2011 Seat Ibiza SC maintenance

Foreword
This Instruction Manual and its corresponding supplements should be read carefully to familiarise yourself
with your vehicle.
Besides the regular care and maintenance of the vehicle, its correct handling will help preserve its value.
For safety reasons, note the information concerning accessories, modifications and part replacements.
If selling the vehicle, give all of the onboard documentation to the new owner, as it should be kept with the
vehicle.

Table of Contents
Manual structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Safety First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Safe driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Proper sitting position for occupants . . . . . . . . . 10
Pedal area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Storing objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Why wear seat belts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Belt tensioners* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Side airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Deactivating airbags* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Securing child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Operating Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Cockpit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 LPG system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Digital instrument panel display . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Warning lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Steering column controls* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Audio Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Audio + Telephone Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Unlocking and locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Radio frequency remote control* . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Anti-theft alarm system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Panorama tilting sunroof* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Lights and visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Interior lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Windscreen wipers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Rear view mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Seats and storage compartments . . . . . . . . . . 110
The importance of correct seat adjustment . . . . . 110
Head restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Front seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Rear seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Storage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Ashtrays, cigarette lighter and power socket . . . 120
First-aid kit, warning triangle, fire extinguisher* 122
Luggage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Air conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Air conditioning* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Climatronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Ignition lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Starting and stopping the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Start-Stop function* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Manual gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Automatic gearbox* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Handbrake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Acoustic parking aid system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Cruise speed* (Cruise control system) . . . . . . . . 157
Practical Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Intelligent technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Anti-lock brake system and traction control ABS 162
Electronic Stability Programme (ESP)* . . . . . . . . 163
Driving and the environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Running-in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Exhaust gas purification system . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Economical and environmentally friendly driving 168
Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Trailer towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Vehicle maintenance and cleaning . . . . . . . . . 174
General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Care of the vehicle exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Vehicle interior maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
3
Table of Contents

6Content
Content
This manual is structured to provide the information you need in an organ-
ised way. The content of this Manual is divided into sections which belong
to chapters (e.g. “Air conditioning”). The entire manual is divided into five
large parts which are:
1. Safety First Information on the vehicle equipment relating to passive safety such as
seat belts, airbags, seats, etc.
2. Operating instructions
Information about the distribution of controls in the driver position of your
vehicle, about the seat adjustment possibilities, about how to create a suit-
able climate in the passenger compartment, etc.
3. Practical Tips
Advice relating to the driving, caring and maintenance of your vehicle and
certain problems you can solve yourself.
4. Technical specifications
Figures, values and the dimensions of your vehicle.
5. Alphabetic index
At the end of this manual there is a detailed alphabetical index, this will
help you to rapidly find the information you require. 

31
Airbag system
Monitoring of airbag and belt tensioner system
Both the airbag and belt tensioner systems operation is constantly moni-
tored electronically. The warning lamp  will light up for a few seconds ev-
ery time the ignition is switched on (self-diagnosis).
The system must be checked when the warning lamp  :
● does not light up when the ignition is switched on,
● after the ignition is switched on, it turns off after 4 seconds,
● turns off and then lights up again after the ignition is switched on,
● lights up or flashes while the vehicle is moving.
In the event of a malfunction, the warning lamp remains on continuously.
Have the airbag system inspected immediately by a qualified workshop.
If any of the airbags are de-activated by the Authorised Service Centre, the
indicator lights for several seconds more after the verification and will turn
off if there is no fault.
WARNING
● If there is a malfunction, the airbag and belt tensioner system cannot
properly perform its protective function.
● If a malfunction occurred, have the system checked immediately by a
specialised workshop. Otherwise, in the event of an accident, the airbag
system and belt tensioners may not be triggered, or may not be triggered
correctly.

Repairs, maintenance and disposal of airbags
The parts of the airbag system are installed in various places in your vehi-
cle. If work is carried out on the airbag system or parts have to be removed
and fitted on the system when performing other repair work, parts of the air- bag system may be damaged. In the event of an accident this could cause
the airbag to inflate incorrectly or not inflate at all.
The relevant safety requirements must be observed when the vehicle or
components of the airbag are
scrapped. Specialised workshops and vehicle
disposal centres are familiar with these requirements.
WARNING
● If repairs are not carried out by a professional, or if the airbags are
used incorrectly, the risk of severe or fatal injuries is increased. The air-
bags may fail to inflate, or could inflate in the wrong circumstances.
● Do not cover or stick anything on the steering wheel hub or the sur-
face of the airbag unit on the passenger side of the dash panel, and do
not obstruct or modify them in any way.
● It is important not to attach any objects such as cup holders or tele-
phone mountings to the surfaces covering the airbag units.
● To clean the steering wheel or dash panel, you may use only a dry or a
water-moistened cloth. Never clean the dash panel and the airbag mod-
ule surface with cleaners containing solvents. Solvents cause the surface
to become porous. If the airbag triggered, plastic parts could become de-
tached and cause injuries.
● Never attempt to repair, adjust, remove or install parts of the airbag
system.
● Any work on the airbag system or removal and installation of the air-
bag components for other repairs (such as repairs to the steering wheel)
should be performed only by a specialised workshop. Specialised work-
shops have the necessary tools, repair information and qualified person-
nel.
● We strongly recommend you to go to a specialised workshop for all
work on the airbag system.
● Never attempt to alter the front bumper or the body.
● The airbags provide protection for just one accident; replace them
once they have deployed. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

133
Air conditioning
Air recirculation mode
Air recirculation mode prevents fumes or unpleasant smells
from coming from the outside. – Press the button 
to switch air recirculation mode on or off.
This is ON if the symbol  ⇒ fig. 95 is displayed on the screen.
Air recirculation mode prevents strong odours in the ambient air from enter-
ing the vehicle interior, for example when passing through a tunnel or in a
traffic jam.
When the outside temperature is low, air recirculation mode improves heat-
ing performance by heating air from the interior instead of cold air from the
outside.
When the outside temperature is high, air recirculation mode improves cool-
ing performance by cooling air from the interior instead of warm air from
outside.
For safety reasons, the air recirculation should not be switched on when the
air distribution control is set to the windscreen setting .
WARNING
In air recirculation mode, no cold air from the outside enters the vehicle
interior. If the air conditioner is switched off, the windows can quickly
mist over. Therefore, never leave the air recirculation mode switched on
for a long time (risk of accident).
Note
When engaging reverse gear, the air recirculation is connected automatical-
ly to prevent the entrance of exhaust fumes in the vehicle on travelling back-
wards. In this case the symbol 
for air recirculation is not displayed. General notes
Pollution filter
The pollution filter (a combined particulate filter and active carbon filter)
serves as a barrier against impurities in the outside air, including dust and
pollen.
For the air conditioner to work with maximum efficiency, the pollution filter
must be replaced at the specified intervals in the Maintenance Programme.
If the filter loses efficiency prematurely due to use in areas reaching very
high pollution levels, the pollen filter must be changed more frequently
than stated in the Service Schedule.
CAUTION
● If you suspect that the air conditioner is damaged, switch it off with but-
ton AC
to prevent further damage and have it checked by a specialised
workshop.
● Repairs to the air conditioner require specialist knowledge and special
tools. Therefore, we recommend you to take the vehicle to a specialised
workshop.
Note
● If the humidity and temperature outside the vehicle are high, condensa-
tion can drip off the evaporator in the cooling system and so forming a pud-
dle underneath the vehicle. This is completely normal and there is no need
to suspect a leak.
● Keep the air intake slots in front of the windscreen free of snow, ice and
leaves to ensure heating and cooling are not impaired, and to prevent the
windows from misting over.
● The air from the vents flows through the vehicle interior and is extracted
by slots designed for this purpose. Therefore, do not cover these slots with
items of clothing or other objects. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

168Driving and the environment
Diesel engine particulate filter*
The diesel engine particulate filter eliminates soot produced
by burning diesel.
Fig. 116 Vehicle data
sticker on back cover of
the Maintenance Pro-
gramme
Your vehicle is fitted with a DPF (Diesel particulate filter) if the vehicle data
sticker (back cover of the “Maintenance Programme”) lists the PR code 7GG
or 7MG ⇒ fig. 116.
The diesel engine particulate filter eliminates most of the soot from the ex-
haust gas system. Under normal driving conditions, the filter cleans itself. If
the driving conditions do not allow the filter to clean itself (for example,
multiple short trips) the filter will be obstructed by dust and pollen and the
indicator  for the diesel engine particulate filter indicator will light up.
This does not represent a fault, it is a warning that indicates that the filter
has not been able to regenerate automatically and that you must carry out a
cleaning cycle, as indicated in ⇒ page 66.
WARNING
● The diesel engine particulate filter may reach extremely high temper-
atures; the vehicle should be parked so that the exhaust pipe does not
come into contact with flammable materials underneath the vehicle. Oth-
erwise there is a risk of fire.
CAUTION
● Your vehicle is not designed to use biodiesel fuel. Never, under any cir-
cumstances refuel with biodiesel. The use of biodiesel fuel could damage
the engine and the fuel system. The addition of biodiesel to diesel by the
diesel producer in accordance with standard EN 590 is authorised and will
not cause damage to the engine or the fuel system.
● Using diesel fuel with a high sulphur content may significantly reduce
the working life of the diesel particulate filter. Your Authorised Service Cen-
tre will be able to tell you which countries have diesel with a high sulphur
content. 
Economical and environmentally friendly
driving
Economical and environmentally friendly driving
Fuel consumption, environmental pollution and wear to the engine, brakes
and tyres depends in large part on your driving style. By adopting an eco-
nomical driving style and anticipating the traffic situation ahead, you can
easily reduce fuel consumption by 10-15%. Some tips on how to help you
reduce pollution while saving money are listed below. 

169
Driving and the environment
Drive anticipating the traffic situation
A vehicle uses most fuel when accelerating. When you anticipate the situa-
tion, you have to brake less often and, thus, accelerate less. If it is possible,
let the vehicle roll with a gear engaged, for example, if you see a red light
ahead. The braking effect achieved in this way helps to reduce the wear of
brakes and tyres; emissions and fuel consumption are reduced to zero (dis-
connection due to inertia).
Change gear early to save energy
An effective way of saving fuel is to change up quickly through the gears.
Running the engine at high rpm in the lower gears uses an unnecessary
amount of fuel.
Manual gearbox: Change from first to second gear as quickly as possible.
We recommend that, whenever possible, you change to a higher gear upon
reaching 2000 rpm. Follow the “recommended gear” indication that ap-
pears on the instrument panel ⇒ page 56.
Avoid driving at high speed
We advise you not to drive at the top speed permitted by the vehicle. Fuel
consumption, exhaust emissions and noise levels all increase very rapidly
at higher speeds. Driving at moderate speeds will help to save fuel.
Avoid idling
It is worthwhile switching off the engine when waiting in a traffic jam, at lev-
el crossings or at traffic lights with a long red phase. The fuel saved after
only 30 - 40 seconds is greater than the amount of fuel needed to restart
the engine.
The engine takes a long time to warm up when it is idling. Mechanical wear
and pollutant emissions are also especially high during this initial warm-up
phase. It is therefore best to drive off immediately after starting the engine.
Avoid running the engine at high speed.
Periodic maintenance
Periodic maintenance work guarantees that, before beginning a journey,
you will not consume more than the required amount of fuel. A well-serviced engine gives you the benefit of
improved fuel efficiency as well as maxi-
mum reliability and an enhanced resale value.
A badly serviced engine can consume up to 10% more fuel than necessary.
Avoid short journeys
To reduce the consumption and emission of polluting gases, the engine and
the exhaust filtration systems should reach the optimum service tempera-
ture.
With the engine cold, fuel consumption is proportionally higher. The engine
does not warm up and fuel consumption does not normalise until having
driven approximately four kilometres. This is why we recommend avoiding
short trips whenever possible.
Maintain the correct tyre pressures
Bear in mind that keeping the tyres at an adequate pressure saves fuel. If
the tyre pressure is just one bar too low, fuel consumption can increase by
as much as 5%. Due to the greater rolling resistance, under-inflation also
increases tyre wear and impairs handling.
The tyre pressures should always be checked when the tyres are cold.
Do not use winter tyres all year round as they increase fuel consumption by
up to 10%.
Avoid unnecessary weight
Every kilo of extra weight will put up the fuel consumption, so it is worth
checking the luggage compartment occasionally to make sure that no un-
necessary loads are being transported.
A roof rack is often left in place for the sake of convenience, even when it is
no longer needed. At a speed of 100-120 km/h your vehicle will use about
12% more fuel as a result of the extra wind resistance caused by the roof
rack even when it is not in use. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications

171
Driving and the environment
Driving abroad Observations
To drive abroad, the following must be taken into consideration:
● For vehicles fitted with a catalytic converter ensure that unleaded petrol
is available for the journey. See the chapter “Refuelling”. Automobile organ-
isations will have information about service station networks selling unlea-
ded fuel.
● In some countries, it is possible that your vehicle model is not sold, and
therefore spare parts are not available or the Authorised Services can only
carry out limited repairs.
SEAT importers and distributors will gladly provide information about the
technical preparations that you vehicle requires and also about necessary
maintenance and repair possibilities. 
Adhesive strips for headlights
If you have to drive a right-hand drive vehicle in a left-hand drive country, or
vice versa, the asymmetric dipped beam headlights will dazzle oncoming
traffic.
To prevent dazzling, you must apply stickers to certain parts of the head-
light lenses. Further information is available at your Authorised Service Cen-
tre.
In vehicles with adaptive headlights, the rotation system must previously be
disconnected. To do this, please go to a specialised workshop. Trailer towing
What do you need to bear in mind when towing a trailer?
Your vehicle may be used to tow a trailer when fitted with the correct equip-
ment.
If the car is supplied with a factory-fitted towing bracket it will already have
the necessary technical modifications and meet the statutory requirements
for towing a trailer. If you wish to retrofit a towing bracket, consult
⇒ page 185.
Connectors
Your vehicle is fitted with a 12-pin connector for the electrical connection
between the trailer and the vehicle.
If the trailer has a 7-pin plug you will need to use an adapter cable. This is
available in any SEAT dealer.
Trailer weight / drawbar load
Never exceed the authorised trailer weight. If you do not load the trailer up
to the maximum permitted trailer weight, you can then climb correspond-
ingly steeper slopes.
The maximum trailer weights listed are only applicable for altitudes up to
1000 m above sea level. With increasing altitude the engine power and
therefore the vehicle's climbing ability are impaired because of the reduced
air density. The maximum trailer weight has to be reduced accordingly. The
weight of the vehicle and trailer combination must be reduced by 10% for
every further 1000 m (or part thereof). The gross combination weight is the
actual weight of the laden vehicle plus the actual weight of the laden trailer.
When possible, operate the trailer with the maximum permitted drawbar
load on the ball joint of the towing bracket, but do not exceed the specified
limit. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications