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Vehicle care167End-of-life vehicle recovery
Information 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 3 137.
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 brake fluid, 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.
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168Vehicle care
Move the safety catch, located
slightly right of centre, to the left and raise the bonnet.
The bonnet is held open
automatically by a lifter.
If the bonnet is opened during an
Autostop, the engine will be restarted automatically for safety reasons.
Stop-start system 3 137.
Caution
Ensure the windscreen wiper is
switched off before opening the
bonnet 3 86.
Closing
Lower the bonnet and allow it to fall
into the latch from a low height
(approx. 30 cm). Check that the
bonnet is engaged.Caution
Do not press the bonnet into the
latch, to avoid dents.
9 Warning
In the event of even a minor head-
on collision, have the bonnet
safety catch checked by a
workshop.
Engine oil
Check the engine oil level manually on a regular basis to prevent damage
to the engine.
Ensure that the correct specification
of engine oil is used.
Recommended fluids and lubricants
3 207.
The maximum engine oil
consumption is 0.6 l per 1000 km.
Check with the vehicle on a level
surface. The engine must be at
operating temperature and switched
off for at least 10 minutes.
Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean,
reinsert fully, pull out and read the
engine oil level.
When the engine oil level has
dropped to the MIN mark, top-up
engine oil.
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170Vehicle careEngine coolantThe coolant provides freeze
protection down to approx. -28 °C.Caution
Only use approved antifreeze.
Coolant level
Caution
Too low a coolant level can cause engine 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.
If the coolant temperature is too high, control indicator W 3 100 illuminates
red in the instrument cluster, together
with C 3 99. Consult a workshop if
coolant level is sufficient.
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 power steering fluid reservoir is located below the front left wheel
arch, behind a trim panel.
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.
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Vehicle care171
If the fluid level in the reservoir falls
below the MIN mark consult a
workshop.
Washer fluid
Fill with clean water mixed with a
suitable quantity of windscreen
washer fluid which contains
antifreeze.
Caution
Only washer fluid with a sufficient
antifreeze concentration provides
protection at low temperatures or
a sudden drop in temperature.
Use of washer fluid containing
isopropanol can damage exterior
lamps.
Washer fluid 3 207.
Brakes Once new brake linings are installed,
do not brake unnecessarily hard for
the first few journeys.
Brake fluid9 Warning
Brake fluid is poisonous and
corrosive. Avoid contact with eyes, skin, fabrics and painted surfaces.
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172Vehicle careThe brake fluid level must be betweenthe MINI and MAXI marks.
When topping up, ensure maximum
cleanliness as contamination of the
brake fluid can lead to brake system
malfunctions. Have the cause of the
loss of brake fluid remedied by a
workshop.
Only use high-performance brake
fluid approved for your vehicle.
Brake fluid 3 207.
Vehicle battery
The vehicle battery is located under a cover in the engine compartment.
The vehicle battery is maintenance-
free provided that the driving profile
allows sufficient charging of the
battery. Short-distance driving and
frequent engine starts can discharge
the battery. Avoid the use of
unnecessary electrical consumers.
Control indicator p illuminates if
there is a fault with the charging
system. Stop, switch off engine and
seek the assistance of a workshop.
Charging system 3 99.
Batteries do not belong in household
waste. They must be disposed of at
an appropriate recycling collection
point.
Laying up the vehicle for more than
four weeks can lead to battery
discharge.
9 Danger
Ensure the ignition is switched off
completely (the vehicle must not
be in an Autostop) before
connecting or disconnecting the
vehicle battery.
Stop-start system 3 137.
Replacing the vehicle battery
Ensure that the battery is alwaysreplaced by the same type of battery.
Seek the assistance of a workshop to
have the vehicle battery replaced.
Stop-start system 3 137.
Charging the vehicle battery
9 Warning
On vehicles with stop-start
system, ensure that the charging potential does not exceed 14.6 V
when using a battery charger.
Otherwise the vehicle battery may be damaged.
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Vehicle care1739Danger
Ensure adequate ventilation when
charging the battery. There is a
risk of explosion if gases
generated during charging are
allowed to accumulate!
Jump starting 3 198.
Warning label
Meaning of symbols: ● No sparks, naked flames or smoking.
● Always shield eyes. Explosive gases can cause blindness or
injury.
● Keep the vehicle battery out of reach of children.
● The vehicle battery contains sulfuric acid which could cause
blindness or serious burn
injuries.
● See the Owner's Manual for further information.
● Explosive gas may be present in the vicinity of the battery.Additional battery
Depending on the vehicle's auxiliary
equipment, certain models may have
an additional battery mounted under
the front passenger bench seat.
Note
The additional battery is
automatically connected to the main vehicle battery only when the engine
is running. It does not need to be
manually disconnected before
Page 187 of 241

Vehicle care185No.Circuit1Battery backup (with electronic
key system)2Adaptations3Adaptations4Vehicle battery (with electronic key system)5Additional heating and ventila‐
tion / Air conditioning system6Supplementary heating and
ventilation system7Electric exterior mirrors / Addi‐
tional adaptations8Heated exterior mirrors9Radio / Multimedia / Electric
exterior mirrors / Diagnostic
socket10Multimedia / Trailer hitch11Courtesy lights / Battery
discharge protectionNo.Circuit12Right-hand high beam / Left-
hand low beam / Sidelights /
Right-hand daytime running
light13Hazard warning flashers / Turn
lights14Central locking15Left-hand high beam / Right-
hand low beam / Tail lights /
Left-hand daytime running light16Front fog lights / Rear fog lights /
Number plate lighting17Alarm / Horn / Lighting / Wiper18Instrument cluster19Heating and ventilation system20Rear window wiper / Wind‐
screen washer pump / Horn21General battery22Reversing lights23Brake switchNo.Circuit24Fuel injection / Starter25Airbag / Steering column lock26Passenger power window27Power steering28Brake lights29Battery backup (with electronic
key system)30Service display31Cigarette lighter / Power outlet32Heating and ventilation system33Brake lights / ABS / Immobiliser34Interior lighting / Air conditioning35Starting with electronic key
system36Rear window wiper37Warning chimes38Load compartment power outlet39Driver power window
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188Vehicle care
The tyre pressure information label
on the driver's door frame indicates
the original equipment tyres and the
correspondent tyre pressures.
Always inflate tyres to the pressures
shown on the label.
Tyre pressures 3 223.
The tyre pressure data refers to cold tyres. It applies to summer and winter tyres.
Always inflate the spare tyre to the
pressure specified for full load.
Incorrect tyre pressures will impair
safety, vehicle handling, comfort and
fuel economy and will increase tyre
wear.
Tyre pressures differ depending on
various options. For the correct tyre
pressure value, follow the procedure
below:
1. Identify the engine identifier code.
Engine data 3 212.
2. Identify the respective tyre.
The tyre pressure tables show all
possible tyre combinations 3 223.
For the tyres approved for your
vehicle, refer to the EEC Certificate of Conformity provided with your vehicle
or other national registration
documents.
The driver is responsible for correct adjustment of tyre pressure.9 Warning
If the pressure is too low, this can
result in considerable tyre warm-
up and internal damage, leading to tread separation and even to tyre
blow-out at high speeds.
9 Warning
For specific tyres the
recommended tyre pressure as
shown in the tyre pressure table may exceed the maximum tyre
pressure as indicated on the tyre.
Never exceed the maximum tyre
pressure as indicated on the tyre.
Temperature dependency
Tyre pressure depends on the
temperature of the tyre. During
driving, tyre temperature and
pressure increase.
Tyre pressure values provided on the
tyre information label and tyre
pressure chart are valid for cold tyres, which means at 20 °C. The pressure
increases by nearly 10 kPa (0.1 bar)
for a 10 °C temperature increase.
This must be considered when warm
tyres are checked.