Things to remember when drivingVehicle equipmentThis chapter describes all series equipment as
well as country-specific and special equipment
offered for this model series.Therefore, it also
describes equipment that may not be found in
your vehicle, for instance due to the selected
special equipment or the country version. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems.
Breaking-in period General information Moving parts need to be broken in to adjust to
each other.
The following instructions will help achieve a
long vehicle life and good economy.
Engine and differential
Always obey all official speed limits.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 kmDrive at various engine and vehicle speeds, but
do not exceed:▷For a gasoline engine, 4,500 rpm and
100 mph/160 km/h.
Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the
transmission's kickdown mode for the initial
miles.
From 1,200 miles/2,000 km
The engine and vehicle speed can gradually be
increased.
Tires Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full trac‐
tion potential until after an initial breaking-in
period.
Drive conservatively for the first
200 miles/300 km.
Brake system Brakes require an initial break-in period of ap‐
prox. 300 miles/500 km to achieve optimized
contact and wear patterns between brake pads
and discs. Drive cautiously during this break-in
period.
Clutch
The clutch requires an initial break-in period of
approx. 300 miles/500 km to function at an op‐ timal level.
During this break-in period, engage the clutch
gently.
Following part replacementThe same breaking in procedures should be ob‐
served if any of the components mentioned
above have to be renewed in the course of the
vehicle's operating life.
General driving notes
Ground clearance Ensure adequate ground clearance
Ensure adequate ground clearance, e.g.,
when driving into underground garages, when
driving over curbs, or when driving in winter;
otherwise, damage may occur to the vehicle. ◀Seite 122Driving tipsThings to remember when driving122
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Closing the tailgateDrive with the tailgate closed
Only drive with the tailgate closed; other‐
wise, passengers and other road users may be
endangered or the vehicle may be damaged if
an accident occurs or during braking or swerv‐
ing. In addition, exhaust fumes may enter the
passenger compartment. ◀
If, despite this, the vehicle must be driven with
the tailgate open:▷Drive moderately.▷Close all windows and the glass sunroof.▷Switch off recirculated air mode and greatly
increase the blower speed.
Hot exhaust system
Hot exhaust system
High temperatures are generated in the
exhaust system.
Do not remove the heat shields installed and
never apply undercoating to them. Make sure
that flammable materials, e. g. hay, leaves,
grass, etc. do not come in contact with the hot
exhaust system during driving, while in idle po‐
sition mode, or when parked. Such contact
could lead to a fire, and with it the risk of seri‐
ous personal injury as well as property damage.
Do not touch hot exhaust pipes; otherwise,
there is the danger of getting burned. ◀
Mobile communication devices in the
vehicle
Mobile communication devices in the ve‐
hicle
It is not recommended to use mobile phones,
such as mobile phones without a direct con‐
nection to an external aerial in the vehicle's
passenger compartment. Otherwise, the vehi‐
cle electronics and mobile communication de‐
vices can interfere with each other. In addition,
there is no assurance that the radiation gener‐
ated during transmission will be discharged
from the vehicle interior. ◀
Hydroplaning On wet or slushy roads, a wedge of water can
form between the tires and road surface.
This phenomenon is referred to as hydroplan‐
ing. It is characterized by a partial or complete
loss of contact between the tires and the road
surface, ultimately undermining your ability to
steer and brake the vehicle.
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads, re‐
duce your speed to prevent hydroplaning. ◀
The risk of hydroplaning increases as the tire
tread depth decreases. Minimum tread depth,
refer to page 226.
Driving through water Drive though calm water only if it is not deeper
than 12 inches/30 cm and at this height, no
faster than walking speed, up to
6 mph/10 km/h.
Using the handbrake on inclines Using the handbrake
On inclines, do not hold the vehicle sta‐
tionary with a slipping clutch for extended pe‐
riod; use the handbrake instead. Otherwise, the
clutch will be subject to increased wear. ◀
Support from the hill drive-off assistant, refer to
page 95.
Braking safely The vehicle is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature.
Applying the brakes fully is the most effective
way of braking in situations when this is neces‐
sary.
The vehicle maintains steering responsiveness.
You can still avoid any obstacles with a mini‐
mum of steering effort.Seite 123Things to remember when drivingDriving tips123
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Driving on poor roadsYour MINI with ALL4 all-wheel drive feels com‐
fortable on all streets and roads. It combines an
all-wheel drive system with the advantages of a
normal passenger car.
Do not drive on unpaved terrain
Do not drive on unpaved terrain, as oth‐
erwise the vehicle may be damaged. ◀
For your own safety and the safety of passen‐
gers and the vehicle, adhere to the following
points:▷Familiarize yourself with the vehicle before
driving; never take risks.▷Adjust speeds according to road conditions.
The steeper and rougher the road surface
is, the lower the speed should be.▷When driving on steep uphill and downhill
grades: the engine oil and coolant should
be filled nearly to the MAX mark.▷Watch for stones, holes, and other obsta‐
cles and drive around these where possible.▷On bumps and rough roads, avoid contact
between the vehicle body and the ground.
The maximum ground clearance is 6 in‐
ches/15 cm and may vary with the loaded
cargo.▷When driving through water, do not exceed
the maximum water height of 12 in‐
ches/30 cm and drive at walking speed.▷After driving through water, press on the
brake pedal several times at low speeds to
dry the brakes.▷Depending on the prevailing terrain, acti‐
vate Dynamic Traction Control DTC briefly,
refer to page 94.▷When the wheels spin, accelerate to enable
the driving stability control systems to dis‐
tribute the drive force to the individual
wheels.After driving on poor roads
Adhere to the following points to ensure vehi‐
cle safety:▷Remove excessive accumulations of dirt
and mud from the vehicle body.▷Clear mud, snow, ice, etc., from the wheels
and tires and check for damage.Seite 125Things to remember when drivingDriving tips125
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LoadingVehicle equipment
This chapter describes all series equipment as
well as country-specific and special equipment
offered for this model series.Therefore, it also
describes equipment that may not be found in
your vehicle, for instance due to the selected
special equipment or the country version. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems.
General information Overloading the vehicle
To avoid exceeding the approved carry‐
ing capacity of the tires, never overload the ve‐
hicle. Overloading can lead to overheating and
increases the rate at which damage develops
inside the tires. This could result in a sudden
loss of tire inflation pressure. ◀
No fluids in the cargo area
Make sure that fluids do not leak into the
cargo area; otherwise, the vehicle may be dam‐ aged. ◀
Determining the load
limit1.Locate the following statement on your ve‐
hicle’s placard:▷The combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX kg or
YYY lbs. Otherwise, damage to the ve‐
hicle and unstable driving situations
may result.2.Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kilograms or YYY
pounds.4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load ca‐
pacity.
For example, if the YYY amount equals
1,000 lbs and there will be four 150 lbs pas‐
sengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity
is 400 lbs: 1,000 lbs minus 600 lbs =
400 lbs.5.Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely exceed the
available cargo and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.6.If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load
from your trailer will be transfered to your
vehicle. Consult the manual for transporting
a trailer to determine how this may reduce
the available cargo and luggage load ca‐
pacity of your vehicle.
Load
4-seater:
Seite 126Driving tipsLoading126
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Wheels and tiresVehicle equipment
This chapter describes all series equipment as
well as country-specific and special equipment
offered for this model series.Therefore, it also
describes equipment that may not be found in
your vehicle, for instance due to the selected
special equipment or the country version. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems.
Tire inflation pressure Safety information
It is not merely the tires' 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 the pressure Check the tire inflation pressure regularly
Regularly check the tire inflation pressure
and correct it as needed: at least twice a month
and before a long trip. If you fail to observe this
precaution, you may be driving on tires with in‐
correct tire pressures, a condition that may not
only compromise your vehicle's driving stabil‐
ity, but also lead to tire damage and the risk of
an accident.
Do not drive with depressurized or flat tires, ex‐
cept for run-flat tires. A flat tire will seriously
impair your vehicle's handling and braking re‐
sponse. Attempts to drive on a flat tire can lead
to a loss of control over the vehicle. ◀
Only check the tire inflation pressure when the
tires are cold. This means after a maximum of
1.25 miles/2 km driving or when the vehicle
has been parked for at least 2 hours. When thetires are warm, the tire inflation pressure is
higher.
After correcting the tire inflation pressure, reset
the Tire Pressure Monitor, refer to page 88
or reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor, refer to
page 86.
To check the inflation pressure, there is a valve
extension behind the bumper.
Pressure specifications
The tables below provide all the correct infla‐
tion pressures for the specified tire sizes at am‐
bient temperature.
The inflation pressures apply to the tire sizes
approved and tire brands recommended by the
manufacturer of the MINI; a list of these is
available from the service center.
For correct identification of the right tire infla‐
tion pressures, observe the following:▷Tire sizes of 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/160 km/h,
adjust pressures to the respective tire inflation
pressures listed on the following pages in the
column for traveling speeds up to 100 mph/
160 km/h to achieve optimum driving comfort.
These tire inflation pressures can also be found
on the driver's side door pillar when the driver's
door is open.
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MINI Countryman:
MINI Paceman:
Do not exceed the maximum permissible
speed
The maximum permissible speed for these tire
pressures is 100 mph/160 km/h. Do not exceed
this speed; otherwise, tire damage and acci‐
dents may occur. ◀
Tire inflation pressures for driving
above 100 mph or 160 km/h
Adjust the tire inflation pressures
To drive at maximum speeds in excess of
100 mph/160 km/h, adjust pressures to the re‐
spective tire inflation pressures listed on the
following pages in the column for traveling
speeds including those exceeding 100 mph or
160 km/h. Otherwise, tire damage and acci‐
dents could occur. ◀
Observe all national and local maximum speed limits; otherwise, violations of the laws could
occur.
Tire inflation pressures for MINI Countryman Cooper
Tire sizePressure specifications in bar/PSITraveling speeds of up to
100 mph/160 km/hTraveling speeds above
100 mph/160 km/All pressure specifications in the table are indicated in bar/PSI with cold
tires.
Cold = ambient temperature195/60 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
205/55 R 17 91 V RSC
225/45 R 18 91 V RSC
225/40 R 19 89 V RSC2.2/322.2/322.4/352.4/35More details on the permissible load and weights, refer to page 261.Seite 221Wheels and tiresMobility221
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Tire inflation pressures for MINI Countryman Cooper S/Countryman Cooper S ALL4
Tire sizePressure specifications in bar/PSITraveling speeds of up to
100 mph/160 km/hTraveling speeds above
100 mph/160 km/All pressure specifications in the table are indicated in bar/PSI with cold
tires.
Cold = ambient temperature195/60 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
205/55 R 17 91 V RSC
225/45 R 18 91 V RSC
225/40 R 19 89 V RSC2.2/322.2/322.6/382.6/38More details on the permissible load and weights, refer to page 261.
Tire inflation pressures for MINI Countryman John Cooper Works
Tire sizePressure specifications in bar/PSITraveling speeds of up to
100 mph/160 km/hTraveling speeds above
100 mph/160 km/All pressure specifications in the table are indicated in bar/PSI with cold
tires.
Cold = ambient temperature195/60 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 RSC2.4/352.4/352.6/382.6/38More details on the permissible load and weights, refer to page 261.Seite 222MobilityWheels and tires222
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Tire inflation pressures for MINI Paceman Cooper
Tire sizePressure specifications in bar/PSITraveling speeds of up to
100 mph/160 km/hTraveling speeds above
100 mph/160 km/All pressure specifications in the table are indicated in bar/PSI with cold
tires.
Cold = ambient temperature195/60 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
205/55 R 17 91 V RSC
225/45 R 18 91 V RSC
225/40 R 19 89 V RSC2.2/322.2/322.4/352.4/35More details on the permissible load and weights, refer to page 262.
Tire inflation pressures for MINI Paceman Cooper S / Paceman Cooper S ALL4
Tire sizePressure specifications in bar/PSITraveling speeds of up to
100 mph/160 km/hTraveling speeds above
100 mph/160 km/All pressure specifications in the table are indicated in bar/PSI with cold
tires.
Cold = ambient temperature195/60 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
205/55 R 17 91 V RSC
225/45 R 18 91 V RSC
225/40 R 19 89 V RSC2.2/322.2/322.6/382.6/38More details on the permissible load and weights, refer to page 262.Seite 223Wheels and tiresMobility223
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