CONTENTS
2
© 2003 Bayerische Motoren Werke
Aktiengesellschaft
Munich, Germany
Reprinting, including excerpts, only with the
written consent of BMW AG, Munich.
Order No. 01 41 0 157 644
US English VIII/03
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 defects9
OVERVIEW
Cockpit12
Display elements13
Display elements with navigation
system14
Indicator and warning lamps15
Multifunction steering wheels18
CONTROLS
Opening and closing:
Keys22
Central locking system23
Opening and closing: from outside23
Opening and closing: from inside26
Tailgate27
Electric power windows28
Glass sunroof, electric29
Roller sun blind30
Adjustments:
Safe seating position31
Seat adjustment32
Head restraints33
Entry to the rear34
Safety belts35
Seat heating35
Steering wheel36
Mirrors36
Vehicle Memory37
Transporting children safely38
23
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
CENTRAL LOCKING SYSTEM OPENING AND CLOSING: FROM OUTSIDEThe conceptThe central locking system is ready for
operation whenever the driver's door is
closed. The doors, the tailgate and the fuel
filler door are unlocked or locked.
The central locking system secures your
MINI:
>When operated from the outside via the
remote control as well as via the door
lock
>When operated from the inside via a
switch.
If operated from outside, the anti-theft sys-
tem is activated at the same time. This pre-
vents the doors from being unlocked via
safety lock buttons or door handles.
In the event of an accident, the central lock-
ing system unlocks automatically. The haz-
ard warning system and interior lamps are
also switched on.
Via remote controlThe remote control gives you an exception-
ally convenient method for unlocking and
locking your vehicle. It also offers addi-
tional functions:
>To open the power windows and the
glass sunroof, refer to page 24.
Locking/unlocking the vehicle automati-
cally activates/deactivates the anti-theft
system and switches the interior lamps off/
on.
If the vehicle has been properly locked
using the remote control, the hazard warn-
ing system flashes once.
When the vehicle is unlocked, the hazard
warning system does not react.
Children might be able to lock the
doors from the inside. Always take
the vehicle keys with you so that the vehi-
cle can be opened again from the outside at
any time.<
For US owners only The transmitter and receiver units comply
with part 15 of the FCC, Federal Communi-
cations Commission, regulations. Opera-
tion is governed by the following:
FCC ID: LX8765S
LX8765E
LX8CAS
Compliance statement:
This device complies with part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the fol-
lowing two conditions:
>This device may not cause harmful inter-
ference, and
>this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
Any unauthorized modifications or
changes to these devices could void
the user's authority to operate this equip-
ment.<
26
OPENING AND CLOSING: FROM INSIDEWith this switch, you operate the central
locking system when the doors are closed.
The doors and tailgate are unlocked or
locked only. The anti-theft system is not
activated.
If the remote control has been used
to unlock only the driver's door, refer
to page 24, and you touch the switch when
the driver's door is open, the other door, the
tailgate, and the fuel filler door are
unlocked.
If the driver's door is closed, touching the
switch locks it.<
To lockBriefly press the switch downward
or
push down the safety lock buttons on the
doors.
After you have driven off, the central
locking system automatically locks
your MINI once a certain speed has been
reached.<
You can have this function activated/
deactivated by your MINI Dealer.<
Do not lock the safety lock buttons
while driving, since these doors will
not unlock automatically in the event of an
accident. Children might be able to lock the
doors from the inside. Always take the
vehicle's keys with you so that you can
open the vehicle again from the outside at
any time.<
To unlock and open the doors1. Briefly press the switch upward
2. Pull the door handle above the armrest
or
pull the door handle for each door twice:
to unlock first and then open.
28
ELECTRIC POWER WINDOWSTo open and close windows From ignition key position 1:
To open:
Press the switch downwards.
The window opens until you release the
switch
or
briefly press the switch downwards.
The window opens automatically.
Pressing the switch again stops the opera-
tion.
To close:
Press the switch upwards.
The window closes until you release the
switch
or
with the engine running:
Briefly press the switch upwards.
The window closes automatically.
Pressing the switch again stops the opera-
tion.
The window on the front passenger's
side cannot be closed automati-
cally.<
Watch during the closing process to
be sure that no one is injured.<
After the ignition has been switched off:
You can continue using the electric power
windows for a limited period as long as no
one opens any of the doors.
If a door is opened during operation, the
opening/closing process stops immedi-
ately.
When leaving the vehicle, always
remove the ignition key from the lock
and remember to close the doors, e.g. to
prevent children from operating the power
windows and injuring themselves.<
Convenience operationFor convenience operation using the
remote control refer to page 24, for opera-
tion via the door lock refer to page 25.To initialize power windows
If the battery is disconnected, e.g. for
changing batteries or vehicle storage,
re-initialize the power windows. Other-
wise the windows will not be lowered
when the door is opened.<
1. Close the doors
2. Close both windows
3. Hold both switches of the power win-
dows up for approx. one second.
In the event of a system malfunction,
please contact your MINI Dealer.<
31
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
SAFE SEATING POSITIONThe ideal seating position can make a vital
contribution to relaxed, relatively fatigue-
free driving. Together with the safety belts
and airbags, the seating position also plays
an important role in providing occupants
with maximum levels of passive safety in
an accident. To ensure that the safety sys-
tems operate with optimal efficiency, we
strongly urge you to observe the instruc-
tions contained in the following section.
For additional information about trans-
porting children safely, refer to page 38.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. Do not
use the front passenger airbag cover as a
storage surface for objects of any kind.
Ensure that the front passenger is correctly
seated, i.e. that no feet or legs are propped
against the dashboad. Otherwise, leg injury
could result if the front passenger airbag
suddenly deployed. Never let an occupant's
head rest near or on a side airbag because
the inflating airbag could cause a serious or
fatal injury.<
Even if all these instructions are followed, it
cannot entirely be ruled out that in some
circumstances injury may result from con-
tact with the airbags. In sensitive individu-
als, the ignition and inflation noise may
induce a mild hearing loss that is usually
temporary.
For airbag locations and additional infor-
mation on airbags, refer to page 65.Safe seating position with safety belt Fasten your safety belt before each drive.
Airbags are an additional safety device and
work in conjunction with the safety belts,
but do not replace them.
Your vehicle is equipped with four seats,
each of which is provided with a safety belt.
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.
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.
Never allow more than one person to wear
a single safety belt. Never allow infants or
small children to ride in a passenger's lap.
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 twisting the belt while routing it
firmly across the hips and shoulder; wear it
as snugly against your body as possible and
do not allow it to rest against sharp or frag-
ile objects. Otherwise, the belt could slide
over your hips in the event of a frontal
impact and cause abdominal injury. Avoid
wearing bulky clothing and pull on the lap
belt periodically to retension it over your
shoulder. Otherwise, the safety belt's
restraint effectiveness could be reduced.<
For information on using the safety belts,
refer to page 35.
35
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
SAFETY BELTS SEAT HEATING
*
To close
Make sure you hear the lock engage in the
belt buckle.
Fasten safety belts: the warning
lamp lights up until after the safety
belt is fastened. An acoustic signal
sounds for several seconds.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 31.Damaged safety belts
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.<
The seat cushion and backrest can be
heated with the ignition key in position 2.
Select the temperature setting:
Press each button briefly.
Direct deactivation from the second tem-
perature setting:
Press the button for a longer period.
39
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
TRANSPORTING CHILDREN SAFELYInstalling child-restraint systemsBefore installing any child-restraint system
or child seat, read the following:
Always follow the manufacturer's
instructions concerning installation
and use; otherwise the system's protective
function could be impaired.
After an accident, have all parts of the
affected safety belt system inspected and/
or replaced by your MINI Dealer.<
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.
Child seat securityAll of the rear belt retractors and the front
passenger's safety belt can be locked for
mounting and securing child-restraint sys-
tems.
Information regarding this is located near
the buckle latch of each safety belt.To lock the beltPull the entire length of the belt from the
belt retractor. Allow the reel to retract the
belt somewhat and engage the buckle,
then tighten the belt against the child-
restraint system.
The retraction mechanism is now locked.
To unlock the beltRelease the buckle, remove the child-
restraint system and allow the belt retrac-
tor to reel the belt completely in.
100
COOLANT
Do not add coolant to the cooling sys-
tem when the engine is hot. Escaping
coolant can cause burns.
Antifreeze and anti-corrosion agents are
hazardous to health. Always store these
agents in tightly-closed original containers
kept well away from the reach of children.
Antifreeze and anti-corrosion agents are
flammable. Therefore, do not spill them
over hot engine parts; otherwise they may
ignite and cause burns. Always observe the
instructions for use provided on the con-
tainer.<
Comply with the applicable environ-
mental laws regulating the disposal
of antifreeze and anti-corrosion agents.<
The illustration shows as an example the
coolant tank on the MINI COOPER.Checking coolant level Correct coolant level with cold engine,
approx. 687/206:
Up to the MAX mark of the transparent
expansion tank.
Only open the cap of the expansion
tank when the engine has cooled
down. The needle on the coolant tempera-
ture gauge in the display elements must be
no higher than in the first quarter; other-
wise there is a danger of scalding.<
To add coolantMINI COOPER:
1. Slowly open the cap by pulling at the tab
to allow accumulated pressure to escape
2. Pull open the cap completely
3. If the coolant is low, slowly add coolant
until the correct level is reached; do not
overfill.
MINI COOPER S:
1. Open the cap by turning it slightly coun-
terclockwise to allow accumulated pres-
sure to escape
2. Unscrew and open the cap completely
3. If the coolant is low, slowly add coolant
until the correct level is reached; do not
overfill.
The coolant is made up of water and an
antifreeze with corrosion resistance. The
mixture ratio of 50 to 50 must be kept the
entire year due to the required anti-corro-
sion property. No other additives are
required.
Replace the coolant every four years.