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SEAT Ibiza 1.0 MPI 75hp Reference common faults.

2017–2021, hatchback, petrol, 75 HP.

The fault list covers: CHYB engine, MQ200 transmission.

What you save stays on this device only. My saves

6 fault write-ups. 4 important. 11 recalls.

If you know the year, pick it. Faults for other years drop out of the list.

Before you buy

Known faults

4 important faults

critical2

The 1.0 MPI has a timing belt, not a chain. The factory interval is based on time: five years, and shorter on short urban trips. On a low mileage, ten year old car the mileage is not enough. This model is typically a city car, so the time runs out first. If the belt snaps, the engine is badly damaged.

What to check

  • Ask when the belt was changed: ask for the date, not the mileage
  • Work it out: have five years passed since the last change
  • Ask for the invoice; a service book stamp alone is not enough here
1 more steps in the write-up

On cars built in 2017 and 2018 the front suspension mounting bolts were not tightened to the specified torque, and they can work loose over time. This affects the stability of the car, so it is safety critical. A recall covers it: tied to the VIN and free of charge.

What to check

  • Ask the dealer by VIN for any open recalls
  • On the test drive watch whether the steering runs straight and listen for a clonk over bumps
  • Ask for a service book entry confirming the recall was carried out

expensive2

The light, magnesium cased MQ200 and the MQ250, sized for higher torque, are the most widespread manual gearboxes in the transverse engine VAG models. Both have the same two weak points, and both depend on use.

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The first is the differential bearing: as it wears you first get a droning, then a whine from the thrust bearings of the output shaft. Left alone, the planetary shaft can fail and in extreme cases punch through the gearbox casing: from then on it is not a repair but a replacement.

The second is the synchros: they can start crunching at around 50,000 km with aggressive driving. This type does not like dumping the clutch or slipping it, and on a used car that is exactly what you have to listen for.

above 50,000 km

What to check

  • On the test drive with the window down, listen to the gearbox both off and on the throttle: droning or whining is suspect
  • Shift up and down quickly, especially into 2nd and 3rd: crunching means synchro wear
  • Try engaging 1st and reverse when cold: resistance here means wear
2 more steps in the write-up

In the EA211 the water pump and the thermostat are one plastic module, and the pump is driven not by the timing belt but by a separate toothed belt behind the exhaust camshaft. There are usually two problems with it: the plastic housing warps or cracks (slow coolant loss, a sweet smell, rising temperature), or the drive belt ages (a chirping noise, then an engine left with no cooling). The housing is particularly sensitive if oil reaches it: for example from a leaking crankcase ventilation. The module has to be replaced whole: dismantling it warps it in itself.

What to check

  • Check the level in the expansion tank, and ask whether it needs topping up
  • After a cold start smell the engine bay: a sweet smell means coolant
  • Look for dried, whitish pink deposits on the exhaust side of the cylinder head
2 more steps in the write-up

cheap repair2

On the 1.0 MPI the reports mention starting problems as early as around 20,000 km: the car starts with difficulty, jerks, and runs badly. Behind it is typically a faulty ignition coil or the fuel system.

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It is a cheap part, but because of the nature of the fault it is easily confused with something more expensive: it is worth looking with a code reader before anybody proposes a bigger repair.

What to check

  • Cold start: watch how many revolutions it takes to catch
  • At idle watch for vibration and fluctuating revs
  • Query the misfire counters with a code reader
1 more steps in the write-up

The touchscreen system freezes, restarts on its own or does not respond. The stop-start can drop out as early as 15,000 km: the indicator stays lit and the engine does not stop. The parking sensors report a false obstacle, and the automatic light switch drops out. The driver's window stops because of a broken door wiring harness. The boot lock stops because washer fluid gets into the connector.

What to check

  • Leave the infotainment running for the whole test drive and watch for freezing
  • Check whether the stop-start works; if not, what reason it displays
  • Try every window, especially the driver's one, all the way up and down
2 more steps in the write-up

Checklist

SEAT Ibiza 1.0 MPI 75hp Reference

First what you would check on any car. Then the faults of this model.

Before you buy

Checklist

The printed sheet starts with what you would check on any car. What you tick stays on this device only.

On every car

Ask the owner

vinkodex.com · Before you buy it, see what can go wrong.

Official recall11 recallsShow

The manufacturer fixes these for free at a franchised dealer. Ask with the VIN whether it was done.

Most recent: 25 March 2020

A12/00625/20Safety recallInjuries25 March 2020 · EU Safety Gate

The vacuum hose between the brake servo and the tandem pump might be defective. Consequently, engine oil may leak and damage the brake’s servo assistance, decreasing the brake efficiency and increasing the risk of accident.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Importer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: 25/03/2020

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

A12/1757/18Safety recallInjuries1 October 2018 · EU Safety Gate

In the event of an impact the battery can get damaged, which leads to lack of power supply. If this occurs, it might not be possible to unlock the doors.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Distributor Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: 01/10/2018

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

A12/1206/17Safety recallInjuries7 August 2017 · EU Safety Gate

The tightening torque on the steering column bolt may be incorrect, which may result in a failure of the steering system and loss of control of the vehicle.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: 07/08/2017

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

A12/0962/17Safety recallFire29 June 2017 · EU Safety Gate

An air-conditioning pipe may rupture in the event of a frontal collision. If this happens, the inflammable gas may escape which could lead to a fire.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: 29/06/2017

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

A12/00901/20Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

The double buckle for the safety belts can be defective. This will impair the safety belts' restraining effect, increasing the risk of injury in the event of an accident.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

A12/01640/21Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

A software error in the control unit for the instrument cluster may result in no visual or audible warning being given when passengers in the rear seat do not have their seatbelt fastened, increasing the risk of injuries in the event of an accident. The product does not comply with the requirements laid down in the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

A12/0588/19Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

Due to incorrect setting, the handbrake may have to travel further to ensure immobilisation. As a result, the vehicle could roll, possibly leading to an accident.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

A12/1023/18Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

The seat-belt buckles may open unexpectedly. There is therefore an increased risk of injury in the event of an accident.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

A12/1193/19Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

The driver airbags may not inflate fast enough in the event of activation. As a result, sufficient protection is not guaranteed in the event of an accident, increasing the risk of an injury.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Importer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

A12/1243/18Safety recallFireno date · EU Safety Gate

The nuts of the gas pipes may not be sufficiently tigthened, causing a leak of gas. In the presence of an ignition source, the gas may ignite.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

SR/02845/25Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

If the front passenger airbag is deployed as a result of an accident, the gas generator housing may burst or components of the gas generator housing may come loose and cause serious or fatal injuries to vehicle occupants. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Importer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

Engine and transmission

CHYB · 1.0

55 kW (75 HP) · petrol

MQ200 · 5- or 6-speed manual

manual · 5–6 speed

Torque limit200 Nm
MakerVolkswagen

We built the code from the model and the gear count. The factory sheet does not state it.

Variant data

What is in this version

Factory data

Trim
MPI 75hp Reference
Body
hatchback
Fuel
petrol
Transmission
manual
Engine size
999 cc
Power
55 kW (75 HP)
Drive
FWD
Production
2017–2021

Factory service interval

The manufacturer specifies this for this version. Of the mileage and the time, the one that comes first is the one that counts.

  • Air filter

    • 60,000 km or 4 years
  • Cabin (pollen) filter

    • 30,000 km or 2 years
  • Engine oil and oil filter

    • LongLife30,000 km or 2 years(valid only with LongLife-approved oil)
    • 15,000 km or 1 year
  • Brake fluid change

    • first: 3 years, then 2 years(first change at 3 years, then every two years)
  • Coolant (antifreeze) change

    • first: 193,000 km or 10 years, then 97,000 km or 5 years(G13 / G12++: first change at 120,000 miles or 10 years, then every 60,000 miles or 5 years)
  • Spark plugs, petrol

    • 60,000 km or 6 years

Information, not an expert opinion

We write the descriptions, and we put the source next to them. A person reviews them before they go out. They are still information, not a technical expert opinion.

  • A fault on the list does not mean the car you are looking at has it.
  • A fault missing from the list does not mean the model is fault-free. Write-ups are made model by model. Not all of them are done.
  • You decide whether to buy. This is no substitute for an inspection. That needs a workshop and a history check.
Details in the terms