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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COCKPIT
1
>
Parking lamps/Low beams52
>
Turn signal indicators52
>
Standing lamps52
>
High beams52
>
Headlamp flasher52
>
Computer602Washer/wiper system54
3Instrument lighting53
4Outside mirror adjustment39
5Hazard warning flashers6Bonnet release91
7Horn19
8Adjusting steering wheel38
9OBD interface socket102
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OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATION CONTROLS DATA INDEX
INDICATOR AND WARNING LAMPS
Technology
that monitors itself
The system runs a check on the warning
and indicator lamps marked by
●
each time
you switch on the ignition. They each light
up once for different periods of time.
If a malfunction should occur in one of
these systems, the corresponding lamp
does not go out after the engine is started
or it lights up while the vehicle is moving.
You will see below the correct way to react
to this.
Red: stop immediately
Battery charge current
●
The battery is no longer being
charged. Indicates a defective alter-
nator drive belt or a problem with the
charge circuit. Please contact the nearest
MINI Dealer.
If this lamp lights up, the power-assist for
steering can be deactivated.
If the drive belt is defective, do not
continue driving. The engine could be
damaged due to overheating. When the
power-assist is deactivated, increased
steering effort is required.
<
Engine oil pressure
●
Stop immediately. Switch off
engine. Check the engine oil and fill
as needed. Please contact the nearest MINI
Dealer.
Do not continue driving, otherwise,
the engine could be damaged
because of inadequate lubrication.
<
Brake warning lamp
●
If the lamp comes on when the
parking brake is not engaged:
Check the brake fluid level. Before driving
further, be sure to comply with the infor-
mation on pages 84 and 97.
Brake warning lamp for Canadian
models.
With navigation system option:
Coolant temperature warning
lamp in the speedometer
●
Lights up while driving:
Engine is too hot. Switch off the engine
immediately and allow to cool down, see
also page 59.
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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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INDICATOR AND WARNING LAMPS
Green: for your information
Turn signal indicators
Flashes when turn signal indicator
is on.
Rapid flashing: the system is defective.
More information on page 52
Cruise control
*
Lights up when the cruise control is
activated: operation via the multi-
function steering wheel.
More information on page 56
Blue: for your information
High beams
Comes on when the high beams
are on or the headlamp flasher is
actuated. More information on page 52
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OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATION CONTROLS DATA INDEX
MULTIFUNCTION STEERING WHEEL
*
The control buttons integrated within the
multifunction steering wheel have been
designed to allow you to operate a number
of accessories both quickly and safely, with-
out taking your eyes from the road:
>
Some audio source functions
>
Cruise control.
The illustration shows the possible full
equipment level. For further details, please
consult the description of the relevant item
of equipment.
Buttons facing the driver
1Cruise control: activate/interrupt/deacti-
vate
2Continue cruise control
3Horn
4Cruise control: store and accelerate
with +
5Cruise control: store and decelerate
with –
Buttons facing away from the driver
Left:
1
>
Radio
Press briefly: selection of the station
memory in the FM and AM range
Extended pressure: station scan
>
CD
Press briefly: jump to next track
Extended pressure: title scan
>Cassette
Press briefly: jump to next track or
stop fast forward
Extended pressure: fast forward/
rewind
Right:
1Volume
2Changing between radio, cassette and CD
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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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38
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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