Closing the tailgateWARNING
An open tailgate protrudes from the vehi‐
cle and can endanger occupants and other traf‐
fic participants or damage the vehicle in the
event of an accident, braking or evasive ma‐
neuvers. In addition, exhaust fumes may enter
the vehicle interior. There is risk of injuries or
risk of property damage. Do not drive with the
tailgate open. ◀
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
WARNING
During driving operation, high tempera‐
tures can occur underneath the body, e.g.
caused by the exhaust gas system. If combusti‐
ble materials, such as leaves or grass, come in
contact with hot parts of the exhaust gas sys‐
tem, these materials can ignite. There is risk of
injuries or risk of property damage.
Do not remove the heat shields installed and
never apply undercoating to them. Make sure
that no combustible materials can come in con‐
tact with hot vehicle parts in driving operation,
idle or during parking. Do not touch the hot ex‐
haust system. ◀
Mobile communication devices in the vehicle
WARNING
The vehicle's performance may be af‐
fected by interference from high frequency
radio signals. These signals are emitted by a
series of transmission systems, such as from air
traffic beacons or relay stations for mobile tele‐
communications.
If you have problems of this nature, we recom‐
mend that you consult your dealer’s service
center or another qualified service center or re‐
pair shop. ◀
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.
The risk of hydroplaning increases as the tire
tread depth decreases. Minimum tread depth,
refer to page 160.
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 parking brake on inclines On inclines, do not hold the vehicle stationary
with a slipping clutch for extended period; use
the parking brake instead. Otherwise, the
clutch will be subject to increased wear.
Support from the hill drive-off assistant, refer to
page 86.
Braking safely The vehicle is equipped with ABS as a standardfeature.
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.
Pulsation of the brake pedal and sounds from
the hydraulic circuits indicate that ABS is in its
active mode.Seite 113Things to remember when drivingDRIVING TIPS113
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Objects in the area around the pedalsWARNING
Objects in the driver's floor area can limit
the pedal distance or block a depressed pedal.
There is risk of an accident. Stow objects in the
vehicle such that they are secured and cannot
enter into the driver's floor area. Use floor mats
that are suitable for the vehicle and can be
safely attached to the floor. Do not use loose
floor mats and do not layer several floor mats.
Make sure that there is sufficient clearance for
the pedals. Ensure that the floor mats are se‐
curely fastened again after they were removed,
e.g. for cleaning. ◀
Driving in wet conditions When roads are wet or there is heavy rain,
briefly exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal
every few miles.
Ensure that this action does not endanger other
road users.
The heat generated in this process helps dry
the brake discs and pads.
In this way braking efficiency will be available
when you need it.
Hills
Drive long or steep downhill gradients in the
gear in which the least braking is required. Oth‐
erwise, the brake system may overheat, result‐
ing in a reduction in the brake system effi‐
ciency.
You can increase the engine's braking effect by
shifting down, going all the way to first gear, if
necessary.
Downshifting in manual mode of the Steptronic
transmission, refer to page 58.
WARNING
Light but consistent brake pressure can
lead to high temperatures, brakes wearing out
and possibly even brake failure. There is risk ofan accident. Avoid placing excessive load on
the brake system. ◀
WARNING
In idle or with the engine switched off,
safety-relevant functions are restricted or not
available anymore, e.g. braking effect of the
engine or braking force and steering support.
There is risk of an accident. Do not drive in idle
or with the engine switched off. ◀
Brake disc corrosion Corrosion on the brake discs and contamina‐
tion on the brake pads are furthered by:▷Low mileage.▷Extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all.▷Infrequent use of the brakes.
Corrosion occurs when the minimum pressure
that must be exerted by the pads during brake
applications to clean the discs is not reached.
Should corrosion form on the brake discs, the
brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating ef‐
fect that generally cannot be corrected.
When the vehicle is parked
When using the automatic climate control, con‐
densation water develops that exits under‐
neath the vehicle.
Therefore, traces of condensed water under the
vehicle are normal.
After the engine is switched off, the coolant
pump may continue running for some time in
the MINI Cooper S. This causes noises in the en‐
gine compartment.
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.
Seite 114DRIVING TIPSThings to remember when driving114
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Securing cargoLashing eyes in the cargo area
MINI Countryman
MINI Paceman
Securing cargo
▷Secure smaller and lighter pieces with tight‐
ening belts or straps.▷Secure larger and heavier pieces with cargo
straps.
Adhere to the information included with
the cargo straps.▷Eight mounting eyes are available for fas‐
tening the cargo straps.
Two of them are located on the side wall of
the cargo area, arrows 1, and two are lo‐
cated on the rear wall of the cargo area, ar‐
rows 2.
WARNING
Improperly stowed objects can shift and
be thrown into the car's interior, e.g. in the
event of an accident or during braking and eva‐
sive maneuvers. Vehicle occupants can be hit
and injured. There is risk of injuries. Stow and
secure objects and cargo properly.
Do not secure cargo using the upper LATCH
mounting points, refer to page 48; otherwise,
these may become damaged. ◀
Roof-mounted luggage
rack
InformationA special rack system is available as an optional
accessory.
Securing
Follow the installation instructions of the roof
rack.
Ensure that adequate clearance is available for
the movement of the glass sunroof.
Loading Because roof racks raise the vehicle's center ofgravity when loaded, they have a major effect
on vehicle handling and steering response.
Therefore, note the following when loading and driving:▷Do not exceed the approved roof/axle
loads and the approved gross vehicle
weight.▷Distribute the roof load uniformly.▷The roof load should not extend past the
loading area.▷Always load the heaviest pieces on the bot‐
tom.▷Secure the roof luggage firmly, e.g., tie with
ratchet straps.▷Do not let objects project into the opening
path of the tailgate.▷Drive smoothly. Avoid sudden acceleration
and braking maneuvers. Take corners gen‐
tly.Seite 118DRIVING TIPSLoading118
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If all points in this list have been checked and
the required function is still not available, con‐
tact the hotline or a dealer’s service center or
another qualified service center or repair shop.
Controls▷Accept/reject a call.▷Dial a phone number.▷Dial a phone number from the phone book.▷Dial a stored phone number, such as from
the list of accepted calls.▷End the call.
When the ignition and the radio ready state are
switched off, such as after the remote control is
removed, an existing call can be continued for
up to 25 minutes on the hands-free system.
Adjusting the volume
Turn the knob until the desired volume is se‐
lected. Settings are stored for the remote con‐
trol currently in use.
The ringer volume of incoming calls and the call
volume can be adjusted independently.
When a call is placed using the hands-free sys‐
tem, the audio sources are muted.
Switching the microphone to mute
When a call is active, the microphone can be
muted.
"MUTE"
A microphone that has been switched to mute
is automatically reactivated when a new con‐
nection is established.
Incoming call
Receiving calls If the number of the caller is stored in the
phone book and is transmitted by the network,
the name of the contact is displayed. Other‐
wise, only the phone number is displayed.
Accepting a call Briefly press the button on the steering
wheel or radio.
or
"YES"
Rejecting a call
"NO"
Ending a call Briefly press the button on the steering
wheel or radio.
or
"END"
Entering a phone number
Dialing a number1.Switch on the radio ready state or the igni‐
tion.2. Press the button.3."PHONE"4."#"5.Enter the desired phone number on the
buttons 0–9.Seite 142COMMUNICATIONTelephone142
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To delete the last digit: "DEL"6. Briefly press the button on the
steering wheel or radio.
or
Press the right knob to dial the phone num‐
ber.
Phone book
Dialed phone numbers, incoming calls and en‐
tries in the phone book are stored on lists if the
mobile phone is connected to the vehicle via
Bluetooth.
Five lists are available:
▷"A-Z"
Entries of the phone book of the SIM card
or of the mobile phone, which consist of a
name and phone number, are sorted in al‐
phabetical order.▷"TOP8"
The Top 8 list contains the eight phone
numbers that were dialed most frequently.▷"LAST8"
The last eight phone numbers that were di‐
aled are stored. The phone number dialed
last is at the top of the list.▷"CALLS"
The phone numbers of the last eight ac‐
cepted calls are stored. For this to be possi‐
ble, it must be possible to transmit the
phone number of the caller.▷"MISSED"
The phone numbers of the last eight calls
that were not accepted are stored. For this
to be possible, it must be possible to trans‐
mit the phone number of the caller.
Dialing a phone number from the phone
book
The list A-Z is available for phone book entries.
If entries with different names but the same
phone number are transferred to the vehicle
from the mobile phone, only one entry is dis‐
played.
The display of the phone book entries on the
radio may differ from the display on the mobile
phone, such as the order of the first and last
names.1.Switch on the radio ready state or the igni‐
tion.2. Press the button.3."PHONE"4."A-Z"5. The arrows indicate that additional
letters can be displayed.
Turn the right knob to display additional
letters if necessary.6.Turn the right knob to select the first letter
of the entry.7.Select the entry with the function button.
The phone number is dialed.
To display all entries:
1.Turn the right knob to select the first letter
of the entry and press the knob.2.Turn the right knob to select the desired
entry and press the knob.
or
Press the button on the steering
wheel or radio to dial the number.
The phone number is dialed.
Editing and dialing a phone number
from the phone book
You can edit the phone number of an entry be‐
fore making a call. This change is not stored in
the phone book.
1.Selecting an entry.2."EDIT"3.To delete a digit: "DEL"Seite 143TelephoneCOMMUNICATION143
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4.Enter additional digits on the buttons 0–9.5.Press the right knob to dial the phone num‐
ber.
Dialing a phone number from the phone
book using the buttons on the steering
wheel
1. Press and hold the button to dis‐
play the Telephone menu.2.Press the arrow buttons on the steering
wheel to leaf through the phone book.3. Press the button to dial the phone
number.
Dialing a phone number stored in a list
To select an entry and establish a connection:
1.Switch on the radio ready state or the igni‐
tion.2. Press the button.3."PHONE"4.Select a list, for instance "TOP8"5.Turn the right knob to select an entry and
press the knob to dial the phone number.
Deleting an individual entry
1.Select an entry from the list.2."DEL"
DTMF suffix dialing
DTMF suffix dialing can be used for gaining ac‐
cess to network services or for controlling devi‐
ces, e.g., to make a remote inquiry of an an‐
swering machine. The DTMF code is needed for
this purpose.
This function is only available if a connection
exists and if the hands-free system is being
used.
1."KEYPAD"2.Enter the DTMF code on the buttons 0–9.3.If necessary, press and hold the function
button on the right or left to enter special
characters.
Displaying the call duration
During a call:
"DURAT"
Hands-free system
General information
Calls that are being made on the hands-free
system can be continued on the mobile phone
and vice versa.
From the mobile phone to the hands-
free system
Calls that were begun outside of the Bluetoothrange of the vehicle can be continued on the
hands-free system with the ignition switched
on.
Depending on the mobile phone, the system
automatically switches to the hands-free sys‐
tem.
If the system does not switch over automati‐
cally, follow the instructions on the mobile
phone display; refer also to the mobile phone
operating instructions.
From the hands-free system to the
mobile phone
Calls that are made on the hands-free system
can in some cases be continued on the mobile
phone; this depends on the mobile phone.
Follow the instructions on the mobile phone
display; refer also to the mobile phone operat‐
ing instructions.
MINI phone numbers When the ignition is switched on, various serv‐ice phone numbers can be displayed.
Seite 144COMMUNICATIONTelephone144
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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.
When using the features and systems described
here, adhere to local regulations.
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
Tires naturally lose pressure uniformly across all
four tires.
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, e.g. twice a month
and before a long trip. ◀
Tires heat up while driving, and the tire inflation
pressure increases along with the tire's temper‐
ature. The tire inflation pressure specifications
apply to cold tires or tires at ambient tempera‐
ture.
Only check the tire inflation pressure when the
tires are cold. This means after a maximum of1.25 miles/2 km driving or when the vehicle
has been parked for at least 2 hours. When the
tires are warm, the tire inflation pressure is
higher.
After correcting the tire inflation pressure, reset
the Tire Pressure Monitor, refer to page 80
or reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor, refer to
page 78.
Pressure specifications
The tire inflation pressure table contains all tire
inflation pressure specifications for the speci‐
fied tire sizes at the ambient temperature. The
tire inflation pressure values apply to tire sizes
approved by the manufacturer of the vehicle
for the vehicle type.
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.
MINI Countryman:
Seite 154MOBILITYWheels and tires154
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Run-flat tiresWhen mounting new tires or changing fromsummer to winter tires or vice versa, use run-
flat tires for your own safety. Also, a compact
wheel is not available in case of a flat tire. A
dealer’s service center will be glad to answer
any questions you may have.
Rotating wheels between axles
Different wear patterns occur on the front and
rear axles, depending on the individual condi‐
tions of use.
To ensure even wear on the tires, the wheels
can be rotated between the axles. A dealer’s
service center will be glad to answer any ques‐
tions you may have.
After changing the tires, check the tire inflation
pressure and correct it if necessary.
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.
Run-flat tires
Label
The symbol identifying run-flat tires is a circle
with the letters RSC on the sidewall.
Run-flat tires are tires that support themselves
for a limited period of time, and they may also
come with special rims. The sidewall reinforce‐
ment ensures that the tire can continue to be
used to a limited extent if it has lost pressure
and even if it has become completely depres‐
surized.
For continued driving in the event of a flat tire,
refer to page 78.
Correcting a flat tire
Safety measures▷Park the vehicle as far as possible from
passing traffic and on solid ground. Switch
on the hazard warning system.▷Let the steering wheel lock engage with the
wheels in the straight-ahead position, set
the parking brake, and engage first gear or
reverse, or engage selector lever position P.▷Have all vehicle occupants get out of the
vehicle and ensure that they remain out‐
side the immediate area in a safe place,
such as behind a guardrail.▷If a warning triangle or portable hazard
warning lamp is required, set it up on the
roadside at an appropriate distance from
the rear of the vehicle. Comply with all
safety guidelines and regulations.
The procedure to correct a flat tire depends on
the equipment in the vehicle:
▷Run-flat tires, refer to page 162.▷MINI Mobility System, refer to page 162.
MINI Mobility System
Information
▷Follow the instructions on using the Mobi‐
lity System found on the compressor and
sealant bottle.Seite 162MOBILITYWheels and tires162
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