Page 133 of 265

Climate control131Bus
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 174 of 265

172Driving and operatingTrailer 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 thecoupling 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 80 km/h 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 3 247.
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 air
becoming 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
3 226.
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 179 of 265
Vehicle care177End-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 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 182 of 265

180Vehicle careCoolant 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 206 of 265

204Vehicle careGeneral information
The use of tyre chains or
commercially available liquid tyre
repair kits can impair the function of
the system. Factory-approved tyre
repair kits can be used.
Tyre repair kit 3 205, Tyre chains
3 205.
External high-power radio equipment
could disrupt the tyre pressure
monitoring system.
Each time the tyres are replaced, the
tyre pressure monitoring system
sensors must be dismounted and
serviced by a workshop.
Tread depth
Check tread depth at regular
intervals.
Tyres should be replaced for safety
reasons at a tread depth of two-
three mm (four mm for winter tyres).
For safety reasons it is recommended
that the tread depth of the tyres on
one axle should not vary by more than two mm.
The legally permissible minimumtread depth (1.6 mm) has been
reached when the tread has worn
down as far as one of the tread wear
indicators (TWI). Their position is
indicated by markings on the
sidewall.
Tyres age, even if they are not used.
We recommend tyre replacement
every six years.
Changing tyre and wheel size
If tyres of a different size than those
fitted at the factory are used, it may be necessary to reprogramme the
speedometer as well as the nominal
tyre pressure and make other vehicle
modifications.
After converting to a different tyre
size, have the label with tyre
pressures replaced 3 202.9 Warning
The use of unsuitable tyres or
wheels may lead to accidents and will invalidate the vehicle
operating permit.
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.