Things to remember when drivingVehicle 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.
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 replacement
The 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 CAUTION
If ground clearance is insufficient, there
might be contact with the front or rear spoiler
e.g. when driving over curbs or entering into
underground car parking garages. There is risk
of property damage. Ensure that there is suffi‐
cient ground clearance available. ◀Seite 112DRIVING TIPSThings to remember when driving112
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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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CAUTION
Objects in unpaved areas, e.g. stones or
branches, can damage the vehicle. There is risk
of property damage. Do not drive on unpaved
terrain. ◀
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 85.▷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 115Things to remember when drivingDRIVING TIPS115
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LoadingVehicle 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.
General information WARNING
High gross weight can overheat the tires,
damage them internally, and cause a sudden drop in tire inflation pressure. There is risk of an
accident. Pay attention to the permitted load
capacity of the tires and never exceed the per‐
mitted gross weight. ◀
CAUTION
Fluids in the cargo area can cause dam‐
age. There is risk of property damage. Make sure that no fluids leak in the cargo area. ◀
WARNING Loose objects in the car's interior can be
thrown into the car's interior while driving, e.g.
in the event of an accident or during braking
and evasive maneuvers. There is risk of injuries.
Secure loose objects in the car's interior. ◀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 theSeite 116DRIVING TIPSLoading116
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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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MINI Paceman:
Do not exceed a speed of 100 mph/160 km/h.
Tire inflation pressures for driving
above 100 mph or 160 km/h
WARNING
In order to drive at maximum speeds in
excess of 100 mph/160 km/h, please observe,
and, if necessary, adjust tire pressures for
speeds exceeding 100 mph/160 km/h from the
relevant table on the following pages. Other‐
wise tire damage and accidents 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/hAll 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 209.Seite 155Wheels and tiresMOBILITY155
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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/hAll 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 209.
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/hAll pressure specifications in the table
are indicated in bar/PSI with cold
tires.
Cold = ambient temperature195/60 R 16 89 H M+S Std
225/45 R 18 91 V RSC
225/45 R 18 91 V M+S A/S RSC2.4/352.4/352.6/382.6/38225/40 R 19 89 V RSC2.4/352.4/352.7/392.7/39More details on the permissible load and weights, refer to page 209.Seite 156MOBILITYWheels and tires156
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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/hAll 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 210.
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/hAll 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 210.Seite 157Wheels and tiresMOBILITY157
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