inflation pressure MINI Hardtop 2 Door 2006 Owner's Manual

3
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATION CONTROLS DATA INDEX
Driving:
Ignition lock53
Starting the engine53
Switching off the engine54
Parking brake54
Manual transmission55
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic56
Parking lamps/Low beams59
Turn signal indicator/Headlamp
flasher60
Instrument lighting61
Fog lamps61
Interior lamps61
Washer/wiper system62
Washer fluid63
Cruise control64
Everything under control:
Odometer66
Clock66
Fuel gauge66
Coolant temperature gauge67
Tachometer68
Service interval display68
Onboard computer69Technology for safety and driving
convenience:
Driving stability control systems71
Flat Tire Monitor73
Airbags75
Park Distance Control (PDC)77
Controlling the climate for pleasant
driving:
Air conditioning system78
Automatic climate control81
Interior conveniences:
Glove compartment84
Center armrest84
Drinks holders, ashtray85
Cigarette lighter, 12 V power supply85
Integrated universal remote control86
Loading and transporting cargo:
Luggage compartment in the MINI88
Luggage compartment in the MINI
Convertible89
Loading cargo90
Roof-mounted luggage rack93OPERATION, CARE, MAINTENANCE
Special operating instructions:
Break-in procedures96
General driving notes96
Refueling99
Wheels and tires:
Tire inflation pressure101
Tire coding105
Tire condition106
Run Flat tires108
New wheels and tires109
Snow chains110

73
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
FLAT TIRE MONITOR
The concept
As you drive, the Flat Tire Monitor keeps
track of the tire inflation pressure in all four
tires. The system alerts you when there is a
substantial pressure loss in one of the tires
relative to another.
In the event of tire pressure loss, the rolling
radius of the tire changes, thereby affect-
ing the rotational speed of the wheels. This
change is detected, and a flat tire warning
is issued to the driver.
System requirements
To ensure the reliability of flat tire warn-
ings, the system must be initialized with
the correct tire inflation pressures.
Each time you correct the pressure in
a tire, or change a wheel or tire, the
system must be reinitialized.<
System limitations
The Flat Tire Monitor cannot alert you
to severe and sudden tire damage
caused by external factors, nor does it
detect the gradual and minor loss of pres-
sure in all four tires.<
The system could issue a false warning or
function in a delayed manner in the follow-
ing situations:
>System was not initialized
>You are driving on a snow-covered or
slippery road surface
>Performance-oriented driving: slip at the
drive wheels, high rates of lateral accel-
eration
>You are driving with snow chains.
When driving with a space-saver spare tire,
the Flat Tire Monitor cannot function.
Initializing the system
Initialization is completed while you
are driving, but you can stop the car
at any time. Initialization is automatically
continued when you continue driving. Do
not initialize the system if you are driving
with snow chains or a space-saver spare
tire.<
1. Before a journey, start the engine, but do
not start driving.
2. Press the button until the indicator lamp
in the display elements lights up in yel-
low for several seconds.
3. Drive off.
Initialization is completed during the
drive, without any feedback issued.

74
FLAT TIRE MONITOR
Flat tire warning
The warning lamp lights up in yel-
low. An acoustic signal also sounds.
There is a flat tire or a significant
loss of pressure in a tire.
1. Reduce speed and stop the vehicle with
caution. Avoid hard brake applications
and steering maneuvers.
2. Determine which tire is damaged.
If this cannot be determined, con-
tact your MINI Dealer.<
3. Repair the flat tire, refer to page131.
Vehicles with Run Flat tires:
1. Reduce vehicle speed carefully to under
50 mph / 80 km/h. Avoid hard brake
applications and steering maneuvers. Do
not exceed a speed of 50 mph /
80 km/h.
Do not continue driving if the vehi-
cle is not equipped with Run Flat
tires, refer to page108. If you continue
to drive with a flat tire, a serious acci-
dent could result.<
2. Check the tire inflation pressure in all
four tires at the earliest opportunity.
If the tire inflation pressure is cor-
rect in all four tires, it is possible
that the Flat Tire Monitor was not initial-
ized. In this case, initialize the system.<
3. If there is a total loss of tire inflation
pressure, 0 psi/0 kPa, or obvious tire
damage, you can gauge the mileage for
continued driving on the basis of the fol-
lowing indications:
>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 MINI recommends not having dam-
aged Run Flat tires repaired, but to consult
a MINI Dealer in such cases. The warning lamp lights up in yel-
low. There is a malfunction in the
Flat Tire Monitor or the system has
failed. Have the system checked as soon as
possible.

101
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE
Information for your safety
It is not merely the tire's service life, but
also driving safety and driving comfort that
depend on the condition of the tires and
the maintenance of the specified tire pres-
sure.
Checking tire inflation pressures
Check the tire inflation pressures only on
cold tires. This means after driving a maxi-
mum of 1.25 miles/2 km or when the vehi-
cle has been parked for at least 2 hours.
Warm tires have higher pressures.
Check tire inflation pressures regu-
larly and correct them if necessary,
including the space-saver spare tire: at
least twice a month and before long jour-
neys. Otherwise, incorrect tire pressures
can cause driving instability or tire damage,
ultimately resulting in accidents. Do not
drive with deflated, i.e. flat, tires except if
Run Flat tires are fitted. A flat tire greatly
impairs steering and braking response, and
can lead to complete loss of control over
the vehicle.<
After correcting the tire inflation
pressure, reinitialize the Flat Tire
Monitor, refer to page73.<
Tire inflation pressures for original
tires
The tire inflation pressures for your stan-
dard tires are shown on the driver's-side
door post, visible when the door is open.
Tire inflation pressures for other tire
sizes
In the following tire pressure table, all pres-
sures are given for the specified tire sizes at
ambient temperature.
In order to determine the correct
inflation pressures for your tires,
refer to the values for the tire size in ques-
tion.<
Checking the inflation pressure on the
space-saver spare tire
Behind the bumper there is a valve exten-
sion accessible from the outside for check-
ing the inflation pressure.
Tire size
The tire inflation pressures apply to the tire
sizes approved and the tire brands recom-
mended by the manufacturer of your MINI.
Your MINI Dealer will be glad to advise you.

102
TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE
Model Tire size Pressures specified in psi/kPa
All pressure specifications in the table are
indicated in psi/kilopascal with cold tires.
Cold = ambient temperature
Traveling speeds up to 100 mph/
160 km/habove 100 mph/
160 km/h
MINI COOPER/
MINI COOPER
Convertible175/65 R 15 84 H M+S A/S
175/65 R 15 84 H
195/55 R 16 87 V M+S A/S
195/55 R 16 87 H M+S A/S, Convertible only
195/55 R 16 87 H
205/45 R 17 84 V M+S A/S
205/45 R 17 84 V30/210 30/210 30/210 30/210 35/240 35/240
175/60 R 15 84 H M+S
175/60 R 16 82 H M+S
195/55 R 16 87 H M+S
205/45 R 17 84 V M+S
205/40 R 18 82 W33/230 33/230 33/230 33/230 38/260 38/260
Space-saver spare tire: T 115/70 R 15 90 M 61/420 61/420 61/420 61/420 - -

103
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE
Model Tire size Pressures specified in psi/kPa
All pressure specifications in the table are
indicated in psi/kilopascal with cold tires.
Cold = ambient temperature
Traveling speeds up to 100 mph/
160 km/habove 100 mph/
160 km/h
MINI COOPER S195/55 R 16 87 V M+S A/S
195/55 R 16 87 V30/210 30/210 30/210 30/210 35/240 35/240
195/55 R 16 87 H M+S 33/230 33/230 33/230 33/230 38/260 38/260
205/45 R 17 84 V M+S A/S
205/45 R 17 84 V M+S
205/45 R 17 84 V35/240 35/240 35/240 35/240 39/270 39/270
175/60 R 16 82 H M+S
205/40 R 18 82 W36/250 36/250 36/250 36/250 41/280 41/280
MINI COOPER S
with John Coo-
per Works Kit
*
195/55 R 16 87 V M+S A/S
195/55 R 16 87 V32/220 32/220 32/220 32/220 35/240 35/240
195/55 R 16 87 H M+S 33/230 33/230 33/230 33/230 38/260 38/260
205/45 R 17 84 V M+S A/S
205/45 R 17 84 V M+S
205/45 R 17 84 V35/240 35/240 35/240 35/240 39/270 39/270
175/60 R 16 82 H M+S
205/40 R 18 82 W36/250 36/250 36/250 36/250 41/280 41/280

104
TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE
More information about permissible loads and weights can be found on pages149,150. Model Tire size Pressures specified in psi/kPa
All pressure specifications in the table are
indicated in psi/kilopascal with cold tires.
Cold = ambient temperature
Traveling speeds up to 100 mph/
160 km/habove 100 mph/
160 km/h
MINI COOPER S
Convertible195/55 R 16 87 V M+S A/S
195/55 R 16 87 V30/210 30/210 30/210 30/210 35/240 35/240
195/55 R 16 87 H M+S 33/230 33/230 33/230 33/230 38/260 38/260
205/45 R 17 84 V M+S A/S
205/45 R 17 84 V M+S
205/45 R 17 84 V35/240 35/240 35/240 35/240 38/260 38/260
175/60 R 16 82 H M+S
205/40 R 18 82 W36/250 36/250 36/250 36/250 41/280 41/280
MINI COOPER S
Convertible
with John Coo-
per Works Kit
*
195/55 R 16 87 V M+S A/S
195/55 R 16 87 V32/220 32/220 32/220 32/220 35/240 35/240
195/55 R 16 87 H M+S 33/230 33/230 33/230 33/230 38/260 38/260
205/45 R 17 84 V M+S A/S
205/45 R 17 84 V M+S
205/45 R 17 84 V35/240 35/240 35/240 35/240 39/270 39/270
175/60 R 16 82 H M+S
205/40 R 18 82 W36/250 36/250 36/250 36/250 41/280 41/280

110
NEW WHEELS AND TIRES SNOW CHAINS*
Special characteristics of winter tires
The manufacturer of your MINI 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.
Observe speed ratings:
Never exceed the maximum speed
for which the winter tires are rated.<
Storage
Store tires in a cool, dry place, protecting
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.
Only certain types of snow chains have
been tested by the manufacturer of your
MINI, classified as road-safe and recom-
mended. Contact your MINI Dealer for
more details. Their use is only permitted in
pairs on the front wheels on winter 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 page71.<

133
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATION CONTROLS DATA INDEX
SPACE-SAVER SPARE TIRE*CHANGING TIRES
9. Pull out the space-saver spare tire
towards the rear underneath the vehi-
cle
10. Position the space-saver spare tire with
the valve facing upwards
11. Unscrew the valve extension from the
valve of the space-saver spare tire
12. Unscrew the dust cap from the exten-
sion and place it on the valve of the
space-saver spare tire.
Due to its different dimensions, the
damaged wheel cannot be placed in
the recess for the space-saver spare tire.<
Driving with the space-saver spare tire
Drive cautiously. Do not exceed a speed of
50 mph / 80 km/h.
You must expect changes in vehicle han-
dling such as lower track stability during
braking, longer braking distances and
changes in self-steering properties when
close to the handling limit. These effects
are more pronounced when driving with
winter tires.
Only one space-saver spare tire may
be mounted at one time. Reinstall a
wheel and tire of the original size as soon
as possible.<
Check the tire inflation pressure at
the earliest opportunity and correct it
if necessary. Replace the defective tire as
soon as possible and have the new wheel/
tire assembly balanced.<
Additional safety measures in the
event of a tire change:
Change the tire only on a level, firm surface
which is not slippery.
The vehicle or the jack could slip sideways
on soft or slippery support surfaces, such as
snow, ice, flagstones, etc..
Do not use a wooden block or similar object
as a support base for the jack, as this would
prevent it from extending to its full support
height and reduce its load-carrying capac-
ity.
Do not lie under the vehicle or start the
engine when the vehicle is supported by
the jack – risk of fatal injury.<
Preparing for a tire change
Observe the safety precautions
regarding flat tires on page131.<
1. For vehicles with a space-saver spare
tire:
Place the folding chock behind the front
wheel on the other side of the vehicle;
on downward inclines, place it in front of
this wheel. If the wheel is changed on a
surface with a more severe slope, take
additional precautions to secure the
vehicle from rolling
2. Loosen the lug bolts by a half turn.

135
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATION CONTROLS DATA INDEX
MINI MOBILITY SYSTEM*
MINI Mobility System
The MINI Mobility System is provided to
help you repair a flat tire. With the help of
this system you can apply a liquid sealant
on the inside of the tire, which seals the
damaged area and enables you to continue
to drive.
Preparing for tire repair
Before using the MINI Mobility Sys-
tem read the warning and danger
precautions on the equipment.<
If possible, leave objects in which have
been forced into the tire.
Take off the tag regarding speed limits and
stick it onto the steering wheel.
Using the MINI Mobility System
In order to repair a flat tire with the MINI
Mobility System, proceed as follows:
>Pump in liquid sealant, refer to page136
>Reinflate the tire, refer to page136
>Distribute liquid sealant, refer to
page137
>Check tire inflation pressure, refer to
page137
>Drive on, refer to page137.
MINI Mobility System with onboard
tools
The MINI Mobility System with tire change
set and onboard tools is located in the lug-
gage compartment under the floor mat:
1Jack
2 Wheel stud wrench
3 Hubcap remover
4 Wrench, screwdriver/Phillips screw-
driver, towing eyelet
5 Compressor, hose with manometer and
plug for cigarette lighter socket
6 Package with filling hose, valve remover
and valve core
7 Filling canister
8 Hex wrench/screwdriver
9 Adapter for wheel lug lock