2008 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE warning

74
FLAT TIRE MONITOR The conceptAs you drive, the Flat Tire Monitor keeps
track of the tire inflation pressure in all four
tires. The system alerts you when there is a
substantial pressure loss in one of the tires
relative to another.
In the event of tire pressure loss, the rolling
radius of the tire changes, thereby affect-
ing the rotational speed of the wheels. This
change is detected, and a flat tire warning
is issued to the driver.System requirementsTo ensure the reliability of flat tire warn-
ings, the system must be initialized with
the correct tire inflation pressures.
Each time you correct the pressure in
a tire, or change a wheel or tire, the
system must be reinitialized.<
System limitations
The Flat Tire Monitor cannot alert you
to severe and sudden tire damage
caused by external factors, nor does it
detect the gradual and minor loss of pres-
sure in all four tires.<
The system could issue a false warning or
function in a delayed manner in the follow-
ing situations:
>System was not initialized
>You are driving on a snow-covered or
slippery road surface
>Sporty driving style: slip at the drive
wheels, high lateral acceleration
>You are driving with snow chains.
When driving with a space-saver spare tire,
the Flat Tire Monitor cannot function.
Initializing the system
Initialization is completed while you
are driving, but you can stop the car
at any time. Initialization is automatically
continued when you continue driving. Do
not initialize the system if you are driving
with snow chains or a space-saver spare
tire.<
1. Before a journey, start the engine, but do
not start driving.
2. Press the button until the indicator lamp
in the display elements lights up in yel-
low for several seconds.
3. Drive off.
Initialization is completed during the
drive, without any feedback issued.

75
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
FLAT TIRE MONITORFlat tire warning
The warning lamp lights up in yel-
low. An acoustic signal also sounds.
There is a flat tire or a significant
loss of pressure in a tire.
1. Reduce speed and stop the vehicle with
caution. Avoid hard brake applications
and steering maneuvers.
2. Determine which tire is damaged.
If this cannot be determined, con-
tact your MINI Dealer.<
3. Repair the flat tire, refer to page137.
Vehicles with Run-Flat Tires:
1. Reduce vehicle speed carefully to under
50 mph / 80 km/h. Avoid hard brake
applications and steering maneuvers. Do
not exceed a speed of 50 mph /
80 km/h.
Do not continue driving if the vehi-
cle is not equipped with Run-Flat
Tires, refer to page115. If you continue
to drive with a flat tire, a serious acci-
dent could result.<
2. Check the tire inflation pressure in all
four tires at the earliest opportunity.
If the tire inflation pressure is cor-
rect in all four tires, it is possible
that the Flat Tire Monitor was not initial-
ized. In this case, initialize the system.<
3. If there is a total loss of tire inflation
pressure, 0 psi/0 kPa, or obvious tire
damage, you can gauge the mileage for
continued driving on the basis of the fol-
lowing indications:
>With a light load:
1 to 2 persons without luggage:
approx. 155 miles/250 km
>With a medium load:
2 persons, luggage compartment full,
or 4 persons without luggage:
approx. 90 miles/150 km
>With a full load:
4 or more persons, luggage compart-
ment full:
approx. 30 miles/50 km.
Drive cautiously. Do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph / 80 km/h. In case of
tire pressure loss you must expect changes
in vehicle handling such as lower track sta-
bility during braking, longer braking dis-
tances and changes in self-steering proper-
ties when close to the handling limit.
For safety reasons, the manufacturer of
your MINI recommends not having dam-
aged Run-Flat Tires repaired, but to consult
a MINI Dealer in such cases.<
Malfunction
The warning lamp lights up in yel-
low. There is a malfunction in the
Flat Tire Monitor or the system has
failed. Have the system checked as soon as
possible.

77
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR
*
Message for low tire inflation pressure
The warning lamp lights up in yel-
low. An acoustic signal also sounds.
A flat tire or a severe loss in pres-
sure has occurred in one or more tires.
1. Reduce speed and stop the vehicle with
caution. Avoid hard brake applications
and steering maneuvers.
2. Identify the damaged wheel or wheels.
If this cannot be determined, con-
tact your MINI Dealer.<
3. Replace the damaged wheel, refer to
Wheel change on page139.
4. Check the tire inflation pressure and cor-
rect it if necessary.
The compact wheel is not equipped with
the necessary TPM electronics and is not
monitored after it is mounted. When driv-
ing with a compact wheel, the system indi-
cates that a malfunction is occurring.
Vehicles with Run Flat tires:
1. Reduce vehicle speed carefully to under
50 mph / 80 km/h. Avoid hard brake
applications and steering maneuvers.
Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph /
80 km/h.
Do not continue driving if the vehi-
cle is not equipped with Run Flat
tires, refer to page115. If you continue
to drive with a flat tire, a serious acci-
dent could result.<
2. Check the tire inflation pressure in all
four tires at the earliest opportunity.
If the tire inflation pressure is cor-
rect in all four tires, it is possible
that the Tire Pressure Monitor was not
initialized. In this case, initialize the sys-
tem.<
3. If there is a total loss of tire inflation
pressure, 0 psi/0 kPa, or obvious tire
damage, you can gauge the mileage for
continued driving on the basis of the fol-
lowing indications:
>With a light load:
1 to 2 persons without luggage:
approx. 155 miles/250 km
>With a medium load:
2 persons, luggage compartment full, or
4 persons without luggage:
approx. 90 miles/150 km
>With a full load:
4 or more persons, luggage compart-
ment full:
ca. 30 miles/50 km.
Drive cautiously. Do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph / 80 km/h. In case of
tire pressure loss you must expect changes
in vehicle handling such as lower track sta-
bility during braking, longer braking dis-
tances and changes in self-steering proper-
ties when close to the handling limit.
For safety reasons, the manufacturer of
your MINI recommends not having dam-
aged Run Flat tires repaired, but to consult
a MINI Dealer in such cases. The yellow warning lamp flashes
and then lights up permanently.
No punctures can be detected.
This type of message is shown in the fol-
lowing situations:
>If there is a malfunction
Have the system checked.
>If a wheel without TPM electronics is
mounted, e.g. a compact wheel.

79
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
AIRBAGSThe following airbags are located under the
marked covers:MINI1 Side airbags in the backrests
2 Head airbags
3 Front airbags MINI Convertible1 Side/head airbags in the backrests
3 Front airbags Protective effect
Comply with the instructions on
page42, or the occupants' personal
safety will be diminished.<
The 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 pro-
tection in the event of side impact. Each of
the side airbags is designed to help support
the seat occupant's upper body. The corre-
sponding side/head airbag in the MINI Con-
vertible or the head airbag in the MINI sup-
ports the head.
The airbags are designed to not be trig-
gered in certain types of collisions, e.g. not
in minor accidents or rear impacts.
For information on the ideal seating posi-
tion, refer to page42.
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 integrated side air-
bags. Do not hang clothing, e. g. jackets,
over the backrests.
Do not attempt to remove the airbag
restraint system from the vehicle. Do not
touch the individual components directly
after the system has been triggered; other-
wise there is a danger of burns. In the event
of malfunctions, deactivation or deploy-
ment of the airbag restraint system, have
the system checked, repaired or disassem-
bled only by a MINI Dealer or a workshop
with specially trained personnel working in
accordance with the specifications of the
MINI manufacturer and having the neces-
sary permits for handling explosive devices.
Unprofessional attempts to service the sys-
tem could lead to failure in an emergency
or undesired airbag activation, either of
which could result in personal injury.<
Warning notices and information regard-
ing airbags can also be found on the sun
visors.Automatic deactivation of the front
passenger airbagsAn analysis of the impression in the front
passenger seat cushion determines
whether and how the seat is occupied. The
system correspondingly activates or deacti-
vates the front and side airbags for the
front passenger.
The indicator lamp above the interior
rearview mirror shows the current
status of the front passenger airbags, deac-

80
AIRBAGStivated or activated, refer to Functional sta-
tus of the front passenger airbags below. <
Before transporting a child on the
front passenger seat, read the safety
notes and instructions under Transporting
children safely, refer to page50.
Adolescents and adults sitting in certain
positions could also deactivate the front
and side airbags for the front passenger;
the indicator lamp for the front passenger
airbags comes on. In such cases, the occu-
pant should change his or her sitting posi-
tion so that the front passenger airbags are
activated and the indicator lamp goes out.
If the airbags are not activated although
the seat occupant has changed his or her
position, have the occupant sit on a rear
seat. Do not attach covers, cushions, ball
mats or other items to the front passenger
seat unless they are specifically recom-
mended by the manufacturer of your MINI.
Do not place any objects under the seat
which could press against the seat from
below. Otherwise, a correct analysis of the
seat cushion is not ensured.<
Functional status of the front
passenger airbagsAs an example, the illustration shows the
indicator lamp for front passenger airbags
in the MINI Convertible.
In accordance with whether and how the
front passenger seat is occupied, the indi-
cator lamp for the front passenger airbags
shows the functional status of the front
and side airbags for the front passenger.
The indicator lamp shows whether the
front passenger airbags are activated or
deactivated.
>The indicator lamp comes on as intended
when a child in a specially designated
child-restraint system is detected on the
front passenger's seat.
The front and side airbags for the front
passenger are not activated.
>The indicator lamp does not come on
when the system detects a person of suf-
ficient size sitting correctly on the seat,
for example. The front and side airbags
for the front passenger are activated.
>The indicator lamp does not come on
when the seat is empty. However, the
front and side airbags for the front pas-
senger are not activated. Operational readiness of the airbag
system
Starting from ignition key
position 1, the warning lamp in the
display elements lights up briefly
for confirmation that the entire airbag sys-
tem and the seat belt tensioners are opera-
tional.
Airbag system malfunctioning>The warning lamp does not come on
along with ignition key position 1
>The warning lamp stays lit continuously.
In the event of a malfunction, have
the airbag system checked immedi-
ately. Otherwise, there is a risk that the sys-
tem will not function as intended in an
accident of sufficient severity.<

81
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
PARK DISTANCE CONTROL (PDC)
*
The concept
The PDC assists you when you back into a
parking space. A signal tone tells you the
current distance to an object behind your
vehicle. To do this, four ultrasonic sensors
in the rear bumper measure the distance to
the nearest object.
The sensors on each side have a range of
approx. 2 ft/60 cm, the middle sensors one
of approx. 5 ft/1.5 m.
PDC is a parking aid that can identify
objects if they are approached slowly,
as is generally the case when parking.
Avoid driving towards objects rapidly; due
to underlying physical principles, the sys-
tem may otherwise alert you too late for
you to take evasive steps. tem starts to operate automatically about
one second after you select reverse gear or
place the selector lever in position R.
Wait for this one second before you
drive backwards.<
The system is deactivated when you shift
away from Reverse.
You can have a signal tone set as a
confirmation that PDC has been acti-
vated.<
Acoustical signalsThe distance to an object is indicated by a
tone sounding at intervals. As the distance
between vehicle and object decreases, the
intervals between the tones become
shorter. A continuous tone indicates the
presence of an object less than 12 in/30 cm
away.
The warning signal is canceled after
approx. three seconds if the distance to the
object remains constant during this time,
for instance if you are moving parallel to a
wall.MalfunctionA continuous high-pitched tone will sound
during initial activation. The system is mal-
functioning. Have the system checked.Volume controlThe volume of the Park Distance Control
signal can be adjusted from level 1, soft, to
level 6, loud.
You can have this function set.<
System limitations
Even with PDC, final responsibility for
estimating the distance between the
vehicle and any objects always remains
with the driver.
Even when sensors are involved, there is a
blind spot in which objects cannot be
detected. Recognition of some objects can
be beyond the limits of physical ultrasonic
measurement, for example with towing
bars or hitches or with thin or wedge-
shaped objects. It is also possible that low
objects already detected, such as a curb
edge, can disappear in the blind spot of the
sensors before a continuous tone is
sounded, or that protruding objects higher
above the ground, such as ledges, are not
detected.
Loud sources of sound outside and inside
your vehicle can drown the PDC signal
tone.<
Keep the sensors clean and free of ice
or snow in order to ensure that they
will continue to operate effectively.
Do not apply high pressure spray to the
sensors for a prolonged period of time.
Always maintain a distance which is
greater than 4 in/10 cm.<

103
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
GENERAL DRIVING NOTESSafe braking Your vehicle is equipped with ABS as a stan-
dard feature. If you are in a situation which
requires full braking, it is best to brake
using maximum brake pressure. Since the
vehicle remains maneuverable, you can still
go around any obstacles with the smallest
possible steering movements.
The pulsation of the brake pedal, together
with the sound of hydraulic regulation,
indicates to you that ABS is actively taking
effect.
Wet roads:
It is a good idea to periodically dry the
brakes with a gentle application when driv-
ing in rain and on wet roads. Monitor traffic
conditions to ensure that this maneuver
does not hinder other road users. The
resulting heat dries brake rotors and pads.
Then if the braking force is needed, it is
immediately available.
Driving downhill:
To prevent overheating and the
resulting reduced efficiency of the
brake system, drive down extended or
steep mountain gradients in the gear
which requires the least brake applications.
Otherwise, even light but consistent pres-
sure on the brake can lead to high tempera-
tures, brake wear and possibly even brake
failure.<
The braking effect of the engine can be
increased by downshifting in the manual
mode of the automatic transmission, to
first gear if necessary, refer to page58. This
protects the brakes from excessive loads.
Do not coast with the clutch
depressed, the transmission in idle or
the engine switched off. Otherwise, the
engine provides no braking effect, and
there is no power-assist for braking or
steering.
Make sure that there are no floor mats,
floor carpets or other objects in the vicinity
of the pedals; otherwise pedal function
could be impeded.<
Corrosion on the brake rotors:
When the vehicle is driven only occasion-
ally, during extended periods when the
vehicle is not used at all, and in operating
conditions where brake applications are
less frequent, there is an increased ten-
dency for corrosion of the brake rotors and
accumulation of contamination on the
brake pads. This occurs because the mini-
mal pressure that must be exerted by the
pads to clean the rotors by brake applica-
tions is not reached.
Corrosion on brake rotors is signaled by a
running or pulsation during braking; even
extended subsequent braking will not cure
this phenomenon.Brake pads
Sensors in the left front and right
rear brake pads monitor pad condi-
tion. When the brake pads have
worn to the permissible limit, this is indi-
cated by the brake wear warning light,
refer to page18.
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce road speed. If you do not, a
wedge of water can form between tires
and road surface. This phenomenon is char-
acterized by a partial or complete loss of
contact between the tires and the road sur-
face. The ultimate results are loss of steer-
ing and braking control.<

105
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
REFUELING
Always switch off the engine before
refueling; otherwise no fuel can be
added to the tank and the SERVICE ENGINE
SOON lamp may come on.<
1. Open the fuel filler door
2. Turn the gas cap counterclockwise
3. Put the gas cap in the bracket attached
to the fuel filler door.
Always observe all applicable precau-
tionary measures and regulations
when handling fuels. Do not carry any
spare fuel containers in the vehicle. They
can leak and cause an explosion or fire in
the event of an accident.<
Observe the following when refueling
Always observe all safety precautions
posted at the service station when
handling fuel.<
When refueling, insert the filler nozzle
completely into the filler pipe. Pulling the
nozzle out of the pipe during refueling:
>Results in premature pump shutoff
>Will reduce the effect of the fuel vapor
recovery system on the pump.
As long as the filler nozzle is used properly,
the fuel tank is full whenever the nozzle
shuts off the first time.
Closing the gas cap1. Insert gas cap
2. Turn gas cap clockwise until it clicks
3. Close fuel filler door.
Insert the cap and turn it clockwise
until it audibly clicks.
Do not jam the strap between the gas cap
and the vehicle. The following message is
displayed if the cap is loose or missing.<
US models only:
The warning lamp
* comes on.
The gas cap is not correctly closed
or missing. Check if the gas cap is
correctly closed.
Fuel tank volumeApprox. 13.2 gallons/50 liters, of which
approx. 2.1 gallons/8 liters are reserve
capacity.
Do not drive until the fuel tank is
totally empty. Otherwise engine
operations are not guaranteed and damage
could occur. Do not fill the tank with leaded gaso-
line; otherwise the catalytic con-
verter will be permanently damaged. Do
not fill the tank with E85, i.e. fuel contain-
ing 85 % ethanol, nor with flex fuel. Other-
wise the engine and fuel supply system will
be damaged.<
Required fuelSuper Premium gasoline/AKI 91