2015 Seat Ibiza ST tow

Operation
– Open and t urn outl
et
4 towards the side
w indo
w
s.
Keeping the windscreen and the side win-
dows demisted
– Turn the temperature selector ›››
Fig. 165
A to the heating area.
– Turn blower switch B to any of the head
settin g
s

2 -3.
– Turn air distribution control to .
– Close outlets 3–
Open and turn outlets 4 towards side win-
do w
s.
Onc

e the windows are demisted and as a pre-
ventive measure, the control C can be set in
po s
ition

, thus obtaining greater comfort
while preventing the windows from misting
again.
Heating
Maximum heat output, which is needed to
defrost the windows quickly, is only available
when the engine has reached its operating
temperature. Note
Remember that the temperature of the engine
coo l

ant should be optimum to ensure that the
heating system functions correctly (except in
vehicles fitted with additional heating*). Air conditioning*
C ontr
o

ls Fig. 166
Air conditioning controls on the
d a
sh p

anel. Temperature selector
››
›
page 149
Blower control. There are four speed set-
tings for the blower. At low speed, it is
recommended to set the blower to a mini-
mum of 1 to improve the intake of fresh
air.
Air distribution control ››› page 149
Air recirculation button 
› ›
› p
age 149
A/C button – Switches on the cooling
sy s
t

em ››› page 149
The air conditioning system only works when
the engine is running and the fan is switched
on. A B
C
D
E ●
Us
in

g the rotary switches A ,
B and
C ›››
Fig. 166 y ou c
an a djust temperature, blow-
er speed and air distribution.
● To switch a function on or off, press the ap-
propriat
e button D or
E . When the function
i s
activ
ated, a red warning light on the but-
ton is turned on.
To demist the windscreen
● Turn air distribution to .
● Turn the fan control to one of the two levels
depending on the speed r
equired.
● Rotate the temperature control to the de-
sired l
evel of comfort.
● Close outlets 3 ●
Open and turn outlets 4 towards side win-
do w
s. WARNING
For your safety, the windows should never be
fog g

ed up or covered with snow or ice. This is
essential to ensure good visibility. Please fa-
miliarise yourself with the correct operation
of the heating and ventilation system, includ-
ing the demist/defrost functions for the win-
dows. Note
Please consider the general notes. 148

Air conditioning
Vehicle interior heating or cooling
sy s
t
em Interior heating
– Turn off the cooling system using the
›› ›

Fig. 166 A/C button (the button light
turn s
off).
– Turn the temperature selector A to set the
des ir

ed temperature inside the vehicle.
– Turn the blower switch to any of the set-
tings

1-4.
– Set the air distribution control C to the air
flo w c
onfigur

ation desired:  (towards the
w ind
s
creen),  (towards the chest),
(towards the footwell) and
 (towards the
w ind
s

creen and footwell areas).
Interior cooling
– Turn off the cooling system using the A/Cbutton (the button light turns on).
– Turn the temperature control switch until
the de s
ir

ed interior temperature is reached.
– Turn the blower switch to any of the set-
tings

1-4.
– Set the air distribution control to the air
flow configur

ation desired:  (towards the
w ind
s
creen),  (towards the chest),
(towards the footwell) and
 (towards the
w ind
s

creen and footwell areas). Heating
Maximum he

at output, which is needed to
defrost the windows quickly, is only available
when the engine has reached its operating
temperature.
Coolant system
When the air conditioning is switched on, the
temperature and the air humidity go down.
This way, if the outside humidity is extreme,
the air conditioning prevents the misting of
the windows and therefore, comfort is im-
proved.
If the air conditioning does not work, this
may be due to the following reasons:
● The engine is stationary.
● The fan blower is switched off.
● The outside temperature is lower than ap-
prox
imately +3°C (+37°F).
● The air conditioning system compressor
has
been temporarily switched off because of
an increased engine coolant temperature.
● The air conditioner fuse is faulty.
● Another fault in the vehicle. Have the air
conditioning c
hecked by a specialised work-
shop. Air recirculation
 Air recirculation prevents unpleasant smells,
e.g. when p
a

ssing through a tunnel or in
queuing traffic, from entering the interior.
If the rotary switch C
››› Fig. 166 i
s in the
thaw position, the recirculation flap will al-
ways be open (button light off).
If the rotary switch C is switched from any
pos ition t

o the thaw position, recirculation
will be automatically deactivated.
Connecting the recirculation
In any position of rotary switch C except
th a
w:
● Pr

ess button D
› ›
› Fig. 166
, the switch's
lamp will light up, indicating that air recircu-
lation inside the vehicle has been activated.
Disconnecting the recirculation
In any position of rotary switch C except
th a
w:
● Pr

ess button D again and the button's
l amp w
i

ll go off, indicating that air recircula-
tion from the outside has been activated.
In the thaw position of rotary switch C , the
entr y
of

air into the vehicle interior is always
from the outside. »
149
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Driving
could be engaged and vehicle steering would
not w
ork. Note
The ignition of the vehicle being towed must
be sw itc
hed on to prevent the steering wheel
from locking and also to allow the use of the
turn signals, horn, windscreen wipers and
washers. Information relating to different vehi-
c
l
e pr

ocesses. In order to make the vehicle more difficult to
s
t
e

al, you should always lock the steering be-
fore leaving the vehicle.
Mechanical steering lock
The steering column is locked when the key
is removed from the ignition lock and the ve-
hicle is stationary.
Activating the steering lock
● Park the vehicle ›››
page 156.
● Remove the ignition key.
● Turn the steering wheel slightly until the
steerin
g lock has engaged. Deactivating the steering lock
●
Turn the steering wheel slightly to release
the lock.
● Inser

t the key in the ignition lock.
● Hold the steering wheel in this position
and switc
h on the ignition.
Electromechanical steering
In vehicles with electromechanical steering,
the assisted steering function automatically
adjusts according to vehicle speed, steering
wheel torque and wheel orientation. The
power steering only works when the engine
is running.
You should take into account that you will
need considerably more power than normal
to steer the vehicle if the power steering is
not working correctly or at all.
Power-assisted steering
Power-assisted steering helps the driver in
critical situations. In counter-steering, it as-
sists by applying additional torque ››› .
WARNING
Power-assisted steering, together with the
ESC, help s

the driver to control vehicle steer-
ing in critical situations. However, the driver
is ultimately responsible for steering the ve-
hicle at all times. Power-assisted steering
does not remove this responsibility. Starting and stopping the en-
gine
Ignition k ey
po

sitions Fig. 168
Ignition key positions. Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 20
Ignition switched off, steering lock 1 In this position
››
›
Fig. 168, the ignition and
the engine are OFF and the steering may be
locked.
For the Steering lock to operate without the
ignition key, turn the steering wheel until it
locks with an audible sound. You should al-
ways lock the steering wheel when you leave
your vehicle. This will help prevent vehicle
theft ››› .
»
153
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Driving
WARNING
● Never s t
art or run the engine in unventila-
ted or closed rooms. The exhaust gases con-
tain carbon monoxide, an odourless and col-
ourless poisonous gas. Risk of fatal acci-
dents. Carbon monoxide can cause loss of
consciousness and result in death.
● Never leave the vehicle unattended if the
engine is
running.
● Never use “cold start sprays”, they could
explode or c
ause the engine to run at high
revs. Risk of injury. CAUTION
● When the engine i s

cold, you should avoid
high engine speeds, driving at full throttle
and over-loading the engine. Risk of engine
damage.
● The vehicle should not be pushed or towed
more than 50 metr
es to start the engine. Un-
burnt fuel could enter the catalytic converter
and damage it.
● Before attempting to push-start or tow a ve-
hicle in or
der to start it, you should first try to
start it using the battery of another vehicle.
Please 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
engine w ith the

vehicle stationary. Start off
immediately, driving gently. This helps the engine reach operating temperature faster
and reduc
e

s emissions. Starting diesel engines
The engine can only be started using a genu-
ine S
EA

T key with its correct code.
– Move the gearbox lever to the neutral posi-
tion and depres

s the clutch pedal thor-
oughly and hold it in this position for the
starter to turn the engine on.
– Turn the ignition key to position ›››
Fig. 168
2 . The warning lamp
 wi
l l light for en-
gine pre-heating.
– When the lamp turns off, turn the ignition
key t

o position 3 to start the engine. Do
not pr
e
ss the accelerator.
– Release the ignition key as soon as the en-
gine star

ts. The starter motor should not
turn at the same time.
When starting a cold engine, it may be a little
noisy for the first few seconds until oil pres-
sure has built up in the hydraulic valve com-
pensators. This is quite normal, and no cause
for concern.
If there are problems starting the engine, see
the ›››
 page 52. Glow plug system for the diesel engine
To avoid u

nnecessary discharging of the bat-
tery, do not use any other major electrical
equipment while the glow plugs are pre-heat-
ing.
Start the engine as soon as the glow plug
warning lamp goes out.
Starting a diesel engine after the fuel tank
has been completely run dry
If the fuel tank has been completely run dry,
it may take longer than normal (up to one mi-
nute) to start a diesel engine after refuelling.
This is because the fuel system must elimi-
nate air first. WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ›››
in Starting
petro l
engines on page 155. CAUTION
● When the engine i s

cold, you should avoid
high engine speeds, driving at full throttle
and over-loading the engine. Risk of engine
damage.
● The vehicle should not be pushed or towed
more than 50 metr
es to start the engine. Un-
burnt fuel could enter the catalytic converter
and damage it.
● Before attempting to push-start or tow a ve-
hicle in or
der to start it, you should first try to » 155
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
Manual gearbox Driv in
g w
ith manual gearboxRead the additional information carefully
›› ›

 page 37
Certain versions of the model may include a
6-speed manual gearbox, and its diagram is
shown on the gearbox lever.
The reverse gear can only be engaged when
the car is stationary. When the engine is run-
ning and before engaging this gear, wait
about 6 seconds with the clutch pressed
down thoroughly in order to protect the gear-
box.
The reverse lights switch on when the reverse
gear is selected and the ignition is on. WARNING
● When the engine i s

running, the vehicle
will start to move as soon as a gear is engag-
ed and the clutch released.
● Never select the reverse gear when the ve-
hicle i
s in motion. Risk of accident. Note
● Do not r e

st your hand on the gear lever
while driving. The pressure of your hand
could cause premature wear on the selector
forks in the gearbox. ●
When ch an

ging gear, you should always
depress the clutch fully to avoid unnecessary
wear and damage.
● Do not “slip” the clutch to hold the vehicle
on a hill
. This causes premature wear and
damage to the clutch.
● Do not leave your foot on the clutch pedal;
although the pre
ssure may seem insignifi-
cant, it can cause the premature wear of the
clutch plate. Use the foot rest when you do
not need to change gear. Gear-change indicator
3 V
alid for vehicles: with a manual gearbox
The r
ecommended gear for saving fuel is in-
dicated on the dash screen of certain vehi-
cles during driving.
DisplayMeaning 
The optimal gear is selected.

Changing to a higher gear is recommended.

Changing to a lower gear is recommended.
Information regarding the “cleanliness” of
the die
sel
p

articulate filter
The exhaust system manager detects that the
diesel particulate filter is nearly saturated
and contributes to self-cleaning by recom-
mending the optimal gear. For this purpose, it might be necessary to drive momentarily
with a high rpm
››

› page 101. WARNING
The gear change indicator is only an auxiliary
fu nction and in no c

ase should be a substi-
tute for careful driving.
● The responsibility of choosing the correct
gear dependin
g on the situation (e.g. over-
taking, driving up or down a slope or towing a
trailer) lies with the driver. For the sake of the environment
Selecting the correct gear can help to save
fuel . Note
The recommended gear display is switched
off when the c lut

ch pedal is pressed. Automatic gearbox*
Driv ing pr

ogrammes Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 38
The automatic gearbox has got two gearbox
programmes. »
159
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
The selector lever lock is released as follows: – Switch the ignition on.
– Press and hold the brake pedal and press
the sel ect
or l
ever lock on the left of the se-
lector lever at the same time ››› Fig. 170.
The warning lamp  on the instrument panel
lights up when the brake pedal should be ap-
plied. This is essential when the selector lev-
er is taken from the P or N positions.
Level lock only engages with the vehicle sta-
tionary at a speed of up to 5 km/h (3 mph).
At speeds of over 5 km/h (3 mph) the selec-
tor lever lock is automatically deactivated in
position N.
The selector lever lock is not engaged if the
selector lever is moved quickly through posi-
tion N (e.g. when shifting from R to D). This
makes it possible, for instance, to “rock” the
vehicle backwards and forwards if it is stuck
in snow or mud. The selector lever lock en-
gages automatically if the brake pedal is not
depressed and the lever is in position N for
more than about 1second. Selecting gears manually with Tip-
tronic mode

* Fig. 171
Changing gear with Tiptronic. Fig. 172
Steering wheel with paddle levers
f or aut
om

atic gearbox. The Tiptronic system allows the driver to se-
l
ect
g

ears manually. Changing gear with the selector lever
– Press the selector lever from position D to
the right int
o the tiptronic selector gate.
– Lightly press the selector lever forward
›››
Fig. 171 + to change up to a higher
g e
ar
.
– Lightly press the selector lever backward
›››
Fig. 171 - to change down to a lower
g e
ar
.
Changing gear with the steering wheel pad-
dle levers*
– Press the right paddle lever + towards the
s t
eerin

g wheel to change up ››› Fig. 172.
– Press the left paddle lever - towards the
s t
eerin

g wheel to change down ››› Fig. 172.
Using the paddle levers on the steering
wheel, you can access manual driving mode
regardless of the pre-selected driving mode.
General information about driving in tiptron-
ic mode
When accelerating, the automatic gearbox /
DSG automatic gearbox goes into a higher
gear a little before the engine reaches its
maximum permitted revolutions.
If a lower gear is selected, the automatic
gearbox / DSG automatic gearbox will only
change down when the engine cannot go
over its maximum permitted revolutions.
162

Driving
If “tiptronic” is selected whilst the vehicle is
in motion and the aut om
atic
gearbox / DSG
automatic gearbox is in third gear and selec-
tor lever position D, “tiptronic” mode will
then also be in third gear.
Changing gears in the normal or sport pro-
gramme using the steering wheel paddle lev-
ers
If the paddle levers ››› Fig. 172 are used in
the normal or sport programme, the system
switches temporarily to “tiptronic” mode. To
exit “Tiptronic” mode again, press the right
paddle lever + towards the steering wheel
f or ap
pr

oximately one second. You will also
leave “tiptronic” mode if the paddle levers
are not moved for a certain time. Note
● The ge ar p

addle levers on the steering
wheel can be operated with the selector lever
in any position and with the vehicle in mo-
tion. Driving tips
The gearbox changes gear ratios automatical-
ly
a
s

the vehicle moves.
Starting
– Start the engine with the selector lever in
position

P or N. Driving
– Press and hold the brake pedal.
– Holding down the lock button (button on
the selector l

ever), select R or D.
– Release the lever and wait a little for the
gearbo

x to engage the gear (a slight move-
ment can be felt).
– Release the brake and press the accelerator
›››
in Selector lever positions on
p ag
e 161
.
Stopping briefly – If stopping for a short time, keep the vehi-
cle s

tationary by pressing the foot brake
hard to prevent the vehicle moving back-
wards on a slope or “creeping” forwards,
e.g. at traffic lights. The selector lever does
not need to be put into the positions P or N
for this.
– Do not press the accelerator.
Parkin
g
– Press and hold the brake pedal until the ve-
hicle c

omes to a standstill ››› in Selector
l ev
er po
sitions on page 161.
– Apply the handbrake.
– By pressing the lock button down, move
the selector l

ever to P and release the lock
button. Driving up and down hills
–
Press the selector lever from position “D”
to the right int

o the tiptronic selector gate.
– Lightly press the selector lever back to
chan

ge down.
Holding the car on a hill
– The brake must be always pressed down to
prevent

the vehicle from “rolling back-
wards” ››› in Selector lever positions on
p ag
e 161

. Do not try to prevent the vehicle
from “rolling backwards” by increasing the
engine speed while a range of gears is se-
lected.
Starting the vehicle up hills
– Apply the handbrake.
– With a selected gear, accelerate slowly and
at the same time, r

elease the handbrake.
The steeper the slope, the lower the needed
gear. This increases the braking effect of the
engine. For example, when driving down a
very steep slope in third gear. If the engine
brake effect is not enough, the vehicle will
speed up. The automatic gearbox automati-
cally changes up to prevent the engine over-
revving. Use the foot brake to reduce speed
and change into 3rd gear using Tiptronic*
››› in Selector lever positions on page 161.
Y our
v

ehicle has an automatic interlock
which prevents the selector lever from being »
163
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety