2015 MINI COOPER ESP

FuelVehicle features and op‐
tions
This chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems. The respectively applicable country provi‐
sions must be observed when using the respec‐
tive features and systems.
Fuel recommendation General information Depending on the region, many gas stations
sell fuel that has been customized to winter or
summer conditions. Fuel that is available in
winter helps make a cold start easier, for exam‐
ple.
Information CAUTION
Even fuels that conform to the specifica‐
tions can be of low quality. This may cause en‐
gine problems, for instance poor engine start-
up behavior, poor handling and/or poor
performance. There is risk of property damage.
In case of engine problems, switch gas stations
or use a brand name fuel with a higher octane
rating. ◀
Gasoline For the best fuel efficiency, the gasoline should
be sulfur-free or very low in sulfur content.
Fuels that are marked on the gas pump as con‐
taining metal must not be used.CAUTION
Even small amounts of wrong fuel or
wrong fuel additives can damage the fuel sys‐
tem and the engine. Furthermore, the catalytic
converter is permanently damaged. There is
risk of property damage. Do not refuel or add
the following in the case of gasoline engines:▷Leaded gasoline.▷Metallic additives, for example manganese
or iron.
Do not press the Start/Stop button after refuel‐
ing the wrong fuel. Contact a dealer’s service
center or another qualified service center or re‐
pair shop. ◀
Fuels with a maximum ethanol content of
25 %, i. e. E10 or E25, may be used for refuel‐
ing.
Ethanol should satisfy the following quality
standards:
US: ASTM 4806–xx
CAN: CGSB-3.511–xx
xx: comply with the current standard in each
case.
CAUTION
Wrong fuels can damage the fuel system
and the engine. There is risk of property dam‐
age. Do not use a fuel with a higher ethanol
percentage than recommended or one with
other types of alcohol, for example M5 to
M100. ◀
Recommended fuel grade
MINI recommends AKI 91.
John Cooper Works:
MINI recommends AKI 93.
Minimum fuel grade
MINI recommends AKI 89.
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John Cooper Works:
MINI recommends AKI 91.
CAUTION
Fuel that does not comply with the mini‐
mum quality can compromise engine function
or cause engine damage. There is risk of prop‐
erty damage. Do not fill with fuel that does not
comply with the minimum quality. ◀
If you use gasoline with this minimum AKI Rat‐
ing, the engine may produce knocking sounds
when starting at high outside temperatures.
This has no effect on the engine life.
CAUTION
The use of poor-quality fuels may result in
harmful engine deposits or damage. Addition‐
ally, problems relating to drivability, starting
and stalling, especially under certain environ‐
mental conditions such as high ambient tem‐
perature and high altitude, may occur.
If drivability problems are encountered, we rec‐
ommend switching to a high quality gasoline
brand and a higher octane grade — AKI num‐
ber — for a few tank fills. To avoid harmful en‐
gine deposits, it is highly recommended to pur‐
chase gasoline from Top Tier retailers.
Failure to comply with these recommendations
may result in the need for unscheduled mainte‐
nance. ◀Seite 179FuelMOBILITY179
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Wheels and tiresVehicle features and op‐
tions
This chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems. The respectively applicable country provi‐
sions must be observed when using the respec‐
tive features and systems.
Tire inflation pressure Safety informationThe tire characteristics and tire inflation pres‐
sure influence the following:▷The service life of the tires.▷Road safety.▷Driving comfort.
Checking the tire inflation pressure
WARNING
A tire with low or missing tire inflation
pressure impacts handling, such as steering
and braking response. There is risk of an acci‐
dent. Regularly check the tire inflation pressure,
and correct it as needed, for example twice a
month and before a long trip. ◀
Tires have a natural, consistent loss of tire infla‐
tion pressure.
Tires heat up while driving, and the tire inflation
pressure increases along with the tire's temper‐
ature. The tire inflation pressure specifications
relate to cold tires or tires with the ambient
temperature.
Only check the tire inflation pressure when the
tires are cold. This means after driving no more
than 1.25 miles/2 km or when the vehicle has
been parked for at least 2 hours.
The displays of inflation devices may under-
read by up to 0.1 bar.
For Flat Tire Monitor: after correcting the tire
inflation pressure, reinitialize the Flat Tire Moni‐
tor.
For Tire Pressure Monitor: after correcting the
tire inflation pressure, reset the Tire Pressure
Monitor.▷Reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor.▷Reinitialize the Tire Pressure Monitor.
Checking the inflation pressure of the
emergency wheel
Located behind the bumper on the underside
of the vehicle is an opening for checking the
tire inflation pressure.
Pressure specifications
The tire inflation pressure table, refer to
page 181, contains all tire inflation pressure
specifications for the specified tire sizes at the
ambient temperature. The tire inflation pres‐
sure values apply to tire sizes approved by the
manufacturer of the vehicle for the vehicle
type.
To identify the correct tire inflation pressure,
please note the following:
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under controlled conditions on a specified gov‐
ernment test course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one-half, 1 g, 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, how‐
ever, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road characteristics
and climate.
Traction The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B, and C.
Those grades represent the tire's ability to stop
on wet pavement as measured under control‐
led conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked
C may have poor traction performance.
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based
on straight-ahead braking traction tests, and
does not include acceleration, cornering, hy‐
droplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature The temperature grades are A, the highest, B,
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the ma‐
terial 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 Vehi‐
cle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades Band A
represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum re‐
quired by law.
WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is es‐
tablished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinfla‐tion, or excessive loading, either separately or
in combination, can cause heat buildup and
possible tire failure. ◀
RSC – Run-flat tires
Run-flat tires, refer to page 190, are labeled
with a circular symbol containing the letters
RSC marked on the sidewall.
M+S
Winter and all-season tires with better cold
weather performance than summer tires.
Tire tread Summer tiresDo not drive with a tire tread depth of less than
0.12 inches/3 mm.
There is an increased danger of hydroplaning if
the tread depth is less than 0.12 inches/3 mm.
Winter tires Do not drive with a tire tread depth of less than
0.16 inches/4 mm.
Below a tread depth of 0.16 inches/4 mm, tires
are less suitable for winter operation.
Minimum tread depth
Wear indicators are distributed around the tire's
circumference and have the legally required
minimum height of 0.063 inches/1.6 mm.
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They are marked on the side of the tire with
TWI, Tread Wear Indicator.
Tire damage General information
Inspect your tires regularly for damage, foreign
objects lodged in the tread, and tread wear.
Information Driving over rough or damaged road surfaces,
as well as debris, curbs and other obstacles can
cause serious damage to wheels, tires and sus‐
pension parts. This is more likely to occur with
low-profile tires, which provide less cushioning
between the wheel and the road. Be careful to
avoid road hazards and reduce your speed, es‐
pecially if your vehicle is equipped with low-
profile tires.
Indications of tire damage or other vehicle mal‐
functions:▷Unusual vibrations while driving.▷Unusual handling such as a strong ten‐
dency to pull to the left or right.
Damage can, e. g., be caused by driving over
curbs, road damage, or similar things.
WARNING
Damaged tires can lose tire inflation pres‐
sure, which can lead to loss of vehicle control.
There is risk of an accident. If tire damage is
suspected while driving, immediately reduce
speed and stop. Have wheels and tires
checked. For this purpose, drive carefully to the
nearest dealer’s service center or another
qualified service center or repair shop. Have
vehicle towed or transported as needed. ◀
WARNING
Damaged tires can lose tire inflation pres‐
sure, which can lead to loss of vehicle control.
There is risk of an accident. Do not repair dam‐
aged tires, but have them replaced. ◀
Changing wheels and
tires
Mounting Have mounting and wheel balancing carried
out by a dealer’s service center or another
qualified service center or repair shop.
Wheel and tire combination
You can ask the dealer’s service center or an‐
other qualified service center or repair shop
about the right wheel/tire combination and
wheel rim versions for the vehicle.
Incorrect wheel and tire combinations impair
the function of a variety of systems such as ABS
or DSC.
To maintain good handling and vehicle re‐
sponse, use only tires with a single tread con‐
figuration from a single manufacturer.
Following tire damage, have the original wheel
and tire combination remounted on the vehicle
as soon as possible.
WARNING
Wheels and tires which are not suitable
for your vehicle can damage parts of the vehi‐
cle, e.g. due to contact with the body due to
tolerances despite the same official size rating.
There is risk of an accident. The manufacturer
of your vehicle strongly suggests that you use
wheels and tires that have been recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer for your vehicle
type. ◀Seite 188MOBILITYWheels and tires188
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Recommended tire brands
For each tire size, the manufacturer of the vehi‐
cle recommends certain tire brands. These can
be identified by a star on the tire sidewall.
New tires
Tire traction is not optimal due to manufactur‐
ing circumstances when tires are brand-new;
they achieve their full traction potential after a
break-in time.
Drive conservatively for the first
200 miles/300 km.
Retreaded tires The manufacturer of your vehicle does not rec‐
ommend the use of retreaded tires.
WARNING
Retreaded tires can have different tire
casing structures. With advanced age the serv‐
ice life can be limited. There is risk of an acci‐
dent. The manufacturer of your vehicle does
not recommend the use of retreaded tires. ◀
Winter tires
Winter tires are recommended for operating on
winter roads.
Although so-called all-season M+S tires provide
better winter traction than summer tires, they
do not provide the same level of performance
as winter tires.
Maximum speed of winter tires
If the maximum speed of the vehicle is higher
than the permissible speed for the winter tires,
then a respective symbol is displayed in your
field of vision. The label is available from a
dealer’s service center or another qualified
service center or repair shop.
With mounted winter tires, observe and adhere
to the permissible maximum speed.
Run-flat tires If you are already using run-flat tires, for your
own safety you should replace them only with
the same kind. No spare tire is available in the
case of a flat tire. Further information is availa‐
ble from a dealer’s service center or another
qualified service center or repair shop.
Rotating wheels between axles
Different wear patterns can occur on the front
and rear axles depending on individual driving
conditions. The tires can be rotated between
the axles to achieve even wear. Further infor‐
mation is available from a dealer’s service cen‐
ter or another qualified service center or repair
shop. After rotating, check the tire pressure and
correct if needed.
Storage Store wheels and tires in a cool, dry place with
as little exposure to light as possible.
Always protect tires against all contact with oil,
grease and fuels.
Do not exceed the maximum tire inflation pres‐
sure indicated on the side wall of the tire.Seite 189Wheels and tiresMOBILITY189
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Engine compartmentVehicle features and op‐
tions
This chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the series. It also describes features that are notnecessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems. The respectively applicable country provi‐
sions must be observed when using the respec‐
tive features and systems.
Important features in the engine comp.
1Washer fluid reservoir2Vehicle identification number3Oil filler neck4Jump-starting, positive terminal5Jump-starting, negative terminal6Coolant reservoirHood
Information WARNING
Improperly executed work in the engine
compartment can damage vehicle components
and impair vehicle functions. There is a risk ofpersonal and property damage. The manufac‐
turer of your vehicle recommends that, in the
effort to avoid such risks, work in the engine
compartment be performed by a dealer’s serv‐
ice center or another qualified service center or
repair shop. ◀Seite 194MOBILITYEngine compartment194
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Engine oilVehicle features and op‐
tions
This chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems. The respectively applicable country provi‐
sions must be observed when using the respec‐
tive features and systems.
General information The engine oil consumption is dependent on
the driving style and driving conditions.
The engine oil consumption can increase in the
following situations, for example:▷Sporty driving style.▷Break-in of the engine.▷Idling of the engine.▷With use of engine oil types that are classi‐
fied as not suitable.
Therefore, regularly check the engine oil level
after refueling.
The vehicle is equipped with electronic oil
measurement.
The electronic oil measurement has two meas‐
uring principles:
▷Status display.▷Detailed measurement.Electronic oil measure‐
ment
Status display
The concept
The engine oil level is monitored electronically
while driving and shown on the Control Display.
If the engine oil level reaches the minimum
level, a check control message is displayed.
RequirementsA current measured value is available after ap‐
prox. 30 minutes of driving. During a shorter
trip, the status of the last, sufficiently long trip is
displayed.
With frequent short-distance trips, perform a
detailed measurement.
Displaying the engine oil level On the Control Display:1. "Vehicle info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Engine oil level"
Engine oil level display messagesDifferent messages appear on the display de‐
pending on the engine oil level. Pay attention
to these messages.
If the engine oil level is too low within the next
125 miles/200 km, add engine oil, refer to
page 197.
CAUTION
A too low engine oil level causes engine
damage. There is risk of property damage. Im‐
mediately add engine oil. ◀
Take care not to add too much engine oil.
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