
The essentials
● Find the s up
por t
point on the strut (sunken
area) closest to the wheel to be changed
››› Fig. 66.
● Place the jack under the jacking point and
turn the crank
until the arm of the jack is di-
rectly below the vertical rib under the door
sill.
● Align the jack so that the arm of the jack
fits around the rib u
nder the door sill and the
movable base plate of the jack is flat on the
ground ››› Fig. 67.
● Continue turning the jack* until the wheel
is slightly
lifted off the ground. WARNING
● Make s ur
e that the jack* remains stable. If
the surface is slippery or soft, the jack* could
slip or sink, respectively, with the resultant
risk of injury.
● Only raise the vehicle with the jack* sup-
plied by the m
anufacturer. Other vehicles
could slip, with the consequent risk of injury.
● Only mount the jack* on the support points
designed for thi
s purpose on the strut, and
always align the jack correctly. If you do not,
the jack* could slip as it does not have an ad-
equate grip on the vehicle: risk of injury!
● The height of the parked vehicle can
chang
e as a result of variations in tempera-
ture and loading. CAUTION
The vehicle must not be raised on the cross-
bar. On ly
place the jack* on the points de-
signed for this purpose on the strut. Other-
wise, the vehicle may be damaged. Removing and fitting the wheel
Change the wheel after loosening the wheel
bolts and r
ai
sing the vehicle with the jack.
Taking off the wheel
● Unscrew the wheel bolts using the box
spanner and p l
ace them on a clean surface.
● Take off the wheel ››› .
P uttin
g on the s p
are wheel
When fitting tyres with a compulsory rotation
direction, observe the instructions in
››› page 49.
● Mount the wheel.
● Screw on the wheel bolts in position and
tighten them loosely w
ith a box spanner.
● Carefully lower the vehicle using the jack*.
● Tighten the wheel bolts in diagonal pairs
using the wheel
brace.
The wheel bolts should be clean and turn
easily. Before fitting the spare wheel, inspect
the wheel condition and hub mounting surfa- ces. These surfaces must be clean before fit-
ting the wheel. CAUTION
When removing/fitting the wheel, the rim
may hit
and damage the brake disc. For this
reason, please take care and get a second
person to assist you. Tyres with compulsory rotation direc-
tion
A directional tread pattern can be identified
b
y
the arr o
ws on the sidewall that point in
the direction of rotation. Always observe the
direction of rotation indicated when fitting
the wheel to guarantee optimum properties
of this type of tyres with regard to grip,
noises, wear and aquaplaning.
If it is absolutely necessary to fit the spare
tyre* against the direction of rotation, drive
with care as this means the tyre does not of-
fer optimum driving properties. This is of par-
ticular importance when the road surface is
wet.
To return to directional tread tires, replace
the punctured tyre as soon as possible and
restore the obligatory direction of rotation of
all tyres. 49

The essentials
Subsequent work ●
Alloy wheels: replac e the wheel bolt caps.
● Plate wheels: replac
e the wheel hubcap.
● Return all tools to their proper storing loca-
tion.
● If the replaced wheel does not fit in the
spare wheel
housing, store it safely in the
luggage compartment ›››
page 135.
● Check the tyre pressure of the newly moun-
ted tyre a
s soon as possible.
● In vehicles fitted with a tyre pressure indi-
cator , a
djust the pressure and store it in
memory ›››
page 216.
● Have the tightening torque of the wheel
bolts chec
ked as soon as possible with a tor-
que wrench (it should be 120 Nm). Mean-
while, drive carefully.
● Have the flat tyre replaced as quickly as
possib
le.
Snow chains Use Snow chains should only be used on the
fr
on
t wheel
s.
● Check that they are correctly seated after
driving for a f
ew yards; correct the position if necessary, in accordance with the manufac-
turer's fittin
g instructions.
● Keep your speed below 50 km/h (30 mph).
● If there is a danger of being trapped de-
spite hav
ing mounted the chains, it is best to
disable the driving wheels (ASR) in the ESC
››› page 155.
Snow chains will improve braking ability as
well as traction in winter conditions.
For technical reasons snow chains may only
be used with the following wheel rim/tyre
combination.
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) Remove wheel covers and any integral trim
rin
g bef
ore fittin
g snow chains.
Remove the chains when roads are free of
snow. Driving characteristics worsen, and the
wheels become damaged quickly and may
even be rendered unusable. WARNING
Snow chains should be correctly tightened in
accor d
ance with the manufacturer's instruc- tions. This will prevent the chains coming in-
to cont
act
with the wheel housing.50

The essentials
Emergency towing of the vehi-
c l
e
T o
wing Fig. 68
Right side of the front bumper: Tow-
in g rin
g. Fig. 69
Right side of the rear bumper: Towing
rin g. Towline anchorages
Att
ac
h the b ar or r
ope to the towline ancho-
rages.
The towline anchorages are located under
the floor panel in the luggage compartment,
next to the vehicle tools ››› page 47.
Screw the front towline anchorage into the
screw connection ››› Fig. 68 and tighten it
with the wheel brace. The rear towline an-
chorage is under the rear bumper, on the
right.
Tow rope or tow bar
It is easier and safer for the vehicle to be tow-
ed using a tow bar. You should only use a
tow-rope if you do not have a tow-bar.
A tow rope should be slightly elastic to re-
duce the loading on both vehicles. It is advis-
able to use a tow rope made of synthetic fi-
bre or similarly elastic material.
Attach the tow rope or the tow bar only to the
towline anchorages provided or a towing
bracket.
Notes for the driver of the towing vehicle
● The tow rope must be taut before you drive
off.
● Rele
ase the clutch very carefully when start-
ing the vehic
le (manual gearbox), or acceler-
ate gently (automatic gearbox). Driving style
Towin
g requires some experience, especially
when using a tow rope. Both drivers should
realise how difficult it is to tow a vehicle. In-
experienced drivers should not attempt to
tow.
Do not pull too hard with the towing vehicle
and take care to avoid jerking the tow rope.
When towing on an unpaved road, there is al-
ways a risk of overloading and damaging the
anchorage points.
The ignition of the vehicle being towed must
be switched on to prevent the steering wheel
from locking and also to allow the use of the
turn signals, horn, windscreen wipers and
washers.
Place the gear lever in neutral on vehicles
with a manual gearbox. With an automatic
gearbox, place the lever in N.
The brake servo only works when the engine
is running. When not running, you must ap-
ply considerably more pressure to the brake
pedal.
As the power assisted steering does not work
if the engine is not running, you will need
more strength to steer than you normally
would. » 51

The essentials
››› in Notes on page 79
››› page 79 Tow-starting
If the engine will not start, first try starting it
usin
g the b
attery of another vehicle
››› page 52. You should only attempt to tow-
start a vehicle if charging the battery does
not work. This is done by leveraging wheel
movement.
When tow-starting a vehicle with a petrol en-
gine, do not tow it more than a short dis-
tance, otherwise unburned fuel can enter the
catalytic converter.
However, if your vehicle has to be tow-star-
ted:
● Engage 2 nd
or 3 rd
ge ar
.
● Keep the clutch pressed down.
● Switch the ignition on.
● Once both vehicles are moving, release the
clutch.
● As
soon as the engine starts, press the
clutch and mo
ve the gear lever into neutral.
This helps to prevent driving into the towing
vehicle.
››› in Notes on page 79
›››
page 79 How to jump start
Jump l e
a d
s The jump lead must have a sufficient wire
cro
s
s section.
If the engine fails to start because of a dis-
charged battery, the battery can be connec-
ted to the battery of another vehicle to start
the engine.
Jump leads
Jump leads must comply with standard DIN
72553 (see cable manufacturer's instruc-
tions). The wire cross section must be at least
25 mm 2
for petrol engines and at least
35 mm 2
for diesel engines. Note
● The vehic l
es must not touch each other,
otherwise electricity could flow as soon as
the positive terminals are connected.
● The discharged battery must be properly
connected to the on-bo
ard network. How to jump start: description
Fig. 70
Diagram of connections for vehicles
w ithout
St
art-Stop system. Fig. 71
Diagram of connections for vehicles
w ith
Star
t-Stop system. Jump lead terminal connections
1. Switch off the ignition of both vehicles
››
› .
52

Safe driving
risk of injury. The following list includes most
of the s
afety
equipment in your SEAT:
● Three-point seat belts
● Belt tension limiter for the front and rear
side seats
● Belt
tensioners for the front seats
● Front airbags
● Side airbags in the front seat backrests,
with ches
t and head protection
● “ISOFIX” anchor points for “ISOFIX” rear
child se
at system
● Height-adjustable front head restraints
● Rear-centre head restraints with in-use po-
sition and non-use pos
ition
● Adjustable steering column
The safety equipment
mentioned above
works together to provide you and your pas-
sengers with the best possible protection in
the event of an accident. However, these
safety systems can only be effective if you
and your passengers are sitting in a correct
position and use this equipment properly.
Safety is everyone's business! Correct position for passengers
Correct s
itting position for driver Fig. 75
The proper distance between driver
and s t
eerin g wheel Fig. 76
Correct head restraint position for the
driv er
. For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injur
y
in the ev ent
of an accident, we recom- mend the following adjustments for the driv-
er:
– Adjust the steering wheel so that there is a
distanc
e of at least 25 cm between the
steering wheel and the centre of your chest
››› Fig. 75.
– Move the driver's seat forwards or back-
wards
so that you are able to press the ac-
celerator, brake and clutch pedals to the
floor with your knees still slightly angled
››› .
– Ensure that you can reach the highest point
of the s
teerin
g wheel.
– Adjust the head restraint so that its upper
edge is at
the same level as the top of your
head, or as close as possible to the same
level as the top of your head ››› Fig. 76.
– Move the seat backrest to an upright posi-
tion so that y
our back rests completely
against it.
– Fasten your seat belt securely ››› p
age 61.
– Keep both feet in the footwell so that you
have the v
ehicle under control at all times.
Adjustment of the driver's seat ››› page 128. WARNING
● An incorrect s
itting position of the driver
can lead to severe injuries. » 57
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Safety
●
Adjust the driv
er's seat so that there is at
least 25 cm distance between the centre of
the chest and the centre of the steering
wheel ››› Fig. 75. If distance is less than 25
cm, the airbag system may not protect you
properly.
● If your physical constitution prevents you
from maintainin
g the minimum distance of 25
cm, contact a specialised workshop. The
workshop will help you decide if special spe-
cific modifications are necessary.
● When driving, always hold the steering
wheel with both hand
s on the outside of the
ring at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions.
This reduces the risk of injury when the driver
airbag is triggered.
● Never hold the steering wheel at the 12
o'clock po
sition, or in any other manner (e.g.
in the centre of the steering wheel). In such
cases, if the airbag is triggered, you may sus-
tain injuries to the arms, hands and head.
● To reduce the risk of injury to the driver
during sudden br
aking manoeuvres or an ac-
cident, never drive with the backrest tilted far
back! The airbag system and seat belts can
only provide optimal protection when the
backrest is in an upright position and the
driver is wearing his or her seat belt correct-
ly.
● Adjust the head restraint properly to ach-
ieve optimal
protection. Adjusting the steering wheel position
Read the additional information carefully
›››
p
age 14 WARNING
● Never adju s
t the position of the steering
wheel when the vehicle is moving, as this
could cause an accident.
● Move the lever up firmly so the steering
wheel position doe
s not accidentally change
during driving. risk of accident!
● Make sure you are capable of reaching and
firmly hol
ding the upper part of the steering
wheel: risk of accident!
● If you adjust the steering wheel so that it
points to
wards your face, the driver airbag
will not protect you properly in the event of
an accident. Make sure that the steering
wheel points towards your chest. Correct sitting position for front pas-
sen
g
er For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injur
y
in the ev ent
of an accident, we recom-
mend the following adjustments for the front
passenger:
– Move the front passenger seat back as far
as pos
sible ››› .–
Mo v
e the se at
backrest to an upright posi-
tion so that your back rests completely
against it.
– Adjust the head restraint so that its upper
edge is at
the same level as the top of your
head, or as close as possible to the same
level as the top of your head ››› page 60.
– Always keep both feet in the footwell in
front of the fr
ont passenger seat.
– Fasten your seat belt securely ››› p
age 61.
It is possible to deactivate the front passen-
ger airbag in exceptional circumstances
››› page 70.
Adjusting the front passenger seat
››› page 12. WARNING
● An incorrect s
itting position of the front
passenger can lead to severe injuries.
● Adjust the front passenger seat so that
there is at
least 25 cm between your chest
and the dash panel. If distance is less than
25 cm, the airbag system may not protect you
properly.
● If your physical constitution prevents you
from maintainin
g the minimum distance of 25
cm, contact a specialised workshop. The
workshop will help you decide if special spe-
cific modifications are necessary. 58

Safety
called “kinetic energy” is created both in the
p a
ssen
gers and inside the vehicle.
The amount of “kinetic energy” depends on
the speed of the vehicle and the weight of
the vehicle and its passengers. The higher
the speed and the greater the weight, the
more energy there is to be “absorbed” in an
accident.
The most significant factor, however, is the
speed of the vehicle. If the speed doubles
from 25 km/h (15 mph) to 50 km/h
(30 mph), for example, the corresponding ki-
netic energy is multiplied by four.
Because the vehicle occupants in our exam-
ple are not restrained by seat belts, in the
event of crashing against a wall, all of the oc-
cupants' kinetic energy will be absorbed
solely by said impact.
Even at speeds of 30 km/h (19 mph) to
50 km/h (30 mph), the forces acting on bod-
ies in a collision can easily exceed one tonne
(1000 kg). At greater speed these forces are
even higher.
Vehicle occupants not wearing seat belts are
not “attached” to the vehicle. In a head-on
collision, they will move forward at the same
speed their vehicle was travelling just before
the impact. This example applies not only to
head-on collisions, but to all accidents and
collisions. Even at low speeds the forces acting on the
body in a col
lision are so great that it is not
possible to brace oneself with one's hands.
In a frontal collision, unbelted passengers
are thrown forward and will make violent con-
tact with the steering wheel, dash panel,
windscreen or whatever else is in the way
››› Fig. 81.
It is also important for rear passengers to
wear seat belts properly, as they could other-
wise be thrown forward violently through the
vehicle interior in an accident. Passengers in
the rear seats who do not use seat belts en-
danger not only themselves but also the front
occupants ››› Fig. 82. How to properly adjust your
seatbelt
Fa
stening and unfastening the seat
belt Fig. 83
Positioning and removing the seat
belt b
uc k
le. 64

Self-help
Emergencies
Self -help
Emer gency
equipment
Emergency warning triangle* Fig. 87
IBIZA ST model: Housing for the emer-
g ency
warnin
g triangle in the luggage com-
partment. The use of reflective warning triangles is
o
b
lig at
ory in emergencies in some countries.
As are the first aid kit and a set of spare light
bulbs.
The warning triangle is under the storage
compartment which is located under the lug-
gage compartment floor. Note
● The warning tri an
gle is not part of the vehi-
cle's standard equipment.
● The warning triangle should meet legal re-
quirements. First-aid kit and fire extinguisher*
Fig. 88
IBIZA ST model: Housing for the first-
aid k it
in the lug g
age compartment. The first-aid kit can go in the storage com-
p
ar
tment whic
h is located under the luggage
compartment floor.
The fire extinguisher* is attached to the lug-
gage compartment carpet with Velcro. Note
● The first -
aid kit and the fire extinguisher
are not part of the vehicle's standard equip-
ment. ●
The first aid k
it must comply with legal re-
quirements.
● Observe the expiry date of the contents of
the first aid k
it. After it has expired you
should purchase a new one.
● The fire extinguisher must comply with le-
gal r
equirements.
● Ensure that the fire extinguisher is fully
functiona
l. The fire extinguisher should,
therefore, be checked regularly. The sticker
on the fire extinguisher will inform you of the
next date for checking.
● Before acquiring accessories and emergen-
cy equipment see the ins
tructions in “Acces-
sories and spares” ››› page 190. Vehicle tools
Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
p
age 47
Some of the items listed are only provided in
certain model versions, or are optional ex-
tras. WARNING
● The factor y
-supplied jack is only designed
for changing wheels on this model. On no ac-
count attempt to use it for lifting heavier ve-
hicles or other loads. Risk of injury.
● Use the jack only on a firm, level ground. » 75
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety