2012 Seat Ibiza SC technical specifications

179
Vehicle maintenance and cleaning
CAUTION
To prevent scratching chrome surfaces:
● Never use an abrasive cleaning product on chrome.
● Do not clean or polish chrome parts in a sandy or dusty environment. 
Steel wheel rims
– Clean steel wheel rims regularly using a separate sponge.
Use an industrial cleaner to remove brake dust. Any damage to the paint on
steel wheel rims should be repaired before starting to rust.
WARNING
● Never wash tyres with a cylindrical jet. Even at large spraying distan-
ces and short cleaning times, visible and invisible damage can occur to
the tyres. This may cause an accident.
● Water, ice and salt on the brake system can reduce braking effective-
ness. Risk of accident. Directly after washing, avoid sudden and sharp
braking. Dry the brakes by braking several times ⇒ page 167, Braking ca-
pacity and braking distance.

Alloy wheel rims
Every two weeks
– Wash salt and brake dust from alloy wheels.
– Use an acid free detergent to clean the wheel rims. Every three months
–
Apply a hard wax compound to the wheels.
Alloy wheels require regular attention to preserve their appearance. If road
salt and brake dust are not often removed, the aluminium finish will be im-
paired.
Always use an acid-free detergent for alloy wheel rims.
Car polish or other abrasive agents should not be used for maintaining the
rims. If the protective coating is damaged, e.g. by flying stones, the dam-
aged area should be repaired immediately.
WARNING
● Never wash tyres with a cylindrical jet. Even at large spraying distan-
ces and short cleaning times, visible and invisible damage can occur to
the tyres. This may cause an accident.
● Water, ice and salt on the brake system can reduce braking effective-
ness. Risk of accident. Directly after washing, avoid sudden and sharp
braking. Dry the brakes by braking several times ⇒ page 167, Braking ca-
pacity and braking distance.

Underbody protection
The vehicle underbody is coated to protect it from chemical
and mechanical damage.
The protective coating can be damaged when driving. We recommend you
to check the protective coating under the body and on the running gear, and
reinstated if necessary, before and after the winter season.
We recommend you to go to your Technical Service to carry out repair work
and additional anti-corrosion work. 
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Vehicle maintenance and cleaning
WARNING
Never clean the dash panel and the airbag module surface with cleaners
containing solvents. Solvents cause the surface to become porous. If the
airbag triggered, plastic parts could become detached and cause inju-
ries.
CAUTION
Cleaning products which contain solvents will damage the material. 
Wooden trim cleaning*
– Clean the wooden trim with a water-moistened clean cloth.
– If this does not provide satisfactory results, use a gentle soap
solution.
CAUTION
Cleaning products which contain solvents will damage the material. 
Cloth seat covers and fabric trim cleaning
Cloth seat covers and fabric trim on the doors, headlining etc. can be
cleaned with a special interior cleaner or with dry foam and a soft brush. Cleaning the radio and climate controls
To clean the radio and/or climate controls, use a soft damp cloth. For more
resistant dirt, a neutral soap solution may be used.

Leather cleaning*
Normal cleaning
– Moisten a cotton or woollen cloth with water and wipe over the
leather surfaces.
Cleaning stubborn stains
– More stubborn dirt can be removed using a mild soap solution
(pure liquid soap; two tablespoons diluted in one litre of water)
and a cloth.
– Do not let the water soak through the leather or soak into the
seams.
– Then wipe off with a soft, dry cloth.
Leather maintenance
– The leather should be treated twice a year with a special leath-
er-care product, available in your Technical Services.
– Apply these products very sparingly.
– Then wipe off with a soft, dry cloth.
SEAT does everything possible to preserve the genuine qualities of this nat-
ural product. Due to the natural properties of the specially selected hides
employed, the finished leather has a certain sensitivity to grease and dirt, 
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Accessories, replacement of parts and modifications
Accessories, replacement of parts and modifications
Accessories and spare parts
Always consult a SEAT dealership before purchasing acces-
sories and parts.
Your vehicle is designed to offer a high standard of active and passive safe-
ty.
Before purchasing accessories and parts, and before making technical
changes to your vehicle, we recommend you to consult your SEAT Technical
Service.
SEAT dealerships will be happy to provide you with the latest information
about the use, legal requirements and recommendations from the manufac-
turer regarding accessories and parts.
We recommend you use only SEAT Approved Accessories®
and SEAT Ap-
proved Spare Parts ®
. This way, SEAT can guarantee that the product in
question is suitable, reliable and safe. SEAT Technical Services have the
necessary experience and facilities to ensure that parts are correctly and
professionally installed.
Despite a continuous observation of the market, SEAT is not able to assess
the reliability, safety and suitability of those parts SEAT has not approved.
For this reason, SEAT cannot assume responsibility for any non-genuine
parts used, even if these parts have been approved by an official testing
agency or are covered by an official approval certificate.
Any equipment subsequently installed which has a direct effect on the driv-
er's control of the vehicle (e.g. cruise control system or electronically-con-
trolled suspension) must be approved by SEAT and bear the e mark (the Eu-
ropean Union's authorisation symbol). If any
additional electrical components are fitted which do not serve to con-
trol the vehicle itself (e.g. refrigerator box, laptop or ventilator fan), these
must bear the CE mark (European Union manufacturer conformity declara-
tion).
WARNING
Accessories, for example telephone holders or cup holders, should never
be fitted on the covers, or within the working range, of the airbags. Oth-
erwise, there is a danger of injury if the airbag is triggered in an accident.

Technical modifications
Modifications must always be carried out according to our
specifications.
Unauthorised modifications to the electronic components or software in the
vehicle may cause malfunctions. Due to the way the electronic components
are linked together in networks, other indirect systems may be affected by
the faults. This can seriously impair safety, lead to excessive wear of compo-
nents, and also invalidate your vehicle registration documents.
The SEAT Technical Service cannot be held liable for any damage caused by
modifications and/or work incorrectly performed.
For this reason, we recommend having all work performed by a SEAT Techni-
cal Service using SEAT Original Spare Parts ®
. 
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Accessories, replacement of parts and modifications
Note
Please observe the operating instructions of your mobile telephone/two-
way radio. 
Fitting a towing bracket*
It is possible to fit a towing bracket to the rear of the vehicle.
Fig. 117 Attachment points for towing bracket If a towing bracket is to be fitted after the vehicle is purchased, this must be
completed according to the instructions of the towing bracket manufacturer.
The attachment points for the towing bracket A
are on the lower part of the
vehicle. The distance between the centre of the ball coupling and the ground should
never be lower than the indicated value, even with a fully loaded vehicle
and including the maximum drawbar load.
Elevation values for securing the towing bracket:
65 mm (minimum)
from 350 mm to 420 mm (fully loaded vehicle)
959 mm
438 mm
209 mm
Fitting a towing bracket
● Driving with a trailer involves an extra effort for the vehicle. Therefore,
before fitting a towing bracket, please contact a Technical Service to check
whether your cooling system needs modification.
● The legal requirements in your country must be observed (e.g. the fitting
of a separate control lamp).
● Certain vehicle components, e.g. the rear bumper, must be removed and
reinstalled. The towing bracket securing bolts must be tightened using a
torque wrench, and a power socket must be connected to the vehicle electri-
cal system. This requires specialised knowledge and tools.
● Figures in the illustration show the elevation value and the attachment
points which must be considered if you are retrofitting a towing bracket.
WARNING
The towing brackets should be fitted at a specialised workshop.
● If the towing bracket is incorrectly installed, there is a serious danger
of accident.
● For your own safety, please observe the instructions provided by the
manufacturer of the towing bracket. 
BCDEF
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Checking and refilling levels
Checking and refilling levels Refuelling
The tank flap is released manually. The tank holds approxi-
mately 45 litres.
Fig. 118 Tank flap open
Opening the fuel tank cap
– Lift the lid.
– Hold the cap firmly with one hand, then insert the key into the
lock and rotate 180° to the left.
– Unscrew the cap, turning it anticlockwise.
Closing the fuel tank cap
– Screw the tank cap to the right, until the point of feeling a
“click”. –
Turn the key in the lock, without releasing the cap, clockwise
through 180°.
– Remove the key and close the flap until it clicks into place. The
tank cap is secured with an anti-loss attachment
The tank flap is at the rear of the vehicle on the right.
If the automatic filler nozzle is operated correctly, it will switch itself off as
soon as the fuel tank is “full”. Never attempt to fill beyond this point, as this
will fill the expansion chamber. Fuel may leak out if ambient conditions are
warm.
The correct fuel grade for your vehicle is given on a sticker on the inside of
the fuel tank flap. 
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Checking and refilling levels
LPG system*
Refuelling with LPG
The LPG filler neck is behind the fuel cap, next to the petrol
filler neck.
Fig. 119 Fuel tank open with LPG filler neck and adapter.
Fig. 120 LPG tank in
spare wheel well
Refuelling with LPG
– Before refuelling, stop the engine and switch off the ignition.
– Open the tank flap.
– Before refuelling, please read the instructions on the pump.
– Unscrew the cap of the gas filler neck ⇒ Fig. 119 1
.
– Screw the required adapter ⇒ Fig. 119 2
on the gas filler neck
1.
– Refuel as indicated in the instructions on the pump.
– Unscrew the adapter ⇒ Fig. 119 2
.
– Screw on the cap of the gas filler neck ⇒ Fig. 119 1
.
– Close the tank flap.
When the hose is removed from the tank, a small amount of LPG may spill
out ⇒ 
. 
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Checking and refilling levels
Note
The four most common types of adapter in Europe are the ACME adapter 1,
the Dish Coupling adapter 2, the bayonet adapter 3 and the EURO adapt-
er 4. On the whole, we recommend you carry all four adapters in your vehi-
cle, as some countries use more than one type of filling system. The intro-
duction of a single system (Euronozzle) throughout Europe is being studied. 
LPG fuel
LPG is an alternative vehicle fuel and is a blend of propane and butane.
The success of LPG is due to the strict regulations concerning exhaust gas
emissions. Compared to other fossil fuels, LPG is characterised by its re-
duced emissions.
LPG quality and consumption
Quality requirements for LPG are regulated for all Europe in DIN EN 589 and
permit the use of LPG throughout Europe.
A difference is drawn between winter gas and summer gas. Winter gas has a
higher proportion of propane gas. As a result, the driving range of winter
gas may be lower (due to increased consumption) than that of summer gas.
LPG supplier network
The number of LPG pumps is constantly increasing.
Lists of existing LPG pumps may be found on Internet. 
LPG safety
A series of collision tests performed on this vehicle while running with LPG
have confirmed its high level of safety. The safety of the LPG system guarantees operation without risk. The follow-
ing safety measures have been adopted:
●
The LPG tank has a solenoid valve which closes automatically when the
engine is switched off (ignition off) or when running on petrol.
● A solenoid type main valve disconnects the supply of gas to the engine
compartment when the engine is switched off or running on petrol.
● A safety valve in the LPG tank with pipes to the outside prevents the gas
from entering the vehicle interior.
● All anchorage points and materials have been designed to ensure the
maximum possible levels of safety.
The condition of the LPG system should be checked regularly to guarantee
safe driving conditions ⇒ 
. These checks are included in the Maintenance
Programme.
WARNING
● If there is a smell of gas or a suspected leak, stop the vehicle immedi-
ately and switch off the ignition. Open the doors to ventilate the vehicle.
Do not carry on driving! Take the vehicle to a specialised workshop and
have the fault repaired.
● Immediately extinguish any cigarettes and remove from the vehicle
any objects which might produce a spark or cause a fire, and switch off
immediately if gas is smelt or a leak is detected.
● LPG tanks are subject to pressure and must be checked regularly. The
owner of the vehicle must check that these services are performed cor-
rectly.
● When parking the vehicle in a closed area (for example in a garage),
make sure that there is adequate ventilation, either natural or mechani-
cal, to neutralise the LPG in the event of a leak.
Note
For any fault in the LPG system, please refer to the SEAT web page, which
lists the workshops authorised to repair these faults. 
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Checking and refilling levels
Winter driving
Diesel can thicken in winter.
Winter-grade diesel
When using “summer-grade diesel fuel”, difficulties may be experienced at
temperatures below 0°C because the fuel thickens due to wax separation.
Therefore, “winter-grade diesel fuel” is available in some countries during
the cold months. It can be used at temperatures as low as -22°C.
In countries with different climatic conditions the diesel fuel generally sold
has different temperature characteristics. Check with the Technical Services
or filling stations in the country concerned regarding the type of diesel fuels
available.
Filter pre-heater
Your vehicle is fitted with a fuel filter glow plug system, making it well
equipped for operation in winter. This ensures that the fuel system remains
operational to approx. -24°C, provided you use winter-grade diesel which is
safe to -15°C.
However, if the fuel has waxed to such an extent that the engine will not
start at temperatures of under -24°C, simply place the vehicle in a warm
place for a while.
CAUTION
Do not mix fuel additives (thinners or similar products) with diesel fuel. Working in the engine compartment
Safety instructions on working in the engine compartment
Any work carried out in the engine compartment or on the
engine must be carried out cautiously.
Before starting any work on the engine or in the engine compart-
ment:
1. Switch off the engine and remove the key from the ignition.
2. Apply the handbrake.
3. Move the gear lever to neutral or the selector lever to position P.
4. Wait for the engine to cool down.
5. Keep children away from the vehicle.
6. Raise the bonnet ⇒ page 195.
You should not do any work in the engine compartment unless you know ex-
actly how to carry out the jobs and have the correct tools! Have the work car-
ried out by a specialised workshop if you are uncertain.
All service fluids and consumables, e.g. coolant, engine oil, spark plugs
and batteries, are under constant development. SEAT provides a constant
flow of information to the Technical Services concerning modifications. For
this reason, we recommend you to have service fluids and consumables re-
placed by a Technical Service. Please observe the relevant instructions
⇒ page 183. The engine compartment of the vehicle is a hazardous area
⇒ 
. 
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications