
DRIVING TIPSThings to remember when driving
98
You can increase the engine's braking effect by
shifting down, all the way to first gear if neces-
sary. This strategy helps you avoid placing
excessive loads on the brake system. Downshift-
ing in manual mode of the automatic trans-
mission, page49.
Never drive with the clutch held down,
with the transmission in neutral or with
the engine switched off; otherwise, engine brak-
ing action will not be present or there will be no
power assistance to the brakes or steering.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area around the
pedals; otherwise, pedal function could be
impaired. <
Corrosion on brake rotors
When the vehicle is driven only occasionally,
during extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all, and in op erating conditions where
brake applications are less frequent, there is an
increased tendency for corrosion to form on
rotors, while contaminants accumulate on the
brake pads. This occurs because the minimum
pressure which must be exerted by the pads
during brake applications to clean the rotors is
not reached.
Should corrosion form on the brake rotors, the
brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating
effect that even extended application will fail to
cure.
When the vehicle is parked
Condensation forms while the automatic climate
control is in operation, and then exits under the
vehicle. Traces of condensed water under the
vehicle are therefore normal.
In the MINI Cooper S, the coolant pump may
continue to run for some time after the engine is
switched off. This will generate noise in the
engine compartment.
Cargo loading
To avoid loading the tires beyond their
approved carrying capacity, never over-
load the vehicle. Overloading can lead to over-
heating and increases the rate at which damage
develops inside the tires. The ultimate result can
assume the form of a sudden blowout. <
Avoid fluid spills in the cargo area as they
could damage the vehicle. <
Expanding cargo area
Cargo area cover
Do not place any objects on the cover;
otherwise, they could endanger the car's
occupants, e.g. in the case of braking or sudden
swerving, or they may damage the cover. <
When you open the tailgate, the roll-up cover is
raised.
To load bulky luggage, the cover can be
removed.
1. Unhook the lift straps from the tailgate.
2. Lift the cover slightly, arrow 1, and pull it
rearward out of the bracket, arrow 2.
Rear seat backrest
Before folding down the rear seat back-
rests, ensure that th e range of motion for
the backrests is unobstructed. Particularly with a
folded down middle section, ensure that there is
no one within the range of motion of the back-
rest and that no one re aches into that region.
Otherwise, injury or damage can result. <
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DRIVING TIPSThings to remember when driving
104
Fuel consumption depends on a number of dif-
ferent factors. Fuel consumption and environ-
mental pollution are affected by various actions,
the manner of driving and regular maintenance.
Remove unnecessary cargo
Additional weight increases fuel consumption.
Remove attached parts no longer in use
Attached parts on the ve hicle affect its aerody-
namics and increase fuel consumption.
Closing windows
Open windows increase air resistance and
therefore fuel consumption.
Check tire inflation pressure regularly
Check and, if necessary, correct tire inflation
pressure at least twice a month and before start-
ing on a long trip.
Low inflation pressure increases rolling resis-
tance and thus leads to greater fuel consump-
tion and tire wear.
Drive off immediately
Do not wait for the engine to warm up while the
vehicle remains stationary. Start driving right
away, but at moderate engi ne speeds. This is the
fastest way for the cold engine to reach its oper-
ating temperature.
Think ahead while driving
Avoid unnecessary accelera tion and braking. By
maintaining a suitable di stance to the vehicle
driving ahead.
Looking-ahead and smooth driving reduces fuel
consumption.
Avoid high engine speeds
Use first gear only for driving off. In second and
higher gears, accelerate smoothly to a suitable
engine and road speed. In doing so, avoid high
engine speeds and shift up early. When you reach your desired traveling speed,
shift to the highest suit
able gear and drive at
constant speed.
As a rule: driving at lo w engine speeds lowers
fuel consumption and reduces wear.
Coasting
When approaching a red traffic light, take your
foot off the accelerator and let the car roll to a
stop in the highest gear possible.
On a downhill gradient, take your foot off the
accelerator and let the vehicle coast in a suitable
gear.
Fuel supply is shut off automatically when the
vehicle is coasting.
Switch off the engine during lengthy
stops
Switch off the engine when stopping for lengthy
periods, e.g. at traffic li ghts, railroad crossings or
in traffic jams.
Switch off any features that are not
currently required
Features such as air co nditioning, seat heaters
and the rear window defroster require a great
deal of energy and result in greater fuel con-
sumption, especially in city driving and during
Stop & Go operation. For this reason, switch off
these features if they are not really needed.
Have the vehicle serviced
Have your vehicle servic ed regularly to achieve
good economy and a long vehicle life. The
manufacturer of your MINI recommends having
the vehicle serviced by a MINI dealer. Also note
the MINI Maintenance System, page 149.
Driving on poor roads
Your MINI with ALL4 drive is at home on any
type of street or road. It combines an all-wheel
drive system with the advantages of a normal
passenger car.
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MOBILITYWheels and tires
136
Wheels and tires
Vehicle equipment
In this chapter, all production, country, and
optional equipment that is offered in the model
range is described. Equipment is also described
that is not available because of, for example,
selected options or coun try version. This also
applies to safety relate d functions and systems.
Tire inflation pressures
Information for your safety
It is not merely the tire s' service life, but also
driving comfort and, to a great extent, driving
safety that depend on the condition of the tires
and the maintenance of the specified tire pres-
sure.
Checking pressure
Check the tire inflation pressure regularly
and correct it, if necessary: at least twice a
month and before starting long trips. If you fail
to observe this precauti on you may be driving
on tires with incorrect ti re pressures, a condition
that can not only compromise your vehicle's
driving stability, but also l e a d t o t i r e d a m a g e a n d
the risk of an accident. Do not drive with
deflated, i.e. flat tires, except when using run-
flat tires. A flat tire will seriously impair your
vehicle's handling and braking response.
Att empt s to drive o n a flat t ire can lead to lo ss of
control over the vehicle. <
Check the tire inflation pressures only on cold
tires. This means after a maximum of 1.25 miles/
2 km driving or when the vehicle has been
parked for at least 2 hou rs. When tires are warm,
the tire inflation pressure is higher.
After adjusting the tire inflation pressure,
reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor, page 68,
or reset the Tire Pressure Monitor, page 70.<
Pressure specifications
The tables below provide all the correct inflation
pressures for the specified tire sizes at ambient
temperature.
The tire inflation pressures apply to the
tire sizes approved and the tire brands
recommended by the manufacturer of your
MINI. Your MINI dealer will be glad to advise
you. <
For correct identification of the right tire infla-
tion pressures, ob serve the following:
> Tire sizes for your vehicle
> Maximum allowable driving speed
Tire inflation pressures for driving up to
100 mph or 160 km/h
For normal driving up to 100 mph or 160 km/h
and to achieve optimum driving comfort, adjust
pressures to the respective tire inflation pres-
sures listed on the follo wing pages in the col-
umns for traveling speeds up to a maximum of
100 mph or 160 km/h.
These tire inflation pre ssures can also be found
on the driver's side door pillar when the driver's
door is open.
The maximum permitted speed for these
tire inflation pressures is 100 mph or
160 km/h. Do not exceed this speed; otherwise,
tire damage and accidents may occur. <
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Wheels and tiresMOBILITY
137
Tire inflation pressures for driving above
100 mph or 160 km/h
In order to drive at maximum speeds in
excess of 100mph or 160km/h, adjust
pressures to the respective tire inflation pres-
sures listed on the foll owing pages in the col-
umns for traveling speeds including those
exceeding 100 mph or 160 km/h. Otherwise,
tire damage and accidents could occur.<
Observe all national and local maximum speed
limits; otherwise, violations of the law could
occur.
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MOBILITYWheels and tires
138
Tire inflation pressures MINI Cooper Countryman
Tire size Tire pressures in bar/psi
Speeds up to a max. of 100 mph/160 km/h Speeds including those
exceeding
100 mph/160 km/h
All pressure specifications in the
table are indicated in bar/psi for
cold tires. Cold = ambient
temperature
195/60 R 16 89 H M+S
205/55 R 17 91 H M+S
205/55 R 17 91 H M+S RSC
205/55 R 17 91 V RSC
225/45 R 18 91 V RSC
225/40 R 19 89 V RSC 2.2/32 2.2/32 2.4/35 2.4/35
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page186.
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Wheels and tiresMOBILITY
139
Tire inflation pressures MINI Cooper S Countryman / Cooper S ALL4 Countryman
Tire size Tire pressures in bar/psi
Speeds up to a max. of 100 mph/160 km/h Speeds including those
exceeding
100 mph/160 km/h
All pressure specifications in the
table are indicated in bar/psi for
cold tires. Cold = ambient
temperature
195/60 R 16 89 H M+S
205/55 R 17 91 H M+S
205/55 R 17 91 H M+S RSC
205/55 R 17 91 V RSC
225/45 R 18 91 V RSC
225/40 R 19 89 V RSC 2.2/32 2.2/32 2.6/38 2.6/38
More details on the perm issible load and weights can be found on page 186.
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MOBILITYWheels and tires
140
MINI Countryman John Cooper Works tire inflation pressures
Tire size Tire pressures in bar/psi
Speeds up to a max. of 100 mph/160 km/h Speeds including those
exceeding
100 mph/160 km/h
All pressure specifications in the
table are indicated in bar/psi for
cold tires. Cold = ambient
temperature
195/60 R 16 89 H M+S Std
205/55 R 17 91 H M+S RSC
205/55 R 17 91 H M+S A/S RSC
225/45 R 18 91 V RSC
225/40 R 19 89 V RSC 2.4/35 2.4/35 2.6/38 2.6/38
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page186.
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Wheels and tiresMOBILITY
143
Otherwise, tire damage can be extremely dan-
gerous for vehicle occupants and other road
users.<
Tire age
The manufacturing date of tires is contained in
the tire coding:
DOT ... 1012 means that the tire was manufac-
tured during the 10th week of 2012.
For various reasons, such as the development of
brittleness, the manufacturer of your MINI rec-
ommends tire replacemen t after no more than
6 years, regardless of th e actual wear of the
tires.
Run-flat tires
The symbol identifying run- flat tires is a circle
with the letters RSC on the sidewall.
Run-flat tires comprise a conditionally self-sup-
porting tire and a special rim. The reinforcement
in the sidewalls ensures that the tire can con-
tinue to be used subject to certain restrictions,
even if depressurized.
For information on continuing to drive with a flat
tire, refer to Indication of a flat tire, page69.
New wheels and tires
Have new wheels and tires mounted only
by your MINI dealer or a specialized tire
shop that has specially trained personnel work-
ing in accordance with th e specifications of the
MINI manufacturer. If this work is not carried out properly, there is a danger of subsequent dam-
age and related safety ha
zards. Make sure that
the new wheels are balanced. <
Retreaded tires
The manufacturer of your MINI recom-
mends that you avoid using retreaded
tires, as this could impair driving safety. The
causes for this include potentially different tire
casing structures and of ten wide variations in
tire age, which can result in a limited service
life.<
Correct wheels and tires
The manufacturer of your MINI recom-
mends mounting only wheels and tires
that it has specifically approved for use on your
particular model. Alth ough other wheels and
tires may theoretically have the same dimen-
sions, variations in factors such as manufactur-
ing tolerances can result in contact between tire
and bodywork, ultimately leading to serious
accidents. The manufactur er of your MINI can-
not evaluate non-approved wheels and tires to
determine if they are su ited for use, and there-
fore cannot ensure the operating safety of the
vehicle if they are mounted. <
Your MINI dealer will be glad to inform you
about the correct wheel an d tire combination for
your vehicle.
The correct combination of wheels and tires is
also necessary to ensure reliable operation of
various vehicle systems such as ABS and DSC.
To maintain good handling and vehicle
response, use only tires of a single brand and
tread configuration. After a tire has been dam-
aged, mount the previous wheel and tire combi-
nation again as soon as possible.
Wheels with Tire Pressure Monitor TPM
electronics
When mounting new tires or changing over from
summer to winter tires, or vice versa, only use
wheels with TPM electronics; otherwise, the Tire
Pressure Monitor may not be able to detect a
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