Get Driving -> Run-in and economical driving Guide for Seat Ibiza SUV Fourth Generation (2009-2017)

Operation

–

it might be necessary to drive momentarily

with a high rpm ››› page 59.

Do not accelerate hard.

Avoid high engine revolutions.

Do not tow a trailer.

WARNING

You could lose control of the vehicle if you ac-

celerate on slippery road surfaces. Risk of se-

rious injury.

WARNING

The gear change indicator is only an auxiliary

function and in no case should be a substi-

tute for careful driving.

●

Be particularly careful when using the kick-

From 1000 to 1500 kilometres (600 to 900

miles)

down features on slippery road surfaces. With

a fast acceleration, the vehicle could lose

traction and skid.

●

–

Speeds can be gradually increased to the

maximum road speed or maximum permis-

sible engine speed (rpm).

The responsibility of choosing the correct

gear depending on the situation (e.g. over-

taking, driving up or down a slope or towing a

trailer) lies with the driver.

●

You should use the kick-down feature only

when traffic and weather conditions allow it

to be used safely.

During its first few hours of running, the in-

ternal friction in the engine is greater than

later on, when all the moving parts have bed-

ded in.

For the sake of the environment

Gear-change indicator

3 Valid for vehicles: with a manual gearbox

Selecting the correct gear can help to save

fuel.

For the sake of the environment

The recommended gear for saving fuel is in-

dicated on the dash screen of certain vehi-

cles during driving.

Note

If the engine is run in gently, its life will be in-

creased and its oil consumption reduced.

The recommended gear display is switched

off when the clutch pedal is pressed.

Display Meaning

Running in tyres and brake pads

The optimal gear is selected.



Run-in and economical driving

New tyres should be run-in carefully for the

first 500 km (300 miles). New brake pads

should be run-in carefully for the first

200 km.

Changing to a higher gear is recommended.



Running in a new engine

Changing to a lower gear is recommended.



The engine needs to be run in over the first

1,500 km.

During the first 200 km, you can compensate

for the reduced braking effect by applying

more pressure to the brake pedal. In case of

a sharp braking, the braking distance will be

longer with new brake pads than with brake

pads which have been run-in.

Information regarding the “cleanliness” of

the diesel particulate filter

Up to 1000 kilometres

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 purpose,

–

Do not drive at speeds of more than 2/3

the maximum speed.

134

Driving

●

Use of compatible plastics in the same part

Catalytic converter

WARNING

if its components are not easily separated.

●

At first, new tyres do not give maximum

To maintain the useful life of the catalytic

converter

●

Use of recycled materials and/or materials

originating from renewable sources.

grip, and require running-in. This may cause

an accident. Drive particularly carefully in the

first 500 km.

–

Use only unleaded petrol with petrol en-

gines, as lead damages the catalytic con-

verter.

●

Reduction of volatile components, includ-

ing odour, in plastic materials.

●

New brake pads must be “run in” and do

not have the correct friction properties during

the first 200 km. However, the reduced brak-

ing capacity may be compensated by press-

ing on the brake pedal a little harder.

●

Use of CFC-free coolants.

–

Do not let the fuel get too low in the tank.

Ban on heavy metals, with the exceptions

dictated by law (Annex II of ELV Directive

2000/53/EC): cadmium, lead, mercury, hexa-

valent chromium.

For engine oil changes, do not replenish

with too much engine oil ››› page 170, Top-

ping up engine oil .

Environmental friendliness

–

Never tow the vehicle to start it, use jump

leads if necessary ››› page 188.

Manufacturing methods

Environmental protection is a top priority in

the design, choice of materials and manufac-

ture of your new SEAT.

●

Reduction of the quantity of thinner in the

protective wax for cavities.

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 57. If this happens,

unburnt fuel can enter the exhaust system

and escape into the environment. The cata-

lytic converter can also be damaged by over-

heating.

●

Use of plastic film as protection during ve-

hicle transport.

Constructive measures to encourage

recycling

●

Use of solvent-free adhesives.

●

Use of CFC-free coolants in cooling sys-

●

Joints and connections designed for easy

dismantling

tems.

●

Recycling and energy recovery from resi-

●

Modular construction to facilitate disman-

tling

dues (RDF).

●

Improvement in the quality of waste water.

●

Increased use of single-grade materials.

●

Use of systems for the recovery of residual

●

Plastic parts and elastomers are marked in

WARNING

heat (thermal recovery, enthalpy wheels,

etc.).

accordance with ISO 1043, ISO 11469 and

ISO 1629.

The catalytic converter reaches very high

temperatures! Risk of fire!

●

The use of water-soluble paints.

●

Never park where the catalytic converter

Choice of materials

could come into contact with dry grass or

flammable materials under the vehicle.

●

Use of recycled materials.

135

Operation

Diesel engine particulate filter*

●

Do not apply additional underseal or anti-

WARNING

corrosion coatings to the exhaust pipes, cata-

lytic converter or the heat shields on the ex-

haust system. These materials could catch

fire when the vehicle is being driven.

●

The diesel engine particulate filter may

reach extremely high temperatures; the vehi-

cle should be parked so that the exhaust pipe

does not come into contact with flammable

materials underneath the vehicle. Otherwise

there is a risk of fire.

CAUTION

Never run the fuel tank completely dry be-

cause the irregularity 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.

CAUTION

●

Your vehicle is not designed to use biodie-

sel fuel. Never, under any circumstances re-

fuel with biodiesel. The use of biodiesel fuel

could damage the engine and the fuel sys-

tem. The addition of biodiesel to diesel by

the diesel producer in accordance with stand-

ard EN 590 is authorised and will not cause

damage to the engine or the fuel system.

Fig. 139 Vehicle data sticker on back cover of

the Maintenance Programme.

For the sake of the environment

Your vehicle is fitted with a DPF (Diesel partic-

ulate filter) if the vehicle data sticker (back

cover of the “Maintenance Programme)” lists

the PR code 7GG or 7MG ››› Fig. 139.

Even when the emission control system is

working 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.

●

Using diesel fuel with a high sulphur con-

tent may significantly reduce the useful life of

the diesel particulate filter. Your Technical

Service will be able to tell you which coun-

tries have diesel with a high sulphur content.

The diesel engine particulate filter eliminates

most of the soot from the exhaust gas sys-

tem. Under normal driving conditions, the fil-

ter cleans itself. If this is not possible (for ex-

ample, multiple short trips) the filter will be

obstructed by soot and  the diesel engine

particulate filter warning lamp will light up.

This does not represent a fault, it is a warning

that indicates that the filter has not been

able to regenerate automatically and that you

must perform a cleaning cycle, as indicated

in ››› page 59.

Economical and environmentally

friendly driving

Fuel consumption, environmental pollution

and wear to the engine, 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%.

136

Driving

Some tips on how to help you reduce pollu-

tion while saving money are listed below.

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 64.

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.

Active cylinder management (ACT^®

)

Depending on the equipment, the vehicle

may have active cylinder management

(ACT^®).

A badly serviced engine can consume up to

10% more fuel than necessary.

Avoid driving at high speed

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.

We advise 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 short journeys

To reduce the consumption and emission of

polluting exhaust gases, the engine and the

exhaust gas filtration systems should reach

the optimum operating temperature.

With the engine cold, fuel consumption is

proportionally higher. The engine does not

warm up and fuel consumption does not nor-

malise until having driven approximately four

kilometres (2.5 miles). This is why we recom-

mend avoiding short trips whenever possi-

ble.

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.

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).

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.

Maintain the correct tyre pressures

Bear in mind that keeping the tyres at an ad-

equate pressure saves fuel. If the tyre pres-

sure is just one bar (14.5 psi/100 kPa) too

low, fuel consumption can increase by as

much as 5%. Due to the greater rolling resist-

ance, under-inflation also increases tyre wear

wear and impairs handling.

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.

Periodic maintenance

The tyre pressures should always be checked

when the tyres are cold.

Periodic maintenance work guarantees that,

before beginning a journey, you will not con-

137

Operation

Do not use winter tyres all year round as they

increase fuel consumption by up to 10%.

services may only be able to carry out limited

repairs.

●

It is recommended that you close the win-

dows when driving at more than 60 km/h

(37 mph)

SEAT importers and distributors will gladly

provide information about the technical prep-

aration that your vehicle requires and also

about necessary maintenance and repair

possibilities.

Avoid unnecessary weight

●

Do not drive with your foot resting on the

clutch pedal, as the pressure can make the

plate spin, more fuel will be used and it can

burn the clutch plate lining, causing a serious

fault.

Given that every kilo of extra weight will in-

crease the fuel consumption, it is advisable

to always check the luggage compartment to

make sure that no unnecessary loads are be-

ing transported.

●

Do not hold the car on a hill with the clutch,

Adhesive strips for headlights

use the foot brake or hand brake, using the

latter to start. The fuel consumption will be

lower and you will prevent the clutch plate

from being damaged.

A roof rack is often left in place for the sake

of convenience, even when it is no longer

needed. At a speed of 100 km/h (62 mph)

and 120 km/h (75 mph) your vehicle will use

about 12% more fuel as a result of the extra

wind resistance caused by the roof rack even

when it is not in use.

In countries where vehicles drive on the other

side of the road to your home country, the

asymmetric dipped beam may dazzle drivers

of oncoming vehicles.

●

On descents, use the engine brake, chang-

ing to the gear that is more suitable for the

slope. Fuel consumption will be “zero” and

the brakes will not suffer.

To prevent dazzling, you must apply stickers

to certain parts of the headlight lenses. Fur-

ther information is available at any Technical

Service.

Save electricity

In vehicles with adaptive headlights, the ro-

tation system must previously be disconnec-

ted. To do this, please go to a specialised

workshop.

The engine activates the alternator, which

produces electricity. With the need for elec-

tricity, fuel consumption also increases. Be-

cause of this, always turn off electrical devi-

ces when you do not need them. Examples of

devices that use a lot of electricity are: the

blower at high speeds, the rear window heat-

ing or the seat heaters*.

Driving abroad

To drive abroad, the following must be taken

into consideration:

●

For vehicles fitted with a catalytic converter

ensure that unleaded petrol is available for

the journey. See the chapter “Refuelling”. Au-

tomobile organisations will have information

about service station networks selling unlea-

ded fuel.

Note

●

If your vehicle has Start-Stop, it is not rec-

ommended that you switch this function off.

●

In some countries, it is possible that your

car model is not sold, and therefore some

spare parts are not available or the technical

138

Driving -> Run-in and economical driving for Your Seat Ibiza SUV Fourth Generation (2009-2017)

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