Last night I bought some used wheels and tires off a past Mini owner. They are 205/50/17s, replacing my 185/55/15 that came on the car. Wheels are in great shape and the tires are about 60% left. Anyway took them in this morning for balancing just to be sure. They balance them and put them on. They look great love the wider tire. Drove off the tire symbol came on. Pulled over checked the tires all pressure is fine. Went to do the reset feature, it flashed inactive would not reset. What does this mean? Drove the car to work everything was fine. I really like the wider tire by the way. Does the inactive mean there are no sensors in the wheels or is it because I change the size that the reading position is off? Need some advise here, thanks.

 

What year is your car?

If it's a first gen can you simply need to reset the system for the new wheels/tires, look in your owner's manual and it tells you how to do this - it's very simple. You'll also find out loads of other cool stuff about your car in there too!

If your car is a second gen car, you'll need to put the TPMS sensors in the wheels, which means you'll have to have the tires dismounted/remounted and rebalanced + buy the sensors. If the Tires/wheels are 2nd gen but '10 models and your car is an '07-'09 you'll need different sensors, the ones in the wheels are not compatable between those years.

So, what year is your car?

 

do you have metal or rubber valve stems on the wheels? Take a pic and we can tell you if you have sensors installed.

 

2nd Generation should of mentioned that. No the problem isn't reseting, its that it say (INACTIVE). I tried to reset it which I know how to do from changing from summer to winter tires here in COLO. Its not the same. I was wondering if its the size in tire difference or something else that won't let it reset. (2007 MC)

 

My old tires did have metal stems, the new ones I will have to look at tonight after work and will take photos then. Is the sensor in the stem?

 

205/50-17 is not the best choice for any MINI. It's much taller than stock at 25.1"

Does it rub? What if you have four people in the car?

Clearance is not usually enough for heavy load or full set of passengers.

205/45-17 is stock size and you can use 205/45-17 which is a tad taller but OK.

225/45-17 and 205/50-17 are both too tall. Did the 205/50-17 fit the other MINI?

 

No they don't rub not at all. I really pretty much drive that car alone, family once in awhile. Yes they were on the other Mini it was an 03. The clearance is fine and I took the twisties to work today and no issues. The tires have enough tread to last the rest of summer and then I go to my 15s with Nokians for winter. I will get 205/45/17 for next summer. I still don't understand the read out of (inactive). I am going to call the dealer I guess.

 

O.K. heres the scoop from the dealer, they have no sensors in them. This would explain the (inactive) message that was given. It cannot be reset. So I have to buy sensors or just live with it till Octobers snows up here in the mountains when I switch to winter tires that have the sensors.

 

I'm surprised those '03 wheels fit your 2nd gen car, as the '03 had 12mm bolts, your newer car has 14mm bolts to hold the wheels on.

That's your answer tho, no sensors.

I did a similar thing with my '09, I put a set of 2007 wheels but they didn't have any sensors so my light has been on too. Up till now I've just been ignoring it, but since I'm putting new tires on my Clubby this weekend I bought the wheels sensors too - 215/45-17's is what I run, but another club member runs those 205/50's as well, with no adverse effects.

 

They were an after market wheel, I had a tire dealer balance them and put them on today. But now you have scared the sh''t out of me. I watched the guy torque them out. So now what?

 

It's not a surprise that they fit. Some aftermarket wheels have smaller lug holes that won't fit 14mm bolts, but many (most?) have lug holes large enough. All of the MINI OEM wheels (even from 1st gen) have lug holes large enough for 14mm.