2003 MINI COOPER airbag

CONTENTS

2
© 2002 Bayerische Motoren Werke
Aktiengesellschaft
Munich, Germany
Reprinting, including excerpts, only with the
written consent of BMW AG, Munich.
Order No. 01 41 0 156 890
US English VIII/02
Printed in Germany
Printed on environmentally friendly paper –
bleached without chlorine, suitable for recycling.
Notes
About this Owner's Manual6
Symbols used6
Your individual vehicle6
Editorial notice7
For your own safety7
Symbol on vehicle parts8
Service and warranty8
Reporting safety defects8
At a glance
Cockpit12
Display elements13
Display elements with navigation
system14
Indicator and warning lamps15
Multifunction steering wheel19
Controls and features
Opening and closing:
Keys22
Central locking system23
Opening and closing – from outside23
Opening and closing – from inside26
Tailgate27
Electric power windows28
Sliding/tilt sunroof29
Roller sun blind30
Alarm system31
Adjustments:
Safe seating position33
Seat adjustment34
Entry to the rear35
Heated seats36
Head restraints37
Safety belts38
Steering wheel38
Mirrors39
Airbags40
Transporting children safely41
Vehicle Memory44
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16
INDICATOR AND WARNING LAMPS

Yellow: stop immediately
Flat Tire Monitor
●
Flashes: tire failure.
Reduce speed immediately and
stop the vehicle.
With Run Flat tires:
Carefully reduce the driving speed to below
50 mph / 80 km/h and continue to a safe
location.
In both cases, avoid hard brake applications
and steering maneuvers. Check the tire
inflation pressures.
Conduct in the event of a flat tire, refer to
pages 112, 116.
General information on the system, refer to
page 64
Red and yellow: continue driving
cautiously
Brake warning lamp together with
the gold indicator lamp for ABS,
EBD and ASC+T/DSC:
The control system ABS, EBD and
ASC+T/DSC has failed. Drive cau-
tiously and defensively. Avoid full
brake applications. Please have the
system checked by your MINI
Dealer as soon as possible.
More information on pages 62, 63
Brake warning lamp together with
the yellow indicator warning lamps
ABS, EBD and ASC+T/DSC for
Canadian models.
Red: an important reminder
Brake warning lamp
with parking brake applied.
More information on the parking
brake on page 47

Brake warning lamp for Canadian
models.
Fasten safety belts
●
Lights up for several seconds or,
depending on the version, until
after the safety belts are fastened. A sig-
nal

*
also sounds depending on the version.
More information on page 38
Depending on the level of equipment,
the indicator lamp is in the vicinity of
the navigation system.
<
Airbags
●
Please have the system inspected
at your MINI Dealer.
More information on pages 33, 40
Depending on the level of equipment,
the indicator lamp is in the vicinity of
the navigation system.
<
Bonnet/Tailgate
Lights up when the bonnet and/or
tailgate are open.
More information on pages 27, 91

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33
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
SAFE SEATING POSITIONThe ideal seating position can make a vital
contribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driv-
ing. Together with the safety belts and air-
bags, the seating position plays an impor-
tant role in providing occupants with
maximum levels of passive safety in an
accident. To ensure that the safety systems
operate with optimal efficiency, we
strongly urge you to observe the instruc-
tions contained in the following section.
For supplementary information on trans-
porting children, refer to page 41.
Sitting safely with airbags
Always maintain an adequate dis-
tance between yourself and all of the
airbags. Always hold the steering wheel by
the rim with the hands at the 9 and
3 o'clock positions to keep any chance of
injury to hands or arms to an absolute min-
imum, should the airbag be deployed. No
one and nothing is to come between the
airbags and the seat occupant. Never use
the front passenger airbag cover as a sto-
rage surface for objects of any kind, or as a
support for legs or feet, as this will increase
the risk of injury in a collision severe
enough in which the airbag will deploy.<
For airbag locations and additional infor-
mation on airbags, refer to page 40.
Safe with safety belts
Never allow more than one person to
wear a single safety belt. Never allow
infants or small children to ride in a passen-
ger's lap. Avoid twisting the belt while rout-
ing it firmly across the hips and shoulder,
wear it as snugly against your body as pos-
sible. Do not allow the belt to rest against
hard or fragile objects. Do not route the
belt across your neck, or run it across sharp
edges. Be sure that the belt does not
become caught or jammed.
Avoid wearing bulky clothing that prevents
the belt from fitting properly, and pull on
the belt periodically to retension it over
your shoulders. In the event of a frontal
impact, a loose lap belt could slide over the
hips, leading to abdominal injury. In addi-
tion, the safety belt's restraint effective-
ness is reduced if the belt is worn loosely.
Expectant mothers should always wear
their safety belts, taking care to position
the lap belt against the lower hips, where it
will not exert pressure against the abdomi-
nal area.<
For information on using the safety belts,
refer to page 38.
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SAFETY BELTS STEERING WHEEL Drive with your safety belt onEven though there is an airbag, always fasten
your seat belt before driving off, because air-
bags are designed to enhance the effective-
ness of the safety belts, not to replace them.To fastenMake sure you hear the lock engage in the
belt buckle.
The warning lamp – Fasten safety
belts – lights up for several seconds
or until after the safety belts are
fastened.To release1. Press the red button in the belt buckle
2. Hold the belt
3. Guide the belt back into its reel.
Safety belt height adjustmentUse the height adjustment mechanism to
adapt the safety belt to the ideal position
for your own body:
Press the button and at the same time push
the entire unit upwards or downwards.
Also observe the instructions on adjusting
the seats on page 33.
If the safety belts are damaged or
stretched in an accident: have the
safety belt system replaced by your MINI
Dealer and the belt anchors checked, other-
wise the safety function can no longer be
guaranteed. If a child-restraint system was
in the vehicle during an accident, consult
the manufacturer's instructions regarding
replacement.<
To adjust the steering wheel height1. Push the locking lever downward
2. Adjust the desired steering wheel posi-
tion
3. Pull the lever back in.
Do not adjust the steering wheel
while the vehicle is moving, other-
wise unexpected movement could increase
the risk of accident.<
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AIRBAGS 1Side airbags in seatback on the driver
and passenger side – front
2Head airbags on the driver and passen-
ger sides for both rows of seats –
front/rear
3Front airbags on the driver and passen-
ger sidesProtective effectThe front airbags supplement the safety
belts by providing additional protection for
the driver and front passenger in the event
of a frontal collision in which the protec-
tion afforded by the belts alone may no
longer be sufficient.
When needed, the head and side airbags
help to furnish protection in the event of
side impact.
Each of the side airbags is designed to help
support the seat occupant's upper body.
For information on sitting posture, refer to
page 33.
The airbags do not deploy in response
to minor collisions, rear impacts and
certain kinds of vehicle rollover.<
Even when all safety guidelines are
observed, there is a small residual risk that
passengers will sustain facial, hand or arm
injuries in isolated instances. The ignition
and inflation noise may induce a mild tem-
porary hearing loss in sensitive individuals.
Do not apply adhesive materials to
the cover panels of the airbags, cover
them or modify them in any other way. Do
not fit covers, cushions or other items to
the front seats that have not been specially
approved for seats with side airbags. Do
not hang clothing, e. g. jackets, over the
backrests. Do not attempt to remove the
airbag restraint system from the vehicle. In
the event of malfunctions, immobilization
or use, i. e. triggering, of the airbag restraint
system in accordance with its intended
function, commission a MINI Dealer with
the inspection, repair or disassembly. Do
not make any changes yourself to the indi-
vidual components and wiring. This
includes the padded covers of the steering
wheel, instrument panel and the roof sup-
ports, as well as the sides of the roofliner
and the original backrest covers on the
front seats. Do not attempt to remove or
dismantle the steering wheel. In view of
the applicable safety regulations, arrange
for your MINI Dealer to dispose of the air-
bag generators. Unprofessional attempts
to service the system could lead to failure
in an emergency or undesired airbag acti-
vation, either of which could result in per-
sonal injury. Do not touch the individual
components directly after the system has
been triggered, as otherwise there is a dan-
ger of burns.<
At all times, occupants should sit
upright and be properly restrained,
infants and small children in appropriate
child-restraint systems, larger children and
adults using the safety belts. Never let an
occupant's head rest near or on a head air-
bag because the inflating airbag could
cause serious or fatal injury. A child which
is not properly restrained could place his or
her head on or near the airbag.<
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OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
AIRBAGS TRANSPORTING CHILDREN SAFELYIndicator lamp
The indicator lamp on the instru-
ment panel shows the airbag sys-
tem status starting from ignition
key position 1.
System operational:
>The indicator lamp comes on briefly.
System malfunction:
>The indicator lamp does not come on
>The indicator lamp fails to go out after
the engine has been started, or it comes
on during normal driving.
A system defect could prevent the airbags
from deploying in response to a severe
impact occurring within the system's nor-
mal triggering range.
Have the airbag system checked as soon as
possible by your MINI Dealer.
Children younger than 12 years of age or
smaller than 5 ft / 150 cm must be trans-
ported in suitable child-restraint system.
Otherwise there is an increased risk of
injury in the event of an accident.
Commercially-available child-restraint sys-
tems are designed to be secured with a lap
belt or with the lap belt portion of a combi-
nation lap/shoulder belt. Improperly or
inadequately installed restraint systems
can increase the risk of injury to children.
Always read and follow the instructions
that come with the system.
If you use a child-restraint system with a
tether strap:
Your vehicle has one of two different types
of child-restraint anchor fittings on the
back of the rear seats, see arrows 1 or 2.
Depending on the location selected for
seating in the rear passenger area, attach
the tether strap to the corresponding
anchorage point to secure the child-
restraint system.
Adjust the tether strap according to the
child-restraint manufacturer's instructions.
Anchor fitting 1 is shown above.
Anchor fitting 2 is shown in the next
column.<
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TRANSPORTING CHILDREN SAFELYBoth seating positions are fitted with a
head restraint. Lift the head restraint and
pass the tether strap between the head res-
traint and the seat back. It is recommended
to readjust the head restraint into the low-
est possible position.
Adjust the tether strap according to
the child-restraint manufacturer's
instructions. Before installing any child-res-
traint system, please read the following:
Never install a rearward-facing child-res-
traint system in the front passenger seat of
this vehicle.
Your vehicle is equipped with an airbag
supplemental restraint system for the front
passenger. Because the backrest on any
rearward-facing child-restraint system –
of the kind designed for infants under
1 year and 20 Ibs. / 9 kg – would be within
the airbag's deployment range, you should
never mount such a device in the front pas-
senger seat, since the impact of the airbag
against the child-restraint's backrest could
lead to serious or fatal injuries.
If it is necessary for a child – not an infant –
to ride in the front seat, certain precautions
should be taken. First, move the passenger
seat as far away from the instrument panel
as possible. This important precaution is
intended to maximize the distance
between the airbag and the child. Older
children should be tightly secured with a
safety belt, after they have outgrown a
booster seat that is appropriate for their
age, height and weight. Younger children
should be secured in an appropriate for-
ward-facing child-restraint system that has
first been properly secured with a safety
belt. Never install a rearward-facing child-
restraint system in the front passenger
seat.
We strongly urge you to carefully read and
comply with the instructions for installa-
tion and use provided by the child-
restraint's manufacturer whenever you use
such a device.
Be sure that all occupants – of all ages –
remain properly and securely restrained at
all times.
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seats than in the front seating positi-
ons.<
All rear seats in your vehicle conform to the
guidelines defined in SAE J1819, an indus-
try recommended practice for securing
child-restraint systems in motor vehicles.
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EVERYTHING FROM A TO Z
136
A
ABS (Antilock Brake
System)16,17,83
Accessories7,99
Activated-charcoal filter72
Adjusting
backrest35
steering wheel38
Air conditioner operation
air conditioning system68
automatic climate
control71
Air conditioning system67
Air distribution
air conditioning system68
automatic climate
control71,72
Air outlets, ventilation69
Air pressure85
Air recirculation68,71
Air supply
air conditioning system68
automatic climate
control71
Air vents69,72
Air, dry68
Air, drying71
Airbags16,33,40
Airing out69
Alarm system31
All-season tires89 Antenna99
Antifreeze96
Antilock Brake System
(ABS)16,17,83
Anti-theft system31
Aquaplaning, see
Hydroplaning81
ASC+T (Automatic Stability
Control plus
Traction)16,17,62
Ashtray73
AUTO Program, see Automatic
air distribution71
Auto washing99
Automatic
air distribution71
air supply71
cruise control56
Automatic car wash99
Automatic climate control70
Automatic Stability Control
plus Traction
(ASC+T)16,17,62
Average fuel consumption61
Average speed61
Axle loads132
B
Backrest, adjusting35
Backup lamps48
bulb replacement109 Bar, towing126
Battery124
charge current15
charging122
disposal122
maintenance122
Battery, remote control22
Belts33,38
Beverage holder73
Blower71
BMW6
Bonnet16,91
Bore130
Brake fluid level15,84,97
Brake hydraulic system15
Brake lamp
bulb replacement109
Brake pads80,84
Brake rotors80
Brake system80,84
brake fluid97
Brakes81,84
Braking system16
Breaking-in80
Bridging124
Bulb replacement
backup lamps109
brake lamp, center110
cargo area lamps111
footwell lamps111
front fog lamps108 front turn signal
indicators108
glove compartment
lamp111
interior lamps110
license plate lamp110
parking lamps108
reading lamps110
rear lamps109
side turn signal
indicators108
standing lamps108
tail lamps109
vanity mirror111
C
California Proposition
65 warning103
Capacity
fuel tank133
Car care99
Car wash99
Car-care products99
Care99
chrome parts100
floor mats100
imitation leather100
leather101
light-alloy wheels100
plastic parts100
rubber parts100
Hilfsrahmen für Querverweise
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