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128Climate controlBus
Adjustable air vents may be located inthe roof frame above the seats. Turn
adjuster to increase/decrease airflow
to the appropriate seat.
Fixed air vents Additional air vents are located
beneath the windscreen and door
windows and in the foot wells.
Glovebox cooler
The air conditioning system can also
keep the contents of the glovebox
cool.
Maintenance
Air intake
The air intake in front of the
windscreen in the engine
compartment must be kept clear to
allow air intake. Remove any leaves,
dirt or snow.
Pollen filter The pollen filter cleans dust, soot,
pollen and spores from the air
entering the vehicle through the air
intake.
Air conditioning regular
operation
In order to ensure continuously
efficient performance, cooling must
be operated for a few minutes once a
month, irrespective of the weather
and time of year. Operation with
cooling is not possible when outside
temperature is too low.
ServiceFor optimal cooling performance, it is
recommended to annually check the
climate control system, starting
three years after initial vehicle
registration, including:
● functionality and pressure test
● heating functionality
● leakage check
● check of drive belts
● cleaning of condenser and evaporator drainage
● performance check
Page 171 of 259

Driving and operating169Trailer hitch
General information
Only use towing equipment that has
been approved for your vehicle.
Entrust fitting of towing equipment at
a later date to a workshop. It may be
necessary to make changes that
affect the cooling system, heat
shields or other equipment.
Driving characteristics and towing tips
In the case of trailers with brakes,
attach the breakaway stopping cable.
Before attaching a trailer, lubricate
the coupling ball. However, do not do
so if a stabiliser, which acts on the coupling ball, is being used to reduce
snaking movements. For trailers with
low driving stability the use of a
stabiliser is recommended.
A maximum speed of 50 mph must
not be exceeded, even in countries
where higher speeds are permitted.If the trailer starts snaking, drive more slowly, do not attempt to correct the
steering and brake sharply if
necessary.
When driving downhill, drive in the
same gear as if driving uphill and
drive at a similar speed.
Adjust tyre pressure to the value
specified for full load 3 243.
Trailer towing
Trailer loads The permissible trailer loads are
vehicle-dependent and engine-
dependent maximum values which
must not be exceeded. The actual
trailer load is the difference between
the actual gross weight of the trailer
and the actual coupling socket load
with the trailer coupled.
The permissible trailer loads are
specified in the vehicle documents. In
general, they are valid for gradients
up to max. 12%.
The permitted trailer load applies up to the specified incline and up to an
altitude of 1000 metres above sealevel. Since engine power decreases as altitude increases due to the airbecoming thinner, therefore reducing
climbing ability, the permissible gross
train weight also decreases by 10%
for every 1000 metres of additional
altitude. The gross train weight does
not have to be reduced when driving on roads with slight inclines (less than 8%, e.g. motorways).
The permissible gross train weight
must not be exceeded. This weight is
specified on the identification plate
3 222.
Vertical coupling load
The vertical coupling load is the load
exerted by the trailer on the coupling
ball. It can be varied by changing the
weight distribution when loading the
trailer.
The maximum permissible vertical
coupling load is specified on the
towing equipment identification plate
and in the vehicle documents. Always aim for the maximum load, especially in the case of heavy trailers. The
vertical coupling load should never
fall below 25 kg.
Page 176 of 259
174Vehicle careEnd-of-life vehicle recoveryInformation on end-of-life vehicle
recovery centres and the recycling of
end-of-life vehicles is available on our website, where legally required. Only
entrust this work to an authorised
recycling centre.Vehicle checks
Performing work9 Warning
Only perform engine compartment
checks when the ignition is off.
The vehicle must not be in an
Autostop 3 134.
The cooling fan may start
operating even if the ignition is off.
9 Danger
The ignition system generates
extremely high voltages. Do not
touch.
The caps for topping up the engine oil, the coolant, the washer fluid and the
oil dipstick handle are yellow for ease
of identification.
Bonnet
Opening
Pull the release lever and return it to
its original position.
Page 179 of 259

Vehicle care177Coolant levelCaution
Too low a coolant level can causeengine damage.
If the cooling system is cold, the
coolant level should be just above the
MINI mark. Top up if the level is low.
9Warning
Allow the engine to cool before
opening the cap. Carefully open
the cap, relieving the pressure
slowly.
Top up with antifreeze. If no
antifreeze is available, use clean tap
water or distilled water. Install the cap
tightly. Have the antifreeze
concentration checked and have the
cause of the coolant loss remedied by a workshop.
If a substantial amount of coolant is
required, it will be necessary to bleed
any trapped air from the cooling
system. Seek the assistance of a
workshop.
Power steering fluidCaution
Extremely small amounts of
contamination can cause steering
system damage and cause it to not work properly. Do not allow
contaminates to contact the fluid
side of the reservoir cap or from
entering the reservoir.
The fluid level normally does not need
to be checked. If an unusual noise is
heard during steering or if the power
steering reacts conspicuously, seek
the assistance of a workshop.
Depending on vehicle, the power
steering fluid reservoir may be
located in the engine compartment
(Type A) or below the front wheel
arch, behind a trim panel (Type B).
Type A
If the fluid level in the reservoir falls
below the MINI mark, consult a
workshop.
Page 204 of 259

202Vehicle carespeedometer as well as the nominaltyre pressure and make other vehicle modifications.
After converting to a different tyre
size, have the label with tyre
pressures replaced.9 Warning
Use of unsuitable tyres or wheels
may lead to accidents and will
invalidate the vehicle type
approval.
Wheel covers
Wheel covers and tyres that are
factory approved for the respective
vehicle and comply with all of the
relevant wheel and tyre combination requirements must be used.
If the wheel covers and tyres used are
not factory approved, the tyres must
not have a rim protection ridge.
Wheel covers must not impair brake
cooling.
9 Warning
Use of unsuitable tyres or wheel
covers could lead to sudden
pressure loss and thereby
accidents.
Tyre chains
Tyre chains are only permitted on the
drive wheels.
On vehicles with twin rear wheels,
tyre chains are only permitted on the
outer wheels.
Always use fine mesh chains that add no more than 15 mm to the tyre tread
and the inboard sides (including chain lock).9 Warning
Damage may lead to tyre blowout.
Wheel covers on steel wheels may
come into contact with parts of the
chains. In such cases, remove the
wheel covers.
Tyre chains may only be used at
speeds up to 30 mph and, when
travelling on roads that are free of
snow, they may only be used for brief
periods since they are subject to rapid wear on a hard road and may snap.
The use of tyre chains is not permitted on the temporary spare wheel or on
wheels of a different size than those
fitted at the factory.
Tyre repair kit Minor damage to the tyre tread can be
repaired with the tyre repair kit.