2003 MINI COOPER tire pressure

90
WINTER TIRES SNOW CHAINS
*
Observing speeds
Never exceed the maximum speed
for which the tires are rated.
Unprofessional attempts by laymen to ser-
vice tires can lead to damage and accidents.
Have this work performed by skilled profes-
sionals only. Your MINI Dealer will be glad
to assist you with both their expertise and
the proper equipment for your vehicle.<
Tire condition, tire inflation pressure
Below a tread depth of
3/16 in /
4 mm, winter tires display a percepti-
ble decrease in their ability to cope with
winter driving conditions, and should be
replaced in the interest of safety.<
Comply with the specified tire inflation
pressures and be sure to have the wheel
and tire assemblies balanced every time
you change the tires.
Only certain types of snow chains have
been tested by the manufacturer of your
MINI, classified as road-safe and approved.
Contact your MINI Dealer for more details.
The manufacturer of your MINI recom-
mends that you use these fine-link snow
chains only. Their use is only permitted in
pairs on the front wheels on winter tires of
the following type:
175/65 R 15.
When fitting, comply with the manufac-
turer's instructions. With chains, do not
exceed a speed of 30 mph / 50 km/h.
After fitting the snow chains, do not
activate the Flat Tire Monitor.
When driving with snow chains, it can be
helpful to switch off the ASC+T or DSC for a
brief period, see pages 62, 63.<
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97
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
COOLANT BRAKE FLUIDTo add coolant

MINI COOPER:
1. Slowly open the cap by pulling at the tab
to allow accumulated pressure to
escape.
2. Pull open the cap completely.
3. If the coolant is low, slowly add coolant
until the correct level is reached – do not
overfill.
MINI COOPER S:
1. Open the cap by turning it slightly coun-
terclockwise to allow accumulated pres-
sure to escape.
2. Unscrew and open the cap completely.
3. If the coolant is low, slowly add coolant
until the correct level is reached – do not
overfill.
The coolant is made up of water and an
antifreeze with corrosion resistance. The
mixture ratio of 50 to 50 must be kept the
entire year due to the required anti-corro-
sion property. No other additives are
required.
Replace the coolant every three years.
Warning lamp
If the brake warning lamp comes
on with the parking brake released:
The brake fluid level is too low, see
page 15.
Brake warning lamp for Canadian
models.
Adding brake fluidTo add brake fluid or to determine and cor-
rect the cause of brake fluid loss, consult
your MINI Dealer. Your MINI Dealer is famil-
iar with the specifications for factory-
approved brake fluids – DOT 4.
Brake fluid loss may result in extended
brake pedal travel. If this occurs, refer to
the information on page 84.
Brake fluid is hygroscopic, that is, it
absorbs moisture from the air over
time.
In order to ensure the brake system's safety
and reliability, have the brake fluid
changed every two years by a MINI Dealer,
see also the Service and Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet for US models or the Warranty
and Service Guide Booklet for Canadian
models. Brake fluid is toxic and also dam-
ages vehicle paintwork. Always store brake
fluid in tightly-closed original containers
kept well away from the reach of children.
Do not spill the brake fluid and do not fill
the brake fluid reservoir beyond the MAX
mark. The brake fluid could ignite upon
contact with hot engine parts and cause
serious burns.<
Comply with the applicable environ-
mental laws regulating the disposal
of brake fluid.<
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115
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATION CONTROLS DATA INDEX
CHANGING TIRES – MINI WITH SPACE-SAVER SPARE TIRE
*
2. Insert the jack head for jacking up in the
square recess of the jacking point
3. Jack the vehicle up until the wheel you
are changing is raised from the ground.
The vehicle jack is designed for
changing wheels only. Do not
attempt to raise another vehicle model
with it or to raise any load of any kind. To
do so could cause accidents and personal
injury.<
Fitting the space-saver spare tire1. Unscrew the lug bolts and remove the
wheel
2. Remove accumulations of mud or dirt
from the mounting surfaces of the
wheel and hub. Clean the lug bolts
3. Fit the space-saver spare tire
4. Screw at least two lug bolts finger-tight
into opposite bolt holes
5. Screw in the remaining bolts
6. Tighten all the lug bolts firmly in a diag-
onal pattern
7. Lower the vehicle
8. Remove the jack.Tightening the lug boltsTighten the lug bolts in a diagonal pattern.
As soon as possible, have the secure
seating of the lug bolts – tightening
torque 88.5 lb ft / 120 Nm – checked using
a calibrated torque wrench. Otherwise, a
wheel coming loose can lead to a severe
accident.<
Replace the defective tire as soon as possi-
ble and have the new wheel/tire assembly
balanced.
Driving with the space-saver spare tireDrive cautiously. Do not exceed a speed of
50 mph / 80 km/h.
You must expect changes in vehicle hand-
ling such as delayed braking response,
longer braking distances, and changes in
self-steering properties when close to the
handling limits.
Only one space-saver spare tire may
be mounted at one time. Reinstall
wheels and tires of the same size and speci-
fication as soon as possible. Maintain pre-
scribed tire pressures, see page 85.<
Do not try to fit a full hubcap to the space-
saver spare tire, as the hubcap could be
damaged.
Check and correct the tire inflation
pressure at the earliest opportu-
nity.<
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116
FLAT TIRE– RUN FLAT TIRES
*
You will recognize Run Flat tires by a circu-
lar symbol containing the letters RSC on
the side of the tire.
Run Flat tires consist of self-contained tires
and special rims. The tire reinforcement
ensures that the tire retains some residual
safety in the event of pressure drop and
driving remains possible to a restricted
degree.
The reinforcement on the flanks of
the Run Flat tires means that it is usu-
ally not possible to detect an air loss from
outside.<
Flat tire The yellow indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up to indicate a flat tire.
In addition, a gong sounds, see pages 17,
64.
1. Reduce vehicle speed carefully to under
50 mph / 80 km/h, avoiding hard brake
applications and steering maneuvers.
2. Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph /
80 km/h.
3. Identify damaged tires; check tire infla-
tion pressures on all four wheels at the
next opportunity, see page 85
4. Correct the tire inflation pressure if you
wish to continue your journey and this is
permitted, see next text section
5. Have damaged tires changed by your
MINI Dealer, see page 88.Your MINI Dealer has the information
needed for working with Run Flat
tires and is equipped with the necessary
special tools. They provide advice if you
wish to replace the tires on your MINI, or re-
equip from summer to winter tires or vice
versa, also see pages 85, 88, 89.<
For safety reasons, do not have a
damaged safety tire repaired.<
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117
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATION CONTROLS DATA INDEX
FLAT TIRE – RUN FLAT TIRES
*
Continuing driving with a damaged
tire
With Run Flat tires, you can continue driv-
ing under certain conditions, depending on
the vehicle load and the severity of the tire
damage, at a maximum speed of 50 mph /
80 km/h.
You can determine the possible mileage for
continued driving on the basis of the fol-
lowing general indications:
>Tire inflation pressure 0 psi / 0 kPa:
approx. 95 miles / 150 km
>Tire inflation pressure 7.2 – 14.5 psi /
50 – 100 kPa:
approx. 300 miles / 500 km
>Tire inflation pressure greater than
14.5 psi / 100 kPa:
approx. 600 miles / 1,000 km.
Tire change setYour MINI is additionally equipped with a
tire change set. This is located in the MINI
COOPER in the cargo area under the floor
mat.
In the MINI COOPER S the tire change set is
located in a separate bag which is attached
to the eyelets on the cargo area floor by
means of tie-down straps, see page 75.
When changing a tire, always observe the
safety measures on page 112, and follow
the procedure described on page 114 ff.
In case of a flat tire the tire change
set is not needed, since your MINI has
Run Flat tires.<
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118
FLAT TIRE – MINI MOBILITY SYSTEM
*
MINI Mobility System
To repair a flat tire you will find a MINI
Mobility System in your MINI. With the
help of this system you can apply a liquid
sealant on the inside of the tire, which seals
the damaged area and enables you to con-
tinue to drive. Using the MINI Mobility SystemIn order to repair a flat tire with the MINI
Mobility System, proceed as follows:
>Prepare for tire repair, see page 119
>Pump in liquid sealant, see page 119
>Reinflate the tire, see page 120
>Distribute liquid sealant, see page 120
>Check tire inflation pressure, see
page 121
>Drive on, see page 121.
MINI Mobility System with on-board
toolsThe MINI Mobility System with tire change
set and on-board tools is located in the
cargo area under the floor mat:
1Jack
2Chock, folding
3Wheel stud wrench
4Hubcap remover
5Lug wrench, Phillips screwdriver, tow-
ing eyelet
6Compressor, hose with manometer and
plug for cigarette lighter socket
7Package with filling hose, valve
remover, valve core and spare valve
8Filling canister
9Hex wrench/screwdriver
10 Adapter for wheel lug lock
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120
FLAT TIRE – MINI MOBILITY SYSTEM
*
Reinflating the tire
1. Screw hose 1 with manometer onto the
tire valve
2. Connect plug 3 to the cigarette lighter
socket in the vehicle interior, see
page 73
3. Ignition key in position 1:
Turn on compressor 2
4. Pump up the tires to at least 26.1 psi /
180 kPa, but not to more than 36.2 psi /
250 kPa.
To check the current air pressure, shut
off the device for a short time
Do not run the compressor for
longer than 6 minutes, otherwise
the device will overheat and possibly be
damaged.<
If an air pressure of 26.1 psi /
180 kPa cannot be reached, drive
back and forth about 35 ft / 10 m so that
the liquid sealant is distributed in the
tire. Afterwards repeat the procedure.
If an air pressure of 26.1 psi / 180 kPa is
still not reached, the tire is too badly
damaged. Please contact the nearest
MINI Dealer.<
5. Turn off compressor 2
6. Unscrew hose 1 from the tire valve
7. Store the MINI Mobility System back in
the vehicle.
Distributing liquid sealantImmediately drive for 10 minutes, so that
the liquid sealant is uniformly distributed.
Do not exceed a speed of 40 mph /
60 km/h).
If possible do not drive at a speed lower
than 10 mph / 20 km/h. Stop at a suitable
location.<
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121
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATION CONTROLS DATA INDEX
FLAT TIRE – MINI MOBILITY SYSTEM
*
Checking tire inflation pressure
1. After driving for 10 minutes:
Screw hose with manometer back onto
the tire valve
2. Check tire pressure
The tire inflation pressure must be
at least 18.8 psi / 130 kPa.
If it is not, do not continue driving.<
If 18.8 psi / 130 kPa are displayed:
3. Ignition key position 1:
Turn on compressor 2. Correct tire infla-
tion pressure to the prescribed value, see
tire inflation pressure table, page 86
4. Replace the tire as soon as possible.
The use of the MINI Mobility System
may be ineffective with tire damage
larger than approx.
3/16 in / 4 mm. Please
contact the nearest MINI Dealer if the tire
cannot be made drivable with the MINI
Mobility System.<
Driving on
Do not exceed the permitted maxi-
mum speed of 50 mph / 80 km/h,
otherwise an accident could happen.<
Replace the defective tire as soon as
possible and have the new wheel/tire
assembly balanced.
Have the MINI Mobility System refilled.
Please contact your MINI Dealer. They pro-
vide advice if you wish to replace the tires
on your MINI or re-equip from summer to
winter tires or vice versa.<
Tire change setYour MINI is additionally equipped with a
tire change set. This is located in the MINI
COOPER in the cargo area under the floor
mat.
When changing a tire, always observe the
safety measures on page 112, and follow
the procedure described on page 114 ff.
In case of a flat tire the tire change
set is not necessary due to the avail-
ability of the MINI Mobility System.<
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