change time Seat Ibiza ST 2016 Owner's Guide

Driving
Braking and stability systems El ectr
onic
Stability Control (ESC)*This Electronic Stability System reduces the
risk of
sk

idding and improves the vehicle's
stability and ability to hold the road.
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) contains
the electronic differential lock (EDL) and the
traction control system (ASR). The ESC works
together with the ABS. Both control lamps
will light up if the ESC or ABS systems are
faulty.
The ESC system is started automatically
when the engine is started.
The ESC system is always active and cannot
be switched off. With the Easy Connect sys-
tem it is only possible to deactivate the ASR
or else select Sport mode.
The ASR can be deactivated when wheel spin
is desirable ›››
page 156.
For example:
● When driving with snow chains.
● When driving in deep snow or on loose sur-
face s.
● When the

vehicle is stuck, to rock it back-
wards
and forwards.
Press the button to switch the ASR back on
when you no longer need wheel spin. Electronic Stability Control (ESC)*
The ESC reduc

es the risk of skidding by brak-
ing the wheels individually.
The system uses the steering wheel angle
and road speed to calculate the changes of
direction desired by the driver, and constant-
ly compares them with the actual behaviour
of the vehicle. When irregularities occur, for
example, if the vehicle begins to skid, the
ESC brakes the appropriate wheel automati-
cally.
The forces acting on the braked wheel bring
the vehicle back to a stable condition. If the
vehicle tends to oversteer (the rear end
slides out), the system will act on the front
wheel on the outside of the turn.
Control lamp
There are two control lamps for the electronic
stability control. The lamp  provides infor-
mation concerning function and  disconnec-
tion status.
Both control lamps light up together when
the ignition is switched on and should turn
off after approximately 2 seconds. This is the
time taken for the function check.
This programme includes the ABS, EDL and
ASR. It also includes emergency braking as-
sistance (BAS). The control lamp
 has the f ollowing func-
tions:
● It flashes whilst driving when the ASR/ESC
is activat
ed.
● It will light up if there is a fault in the ESC.
● As the ESC operates in conjunction with the
ABS, the ESC light w
ill also come on if a fault
should occur in the ABS.
If the ESC control lamp  lights up and stays
on after the engine is started, this may mean
that the control system has temporarily
switched off the ESC. In this case the ESC can
be reactivated by switching the ignition off
and then on again. If the control lamp goes
out, this means the system is fully functional.
The  lamp provides information about the
disconnection status of the system:
● It stays lit when the ASR is disconnected on
press
ing the switch  or if we select ESC
Sport mode, only by means of Easy Connect. WARNING
● Do not for g

et that the electronic stability
control ESC cannot defy the laws of physics.
This should be kept in mind, particularly on
slippery and wet roads and when towing a
trailer.
● Always adapt your driving style to suit the
condition of the ro
ads and the traffic situa-
tion. The greater safety provided by the ESC
should not encourage you to run any risks. » 155
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
grip on the front axle, resulting in understeer
or “l en
gthenin
g” of the trajectory.
The XDS system can detect and correct this
effect via the sensors and signals of the ESC.
Via the ESC, the XDS will brake the inside
wheel and counter the excess driving torque
of that wheel. This means that the driver's
desired trajectory is much more precise.
The XDS system works in combination with
the ESC and is always active, even when ASR
traction control is disconnected or the ESC is
in Sport mode.
Brake servo The brake servo increases the pressure you
ap
p
ly t

o the brake pedal. It works only when
the engine is running .
If the brake servo is not functioning, e.g. due
to a malfunction, or if the vehicle is being
towed, you will have to press the brake pedal
considerably harder to make up for the lack
of servo assistance. WARNING
The braking distance can also be affected by
extern a

l factors.
● Never let the vehicle coast with the engine
switched off
. Failure to follow this instruction
could result in an accident. The braking dis- tance is increased considerably when the
brake ser
v

o is not active.
● If the brake servo is not working, for exam-
ple when the v
ehicle is being towed, you will
have to press the brake pedal considerably
harder than normal. Hill driving assistant*
This function is only included in vehicles with
ESC.
The hil l

driving assistant helps the driver to
move off and upward on a hill when the vehi-
cle is stationary.
The system maintains brake pressure for ap-
proximately two seconds after the driver
takes his foot off the brake pedal to prevent
the vehicle from lurching backward when it is
started. During these 2 seconds, the driver
has enough time to release the clutch pedal
and accelerate without the vehicle moving
and without having to use the handbrake,
making start-up easier, more comfortable
and safer.
These are the basic operation conditions:
● being on a ramp or hill/slope,
● doors closed,
● vehicle completely stationary,
● engine running and foot on the brake, ●
beside s

having a gear engaged or being in
neutral for manual gear change and with the
selector lever at position S, D or R for an au-
tomatic gearbox.
This system is also active when reversing up-
hill. WARNING
● If y ou do not

start the vehicle immediately
after taking your foot off the brake pedal, the
vehicle may start to roll back under certain
conditions. Depress the brake pedal or use
the hand brake immediately.
● If the engine stalls, depress the brake ped-
al or use the h
and brake immediately.
● When following a line of traffic uphill, if you
want to pr
event the vehicle from rolling back
accidentally when starting off, hold the brake
pedal down for a few seconds before starting
off. Note
The Official Service or a specialist workshop
can tel l

you if your vehicle is equipped with
this system. 160

Operation
Selecting the normal programme
– Put the selector lever into position D.
Sel ectin
g the s por
t programme
– Put the selector lever into position S.
If you sel
ect the normal programme, D, you
will drive in the economy mode, i.e. the pro-
gramme is designed to reduce fuel consump-
tion. The gearbox changes up into a higher
gear as soon as possible and down into a
lower gear as late as possible.
If you select the sport programme, S, you will
drive in a sporty mode, i.e. a programme in
which shifts into high gears are postponed in
order to use the full power of the engine.
Selector lever positions Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
 p

age 38
Selector lever positions
The selected gear is displayed on the side of
the selector lever and on the instrument pan-
el display. The currently selected gear for the
automatic gearbox will also be shown on the
display. Tiptronic gear indicator
If the automatic

gearbox is shifted manually,
the selected gears are shown on the screen.
P - parking lock
When the selector lever is in this position,
the driven wheels are locked mechanically.
Position P on the lever must only be selected
if the vehicle is stationary.
To move selector lever from position P, the
locking button on the selector lever handle
must be pressed and the brake pedal de-
pressed at the same time while the ignition is
switched on.
To put the selector lever in position P, simply
press the lock button down and, if necessary,
depress the brake pedal down.
R - Reverse gear
The reverse gear is engaged in this position.
Reverse gear must be engaged only when the
vehicle is stationary and the engine is idling.
To move the selector lever to position R,
press the lock button down and, at the same
time, press the brake pedal down, with the
ignition switched on.
With the selector lever in position R and the
ignition switched on the following occurs:
● Reverse lights light up. ●
The air conditioner automatic ally changes
the air recirculation mode.
● The wiper starts if the windscreen washer is
on.
● The parking distance warning system*
switche
s on.
N - Neutral (idling)
If this position is selected, the gearbox is in
neutral. Power is not transmitted to the
wheels and the engine does not have a brak-
ing function.
Never use the N position to drive down a long
hill. There is no engine braking and the
brakes are subjected to excessive stain.
You could damage the automatic gearbox if
you drive down hills with the gearbox lever in
position N and the engine switched off.
D - Drive (forward)
In this position the gearbox automatically
changes to a lower or higher gear, according
to the engine's requirements, the driving
style and speed. The braking effect of the en-
gine when driving downhill is very limited
when the selector is in this position. The in-
strument panel display shows the selected
gear as well as the selector lever in position
D.
When travelling at speeds lower than 5 km/h
(3 mph) or when the vehicle is stationary,
162

Operation
The selector lever lock is released as follows: – Switch the ignition on.
– Press and hold the brake pedal and press
the sel ect
or l ev
er lock on the left of the se-
lector lever at the same time ››› Fig. 170.
The warning lamp  on the instrument panel
lights up when the brake pedal should be ap-
plied. This is essential when the selector lev-
er is taken from the P or N positions.
Level lock only engages with the vehicle sta-
tionary at a speed of up to 5 km/h (3 mph).
At speeds of over 5 km/h (3 mph) the selec-
tor lever lock is automatically deactivated in
position N.
The selector lever lock is not engaged if the
selector lever is moved quickly through posi-
tion N (e.g. when shifting from R to D). This
makes it possible, for instance, to “rock” the
vehicle backwards and forwards if it is stuck
in snow or mud. The selector lever lock en-
gages automatically if the brake pedal is not
depressed and the lever is in position N for
more than about 1 second. Selecting gears manually with Tip-
tronic mode*
Fig. 171
Changing gear with Tiptronic. Fig. 172
Steering wheel with paddle levers
f or aut
omatic

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

ars manually. Changing gear with the selector lever
– Press the selector lever from position D to
the right into the tiptr
onic selector gate.
– Lightly press the selector lever forward
››› Fig. 171

+ to change up to a higher
g e
ar .
– Lightly
press the selector lever backward
››› Fig. 171

- to change down to a lower
g e
ar .
Ch
anging gear with the steering wheel pad-
dle levers*
– Press the right paddle lever + towards the
s t
eerin g wheel

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

to change down ››› Fig. 172.
Using the paddle levers on the steering
wheel, you can access manual driving mode
regardless of the pre-selected driving mode.
General information about driving in tiptron-
ic mode
When accelerating, the automatic gearbox /
DSG automatic gearbox goes into a higher
gear a little before the engine reaches its
maximum permitted revolutions.
If a lower gear is selected, the automatic
gearbox / DSG automatic gearbox will only
change down when the engine cannot go
over its maximum permitted revolutions.
164

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

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

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

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

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

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

to engage the gear (a slight move-
ment can be felt).
– Release the brake and press the accelerator
››› in Selector lever positions on
p ag
e 163 .
St

opping briefly
– If stopping for a short time, keep the vehi-
cle st

ationary by pressing the foot brake
hard to prevent the vehicle moving back-
wards on a slope or “creeping” forwards,
e.g. at traffic lights. The selector lever does
not need to be put into the positions P or N
for this.
– Do not press the accelerator.
Parking
– Pr

ess and hold the brake pedal until the ve-
hicle come
s to a standstill ››› in Selector
l ev
er po s
itions on page 163.
– Apply the handbrake.
– By pressing the lock button down, move
the selector lev

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

onic selector gate.
– Lightly press the selector lever back to
chang

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

vehicle from “rolling back-
wards” ››› in Selector lever positions on
p ag
e 163 . Do not

try to prevent the vehicle
from “rolling backwards” by increasing the
engine speed while a range of gears is se-
lected.
Starting the vehicle up hills
– Apply the handbrake.
– With a selected gear, accelerate slowly and
at the same time, rel

ease the handbrake.
The steeper the slope, the lower the needed
gear. This increases the braking effect of the
engine. For example, when driving down a
very steep slope in third gear. If the engine
brake effect is not enough, the vehicle will
speed up. The automatic gearbox automati-
cally changes up to prevent the engine over-
revving. Use the foot brake to reduce speed
and change into 3rd gear using Tiptronic*
››› in Selector lever positions on page 163.
Y our
vehic

le has an automatic interlock
which prevents the selector lever from being »
165
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
● Use of
solv
ent-free adhesives.
● Use of CFC-free coolants in cooling sys-
tems.
● Recyc

ling and energy recovery from resi-
dues (RDF).
● Impro

vement in the quality of waste water.
● Use of systems for the recovery of residual
heat (thermal
recovery, enthalpy wheels,
etc.).
● The use of water-soluble paints.
Economical and environmentally-
friendly driving Fuel consumption, environmental pollution
and w
e
ar t o the en

gine, brakes and tyres de-
pends in large part on your driving style. By
adopting an economical driving style and an-
ticipating the traffic situation ahead, you can
easily reduce fuel consumption by 10-15%.
Some tips on how to help you reduce pollu-
tion while saving money are listed below.
Active cylinder management (ACT ®
)
Depending on the equipment, the vehicle
may have active cylinder management
(ACT ®
).
The active cylinder management (ACT ®
) may
automatically deactivate some of the engine
cylinders if the driving situation does not re-
quire too much power. When it is switched off, no fuel is injected into these cylinders,
hence total

fuel consumption may be re-
duced. The number of active cylinders can be
seen on the instrument panel display
›››  page 30.
Drive anticipating the traffic situation
A vehicle uses most fuel when accelerating.
When you anticipate situations, you have to
brake less often and, thus, accelerate less. If
it is possible, let the vehicle roll with a gear
engaged, for example, if you see a red light
ahead. The braking effect achieved in this
way helps to reduce the wear of brakes and
tyres; emissions and fuel consumption are
reduced to zero (disconnection due to iner-
tia).
Change gear early to save energy
An effective way of saving fuel is to change
up quickly through the gears. Running the
engine at high rpm in the lower gears uses
an unnecessary amount of fuel.
Manual gearbox: shift up from first to second
gear as soon as possible. We recommend
that, whenever possible, you change to a
higher gear upon reaching 2000 rpm. Follow
the “recommended gear” indication that ap-
pears on the instrument panel ››› page 161. Avoid driving at high speed
We advi
se you not to drive at the top speed
permitted by the vehicle. Fuel consumption,
exhaust emissions and noise levels all in-
crease very rapidly at higher speeds. Driving
at moderate speeds will help to save fuel.
Avoid idling
It is worthwhile switching off the engine
when waiting in a traffic jam, at level cross-
ings or at traffic lights with a long red phase.
The fuel saved after only 30 - 40 seconds is
greater than the amount of fuel needed to re-
start the engine.
The engine takes a long time to warm up
when it is idling. Mechanical wear and pollu-
tant emissions are also especially high dur-
ing this initial warm-up phase. It is therefore
best to drive off immediately after starting
the engine. Avoid running the engine at high
speed.
Periodic maintenance
Periodic maintenance work guarantees that,
before beginning a journey, you will not con-
sume more than the required amount of fuel.
A well-serviced engine gives you the benefit
of improved fuel efficiency as well as maxi-
mum reliability and an enhanced resale val-
ue.
A badly serviced engine can consume up to
10% more fuel than necessary.
168

Operation
Manual disconnection of Parking Aid
● Press the  butt
on a
gain.
Manual disconnection of Parking Aid display
(the audible sounds remain active)
● Press a button on the main menu of the fac-
tory-
assembled infotainment system.
● OR: press the BACK function b
utton.
Automatic connection of Parking Aid ● Engage reverse gear or turn the selector
lever to po
sition R.
● OR: If the vehicle approaches an obstacle
that i
s in its forwards path at a speed below
10 km/h (6 mph) ››› page 178, Automatic ac-
tivation. The obstacle is detected as of a dis-
tance of approx. 95 cm if the automatic con-
nection is activated in the infotainment sys-
tem. A reduced display is shown.
Automatic disconnection of Parking Aid
● Move the selector lever to position P.
● OR: accelerate to more than approx.
10 km/h (6 mph) forw
ard.
Temporary suppression of sound in Parking
Aid
● Press the function button  found on the
st

eering wheel. Change from reduced view to full view
●
Engage reverse gear or turn the selector
lever to po
sition R.
● OR: press the car icon in reduced view.
If nece
ssary, switch to the rear-assist image
(Rear View Camera “RVC”)
● Engage reverse gear or turn the selector
lever to po
sition R.
● OR: Press the RVC function b
utton.
A short confirmation signal will be heard and
the button symbol will light up yellow when
the system is switched on.
Automatic activation Fig. 178
Miniature indication of automatic ac-
tiv ation When the Parking System Plus is switched on
aut
om
atic al

ly, a miniature of the vehicle will be displayed and the segments will be
shown on the left

side of the screen
››› Fig. 178.
Automatic activation occurs when slowly ap-
proaching an obstacle located in front of the
vehicle. It only operates every time the speed
is reduced below approximately 10 km/h (6
mph) for the first time.
If the parking aid is switched off using the 
button, the following actions must be carried
out in order for it to automatically switch on:
● Switch off the ignition and switch it on
again.
● OR: acc

elerate above 10 km/h (6 mph) be-
fore r
educing speed below this number
again.
● OR: place the selector lever in position P
and then move it
from this position.
● OR: switch on and off the automatic activa-
tion in the Easy
Connect system menu.
The automatic activation with parking aid
miniature indication can be switched on and
off from the Easy Connect system menu
›››  page 24:
● Switch the ignition on.
● Select: CAR button > Settings
> Parking
and manoeuvring .
● Select the Automatic activation op-
tion. When the f
unction b

utton check box is
activated , the function is on.
178

Driver assistance systems
The “SEAT Drive Profile” system modifies the
s u
spen
sion system's characteristics and
power steering behaviour.
you can choose between 2 different settings
with different characteristics.
CONVEN-
IENCEBalanced setting, suitable, e.g. for day-to-
day use.
SPORTThis gives the vehicle sporty characteristics
and is suitable for a sporty driving style. Settings can be changed when the vehicle is
station
ar

y or in movement. When a “SEAT
Drive Profile” setting is changed it is activa-
ted immediately.
Selecting the system setting
● If necessary, switch on the ignition.
● To select SPORT mode, press the 
 ›››
Fig. 183 button u nti

l it lights up.
The CONVENIENCE mode is active when the   button is not lit. The set mode remains
sel ect
ed af t

er the ignition is switched off.
CUPRA vehicle version
The modes of operation for the CUPRA are
Normal and Sport rather than Comfort and
Sport. The vehicle always starts up in Nor-
mal. The last selection does not remain once
the vehicle is turned off. WARNING
Adjusting the “SEAT Drive Profile” modifies
driving pr oper

ties. The “SEAT Drive Profile”
system should never encourage you to take
risks.
● Adapt your speed and driving style at all
times to s
uit visibility, weather, road and traf-
fic conditions. WARNING
If the warning lamps and the corresponding
mess ag

es are ignored when they light up, the
vehicle may stall in traffic and cause acci-
dents and severe injuries.
● Never ignore the warning lamps or messag-
es.
● Stop the v

ehicle at the next opportunity
and in a safe pl
ace. CAUTION
Failure to heed the control lamps and corre-
sponding t e

xt messages when they light up
may result in damage to the vehicle. Note
If the “SEAT Drive Profile” system presents a
fault, the 

symbol appears on the instrument
panel, with the message Fault: Damping
setting . Indication on the display and warning
l
amp 
There is a fault in the “SEAT Drive Pro-
file” suspension.
See a specialised workshop immediately and have the
“SEAT Drive Profile” suspension checked.
If the yellow warning lamp does not light up again after
the engine is restarted and the vehicle has travelled a
short distance, you do not need to take it to a special-
ised workshop. Some warning and control lamps will light up
briefly
when the ignition i
s sw

itched on to
check certain functions. They will switch off
after a few seconds. WARNING
If the warning lamps and the corresponding
mess ag

es are ignored when they light up, the
vehicle may stall in traffic and cause acci-
dents and severe injuries.
● Never ignore the warning lamps or messag-
es. WARNING
Changing the “SEAT Drive Profile” settings
while the v

ehicle is in motion can distract you
from the road and lead to accidents. » 185
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Checking and refilling levels
The specifications (VW standards) set out in
the f o
llo
wing page should appear on the con-
tainer of the service oil; when the container
displays the specific standards for petrol and
diesel engines together, it means that the oil
can be used for both types of engines.
We recommend that the oil change indicated
in the Maintenance Programme, be per-
formed by a technical service or specialised
workshop.
The correct oil specifications for your engine
are listed in the ›››
 page 41.
Service intervals
Service intervals can be flexible (LongLife
service) or fixed (dependent on time/dis-
tance travelled).
If the PR code that appears on the back of the
Maintenance Programme booklet is PR QI6,
this means that your vehicle has the LongLife
service program. If it lists the codes QI1, QI2,
QI3, QI4 or QI7, the interval service is de-
pendent on the time/distance travelled.
Flexible service intervals (LongLife service
intervals*)
Special oils and processes have been devel-
oped which, depending on the characteris-
tics and individual driving profiles, enable
the extension of the oil change service (Long-
Life service intervals). Because this oil is essential for extending the
service int
ervals, it must only be used ob-
serving the following indications:
● Avoid mixing it with oil for fixed service in-
terval
s.
● Only in exceptional circumstances, if the
engine oil l
evel is too low ››› page 206 and
LongLife oil is not available, it is permitted to
top up (once) with oil for fixed service inter-
vals ›››
 page 41 (up to a maximum of 0.5
litres).
Fixed service intervals*
If your vehicle does not have the “LongLife
service interval” or it has been disabled (by
request), you may use oils for fixed service
intervals, which also appear in
›››  page 41. In this case, your vehicle
must be serviced after a fixed interval of 1
year/15,000 km (10,000 miles)(whatever
comes first) ››› Booklet Maintenance Pro-
gramme.
● In exceptional circumstances, if the engine
oil lev
el is too low ››› page 206 and you can-
not obtain the oil specified for your vehicle,
you can add a small quantity of oil conform-
ing to the specification ACEA A2 or ACEA A3
(petrol engines) or ACEA B3 or ACEA B4 (die-
sel engines) (up to 0.5 l). Vehicles with diesel particulate filter*
The Maintenanc

e Programme states whether
your vehicle is fitted with a diesel particulate
filter.
Only VW 507 00 engine oil, with reduced ash
formation, may be used in diesel engines
equipped with particulate filter. Using other
types of oil will cause a higher soot concen-
tration and reduce the life of the DPF. There-
fore:
● Avoid mixing this oil with other engine oils.
● Only in exceptional circumstances, if the
engine oil l
evel is too low ››› page 206 and
you cannot obtain the oil specified for your
vehicle, you can use a small quantity of oil
(once) conforming to the VW 506 00,
VW 506 01, VW 505 00, VW 505 01 or
ACEA B3/ACEA B4 specification. (up to 0.5 l). Note
Before a long trip, we recommend finding an
engine oil th

at conforms to the correspond-
ing VW specifications and recommend keep-
ing it in the vehicle. This way, the correct en-
gine oil will always be available for a top-up if
needed. Warning lamp
If this warning lamp
 is
r ed it

indicates
that the engine oil pressure is too low. »
205
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Checking and refilling levels
CAUTION
Do not top up the expansion tank with cool-
ant fluid if it i
s empty! Air could enter the
cooling system. In this case, stop driving.
Seek specialist assistance. Otherwise, there
is a risk of engine damage. CAUTION
The original additives should never be mixed
with coo l

ants which are not approved by
SEAT. Otherwise, you run the risk of causing
severe damage to the engine and the engine
cooling system.
● If the fluid in the expansion tank is not pur-
ple but
is, for example, brown, this indicates
that the G13 additive has been mixed with an
inadequate coolant. The coolant must be
changed as soon as possible if this is the
case! This could result in serious faults and
engine damage. For the sake of the environment
Coolants and additives can contaminate the
envir onment

. If any fluids are spilled, they
should be collected and correctly disposed
of, with respect to the environment. Brake fluid
Chec k
in g the br

ake fluid level Read the additional information carefully
›››
 p

age 43
The position of the brake fluid reservoir is
shown in the corresponding engine compart-
ment illustration ››› page 204. The brake fluid
reservoir has a black and yellow cap.
The brake fluid level drops slightly when the
vehicle is being used as the brake pads are
automatically adjusted as they wear.
However, if the level goes down noticeably in
a short time, or drops below the “MIN” mark,
there may be a leak in the brake system. A
display on the instrument panel will warn you
if the brake fluid level is too low ›››
page 100. WARNING
Before opening the bonnet to check the brake
fluid level, r e

ad and observe the warnings
››› page 201. Changing the brake fluid
The Maintenance Programme indicates brake
fluid c
h
an g

e intervals.
We recommend that you have the brake fluid
changed by a Technical Service. Before opening the bonnet, please read and
follo

w the warnings ››› in safety notes for
w ork
in the en gine c
ompartment on
page 201 in section “Safety notes for work-
ing in the engine compartment”.
In the course of time, brake fluid becomes
hygroscopic and absorbs water from the am-
bient air. If the water content in the brake flu-
id is too high, the brake system could cor-
rode. This also considerably reduces the boil-
ing point of the brake fluid. Heavy use of the
brakes may then cause a vapour lock which
could impair the braking effect.
Be sure to always use the correct brake fluid.
Only use brake fluid that expressly meets the
VW 501 14 standard.
You can buy VW 501 14 standard brake fluid
in a SEAT dealership or a SEAT Official Serv-
ice. If none is available, use only high-quality
brake fluid that meets DIN ISO 4925 CLASS 4
standards, or USA Standards FMVSS 116 DOT
4.
Using any other kind of brake fluid or one
that is not of a high quality may affect opera-
tion of the brake system and reduce its effec-
tiveness. Never use a brake fluid if the con-
tainer does not state that it complies with VW
501 14, DIN ISO 4925 CLASS 4 standards, or
USA standards FMVSS 116 DOT 4. »
209
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety