2017 Seat Ibiza Owner's manual Edition 11.17

Driving
WARNING
● Tak e c
are not to accidentally press the ac-
celerator pedal when the vehicle is stopped.
The vehicle could otherwise start moving im-
mediately (in some cases even if the parking
brake is engaged) resulting in the risk of an
accident.
● Never move the selector lever to R or P
when driving. F
ailure to follow this instruc-
tion could result in an accident.
● With selector lever in any position (except
P) the vehic
le must always be held with the
foot brake when the engine is running. This is
because an automatic gearbox still transmits
power even at idling speed, and the vehicle
tends to “creep”. The accelerator pedal must
on no account be pressed inadvertently when
a gear is engaged with the vehicle stationary.
The vehicle could otherwise start moving im-
mediately (in some cases even if the parking
brake is engaged) resulting in the risk of an
accident.
● While you are selecting a gear and the vehi-
cle i
s stopped with the engine running, do
not accelerate. Failure to follow this instruc-
tion could result in an accident.
● As a driver you should never leave your ve-
hicle if
the engine is running and a gear is en-
gaged. If you have to leave your vehicle while
the engine is running, you must apply the
handbrake and engage the parking lock (P).
● To avoid accidents, apply the handbrake
and put the sel
ector lever in position P before
opening the bonnet and working on the vehi- cle with the engine running. Please always
ob
ser

ve the important safety warnings
››› page 263, Working in the engine compart-
ment. Note
● If the sel ect

or lever is moved accidentally
to N when driving, release the accelerator and
let the engine speed drop to idling before se-
lecting gear range D or S again.
● Should the power supply to the selector
lever be int
errupted in position P, the selector
lever will be locked. If this should happen the
manual release can be used ›››
 page 50. Selector lever lock
Fig. 182
Selector lever lock. The selector lever lock prevents gears from
bein g en
g

aged inadvertently, so that the ve-
hicle is not set in motion unintentionally. The selector lever lock is released as follows:
– Switch the ignition on.
– Press the brake pedal and, at
the same
time, hold the lock button in the direction
of the arrow ››› Fig. 182.
Automatic selector lever lock
With the ignition switched on, the selector
lever is locked in the positions P and N. The
brake pedal must be pressed to release the
lever while pressing the release button if the
selector lever is in the position P. As a re-
minder for the driver, with the lever in posi-
tions P or N the following message will be
shown on the display: When stationary, apply footbrake
while selecting a gear.
Level lock only engages with the vehicle sta-
tionary and at speeds of up to 5 km/h
(3 mph). At speeds of over 5 km/h (3 mph)
the 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. The selector lever lock engages auto-
matically if the brake pedal is not depressed
and the lever is in position N for more than
about two seconds. »
191
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
Interlock button
The int erloc
k
button on the selector lever
handle prevents the driver from inadvertently
engaging certain gears. Press the button in
to disengage the selector lever lock.
Safety interlock for ignition key
Once the ignition has been turned off, the
key may be removed only if the gear selector
is in position P. While the key is not in the ig-
nition, the selector lever is locked in position
P. Note
● If the sel ect

or lever lock does not engage,
there is a fault. The transmission is interrup-
ted to prevent the vehicle from accidentally
moving. Follow the procedure below in order
for the selector lever lock to engage again:
–With a 6-speed gearbox: press the brake
pedal and release it again.
– With a 7-speed gearbox: press the brake
pedal. Move the selector lever to posi-
tion P or N and subsequently engage a
gear.
● Despite a gear being engaged, the vehicle
does not
move forwards or back. Proceed to
the next mode:
– When the vehicle does not move in the
required direction, the system may not
have the gear range correctly engaged.
Press the brake pedal and engage the
gear range again. –
If the v

ehicle still does not move in the
required direction, there is a system mal-
function. Seek specialist assistance and
have the system checked. Engaging gears with the triptonic
mode*
Fig. 183
Centre console: changing gear with
tiptr onic Fig. 184
Steering wheel: automatic gearbox
lev er

s The tiptronic gives the driver the option to
c
h
an

ge gears manually.
Changing gear manually with the selector
lever
It is possible to change to tiptronic mode,
both when the vehicle is stopped and while
driving.
– To switch to tiptronic mode, move the se-
lector l

ever from position D/S to the right.
As soon as the change is made the selector
level will be shown in the position M on the
instrument panel display (for example M4
means that the fourth gear is engaged).
– Move the selector lever forwards + to se-
l ect
a higher g

ear ››› Fig. 183.
– Move the selector lever backwards – to
sel ect
a lo

wer gear.
192

Driving
Changing gear manually with the gearshift
p a
d
dles*
The gearshift paddles can be used when the
selector lever is in the position D/S or M.
– Press the gearshift paddle + to select a
higher g e
ar ›

›› Fig. 184.
– Press the gearshift paddle – to select a
lo w
er g

ear.
– With the selector lever in position D/S, if no
pad

dle is operated during a short period of
time, the gearbox control system switches
back to automatic mode. To switch to per-
manent manual gear change using the
gearshift paddles, move the selector lever
from position D/S to the right.
When accelerating, the gearbox automatical-
ly shifts up into the next gear shortly before
the maximum engine speed is reached.
If you select a lower gear, the automatic gear-
box will not shift down until there is no risk of
over-revving the engine.
When the kick-down feature is used, the
gearbox shifts down to a lower gear, depend-
ing on road speed and engine speed.
Driving tips The gearbox changes gear ratios automatical-
ly
a
s

the vehicle moves. The engine can only start with the selector
lever in po

sition P or N. At low temperatures,
below -10°C (14°F), the engine can only start
with the selector lever in position P.
Starting the vehicle
– Press and hold the brake pedal.
– Press and hold the interlock button (the
button on the sel

ector lever handle), move
the selector lever to the desired position,
for instance D ››› page 190, and release the
interlock button.
– Wait for the gearbox to engage the gear (a
slight mo

vement can be felt).
– Release the brake and press the accelerator
›››
.
St op
pin
g briefly
– Apply the foot brake to hold the vehicle
briefly when st

ationary (for instance at traf-
fic lights). Do not press the accelerator.
Stopping/Parking
If the driver door is opened and the selector
lever is not in position P, the vehicle could
move. The driver message will be:  Gear
change: selector lever in the
drive position! . Additionally, a buzzer
will sound.
– Press and hold the brake pedal ›››
.
– Apply the handbrake. –
Mo v
e the sel

ector lever to position P.
Holding the car on a hill – Always apply the brake pedal firmly to pre-
vent
the vehicle “from moving backwards”;
if necessary, apply the handbrake ››› . Do
not tr y
t

o stop the vehicle “rolling back” by
increasing the engine speed (pressing the
accelerator) when a gear is engaged ››› .
St ar
tin

g off uphill
– Apply the handbrake.
– Once you have engaged a gear press the
accel

erator carefully and disengage the
handbrake.
Driving down hills: in some situations (on
mountain roads or when towing a trailer or
caravan) it can be advantageous to switch
temporarily to the manual gearbox pro-
gramme so that the gear ratios can be selec-
ted manually to suit the driving conditions
››› .
On l ev
el

ground it is sufficient to move the
selector lever to position P. On slopes, first
engage the parking brake and then put the
selection lever into the P position. This
avoids overloading the locking mechanism
and it will be easier to move the selector lev-
er from position P. »
193
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ››› in Selector
lev er po
sitions on page 191.
● Never allow the brake to rub and do not use
the brake ped
al too often or for long periods.
Constant braking causes overheating in the
brakes. This could significantly reduce brak-
ing power, increase braking distance or even
result in the total failure of the brake system.
● To avoid rolling back on gradients always
hold the
vehicle with the footbrake or hand-
brake if you have to stop. CAUTION
● If y

ou stop the vehicle on a gradient, do not
attempt to stop it from rolling by depressing
the accelerator when a gear has been selec-
ted. This could cause overheating and dam-
age the automatic gearbox. Apply the hand-
brake firmly or press the brake pedal in order
to prevent the vehicle from rolling back.
● If you allow the car to roll with the selector
lever in po
sition N with the engine switched
off, the automatic gearbox will be damaged
as it will not be lubricated.
● In certain driving situations or traffic condi-
tions, suc
h as frequently starting, prolonged
“creeping” of the vehicle or traffic jams with
continuous stoppages, the gearbox could overheat causing damage! If the warning
lamp


lights up, stop the vehicle as soon as
possible and wait for the gearbox to cool
››› page 196. Kick-down feature
The kick-down feature allows maximum ac-
cel
er

ation to be reached.
When the accelerator pedal is pressed right
down past the point of resistance at full throt-
tle, the gearbox will shift down to a lower
gear, depending on road speed and engine
speed. The upshift to the next higher gear is
delayed until the engine reaches maximum
rpm. WARNING
Please note that if the road surface is slip-
pery or w

et, the kick-down feature could
cause the driving wheels to spin, which could
result in skidding. Launch control program
3 Valid for vehicles: with Launch-Control/6-Speed
D SG w

ith diesel engines superior to 125 kW and pet-
rol engines superior to 140 kW.
The Launch control programme enables maxi-
mum acceleration.
Important: the engine must have reached op-
erating temperature and the steering wheel
must not be turned.
The engine speed for launch-control is differ-
ent on petrol and diesel engines. To use the
launch-control you must disconnect the anti-
slip regulation (ASR) through the Easy Con-
nect system menu ›››
page 123. The warning
lamp  will stay switched on or will flash
slowly depending on whether or not the vehi-
cle has a driver information system*.
On vehicles with the driver information sys-
tem, the ESC lamp lights up permanently and
the corresponding text message Stability
control deactivated (temporary) ap-
pears on the instrument panel to indicate the
deactivation status.
– When the engine is running, switch off the
traction c ontr

ol (ASR)1)
. 1)
Vehicles without driver information system: the
warnin g l

amp flashes slowly/Vehicles with driver in-
formation system: the warning lamp stays on.
194

Driving
– Turn the sel
ect
or lever to the position “S”
or tiptronic, or else select the sport driv-
ing mode from the SEAT Drive Profile*
››› page 225.
– Press the brake pedal firmly with your left
foot and ho

ld it down for at least one sec-
ond.
– With your right foot, press the accelerator
down to the f

ull throttle or kick-down posi-
tion. The engine speed will stabilise at
about 3,200 rpm (petrol engine) or about
2,000 rpm (diesel engine).
– Take your left foot off the brake pedal. WARNING
● Alw a

ys adapt your driving style to the traf-
fic conditions.
● Only use the launch control programme
when roa
d and traffic conditions permit, and
make sure your manner of driving and accel-
erating the vehicle does not inconvenience or
endanger other road users.
● Make sure that the ESC remains switched
on. Plea
se note that when the ASR and ESC
are deactivated, the wheels may start to spin,
causing the vehicle to lose grip. Risk of acci-
dent!
● After moving off, the ESC “sport” mode
should be de
activated by briefly pressing the
  button. Note
● Aft er u

sing the Launch control programme,
the temperature in the gearbox may have in-
creased considerably. In this case, the pro-
gramme could be disabled for several mi-
nutes. The programme can be used again af-
ter the cooling phase.
● Accelerating with the Launch control pro-
gramme pl
aces a heavy load on all parts of
the vehicle. This can result in increased wear
and tear. Downhill speed control*
The downhill speed control function helps
the driv
er when driv
in

g down steep gradi-
ents.
Downhill speed control is activated when the
selector lever is in D/S and the driver applies
the foot brake. The automatic gearbox auto-
matically engages a lower gear that is suita-
ble for the slope. The downhill speed control
function attempts to maintain the speed at
which the vehicle was travelling when the
foot brake was applied (subject to the laws of
physics and technical drive limitations). It
may be necessary to adjust the speed again
using the foot brake in certain situations. Giv-
en that the downhill speed control can only
change down to 3rd gear, on very steep de-
scents the tiptronic mode may be required. In
this case, manually reduce the tiptronic to 2nd or 1st gear to use the engine brake and
reduce the c

harge on the brakes.
Downhill speed control is deactivated as
soon as the road levels out again or you
press the accelerator pedal.
On vehicles with cruise control system*
››› page 207, downhill speed control is acti-
vated when you set a cruising speed. WARNING
The downhill speed control cannot defy the
la w

s of physics. Therefore, speed cannot be
maintained constant in all situations. Always
be prepared to use the brakes! Inertia mode
The inertia mode enables the kinetic energy
of
the
v

ehicle to be harnessed enabling cer-
tain stretches to be driven without using the
accelerator. This enables fuel to be saved.
Use the inertia mode to “let the vehicle roll”
before, for example, arriving in a town.
Switching on inertia mode
Important: selector lever must be in position
D, gradients below 12 %.
– Select, in SEAT Drive Profile*, Eco mode
›››
page 225.
– Take your foot off the accelerator. »
195
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
The driver message Inertia wi
l l be dis-
played. At speeds higher than 20 km/h (12
mph), the gearbox will automatically disen-
gage and the vehicle will roll freely, without
the effect of the engine brake. While the vehi-
cle rolls, the engine runs at idling speed.
Stopping inertia mode
– Press the brake or the accelerator pedal.
To mak
e use of the braking force and switch
off the engine again, simply press the brake
pedal briefly.
Applying both the inertia mode (= prolonged
section with less energy) and the switching
off using inertia (= shorter section without
the need for fuel) facilitates improved fuel
consumption and emission balance. WARNING
● If the iner ti

a mode has been switched on,
take into account, when approaching an ob-
stacle and releasing the accelerator pedal,
that the vehicle will not decelerate in the usu-
al manner: risk of accident!
● When using inertia mode while travelling
down hil
ls, the vehicle can increase speed:
risk of accident!
● If other users drive your vehicle, warn them
about inerti
a mode. Note
● Inerti a mode i

s only available in eco (SEAT
Drive Profile*) driving mode.
● The driver message Inertia is on
ly dis-
played with the current consumption. In iner-
tia mode the gear will no longer be displayed
(for example “E” will appear instead of “E7”).
● On downhill sections with gradients above
15 %, the inertia mode w
ill automatically be
switched off temporarily. Emergency program
A backup programme is in place if a fault
shou
l
d oc

cur in the control system.
If all the positions of the selector lever are
shown over a light background on the instru-
ment panel display, there is a system fault
and the automatic gearbox will operate in
with the backup programme. When the back-
up programme is activated, it is possible to
drive the vehicle, however, at low speeds and
within a selected range of gears. In some ca-
ses driving in reverse gear may not be possi-
ble. CAUTION
If the gearbox operates with the backup pro-
gramme, t ak

e the vehicle to a specialised
workshop and have the fault repaired without
delay. Clutch


Clutch overheating! Please
stop!
The c lut

ch has overheated and could be dam-
aged. Stop the vehicle and wait for the gear-
box to cool with the engine at idling speed
and the selector lever in position P. When the
warning lamp and the driver message switch
off, have the fault corrected by a specialised
workshop without delay. If the warning lamp
and the driver message do not switch off, do
not continue driving. Seek specialist assis-
tance.
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
workshop without delay.  Gearbox: System fault! You
can continue driving with re-
strictions. Reverse gear disa‐
bled
196

Driving
Take the vehicle to a specialised workshop
and h av
e the f
ault 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.
Gear-change indicator
Selecting the optim
al gearWhile driving, and depending on vehicle
equipment, the in
s
trument

panel display may
show a recommendation with the gear num-
ber that would be advisable to save fuel. In vehicles with an
automatic gear
box, the
selector lever must be in the tiptronic posi-
tion ››› page 192.
No recommendation will appear if the opti-
mal gear is already engaged. The current
gear will be displayed.
DisplayMeaning 
The optimal gear is selected.
  
Changing to a higher gear is recom-
mended.
  
Changing to a lower gear is recom-
mended.
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 reason, it
might be necessary to drive for a short time
at a high rpm. 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 indication turns off
when the clut c

h pedal is pressed in vehicles
with manual gearbox or when the selector
lever is removed from the tiptronic position in
vehicles with an automatic gearbox. Steering
Intr oduction The power steering is not hydraulic but elec-
tr
omec
h

anical. The advantage of this steer-
ing is that it foes not need flexible hydraulic
pipes, hydraulic oil, pump, filter or other
parts. The electromechanical system saves
fuel. Whereas a hydraulic system needs con-
tinuous oil pressure, electromechanical
steering only needs power when it is used.
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. »
197
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
WARNING
If the power steering does not work, you will
need much mor e s
trength to turn the wheel.
This has a considerable effect on vehicle
safety.
● The power steering only works when the
engine is
running.
● Never allow the vehicle to move when the
engine is
switched off.
● Never remove the key from the ignition
while the
vehicle is moving. The steering lock
could be engaged and vehicle steering would
not work. Note
The ignition of the vehicle being towed must
be swit c

hed on to prevent the steering wheel
from locking and also to allow the use of the
turn signals, horn, windscreen wipers and
washers. Control lamp
The control lamp should light up for a few
sec
ond
s

when the ignition is switched on. It
should go out once the engine is started. 
It lights up red
The electromechani-
cal steering is dam-
aged.Have the steering checked im-
mediately by a specialised work-
shop. 
It lights up yellow
Electromechanical
steering operation
is limited.See a specialised workshop im-
mediately and have the steering
checked.
If the yellow warning lamp does
not light up again after the en-
gine is restarted and the vehicle
has travelled a short distance,
you do not need to take it to a
specialised workshop.
The 12-volt battery
was disconnected
and has been recon-
nected.Take the vehicle for a short run
at 15-20 km/h (9-12 mph). 
It flashes yellow
The steering column
is tight.Turn the wheel a little to both
sides.
The steering column
does not unlock or
lock.Remove the key from the ignition
and switch the ignition back on.
If necessary, check the messag-
es displayed on the instrument
panel display.
Do not drive on if
the steering
column remains locked after the
ignition has been switched on.
Seek specialist assistance. WARNING
If the warning lamps and the corresponding
mes s

ages are ignored when they light up, the
vehicle may stall in traffic and cause acci-
dents and severe injuries. ●
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. 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 181.
● Remove the ignition key.
● Turn the steering wheel slightly until the
steerin
g lock has engaged.
198