2008 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE engine

35
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
CONVERTIBLE TOP WITH INTEGRATED SLIDING SUNROOFOpening and closing the sliding
sunroofTo open:
Press button 2 until the desired sunroof
position is reached.
To close:
Press button 1.
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 page94.<

53
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
IGNITION LOCK STARTING THE ENGINE0 Steering locked
1 Steering unlocked
2 Ignition switched on
3 Starting the engineSteering lockedThe key can be inserted or removed in this
position only.
To lock the steering:
1. Remove the key
2. Turn the steering wheel slightly to the
left or right until the lock engages.
An alarm goes off if the key remains in the
ignition after opening the driver's door.
Interlock for automatic transmission with
Steptronic:
To turn the key back to the 0 position or to
remove it, first move the selector lever to
position P.Steering unlockedIndividual electrical accessories are ready
for operation.
You will find that it is often easier to turn
the ignition key from position 0 to
position 1 when you move the steering
wheel slightly to help disengage the lock.Ignition switched onAll electrical accessories are ready for oper-
ation.Starting the engine
Vehicles with manual transmission:
step on the clutch when starting the
vehicle. A lockout prevents the engine from
starting if the clutch is not depressed.<
Do not allow the engine to run in
enclosed spaces. Breathing the nox-
ious exhaust gases can lead to uncon-
sciousness and death. The exhaust gases
contain carbon monoxide, an odorless and
colorless, but highly toxic gas.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended with
the engine running. This is a safety hazard.
Before getting out of the vehicle with the
engine running, put the transmission in
idle or position P, and apply the parking
brake. If you fail to do this, the vehicle
could move.<
Do not let the engine warm up with the
vehicle at a standstill. Move off immedi-
ately at a moderate engine speed.
Do not stop the starting procedure
too early, and do not continue it for
more than approx. 20 seconds. Release the
ignition key immediately when the engine
starts.
Extended starting attempts, characterized
by excessively frequent or long periods
with the starter engaged, can lead to dam-
age in the catalytic converter.<

54
STARTING THE ENGINE SWITCHING OFF THE ENGINE PARKING BRAKEManual transmission1. Engage the parking brake
2. Gearshift lever in idle position
3. Depress the clutch
4. Start the engine.Automatic transmission with
Steptronic1. Press the footbrake
2. Put the selector lever in position P or N
3. Start the engine.Special starting conditionsIn the following situations, depress the
accelerator pedal halfway and continue
starting the engine for up to approx.
10 seconds:
>If the engine does not start on the first
attempt, for instance if the engine is very
hot or cold.
>The engine is started at very low temper-
atures, below approx. +57/–156, at
high altitudes above 3,300 ft/1000 m.You should never remove the ignition
key when the vehicle is in motion, as
the steering lock could engage.
When you leave the vehicle, always remove
the ignition key and engage the steering
lock.
When parking on inclines, engage the park-
ing brake, or the vehicle could roll.<
Manual transmissionTurn the ignition key to position 1 or 0.Automatic transmission with
SteptronicEngage selector lever position P, turn the
ignition key to position 1 or 0.
The parking brake is designed primarily to
prevent the vehicle from rolling when it is
parked. It operates against the rear wheels.To engageLever automatically locks in position.
The indicator lamp in the instrument clus-
ter lights up from ignition key position 2,
refer to page17.To release1. Pull up slightly
2. Press the button
3. Push the lever downwards.
If, in exceptional circumstances, it
should be necessary to engage the
parking brake while the vehicle is in
motion, do not pull the lever with excessive

55
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
PARKING BRAKE MANUAL TRANSMISSIONforce. Keep your thumb pressed against the
release button while pulling the lever up
carefully.
Otherwise, excessive force could lead to
overbraking and loss of traction, i.e. fish-
tailing, at the rear axle.<
To avoid corrosion and one-sided
braking, apply the parking brake
lightly from time to time when coasting to
a standstill, for instance at a traffic light,
provided that it is safe to do so. The brake
lamps do not come on when the parking
brake is engaged.<
6-speed transmission*
When shifting into 5th or 6th gear,
press the gearshift lever to the right.
Otherwise, the engine could be damaged
by accidentally engaging 3rd or 4th gear.<
Reverse gearBefore selecting reverse gear, ensure the
vehicle is stationary; then, fully depress the
clutch and pause briefly before moving the
gearshift lever into position.
5-speed transmission:
Press the gearshift lever to the right and to
the back.
6-speed transmission:
Press the gearshift lever towards the left.
Thereby overcome the slight resistance and
press forward.

56
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WITH STEPTRONIC
*
In addition to the fully automatic mode,
you can shift gears manually using Step-
tronic, refer to page57.Selector lever positionsP R N D M/S + –
Range selection>The selector lever can be moved out of
position P when the ignition is switched
on or the engine is running: interlock.
>While the vehicle is stationary and
before shifting out of P or N, depress the
footbrake in order to disengage the
selector lever's lock mechanism: shift-
lock.
Keep your foot on the brake until start-
ing off, otherwise the vehicle will start
to move when a drive position is
engaged.
A lock prevents the selector lever from acci-
dentally being moved to the R or P posi-
tions. To override the lock, press the button
on the front of the selector lever knob, see
arrow.
If the engine speed is too high when
the vehicle is at a standstill, the selec-
tor lever is also blocked to protect the
transmission.
If the selector lever is not placed in
position P when the vehicle is parked, the
position display of the selector lever stays
on. This can lead to battery discharge.<
PParkSelect only when the vehicle is completely
stopped. The transmission locks to prevent
the drive wheels from turning.R Reverse Select only when the vehicle is completely
stopped.N Neutral: idleSelect this when you are in a car wash, for
example. The vehicle can roll.D Drive: automatic driving positionThis position is designed for driving under
all normal operating conditions.
Under normal operation conditions, fuel
consumption is lowest when you drive in
position D.

58
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WITH STEPTRONIC
*
Switching from M/S + – Manual mode into
the selector lever positions P, R and N is
only possible via D.Shifting with the selector lever>Briefly press the selector lever in the +
direction:
Transmission shifts up
>Briefly press the selector lever in the –
direction:
Transmission shifts down.
M1 to M6 appear in the gear indicator.
Shifting on the steering wheel*The shift paddles allow the gears to be
changed rapidly and, above all, safely, since
both hands can remain on the steering
wheel.
To shift up or down with one of the two
shift paddles:
>Pull the shift paddle:
Transmission shifts up
>Press the shift paddle:
Transmission shifts down.
M1 to M6 appear in the gear indicator.
The transmission will execute only gear
changes that result in a plausible combina-
tion of vehicle speed and engine rpm, e.g. it
will not shift down if that would result in
excessive engine speed.
In the MINI COOPER S, with the selec-
tor lever in position D, automatic
mode, you can shift gears using the shift
paddles on the steering wheel. The trans-
mission automatically switches to manual
mode. If you do not shift gears with the
shift paddles or accelerate for a certain
amount of time, the transmission auto-
matically returns to automatic mode.<
MalfunctionEP appears on the display. The transmission
system is malfunctioning. Avoid high loads.
All selector lever positions can still be
engaged; in the forward driving positions,
however, the vehicle can only be driven
with a limited gear selection.
Have the system checked immediately.
Jump-starting and towing, refer to
page146 ff.

60
PARKING LAMPS/LOW BEAMS1Parking lamps
2Low beams
3 Automatic headlamp control
*
Parking lamps
Turn the light switch to position 1.
The front, rear and side vehicle
lighting is switched on.
For the additional option of activating the
lights on one side of the vehicle for parking,
refer to Switching on the standing lamps,
page60.
The parking lamps discharge the bat-
tery.
Avoid using them for longer periods of
time; otherwise, you may not be able to
start the engine.<


Low beams
Turn the light switch to position 2.
With the low beams on and with
the ignition switched off, only the
parking lamps will remain on.
Automatic headlamp control*
In switch position 3, the system
automatically activates and can-
cels the low beams in response to
changes in ambient light, for example in
tunnels, at dusk, and when there is precipi-
tation.
When driving into a tunnel with bright
overhead lights, there may be a delay
before the low beams come on.
The low beams may also come on when the
sun is sitting low on a blue sky.
When you switch on the fog lamps,
the low-beam headlamps remain on
regardless of the ambient light. When the
daytime running lamps are activated, refer
to page61, the low beams come on and
remain lit when the switch is in position 1
and the ignition is switched on.<
Automatic headlamp control cannot
serve as a substitute for the driver's
judgement in determining when the vehi-
cle lights should be switched on. For exam-
ple, the sensors are not able to detect fog or
hazy weather. To avoid safety risks, you
should respond to these kinds of low-visi-
bility situations by switching the head-
lamps on manually.<
You can have the sensitivity of your
vehicle's automatic headlamp con-
trol adjusted. having switched off the engine and the
lights, the low beams will stay lit for a pre-
set period of time.
You can have this function pro-
grammed. side of the vehicle. Observe local laws.
In ignition key position 0:
Move the lever to the adequate turn signal
indicator position.
The standing lamps discharge the
battery. Avoid using them for longer

61
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
PARKING LAMPS/LOW BEAMS TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR/HEADLAMP FLASHERperiods of time; otherwise, you may not be
able to start the engine.<'Lights on' warning If the lights have not been switched off and
the ignition key is in position 0, an acoustic
signal sounds for a few seconds when you
open the driver's door to remind you that
the lights have not been switched off.Daytime running lamps*If convenient, the light switch can be left in
position 2.
When the ignition is switched off, the
external lights go out.
You can have this function activated/
deactivated.<
1 Turn signal indicators
2 High beams/Headlamp flasherTo signal brieflyGently push the lever up to the point of
resistance and hold it there, if necessary.
The indicator lamp flashes and the
relay clicks faster than normal: flash-
ing bulb has failed.<