# 2016 Seat Ibiza install



## MantaOwner (May 15, 2007)

*2016 Seat Ibiza installation*

I got myself this:











It's a piece of 1/13" thick plexiglass, so now I got a good reason to start a new installation .
And then I got this car around a month ago as new:











It's a 2016 Seat Ibiza coupe and I plan to install a 3-way system in front. Just started taking the interior apart to treat the floor with noise isolation mats.
I've found almost no information available online regarding installing a sound system in an Ibiza, also a local Seat dealer wasn't helpful at all when I asked him how to remove the carpet or center console in this car. So I'm pretty much on my own this time and need to take time while taking it apart.
Managed to remove a passenger's seat today, it's bolted to the floor by four M10 splined bolts.
























































After removing the seat bolts a small storage compartment has to be removed in order to get to the four wire connectors under the seat, this compartment is fastened to the seat base by four T15 torx bolts.





























It took some time to figure out how to get those connectors open, a flat-head screwdriver helps here. There's a fifth connector on the right actually that may stay like it is. 




















Each front seat has a side airbag in it, now this situation causes the airbag warning light to stay on on the dash but that was expected.











Tõnu


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## jgarcia1925 (Oct 29, 2014)

*Re: 2016 Seat Ibiza installation*

Awesome. Love those cars. Wish we had them here in the states like Mexico does. 


Sent from my distraction device


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## Sine Swept (Sep 3, 2010)

I've heard those seat bolts referred to as xzn / triple square


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## MantaOwner (May 15, 2007)

Can't argue with that, I looked for an english word for this type of bolts this week for the first time actually and found it in one UK Seat forum.
For getting the seat bolts undone I even had to make an extra trip to a hardware store and buy a suitable bit.

After removing the passenger's seat it was time to take apart the center console, no clues here where to start.




















The only visible 2 torx screws are in the front below the dashboard, these need to be removed.











There are also 2 cross-head screws inside the storage compartment right next to the hinges of the lid, removing those didn't do anything actually.











The next logical step was to try to remove the thin square shaped aluminum frame around the gearstick gaiter, turns out this is the toughest part to remove of them all. This frame is a bit flimsy and seems to brake or get bent quite easily if some force is used to get it moving but at the same time it holds to it's position quite strongly. I taped off surrounding panel on it's edges first to protect plastic from scratches and tried to raise the frame from all 4 sides, with bare fingers and different prying tools but couldn't get it off.











I was stuck for that evening and next day I went to a local car stereo shop where one installer helped to remove it. The correct way is to lift the back edge of the frame with fingers and use a small enough prying tool on one of the sides simultaneously, this gets this piece moving.






































From there on it's using just hands and common sense, all parts are clipped together in a logical order. A multi-pin plug that connects to the button panel next to the gearstick needs to be removed in order to remove the big cover panel around the gearstick gaiter.















































A couple of small torx screws need to be removed near the sides (not the bigger bolts at the bottom).











Next is the armrest. I was really lucky here as I started to part it from the passenger's side, it's the correct side to remove this round shaped side panel first.





























Round shaped side panel on the other side is attached to the console with a small torx screw seen here.




















The armrest is attached to the console with one M10 splined bolt (like a seat bolt).






































Then I got stuck for a second time, with my prying tools being too big I couldn't get to those two 2-part plastic clips on the bottom of the console seen here (a small torx screw in the middle was easy to remove).











Tõnu


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## MantaOwner (May 15, 2007)

(Brake = break)

So I moved on to the back of the car and removed the back seat base, it just lifts up in 2 pieces and can then be taken out.






































Next the side panels on the passenger side. I started from the floor, it seemed first that I can get the carpet out by just lifting the floor trim piece that runs from the A pillar to the rear seat base but it turned out to be not the case. After removing one 2-piece clip on the rear I managed to lift the trim piece in the middle to some extent but it was still stuck under the big rear side panel.















































One M10 splined bolt that is hidden under the carpet holding the seatbelt rail is good to remove now. This rail can actually sit on it's place and it's not in a way when removing the floor trim piece but for me it worked fine as it helps to remove another plastic panel from the car, I'll explain that later.

































































The other M10 splined bolt holding the other end of the rail is hidden under the trim piece and is not visible.




















Tõnu


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## MantaOwner (May 15, 2007)

It was clear now that the big side panel has to be moved in order to get the floor trim piece out. THEN it happened, I managed to break one plastic clip when trying to pry the big side panel off.











The thing is - the correct way to get all those plastic side panels off is to start from the top piece on the B pillar and work your way down from there. No prying tools are needed here, just fingers will do fine. And common sense.




















This top piece that has the seatbelt running through it is the one I mentioned in the previous post, I took it out of the car later so it doesn't just hang around in the cabin (I'll be driving around for some weeks without any interior plastic parts in place until all the sound deadening and wiring gets done).





























Some more clips holding the big panel.




















I was VERY LUCKY I didn't use more force and break something else when trying to remove the big panel in the beginning (when the top piece was still in place) as it is attached to the B pillar by 2 screws on top and not just clips. Hidden behind the seatbelt.











Some of the factory noise isolation/antivibration material is packed in a plastic bag to protect it from moisture, an interesting solution I haven't seen before.




















A healthy clip.











And the one I broke.















































A place for a 8" sub?











Now I was finally able to remove the floor trim piece.





























Tõnu


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## Elgrosso (Jun 15, 2013)

Pretty cool all this detailed photos!


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## MantaOwner (May 15, 2007)

The idea is to make a sort of a guide how to get the Ibiza naked on the inside .

Back to the center console then.
I had to visit the same shop again and they had a smaller prying tool so those 2 clips were removed.





























To remove the center console 2 wire connectors need to be disconnected.






































Then I had a chance to take a peek under the carpet, as a good surprise Seat has installed a quite thick carpet-like noise isolation mat on the floor already that covers the whole floor (rear seat and trunk area excluded). I'm not sure if Ibizas with lower specs have it also, mine has the highest trim level.











Getting the driver's seat out was similar to taking out the passenger's one. The two rear seat bolts have a tap of some sort of glue on them to prevent the bolts from coming loose, colored in purple.











On the driver's seat there is one connector less to open (3 instead of 4), figured it to be for a sensor that detects whether there's someone sitting on the seat or not, this detection is obviously not needed on a driver's seat. Just for reference - the 4 connectors under the passenger's seat should be for (based on logic only, don't have a manual to confirm this): airbag, occupancy detection, seatbelt usage, seat heating.











This is a type of a plastic clip that is used in many places in this car and I don't know how to remove it without really hurting it and making it more or less unusable. Is there a way or are these meant to be used only once? This particular clip holds a wire under the seat base that comes from under the carpet and runs to the seat's wire connectors.





























After taking out the driver's seat and rear side panels on the same side it was time to remove the hood release lever, it's a bit tricky so I had to check out some Youtube videos before I got it open. Basically there's a little slot on the back of the lever, the lever needs to be pulled to an open position, a 2-part clip that is holding the floor trim piece needs to be removed and then by using a small flat-head screwdriver the lever's back 'cover' comes off, it makes it possible to remove the lever by just pulling it off from it's shaft.
























































Then it's time to get the carpet out, one round clip needs to be removed first where the pedals are.
























































Tõnu


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## carlr (Feb 27, 2011)

This is a really cool guide - just wish someone would do this for a BMW F36 

Keep up the good work!


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## JimmyDee (Mar 8, 2014)

Love all the pics! Keep going.

Every time I've done an install / upgrade, I've always thought I'd take pics and post my build... but then I get so busy with the work, that I don't want to stop to take pictures.


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## MantaOwner (May 15, 2007)

Warning, naked pics at the end of this post!

Here's the final part of dismantling of the interior. First the floor panel in the trunk and what's hidden under it needs to be removed, just by hand. No need to remove the battery.

































































The rear panel can be removed by simply lifting it up.




















There are various screws and clips holding the side panels that need to be removed.






































The rear plastic side panel can be removed by hand starting from the rear end.











From here on it's a bit tricky to get this panel off as this panel has an odd shape and it holds to its position quite strongly, it's the second toughest part to remove of them all. Some force needs to be used but do it sensibly.











On the driver's side there is a trunk light attached to the panel that needs to be disconnected before removing the panel.















































The next thing to remove is the rear seat back, it took some time to figure out how to get this grey catch out of the way to release the seat tube. Youtube vids helped me out here again.











A flat-head screwdriver helps here to pivot the catch to the rear. These before/after pics are taken of different ends of the seat back so it may be a bit confusing.











Now the seat back can be lifted up a bit, pivoted at some angle and removed from the car.




















The seat back is in 2 pieces, the bigger part that is on the passenger's side can be removed from the car only after releasing the splined bolt attaching the seatbelt holder and one seatbelt buckle to the floor.




















Parts taken from the car.











Almost getting there ..





























The last thing left to do before getting the factory noise isolation mat out is disconnecting the hand brake wire connector.





























And now the promised naked pics .. of the car of course, you dirty minds .











































There is another piece of factory noise isolation mat in the car that is covering the whole firewall, it's in one piece and seems to be attached to the firewall very firmly. After a quick first look under the dash it seems you even need to remove the pedals from the car to get it out. I'll probably remove some clips and just raise its lower edge as much as possible to tuck the noise isolation mats under it.











In conclusion I can say that this car's interior is put together very well, everything is quite logical and relatively easy to remove, there are only 3-4 special things, pointed out previously, that are needed to know before starting taking it apart.

Tõnu


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## Isaac.Troseth (Jul 18, 2015)

Great write up! 

You can really see the deep VW roots in the interior construction on this, that's pretty neat.


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## nadams5755 (Jun 8, 2012)

i hate removing those hood releases. same in my gti.


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## MantaOwner (May 15, 2007)

You are both right about the VW roots, I happened to watch a video of a newer VW Golf on Youtube for how to remove the hood release.

I've been working on sound deadening for almost 2 weeks now, it's really time consuming, it took around 10 hours alone to get one rear wheel arch done on the inside, outer skin with 2 layers and inner skin with 3 layers. Now the other wheel arch is waiting for its final layer.

I have a question about a system with 2 headunits: I plan to install an older Clarion HX-D10 CD-player for sound comps and quality listening time and use the OEM HU for everyday listening (mainly 1-2 hour mixtapes of electronic music on Youtube via Bluetooth using a phone as a source). The OEM HU with a 5" touch screen is way too integrated with the car's own information system making it nearly impossible to change it, has no built-in CD-player and it's sound quality isn't the greatest as usual - that's why I plan to add the Clarion HU. I need a 'switch' to choose between those 2 HU's depending on what kind of listening I'm going to do, what is the best solution out there for that? The system is going to be pure passive ie a single RCA cable will run from the Clarion HU to two TruTech older amps that have no high-level input. So the 'switch' needs to go between the Clarion and amps and it also needs to take in a high-level signal from the OEM HU that doesn't have a RCA output.

Tõnu


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## Isaac.Troseth (Jul 18, 2015)

I would really recommend a sound processor that features and "aux" input. Integrating with factory it'll allow you to tune to any nonsense EQ curves the factory throws at you. 

The JBL MS8 is pretty cheap, takes high level, and also features a dedicated audio input. You could connect the Clarion to the audio input. I know some folks knock that unit but it's worked well for me in the past. 

Otherwise Rockford Fosgate 3Sixty.3 has the same setup, etc.


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## nadams5755 (Jun 8, 2012)

DSP with multiple inputs would probably be best. 

You could try the vagcom cable setting to dumb down the radio's outputs as well.


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## MantaOwner (May 15, 2007)

I see, thank you for suggestions. Is there anything available without a DSP as I don't want to add any active components to the system? For everyday listening I probably don't even need to alter the OEM sound as the quality of mixtapes on Youtube isn't anything special.

Tõnu


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