overheating Seat Ibiza 2017 Owner's manual Edition 11.17

Instruments and warning/control lamps
Normal temperature
If in norm
al
operations, the diodes light up
until the central zone, it means that the en-
gine has reached operating temperature. At
high outside temperatures and when making
the engine work hard, the diodes may contin-
ue lighting up and reach the upper zone. This
is no cause for concern, provided the control
lamp  does not light up on the instrument
panel digital display.
Heat range
When the diodes light up in the upper area of
the display and the control lamp appears 
on the instrument panel display, the coolant
temperature is excessive ››› page 269. CAUTION
● To en s

ure a long useful life for the engine,
avoid high revs, driving at high speed and
making the engine work hard for approxi-
mately the first 15 minutes when the engine
is cold. The phase until the engine is warm al-
so depends on the outside temperature. If
necessary, use the engine oil temperature*
›››  page 42 as a guide.
● Additional 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 c
oo

ling effect, which could cause
the engine to overheat. Seek specialist assis-
tance. Fuel level
Fig. 128
Fuel gauge. The display
››
› Fig. 128
only works when the
ignition is switched on. When the display rea-
ches the reserve mark, the lower diode lights
up in red and the control lamp  appears
››› page 117. When the fuel level is very low,
the lower diode flashes in red.
The fuel range is displayed on the instrument
panel ››› Fig. 125 3 .
Y ou c
an c

onsult the tank capacity of your ve-
hicle in the ›››
 page 57 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. Fuel level - Natural Gas (GNC)
3 Valid in vehicles equipped with natural gas engine
(GNC) Fig. 129
Instrument panel: Natural gas gauge The gauges
››
›

Fig. 129 and ›››
Fig. 128 only
work when the ignition is on. When the dis-
play reaches the reserve mark, the lower LED
lights up in red and the control lamp 
ap-
pears. When the fuel level is very low, the
lower diode flashes in red.
● The green warning lamp 
››
›

Fig. 129 1 lights up when the vehicle is running in natu-
r
al
g
as operating mode. »
121
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
the 
 button and the
S
ET
TINGS and
E SC

System function buttons.
WARNING
You should switch on the ESC Sport mode on-
ly if the tr

affic conditions and your driving
ability allow you to do so safely: risk of skid-
ding!
● With ESC in Sport mode, the stabilising
function w
ill be limited to allow for a sportier
drive. The driving wheels could spin and the
vehicle could skid. Note
If the ASR is disconnected or the ESC’s Sport
mode is sel

ected, cruise control* will be
switched off. Electronic differential lock (EDS)*
The EDL operates along with the ABS in vehi-
c
l
e

s equipped with Electronic Stability Con-
trol (ESC)*.
EDL helps the vehicle to start moving, accel-
erate and climb a gradient in slippery condi-
tions where this may otherwise be difficult or
even impossible.
It uses the ABS sensors to monitor the speed
of the driven wheels.
At speeds of up to approximately 80 km/h
(50 mph), it is able to balance out differences in the speed of the driven wheels of approxi-
mately

100 rpm/min caused by a partially
slippery road surface. It does this by braking
the wheel which has lost traction and distrib-
uting more driving force to the other driven
wheel via the differential.
To prevent the disc brake of the braking
wheel from overheating, the EDL cuts out au-
tomatically if subjected to excessive loads.
The vehicle will continue to function normally
without EDL. For this reason, the driver is not
informed that the EDL has been switched off.
The EDL will switch on again automatically
when the brake has cooled down.
Control lamp
A malfunction in the EDL is indicated by the
ESC control lamp . Take the vehicle to a
specialised workshop as soon as possible. WARNING
● When acc el

erating on a slippery surface,
for example on ice and snow, press the accel-
erator carefully. Despite EDL, the driven
wheels may start to spin. This could impair
the vehicle's stability.
● Always adapt your driving style to suit road
conditions
and the traffic situation. Do not let
the extra safety afforded by EDL tempt you in-
to taking any risks when driving, this can
cause accidents. CAUTION
Modifications to the vehicle (e.g. to the en-
gine, the brak e sy

stem, running gear or any
components affecting the wheels and tyres)
could affect the efficiency of the EDL
››› page 247. Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA)*
The function (Hydraulic Brake Assist HBA) is
only
inc

luded in vehicles with ESC.
In an emergency, most drivers brake in time,
but not with maximum force. This results in
unnecessarily long braking distances.
This is when the brake assist system comes
into action. When pressing the brake pedal
rapidly, the assistant interprets it as an emer-
gency. It very quickly builds up the full brake
pressure so that the ABS can be activated
more quickly and efficiently, thus reducing
braking distance.
Do not reduce the pressure on the brake ped-
al, since the brake assist system switches off
automatically as soon as you release the
brake.
Automatic hazard warning lights activation
The brake lights flash automatically to indi-
cate that the vehicle is braking suddenly or in
an emergency situation. If the emergency
braking continues until the vehicle comes to
186

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

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

Operation
lower and you will prevent the clutch plate
from bein
g d
amaged.
● On descents, use the engine brake, chang-
ing to the g
ear that is more suitable for the
slope. Fuel consumption will be “zero” and
the brakes will not suffer. Engine management and emis-
sion c
ontr

ol system
Introduction WARNING
● Bec au

se of the high temperatures which
can occur in the exhaust purification system
(catalytic converter or diesel particulate fil-
ter), do not park the vehicle where the ex-
haust can come into contact with flammable
materials under the car (e.g. on grass or at
the forest edge). Fire hazard!
● Do not apply wax underneath the vehicle
around the ar
ea of the exhaust system: Fire
hazard! Note
While the control lamps , ,  or  or
rem ain lit, ther

e may be engine problems,
fuel consumption may increase and the en-
gine may lose power. Catalytic converter
To maintain the useful life of the catalytic
con
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 268, Top-
ping up engine oil.
– Never tow the vehicle to start it, use jump
lea

ds if necessary ›››
 page 71.
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 occur ›››
page 122. 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. 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 fuel. Diesel particulate filter
3 App
lies to vehicles with diesel engine
The die
sel engine particulate filter eliminates
most of the soot from the exhaust gas sys-
tem. Under normal driving conditions, the fil-
ter cleans itself. The diesel particulate filter is
cleaned automatically without need for indi-
cation by the warning lamp . This may be
noticed because the engine idle speed in-
creases and an odour may be detected.
If automatic filter purification cannot be car-
ried out (because only short trips are taken,
for example), soot will accumulate on the fil-
ter and the Diesel particulate filter warning
lamp will  switch on.
Facilitate the automatic filter cleaning proc-
ess by driving in the following manner: drive
for approximately 15 minutes at a minimum
speed of 60 km/h (37 mph) in 4th or 5th gear
(automatic gearbox: gear S). Maintain the en-
gine speed at approximately 2,000 rpm. The
rise in temperature causes the soot on the
202

Advice
Refuelling with natural gas Fig. 227
Tank flap open: gas filler mouth 1 ,
fi l
l
er mouth retainer 2Before r
efuelling, the engine and the igni-
tion, mo b

ile telephone and heating must be
switched off separately ››› .
R e
a

d the instructions on how to use the natu-
ral gas pump carefully.
The vehicle is not prepared for refuelling with
liquefied natural gas (LNG) ››› . Before refu-
el lin
g w

ith natural gas, make sure you add
the appropriate type of fuel ››› page 258.
Opening the fuel tank cap
The natural gas filler mouth is behind the fuel
tank cap, next to the petrol filler mouth.
● Unlock the vehicle with the key or with the
central
locking button  situated on the driv-
er door ››› page 134. ●
Pres
s on the rear area of the flap and open
it.
Refuelling
Special feature: if the ambient temperature is
very high, the natural gas pump protection
against overheating disconnects this auto-
matically.
● Remove the plug from the gas filler mouth
›››
Fig. 227 1 .
● Connect the pump filling nozzle to the gas
fi l
l

er mouth.
● The fuel tank will be full when the p
ump
compressor automatically cuts the supply.
● If you wish to finish refuelling in advance,
pres
s the button on the pump to stop the
flow.
Closing the fuel tank cap
● Check that the gas filler mouth retainer 2 is not trapped with the filler nozzle. If neces-
s
ar
y

, place it in the filler mouth again.
● Insert the plug in the filler mouth.
● Close the tank flap. Make sure you hear it
click
into place. WARNING
Natural gas is a highly explosive, easily flam-
mab l

e substance. Incorrect handling of the
natural gas can cause accidents serious
burns and other injuries. ●
Bef or

e refuelling with natural gas, engage
the filling mouth correctly. If you can smell
gas, stop refuelling immediately. WARNING
The vehicle is not prepared to use liquefied
n at ur

al gas (LNG), and this fuel must not be
added under any circumstances. Liquefied
natural gas can cause the natural gas tank to
explode, resulting in serious injury. Note
● The fil lin

g nozzles of natural gas pumps
can differ in the way they are operated. If you
do not know, ask a qualified employee at the
petrol station to do the refuelling.
● Noises heard when refuelling are normal
and do not indicat
e the presence of a fault in
the system.
● The vehicle natural gas system is prepared
both for ref
uelling with a small compressor
(slow refuel) and a large compressor (fast re-
fuel) in natural gas service stations. Fuel
Ty
pe

s of petrol The correct grade of petrol is listed inside the
f
uel
t

ank flap.
258

Checking and refilling levels
For the sake of the environment
The oil level must never be above area
›› ›
Fig. 230 A . Otherwise oil can be drawn in
through the c r
ankcase breather and escape
into the atmosphere via the exhaust system. Changing engine oil
Read the additional information carefully
›› ›

 page 58
The engine oil must be changed at the inter-
vals given in the service schedule.
We recommend that you have the engine oil
changed by a Technical Service.
The oil change intervals are shown in the
Maintenance Programme. WARNING
Only change the engine oil yourself if you
hav e the s

pecialist knowledge required!
● Before opening the bonnet, read and ob-
serve the w
arnings ››› page 263, Safety notes
for work in the engine compartment .
● Wait for the engine to cool down. Hot oil
may
cause burn injuries.
● Wear eye protection to avoid injuries, such
as ac
id burns, caused by splashes of oil.
● When removing the oil drain plug with your
finger
s, keep your arm horizontal to help pre-
vent oil from running down your arm. ●
Wa sh

your skin thoroughly if it comes into
contact with engine oil.
● Engine oil is poisonous! Used engine oil
must
be stored in a safe place out of the
reach of children. CAUTION
No additives should be used with engine oil.
Thi s c

ould result in engine damage. Any dam-
age caused by the use of such additives
would not be covered by the factory warranty. For the sake of the environment
● Bec au

se of disposal problems and the spe-
cial tools and specialist knowledge required,
we recommend that you have the engine oil
and filter changed by a Technical Service.
● Never pour oil down drains or into the
ground.
● U

se a suitable container when draining the
used oil
. It must be large enough to hold all
the engine oil. Cooling system
C ontr o

l lamp There is a fault if:
● The  l amp does not go out again after a
f ew sec

onds. ●
The  lamp lights up or fl
ashes while the
vehicle is running, and three acoustic warn-
ing 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  lamp lights up, stop the vehicle,
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 104.
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  lamp lights up, stop the vehicle,
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. » 269
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Advice
●
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 263. Topping up coolant
Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 59
Top up coolant when the level is below the
MIN (minimum) mark.
Checking coolant level – Park the vehicle in a horizontal position.
– Switch the ignition off.
– Read off the coolant level on coolant ex-
pans

ion tank. When the engine is cold, the
coolant level should be between the marks.
When the engine is hot, it may be slightly
above the upper mark.
Topping up coolant – Wait for the engine to cool down. –
Cov
er the coolant expansion tank cap with
a cloth and carefully unscrew it to the left
››› .
– Top up the coolant only if there is still cool-
ant in the e
xp

ansion tank, otherwise you
could damage the engine. If there is no
coolant in the expansion tank, do not con-
tinue driving. You should obtain professio- nal assistance ››› .
– If there is still some coolant in the expan-
sion t
ank, t

op up to the upper mark.
– Top up with coolant until the level becomes
stab

le.
– Screw the cap back on correctly.
Any lo
ss of coolant fluid normally indicates a
leak in the cooling system. Take the vehicle
straight to a specialised workshop to have
the cooling system examined. If there are no
leaks in the engine cooling system, a loss of
coolant can only occur if the coolant boils
and is forced out of the system as a result of
overheating. WARNING
● The coo lin

g system is under pressure. Do
not unscrew the cap on the coolant expan-
sion tank when the engine is hot: risk of
burns!
● The antifreeze and coolant fluid can be a
health h
azard. Therefore, the antifreeze
should be stored in the original container in a safe place out of reach of children. Failure to
comp
ly

could result in poisoning.
● If working inside the engine compartment,
remember that, ev
en when the ignition is
switched off, the radiator fan may start up au-
tomatically, and therefore there is a risk of in-
jury. WARNING
If there is not enough anti-freeze in the cool-
ant sys

tem, the engine may fail leading to se-
rious damage.
● Please make sure that the percentage of
additiv
e is correct with respect to the lowest
expected ambient temperature in the zone in
which the vehicle is to be used.
● When the outside temperature is very low,
the cool
ant could freeze and the vehicle
would be immobilised. In this case, the heat-
ing would not work either and inadequately
dressed passengers could die of cold. CAUTION
Do not top up the expansion tank with cool-
ant fluid if it

is empty! Air could enter the
cooling system. In this case, stop driving.
Seek specialist assistance. Otherwise, there
is a risk of engine damage. 270