2006 MINI Hardtop 2 Door air condition

97
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
GENERAL DRIVING NOTES
Safe braking
Your vehicle is equipped with ABS as a stan-
dard feature. If you are in a situation which
requires full braking, it is best to brake
using maximum brake pressure. Since the
vehicle remains maneuverable, you can still
go around any obstacles with the smallest
possible steering movements.
The pulsation of the brake pedal, together
with the sound of hydraulic regulation,
indicates to you that ABS is actively taking
effect.
Wet roads:
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 hinder other road users. The
resulting heat dries 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 pres-
sure on the brake can lead to high tempera-
tures, brake wear and possibly even brake
failure.<
The braking effect of the engine can be
increased by downshifting in the manual
mode of the automatic transmission, to
first gear if necessary, refer to page58. This
protects the brakes from excessive loads.
Do not coast with the clutch
depressed, the transmission in idle or
the engine switched off. Otherwise, the
engine provides no braking effect, and
there is no power-assist for braking or
steering.
Make sure that there are no floor mats,
floor carpets or other objects in the vicinity
of the pedals; otherwise pedal function
could be impeded.<
Corrosion on the brake rotors:
When 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.
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce road speed. If you do not, a
wedge of water can form between tires
and road surface. This phenomenon is char-
acterized by a partial or complete loss of
contact between the tires and the road sur-
face. The ultimate results are loss of steer-
ing and braking control.<

98
GENERAL DRIVING NOTES
Mobile communications in the vehicle
The manufacturer of your MINI rec-
ommends that you do not use mobile
devices, e.g. mobile phones, inside the vehi-
cle without directly connecting them to an
outside antenna. Otherwise, interference
between the vehicle electronics and the
mobile device cannot be ruled out. In addi-
tion, it is not ensured that the radiation
emitted during mobile transmission will be
directed outside of the vehicle.<
Driving through water
Do not drive through water on the
road if it is deeper than 1 ft/30 cm,
and then only at walking speed at the
most. Otherwise, the vehicle's engine, the
electrical systems and the transmission
may be damaged.<
Use the parking brake on inclines
Do not hold the vehicle in place on
slopes by slipping or 'riding' the
clutch. Use the parking brake instead. Oth-
erwise, a high degree of clutch wear could
result.<
Clothes hooks
When suspending clothing from the
hooks, ensure that they will not
obstruct the driver's vision. Do not hang
heavy objects on the hooks. If you do, they
could injure the occupants during braking
or evasive maneuvers.<
Hot exhaust system
High temperatures occur in every
vehicle's exhaust system. Do not
remove the heat protection plates fitted in
the area of the exhaust system and do not
apply body-cavity protectant to this area.
When driving, standing at idle, and parking
the vehicle, take care to avoid contact
between the hot exhaust system and flam-
mable materials, e.g. hay, grass, leaves, etc.
Such contact could lead to a fire resulting in
serious personal injury and property dam-
age.<
Parking the vehicle
Condensation forms in the air conditioning
system during operation, and then exits
under the vehicle. Traces of condensed
water on the ground are therefore normal.
Close the tailgate
Drive the vehicle only when the tail-
gate is completely closed. Otherwise,
exhaust fumes could penetrate the interior
of the vehicle.<
Should it be absolutely necessary to drive
with the tailgate open:
1. Close all windows as well as the glass
sunroof or the sliding sunroof of the
MINI Convertible
2. Sharply increase the air supply for the
heater, the air conditioning or the auto-
matic climate control, refer to page78
or81.

101
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE
Information for your safety
It is not merely the tire's service life, but
also driving safety and driving comfort that
depend on the condition of the tires and
the maintenance of the specified tire pres-
sure.
Checking tire inflation pressures
Check the tire inflation pressures only on
cold tires. This means after driving a maxi-
mum of 1.25 miles/2 km or when the vehi-
cle has been parked for at least 2 hours.
Warm tires have higher pressures.
Check tire inflation pressures regu-
larly and correct them if necessary,
including the space-saver spare tire: at
least twice a month and before long jour-
neys. Otherwise, incorrect tire pressures
can cause driving instability or tire damage,
ultimately resulting in accidents. Do not
drive with deflated, i.e. flat, tires except if
Run Flat tires are fitted. A flat tire greatly
impairs steering and braking response, and
can lead to complete loss of control over
the vehicle.<
After correcting the tire inflation
pressure, reinitialize the Flat Tire
Monitor, refer to page73.<
Tire inflation pressures for original
tires
The tire inflation pressures for your stan-
dard tires are shown on the driver's-side
door post, visible when the door is open.
Tire inflation pressures for other tire
sizes
In the following tire pressure table, all pres-
sures are given for the specified tire sizes at
ambient temperature.
In order to determine the correct
inflation pressures for your tires,
refer to the values for the tire size in ques-
tion.<
Checking the inflation pressure on the
space-saver spare tire
Behind the bumper there is a valve exten-
sion accessible from the outside for check-
ing the inflation pressure.
Tire size
The tire inflation pressures apply to the tire
sizes approved and the tire brands recom-
mended by the manufacturer of your MINI.
Your MINI Dealer will be glad to advise you.

105
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
TIRE CODING
Knowing the tire code on the tire's sidewall
makes it easier for you to choose and iden-
tify the correct tires.
Tire size
e.g. 205/45 R 17 84 V
Nominal width in mm
Cross-sectional
ratio in %
Radial belt construction
Rim diameter in inches
Load index,
not on ZR tires
Speed code letter,
in front of the R on ZR tires
Speed code letters:
Q = up to 100 mph / 160 km/h
T = up to 118 mph / 190 km/h
H = up to 131 mph / 210 km/h
V = up to 150 mph / 240 km/h
W= up to 167 mph / 270 km/h
Tire Identification Number
Tires with DOT codes meet the guidelines
of the US Department of Transportation.DOT code:
e.g. DOT xxxx xxx 3505
Manufacturer's code
for tire make
Tire size and
tire version
Tire age
Tire age
The date on which the tire was manufac-
tured is indicated by the code on the side-
wall:
DOT...3505 indicates that the tire was man-
ufactured in Week 35 of the year 2005.
The manufacturer of your MINI recom-
mends replacing all tires after 6 years at
the latest, even if a tire service life of
10 years is possible.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applica-
ble on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width.
For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
DOT quality grades
Tread wear
Traction AA A B C
Temperature A B C
All passenger car tires must conform
to Federal Safety Requirements in
addition to these grades.<
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rat-
ing based on the wear rate of the tire when
tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear
one and one-half, 1γ, times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly
from the norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.

107
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
TIRE CONDITION
Wear indicators in the tread-groove base
are spread around the circumference of the
tire and are marked on the sidewall of the
tire with TWI, Tread Wear Indicator. When
tire tread is worn down to the level of the
wear indicators, the remaining tread depth
is 1/16 in/1.6 mm.
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 can endanger the lives of both
the vehicle occupants and other road
users.<

108
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 conditionally self-
supporting 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.
For information on continuing to drive with
a flat tire, refer to Flat tire warning,
page74.
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 page131.<
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 your MINI Dealer or a special-
ized tire shop that has specially trained per-
sonnel working in accordance with the
specifications of the MINI manufacturer.
Work that is improperly carried out could
result in consequential damage and pose
safety hazards.<
Retreaded tires
The manufacturer of your MINI rec-
ommends that you avoid using
retreaded tires, as this could impair driving
safety. This is due to possible variations in
casing structures and, in some cases, to
their extreme age, factors which can lead
to limited durability.<

110
NEW WHEELS AND TIRES SNOW CHAINS*
Special characteristics of winter tires
The manufacturer of your MINI 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.
Observe speed ratings:
Never exceed the maximum speed
for which the winter tires are rated.<
Storage
Store tires in a cool, dry place, protecting
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.
Only certain types of snow chains have
been tested by the manufacturer of your
MINI, classified as road-safe and recom-
mended. Contact your MINI Dealer for
more details. Their use is only permitted in
pairs on the front wheels on winter 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 page71.<

115
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
ENGINE OIL COOLANT
Approved engine oils
The 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.
Only use High Performance Synthetic Oil
approved by the manufacturer of your
MINI.
If MINI High Performance Synthetic Oil is
not available, you can add small quantities
of another synthetic oil in between oil
changes. Only use oils with a specification
of API SH or higher.
If you have any further questions
regarding MINI High Performance
Synthetic Oil or approved synthetic oils,
your MINI Dealer will be glad to advise
you.<
Do not use any oil additives, as they
could cause engine damage under
some circumstances.<
Viscosity grades
Viscosity is a measure of an oil's flow rating
and is classified into SAE grades.
The correct SAE grade for your MINI is
determined by the climatic conditions of
the region in which you normally drive your
MINI.
Approved oils feature the SAE grades
5W-40 and 5W-30.<
These oils can be used for driving at all out-
side temperatures.Do not open the cooling system when
the engine is hot. Escaping coolant
can cause burns.<
Coolant consists of water and a coolant
additive. Not all commercially available
additives are suitable for your MINI. Your
MINI Dealer knows which additives are
suitable and will be glad to advise you.
Only use suitable additives, other-
wise the engine can be damaged. The
additives are hazardous to your health.<
Comply with the applicable environ-
mental laws regulating the disposal
of coolant additives.<