2005 MINI COOPER flat tire

100
TIRE CODING
TIRE CONDITION
Traction The traction grades, from highest to low
-
est, are AA, A, B, and C.

Those grades represent the tire's ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on specified govern
-
ment test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction per
-
formance.
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead brak
-
ing traction tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning, or
peak traction characteristics. B and C, representing the tire's resistance
to the generation of heat and its ability to
dissipate heat when tested under con
-
trolled conditions on a specified indoor lab
-
oratory test wheel.

Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive temperature
can lead to sudden tire failure. The grade C
corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent
higher levels of performance on the labora
-
tory test wheel than the minimum required
by law.
The temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, underinflation, or excessive loading,
either separately or in combination, can
cause heat buildup and possible tire fail
-
ure. -
lar symbol containing the letters RSC on
the side of the tire, refer to page
101
.
M+SWinter and all-season tires.

These have better winter performance
properties than summer tires.
Inspect your tires frequently for tread wear,
signs of damage and for foreign objects
lodged in the tread. Check the tread depth.Tire tread The tread depth should not fall below
ε in / 3 mm.

Below ε
in / 3 mm tread depth, there is a
very high danger of hydroplaning at higher
speeds even if there is only a small amount
of water on the road.

Below a tread depth of
1/6 in / 4 mm, win
-
ter tires display a perceptible decrease in
their ability to cope with winter driving
conditions, and should be replaced in the
interest of safety.
ProCarManuals.com

101
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
TIRE CONDITION
RUN FLAT TIRES
*
Wear indicators in the tread-groove base, arrow, are spread around the circumfer
-
ence of the tire and are marked on the side
wall of the tire with TWI, Tread Wear Indi
-
cator. The indicators in the tread indicate at 1/16 in / 1.6
mm tread depth that the
legally permitted wear limit has been
reached.
Wheel/tire damage
Due to low-profile tires, please note that wheels, tires and suspension
parts are more susceptible to road hazards
and consequential damage.

Unusual vibrations while driving can indi
-
cate tire damage or other damage to the
vehicle. This may be caused, for example,
by driving over a curb. This is also true for
abnormalities in the vehicle's handling
characteristics, such as a pronounced ten
-
dency to pull to the left or right.

In such situations, reduce your speed
immediately. Drive carefully to the nearest
MINI Dealer or tire dealer, or have the vehi
-
cle towed there, if necessary.

Tire damage, up to and including blowouts,
can endanger the lives of both the vehicle
occupants and other road users.<
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 driving remains possible to a
restricted degree in the event of a pressure
drop or even a flat tire. Continuing driving with a damaged
tire Depending on the load, you can continue
driving with Run Flat tires at a maximum
speed of 50
mph
/ 80
km/h.
ProCarManuals.com

102
RUN FLAT TIRES
*
NEW WHEELS AND TIRES
If there is a total loss of tire inflation pres
-
sure, 0
psi
/ 0 kPa, or obvious tire damage,
you can gauge the mileage for continued
driving on the basis of the following indica
-
tions:>With a light load:

1 to 2 persons without luggage:

approx. 155
miles
/ 250
km
>With a medium load:

2 persons, full luggage compartment, or

4 persons without luggage:

approx. 90 miles
/ 150 km.
>With a full load:

4 persons or more, full luggage compart
-
ment:

approx. 30
miles
/ 50 km.
Drive cautiously. Do not exceed a speed of 50
mph
/ 80
km/h. In case of
tire pressure loss you must expect changes
in vehicle handling such as lower track sta
-
bility during braking, longer braking dis
-
tances and changes in self-steering proper
-
ties when close to the handling limit.

For safety reasons, the manufacturer of
your vehicle recommends not having dam
-
aged Run Flat tires repaired. In this case,
consult your MINI dealer.<
Tire change set
In case of a flat tire, the tire change set is not needed, since your vehicle
has Run Flat tires.

When changing a tire, always observe the
safety measures and the procedure for
changing tires starting on page
125
.<
Your vehicle is additionally equipped with a
tire change set.In the MINI COOPER and MINI COOPER Con
-
vertible this is located in the luggage com
-
partment under the floor mat.

In the MINI COOPER
S and MINI COOPER S
Convertible, the tire change set is located in
a separate bag which is attached to the
lashing eyelets on the luggage compart
-
ment floor by means of tie-down straps.
Have new wheels and tires mounted only by a tire specialist. Work that is
improperly carried out could result in con
-
sequential damage and pose safety haz
-
ards. about the correct wheel and tire combina
-
tion for your vehicle.

Have the wheels balanced after each tire or
wheel replacement. The correct wheel and tire combination is
also important for various systems that
would otherwise be impaired, e.g. ABS or
DSC.
The manufacturer of your vehicle rec
-
ommends that you avoid using
retread tires, as this could impair driving
safety. This is due to the possible variations
in casing structures and, in some cases, to
their extreme age, which can lead to a
decrease in their durability.<
ProCarManuals.com

103
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
NEW WHEELS AND TIRESThe correct wheels and tires
The manufacturer of your vehicle

recommends mounting only wheels
and tires that it has specifically tested and
approved for use on your particular model.
Although other wheels and tires may theo
-
retically have the same dimensions, varia
-
tions in factors such as manufacturing tol
-
erances can result in contact between tire
and bodywork, ultimately leading to seri
-
ous accidents. The manufacturer of your
vehicle cannot evaluate non-approved
wheels and tires to determine if they are
suited for use, and therefore cannot ensure
the operating safety of the vehicle if they
are fitted. response, use only tires of a single brand
and tread configuration. In the event of a
flat tire, remount the previous wheel and
tire combination as soon as possible.Recommended tire sizes and brands:For each tire size, certain tire brands have
been tested, classified as road safe and
approved by the manufacturer of your
vehicle. You can find out about these from
a professional tire center, preferably your
MINI Dealer. Observe any local regulations,
e.g. on making a corresponding entry in the
vehicle documents. The factory-approved radial belt tires are
matched to your vehicle and provide opti
-
mum safety and driving comfort when
used properly.Run Flat tires:If your vehicle is equipped with Run Flat
tires, refer to Run Flat tires, please note the
following: when mounting new tires or
replacing summer tires with winter tires, or
vice versa, use only Run Flat tires since no
spare wheel is available in the event of a
flat. The manufacturer of your vehicle will
be glad to advise you.Special characteristics of winter tires The manufacturer of your vehicle recom
-
mends winter tires for driving in adverse
winter road conditions. While all-season
tires with the M+S designation provide bet
-
ter winter traction than summer tires, they
generally do not achieve the full perfor
-
mance of winter tires. Observing speed ratings:
Never exceed the maximum speed for which the winter tires are rated.
Unprofessional attempts by laymen to ser
-
vice tires can lead to damage and acci
-
dents. Have this work performed by skilled
professionals only. The technicans at your
MINI Dealer will be glad to assist you with
the required professional knowledge and
specialized equipment. them against light whenever possible. Pro
-
tect the tires against contact with oil,
grease and fuel. Do not exceed the tire
inflation pressure specified on the tire side
-
wall.
ProCarManuals.com

104
SNOW CHAINS
*
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 only these approved
fine-link snow chains. Their use is only per
-
mitted in pairs on the front wheels on win
-
ter tires of the following types: >175/65 R 15 M+S>175/60 R 16 M+S.When fitting, comply with the manufac
-
turer's instructions. With chains, do not
exceed a speed of 30
mph
/ 50
km/h.
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Monitor after attaching snow chains to the
tires.
When driving with snow chains, it can be
helpful to switch off the ASC or DSC for a
brief period, refer to pages
68, 69
.<
ProCarManuals.com

120
ONBOARD TOOL KIT
WIPER BLADES
The picture shows as an example the tire change set with onboard tools for vehicles
with the space-saver spare tire.Depending on the equipment version, your
vehicle is equipped with a special onboard
tool kit stored at the locations described
below:
Tire change set with onboard tools for
space-saver spare tireIn the luggage compartment under the
floor mat.MINI Mobility System with tire change
set and onboard tools In the luggage compartment under the
floor mat.Tire change set and onboard tools for
Run Flat tires >Tire change set:

In the luggage compartment in a sepa
-
rate pouch>Onboard tool kit:

On the left-hand side of the luggage
compartment behind the side trim
panel.
Windshield wiper1. Rotate the wiper arm completely out
from the windshield 2. Set the wiper blade at an angle3. Press the securing spring, arrow4. Unhook the wiper blade towards the
windshield5. Pull the wiper blade past the wiper arm
toward the top6. Insert the new wiper blade7. Press into position until you hear it
engage.
ProCarManuals.com

125
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATION CONTROLS DATA INDEX
REPAIRING A FLAT TIRE
SPACE-SAVER SPARE TIRE
*
Safety measures in the event of a flat tire:

Stop the vehicle as far as possible from
passing traffic. Switch on the hazard warn
-
ing flashers.

Turn the steering wheel to the straight-
ahead wheel position and engage the
steering lock. Engage the parking brake and
shift into 1st or reverse gear – selector lever
in P.

All passengers should be outside the vehi
-
cle and well away from your immediate
working area – behind a guardrail, for
instance.

If a portable hazard warning lamp is avail
-
able, set it up on the roadside at an appro
-
priate distance from the rear of the vehicle.
Comply with all safety guidelines and regu
-
lations. -
dures should be followed depending on the
equipment included in your vehicle:>Vehicles with Run Flat tires, refer to
page
101
>Vehicles with a space-saver spare tire,
refer to the following section>Vehicles with MINI Mobility System,
refer to page
129
.
To change a space-saver spare tire, proceed
as follows:>Remove space-saver spare tire, refer to
the section after the next one>Prepare for tire change, refer to page
127
>Jack up the vehicle, refer to page
128
>Mount the space-saver spare tire, refer
to page
128
>Tighten the lug bolts, refer to page
128
>Drive with space-saver spare tire, refer to
page
127
.
Tire change setOn vehicles with a space-saver spare tire,
the tire change set with onboard tools is
stored in the luggage compartment under
the floor mat.1 Chock, folding2 Hubcap remover3 Wheel stud wrench4Jack5 Special wrench for removing the space-
saver spare tire6 Towing eyelet7 Lifting handleThe onboard tool kit includes a pouch with
a plastic bag in which you can place the
damaged wheel.
ProCarManuals.com

127
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATION CONTROLS DATA INDEX
SPACE-SAVER SPARE TIRE
*
CHANGING TIRES
9.
Pull out the space-saver spare tire towards the rear underneath the vehi
-
cle
10. Position the space-saver spare tire with
the valve facing upwards11. Unscrew the valve extension from the
valve of the space-saver spare tire12. Unscrew the dust cap from the exten
-
sion and place it on the valve of the
space-saver spare tire.Due to its different dimensions, the damaged wheel cannot be placed in
the recess for the space-saver spare tire.<
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 han
-
dling such as lower track stability during
braking, longer braking distances and
changes in self-steering properties when
close to the handling limit. These effects
are more pronounced when driving with
winter tires.
Only one space-saver spare tire may be mounted at one time. Reinstall a
wheel and tire of the original size as soon
as possible. if necessary. Replace the defective tire as
soon as possible and have the new wheel/
tire assembly balanced.<
Additional safety measures in the event of a tire change:

Change the tire only on a level, firm surface
which is not slippery.

The vehicle or the jack could slip sideways
on soft or slippery support surfaces, such as
snow, ice, flagstones, etc..

Do not use a wooden block or similar object
as a support base for the jack, as this would
prevent it from extending to its full support
height and reduce its load-carrying capac
-
ity.

Do not lie under the vehicle or start the
engine when the vehicle is supported by
the jack – risk of fatal injury. Observe the safety precautions regarding flat tires on page
125
.<
1. For vehicles with a space-saver spare
tire:

Place the folding chock behind the front
wheel on the other side of the vehicle;
on downward inclines, place it in front of
this wheel. If the wheel is changed on a
surface with a more severe slope, take
additional precautions to secure the
vehicle from rolling
2. Loosen the lug bolts by a half turn.
ProCarManuals.com