tow MINI COOPER 2014 Owner's Manual
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LoadingVehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equipment
is also described that is not available in a vehi‐
cle, e. g., because of the selected optional
equipment or country variant. This also applies
for safety-related functions and systems.
Hints Overloading the vehicle
To avoid exceeding the approved carry‐
ing capacity of the tires, never overload the ve‐
hicle. Overloading can lead to overheating and
increases the rate at which damage develops
inside the tires. This could result in a sudden
loss of tire inflation pressure. ◀
No fluids in the trunk
Make sure that fluids do not leak into the
trunk; otherwise, the vehicle may be dam‐
aged. ◀
Heavy and hard objects
Do not stow any heavy and hard objects
in the passenger compartment without secur‐
ing them; otherwise, they may present a dan‐
ger to occupants, e.g., during braking and eva‐
sive maneuvers. ◀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 the
available cargo and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.Seite 151LoadingDRIVING TIPS151
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Load
The maximum load is the sum of the weight of
the occupants and the cargo.
The greater the weight of the occupants, the
less cargo that can be transported.
Stowing cargo
▷Cover sharp edges and corners on the
cargo.▷Heavy cargo: stow as far forward as possi‐
ble, directly behind and at the bottom of
the rear passenger seat backrests.▷Very heavy cargo: when the rear seat is not
occupied, secure each of the outer safety
belts in the opposite buckle.▷If necessary, fold down the rear backrests
to stow cargo.▷Do not stack cargo above the top edge of
the backrests.Securing cargo
Lashing eyes in the cargo area
Without storage compartment package: to se‐
cure the cargo there are two lashing eyes, ar‐
row 1, in the cargo area.
With storage compartment package: to secure
the cargo there are six lashing eyes, arrows 1
and 2, in the cargo area.
Securing cargo
▷Smaller and lighter items: secure with re‐
taining straps or with draw straps.▷Larger and heavy objects: secure with
cargo straps.
Attach the cargo straps, retaining straps or
draw straps to the lashing eyes in the cargo
area.
Securing cargo
Stow and secure the cargo as described
above; otherwise it may present a danger to
the occupants, e.g., during braking and avoid‐
ance maneuvers. ◀
Roof-mounted luggage
rack
Note Installation only possible with roof rack.
Roof racks are available as special accessories.
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Display
Display in the instrument cluster The mark in the bar display be‐
low the tachometer is high‐
lighted green and appears at the
zero point. The tachometer ap‐
proximately indicates idle speed.
Indications on the Control Display
The Coasting driving condition is displayed in
MINIMALISM Info while this driving mode is ac‐
tive.
The distance traveled in the Coasting driving
condition is indicated by a counter.
Color code green, arrow 1: distance traveled in
the Coasting driving condition. Symbol, ar‐
row 2: coasting driving condition.
Displaying MINIMALISM info
1. "Vehicle Info"2."MINIMALISM"3. "MINIMALISM info"
Deactivating the system manually The function can be deactivated in the Config‐
ure GREEN mode, refer to page 157, menu,
e.g., to use the braking effect of the engine
when traveling downhill.
The setting is saved for the profile currently be‐
ing used.
MINIMALISM driving style analysis
The concept
The system helps in this situation to develop an
especially efficient driving style and to conserve
fuel.
For this purpose, the driving style is analyzed.
The assessment is done in various categories
and is displayed on the Control Display.
Using this indication, the individual driving style
can be oriented toward conserving fuel.
The last fifteen minutes of a trip are evaluated.
The range of the vehicle can be extended by an
efficient driving style. This gain in range is dis‐
played as a bonus range in the instrument clus‐
ter and on the Control Display.
Functional requirement
The function is only available in GREEN mode.
Calling up MINIMALISM Analyser Via the Driving Dynamics Control1.Activate GREEN mode.2."MINIMALISM"3. Select the symbol.
Display
Display on the Control Display
The display of the MINIMALISM Analyser con‐
sists of a fish, which is riding along in a glass of
water on the roof of the MINI and a table of
values that rates the driving style in various cat‐
Seite 160DRIVING TIPSSaving fuel160
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100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, how‐
ever, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road characteristics
and climate.
Traction The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B, and C.
Those grades represent the tire's ability to stop
on wet pavement as measured under control‐
led conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked
C may have poor traction performance.
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based
on straight-ahead braking traction tests, and
does not include acceleration, cornering, hy‐
droplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature The temperature grades are A, the highest, B,
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the ma‐
terial of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire
life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to
a level of performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehi‐
cle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades Band A
represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum re‐
quired by law.
Temperature grade for this tire
The temperature grade for this tire is es‐
tablished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinfla‐
tion, or excessive loading, either separately or
in combination, can cause heat buildup and
possible tire failure.
If necessary, have the vehicle towed. ◀RSC – Run-flat tires
Run-flat tires, refer to page 175, are labeled
with a circular symbol containing the letters
RSC marked on the sidewall.
M+S Winter and all-season tires with better cold
weather performance than summer tires.
Tire tread Summer tires
Do not drive with a tire tread depth of less than
0.12 in/3 mm.
There is an increased danger of hydroplaning if
the tread depth is less than 0.12 in/3 mm.
Winter tires Do not drive with a tire tread depth of less than
0.16 in/4 mm.
Below a tread depth of 0.16 in/4 mm, tires are
less suitable for winter operation.
Minimum tread depth
Wear indicators are distributed around the tire's
circumference and have the legally required
minimum height of 0.063 in/1.6 mm.
They are marked on the side of the tire with
TWI, Tread Wear Indicator.
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Tire damage
General information Inspect your tires often for damage, foreign ob‐
jects lodged in the tread, and tread wear.
Hints
Driving over rough or damaged road surfaces,
as well as debris, curbs and other obstacles can
cause serious damage to wheels, tires and sus‐
pension parts. This is more likely to occur with
low-profile tires, which provide less cushioning
between the wheel and the road. Be careful to
avoid road hazards and reduce your speed, es‐
pecially if your vehicle is equipped with low-
profile tires.
Indications of tire damage or other vehicle de‐
fects:▷Unusual vibrations during driving.▷Unusual handling such as a strong ten‐
dency to pull to the left or right.
Damage can, e. g., be caused by driving over
curbs, road damage, or similar things.
In case of tire damage
If there are indications of tire damage, re‐
duce your speed immediately and have the
wheels and tires checked right away; other‐
wise, there is the increased risk of an accident.
Drive carefully to the nearest service center.
Have the vehicle towed or transported there.
Otherwise, tire damage can become life threat‐
ening for vehicle occupants and also other road
users. ◀
Repair of tire damage
For safety reasons, the manufacturer of
your vehicle recommends that you do not have
damaged tires repaired; they should be re‐
placed. Otherwise, damage can occur as a re‐
sult. ◀
Changing wheels and
tires
Mounting Information on mounting tires
Have mounting and balancing performed
only by a service center.
If this work is not carried out properly, there is
the danger of subsequent damage and related
safety hazards. ◀
Wheel and tire combination Information on the correct wheel-tire combina‐
tion and rim versions for your vehicle can be
obtained from your service center.
Incorrect wheel and tire combinations impair
the function of a variety of systems such as ABS
or DSC.
To maintain good handling and vehicle re‐
sponse, use only tires with a single tread con‐
figuration from a single manufacturer.
Following tire damage, have the original wheel
and tire combination remounted on the vehicle
as soon as possible.
Approved wheels and tires
You should only use wheels and tires that
have been approved by the vehicle manufac‐
turer for your vehicle type; otherwise, for ex‐
ample, despite having the same official size rat‐
ings, variations can lead to body contact and
with it, the risk of severe accidents
The manufacturer of your vehicle cannot evalu‐
ate non-approved wheels and tires to deter‐
mine if they are suited for use, and therefore
cannot ensure the operating safety of the vehi‐
cle if they are mounted. ◀Seite 173Wheels and tiresMOBILITY173
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Sealant bottle▷Sealant bottle, arrow 1.▷Filling hose, arrow 2.
Note the use-by date on the sealant bottle.
Compressor
1On/off switch2Holder for bottle3Reduce inflation pressure4Inflation pressure dial5Compressor6Connector/cable for socket7Connection hose — stowed in the bottom
of the compressorFilling the tire with sealant1.Shake the sealant bottle.2.Take the connection hose completely out of
the compressor housing. Do not kink the
hose.3.Attach the connection hose to the connec‐
tor of the sealing bottle, ensuring that it en‐
gages audibly.Seite 176MOBILITYWheels and tires176
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Stowing the Mobility System1.Disconnect the connection hose of the seal‐
ant bottle from the wheel.2.Disconnect the connection hose from the
sealant bottle.3.Wrap the empty sealant bottle and connec‐
tion hose in suitable material to avoid dirty‐
ing the cargo area.4.Stow the Mobility System back in the vehi‐
cle.
Distributing the sealant
Immediately drive to ensure that the sealant is
evenly distributed in the tire.
Do not exceed a speed of .
Do not drop below if possible.
Correcting the tire inflation pressure
1.Stop at a suitable location.2.Screw the connection hose onto the tire
valve stem.3.Attach the connection hose directly to the
compressor.4.Insert the connector into a power socket in‐
side the vehicle.5.Correct the tire inflation pressure to 2.5 bar.▷Increase pressure: with the ignition
turned on or the engine running, switch
on the compressor.▷To reduce the pressure: press the but‐
ton on the compressor.
Continuing the trip
Do not exceed the maximum permissible speed
of 50 mph/80 km/h.
Reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor, refer to
page 97.
Reinitialize the Tire Pressure Monitor, refer to
page 94.
Replace the defective tire and the sealant bot‐
tle of the Mobility System as soon as possible.
Snow chains
Fine-link snow chains Only certain types of fine-link snow chains have
been tested by the manufacturer of your vehi‐
cle, classified as road-safe and approved.
Information about the approved snow chains
are available from the service center.
Use
Use only in pairs on the front wheels, equipped
with the tires of the following size:
▷175/65 R 15.Seite 178MOBILITYWheels and tires178
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Use the vehicle jack only for changing
wheels
Use the vehicle jack only for changing wheels
Do not attempt to use it to jack up a different
type of vehicle or loads of any kind; otherwise,
this could cause material damage and personal
injury. ◀
Removing compact wheel The compact wheel is housed in a well on the
underbody of the vehicle. The screw connec‐
tion of the compact wheel is located in the
cargo area under the floor mat, on the floor of
the storage compartment for the wheel chang‐
ing set.1.Loosen the nut from the wheel change set
using the wheel wrench.2.Remove the retaining plate.3.Screw the wheel wrench on the threads
and loosen the lock clockwise rotation.
Compact wheel releases and must be held
with the wheel wrench.4.Lower the compact wheel with the wheel
wrench.5.Unscrewing the wheel wrench6.Pull out the well with compact wheel under
the vehicle toward the rear.7.Remove the spacer and compact wheel of
the well.8.Stow the well and spacer in the vehicle.
Prepare wheel change
1.Follow the Safety instructions, refer to
page 196.2.With the wheel chock from the wheel
change set, also secure the vehicle against
rolling away at the front wheel of the oppo‐
site side.3.Loosen the wheel lug bolts a half turn.
Lug bolt lock, refer to page 198
Jacking up the vehicle
1.Place the vehicle jack at the jacking point
closest to the wheel such that the vehicle
jack foot is vertically beneath the vehicle
jacking point with the entire surface on the
ground.2.Insert the vehicle jack head in the rectan‐
gular recess of the jacking point for crank‐
ing it up.3.Crank it up until the wheel in question lifts
off of the ground.Seite 197Replacing componentsMOBILITY197
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Wheel mounting1.Unscrew the wheel lug bolts and remove
the wheel.2.Put the new wheel or compact wheel on
and screw in at least two bolts.
If original MINI light alloy wheels are not
mounted, any accompanying lug bolts also
have to be used.3.Screw in the remaining the lug bolts and
tighten all bolts well in a crosswise pattern.4.Lower the vehicle and remove the vehicle
jack.
After the wheel change
1.Tighten the lug bolts crosswise. The tight‐
ening torque is 101 lb ft/140 Nm.
Check for secure seating of the lug
bolts
For safety reasons, have the secure seating
of the lug bolts checked with a calibrated
torque wrench; otherwise, a safety hazard
results from incorrectly tightened lug
bolts. ◀2.Stow the defective wheel in the cargo area.
The defective wheel cannot be stored in the
compact wheel bracket because of its size.3.Check tire inflation pressure at the next op‐
portunity and correct as needed.4.Reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor, refer to
page 98.
Reinitialize the Tire Pressure Monitor, refer
to page 95.5.Replace the damaged tires as soon as pos‐
sible.
Driving with the compact wheel
Watch the speed when driving with the
compact wheel
Drive conservatively and do not exceed a speed
of 50 mph/80 km/h; otherwise, changed driving
characteristics such as reduced lane stability
while braking, extended braking distance and
changed self-steering properties in the limit
area. ◀
Mounting only one compact wheel
Only a single compact wheel may be
mounted. Reinstall wheels and tires of the orig‐
inal size as quickly as possible; otherwise, there
is a safety risk. ◀
Lug bolt lock
The adapter of the lug bolt lock is located in the
onboard vehicle tool kit, refer to page 188.▷Lug bolt, arrow 1.▷Adapter, arrow 2.
Removing
1.Attach the adapter to the wheel lug.2.Unscrew the lug bolt.
Remove the adapter after screwing the lug bolt
back on.
Vehicle battery
Maintenance
The battery is maintenance-free, i.e., the elec‐
trolyte will last for the life of the battery.
Your service center will be glad to advise you
on questions regarding the battery.
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The so-called starting aid terminal in the engine
compartment acts as the battery's positive ter‐
minal.
Open the cap of the starting aid terminal.
The body ground acts as the negative terminal
of the battery.
Connecting the cables
1.Pull off the cap of the starting aid terminal.2.Attach one terminal clamp of the positive
jumper cable to the positive terminal of the
battery, or to the corresponding starting aid
terminal of the vehicle providing assistance.3.Attach the terminal clamp on the other end
of the cable to the positive terminal of the
battery, or to the corresponding starting aid
terminal of the vehicle to be started.4.Attach one terminal clamp of the negative
jumper cable to the negative terminal of
the battery, or to the corresponding engine
or body ground of assisting vehicle.5.Attach the second terminal clamp to the
negative terminal of the battery, or to thecorresponding engine or body ground of
the vehicle to be started.
Starting the engine
Never use spray fluids to start the engine.
1.Start the engine of the assisting vehicle and
let it run for several minutes at an increased
idle speed.
If the vehicle to be started has a diesel en‐
gine: let the engine of the assisting vehicle
run for approx. 10 minutes.2.Start the engine of the vehicle to be started
in the usual way.
If the first starting attempt is not successful,
wait a few minutes before making another
attempt in order to allow the discharged
battery to recharge.3.Let both engines run for several minutes.4.Disconnect the jumper cables in the reverse
order.
Check the battery and recharge if necessary.
Tow-starting and towing
Note Tow-starting and towing
When tow-starting and towing the vehi‐
cle, switch off the Intelligent Safety systems;
otherwise, improper behavior of the braking
function of individual systems could result in an
accident. ◀
Switching off Intelligent Safety systems, refer to
page 99.
Automatic transmission: transporting your vehicle
Note Your vehicle must not be towed if the front
wheels are touching the ground. Therefore,
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