weight MINI COOPER 2011 Owners Manual

CONTROLSAdjustments
38
Seats
Note before adjusting
Never attempt to adjust your seat while
the vehicle is moving. The seat could
respond with unexpected movement, and the
ensuing loss of vehicle control could lead to an
accident.
On the front passenger seat as well, do not
incline the backrest too far to the rear while the
vehicle is being driven; otherwise, there is a
danger in the event of an accident of sliding
under the safety belt, eliminating the protection
normally provided by the belt. <
Comply with the instruct ions on head restraint
height on page 39 and on damaged safety belts
on page 41.
Seat adjustment
Observe the instructions on page 38 to
ensure the best possible personal
protection. <
Longitudinal adjustment
Pull the lever, arrow 1, and slide the seat into the
desired position, arrows 2.
After releasing the lever, move the seat slightly
forward or back so that it engages properly.
Height
Pull up or push down the lever repeatedly,
arrows 1, until the desired he ight is reached,
arrows 2.
Backrest
Pull the lever, arrow 1, and apply your weight to
the backrest or lift it off, as necessary, arrows 2.

Transporting children safelyCONTROLS
43
Transporting children safely
The right place for
children
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle; otherwise, they could endanger
themselves and/or other persons by opening the
doors, for example.<
Children should always sit in the rear
Accident research has shown that the safest
place for children is on the rear seat.
Only transport children under the age of
13 or smaller than 5 ft/150 cm in the rear
in a child restraint system suitable for their age,
weight and size. Othe rwise, there is an
increased risk of injury in the event of an
accident. <
Children 13 years of age or older must be
buckled in with a safety belt as soon as there
no longer is any child re straint system that is
appropriate for their age, size and weight.
Only install child seats in the rear when the
rear seat backrest is folded all the way
back and engaged. Otherwise, there is an
increased risk of injury in the event of an
accident. <
Exception for front passenger seat
Front passenger airbags
Should it be necessary to use a child
restraint system on the front passenger
seat, the front and side airbags must be deacti-
vated. Otherwise, there is an increased risk of
injury to the child if th e airbags deploy, even if
the child is seated in a child restraint system. <
For more information on automatic deactivation
of the front passenger airbags, refer to page 76.
Child restraint systems,
installation
Observe the child restraint system manu-
facturer's instructions when selecting,
installing and using ch ild restraint systems.
Otherwise, the protective effect may be
diminished. <
On the front passenger seat
After installing a child restraint system on
the front passenger seat, make sure that
the front and side airbags for the front passen-
ger are deactivated; otherwise, there is an
increased risk of injury if the airbags deploy. <
Seat position
Before installing a child restraint system, move
the front passenger seat as far back and up
* as
possible to obtain the be st possible position for
the belt. Do not change the seat position after
this.
Child seat security
All rear safety belts and the safety belt for the
front passenger can be prevented from being
pulled out in order to secure child restraint
systems.

Practical interior accessoriesCONTROLS
93
Cupholders and ashtray*
Cupholders
Two cupholders are located in the front of the
center console; another is in the rear at the back
of the center console.Use lightweight, nonbreakable containers
and do not transport hot beverages.
Otherwise, there is an increased risk of injury
in the event of an accident. <
Do not push unsuitable containers forcibly
into the cupholder. Otherwise, you may
damage it. <
Ashtray*
The ashtray is located in one of the cupholders in
the center console.
Emptying
Remove the entire ashtray.
Lighter
With the engine running or the ignition switched
on, press in the cigarette lighter.
The lighter can be pulled out as soon as it pops
back out.
Hold or touch the hot cigarette lighter by
the knob only. Holding or touching it in
other areas could result in burns.
When leaving the car, always remove the key
so that children cannot operate the cigarette
lighter and burn themselves. <
Connecting electrical
appliances
In your MINI, when the engine is running or if the
ignition is switched on, you can use electrical
devices such as flashlights, car vacuum cleaners,
etc., up to approx. 140 watts at 12 volts, as long
as one of the following sockets is available.
Avoid damaging the sockets by attempting to
insert plugs of unsui table shape or size.
Cigarette lighter socket
Remove the lighter* or cover from the socket.
Power socket in cargo area
MINI
Pull out the cover.
MINI Convertible
Pull out the cover.

DRIVING TIPSThings to remember when driving
100
Split-folding rear seats
To be able to transport larger objects, the rear
backrest can be folded down.
1.If necessary, use the integrated key to open
the backrest lock 1.
2. Press button 2 and fold down backrest
together with the belt strap.
3. Fold the backrest forward.
When folding the backrest back into its
original position, alwa ys ensure that the
catch engages securely. A loose backrest might
fail to prevent cargo from entering the passen-
ger compartment during sudden braking or
evasive maneuvers, posing a potential hazard
to occupants.
The belt guide loop, refer to page 41, must be
closed. <
Determining cargo limit
1.Locate the following statement on your
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
XXX lbs. or YYY kg. Otherwise, damage to
the vehicle and unstable driving conditions
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 pounds or
YYY kilograms.
4. The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the XXX amount equals
1,400 lbs. and there will be four 150-lb.
passengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs.:
1,400 lbs. minus 750 lbs. = 650 lbs.
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated
in step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, part of
the load from your trailer will be transferred
to your vehicle. Consult the manual for
transporting a trailer to determine how this
may reduce the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.
Load
The permissible load is the sum of the occu-
pants' weights and the we ight of the cargo. The
greater the weight of the occupants, the less
cargo/luggage can be transported.

Things to remember when drivingDRIVING TIPS
101
Stowing cargo
>Position heavy objects as low and as far
forward as possible, id eally directly behind
the rear seat backrests.
> Cover sharp edges and corners.
> For very heavy cargo when the rear seat is
not occupied, secure each safety belt in the
respective opposite buckle.
> Do not stack higher than the top edge of the
backrests.
MINI
MINI Convertible Securing cargo
>
Secure smaller and lighter items using
retaining or draw straps
*.
> Heavy-duty cargo straps
* for securing larger
and heavier objects ar e available at your
MINI dealer. Four lashing eyes are provided
for attaching the cargo straps. Two of them
are located on the forward wall of the cargo
area.
Comply with the information enclosed with
the load-securing devices.
Always position and secure the cargo as
described above, so that it cannot endan-
ger the car's occupants, for example if sudden
braking or swerves are necessary.
Do not exceed the approved gross vehicle
weight and axle loads, page 191; otherwise, the
vehicle's operating safety is no longer assured
and the vehicle will not be in compliance with
the construction and use regulations.
Heavy or hard objects should not be carried
loose inside the car, since they could be thrown
around, for example as a re sult of heavy braking,
sudden swerves, etc., and endanger the occu-
pants. Do not secure ca rgo using the fastening
points for the tether strap, page 44; they may
become damaged. <

DRIVING TIPSThings to remember when driving
102
MINI: roof-mounted
luggage rack*
A special rack system is available as an option for
your MINI. Your MINI dealer will be glad to
advise you. Comply with the installation
instructions supplied with the rack system.
Mounting points
Remove the cover panel.
Loading roof-mounted luggage rack
Because roof racks raise the vehicle's center of
gravity when loaded, they have a major effect
on vehicle handling and steering response.
You should therefore always remember not to
exceed the approved roof load capacity, the
approved gross vehicle weight or the axle loads
when loading the rack.
You can find the applicable data under Weights
on page 191.
The roof load must be distributed uniformly and
should not be too large in area. Heavy items
should always be placed at the bottom.
When loading, make sure that there is sufficient
space for the movement of the glass roof and
that no objects protrude into the swiveling area
of the liftgate; otherwise, damage can occur.
Fasten roof-mounted cargo correctly and
securely to prevent it from shifting or falling off
during the trip.
Drive smoothly. Avoid su dden acceleration and
braking maneuvers, and take corners gently.
Rear-mounted luggage
rack*
For your MINI Convertible, there is a special
rear-mounted luggage ra ck available as an
optional accessory. Please note the information
contained in the asse mbly instructions.
Mounting points
The mounting points are under the protective
caps in the bumper.
Push out the caps at the respective slots.
Loading rear luggage rack
When loading, make su re that the maximum
allowed roof load, the gross vehicle weight and
the axle loads are not exceeded.
You can find the applicable data under Weights
on page 191.
Saving fuel
Fuel consumption depends on a number of
different factors. The implementation of certain
measures, your driving style and regular mainte-
nance can have an influence on fuel consump-
tion and on the environmental impact.
Remove unnecessary cargo
Additional weight incr eases fuel consumption.

RefuelingMOBILITY
133
Observe the following when refueling
Take all precautionary measures and
observe all applicable regulations when
handling fuel; otherwise, there is a danger of
personal injury and property damage. <
When refueling, insert the filler nozzle com-
pletely into the filler pipe. Avoid lifting the
filler nozzle while filling the tank, as that would
lead to
> Premature pump shutoff
> Reduced efficiency of the fuel-vapor
recovery system.
The fuel tank is full when the filler nozzle clicks
off the first time.
Fuel tank capacity
If the range displayed is less than
30 miles/50 km, be sure to refuel; other-
wise, engine functions are not guaranteed and
damage could occur. <
Approx. 13.2 US gal/50 liters, including the
reserve capacity of 2.1 US gal/8 liters.
Fuel specifications
Fuels that are labeled at the pump as containing
metal may not be used.
Do not fill the tank with leaded gasoline or
gasoline that contains metal additives,
such as manganese or iron; otherwise, long term
damage to the catalytic converter or other
components may result.
Do not fill the tank with E85, i.e. fuel containing
85 % ethanol, nor with FlexFuel. Otherwise,
the engine and fuel supply system will be
damaged. <
Required fuel
Super premium gasoline/AKI 91
This gasoline is highly recommended.
However, you may also use gasoline with less
AKI. The minimum AKI rating is: >
Cooper S, John Cooper Works: 89
> Cooper: 87
If you use gasoline with this minimum AKI rating,
the engine may produce knocking sounds when
starting at high outsid e temperatures. This has
no effect on the engine life.
Do not use any gasoline below the speci-
fied minimum fuel grade. Otherwise, the
engine could be damaged. <
Use high-quality brands
Field experience has indicated significant differ-
ences in fuel quality: volatility, composition,
additives, etc., among ga solines offered for sale
in the United States and Canada. Fuels contain-
ing up to and including 10 % ethanol or other
oxygenates with up to 2.8 % oxygen by weight,
that is, 15 % MTBE or 3 % methanol plus an
equivalent amount of cosolvent, will not void
the applicable warranties with respect to defects
in materials or workmanship.
The use of poor-quality fuels may result in
drivability, starting and stalling problems
especially under certain environmental condi-
tions such as high am bient temperature and
high altitude.
Should you encounter drivability problems
which you suspect could be related to the fuel
you are using, we recommend that you respond
by switching to a recogn ized high-quality brand
such as gasoline that is advertised as Top Tier
Detergent Gasoline.
Failure to comply with these recommendations
may also result in un scheduled maintenance. <

MOBILITYWheels and tires
136
MINI Cooper tire inflation pressures
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa
Speeds up to a
max. of 100 mph / 160 km/h Speeds including those
exceeding
100 mph / 160 km/h
All pressure specifications in the
table are indicated in psi/kilo-
pascal with cold tires.
Cold = ambient temperature
175/65 R 15 84 T M+S
175/65 R 15 84 H M+S
175/65 R 15 84 H
175/60 R 16 82 H M+S RSC
195/55 R 16 87 H RSC
195/55 R 16 87 H M+S RSC
195/55 R 16 87 V M+S RSC
205/45 R 17 84 V M+S RSC
205/45 R 17 84 V RSC
205/45 R 17 84 V M+S RSC
205/40 R 18 82 W RSC 33/230 33/230 38/260 38/260
Space-saver spare tire:
115/70 R 15 90 M Speed up to a max. of 50 mph/80 km/h
60/420
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page191.

Wheels and tiresMOBILITY
137
MINI Cooper S tire inflation pressures
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa
Speeds up to a
max. of 100 mph / 160 km/h Speeds including those
exceeding
100 mph / 160 km/h
All pressure specifications in the
table are indicated in psi/kilo-
pascal with cold tires.
Cold = ambient temperature
195/55 R 16 87 V RSC
195/55 R 16 87 H M+S RSC
195/55 R 16 87 V M+S RSC 33/230 33/230 38/260 38/260
205/45 R 17 84 V M+S RSC
205/45 R 17 84 V RSC
205/40 R 18 82 W RSC
175/60 R 16 82 H M+S RSC 38/260 38/260 41/280 41/280
More details on the perm issible load and weights can be found on page 191.

MOBILITYWheels and tires
138
MINI John Cooper Works tire inflation pressures
Tire size Pressure specifications in psi/kPa
Speeds up to a
max. of 100 mph / 160 km/h Speeds including those
exceeding
100 mph / 160 km/h
All pressure specifications in the
table are indicated in psi/kilo-
pascal with cold tires.
Cold = ambient temperature
185/50 R 17 86 H M+S XL RSC
205/45 R 17 84 V M+S RSC
205/45 R 17 84 W RSC 38/260 38/260 41/280 41/280
205/40 R 18 82 W RSC 41/280 41/280 44/300 44/300
More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page191.