2015 Seat Ibiza 5D ESP

Checking and refilling levels
the rear lid and lift the floor covering. The
b att
er
y is located next to the spare wheel.
– Check the colour display in the "magic eye"
on the top of the b

attery.
– If there are air bubbles in the window, tap
the window g

ently until they disperse.
The position of the battery is shown in the
corresponding engine compartment diagram
››› page 204. The location of the battery in
the luggage compartment can be seen in
››› Fig. 186.
The “magic eye” indicator, located on the top
of the battery changes colour, depending on
the charge state and electrolyte level of the
battery.
There are two different colours:
● Black: correct charge status.
● Transparent/clear yellow: the battery must
be repl
aced. Contact a specialised workshop.
Charging or changing the battery The battery is maintenance-free and is
c
hec
k

ed during the inspection service. All
work on the vehicle battery requires special-
ist knowledge.
If you often drive short distances or if the ve-
hicle is not driven for long periods, the bat- tery should be checked by a specialised
workshop betw

een the scheduled services.
If the battery has discharged and you have
problems starting the vehicle, the battery
might be damaged. If this happens, we rec-
ommend you have the vehicle battery
checked by a Technical Service where it will
be re-charged or replaced.
Charging the battery
The vehicle battery should be charged by a
specialised workshop only, as batteries us-
ing special technology have been installed
and they must be charged in a controlled en-
vironment.
Replacing a vehicle battery
The battery has been developed to suit the
conditions of its location and has special
safety features.
Genuine SEAT batteries meet the mainte-
nance, performance and safety specifications
of your vehicle. WARNING
● We r ec

ommend you use only maintenance-
free or cycle free leak-proof batteries which
comply with standards T 825 06 and
VW 7 50 73. This standard applies as of
2001.
● Before starting any work on the batteries,
you mus
t read and observe the warnings ››› in Symbols and warnings on handling
the batt er

y on page 210. For the sake of the environment
Batteries contain toxic substances such as
s u lphuric

acid and lead. They must be dis-
posed of appropriately and must not be dis-
posed of with ordinary household waste. 211Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Wheels
Tyre pressure
The c orr
ect
tyre pressure is especially impor-
tant at high speeds. The pressure should
therefore be checked at least once a month
and before starting a journey.
Depending on the vehicle, tyre pressure can
be adjusted to medium load to improve driv-
ing comfort (“comfort” tyre pressure). When
driving with comfort tyre pressure fuel con-
sumption may increase slightly. WARNING
A tyre can easily burst if the pressure is too
low , c

ausing an accident!
● At continuously high speeds, a tyre with in-
sufficient
pressure flexes more. In this way it
becomes too hot, and this can cause tread
separation and tyre blow-out. Always observe
the recommended tyre pressures.
● If the tyre pressure is too low or too high,
the tyre
s will wear prematurely and the vehi-
cle will not handle well. Risk of accident! For the sake of the environment
Under-inflated tyres will increase fuel con-
sumption. Tyre useful life
Fig. 189
Tyre tread wear indicators. Fig. 190
Diagram for changing wheels The useful life of tyres is dependent on tyre
pr
e
s

sure, driving style and fitting.
Wear indicators
The original tyres on your vehicle have
1.6 mm high “tread wear indicators”
››› Fig. 189, running across the tread. De- pending on the make, there will be 6 to 8 of
them evenly

spaced around the tyre. Mark-
ings on the tyre sidewall (for instance the let-
ters “TWI” or other symbols) indicate the po-
sitions of the tread wear indicators. The mini-
mum tread depth required by law is 1.6 mm
(measured in the tread grooves next to the
tread wear indicators). Worn tyres must be re-
placed. Different figures may apply in export
countries ››› .
T y
r

e 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 212.
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 ››› Fig. 190. The use-
ful life of all the tyres will then be about the
same time.
Wheel balance
The wheels on new vehicles are balanced.
However, various factors encountered in nor-
mal driving can cause them to become unbal-
anced, which results in steering vibration. »
213
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Technical specifications
Special versions, optional equipment fittings
or r etr
o-fittin
g accessories will increase the
weight of the vehicle ››› .
WARNING
● Ple a

se note that the centre of gravity may
shift when transporting heavy objects; this
may affect vehicle handling and lead to an ac-
cident. Always adjust your speed and driving
style to suit road conditions and require-
ments.
● Never exceed the gross axle weight rating
or the gros
s vehicle weight rating. If the per-
missible axle load or the permissible total
weight is exceeded, the driving characteris-
tics of the vehicle may change, leading to ac-
cidents, injuries and damage to the vehicle. Driving with a trailer
Tr
ai

ler weights Trailer weight
The tr
ai
l

er weights and drawbar loads ap-
proved are selected in intensive trials accord-
ing to precisely defined criteria. The ap-
proved trailer weights are valid for vehicles in
the EU for maximum speeds of 80 km/h (50
mph) (in certain circumstances up to 100
km/h (62 mph)). The figures may be different
in other countries. All data in the official vehi- cle documentation takes precedence over
these dat

a at all times ››› .
Dr a
wb
ar loads
The maximum permitted drawbar load on the
ball joint of the towing bracket must not ex-
ceed 75 kg.
In the interest of road safety, we recommend
that you always tow approaching the maxi-
mum drawbar load. The response of the trail-
er on the road will be poor, if the drawbar
load is too small.
If the maximum permissible drawbar load
cannot be met (e.g. with small, empty and
light-weight single axle trailers or tandem
axle trailers with a wheelbase of less than 1
metre), a minimum of 4% of the actual trailer
weight is legally required for the drawbar
load. WARNING
● For s af

ety reasons, you should not drive at
speeds above 80 km/h (50 mph) when towing
a trailer. This also applies in countries where
higher speeds are permitted.
● Never exceed the maximum trailer weights
or the drawb
ar load. If the permissible axle
load or the permissible total weight is excee-
ded, the driving characteristics of the vehicle
may change, leading to accidents, injuries
and damage to the vehicle. Wheels
Ty
r

e pressure, snow chains, wheel
bolts Tyre pressures
The stic
k

er with the tyre pressure values can
be found on the inside of the fuel tank flap.
The tyre pressure values given there are for
cold tyres. Do not reduce the slightly raised
pressures of warm tyres ››› .
The pre s

sure for winter tyres is 0.2 bar higher
than that of summer tyres (2.9 psi / 20 kPa).
Snow chains
Snow chains may be fitted only to the front
wheels, and only for the following tyres:
175/70R14
185/60R15Chains with links not exceeding 15 mm
(including the chain closure)
215/45R16Chains with links not exceeding 9 mm
(including the chain closure)
215/40R17Chains with links not exceeding 7 mm
(including the chain closure) Wheel bolts
Af
t
er the wheel

s have been changed, the
tightening torque of the wheel bolts should
be checked as soon as possible with a torque
wrench ››› . The tightening torque for steel
and al lo
y

wheels is 120 Nm. »
219
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety