2005 MINI Hardtop 2 Door warning

71
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
FLAT TIRE MONITOR The conceptAs you drive, the Flat Tire Monitor keeps
track of the tire inflation pressure in all four
tires. The system alerts you when there is a
substantial pressure loss in one of the tires
relative to another.The tire inflation pressures are monitored
based on the speeds of the four wheels in
relation to one another. A flat tire is
detected as the result of differences in cer
-
tain speed ratios, and a warning is gener
-
ated.System requirementsSo that the system can 'familiarize' itself
with the correct inflation pressure, please
do the following:1. Check the tire inflation pressure in all
tires2. Compare them with the inflation pres
-
sure table, refer to page
98, and adjust
the pressures if necessary
3. Initialize the system.
System limitations
The Flat Tire Monitor cannot alert you to severe and sudden tire damage
caused by external factors, nor does it
detect the gradual and minor loss of pres
-
sure in all four tires. could lead to a delayed detection of pres
-
sure loss or to the system not functioning:>Driving on snow-covered or slippery
roads>Performance-oriented driving: slip at the
drive wheels, high rates of lateral accel
-
eration>When driving with snow chains, false
warnings and undetected pressure loss
may occur>When driving with a space-saver spare
tire, the Flat Tire Monitor cannot func
-
tion.
Initializing the system
The system must be reinitialized immediately after changing a tire
and wheel, or after correcting the pressure
in any tire. This requires a bit of driving.<
1. Before a journey, start the engine, but do
not start driving2. Press the button long enough for the
indicator lamp in the display elements
to light up for a few seconds3. Drive off.It takes a few minutes before the Flat Tire
Monitor can detect a flat tire and issue an
alert.

72
FLAT TIRE MONITOR
AIRBAGS
Do not initialize the system if you are driving with snow chains or a space-
saver spare tire.<
Flat tire
The warning lamp lights up in yel
-
low. An acoustic signal also sounds.
There is a flat tire or a siginificant
loss of pressure in a tire.
1. Reduce speed and stop the vehicle with
caution. Avoid hard brake applications
and steering maneuvers2. Determine which tire is damaged
If this cannot be determined, con
-
tact your MINI Dealer.<
3. Repair the flat tire, refer to page
125
.
With Run Flat tires:1. Reduce vehicle speed carefully to under
50
mph
/ 80 km/h. Avoid hard brake
applications and steering maneuvers. Do
not exceed a speed of 50
mph
/ 80
km/h
2. Check the tire inflation pressure in all
four tires at the earliest opportunity.
If the tire inflation pressure is cor
-
rect in all four tires, it is possible
that the Flat Tire Monitor was not initial
-
ized. In this case, initialize the system.<
3. To continue driving, follow the instruc
-
tions on driving with damaged tires on
page
101
.
Malfunction
The warning lamp lights up in yel
-
low. There is a malfunction in the
Flat Tire Monitor or the system has
failed. Have the system checked as soon as
possible.
The following airbags are located under the marked covers.MINI 1 Side airbags in seat backrest on the
driver and front passenger side: front2 Head airbags on the driver and passen
-
ger sides for both rows of seats: front/
rear3 Front airbags on the driver and passen
-
ger sidesMINI Convertible1 Side/head airbags in the seat backrest on
the driver and front passenger sides:
front2 Front airbags on the driver and passen
-
ger sides

73
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
AIRBAGSProtective effectThe front airbags supplement the safety
belts by providing additional protection for
the driver and front passenger in the event
of a frontal collision in which the protec
-
tion afforded by the belts alone may no
longer be sufficient. When needed, the
head and side airbags help to furnish pro
-
tection in the event of side impact. Each of
the side airbags is designed to help support
the seat occupant's upper body. The corre
-
sponding side/head airbag in the MINI Con
-
vertible or the head airbag in the MINI sup
-
ports the head.The airbags are designed to not be trig
-
gered in certain types of collisions, e.g. in
minor accidents, certain kinds of vehicle
rollover and rear impact.For information on the ideal seating posi
-
tion, refer to page
41.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the cover panels of the airbags, cover
them or modify them in any other way. Do
not fit covers, cushions or other items to
the front seats that have not been specially
approved for seats with side airbags. Do
not hang clothing, e.
g. jackets, over the
backrests.

Do not attempt to remove the airbag
restraint system from the vehicle. Do not
touch the individual components directly
after the system has been triggered, as oth
-
erwise there is a danger of burns. In the
event of malfunctions, deactivation or
deployment of the airbag restraint system,
have the system checked, repaired or disas
-
sembled only by a MINI Dealer or a work
-
shop with specially trained personnel work
-
ing in accordance with the specifications of
the MINI manufacturer and having the nec
-
essary permits for handling explosive
devices. Unprofessional attempts to service
the system could lead to failure in an emer
-
gency or undesired airbag activation, either
of which could result in personal injury. -
vided on the sun visors.Airbag system operational
The warning lamp in the display elements shows the status of the
entire airbag system and the seat
belt tensioners starting from ignition key
position 1. The warning lamp goes out after
several seconds.
Airbag system malfunctioning >The warning lamp does not come on
starting from ignition key position
1
>The warning lamp stays lit>The warning lamp lights up while driv
-
ing.
In the event of a malfunction, have the airbag system checked immedi
-
ately. Otherwise, there is a risk that the sys
-
tem will not function as intended in
response to a severe impact occurring
within the system's normal triggering
range.<

74
PARK DISTANCE CONTROL (PDC)
*
The conceptThe PDC assists you when you back into a
parking space. A signal tone tells you the
current distance to an object behind your
vehicle. To do this, four ultrasonic sensors
in the rear bumper measure the distance to
the nearest object.

The sensors on each side have a range of
approx. 2
ft / 60
cm, the middle sensors
one of approx. 5 ft / 1.5
m.
PDC is a parking aid that can identify objects if they are approached slowly,
as is generally the case when parking.
Avoid driving towards objects rapidly; due
to underlying physical principles, the sys
-
tem may otherwise alert you too late for
you to take evasive steps. 2, the sys
-
tem starts to operate automatically about
one second after you select reverse gear or
place the selector lever in position R.
Wait for this one second before you drive backwards.<
The system is deactivated when you shift
away from Reverse.
You can have a signal tone set as a confirmation that PDC has been acti
-
vated. tone sounding at intervals. As the distance
between vehicle and object decreases, the
intervals between the tones become
shorter. A continuous tone indicates the
presence of an object less than 8
in / 20
cm
away.
The warning signal is canceled after
approx. three seconds if the distance to the
object remains constant during this time,
for instance if you are moving parallel to a
wall.MalfunctionA continuous high-pitched tone will sound
during initial activation. The system is mal
-
functioning. Have the system checked.Volume controlThe volume of the Park Distance Control
signal can be adjusted from level
1, soft, to
level
6, loud.You can have this function set.<
System limitations
Even with PDC, final responsibility for estimating the distance between the
vehicle and any objects always remains
with the driver.

Even when sensors are involved, there is a
blind spot in which objects cannot be
detected. Recognition of some objects can
be beyond the limits of physical ultrasonic
measurement, for example with towing
bars or hitches or with thin or wedge-
shaped objects. Moreover, low objects that
have already been detected, such as a curb
edge, can disappear out of the range of the
sensors before a continuous tone sounds.

Loud sources of sound outside and inside
your vehicle can drown the PDC signal
tone.<
Keep the sensors clean and free of ice or snow in order to ensure that they
will continue to operate effectively.

Do not apply high pressure spray to the
sensors for a prolonged period of time.
Always maintain a distance which is
greater than 4
in / 10
cm.<

94
REFUELING
Always switch off the engine before refueling. If you do not, fuel cannot
be filled into the tank and the SERVICE
ENGINE SOON lamp may come on.<
1. Open the fuel filler door2. Turn the gas cap counterclockwise3. Put the gas cap in the bracket attached
to the fuel filler door.
Always observe all applicable precau
-
tions and regulations when handling
fuels. Never carry spare fuel containers in
your vehicle. Whether empty or full, these
containers can leak, cause an explosion,
and lead to fire in the event of a collision.<
Observe the following when refueling
Always observe all safety precautions posted at the service station when
handling fuel.<
When refueling, insert the filler nozzle
completely into the filler pipe. Pulling the
nozzle out of the pipe during refueling:>Results in premature pump shutoff>Will reduce the effect of the fuel vapor
recovery system on the pump.As long as the filler nozzle is used properly,
the fuel tank is full whenever the nozzle
shuts off the first time.Closing the gas cap1. Put on gas cap 2. Turn gas cap clockwise until it clicks3. Close fuel filler door.
Close the gas cap carefully after

refuelling until a click is heard.

While closing, be sure not to squeeze the
strap which is fastened to the cap.<
US models only:
The warning lamp
* comes on.

The gas cap is not correctly closed
or missing. Check if the gas cap is
correctly closed.
Fuel tank volumeApprox. 13.2
gallons
/ 50
liters, of which
approx. 2.1
gallons
/ 8
liters are reserve
capacity.
Do not drive until the fuel tank is totally empty. Otherwise engine
operations are not guaranteed and damage
could occur.<
Fuel specification The engine uses lead-free gasoline only.Required fuel Premium Unleaded Gasoline,

Minimum Octane Rating: 91.Minimum Octane Rating corresponds to
the Anti Knock Index (AKI) and is deter
-
mined according to the so-called (R+M)/2
method.

96
BRAKE SYSTEMBrake fluid levelIf the brake fluid level is too low and brake
pedal travel has become longer, there may
be a defect in one of the brake system's
hydraulic circuits.
Proceed to the nearest MINI Dealer. Higher brake application pressure
may be necessary under these conditions,
there may be a slight pull to one side, and
brake pedal travel may be longer. Please
remember to adapt your driving style
accordingly.<
Disc brakesWhen the vehicle is driven only occasion
-
ally, during extended periods when the
vehicle is not used at all, and in operating
conditions where brake applications are
less frequent, there is an increased ten
-
dency for corrosion of the brake rotors and
accumulation of contamination on the
brake pads. This occurs because the mini
-
mal pressure that must be exerted by the
pads to clean the rotors by brake applica
-
tions is not reached. Corrosion on brake rotors is signaled by a
running or pulsation during braking; even
extended subsequent braking will not cure
this phenomenon.
It is a good idea to periodically dry the
brakes with a gentle application when driv
-
ing in rain and on wet roads.

Monitor traffic conditions to ensure that
this maneuver does not endanger other
road users. The resulting heat dries the
brake rotors and pads. Then if the braking
force is needed, it is immediately available.Driving downhill
To prevent overheating and the resulting reduced efficiency of the
brake system, drive down extended or
steep mountain gradients in the gear
which requires the least brake applications.
Otherwise, even light but consistent pedal
pressure can lead to high temperatures,
brake wear and possibly even brake fail
-
ure. -
ther utilized by downshifting, to first gear if
necessary, in the manual mode of the auto
-
matic transmission, refer to page
55. This
protects the brakes from excessive loads.
Do not coast with the clutch pedal pressed or with the transmission or
selector lever in Neutral. Do not coast with
the engine switched off. The engine pro
-
vides no braking effect when the transmis
-
sion is in Neutral, and there is no power-
assist for braking or steering when the
engine is switched off.

Make sure that there are no floor mats,
floor carpets or other objects in the vicinity
of the brake or accelerator pedal, as the
travel path of the pedals could otherwise
be impeded. the front axle and in the right brake pads of
the rear axle monitor the brake pad condi
-
tion. When the brake pads reach the wear
limit, the brake wear warning lights up,
refer to page
18.
Use brake pads which the manufac
-
turer of your MINI has approved for
your particular vehicle model. The manu
-
facturer of your MINI cannot evaluate non-
approved brake pads to determine if they
are suitable for use, and therefore cannot
ensure the operating safety of the vehicle
in the event of their use.<

109
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
ENGINE OILAdding engine oil
Only top up oil when the oil level has dropped to just above the lower
notch of the dipstick. However, never allow
the level to drop below the lower notch. -
tives could lead to damage in some cases.

Continuous exposure to used oil has
caused cancer in laboratory testing.

For this reason, any skin areas that come
into contact with oil should be thoroughly
washed with soap and water.

Always store oil, grease, etc., out of reach of
children. Comply with all warning labels
and information on lubricant containers.<
Comply with the applicable environ
-
mental laws regulating the disposal
of used oil.<
Specified engine oilsThe quality of the engine oil selected has
critical significance for the operation and
service life of an engine. Based on exten
-
sive testing, the manufacturer of your MINI
approves only certain grades of engine oil. Use only approved MINI High Performance
Synthetic Oil.If you are unable to obtain MINI High Per
-
formance Synthetic Oil, you can add small
amounts of synthetic oil in between oil
changes. Only use oils with the API SH spec
-
ification or higher.
Ask your authorized MINI Dealer for details concerning the specific MINI
High Performance Synthetic Oil or syn
-
thetic oils which have been approved.<
Viscosities Viscosity is the oilflow rating as established
in SAE classes.The choice of the proper SAE class depends
on the climatic conditions in the area
where your MINI is used.
Approved oils are in SAE classes 5W-40 and 5W-30.<
These oils can be used at all ambient tem
-
peratures.

111
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
BRAKE FLUIDWarning lamp
The warning lamp comes on although the parking brake is
released:

The brake fluid level in the reservoir is too
low, refer to page
16. At the same time,
brake pedal travel may become signifi
-
cantly longer.

Have the system checked immediately.
Display of the malfunction described above in Canadian mod
-
els.
Adding brake fluid To add brake fluid or to determine and cor
-
rect the cause of brake fluid loss, please
consult your MINI Dealer. Your MINI Dealer
is familiar with the specifications for fac
-
tory-approved brake fluids,
DOT
4.
Brake fluid loss may result in extended
brake pedal travel. If this occurs, refer to
the information on page
96.
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
or a workshop that has specially trained
personnel working in accordance with the
specifications of the MINI manufacturer,
also refer to the Service and Warranty
Information Booklet for US
models or the
Warranty and Service Guide Booklet for
Canadian models. Brake fluid is toxic and
also damages 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.<