CONTENTS
2
© 2005 Bayerische Motoren Werke
Aktiengesellschaft
Munich, Germany
Reprinting, including excerpts, only with the
written consent of BMW AG, Munich.
Order No. 01 41 0 159 801
US-English VIII/05
Printed in Germany
Printed on environmentally friendly paper,
bleached without chlorine, suitable for recycling.
NOTES
About this Owner's Manual6
Additional sources of information6
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 system
or Cockpit Chrono Pack14
Indicator and warning lamps16
Multifunction steering wheel20
CONTROLS
Opening and closing:
Keys24
Central locking system24
Opening and closing: from outside25
Opening and closing: from inside28
Tailgate29
Electric power windows31
Glass sunroof, electric33
Roller sun blind34
Convertible top with integrated sliding
sunroof35
Wind deflector40
Adjustments:
Safe seating position42
Seat adjustment43
Head restraints44
Entry to the rear45
Safety belts46
Seat heating47
Steering wheel47
Mirrors48
Vehicle Memory49
Transporting children safely50
3
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATION CONTROLS DATA INDEX
Driving:
Ignition lock53
Starting the engine53
Switching off the engine54
Parking brake54
Manual transmission55
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic56
Parking lamps/Low beams59
Turn signal indicator/Headlamp
flasher60
Instrument lighting61
Fog lamps61
Interior lamps61
Washer/wiper system62
Washer fluid63
Cruise control64
Everything under control:
Odometer66
Clock66
Fuel gauge66
Coolant temperature gauge67
Tachometer68
Service interval display68
Onboard computer69Technology for safety and driving
convenience:
Driving stability control systems71
Flat Tire Monitor73
Airbags75
Park Distance Control (PDC)77
Controlling the climate for pleasant
driving:
Air conditioning system78
Automatic climate control81
Interior conveniences:
Glove compartment84
Center armrest84
Drinks holders, ashtray85
Cigarette lighter, 12 V power supply85
Integrated universal remote control86
Loading and transporting cargo:
Luggage compartment in the MINI88
Luggage compartment in the MINI
Convertible89
Loading cargo90
Roof-mounted luggage rack93OPERATION, CARE, MAINTENANCE
Special operating instructions:
Break-in procedures96
General driving notes96
Refueling99
Wheels and tires:
Tire inflation pressure101
Tire coding105
Tire condition106
Run Flat tires108
New wheels and tires109
Snow chains110
26
OPENING AND CLOSING: FROM OUTSIDE
1 Unlocking and convenience opening
2 Locking and securing
3 Unlocking the tailgate
To unlock
1. Press button .
The driver's door is unlocked.
The interior lamps are switched on and
the hazard warning flashers flash twice
*
2. Press the button again.
First the driver's door will unlock, then
the entire vehicle.
You can have this function activated/
deactivated.<
If none of the vehicle doors are
opened within 2 minutes, the central
locking system locks the vehicle automati-
cally. The anti-theft system is not acti-
vated.<
You can have the vehicle's automatic
locking feature activated/deacti-
vated.<
Convenience opening mode
Hold the button pressed.
In the MINI, the windows and the glass
sunroof are opened.
In the MINI Convertible, the windows and
the sliding sunroof are opened.
To open the convertible top on the MINI
Convertible: release the button and press it
again until the convertible top is com-
pletely open.
Convenience closing is not possible
by means of the remote control.<
You can have remote control opening
of the windows, glass sunroof or con-
vertible top activated/deactivated.<
Locking and securing
Press button .
The hazard warning flashers flash once.
Unlocking the tailgate
Press the button briefly.
The rear and side turn signal indicators
flash twice.
The tailgate can be unlocked separately if
the vehicle has been locked via central lock-
ing.
Open the tailgate within 20 seconds,
refer to page29, or it will otherwise
be locked again automatically. The rear and
side turn signal indicators flash once.
If the tailgate was previously locked, then it
is locked again after it is closed.<
27
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
OPENING AND CLOSING: FROM OUTSIDE
Malfunction
Local radio waves can interfere with func-
tions of the remote control.
If this occurs, lock and unlock the vehicle
via a door lock.
In the event of a system malfunction,
please contact your MINI Dealer. You can
also obtain replacement keys there.
If it is no longer possible to lock the
vehicle with the remote control, then
the battery is discharged. Use the corre-
sponding key for a longer journey so that
its battery can be recharged.<
Via the door lock
1. Turn the key.
The driver's door is unlocked.
2. Turn the key again.
All other doors, the tailgate and the fuel
filler door are unlocked.
You can have this function activated/
deactivated.<
When the vehicle is locked, the hazard
warning flashers flash once.
When the vehicle is unlocked, the hazard
warning flashers flash twice
*.
Manual operation
In the event of an electrical malfunction,
the driver's door can be unlocked or locked
by turning the key in the door lock to the
end positions.
Convenience closing via the door lock
You can also close the power windows,
glass sunroof or the convertible top via the
door lock.
With the door closed, hold the key in the
locking position.
In the MINI Convertible, the convertible top
is closed first and then the side windows.
You can have the closing of the win-
dows and glass sunroof via the door
lock activated/deactivated.<
28
OPENING AND CLOSING: FROM INSIDE
This switch locks or unlocks the doors and
tailgate when the front doors are closed,
but the anti-theft system is not activated.
The fuel filler door remains unlocked.
To lock
>Briefly press the switch downward or
>push down the safety lock button on the
passenger door. To prevent yourself from
being locked outside the vehicle acciden-
tally, the driver's door cannot be locked
with its safety lock button while it is
open.
After you have driven off, the central
locking system automatically locks
your vehicle once a certain speed has been
reached.<
You can have this function activated/
deactivated and the speed set.<
People or animals inside the vehicle
could 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 doors
1. Briefly press the switch upward
2. Pull the respective door handle over the
armrest or pull the door handle for each
door twice:
The first pull unlocks the door, the sec-
ond pull opens it.
Convenience opening mode
Press the central locking switch and hold it
pressed.
MINI:
Windows and glass sunroof are opened.
MINI Convertible:
Windows and sliding sunroof are opened.
To open the convertible top:
Release the switch, then press it upwards
until the convertible top is completely open
and the windows are again closed.
33
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
GLASS SUNROOF, ELECTRIC*
To raise
Press the switch.
>The closed glass sunroof is raised.
>The closed glass sunroof automatically
moves into the raised position.
Do not use force to close the glass
sunroof from its raised position, oth-
erwise the mechanism will be damaged.<
To open and close
Be sure that adequate clearance is
maintained for the opening path of
the glass sunroof; otherwise damage can
occur. Observe the glass sunroof while it is
closing, to make sure that no one is
injured.<
>Push the switch backwards to the resis-
tance point.
The glass sunroof opens for as long as
the switch is held in this position.
>Push the switch backwards past the
resistance point. The glass sunroof opens
automatically. Tapping the switch again
stops the operation.
The glass sunroof is closed in the same
manner by pushing the switch forward.
After the ignition has been switched
off
You can continue using the glass sunroof
for a limited period as long as no one opens
either of the doors.
If a door is opened during operation, the
opening/closing process stops immedi-
ately.
When leaving the vehicle, remove the
ignition key from the lock and close
the doors. Otherwise children could oper-
ate the sunroof and injure themselves.<
34
GLASS SUNROOF, ELECTRIC*ROLLER SUN BLIND*
Trap protection
If, while closing, the glass sunroof encoun-
ters resistance within roughly the last 8 in/
20 cm, the closing procedure is interrupted
and the roof reopens.
Despite the trap protection, be
extremely careful that the travel path
of the sunroof is not obstructed whenever
it is closed. Otherwise, it is not guaranteed
that the closing procedure will be inter-
rupted, for instance if the obstructions
offer very little resistance.
You can disable the trap protection by
pressing the switch past the pressure point
and holding it. When closing the sunroof
from the raised position, ensure that the
travel path of the sunroof is not obstructed
since the trap protection is not active in
this position.<
Convenience operation
For convenience operation using the
remote control refer to page26, for opera-
tion via the door lock refer to page27.
Manual opening and closing
In the event of an electrical malfunction,
you can also open and close the glass sun-
roof manually:
1. Slide the cover panel towards the inte-
rior and remove it
2. Move the glass sunroof in the desired
direction using the hexagon wrench
from the onboard tool kit, refer to
page126.
To open
1. Press the button in the handle, see
arrow 1,
the cap is unlocked
2. Guide the roller sun blind towards the
back.
To close
1. Use the handle to pull the roller sun
blind forwards
2. Engage the handle in the device, see
arrow 2.
35
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
CONVERTIBLE TOP WITH INTEGRATED SLIDING SUNROOF
Opening and closing the sliding
sunroof
To close:
Press button 1
The LED in the button flashes if the
sliding sunroof is not completely
closed and the driver's door is opened.<
To open:
Press button 2 until the desired position is
reached.
The sliding sunroof can be operated up to a
road speed of 75 mph / 120 km/h.
Power convertible top
So that you can get the most enjoyment
out of your MINI Convertible, please
observe the following tips:
>It is recommended that you close the
convertible top whenever the vehicle is
parked.
The closed convertible top not only pro-
tects the vehicle interior from damage
due to unforeseen bad weather, but also
provides a certain degree of protection
against theft
>Even when the convertible top is closed,
keep valuable items in the locked lug-
gage compartment or in the lockable
glove compartment
>Do not mount any roof rack systems on
the convertible top
>To avoid damage, do not operate the
convertible top at temperatures below
147/–106.
Do not leave the convertible top
folded for more than one day if it is
wet, to prevent permanent damage from
moisture. Do not place any objects on the
convertible top, as they could otherwise fall
off while the convertible top is being oper-
ated and result in damage or personal
injury.<
Driving off before an opening or clos-
ing procedure is completely finished
can lead to damage or personal injury.
Make sure that the convertible top's travel
path is clear and do not reach into the con-
vertible top mechanism during opening or
closing procedures, otherwise injuries may
result. Keep children away from the swivel-
ing area of the convertible top while it is in
operation.<
Before closing the convertible top, remove
any foreign objects from the windshield
frame. They could prevent the convertible
top from closing.
To conserve battery power, if possible
operate the convertible top only
while the engine is running.
Only operate the convertible top when the
vehicle is at a standstill. Otherwise, the pro-
cedure cannot be carried out or it will be
interrupted.
In order to operate the convertible top, the
loading aid must be locked and the luggage
compartment cover must be in its lower
position, refer to page89.<