How to Change the Spare Tire on a Mini Cooper

by Thomas West

Scott Barbour/Getty Images News/Getty Images

The Mini Cooper is a sporty, economy car produced since 2001 by BMW. The new Mini bears a resemblance to the original British-made Mini that was introduced in 1959. The Mini's compact dimensions make it necessary to mount the spare tire externally, underneath the rear of the car. The Mini’s tire-changing kit includes a full set of tools, including a folding wheel chock, a lug wrench, a jack and a lifting handle for the spare tire.

Step 1

Stop the vehicle as far away from traffic as possible on a level surface. Place the transmission in park if your Mini has an automatic transmission or in first gear if it has a manual transmission. Apply the parking brake and turn on the hazard flasher lights.

Step 2

Open the rear hatch of the Mini and remove the cargo mat or carpet. Remove the tire-changing tools to reveal the cover over the threaded hole in the spare-tire carrier underneath the rear of the car. Remove the cover by loosening the holding nut with the tire lug wrench in a counterclockwise direction.

Step 3

Screw the lifting handle clockwise onto the threads of the hole and lift the handle slightly to reveal the securing springs. Squeeze in on both securing springs while holding up the lifting handle. Lower the spare tire with the lifting handle slowly. Unscrew the lifting handle counterclockwise.

Step 4

Pull the spare tire from the underneath of the rear of the vehicle. Place the folding chock against one of the unaffected tires to keep the vehicle from rolling. On the wheel with the flat tire, loosen the lug nuts half a turn counterclockwise with the lug wrench. Place the jack underneath the jacking point next to the flat tire. Crank the jack handle clockwise until the flat tire is off of the ground.

Step 5

Remove the lug nuts and set them aside. Lift the flat tire off the wheel hub and set it aside. Place the spare tire onto the wheel hub, making sure the wheel studs protrude through the holes on the wheel. Thread the lug nuts, with the tapered end facing inward, by hand, clockwise. After you've tightened all the lug nuts by hand, tighten them with the lug wrench.

Step 6

Lower the car with the jack by turning the jack handle counterclockwise until he wheel is on the ground. Tighten the lug nuts clockwise using a crisscross pattern until all are tight. Remove the jack.

Step 7

Slide the flat tire into the tire carrier underneath the rear of the car. From inside the cargo area, screw the lifting handle clockwise to the threaded hole in the carrier. Lift the handle until the securing springs click into place. Unscrew the lifting handle counterclockwise. Replace the spare-tire screw cover. Remove the wheel chock. Replace the tire changing tools and the cargo mat or carpet.

References

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