[Mindo]

For those who have not yet experienced a low pressure warning. Today i heard the usual bong and a message came up on the HUD LOW PRESSURE WARNING. On the dash a diagram pops up with the car chassis with lines at each corner denoting tyres and they're all flashing. Then in a matter of seconds it changes to show which tyre is low and then all the corner lines disappear leaving the one with an a small arrow pointing at it, telling me this trye is the culprit. THEN a long descriptive warning appears on the central console explaining that YOU MUST STOP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE and message cannot be removed plus additional warnings such as stay below 20mph.

Well you can imagine how i felt. God ive a puncture so i gingerly made the final 2 miles home on main roads thinking the tyre will fly off the very wheel any minute. Got home and checked the tyre to find there was nowt wrong with it. Looked exactly the same as i started that morning. Its a good idea to have an electric tyre pump so i pumped in a very small amount of air and all is fine.
I know a lot of safety is built into this car but the car appears not to tell the difference between a tiny amount of air or a full puncture unless a different message is displayed for that occasion. This all seemed over the top to me and very dramatic for a tiny loss of air.

 

[jeremybingham]

Sounds very drastic perhaps it needs a reset? No issues with mine yet

 

[johnan]

Have you any idea of how much the pressure had dropped by to cause the frantic alarm?

I usually check the pressures via the central screen once a week while on the move and so far they have remained pretty much static + or - 0.1 bar and it would be useful to know how far they have to drop before the alarm starts.

 

[uke]

AIIEEEEEE a tire is low WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!! (thinks the computer)

I think the TPMS needs to get a grip.

 

[Angib]

My olde-world second generation Roadster with visual boost has an impressive message if the rear spoiler is frozen in the down position. It doesn't actually say "Beware: plague of frogs" but that's about the only dire warning it leaves out - I feel particularly that the "You WILL be struck by a thunderbolt from the gods" is a bit over the top.

 

[Fuad]

I have a question for someone in the know how about tyres.

Which tyres would be better 'The Run Flat' or the normal ones?

See with my old mini 08 reg. I had Run Flat and I must have changed the tyres at least 5/6 times in the span of 6 years as they kept getting punctured all the time in total I changed 11 tyres. Before that I had a VW beetal and in the 5 years of my driving I only ever changed all 4 tyres once when the thread was worn out they were just normal tyres.

I recently bought F55 Mini cooper with the Run Flat again about 3 weeks ago and have already picked a puncture yesterday, which is really upsetting as I haven't even done 700 miles and cant understand if its just my luck or is it that run flat tyres get punctured more easily.

Mini is quoted me approx £185 for the pirelli tyres .

 

[jeremybingham]

Sadly think it's just bad luck.

 

[SthmcrRob]

Hi I had a puncture this week it was a tack in my tyre and it couldn't be repaired. The pressure monitor came on as it had gone from 2.2 bar to 1.7 bar. Brilliant system. I have normal run tyres on mine so got replacement from National Tyre who price matched Kwik Fits at £100.

Dread to think how much MINI would have charged. Plus National tyre cover you for any new punctures on new tyres purchased.

 

[sirron]

'Dread to think how much MINI would have charged. '

Do you have a spare arm and a leg?

 

[Angib]

In my experience, National Tyres will also act (reasonably) ethically and not tell you you need something you definitely don't - whereas KwikFit are pretty much con merchants with successful TV advertising.

I was shocked when a National Tyre fitter actually got out a torque wrench to finish off fitting a wheel - that sort of thing can get you strung up by the tyrefitters union, I thought.

 

[jeremybingham]

When I had my tyres fitted to alloys not supplied by mini they were 100% competitive. Got to keep em honest by getting quotes from elsewhere and then they match it. Mind you I am happy with dexel tyres who usually supply mine.

 

[Kiwi]

I purchased tyre and rim insurance for three years so never have to worry but I do run my tyres with a little more air as better tread wear and better fuel milage and is recommended.