run flat MINI Coupe 2012 Owner's Manual

AdjustmentsCONTROLS
45
Adjustments
Vehicle equipment
In this chapter, all production, country, and
optional equipment that is offered in the model
range is described. Equipment is also described
that is not available because of, for example,
selected options or count ry version. This also
applies to safety related functions and systems.
Sitting safely
The ideal sitting position can make a vital contri-
bution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving. In con-
junction with the safety belts, the head restraints
and the airbags, the seated position has a major
influence on your safety in the event of an
accident. To ensure th at the safety systems
operate with optimal efficiency, we strongly
urge you to observe the instructions contained
in the following section.
For additional information on transporting
children safely, refer to page 51.
Airbags
Always maintain an adequate distance
between yourself and the airbags. Always
grip the steering wheel on the rim, with your
hands in the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions, to
minimize the risk of inju ry to the hands or arms
in the event of the airbag being deployed.
No one and nothing should come between the
airbags and the seat occupant.
Do not use the cover of the front airbag on the
front passenger side as a storage area. Ensure
that the front passenger is correctly seated, e.g.
that no feet or legs are propped against the
dashboard. Otherwise, leg injury could result if
the front airbag suddenly deployed.
Make sure that passeng ers keep their heads
away from the side/h ead airbag; otherwise
injuries can occur when airbags are deployed. <Even if you follow all the instructions, injuries
resulting from contact with airbags cannot be
fully excluded, depending on the circumstances.
The ignition and inflation noise may provoke a
mild hearing loss in ex
tremely sensitive indivi-
duals. This effect is usually only temporary.
For airbag locations as well as additional infor-
mation, refer to page 85.
Head restraint
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk of neck injury in the event of an accident.
Adjust the head rest raint in such a way
that its center is at approx. ear level.
Otherwise, there is an increased risk of injury
in the event of an accident. <
Head restraints, refer to page 47.
Safety belt
Before every drive, make sure that all occupants
wear their safety belts. Airbags complement the
safety belt as an additi onal safety device, but
they do not represent a substitute.
Number of safety belts
Never allow more th an one person to
wear a single safety belt. Never allow
infants or small children to ride in a passenger's
lap.
Make sure that the belt in the lap area sits low
across the hips and does not press against the
abdomen. The safety belt must not rest against
the throat, run across sh arp edges, pass over
hard or fragile objects or be pinched. Fasten the
safety belt so that it is pulled taut across the lap
and shoulder, fitting the body snugly without
any twists. Otherwise, the belt could slide over
the hips in the event of a frontal collision and
injure the abdomen. Avoid wearing bulky
clothing and regularly pull the belt in the upper-
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Technology for driving comfort and safetyCONTROLS
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Indication of a flat tire
The warning lamps come on in yellow
and red. An acoustic signal also sounds.
There is a flat tire or a major loss in tire
inflation pressure.
1. Reduce speed and stop the vehicle with
caution. Avoid sudden braking and steering
maneuvers.
2. Check whether the vehicle is equipped with
normal tires or with run-flat tires.
Run-flat tires, refer to page 152, are identi-
fied by a circular symbol containing the
letters RSC on the tire sidewall.
If the vehicle is not equipped with run-flat
tires, do not continue driving; continuing
to drive can result in serious accidents. <
When a flat tire is repo rted, the Dynamic Stability
Control DSC is activated.
Actions in the event of a flat tire
Normal tires
1. Identify the damaged tire.
To do so, check the inflation pressure in all
four tires.
The inflation pressure di splay of the Mobility
Kit, page 171, can be used for this purpose.
If the inflation pressure in all four tires is
correct, the Flat Tire Monitor might not have
been initialized. The system must then be
initialized.
If it is not possible to identify the damaged
tire, contact your MINI dealer.
2. Use the Mobility Kit to remedy the flat tire on
the damaged wheel, refer to page 170, or to
replace the damaged wheel, refer to
page 173.
Run-flat tires
You can continue driving with a damaged tire at
speeds up to 50 mph or 80 km/h.
Continued driving with a flat tire
When driving with a damaged tire: 1.
Avoid sudden braking and steering maneu-
vers.
2. Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph or
80 km/h.
3. At the next opportunity, check the air
pressure in all four tires.
If the inflation pressure in all four tires is
correct, the Flat Tire Monitor might not have
been initialized. The system must then be
initialized.
Possible driving distance with complete loss of
tire inflation pressure:
The distance it is possible to drive with a flat tire
depends on the load and the stress on the
vehicle while driving.
With an average load, it may be possible to drive
for approx. 50 miles/80 km.
When driving with damage d tires, the handling
characteristics change, e.g. the vehicle will skid
sooner when braking, braking distances will be
longer, or self-steering response will change.
Adapt your driving style accordingly. Avoid
turning abruptly and driv ing over obstacles such
as curbs, potholes, etc.
Since the possible driving distance depends to a
considerable degree on the strain exerted on
the vehicle while driving, it can be shorter or,
with a gentle dr iving style, can also be longer,
depending on the speed, road condition, exter-
nal temperature, vehicle load, etc.
Drive cautiously and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.
A loss of tire inflation pressure results in a
change in the handling characteristics, e.g.
reduced lane stability during braking, a longer
braking distance and altered self-steering
properties. <
Vibrations or loud noises while driving can
indicate final failure of the tire. Reduce
your speed and bring the vehicle to a stop;
otherwise, pieces of tire may come off, which
could result in an accident. Do not continue
driving and contact your MINI dealer.<
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Technology for driving comfort and safetyCONTROLS
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pressures in the tires are accepted as the
target values to be monitored. The system
reset is completed during your drive, and
can be interrupted at any time. When driving
resumes, the reset is continued automati-
cally. The indicator lamp goes out after the
system reset is completed.
Message for low tire inflation pressure
The warning lamps come on in yellow
and red. An acoustic signal also sounds.
1. Reduce speed and stop the vehicle
with caution. Avoid sudden braking and
steering maneuvers.
2. Check whether the vehicle is equipped with
normal tires or with run-flat tires.
Run-flat tires, refer to page 152, are identi-
fied by a circular symbol containing the
letters RSC on the tire sidewall.
When a low inflation pressure is reported, the
Dynamic Stability Control DSC is activated.
Actions in the event of a flat tire
Normal tires
1. Identify the damaged tire.
To do so, check the inflation pressure in all
four tires. The inflation pressure display of
the Mobility Kit, refer to page 171, can be
used for this.
If the inflation pressure is correct in all four
tires, then the Tire Pressure Monitor may not
have been reset. The system must then be
reset.
If it is not possible to identify the damaged
tire, contact your MINI dealer.
2. Use the Mobility Kit to remedy the flat tire on
the damaged wheel, refer to page 170, or to
replace the damaged wheel, refer to
page. 173.
The use of tire sealant, e.g. Mobility Kit, can
damage the TPM wheel electronics. In this
case, have the electronics checked and
replaced if necessary at your earliest oppor-
tunity.
Run-flat tires
You can continue driving with a damaged tire at
speeds up to 50 mph/80 km/h.
If the vehicle is not equipped with run-flat
tires, do not continue driving; continuing
to drive can result in serious accidents. <
Continued driving with a flat tire
When driving with a damaged tire:
1.Avoid sudden braking and steering maneu-
vers.
2. Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.
3. At the next opportunity, check the air
pressure in all four tires.
If the inflation pressure is correct in all four
tires, then the Tire Pressure Monitor may not
have been reset. The system must then be
reset.
Possible driving distance with complete loss of
tire inflation pressure:
The distance it is possible to drive with a flat tire
depends on the load and the stress on the
vehicle while driving.
With an average load, it may be possible to drive
for approx. 50 miles/80 km.
When driving with damage d tires, the handling
characteristics change, e.g. the vehicle will skid
sooner when braking, braking distances will be
longer, or self-steering response will change.
Adapt your driving style accordingly. Avoid
turning abruptly and driv ing over obstacles such
as curbs, potholes, etc.
Since the possible driving distance depends to a
considerable degree on the strain exerted on
the vehicle while driving, it can be shorter or,
with a gentle dr iving style, can also be longer,
depending on the speed, road condition, exter-
nal temperature, vehicle load, etc.
Drive cautiously and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.
A loss of tire inflation pressure results in a
change in the handling characteristics, e.g.
reduced lane stability during braking, a longer
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Wheels and tiresMOBILITY
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Wheels and tires
Vehicle equipment
In this chapter, all production, country, and
optional equipment that is offered in the model
range is described. Equipment is also described
that is not available because of, for example,
selected options or count ry version. This also
applies to safety related functions and systems.
Tire inflation pressures
Information for your safety
It is not merely the tires' service life, but also
driving comfort and, to a great extent, driving
safety that depend on the condition of the tires
and the maintenance of the specified tire pres-
sure.
Checking pressure
Check the tire inflatio n pressure regularly
and correct it, if nece ssary: at least twice a
month and before starting long trips. If you fail
to observe this precaution you may be driving
on tires with incorrect tire pressures, a condition
that can not only compromise your vehicle's
driving stability, but also lead to tire damage and
the risk of an accident. Do not drive with
deflated, i.e. flat tires, except when using run-
flat tires. A flat tire will seriously impair your
vehicle's handling and braking response.
Attempts to drive on a flat tire can lead to loss of
control over the vehicle. <
Check the tire inflation pressures only on cold
tires. This means after a maximum of 1.25 miles/
2 km driving or when the vehicle has been
parked for at least 2 hours. When tires are warm,
the tire inflation pressure is higher. After adjusting the tire inflation pressure,
reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor, page 80,
or reset the Tire Pressure Monitor, page 82.<
Checking the tire inflation pressure of
the compact tire
A valve extension for checking the inflation
pressure is located behind the bumper.
Inflation pressure specifications
The tables below provide all the correct inflation
pressures for the specifie d tire sizes at ambient
temperature.
The tire inflation pressures apply to the
tire sizes approved and the tire brands
recommended by the manufacturer of your
MINI. Your MINI dealer will be glad to advise
you. <
For correct identification of the right tire infla-
tion pressures, observe the following:
> Tire sizes for your vehicle
> Maximum allowable driving speed
Tire inflation pressures for driving up to
100 mph or 160 km/h
For normal driving up to 100 mph or 160 km/h
and to achieve optimum dr iving comfort, adjust
pressures to the respective tire inflation pres-
sures listed on the foll owing pages in the col-
umns for traveling speeds up to a maximum of
100 mph or 160 km/h.
These tire inflation pre ssures can also be found
on the driver's side door pillar when the driver's
door is open.
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Tread wear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
DOT Quality Grades
Tread wear
Traction AA A B C
Temperature A B CAll passenger car tires must conform to
Federal Safety Requirements in addition
to these grades. <
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified
government test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and one-half (1 γ)
times as well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, 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 con-
trolled 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, hydroplaning, 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
material 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 Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A repre-
sent levels of performance on the laboratory test
wheel that exceed the minimum required by
law.
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combin ation, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.<
RSC - run-flat tires
You will recognize run-flat tires by a circular
symbol containing the letters RSC on the side of
the tire, page 152.
M+S
Winter and all-season tires.
These have better winter properties than
summer tires.
XL
Designation for specia lly reinforced tires.
Tire condition
Inspect your tires regularly for tread wear, signs
of damage and for foreig n objects lodged in the
tread. Check the tread depth.
Tread depth
The tread depth should not drop below 0.12 in/
3 mm, although, for exam ple, European legisla-
tion only specifies a minimum tread depth of
0.063 in/1.6 mm. At tread depths below
0.12 in/3 mm there is an increased risk of high-
speed hydroplaning, even when only small
amounts of water are present on the road
surface.
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Winter tires
When winter tires wear down past a tread depth
of 0.16 in/4 mm, they become perceptibly less
suitable for winter conditions. In the interest of
safety, new tires should be installed.
Minimum tread depth
Wear indicators in the base of the tread groove
are distributed around the tire's circumference;
the letters TWI, for Tread Wear Indicator, on the
tire's sidewalls identify tires that incorporate
these wear indicators. When tire tread is worn
down to the level of the wear indicators, the
remaining tread dept h is 0.063 in/1.6 mm.
Tire damage
Driving over rough or damaged road surfaces, as
well as debris, curbs, and other obstacles can
cause serious damage to wheels, tires, and
suspension parts. This is more likely to occur
with low-profile tire s, which provide less
cushioning between the wheel and the road. Be
careful to avoid road hazards and reduce your
speed, especially if your vehicle is equipped with
low-profile tires.
Unusual vibrations encountered during normal
vehicle operation can indicate tire failure or
some other vehicle defect . This can, for exam-
ple, be caused by drivin g over curbs. The same
applies to any other abnormal road behavior,
such as pulling severely to the right or left.
In these cases, reduce speed immediately
and have wheels and tires thoroughly
checked. To do so, drive carefully to the nearest
MINI dealer or a specialized tire shop that has
specially trained personnel working in accor- dance with the specifications of the MINI manu-
facturer. If necessary, have the vehicle towed
there.
Otherwise, tire damage can be extremely
dangerous for vehicle occupants and other road
users.
<
Tire age
The manufacturing date of tires is contained in
the tire coding:
DOT ... 1012 means that the tire was manufac-
tured during the 10th week of 2012.
For various reasons, such as the development
of brittleness, the manufacturer of your MINI
recommends tire replac ement after no more
than 6 years, regardless of the actual wear of the
tires.
Run-flat tires
The symbol identifying run-flat tires is a circle
with the letters RSC on the sidewall.
Run-flat tires comprise a conditionally self-sup-
porting tire and a special rim. The reinforcement
in the sidewalls ensures that the tire can con-
tinue to be used subject to certain restrictions,
even if depressurized.
For information on continuing to drive with a flat
tire, refer to Indication of a flat tire, page 81.
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New wheels and tires
Have new wheels and tires mounted only
by your MINI dealer or a specialized tire
shop that has specially trained personnel
working in accordance with the specifications of
the MINI manufacturer. If this work is not carried
out properly, there is a danger of subsequent
damage and related safety hazards. Make sure
that the new wheels are balanced. <
Retreaded tires
The manufacturer of your MINI recom-
mends that you avoid using retreaded
tires, as this could impair driving safety. The
causes for this include potentially different tire
casing structures and of ten wide variations in
tire age, which can result in a limited service
life.<
Correct wheels and tires
The manufacturer of your MINI recom-
mends mounting only wheels and tires
that it has specifically approved for use on your
particular model. Alth ough other wheels and
tires may theoretically have the same dimen-
sions, variations in factors such as manufac-
turing tolerances can re sult in contact between
tire and bodywork, ultimately leading to serious
accidents. The manufacturer of your MINI can-
not evaluate non-approved wheels and tires to
determine if they are su ited for use, and there-
fore cannot ensure the operating safety of the
vehicle if they are mounted. <
Your MINI dealer will be glad to inform you
about the correct wheel an d tire combination for
your vehicle.
The correct combination of wheels and tires is
also necessary to ensure reliable operation of
various vehicle systems such as ABS and DSC.
To maintain good handling and vehicle
response, use only tires of a single brand and
tread configuration. After a tire has been
damaged, mount the previous wheel and tire
combination again as soon as possible.
Wheels with Tire Pressure Monitor TPM
electronics
When mounting new tires or changing over from
summer to winter tires, or vice versa, only use
wheels with TPM electronics; otherwise, the Tire
Pressure Monitor may not be able to detect a
puncture, refer to page 83. Your MINI dealer will
be glad to advise you.
Recommended tire brands
For each tire size, the manufacturer of your MINI
recommends certain tire brands. They are
marked with a clearly visible MINI designation
on the sidewall of the tire.
When properly used, these tires meet the high-
est standards in terms of safety and handling
characteristics.
Run-flat tires
When mounting new tires or changing over from
summer to winter tires and vice versa, mount
run-flat tires for your ow n safety. Keep in mind
that no space-saver spare tire is available in the
event of a flat. Your MINI dealer will be glad to
advise you.
Special characteristics of winter tires
The manufacturer of your MINI recommends the
use of winter tires on snowy roads or if temper-
atures drop below 45 7/ +7 6. Although all-
season M+S tires provide better winter traction
than summer tires, they generally fail to provide
the same levels of cold-weather performance as
winter tires.
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Replacing componentsMOBILITY
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Replacing components
Vehicle equipment
In this chapter, all production, country, and
optional equipment that is offered in the model
range is described. Equipment is also described
that is not available because of, for example,
selected options or count ry version. This also
applies to safety related functions and systems.
Toolkit
Your vehicle comes with a toolkit that varies
with the equipment version; it is stored under-
neath the flat load floor.
With Mobility Kit
1 Sealant bottle
2 Hexagon wrench
3 Extractor hook
4 Vehicle jack
5 Wheel stud wrench
6 Flat screwdriver/Phillips screwdriver, towing
eyelet
7 Compressor
Run-flat tires or space-saver spare tire
The toolkit includes a pouch with a plastic bag in
which you can place the damaged wheel. 1
Folding chock and cove r for defective wheel
2 Extractor hook
3 Wheel stud wrench
4 Vehicle jack
5 Special wrench for removing the space-
saver spare tire
6 Flat screwdriver/Phillips screwdriver
7 Towing eyelet
8 Lifting handle
Wiper blades
Do not place windshield wipers on the
windshield if wiper blades are not
installed; otherwise, the windshield may be
damaged. <
MINI Coupe, MINI Roadster: wiper blade
replacement
1.Fold out the wiper arm and hold it.
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Replacing componentsMOBILITY
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In the event of a flat tire, different procedures
should be followed depending on the equip-
ment included in your vehicle:
>MINI Mobility Kit, refer to the following
section
> Run-flat tires, page 173
> Tire change with space-saver spare tire,
page 173
MINI Mobility Kit
Preparations
Use of the MINI Mobility Kit may be ineffective if
the tire puncture meas ures approx. 1/8 in/4 mm
or more. Contact the nearest MINI dealer if the
tire cannot be made driv able with the Mobility
Kit.
Do not remove foreign bodies which have
penetrated the tire if possible.
Follow the instructions on using the
Mobility Kit found on the compressor
and the sealant bottle. <
Remove the adhesive label for the speed limit
from the sealant bottle and affix it to the
steering wheel.
Sealant and compressor
1 Sealant bottle and adhesi ve label with speed
limit
2 Filling hose
Note the use-by date on the sealant
bottle. < 3
Holder for the sealant bottle
4 Compressor
5 Plug and cable for the socket in the vehicle
interior, page 101
6 Connection hose to connect the compressor
and sealant bottle or the compressor and
wheel
7 On/off switch
8 Pressure gauge for indicating the tire
inflation pressure
9 Release button for reduci ng the tire inflation
pressure
Connector, cable and connection hose are
stored in the compressor housing.
Using the Mobility Kit
To repair a tire puncture with the Mobility Kit,
proceed as follows:
> Filling the tire with sealant.
> Distributing the sealant.
> Correct the tire inflation pressure.
Filling the tire with sealant.
Proceed in the specified order; otherwise,
sealant may emerge under high pres-
sure. <
1. Shake the sealant bottle.
2. Pull the connecting hose 6 completely out of
the compressor housing and screw it onto
the connector of the sealant bottle. Make
sure that the hose is not kinked.
3. Insert the sealant bottle on the compressor
housing in an upright position.
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MOBILITYReplacing components
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4.Unscrew the dust cap from the valve of the
defective wheel and screw the filling hose 2
of the sealant bottle onto the valve.
5. Ensure that the compre ssor is switched off.
6. Insert the plug 5 into the lighter socket/
power socket in the vehicle interior,
page 102.
7. With the engine running:
Switch on the compressor and let run for
about 3 to 8 minutes in order to add the
sealant and to achieve an inflation pressure
of about 1.8 bar/26 psi.
When adding the sealant, the filling
pressure can temporarily increase up
to about 5 bar/73 psi. Do not switch off the
compressor during this phase. <
Do not run the comp ressor for longer
than 10 minutes; otherwise, the
device will overheat and possibly be
damaged.<
8. Switch off the compressor.
If an inflation pressure of 1.8 bar/26 psi is not
reached:
1. Unscrew the filling hose 2 from the wheel
and drive the vehicle forward and backward
approx. 33 ft/10 m to distribute the liquid
sealant in the tire evenly.
2. Inflate the tire again with the compressor.
If an inflation pressure of 1.8 bar/26 psi is
not reached, then the tire is too badly
damaged. Please contact the nearest MINI
dealer. <
Stowing Mobility Kit
1.Unscrew filler hose 2 of the sealant bottle
from the wheel.
2. Unscrew connecting hose of the
compressor 6 from the sealant bottle.
3. Connect the filler hose 2 of the sealant
bottle to the unoccupied connection on
the sealant bottle.
This prevents the rest of the sealant from
escaping from the bottle.
4. Wrap the empty sealant bottle in suitable
material to avoid dirtying the cargo area.
5. Stow Mobility Kit back in the vehicle.
Distributing the sealant.
Immediately drive appr ox. 3.1 miles/5 km so
that the sealant evenly distributes itself.
Do not exceed speeds of 50 mph/
80 km/h.
If possible, do not drop below 10 mph/
20 km/h. <
Adjusting the tire pressure
1.After driving approx. 3.1 miles/5 km or
10 minutes, stop at a suitable location.
2. Screw the connection hose 6 of the com-
pressor directly onto the tire valve.
3. Insert the plug 5 into the power socket in
the vehicle interior.
4. Adjust tire pressure to 1.8 bar/26 psi. With
the engine running:
> To increase the inflatio n pressure: switch on
the compressor. To ch eck the current infla-
tion pressure, switch off the compressor.
Do not run the compressor for longer
than 10 minutes; otherwise, the
device will overheat and possibly be
damaged. <
> To decrease the inflat ion pressure: press the
release button 9.
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