REFERENCEAT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
3
CONTENTS
The fastest way to find information on a particu-
lar topic or item is by using the index, refer to
page144.
Using this Owner's Manual
4Notes
6Reporting safety defects
AT A GLANCE
10Cockpit
CONTROLS
18Opening and closing
29Adjustments
34Transporting children safely
37Driving
46Everything under control
55Technology for driving comfort
and safety
65Lamps
70Climate
75Practical interior accessories
DRIVING TIPS
82Things to remember when driving
MOBILITY
92Refueling
94Wheels and tires
102Under the bonnet
106Maintenance
108Care
112Replacing components
122Giving and receiving assistance
126Indicator and warning lamps
REFERENCE
140Technical data
144From A to Z
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5
ics, requires specially adapted maintenance and
repair methods. Therefore, have the necessary
work on your MINI only carried out by a MINI
Dealer or a workshop that has specially trained
personnel working in accordance with the spec-
ifications of the MINI manufacturer. If this work
is not carried out properly, there is a danger
of subsequent damage and related safety
hazards.<
Parts and accessories
For your own safety, use genuine parts
and accessories approved by the manu-
facturer of the MINI.
When you purchase accessories tested
and approved by the manufacturer of the MINI
and Original MINI Parts, you simultaneously
acquire the assurance that they have been thor-
oughly tested by the manufacturer of the MINI
to ensure optimum performance when installed
on your vehicle.
The manufacturer of the MINI warrants these
parts to be free from defects in material and
workmanship.
The manufacturer of the MINI will not accept any
liability for damage resulting from installation of
parts and accessories not approved by the man-
ufacturer of the MINI.
The manufacturer of the MINI cannot test every
product made by other manufacturers to verify
if it can be used on a MINI safely and without risk
to either the vehicle, its operation, or its occu-
pants.
Original MINI Parts, MINI Accessories and other
products approved by the manufacturer of the
MINI, together with professional advice on using
these items, are available from all MINI Dealers.
Installation and operation of non-MINI
approved accessories such as alarms, radios,
amplifiers, radar detectors, wheels, suspension
components, brake dust shields, telephones,
including operation of any mobile phone from
within the vehicle without using an externally
mounted antenna, or transceiver equipment, for
instance, CBs, walkie-talkies, ham radios or sim-
ilar accessories, may cause extensive damage to
the vehicle, compromise its safety, interfere with the vehicle's electrical system or affect the valid-
ity of the MINI Limited Warranty. See your MINI
Dealer for additional information.<
Maintenance, replacement, or repair of
the emission control devices and systems
may be performed by any automotive repair
establishment or individual using any certified
automotive part.<
California Proposition 65 warning
California law requires us to issue the following
warning:
Engine exhaust and a wide variety of
automobile components and parts,
including components found in the interior fur-
nishings in a vehicle, contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer
and birth defects and reproductive harm. In
addition, certain fluids contained in vehicles and
certain products of component wear contain or
emit chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and birth defects or other repro-
ductive harm.
Battery posts, terminals and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds. Wash your
hands after handling.
Used engine oil contains chemicals that have
caused cancer in laboratory animals. Always
protect your skin by washing thoroughly with
soap and water.<
Service and warranty
We recommend that you read this publication
thoroughly.
Your MINI is covered by the following war-
ranties:
>New Vehicle Limited Warranty
>Rust Perforation Limited Warranty
>Federal Emissions System Defect Warranty
>Federal Emissions Performance Warranty
>California Emission Control System Limited
Warranty
Detailed information about these warranties is
listed in the Service and Warranty Information
Cockpit
10
Cockpit
Around the steering wheel: Controls and displays
1Adjusting the exterior mirrors, folding them
in and out
*32
2
Parking lamps65
Low beams65
Automatic headlamp control
*65
Turn signals41
High beams67
Headlamp flasher41
Roadside parking lamps
*67
Computer
*47
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AT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
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6Ignition lock37
7Buttons
* on steering wheel
8Horn: the entire surface
9Adjusting the steering wheel33
10Releasing the bonnet102 3Tachometer12
Instrument lighting68
Resetting the trip odometer46
4
Wiper system42
5Switching the ignition on/off and
starting/stopping the engine37
Continuing cruise control
*44
Right:
Storing speed and accelerating or
decelerating
Left:
Increase or reduce volume
Activating/deactivating cruise
control
*45
Telephone
*:
Accepting and ending a call, start-
ing dialing
* of selected phone
number and redialing if no phone
number is selected
Activating/deactivating voice
activation system
*
Changing radio station
Selecting music track
Scrolling through phone book and
lists with stored phone numbers
Opening and closing
24
Opening
In some national-market versions, the
splitdoor cannot be unlocked using the
remote control unless the vehicle is unlocked
first.
Only drive with the splitdoor fully closed, other-
wise the tail lamps will be obscured and driving
safety will be compromised.<
Press the button in the handle or the but-
ton of the remote control for an extended time.
The splitdoor is unlocked.
Using the button in the handle, fully open first
the right side, arrow1, and then the left side of
the splitdoor, arrow2.
Closing
Make sure that the closing path of the
splitdoor is clear, otherwise injuries
may occur.<
Close the left side, arrow1, and then the right
side of the splitdoor, arrow2.
Alarm system*
The principle
The alarm system, when activated, reacts if:>A door, the engine compartment lid or the
tailgate is opened
>There is movement inside the car
>The car's inclination changes, for instance if
an attempt is made to jack it up and steal the
wheels or to raise it prior to towing away
>There is an interruption in the power supply
from the battery
The alarm system briefly indicates unauthorized
entry or tampering by means of:
>An acoustic alarm
>Switching on the hazard warning flashers
Arming and disarming
Whenever the car is locked or unlocked, the
alarm system is armed or disarmed.
Even when the alarm system is armed, you can
open the tailgate by means of the button
on the remote control.
When you subsequently close the tailgate it is
again locked and monitored.
On certain national-market versions,
unlocking via the door lock triggers off
the alarm.<
Panic mode*
You can activate the alarm system if you find
yourself in a dangerous situation.
Press the button for at least two seconds.
Switching off the alarm:
Press any button.
Switching off an alarm
>Unlock the car with the remote control.
>Insert the key fully into the ignition lock.
>In cars with convenient access
*, press the
button on the door lock.
Display on the revolution counter
When the system is armed, all LEDs pulse. After
approx. 16 minutes one LED flashes.
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>LEDs pulse or LED flashes: system is armed.
>One LED flashes at short intervals:
A door, the bonnet or the tailgate is not
properly closed. Even if these are not closed
fully, the remaining items are deadlocked
and the LEDs pulse after approx. 10 seconds
for approx. 16 minutes. Afterwards, one
LED flashes.
The interior movement detector is not
activated.
>LEDs go out after the vehicle is unlocked:
No attempt was made to tamper with
the car.
>LEDs flash after unlocking until the key is
inserted in the ignition, but for no longer
than approx. 5 minutes: an attempt was
made to tamper with the car.
Tilt alarm sensor
The vehicle's inclination is monitored. The alarm
is triggered, for instance, if an attempt is made
to steal the car's wheels or tow it away.
Interior movement detector
Before the interior movement detector can
operate correctly, the windows and glass roof
must be closed.
Avoiding false alarms
The tilt alarm sensor and the interior movement
detector can be switched off together.
This prevents false alarms, e.g. in the following
situations:
>In duplex garages
>When being transported on car-carrying
trains, ferries or trailers>If pets are to remain inside the car
Switching off the tilt alarm sensor and
interior movement detector
>Press the button on the remote con-
trol twice in succession.
>Lock the vehicle twice with the integrat-
ed key.
LEDs flash in short succession for approx.
2 seconds.
The tilt alarm sensor and the interior movement
detector are switched off until the car is next
unlocked and locked.
Convenient access*
Convenient access enables you to enter your
vehicle without having to hold the remote con-
trol in your hand. All you need to do is wear the
remote control close to your body, e.g. in your
jacket pocket. The vehicle automatically detects
the remote control within the immediate vicinity
or in the passenger compartment.
Convenient access supports the following
functions:
>Unlocking/locking the vehicle
>Unlocking the splitdoor by itself
>Starting the engine
>Convenient operation
Functional requirements
>The vehicle or the splitdoor can only be
locked when the vehicle detects that the
remote control currently in use is outside of
the vehicle.
>The vehicle cannot be locked or unlocked
again until after approx. 2 seconds.
>The engine can only be started when the
vehicle detects that the remote control is
inside the vehicle.
>The doors and splitdoor must be closed to
be able to operate the windows and glass
sunroof.
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
Adjustments
30
incline the backrest too far to the rear while the
vehicle is being driven, otherwise there is a dan-
ger in the event of an accident of sliding under
the safety belt, eliminating the protection nor-
mally provided by the belt.<
Comply with the instructions on head restraint
height on page31 and on damaged safety belts
on page32.
Seat adjustment
Observe the instructions on page29 to
ensure the best possible personal pro-
tection.<
Longitudinal adjustment
Pull the lever, arrow 1, and slide the seat to the
desired position, arrows 2.
After releasing the lever, move the seat gently
forward or back to make sure it engages
properly.
Height
Pull up or push down the lever repeatedly,
arrows 1, until the desired height is reached,
arrows 2.
Backrest
Pull the lever, arrow 1, and apply your weight to
the backrest or lift it off, as necessary, arrows 2.
Lumbar support*
You can also adjust the contour of the backrest
to obtain additional support in the lumbar
region.
The upper hips and spinal column receive sup-
plementary support to help you maintain a
relaxed, upright sitting position.
Turn the wheel to increase or decrease the cur-
vature.
Entry to the rear
Convenient entry
The convenient entry feature includes a
mechanical memory function for the longitudi-
nal adjustment and backrest angle.