Disabling front passenger airbag . . . . . . . . . 38
Displays in the Multi-function display Memory displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Disposal Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Door lock cylinders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Door release lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Doors warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Drive wheels traction control system . . . . . . . . 150
Driving Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
With a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
with a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Driving safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Duplicate keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Dust filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Dynamic headlight range control . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
EEcological driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Economical driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
EDL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
EDS Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Electrical power points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Electrohydraulic steering warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Electronic differential lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Electronic immobiliser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Electronic stabilisation program . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Electronic stabilisation programme . . . . . . . . . . 62 Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Electronic stabilisat ion programme (ESP)
warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Emission control system warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Engine Running in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Engine compartment
Working in the engine compartment . . . . . 181
Engine coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Engine fault warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Engine management Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Checking level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Oil properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Topping up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Engine oil dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Engine oil pressure Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Environmental tip Avoiding pollution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
ESP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62, 151
Exhaust gasses purification system . . . . . . . . . 154
Exterior mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
External aerial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
FFabric trim cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Floor mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Fog lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Front ashtray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Ibiza SC_EN.book Seite 249 Dienstag, 8. Juli 2008 5:36 17