REFERENCEAT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
29
Adjustments
Sitting safely
The ideal sitting position can make a vital contri-
bution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving. In con-
junction with the safety belts, the head restraints
and the airbags, the seated position has a major
influence on your safety in the event of an acci-
dent. To ensure that the safety systems operate
with optimal efficiency, we strongly urge you to
observe the instructions contained in the follow-
ing section.
For additional information on transporting chil-
dren safely, refer to page34.
Airbags
Always maintain an adequate distance
between yourself and the airbags. Always
grip the steering wheel on the rim, with your
hands in the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions, to
minimize the risk of injury to the hands or arms
in the event of the airbag being triggered off.
No one and nothing is to come between the air-
bags and the seat occupant.
Do not use the cover of the front airbag on the
front passenger side as a storage area. Ensure
that the front passenger is correctly seated, e.g.
that no feet or legs are propped against the
dashboard. Otherwise, leg injury could result if
the front airbag suddenly deployed.
Make sure that passengers keep their heads
away from the side airbag and do not lean
against the cover of the head airbag; otherwise,
serious injuries can result when the airbag
deploys.<
Even if you follow all the instructions, injuries
resulting from contact with airbags cannot be
fully excluded, depending on the circumstances.
The ignition and inflation noise may provoke a
mild hearing loss in extremely sensitive individ-
uals. This effect is usually only temporary.
For airbag locations and additional information
on airbags, refer to page63.
Head restraint
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk of neck injury in the event of an accident.
Adjust the head restraint in such a way
that its center is at approx. ear level. Oth-
erwise, there is an increased risk of injury in the
event of an accident.<
Head restraints, refer to page31.
Safety belt
Before every drive, make sure that all occupants
wear their safety belts. Airbags complement the
safety belt as an additional safety device, but
they do not represent a substitute.
Never allow more than one person to
wear a single safety belt. Never allow
infants or small children to ride in a pas-
senger's lap.
Make sure that the belt in the lap area sits low
across the hips and does not press against the
abdomen. The safety belt must not rest against
the throat, run across sharp edges, pass over
hard or fragile objects or be pinched. Fasten the
safety belt so that it is pulled taut across the lap
and shoulder, fitting the body snugly without
any twists. Otherwise the belt could slide over
the hips in the event of a frontal collision and
injure the abdomen. Avoid wearing bulky cloth-
ing and regularly pull the belt in the upper-body
area taut, otherwise its restraining effect could
be impaired.<
Safety belts, refer to page32.
Seats
Note before adjusting
Never attempt to adjust your seat while
the vehicle is moving. The seat could
respond with unexpected movement, and the
ensuing loss of vehicle control could lead to an
accident.
On the front passenger seat as well, do not
Transporting children safely
34
Transporting children safely
The right place
for children
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, otherwise they could endanger
themselves and/or other persons by opening the
doors, for example.<
Children should always sit in the rear
Accident research has shown that the safest
place for children is on the rear seat.
Only transport children under the age of
13 or smaller than 5 ft/150 cm in the rear
in a child-restraint system suitable for their age,
weight and size. Otherwise there is an increased
risk of injury in the event of an accident.<
Children 13 years of age or older must be buck-
led in with a safety belt as soon as there no
longer is any child-restraint system that is
appropriate for their age, size and weight.
Only install child seats in the rear when the
rear seat backrest is folded all the way
back and engaged. Otherwise there will be
an increased risk of injury in the event of an
accident.<
Exception for front passenger seat
Front passenger airbags
Should it be necessary to use a child-
restraint system on the front passenger
seat, the front and side airbags must be deacti-
vated. Otherwise, there is an increased risk of
injury to the child if the airbags deploy, even if
the child is seated in a child-restraint system.<
For more information on automatic deactivation
of the front passenger airbags, refer to page63.
Child-restraint systems,
installation
Observe the child-restraint system manu-
facturer's instructions when selecting,
installing and using child-restraint systems. Oth-
erwise the protective effect may be dimin-
ished.<
On the front passenger seat
After installing a child-restraint system on
the front passenger seat, make sure that
the front and side airbags for the front passen-
ger are deactivated, otherwise there is an
increased risk of injury if the airbags deploy.<
Seat position
Before installing a child-restraint system, move
the front passenger seat as far back and up
*
as possible to obtain the best possible position
for the belt. Do not change the seat position
after this.
Child seat security
All rear safety belts and the safety belt for the
front passenger can be prevented from being
pulled out in order to secure child-restraint
systems.
To lock the safety belt
1.Secure the child-restraint system with
the belt.
2.Pull the belt strap all the way out.
REFERENCEAT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
35
3.Allow the belt strap to retract and pull it taut
against the child-restraint system.
The safety belt is locked.
To unlock the safety belt
1.Open the belt buckle.
2.Remove the child-restraint system.
3.Allow the safety belt strap to retract all
the way.
LATCH child-restraint
fixing system
LATCH: Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren.
To install and use the LATCH child-
restraint system, follow the operating and
safety instructions provided by the manufac-
turer of the system, otherwise the protective
function of the seat may be compromised.<
Anchor points for LATCH anchors
Before installing the child's seat, pull the belt out
of the area for the child-restraint fixing system.
The anchor points for the lower LATCH anchors
are located behind the labeled protective caps.
Mak e su re th at bot h lo we r LATCH ancho rs
are properly engaged and that the child-
restraint system rests firmly against the seat
backrest, otherwise the protective function of
the seat may be compromised.<
Child-restraint system with tether strap
Use the tether strap anchors to secure
child-restraint systems only, otherwise the
anchors could be damaged.
There are two additional anchors for child-
restraint systems with tether straps, arrows.
When the vehicle is equipped with a level load
floor
*, the anchors are covered. Their positions
are labeled.
Placement of the tether strap
Make sure the upper retaining strap does
not run over sharp edges and is not
twisted as it passes to the top anchor. Otherwise
the strap will not properly secure the child-
restraint system in the event of an accident.<
1Direction of travel
2Head restraint
3Tether strap hook
4Cargo bay floor
5Anchor
6Seat backrest
7Tether strap of the child-restraint system
1.Push the head restraint upward.
2.Guide the tether strap between the head
restraint holders.
3.Attach the tether strap to the anchor using
the hook.
Transporting children safely
36
4.Push the head restraint into its lowermost
position.
5.Attach the tether strap to the anchor using
the hook.
6.Pull the retaining strap tight.
Technology for driving comfort and safety
64
vated, refer to Status of front passenger airbags
below.<
Before transporting a child on the front
passenger seat, read the safety precau-
tions and handling instructions under Transport-
ing children safely, page34.
The front and side airbags can also be deacti-
vated by adolescents and adults sitting in certain
positions; the indicator lamp for the front pas-
senger airbags comes on. In such cases, the pas-
senger should change his or her sitting position
so that the front passenger airbags are activated
and the indicator lamp goes out. If the desired
airbag status cannot be achieved by changing
the sitting position, transport the relevant pas-
senger on a rear seat. Do not attach covers,
cushions, ball mats or other items to the front
passenger seat unless they are specifically rec-
ommended by the manufacturer of your MINI.
Do not place any items under the seat which
could press against the seat from below. Other-
wise a correct analysis of the seat cushion is not
ensured.<
Status of front passenger airbags
The indicator lamp for the front passenger air-
bags shows the functional status of the front
passenger's front and side airbags in accordance
with whether and how the front passenger seat
is occupied. 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 seat.
The front and side airbags for the front pas-
senger are not activated.Most child seats are detected by the
system. This particularly applies to
child seats that were required by the NHTSA
at the time of manufacture of the vehicle.
After installing a child's seat, check that the
indicator lamp for the front passenger air-
bags comes on. It indicates that the child's
seat has been detected and that the front
passenger airbags are deactivated.<
>T h e i n d i c a t o r l a m p d o e s n o t c o m e o n a s l o n g
as a person of sufficient size and in a correct
sitting position is detected on the seat.
The front and side airbags for the front pas-
senger are activated.
>The indicator lamp does not come on if the
seat is empty.
The front and side airbags for the front pas-
senger are not activated.
Operational readiness of airbag system
As of radio readiness, page37, the warning
lamp comes on briefly to indicate that the entire
airbag system and the belt tensioners are oper-
ational.
Airbag system malfunction
>The warning lamp does not come on
when radio readiness or the ignition is
switched on.
>The warning lamp stays lit continuously.
In the event of a fault in the airbag system,
have it checked without delay, otherwise
there is the risk that the system will not function
as intended even if a sufficiently severe accident
occurs.<
REFERENCEAT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
85
If the rear seat backrests are positioned at
a steeper angle, do not install child-
restraint systems in the rear of the vehicle as
their protective features may be ineffective.<
Partition net*
Ensure that the partition net is firmly
attached, otherwise injuries may occur.<
The partition net can be mounted in the cargo
bay or behind the front seats.
In the cargo bay
1.Fold the rear seat backrest forward if neces-
sary, page84.
2.Insert each partition net mounting pin all the
way into its respective rear mount in the
headliner, arrow 1, and push it forward.
3.Hang the hooks of the partition net into the
eyelets on the cargo bay floor, arrow2.
Behind the front seats
1.Fold down the rear seat backrests, refer to
Expanding the cargo bay.
2.Insert each partition net mounting pin all the
way into its respective front mount in the
headliner, arrow1, and push it forward.3.Fold up the eyelets on the rear seat and
hook the partition net into them, arrow2.
Level load floor*
The maximum load capacity of the level
load floor is 165 lb/75 kg. For the storage
compartment under the load floor, do not
exceed a maximum load of 55 lb/25 kg, other-
wise damage may occur.<
Raise the level load floor and fold it up toward
the front, arrow.
Removing
1.Fold up the level load floor.
2.Pull the load floor back slightly.
3.Then take it out toward the top.
Determining cargo limit
1.Locate the following statement on your
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or YYY lbs. Otherwise, overloading
can result in damage to the vehicle and
unstable driving conditions.<
REFERENCEAT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
145
Bottle holders, refer to Cup
holders79
Brake Assist56
Brake fluid, refer to Service
requirements51
Brake lamps
– replacing bulbs115
Brake pads, breaking in82
Brake rotors83
– brakes82
– breaking in82
Brake system82
– breaking in82
– disc brakes83
– MINI Maintenance
System106
Brakes
– ABS56
– breaking in82
– MINI Maintenance
System106
– parking brake38
– service requirements51
Brakes, refer to Braking
safely83
Breakdown service, refer to
Roadside Assistance122
Break-in period82
Breaking in the clutch82
Bulb changing, refer to Lamps
and bulbs112
Button for starting the
engine37
Buttons on the steering
wheel11
C
California Proposition 65
warning5
Can holders, refer to Cup
holders79
Capacities142
Car battery, refer to Vehicle
battery120
Car care108
Car key, refer to Keys/remote
controls18Car phone
– installation location, refer to
Center armrest77
– refer to separate Owner's
Manual
Car wash, care108
Car washes108
Care108
– car washes108
– car-care products108
– CD/DVD drives111
– external108
– high-pressure washers108
– internal110
– leather110
– manual washing109
– upholstery and fabrics110
– windows109
– wiper blades109
Cargo area
– capacity142
Cargo bay84
– convenient access26
– doors, refer to Splitdoor23
– lamp68
– opening from outside24
– trunk lid, refer to Splitdoor23
Cargo bay doors, refer to
Splitdoor23
Cargo bay, expanding84
Cargo bay lamp68
Cargo bay partition net, refer
to Partition net85
Cargo loading85
– securing cargo86
– stowing cargo86
– vehicle84
Cargo, securing86
Carpets, care110
Catalytic converter, refer to
Hot exhaust system82
Center armrest77
Center brake lamp116
Center console, refer to
Around the center
console14Central locking system19
– convenient access25
– from inside22
– from outside19
Changing bulbs112
Changing wheels118
Chassis number, refer to
Engine compartment103
Check Control53
Child's seats34
Child-restraint fixing system
LATCH35
Child-restraint systems34
Chrome parts, care109
Chrome parts, refer to
Care108
Cigarette lighter79
Cleaning headlamps43
– washer fluid44
Clock46
– 12h/24h mode49
– setting time52
Closing
– from inside22
– from outside19
Clothes hooks78
Clubdoor23
Cockpit10
Cold start, refer to Starting the
engine37
Comfort access
– what to observe before
entering a car wash26
Comfort access, refer to
Convenient access25
Comfort area, refer to Around
the center console14
Compartment for remote
control, refer to Ignition
lock37
Computer47
Condensation, refer to When
the vehicle is parked83
Condition Based Service
CBS106
Configuring settings, refer to
Personal Profile18
Confirmation signals for
vehicle locking/unlocking20
From A to Z
148
Gross vehicle weight, refer to
Weights142
H
Halogen lamps
– replacing bulb113
Handbrake, refer to Parking
brake38
Hands-free system14
Hazard warning flashers14
Head airbags63
Head restraints31
– sitting safely29
Headlamp control,
automatic65
Headlamp flasher41
– indicator lamp11,126
Headlamps
– replacing bulb113
Headlamps, care109
Heated
– mirrors33
– rear window71,73
– seats31
Heating70
– mirrors33
– rear window71,73
– seats31
Heavy loads, refer to Stowing
cargo86
Height adjustment
– seats30
– steering wheel33
Height, refer to
Dimensions141
High beams67
– headlamp flasher67
– indicator lamp126
– replacing bulb113
High water, refer to Driving
through water83
Hill Start Assist57
Hills83
Holders for cups79
Homepage4
Horn10
Hot exhaust system82
Hydroplaning82
I
Ice warning46
Icy roads, refer to Outside
temperature warning46
Ignition37
– switched off37
– switched on37
Ignition key position 1, refer to
Radio readiness37
Ignition key position 2, refer to
Ignition on37
Ignition key, refer to
Integrated key/remote
control18
Ignition lock37
Imprint2
Indicator and warning
lamps13,126
– Tire Pressure Monitor TPM61
Indicator lighting, refer to
Instrument lighting68
Individual air distribution72
Individual settings, refer to
Personal Profile18
Inflation pressure monitoring,
refer to Tire Pressure Monitor
TPM60
Initializing
– Flat Tire Monitor FTM58
– glass sunroof, electric28
Instrument cluster, refer to
Displays12
Instrument lighting68
Instrument panel, refer to
Cockpit10
Instrument panel, refer to
Displays12
Integrated key18
Integrated universal remove
control75
Interior lamps68
– remote control21
Interior rearview mirror33
– automatic dimming
feature33
Interlock39
Intermittent mode of the
wipers42Internet page4J
Jacking points119
Jets, refer to Window washer
nozzles44
Jump starting122
Jumpering, refer to Jump
starting122
K
Key Memory, refer to Personal
Profile18
Key, refer to Keys/remote
controls18
Keyless go, refer to Convenient
access25
Keyless opening and closing,
refer to Convenient
access25
Kick-down40
– automatic transmission with
Steptronic40
Knock control93
L
Lamps and bulbs, replacing
bulbs112
Lamps, refer to Parking lamps/
Low beams65
Lashing eyes, refer to Securing
cargo86
LATCH child-restraint fixing
system35
Leather care110
LEDs light-emitting diodes113
Length, refer to
Dimensions141
Level load floor85
License plate lamp
– bulb replacement116
Light switch65
Light-alloy wheels, care109
Light-emitting diodes
LEDs113