MINI COOPER 2005 Owners Manual

99
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
TIRE CODINGKnowing the tire code on the tire's sidewall
makes it easier for you to choose and iden
-
tify the correct tires.Tire sizee.g. 205/45
R 17 84 V
Nominal width in mm Cross-sectional

ratio in % Radial belt construction Rim diameter in inches Load index,

not on ZR tiresSpeed code letter,

in front of the R on ZR tiresSpeed code letters:Q = up to 100 mph / 160
km/h
T= up to 118
mph
/ 190
km/h
H= up to 131
mph
/ 210
km/h
V= up to 150
mph
/ 240
km/h
W= up to 167
mph
/ 270
km/h
Tire Identification NumberTires with DOT codes meet the guidelines
of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
DOT code:e.g. DOT xxxx xxx 2704Manufacturer's code

for tire make Tire size and

tire version Tire age Tire ageThe date on which the tire was manufac
-
tured is indicated by the code on the side
-
wall:

DOT...2704 indicates that the tire was man
-
ufactured in Week 27 of the year 2004.The manufacturer of your vehicle recom
-
mends replacing all tires after 6
years at
the latest, even if a tire service life of
10
years is possible.
Uniform Tire Quality GradingQuality grades can be found where applica
-
ble on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width.

For example:Treadwear 200 Traction AATemperature A
DOT quality gradesTread wear Traction AA A B C Temperature A B C
All passenger car tires must conform to Federal Safety Requirements in
addition to these grades.<
Tread wearThe tread wear grade is a comparative rat
-
ing 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.
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100
TIRE CODING
TIRE CONDITION
Traction The traction grades, from highest to low
-
est, are AA, A, B, and C.

Those grades represent the tire's ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on specified govern
-
ment test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction per
-
formance.
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead brak
-
ing traction tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning, or
peak traction characteristics. B and C, representing the tire's resistance
to the generation of heat and its ability to
dissipate heat when tested under con
-
trolled conditions on a specified indoor lab
-
oratory 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 represent
higher levels of performance on the labora
-
tory test wheel than 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 combination, can
cause heat buildup and possible tire fail
-
ure. -
lar symbol containing the letters RSC on
the side of the tire, refer to page
101
.
M+SWinter and all-season tires.

These have better winter performance
properties than summer tires.
Inspect your tires frequently for tread wear,
signs of damage and for foreign objects
lodged in the tread. Check the tread depth.Tire tread The tread depth should not fall below
ε in / 3 mm.

Below ε
in / 3 mm tread depth, there is a
very high danger of hydroplaning at higher
speeds even if there is only a small amount
of water on the road.

Below a tread depth of
1/6 in / 4 mm, win
-
ter tires display a perceptible decrease in
their ability to cope with winter driving
conditions, and should be replaced in the
interest of safety.
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101
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
TIRE CONDITION
RUN FLAT TIRES
*
Wear indicators in the tread-groove base, arrow, are spread around the circumfer
-
ence of the tire and are marked on the side
wall of the tire with TWI, Tread Wear Indi
-
cator. The indicators in the tread indicate at 1/16 in / 1.6
mm tread depth that the
legally permitted wear limit has been
reached.
Wheel/tire damage
Due to low-profile tires, please note that wheels, tires and suspension
parts are more susceptible to road hazards
and consequential damage.

Unusual vibrations while driving can indi
-
cate tire damage or other damage to the
vehicle. This may be caused, for example,
by driving over a curb. This is also true for
abnormalities in the vehicle's handling
characteristics, such as a pronounced ten
-
dency to pull to the left or right.

In such situations, reduce your speed
immediately. Drive carefully to the nearest
MINI Dealer or tire dealer, or have the vehi
-
cle towed there, if necessary.

Tire damage, up to and including blowouts,
can endanger the lives of both the vehicle
occupants and other road users.<
You will recognize Run Flat tires by a circu
-
lar symbol containing the letters RSC on
the side of the tire.

Run Flat tires consist of self-contained tires
and special rims. The tire reinforcement
ensures that driving remains possible to a
restricted degree in the event of a pressure
drop or even a flat tire. Continuing driving with a damaged
tire Depending on the load, you can continue
driving with Run Flat tires at a maximum
speed of 50
mph
/ 80
km/h.
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102
RUN FLAT TIRES
*
NEW WHEELS AND TIRES
If there is a total loss of tire inflation pres
-
sure, 0
psi
/ 0 kPa, or obvious tire damage,
you can gauge the mileage for continued
driving on the basis of the following indica
-
tions:>With a light load:

1 to 2 persons without luggage:

approx. 155
miles
/ 250
km
>With a medium load:

2 persons, full luggage compartment, or

4 persons without luggage:

approx. 90 miles
/ 150 km.
>With a full load:

4 persons or more, full luggage compart
-
ment:

approx. 30
miles
/ 50 km.
Drive cautiously. Do not exceed a speed of 50
mph
/ 80
km/h. In case of
tire pressure loss you must expect changes
in vehicle handling such as lower track sta
-
bility during braking, longer braking dis
-
tances and changes in self-steering proper
-
ties when close to the handling limit.

For safety reasons, the manufacturer of
your vehicle recommends not having dam
-
aged Run Flat tires repaired. In this case,
consult your MINI dealer.<
Tire change set
In case of a flat tire, the tire change set is not needed, since your vehicle
has Run Flat tires.

When changing a tire, always observe the
safety measures and the procedure for
changing tires starting on page
125
.<
Your vehicle is additionally equipped with a
tire change set.In the MINI COOPER and MINI COOPER Con
-
vertible this is located in the luggage com
-
partment under the floor mat.

In the MINI COOPER
S and MINI COOPER S
Convertible, the tire change set is located in
a separate bag which is attached to the
lashing eyelets on the luggage compart
-
ment floor by means of tie-down straps.
Have new wheels and tires mounted only by a tire specialist. Work that is
improperly carried out could result in con
-
sequential damage and pose safety haz
-
ards. about the correct wheel and tire combina
-
tion for your vehicle.

Have the wheels balanced after each tire or
wheel replacement. The correct wheel and tire combination is
also important for various systems that
would otherwise be impaired, e.g. ABS or
DSC.
The manufacturer of your vehicle rec
-
ommends that you avoid using
retread tires, as this could impair driving
safety. This is due to the possible variations
in casing structures and, in some cases, to
their extreme age, which can lead to a
decrease in their durability.<
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103
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
NEW WHEELS AND TIRESThe correct wheels and tires
The manufacturer of your vehicle

recommends mounting only wheels
and tires that it has specifically tested and
approved for use on your particular model.
Although other wheels and tires may theo
-
retically have the same dimensions, varia
-
tions in factors such as manufacturing tol
-
erances can result in contact between tire
and bodywork, ultimately leading to seri
-
ous accidents. The manufacturer of your
vehicle cannot evaluate non-approved
wheels and tires to determine if they are
suited for use, and therefore cannot ensure
the operating safety of the vehicle if they
are fitted. response, use only tires of a single brand
and tread configuration. In the event of a
flat tire, remount the previous wheel and
tire combination as soon as possible.Recommended tire sizes and brands:For each tire size, certain tire brands have
been tested, classified as road safe and
approved by the manufacturer of your
vehicle. You can find out about these from
a professional tire center, preferably your
MINI Dealer. Observe any local regulations,
e.g. on making a corresponding entry in the
vehicle documents. The factory-approved radial belt tires are
matched to your vehicle and provide opti
-
mum safety and driving comfort when
used properly.Run Flat tires:If your vehicle is equipped with Run Flat
tires, refer to Run Flat tires, please note the
following: when mounting new tires or
replacing summer tires with winter tires, or
vice versa, use only Run Flat tires since no
spare wheel is available in the event of a
flat. The manufacturer of your vehicle will
be glad to advise you.Special characteristics of winter tires The manufacturer of your vehicle recom
-
mends winter tires for driving in adverse
winter road conditions. While all-season
tires with the M+S designation provide bet
-
ter winter traction than summer tires, they
generally do not achieve the full perfor
-
mance of winter tires. Observing speed ratings:
Never exceed the maximum speed for which the winter tires are rated.
Unprofessional attempts by laymen to ser
-
vice tires can lead to damage and acci
-
dents. Have this work performed by skilled
professionals only. The technicans at your
MINI Dealer will be glad to assist you with
the required professional knowledge and
specialized equipment. them against light whenever possible. Pro
-
tect the tires against contact with oil,
grease and fuel. Do not exceed the tire
inflation pressure specified on the tire side
-
wall.
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104
SNOW CHAINS
*
Only certain types of snow chains have
been tested by the manufacturer of your
MINI, classified as road-safe and approved.
Contact your MINI Dealer for more details.
The manufacturer of your MINI recom
-
mends that you use only these approved
fine-link snow chains. Their use is only per
-
mitted in pairs on the front wheels on win
-
ter tires of the following types: >175/65 R 15 M+S>175/60 R 16 M+S.When fitting, comply with the manufac
-
turer's instructions. With chains, do not
exceed a speed of 30
mph
/ 50
km/h.
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Monitor after attaching snow chains to the
tires.
When driving with snow chains, it can be
helpful to switch off the ASC or DSC for a
brief period, refer to pages
68, 69
.<
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105
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
BONNET
Do not attempt to service your vehi
-
cle if you do not have the required
technical background. If you are not famil
-
iar with the regulations to be observed,
have the necessary work on your vehicle
carried out only by a MINI Dealer or a work
-
shop that has specially trained personnel
working in accordance with the specifica
-
tions of the MINI manufacturer.

Work that is improperly carried out could
result in consequential damage and pose
safety hazards.<
To unlockPull the lever in the right door area beneath
the instrument panel.
To open1. Reach under the bonnet2. Pull the release lever3. Open the bonnet.To closeAllow the bonnet to fall from a height of
approx.
1 ft / 30
cm.
To avoid injuries, as with all closing procedures be sure that the travel
path of the bonnet is clear when it is closed.

If it is determined that the bonnet is not
completely closed while driving, stop
immediately and close it securely, also refer
to page
17.<
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106
1 Reservoir for windshield and rear

window
* washer system
108
2 Vehicle identification number3 Coolant expansion tank
110
4 Engine oil filler neck
109
5Battery
132
6 Brake fluid reservoir
111
7 Reservoir for headlamp cleaning system
108
8 Engine oil dipstick
108
ENGINE COMPARTMENT: MINI COOPER AND MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE
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107
OVERVIEW
REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS
DATA
INDEX
1 Reservoir for windshield and rear

window
* washer system
108
2 Vehicle identification number
3 Coolant expansion tank
110
4 Engine oil filler neck
109
5 Auxiliary termin al for jump-
starting
134
6 Brake fluid reservoir
111
7 Reservoir for headlamp cleaning system
108
8 Engine oil dipstick
108
ENGINE COMPARTMENT: MINI COOPER S AND MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE
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108
WASHER FLUID
ENGINE OIL
Headlamp* and window washer systems The capacity of the headlamp washer sys
-
tem is approx. 2.6
quarts
/ 2.5
liters, that of
the windshield and rear window washer
system approx. 2.1
quarts
/ 2.0
liters.
Fill with water and, if necessary, with anti
-
freeze, according to manufacturer's recom
-
mendations.
We recommend that you mix the washer fluid before filling either res
-
ervoir.<
Antifreeze agent for the washer sys
-
tems is flammable. Always keep it
well away from sparks and open flames,
and store it in tightly closed containers well
out of the reach of children. Always observe
the instructions on the containers.<
The illustration shows by way of example the dipstick of the MINI
COOPER and the
MINI
COOPER Convertible.
Measuring the oil level1. Park the vehicle on a level surface2. Switch the engine off after it has
reached normal operating temperature3. Pull the dipstick out after approx.
5
minutes and wipe it off with a lint-free
cloth, paper towel, or similar material
4. Carefully push the dipstick all the way
into the guide tube and pull it out again.
The oil level must be between the two
marks on the dipstick.
As with fuel economy, oil consumption is
directly influenced by your driving style and
vehicle operating conditions.
The oil volume between the two notches –
MIN, MAX – on the dipstick corresponds to
approx. 1.1
quarts
/ 1
liter. Do not fill
beyond the upper notch on the dipstick.
Excess oil will damage the engine.
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