MK4 Tips and Tricks

[Rollamite]

Ive looked but i couldnt find a tips and tricks for the MK4, little miscellanous bits and bobs about your car you might not know, useful for people new to Seat like myself, if there is one could someone link it if not id happily start a thread for it to shed a little light

 

[chopper-lew]

The 'SECRET' extra space on the fuel tank...

...the sneaky little button you can press that allows you to squeeze another 25% in the fuel tank.

Not sure if all models have this or its just the TDi's but my old Fabia VRS had it as well.

 

[Rollamite]

Ha is that legit? where is the button i might have a gander myself though i have a 1.8T

 

[chopper-lew]

Ha is that legit? where is the button i might have a gander myself though i have a 1.8T

Yeah, like I said, Im pretty sure all thel the TDi's have it, dunno about petrols though.

Its a vent valve really, located in the neck of the filler tube. I can squeeze for example £60 in my tank, and its totally wedged, however, press the 'button' with the nozzle of the petrol pump, and you can hear trapped air rushing out of the tank. Keep it pressed and keep filling and you can squeeze another £20 or so it.

The fuel gauge dosent even come off the full line for about 2 weeks LOL!

Obviously it means your carrying more weight, but for long journeys its great as your range is huuuuuuuuge.


That's the 'button' the tip of my key is pointing at.....

 

[Rollamite]

Nice! Who doesnt like sercret compartments! its like discovering the inside pocket of a jacket all over again!

May as well put a few things i got pointed out to me by my TDi owning friend that people new to Seats might not know.

.Flick the wiper arm up a notch and the rain sensors activate and after the initial wipe, they will come on automatically when it rains.

.Your mirror 'shades' itself from bright light such as high beams or the sun.

.The button on the end of the wiper stalk flicks through your dials display mode, MPG, TEMP, CLOCK, AVERAGE SPEED, AVERAGE MPG ETC

.Pressing the reset button also on the wiper stalk located on the underside about half way down will switch whatever mode youre in (MPG, AVERAGE SPEED ETC) to your average for your current trip, good for if youve put a tenner in and want to see how far it will take you.

.FLAPPY BOOT FLAP! My mum flipped her sh*t at this, not a secret but pretty fabulous!

.For fools like myself, turn the mirror adjustment to the relevant mirror, L OR R, and waggle the Stick like you would on a ps3 or xbox handset to move it! Dont continue rotating it!!!

.ECON button turns off your AIRCON and saves fuel, this also stays on when the car is turned off and on again

.TCS resets to ON when car is started

.The VAGCOM insertion is behind a cubby hole to the right of your knee when sat in the drivers seat, pull it open then pull it some more, as a second to this, there is also an awesome little cubby hole to the right of your knee!

.You DO have a cigarette lighter! under a flap in front of your gear stick!

.Switch for the lights is also to your right! Pull it out once for front fogs and again for rear, this will beep when engine is off and lights left on

.Switch your interior light to the middle setting and it will come on when the car is unlocked and again when you stop the engine, to remove cover just pull from the side nearest the windscreen and its a 42mm Festoon, yes ebay, yes they have red ones...

any additions would be welcome and i'll add them to the master if enough people are interested, like i say buying second hand with no manual, this seems an easier way for people like me to learn the buttons haha.

 

[RUM4MO]

I don't think that you should force fill the tank on a petrol VAG car as you can end up sending liquid instead of vapour into the carbon vapour trap, and that will fail and bring a fault light on. This was passed on to "us" by a VAG tech on one of these forums, it is not an issue with the DERV engines though. Although, I do tend to maybe add an extra litre or so if I'm going to use it immediately as the fuel will not have had a chance to expand as it would do in "high summer" after sitting off after fuelling.

I've never stuck the key in to open that valve, just pull the nozzle back and press on the valve with it until the hissing has stopped

What a buggar, what sort of idiot does not keep/leave the paperwork in the car?

External springs for the rear callipers? (a required extra!)

 

[chopper-lew]

I've never stuck the key in to open that valve, just pull the nozzle back and press on the valve with it until the hissing has stopped


External springs for the rear callipers? (a required extra!)

Nah, you don't use a key, it was just a handy pointing device for the sake of the photo. You use the nozzle of the pump to operate it.

I had extra springs on my Fabia, don't feel like I need them on the Ibiza though as the hand brake feels nice and nothing seems to be seizing.

 

[Rollamite]

Extra springs? what do they aid? im intruiged

 

[RUM4MO]

Nah, you don't use a key, it was just a handy pointing device for the sake of the photo. You use the nozzle of the pump to operate it.

I had extra springs on my Fabia, don't feel like I need them on the Ibiza though as the hand brake feels nice and nothing seems to be seizing.

Yes I suspected that would be the case - after I read your posting again!

I think getting in and adding these springs before the levers start to seize might be the best plan as these spring will keep things moving for longer.

 

[chopper-lew]

Extra springs? what do they aid? im intruiged

If its the same deal as my Skoda, the rear calipers are a bit limp and stay 'on' when they should be off.

You can buy springs from the dealer for a couple of quid that externally clip into the calipers (like big peg springs) that assist in pulling them apart after they have squeezed the disc. Helps stop them seizing and makes the handbrake feel a bit less 'limp'.

Yeah, I think I'll get some now actually as its a very easy mod and only costs pennies....

 

[Rollamite]

I'll put it on my to do list, service first though...

 

[RUM4MO]

If its the same deal as my Skoda, the rear calipers are a bit limp and stay 'on' when they should be off.

You can buy springs from the dealer for a couple of quid that externally clip into the calipers (like big peg springs) that assist in pulling them apart after they have squeezed the disc. Helps stop them seizing and makes the handbrake feel a bit less 'limp'.

Yeah, I think I'll get some now actually as its a very easy mod and only costs pennies....

Yes they are all made from the same stuff, strangely, VW at least, quietly dropped the rear discs for drums sometime during the face lifted Polo 9N run - originally all Polos above the 1.2&1.4TDI got rear discs brakes as standard, whereas other marques were different. When the new Polo 6* was launched, the rear brakes were all - well 1.4 16V anyway, drums, but last year it seems that 1.4 16V 85PS and above are back with rear discs. I wonder if they improved the rear callipers or will their owners need to start fitting springs again, top tip could be to remove the springs before selling the car!!

 

[cupra.al]

I don't think that you should force fill the tank on a petrol VAG car as you can end up sending liquid instead of vapour into the carbon vapour trap, and that will fail and bring a fault light on. This was passed on to "us" by a VAG tech on one of these forums

i had no problems filling my 1.8t to the to the top of the neck after pressing the buttons several times even in the summer.

 

[chopper-lew]

i had no problems filling my 1.8t to the to the top of the neck after pressing the buttons several times even in the summer.

I'm assuming the petrol ibiza's have the tank vent buttons as well then

 

[cupra.al]

I'm assuming the petrol ibiza's have the tank vent buttons as well then

yeah ive always used the button in the old 1.8t and the 1.9 just gives you that bit more fuel to use i press the button 3 or 4 times in one fill up.

 

[Badger]

It takes a skill but you can hold the button down using the pump nozzle and it fills straight away.

Including the 'secret compartment' and filler neck I've managed to squeeze in 58l of diesel into mine.

It means I get 250miles before the fuel level moves from full

 

[BeezaDave]

FLAPPY BOOT FLAP! My mum flipped her sh*t at this, not a secret but pretty fabulous!

What do you mean by this one?

BTW my 1.2 has the button for letting gas out of the fuel tank so I'd assume all models have them so.

 

[cupra.al]

What do you mean by this one?

BTW my 1.2 has the button for letting gas out of the fuel tank so I'd assume all models have them so.

the S badge.

 

[dann2707]

We have rain sensors?!? WTFFFF

Is that what that nipple is at the front of the windscreen? I thought that was the alarm sensor, i'm sure my wipers move if I push them up a notch regardless of if it rains?

 

[Badger]

I believe only cars with the comfort pack does this.