2015 Seat Ibiza ST engine overheat

Operation
●
Addition a
l lights and other accessories in
front of the air inlet reduce the cooling effect
of the coolant. At high outside temperatures
and high engine loads, there is a risk of the
engine overheating.
● The front spoiler also ensures proper distri-
bution of the c
ooling air when the vehicle is
moving. If the spoiler is damaged this can re-
duce the cooling effect, which could cause
the engine to overheat. Seek specialist assis-
tance. Fuel level
Fig. 123
Fuel gauge. The display
6
› ›
› Fig. 121
only works when
the ignition is switched on. When the display
reaches the reserve mark, the lower diode
lights up in red and the control lamp  ap-
pears ››› page 96. When the fuel level is very
low, the lower diode flashes in red. The distance to empty fuel level is displayed
on the instrument

panel 3
› ››
Fig. 121
.
Y
ou can consult the tank capacity of your ve-
hicle in the ›››
 page 40 section. CAUTION
Never run the fuel tank completely dry. An ir-
re gu

lar fuel supply could cause misfiring. In
this way the unburned fuel can reach the ex-
haust system, which could cause the catalytic
converter to overheat resulting in damage. Warning and indication lamps
W arnin
g symbo

ls Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 35
There are red warning symbols (priority 1)
and yellow warning symbols (priority 2).
Warning messages, Priority 1 (red)
If one of these faults occurs, the warning
lamp will light up or flash and will be accom-
panied by three audible warnings. This is a
danger warning. Stop the vehicle and switch
off the engine. Check the fault and correct it.
Obtain professional assistance if necessary.
If several priority 1 faults are detected at the
same time, the symbols will be displayed one after the other for about 2 seconds at a time
and wil

l continue until the fault is corrected.
No menus will be shown in the display for the
duration of a priority 1 warning message.
Examples of priority 1 warning messages
(red)
● Brake system symbol  with the warnin
g
message STOP BRAKE FLUID INSTRUC-
TION MANUAL or STOP BRAKE FAULT IN-
STRUCTION MANUAL .
● Coolant symbol  with the warnin
g mes-
sage STOP SEE COOLANT INSTRUCTION
MANUAL .
● Engine oil pressure symbol  with the
warnin
g message STOP ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE LOW! INSTRUCTION MANUAL .
Warning messages, Priority 2 (yellow)
If one of these faults occurs, the correspond-
ing warning lamp lights up and is accompa-
nied by an audible warning. Check the corre-
sponding function as soon as possible al-
though the vehicle may be used without risk.
If several priority 2 warning messages are de-
tected at the same time, the symbols are dis-
played one after the other for about 2 sec-
onds at a time. After a set time, the informa-
tion text will disappear and the symbol will
be shown as a reminder at the side of the
display.
100

Operation
●
Never ignor e the w
arning lamps or messag-
es.
● Stop the vehicle at the next opportunity
and in a safe p
lace. Note
Failure to heed the control lamps and corre-
s pondin g t

ext messages when they light up
may result in damage to the vehicle. Emission control system*
Control lamp
 fla
she
s:
When there is misfiring that can damage the
catalytic converter. Reduce speed and drive
carefully to the nearest specialised workshop
to have the engine checked.
The control lamp  lights up:
If a fault has developed during driving which
has reduced the quality of the exhaust gas
(e.g. lambda probe fault). Reduce speed and
drive carefully to the nearest specialised
workshop to have the engine checked.
Coolant Level*/Temperature  There is a fault if:
● The warning symbol does not go out again
af t
er a f

ew seconds. ●
The contro
l lamp lights up or flashes while
the vehicle is moving, and three acoustic
warning signals ››› are emitted.
Thi s
me

ans that either the coolant level is too
low or the coolant temperature is too high.
Coolant temperature too high
If the control lamp comes on, stop the vehi-
cle, turn off the engine and wait for it to cool
down. Check the coolant level.
If the coolant level is correct, the overheating
may be caused by a malfunction of the radia-
tor fan. Check the radiator fan fuse and have
it replaced if necessary ››› page 81.
If the control lamp lights up again after driv-
ing on for a short distance, stop the vehicle
and switch the engine off. Contact a Techni-
cal Service or a specialised workshop.
Coolant level too low
If the control lamp comes on , stop the vehi-
cle, turn off the engine and wait for it to cool
down. First check the coolant level. If the lev-
el of the coolant is below the “MIN” mark,
top up with coolant liquid ››› .
WARNING
● If y

our vehicle is immobilised for technical
reasons, move it to a safe distance from traf-
fic. Turn the engine off, turn the hazard lights
on and place the warning triangle. ●
Never open the bonnet if

you can see or
hear steam or coolant escaping from the en-
gine compartment. Risk of scalding. Wait un-
til you can no longer see or hear escaping
steam or coolant.
● The engine compartment is a dangerous
area. B
efore carrying out any work in the en-
gine compartment, switch off the engine and
allow it to cool down. Always note the corre-
sponding warnings ››› page 201. Alternator 
This control lamp signals a fault in the alter-
n
at
or

.
The control lamp  lights up when the igni-
tion is switched on. It should go out when the
engine has started running.
If the control lamp  lights up while driving,
the alternator is no longer charging the bat-
tery. You should immediately drive to the
nearest specialised workshop.
You should avoid using electrical equipment
that is not absolutely necessary because this
will drain the battery.
Turn signals   Depending on which turn signal is operating,
either the l
ef
t

 or right  turn signal lamp
flashes. Both control lamps will flash at the
106

Air conditioning
so as to maintain good visibility of everything
outs
ide.
● The m
aximum heat output required to de-
fros
t windows as quickly as possible is only
available when the engine has reached its
normal running temperature. Only drive when
you have good visibility.
● Always ensure that you use the heating
syst
em, fresh air system, air conditioner and
the heated rear window to maintain good visi-
bility to the outside.
● Never leave the air recirculation on for a
long period of time. If
the cooling system is
switched off and air recirculation mode
switched on, the windows can mist over very
quickly, considerably limiting visibility.
● Switch air recirculation mode off when it is
not requir
ed. WARNING
Stuffy or used air will increase fatigue and re-
duce driv er c

oncentration possibly resulting
in a serious accident.
● Never leave the fresh air fan turned off or
use the air rec
irculation for long periods of
time; the air in the vehicle interior will not be
refreshed. CAUTION
● If y

ou suspect that the air conditioner is
damaged, switch it off with the A/C button to prevent further damage and have it checked
by
a s

pecialised workshop.
● Repairs to the air conditioner require spe-
cia
list knowledge and special tools. There-
fore, we recommend you to take the vehicle
to a specialised workshop. Note
● If the humidity and t

emperature outside the
vehicle are high, condensation can drip off
the evaporator in the cooling system and
form a pool underneath the vehicle. This is
normal and does not indicate a leak.
● Keep the air intake slots in front of the
winds
creen free of snow, ice and leaves to en-
sure heating and cooling are not impaired,
and to prevent the windows from misting
over.
● The air from the vents flows through the ve-
hicle int
erior and is extracted by slots in the
luggage compartment designed for this pur-
pose. Therefore, you should avoid obstruct-
ing these slots with any kind of object.
● The air conditioner operates most effective-
ly with the w
indows and the sliding/tilting
sunroof* closed. However, if the temperature
inside the vehicle is excessive because of the
sun, the air inside can be cooled faster by
opening the windows for a short time.
● Do not smoke while air recirculation mode
is on, a
s smoke drawn into the air condition- ing system leaves residue on the evaporator,
produc
in

g a permanent unpleasant odour.
● At low outside temperatures, the compres-
sor switc
hes off automatically and cannot be
switched on even with the AUTO button.
● It is advisable to turn on the air condition-
ing at l

east once a month, to lubricate the
system gaskets and prevent leaks. If a de-
crease in the cooling capacity is detected, a
Technical Service should be consulted to
check the system.
● To ensure correct operation, the grilles on
both sides
of the screen must not be obstruc-
ted
● When the engine is under extreme strain,
switc
h off the compressor for a moment. Economic use of the air conditioning
When the air conditioning is switched on, the
c
ompr
e

ssor consumes engine power and has
influence on fuel consumption. Consider the
following points in order to have the system
operating in the minimum possible time.
● If the vehicle interior has overheated due to
an exc
essive solar radiation, it is best to
open the windows or doors to allow the hot
air to escape.
● While in motion, the air conditioning
should not
be switched on if the windows or
the sunroof* are open.
145
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
start it using the battery of another vehicle.
Ple
a
se observe and follow the notes on the
›››  page 52, How to jump start. For the sake of the environment
Do not warm-up the engine by running the
en gine w ith the

vehicle stationary. You
should drive off as soon as you start the en-
gine. This helps the engine reach operating
temperature faster and reduces emissions. Switching off the engine
–
Stop the vehicle.
– Turn the ignition key to position ››
›
Fig. 168
1 .
Af t
er sw
itching the engine off, the radiator
fan may run on for up to 10 minutes. It is also
possible that the fan turns itself on once
more if the coolant temperature increases
due to the heat accumulated in the engine
compartment or due to its prolonged expo-
sure to solar radiation. WARNING
● Never sw it

ch the engine off until the vehi-
cle is completely stationary.
● The brake servo works only when the en-
gine is ru
nning. With the engine switched off,
more strength is needed to brake. As normal brake operation cannot be performed, risk of
acc
ident

s and serious injury may exist.
● The steering lock can be immediately
block
ed once the key is removed from the ig-
nition. The vehicle cannot be steered. Risk of
accident.
● Power-assisted steering does not work
when the engine is
off, and more strength is
needed to turn the wheel.
● If the key is removed from the ignition lock
the steerin
g lock could be engaged and vehi-
cle steering would not work. CAUTION
When the engine has been running under a
heavy lo

ad for a long period, heat can accu-
mulate in the engine compartment and cause
engine damage. For this reason, idle the en-
gine for approximately 2 minutes before
switching it off. Braking and parking
Br ak
in

g capacity and braking distance The efficiency of the brakes depends directly
on the br
ak
e p

ad wear. This wear depends to
a great extent on the conditions under which
the vehicle is operated and the way the vehi-
cle is driven. If you often drive in town, drive
short distances or have a sporty driving style,
we recommend that you have the thickness of your brake pads checked by technical serv-
ices

more frequently than recommended in
the Maintenance Programme.
If you drive with wet brakes, for example, af-
ter crossing areas of water, on days of heavy
rainfall or even after washing the car, the ef-
fect of the brakes is reduced as the brake
discs are wet or even frozen (in winter): in
this case, the brakes should be “dried” by
pressing the brake pedal several times. WARNING
Longer braking distances and faults in the
brak e sy

stem increase the risk of accidents.
● New brake pads must be run in and do not
have the c
orrect friction during the first
200 km. This reduced braking capacity may
be compensated for by pressing on the brake
pedal a little harder, which also applies when
the brake pads have to be changed further
on.
● If brakes are wet or frozen, or if you are
driving on r
oads which have been salted,
braking power may be lower than normal.
● On steep slopes, if brakes are excessively
used, they w
ill overheat. Before driving down
a long steep slope, it is advisable to reduce
speed and change down into a lower gear or
range (depending on the type of transmis-
sion). Thus, make use of engine braking and
relieve the brakes.
● Never let the brakes “drag” by applying
light pre
ssure. Continuous braking will cause156

Driving
the brakes to overheat and the braking
dis
t
ance will increase. Apply and then release
the brakes alternately.
● Never let the vehicle run with the engine
switc
hed off. The braking distance is in-
creased considerably when the brake servo is
not active.
● If the brake fluid loses its viscosity and is
subj
ected to heavy use, vapour bubbles can
form in the brake system. This reduces the ef-
ficiency of the brakes.
● Non-standard or damaged front spoilers
coul
d restrict the airflow to the brakes and
cause them to overheat. Before purchasing
accessories please observe the relevant in-
structions ››› page 190, Modifications.
● If a brake system circuit fails, the braking
dist
ance will be increased considerably. Con-
tact a specialised workshop immediately and
avoid unnecessary journeys. Handbrake
Fig. 169
Handbrake between the front seats. The handbrake should be applied firmly to
pr
ev
ent

the vehicle from accidentally rolling
away. Always apply the handbrake when you
leave your vehicle and when you park.
Applying the handbrake
– Pull the handbrake lever up firmly
›››
Fig. 169.
Releasing the handbrake
– Pull the lever up slightly and press the re-
lea

se knob in the direction of the arrow
››› Fig. 169 and guide the handbrake lever
down fully ››› .
A lw
a

ys pull the handbrake all the way up, so
there is less risk of driving off with it still en-
gaged ››› .The handbrake warning lamp  lights
up
when the h andbr

ake is applied and the igni-
tion switched on. The warning lamp turns off
when the handbrake is released. WARNING
● Never u se the h

andbrake to stop the vehi-
cle when it is in motion. The braking distance
is considerably longer, because braking is
only applied to the rear wheels. Risk of acci-
dent!
● If the handbrake is only partially released,
this w
ill cause the rear brakes to overheat,
which can impair the function of the brake
system and could lead to an accident. This al-
so causes premature wear on the rear brake
pads. CAUTION
Always apply the handbrake before you leave
the v ehic

le. Put it in 1st gear as well. In vehi-
cles with an automatic gearbox, place the
gear lever in position P. Parking
The handbrake should always be firmly ap-
p
lied when the
v

ehicle is parked.
Always note the following points when park-
ing the vehicle: – Use the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. »
157
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Driving
press the brake pedal to change the selector
l ev
er fr
om position N to position D.
S - Standard driving position (Sport pro-
gramme)
When the selector lever is in position S, it will
automatically change up into a higher gear
later, and change down into a low gear, if
compared with position D. This way, it is pos-
sible to take full advantage of the engine re-
serve power, depending on the engine de-
mand, driving style and speed. The braking
effect of the engine when driving downhill is
very limited. On the instrument panel display
the selected gear is shown as well as the se-
lector lever to position S.
To select gear range S, press the lock button
on the selector lever. WARNING
● As a driv er

, you should never leave your ve-
hicle if the engine is running and a gear range
is engaged. If you have to leave your vehicle
while the engine is running, you must apply
the parking brake and put the selector lever
in position P.
● If the engine is running and if D or R is en-
gaged,
you will need to hold the car on the
foot brake. The car will creep forward as the
power transmission is not fully interrupted
even when the engine is idling.
● Never accelerate when moving the selector
lever or
you may cause an accident. ●
Never mo v

e the selector lever to R or P
when driving. Risk of accident!
● Before driving down a long, steep slope, it
is a
dvisable to reduce speed and change into
a lower gear.
● If you stop the vehicle up hill, always hold
the foot br
ake strongly depressed down to
stop it from rolling back.
● Never allow the brake to rub and do not use
the brake ped
al 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 dis-
tance and could cause the brake system to
fail.
● Never allow the car to roll down a gradient
with the ge
ar in neutral N, or in selector lever
position D, even if the engine is not running.
● If the vehicle moves with no control, an ac-
cident and seriou
s injury may occur. WARNING
Never switch the engine off until the vehicle
is s

tationary. You could lose control of your
vehicle. This could cause an accident and se-
rious injury.
● The airbags and belt tensioners do not
work when the ignition i
s switched off.
● The brake servo does not work with the en-
gine off. Y
ou need more force to stop the vehi-
cle. ●
Po w

er steering does not work when the en-
gine 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 vehic
le is in motion. The steering lock
could suddenly engage, and you would not be
able to steer the vehicle. CAUTION
If you allow the vehicle to move when the en-
gine i s sw

itched off or with the selector lever
in position “N”, take your foot off the acceler-
ator and wait until the engine starts idling
before returning to position “D”. Selector lever lock
Fig. 170
Automatic gearbox The selector lever lock in position P or N pre-
v
ents
g

ears from being engaged inadvertent-
ly, which would cause the vehicle to move. »
161
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
put into a position for driving forwards or in
r ev
er
se from positions P or N if the brake
pedal is not depressed.
The ignition key cannot be removed unless
the selector lever is in position P.
Control lamp “Pressing brake pedal” 
When the warning lamp next to the selector
lever lights up, press the brake pedal. This is
necessary when the automatic gearbox selec-
tor lever is moved out of positions P or N. A
text message or instructions to perform nec-
essary operations may appear on the instru-
ment panel. CAUTION
● If y

ou stop the vehicle up hills, do not at-
tempt to stop it from rolling back by depress-
ing the accelerator when a gear has been se-
lected. Otherwise, the automatic gearbox
may overheat causing damage. Pull the hand-
brake up or fully depress the brake pedal to
prevent the vehicle from rolling away.
● If you allow the vehicle to roll when the en-
gine is not
running, or with the selector lever
in position N, a lack of lubrication in the auto-
matic gearbox will damage it. Kick-down feature
This feature allows maximum acceleration. If you press the accelerator down thoroughly,
the g
e
arbo

x automatically changes down, de-
pending 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 en-
gine speed for the gear. WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle if you ac-
cel er

ate on slippery road surfaces. Risk of se-
rious injury.
● Be particularly careful when using the kick-
down fe
atures on slippery road surfaces. With
a fast acceleration, the vehicle could lose
traction and skid.
● You should use the kick-down feature only
when traffic and w
eather conditions allow it
to be used safely. Gearbox malfunctions
 Gearbox: Fault! Stop the ve-
hicle and place the lever in the
position P.
There i s

a fault in the gearbox. Stop the vehi-
cle in a safe place and do not continue driv-
ing. Seek specialist assistance.
 Gearbox: System fault! You
may continue driving. Have the fault corrected by a specialised
work
shop w

ithout delay.
 Gearbox: System fault! You
can continue driving with re-
strictions. Reverse gear disa‐
bled
Take the vehicle to a specialised workshop
and have the fault repaired without delay.  Gearbox: System fault! You
can continue driving in D until
switching off the engine
Stop the vehicle in a safe place well away
from moving traffic. Seek specialist assis-
tance.  Gearbox: too hot. Adapt your
driving accordingly
Continue driving at moderate speeds. When
the warning lamp switches off, you can con-
tinue driving in a normal manner.  Gearbox: press the brake and
engage a gear again.
If the fault was caused by a gearbox with a
high temperature, this driver message will be
displayed when the gearbox has cooled
again.
164

Operation
● Use of
so
lvent-free adhesives.
● Use of CFC-free coolants in cooling sys-
tems.
● Recy

cling and energy recovery from resi-
dues (RDF).
● Impr

ovement in the quality of waste water.
● Use of systems for the recovery of residual
heat (therm
al recovery, enthalpy wheels,
etc.).
● The use of water-soluble paints.
Catalytic converter To maintain the useful life of the catalytic
c
on
v

erter
– Use only unleaded petrol with petrol en-
gines, as

lead damages the catalytic con-
verter.
– Do not let the fuel get too low in the tank.
– For engine oil changes, do not replenish
with too muc

h engine oil ›››
page 206, Top-
ping up engine oil.
– Never tow the vehicle to start it, use jump
lea

ds if necessary ›››
 page 52.
If you notice misfiring, uneven running or
loss of power when the vehicle is moving, re-
duce speed immediately and have the vehi-
cle inspected at the nearest specialised
workshop. In general, the exhaust warning lamp will light up when any of the described
symptoms oc

cur ››› page 100. If this hap-
pens, unburnt fuel can enter the exhaust sys-
tem and escape into the environment. The
catalytic converter can also be damaged by
overheating. WARNING
The catalytic converter reaches very high
temper at

ures! Risk of fire!
● Never park where the catalytic converter
coul
d come into contact with dry grass or
flammable materials under the vehicle.
● Do not apply additional underseal or anti-
corro
sion coatings to the exhaust pipes, cata-
lytic converter or the heat shields on the ex-
haust system. These materials could catch
fire when the vehicle is being driven. CAUTION
Never run the fuel tank completely dry be-
cau se the irr

egularity of the fuel supply may
cause ignition problems. This allows unburnt
fuel to enter the exhaust system, which could
cause overheating and damage the catalytic
converter. For the sake of the environment
Even when the emission control system is
work in

g perfectly, there may be a smell of
sulphur from the exhaust gas under some
conditions. This depends on the sulphur con-
tent of the fuel used. Quite often the problem can be solved by changing to another brand
of f
uel

. Diesel engine particulate filter*
Fig. 173
Vehicle data sticker on back cover of
the M aint
en

ance Programme. Your vehicle is fitted with a DPF (Diesel Partic-
u
l
at

e Filter) if the vehicle data sticker (back
cover of the “Maintenance Programme”) lists
the code PR 7GG ››› Fig. 173.
The diesel engine particulate filter eliminates
most of the soot from the exhaust gas sys-
tem. Under normal driving conditions, the fil-
ter cleans itself. If this is not possible (for ex-
ample, multiple short trips) the filter will be
obstructed by soot and  the diesel engine
particulate filter warning lamp 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
166