engine oil Seat Ibiza ST 2014 Owner's manual

Table of Contents
Table of Contents
The essentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Exterior view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Interior view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
How it works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Unlocking and locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Before driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Starting the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Lights and visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Multi-function display (MFA)* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Cruise control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Warning lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Gear lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Air conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Level control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Action in the event of a puncture . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Emergency towing of the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Safe driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Safety first! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Advice about driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Proper sitting position for occupants . . . . . . . . 30
Pedal area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
The reasons why we should wear seat belts . . 34
How to properly adjust your seatbelt . . . . . . . . 37
Belt pretensioners* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Airbag overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Deactivating airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Transporting children safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Safety for children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Operation
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Dash panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Warning lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Digital instrument panel display . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Communications and multimedia . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Steering column controls* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Bluetooth System* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Opening and closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Radio frequency remote control* . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Anti-theft alarm system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Boot hatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Panoramic tilting sunroof* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Lights and visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Interior lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Windscreen wiper and rear window wiper
systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Rear view mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Seats and head restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Adjusting the seat and head restraints . . . . . . 100
Seat functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Transport and practical equipment . . . . . . . . . 104
Practical equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Luggage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Roof carrier system* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Air conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Air conditioning* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Climatronic* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Driving
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Starting and stopping the engine . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Braking and parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Manual gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Automatic gearbox* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Run-in and economical driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Driver assistance systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Braking and stability systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Start-Stop System* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Rear Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Parking aid* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Cruise speed* (cruise control system - CCS) . . . 150
Towing bracket device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Trailer towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Fitting a towing bracket* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Advice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Care and maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Accessories and modifications to the vehicle . 155
Care and cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Care of the vehicle exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Caring for the vehicle interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Checking and refilling levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Petrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Working in the engine compartment . . . . . . . . 166
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Cooling system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Windscreen washer reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Vehicle battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Wheels and tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Winter service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
3

The essentials
Warning lamps On the instrument panel Fig. 27
Sym-
bolMeaning of control and warning lampsFurther in-formation 
Engine fault (petrol engine)›››
page
58 
Glow plug system (diesel en-
gines)
If lit up:
glow plug system ac-
tive
If flashing: engine fault
››› page
58 
Soot accumulation in the die-
sel engine particulate filter›››
page
59
Sym-
bolMeaning of control and warning lampsFurther in-formation 
Red:
Engine oil pressure
›››
page
59Yellow:
If flashing: engine oil sensor
faulty
If it remains lit: insufficient
engine oil 
Bulb defective›››
page
59
Sym-
bolMeaning of control and warning lampsFurther in-formation 
Level of liquid for washing
windows too low›››
page
59 
Rear fog light switched on›››
page
59 
Seat belt warning lamp*›››
page
35 
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
*›››
page
59 18

The essentials
››› in Refuelling on page 164
››› page 163 Oil
Fig. 34
Fig. 35
The level is measured using the dipstick loca-
ted in the engine compartment
›››  page 168
.
The oi l
should leave a mark between zones
A and
C . It should never exceed zone
A .
● Zone A : Do not add oil.
● Zone B : You can add oil but keep the level
in that zone.
● Zone C : Add oil up to zone
B .
Topping up engine oil
● Unscrew cap from oil filler opening.
● Add oil slowly.
● At the same time, check the level to ensure
you do not add too much.
● When the oil level reaches at least zone B ,
unscrew the engine oil filler cap carefully.

››› in Changing engine oil on page 171
››› page 168 Coolant
Fig. 36
The coolant tank is located in the engine
compartment
›››
 page 168
.
When the en gine i

s cold, replace the coolant
when the level is below .

››› in Engine coolant specifications on
page 172
››› page 171 24

Dash panel
For the sake of the environment
Changing up a gear early will help you to save
fuel and minimise emissions and engine
noise. Speedometer
The speedometer is equipped with a digital
odometer and a trip odometer, in addition to
a service intervals display.
During the running-in period, the instructions
shown on
›››
page 134 should be followed.
W arnin
g lamps
Overview of the warning lamps Read the additional information carefully
›››  page 18 WARNING
● Failure to observe control lamps and warn-
ing messages can result in serious personal
injuries or damage to your vehicle.
● The risk of an accident increases if your ve-
hicle breaks down. Use a warning triangle to
draw the attention of other road users in or-
der to prevent danger to third parties. ●
The engine compartment is a dangerous
area. Before you open the bonnet to work on
the engine or in the engine compartment,
switch the engine off and allow it to cool to
reduce the risk of burns or other injuries.
Read and observe the relevant warnings
››› page 166. Note
● The appropriate control lamp for a fault will
light up in vehicles without warning or infor-
mation messages in the display.
● In vehicles with warning or information
messages on the screen, the appropriate con-
trol lamp for a fault will light up and a warn-
ing or information message will also appear
on the screen. Warning symbols
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 en

gine. 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 will 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 warning
message STOP BRAKE FLUID INSTRUCTION
MANUAL or STOP BRAKE FAULT INSTRUCTION MANUAL.
● Coolant symbol  with the warning mes-
sage STOP SEE COOLANT INSTRUCTION MAN-
UAL.
● Engine oil pressure symbol  with the
warning 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. »
57
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials

Dash panel
Control lamp  flashes
If a f
ault develops in the engine management
system while you are driving, the glow plug
system lamp will flash 
. Take the vehicle to
a specialised workshop as soon as possible
and have the engine checked.
Soot accumulation in the diesel
engine particulate filter*  If the control lamp
 lights up you should
help the filter clean itself by driving in the ap-
propriate manner.
To do this, drive about 15 minutes in fourth
or fifth gear (automatic gearbox: S gear
range) at a minimum speed of 60 km/h
(37 mph), with the engine running at approxi-
mately 2,000 rpm. In this way, the soot build
up in the filter is burned. When cleaning is
successful, the control lamp turns off.
If the lamp  does not turn off, or the three
lamps turn on (particulate filter , fault in
the emission control system  and glow
plugs ), drive the vehicle to a specialised
workshop and have the fault repaired at the
earliest opportunity. WARNING
● Always drive according to the road weather
conditions, the terrain and traffic. Driving rec- ommendations should never lead to illegal
manoeuvres in surrounding traffic.
●
The diesel engine particulate filter may
reach extremely high temperatures; in this
case the vehicle should be parked so that it
does not enter into contact with highly flam-
mable materials underneath the vehicle. Oth-
erwise there is a risk of fire. Engine oil pressure
 If this warning lamp
 is red it indicates
that the engine oil pressure is too low.
If this warning symbol starts to flash, and is
accompanied by three audible warnings,
switch off the engine and check the oil level.
If necessary, add more oil ››› page 170.
If the warning lamp flashes although the oil
level is correct, stop driving. Do not even run
the en gine at

idle speed! Obtain technical as-
sistance.
Checking the oil level 
If the warning lamp is yellow  the engine
oil level should be checked as soon as possi-
ble. Top up the oil ››› page 170 at the next
opportunity.
Oil level sensor faulty* 
If the  yellow warning lamp flashes, take
the vehicle to a specialised workshop to have the oil level sensor checked. Until then it is
advisable to check the oil level every time
you refuel.
Bulb defect*  The 
warning lamp lights up when there is
a f

ault on the turn signals, headlights, side
lights and fog lights.
Washer fluid*  This warning lamp lights up to indicate that
the windscreen washer level is very low.
This serves as a reminder to fill up the reser-
voir at the earliest opportunity
›››
page 174.
Rear fog light*  The warning lamp 
lights up when the rear
fog light is switched on. For further informa-
tion see ›››
page 90 .
Anti-loc k

brake system (ABS)*  The warning lamp  lights up for a few sec-
onds when the ignition is switched on. It
goes out again after the system has run
through an automatic test sequence.
»
59
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials

Dash panel
The position of the automatic selector lever
will be shown on the display ››› page 129.
Odometer The upper counter in the display registers the
total mileage covered by the vehicle.
The lower counter registers the short jour-
neys. The last digit indicates 100-metre sec-
tions. The trip recorder counter may be reset
by pressing the reset button
››› Fig. 70 5 .
Service interval display Fig. 76
Service interval display The service indication is shown on the instru-
ment panel display
››› Fig. 76 .
S EA
T distinguishes between services with
en-
gine oil change (e.g. Interval Service) and
services without
engine oil change (e.g. In- spection Service). The service interval display
only indicates the dates of services that in-
clude engine oil change. The dates of all oth-
er services, such as Inspection Service or
brake fluid change, appear in the sticker on
the door pillar or in the Maintenance Pro-
gramme.
Vehicles with
service intervals dependent on
time/distance travelled already have certain
service intervals set.
The intervals are calculated separately in ve-
hicles with LongLife service. Technical pro-
gre

ss has made it possible to considerably
reduce servicing requirements. With the
LongLife System, SEAT ensures that your ve-
hicle only has an interval service when it is
necessary. To calculate this (max. two years),
the conditions under which the vehicle is
used and the individual driving style are also
taken into account. The service pre-warning
will appear at 20 days or less prior to the cor-
responding service. The distance travelled is
rounded off to the nearest 100 km and the
time to full days. The current service message
can only be consulted 500 km or more after
the last service. Until that time, only dashes
are displayed.
Service warning
A service warning will appear when the igni-
tion i

s switched on if a service is due soon. The instrument panel display will show the
“spanner symbol”
 and the “km (miles)”
indication, along with a clock symbol with
the days remaining until the date of the next
service. The figure indicated is the maximum
number of kilometres (miles) remaining be-
fore the date of the next service. The indica-
tion changes after a few seconds. A “clock
symbol” appears and the number of days un-
til the service appointment should be carried
out.
Service
If a service is due, an audible warning will
sound and the flashing “spanner”  symbol
will be shown along with the fixed text SERV-
ICE.
If no service is carried out following the indi-
cation on the instrument panel, the excess
distance travelled and the excess time follow-
ing the SERVICE warning will be displayed.
Reading the service message
The current service message can be c
onsul-
ted with the ignition on, the engine switched
off and the vehicle at a standstill:
● Press the  button on the instrument pan-
el as often as necessary until the “spanner”
symbol  is displayed.
»
67
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials

Transport and practical equipment
Cigarette lighter* Fig. 113
Lighter. –
Press on the cigarette lighter ››› Fig. 113 to
activ at
e it ››› .
– Wait for the lighter to spring out.
– Pull out the cigarette lighter and light the
cigarette on the glowing coil. WARNING
● Improper use of the cigarette lighter can
lead to serious injuries or start a fire.
● Using the lighter carefully. Carelessness or
negligence when using the cigarette lighter
can cause burns and serious injuries.
● The lighter only works when the ignition is
turned on or the engine is running. To avoid
the risk of fire, never leave children alone in-
side the vehicle. Power socket
Fig. 114
Front power socket. The 12 Volt cigarette lighter power socket can
also be used for other electrical components
with a power rating of up to 120 Watt. When
the engine is switched off, however, the vehi-
cle battery will discharge. For further informa-
tion see
››› page 155 . WARNING
The power sockets and the connected acces-
sories will only operate when the ignition is
on or when the engine is running. Improper
use of the sockets or electrical accessories
can lead to serious injuries or cause a fire. To
avoid the risk of injury, never leave children
alone inside the vehicle. Note
● The use of electrical appliances with the
engine switched off will cause a battery dis-
charge.
● Before using any electrical accessories, see
the instructions in ››› page 155. Power socket in the luggage
compartment*
3 Applies to the model: IBIZA ST
Fig. 115
Detailed view of the side trim in the
luggage compartment: 12 volt socket –
Lift the power socket cover ››› Fig. 115 .
– Inser

t the plug of the electrical appliance
into the power socket.
Electrical equipment can be connected to any
of the 12 volt sockets. The appliances con-
nected to the power socket must not exceed
a power rating of 100 W. »
107
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials

Operation
●
Unsupervised use of the key could start the
engine or any electrical system, such as the
electric windows. This could result in serious
injury. CAUTION
The starter motor will only work when the en-
gine is stopped (ignition key position 3 ).
Electronic immobiliser
The electronic immobiliser prevents unau-
thorised persons from driving the vehicle.
Inside the key there is a chip that deactivates
the electronic immobiliser automatically
when the key is inserted into the ignition.
The electronic immobiliser will be activated
again automatically as soon as you pull the
key out of the ignition lock.
The engine can only be started using a genu-
ine SEAT key with its correct code.
Note
A perfect operation of the vehicle is ensured
if genuine SEAT keys are used. Starting petrol engines
The engine can only be started using a genu-
ine SEAT key with its correct code.
– Move the gearbox lever to the neutral posi-
tion and depress the clutch pedal thor-
oughly and hold it in this position for the
starter to turn the engine on.
– Turn the ignition key to the starting posi-
tion ››› page 123.
– Let
go of the ignition key as soon as the en-
gine starts; the starter motor must not run
on with the engine.
After starting a very hot engine, you may
need to slightly press down the accelerator.
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 the engine does not start immediately,
switch the starter off after 10 seconds and try
again after half a minute. If the engine still
does not start, the fuel pump fuse should be
checked ›››
page 195, Fuses. WARNING
● Never start 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 cause the engine to run at high
revs. Risk of injury. CAUTION
● When the engine is 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 metres 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 order 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 188, Jump-starting
. For the sake of the environment
Do not warm-up the engine by running the
engine with the vehicle stationary. Start off
immediately, driving gently. This helps the
engine reach operating temperature faster
and reduces emissions. 124

Driving
Starting diesel engines The engine can only be started using a genu-
ine SEAT key with its correct code.
– Move the gearbox lever to the neutral posi-
tion and depress 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. 131
2 . The warning lamp
 will light for en-
gine pr e-he
ating.
– When the lamp turns off, turn the ignition
key to position 3 to start the engine. Do
not press the accelerator.
– Release the ignition key as soon as the en-
gine starts. 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 188 .
Glo w p

lug system for the diesel engine
To avoid unnecessary 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
petrol engines on page 124. CAUTION
● When the engine is 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 metres 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 order 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 188, Jump-starting. For the sake of the environment
Do not warm-up the engine by running the
engine with 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. 131
1 .
After switching the engine off, the radiator
fan may run on for up to 10 minutes. The fan
may also turn on again if coolant temperature
increases from accumulated heat in the en-
gine compartment or due to its prolonged ex-
posure to solar radiation. WARNING
● Never switch the engine off until the vehi-
cle is completely stationary.
● The brake servo works only when the en-
gine is running. With the engine switched off,
more strength is needed to brake. As normal
brake operation cannot be performed, risk of
accidents and serious injury may exist.
● The steering lock can be immediately
blocked once the key is removed from the ig-
nition. The vehicle cannot be steered. Risk of
accident. » 125
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials

Operation
CAUTION
When the engine has been running under a
heavy load 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
Braking capacity and braking distance The efficiency of the brakes depends directly
on the
brake pad
wear. This wear depends to
a gr
eat 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
brake system increase the risk of accidents.
● New brake pads must be run in and do not
have the correct 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 roads which have been salted,
braking power may be lower than normal.
● On steep slopes, if brakes are excessively
used, they will 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 pressure. Continuous braking will cause
the brakes to overheat and the braking dis-
tance will increase. Apply and then release
the brakes alternately.
● Never let the vehicle run with the engine
switched off. The braking distance is in-
creased considerably when the brake servo is
not active.
● If the brake fluid loses its viscosity and is
subjected 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
could restrict the airflow to the brakes and
cause them to overheat. Before purchasing
accessories please observe the relevant in-
structions ››› page 155, Technical modifica-
tions.
● If a br

ake system circuit fails, the braking
distance will be increased considerably. Con-
tact a specialised workshop immediately and
avoid unnecessary journeys. Handbrake
Fig. 132
Handbrake between the front seats. The handbrake should be applied firmly to
prevent the vehicle from accidentally rolling
away. Always apply the handbrake when you
leave your vehicle and when you park.
126