Get MOBILITY -> Wheels and tires Guide for Mini Cooper 2 Door Second Generation (2006-2015)

Wheels and tires

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.<

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.

For correct identification of the right tire infla-

tion pressures, observe the following:

>

Tire sizes for your vehicle

Load conditions

Checking pressure

Maximum allowable driving speed

Check the tire inflation pressure regularly

and correct it, if necessary: 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.<

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 driving comfort, adjust

pressures to the respective tire inflation pres-

sures listed on the following pages in the col-

umns for traveling speeds up to a maximum of

100 mph or 160 km/h.

These tire inflation pressures can also be found

on the driver's side door post when the driver's

door is open.

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 59,

or reset the Tire Pressure Monitor, page 61.<

Checking the tire inflation pressure of

the compact tire*

The maximum permitted speed for these

tire inflation pressures is 100 mph or

160 km/h. Do not exceed this speed; otherwise,

tire damage and accidents may occur.<

To check the inflation pressure, fold up the level

load floor. Remove the onboard vehicle tool kit

and the space-saver spare tire, refer to

page 121.

Tire inflation pressures for driving above

100 mph or 160 km/h

Inflation pressure specifications

In order to drive at maximum speeds in

excess of 100 mph or 160 km/h, adjust

pressures to the respective tire inflation pres-

sures listed on the following pages in the col-

The tables below provide all the correct inflation

pressures for the specified tire sizes at ambient

temperature.

96

umns for traveling speeds including those

exceeding 100 mph or 160 km/h. Otherwise,

tire damage and accidents could occur.<

Observe all national and local maximum speed

limits; otherwise, violations of the law could

occur.

97

MINI Cooper Clubman 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/kilopascal with cold tires. Cold

= ambient temperature

195/55 R 16 87 H

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

32/220

35/240

38/260

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

205/45 R 17 84 V RSC

205/45 R 17 84 V M+S RSC

205/40 R 18 82 W RSC

35/240

60/420

35/240

60/420

38/260

60/420

41/280

60/420

Emergency wheel: 115/

70 R 15 90 M

More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page 144.

98

MINI Cooper S Clubman 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/kilopascal 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

35/240

38/260

35/240

38/260

41/280

44/300

205/45 R 17 84 V RSC

205/45 R 17 84 V M+S RSC

205/40 R 18 82 W RSC

175/60 R 16 82 H M+S RSC

More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page 144.

99

MINI John Cooper Works Clubman 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/kilopascal 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

41/280

38/260

41/280

39/270

42/290

45/310

48/330

205/40 R 18 82 W RSC

More details on the permissible load and weights can be found on page 144.

100

under controlled conditions on a specified gov-

ernment test course. For example, a tire graded

150 would wear one and one-half (1γ) 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, how-

ever, and may depart significantly from the

norm due to variations in driving habits, service

practices and differences in road characteristics

and climate.

Tire coding

Knowledge of the labeling on the side of the tire

makes it easier to identify and choose the right

tires.

Tire size

Speed code letter

Q = up to 100 mph or 160 km/h

T = up to 118 mph or 190 km/h

H = up to 131 mph or 210 km/h

V = up to 150 mph or 240 km/h

W = up to 167 mph or 270 km/h

Y = up to 186 mph or 300 km/h

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 controlled

conditions on specified government test sur-

faces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C

may have poor traction performance.

Tire Identification Number

Tires with DOT codes meet the guidelines of the

US Department of Transportation.

The traction grade assigned to this tire is

based on straight-ahead braking traction

tests, and does not include acceleration, corner-

ing, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteris-

tics.<

DOT code:

Uniform Tire Quality Grading

For instance:

DOT xxxx xxx 0810

Manufacturer's

code for tire make

Tire size and

tire design

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. Sus-

tained 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 lev-

els of performance on the laboratory test wheel

that exceed the minimum required by law.

Tire age

Quality grades can be found where applicable

on the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and

maximum section width. For example:

Tread wear 200 Traction AA

Temperature A

DOT Quality Grades

Tread wear

Traction AA A B C

Temperature A B C

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 sep-

arately or in combination, can cause heat

buildup and possible tire failure.<

All 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

101

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 depth is 1/16 in/1.6 mm.

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 103.

M+S

Tire damage

Winter and all-season tires.

These have better winter properties than sum-

mer tires.

Due to low-profile tires, please note that wheels,

tires and suspensions parts are more susceptible

to road hazards and consequential damages.

Unusual vibrations encountered during normal

vehicle operation can indicate tire failure or

some other vehicle defect. This can, for exam-

ple, be caused by driving over curbs. The same

applies to any other abnormal road behavior,

such as pulling severely to the right or left.

XL

Designation for specially reinforced tires.

Tire condition

Inspect your tires regularly for tread wear, signs

of damage and for foreign objects lodged in the

tread. Check the tread depth.

In these cases, reduce speed immediately

and have wheels and tires thoroughly

checked. To do so, drive carefully to the nearest

MINI dealer or tire shop that works according to

MINI repair procedures with correspondingly

trained personnel. If necessary, have the vehicle

towed there.

Otherwise, tire damage can be extremely dan-

gerous for vehicle occupants and other road

users.<

Tread depth

The tread depth should not drop below 1/8 in/

3 mm, although, for example, European legisla-

tion only specifies a minimum tread depth of

1/16 in/1.6 mm. At tread depths below 1/8 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.

Tire age

The manufacturing date of tires is contained in

the tire coding:

Winter tires

DOT ... 0810 means that the tire was manufac-

tured in week 8 of 2010.

When winter tires wear down past a tread depth

of 1/6 in/4 mm, they become perceptibly less

suitable for winter conditions. In the interest of

safety, new tires should be installed.

For various reasons, such as the development of

brittleness, the manufacturer of your MINI rec-

ommends tire replacement after no more than

6 years, regardless of the actual wear of the

tires.

Minimum tread depth

Wear indicators in the base of the tread groove

are distributed around the tire's circumference;

102

tires may theoretically have the same dimen-

sions, variations in factors such as manufactur-

ing tolerances can result 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 suited for use, and there-

fore cannot ensure the operating safety of the

vehicle if they are mounted.<

Run-flat tires*

Your MINI dealer will be glad to inform you

about the correct wheel and tire combination for

your vehicle.

The symbol identifying run-flat tires is a circle

with the letters RSC on the sidewall.

The correct combination of wheels and tires is

also necessary to ensure reliable operation of

various vehicle systems such as ABS and DSC.

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.

To maintain good handling and vehicle

response, use only tires of a single brand and

tread configuration. After a tire has been dam-

aged, mount the previous wheel and tire combi-

nation again as soon as possible.

For information on continuing to drive with a flat

tire, refer to Indication of a flat tire, page 60.

Wheels with Tire Pressure Monitor TPM

electronics

New wheels and tires

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 62. Your MINI dealer will

be glad to advise you.

Have new wheels and tires mounted only

by your MINI dealer or a specialized tire

shop that has specially trained personnel work-

ing in accordance with the specifications of the

MINI manufacturer. If this work is not carried out

properly, there is a danger of subsequent dam-

age and related safety hazards. Make sure that

the new wheels are balanced.<

Recommended tire brands

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 often wide variations in

tire age, which can result in a limited service

life.<

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.

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. Although other wheels and

103

When properly used, these tires meet the high-

est standards in terms of safety and handling

characteristics.

Always check the inflation pressure after the tire

rotation, if necessary change the pressure.

Run-flat tires*

Snow chains*

When mounting new tires or changing over from

summer to winter tires and vice versa, mount

run-flat tires for your own 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.

Only certain types of fine-link snow chains have

been tested by the manufacturer of your MINI,

classified as road-safe and recommended. Con-

tact your MINI dealer for more details.

Only attach snow chains in pairs to the front

wheels with the following tires.

Special characteristics of winter tires

>

175/65 R 15 M+S

175/60 R 16 M+S

The manufacturer of MINI recommends the use

of winter tires on snowy roads or if temperatures

drop below 457/ +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.

John Cooper Works:

185/50 R 17 86 H M+S XL RSC

>

Observe the manufacturer's instructions when

mounting snow chains. Do not exceed a speed

of 30 mph or 50 km/h.

Do not initialize the Flat Tire Monitor if

snow chains are mounted; otherwise, the

instrument might issue an incorrect reading.

When driving with snow chains, it can be useful

to briefly deactivate the DSC or activate the DTC,

refer to page 58.<

Pay attention to speed

Always comply with the speed limit for the

winter tires mounted on your car; failure

to do so could result in tire damage and acci-

dents.<

If the car is capable of speeds higher than that

permitted for the winter tires, a label stating the

maximum permitted speed for the mounted

tires must be displayed in your field of view. Spe-

cialist tire dealers and your MINI dealer can sup-

ply these labels.

Storage

Always store wheels and tires in a cool, dry place

with as little exposure to light as possible.

Always protect tires against all contact with oil,

grease and fuels.

Do not exceed the maximum tire inflation pres-

sure indicated on the sidewall of the tire.

Swapping wheels among the axles

Depending on the individual use, front and rear

tires may exhibit different wear and tear.

In order to maintain an even wear and tear, the

wheels may be rotated between the axles. Your

MINI dealer will be glad to advise you.

104

MOBILITY -> Wheels and tires for Your Mini Cooper 2 Door Second Generation (2006-2015)

Related Topics

Popular Owner Manuals

Latest Owner Manuals