2009 MINI COOPER Owners Manual

REFERENCEAT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
31
1.Pull up the lever on the seat backrest,
arrow1.
The backrest folds forward.
2.Move the seat forward by pushing on the
backrest, arrow2.
Previous position
1.Push the seat back into its previous position.
Do not fold the backrest up until the
seat is in its previous position. Other-
wise, the seat will engage in its current posi-
tion. In this case, adjust the longitudinal po-
sition manually, page30.<
2.Fold the backrest back up to lock the seat.
When moving the seat backwards, ensure
that you do not cause personal injury or
property damage.
Before driving off, engage the front seats and
seat backrests. Otherwise there is a risk of acci-
dent due to unexpected movement.<
Head restraints
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. Only remove a head
restraint if no one will be sitting on the seat in
question. Reinstall the head restraint before
transporting anyone on that seat. Otherwise,
the passenger will be without protection from
the head restraint.<
Height adjustment
To raise: pull up.
To lower: press the button, arrow1, and slide
the head restraint down.
Removing
Front
1.Pull up as far as it will go.
2.Fold the backrest forward slightly.
3.Press button1 and pull the head restraint
out as far as it will go.
4.Additionally press button 2 and pull the
head restraint out completely.
5.Fold back the backrest.
Rear
1.Pull up as far as it will go.
2.Press button 1 and pull the head restraint
out completely.
ProCarManuals.com

Adjustments
32
Seat heating*
Switching on
Press once for each temperature level.
Three LEDs indicate the highest temperature.
If you continue driving within the next 15 min-
utes, the seat heating is automatically activated
at the previously set temperature.
The temperature is lowered or the heating is
switched off entirely to save on battery power.
The LEDs stay lit.
Switching off
Press button longer.
Safety belts
Observe the instructions on page29 to
ensure the best possible personal protec-
tion.<
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.
Front and rear seatsClosing
Make sure you hear the lock engage in the belt
buckle.
The upper belt anchor is suitable for adults of
any stature as long as the seat is adjusted prop-
erly, page29.
Opening
1.Grasp the belt firmly.
2.Press the red button in the buckle.
3.Guide the belt into its reel.
Seat belt reminder
Front seats
The indicator lamps come on and an
acoustic signal sounds. Check whether
the safety belt has been fastened cor-
rectly. The 'Fasten safety belts'
reminder is issued when the driver's safety belt
has not been fastened. The 'Fasten safety belts'
reminder is also activated at road speeds above
approx. 5 mph or 8 km/h if the front passenger's
safety belt has not been fastened, if objects are
placed on the front passenger seat, or if driver or
front passenger unfasten their safety belts.
Damage to safety belts
If the safety belts are damaged or stressed
in an accident: have the safety belt system
and its seat-belt tensioners replaced and the
belt anchors checked. Have this work carried out
only by a MINI Dealer or by a workshop that has
specially trained personnel working in accor-
dance with the specifications of the MINI manu-
facturer, otherwise correct operation of these
safety systems is not ensured.<
ProCarManuals.com

REFERENCEAT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
33
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors
The front passenger's mirror is more con-
vex than the driver's mirror. The objects
seen in the mirror are closer than they appear.
Do not gauge your distance from traffic behind
you on the basis of what you see in the mirror;
otherwise there is an increased risk of an acci-
dent.<
1Adjusting the left or right exterior mirror
2Folding mirrors in and out
*
Manual adjustment
The mirrors can also be adjusted manually: press
the edge of the glass.
Folding mirrors in and out*
Turn the knob beyond the pressure point in
direction 2. The mirrors can be folded in at road
speeds up to approx. 20 mph/30 km/h.
This can be beneficial in narrow streets, for
example, or for moving mirrors that were folded
in by hand back out into their correct positions.
Automatic heating*
At outside temperatures below a certain limit,
both exterior mirrors are automatically heated
while the engine is running or the ignition
switched on.
Interior rearview mirror
To reduce glare from vehicles behind you when
you are driving at night:
Turn the knob.
Interior mirror, automatic dimming*
The automatic dimming feature of the interior
rearview mirror
* is controlled by two photo cells
in the mirror. One photo cell is in the mirror
frame, arrow; the other is on the back of the mir-
ror.
In order to ensure that the system functions cor-
rectly, keep the photo cells clean, do not cover
the area between the interior rearview mirror
and windshield, and do not affix adhesive labels
or stickers of any kind to the windshield directly
in front of the mirror.
ProCarManuals.com

Adjustments
34
Steering wheel
Adjustments
Do not adjust the steering wheel position
while the car is in motion, otherwise there
is a risk of accident due to an unexpected move-
ment.<
1.Fold the lever down.
2.Move the steering wheel to the preferred
distance and angle to suit your seated posi-
tion.
3.Swing the lever back up.
Do not use force to swing the lever
back up, otherwise the mechanism
will be damaged.<
ProCarManuals.com

REFERENCEAT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
35
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 acci-
dent.<
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 page65.
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.<
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.
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.
ProCarManuals.com

Transporting children safely
36
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.
Make sure that the two LATCH anchors 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.
Placement of the tether strap
1Direction of travel
2Head restraint
3Tether strap hook
4Cargo bay floor
5Anchor
6Seat backrest
7Tether strap of the child-restraint system
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.<
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.
4.Push the head restraint into its lowermost
position.
5.Pull the retaining strap tight.
ProCarManuals.com

REFERENCEAT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
37
Driving
Ignition lock
Inserting the key into the ignition lock
Insert the key all the way into the ignition lock.
Radio readiness
Individual electrical consumers can operate.
Removing the key from the ignition lock
Press in the key briefly. It is ejected slightly.
At the same time:
>The ignition is switched off if it was on
beforehand.
Automatic transmission
You cannot take out the key unless the selector
lever is in the P position: interlock.
Start/stop button
Press the start/stop button to switch radio readi-
ness or the ignition on and off. Do not depress
the brake or clutch while doing so.
When you press the start/stop button and
depress the clutch if the car has manual
transmission or the brake if the car has auto-
matic transmission, the engine starts.<
Radio readiness
Individual electrical consumers can operate. The
time and outside temperature are displayed in
the tachometer.
Radio readiness is switched off automatically:
>When the key is removed from the ignition
lock
>When using convenient access
* by pushing
the button on the door handle or the
button on the remote control, refer to Lock-
ing on page26
Ignition on
Most indicator and warning lamps in indicator
area 1, page13, light up for varying lengths of
time.
When the engine is off, switch off the igni-
tion and any unnecessary electrical con-
sumers in order to preserve the battery.<
Radio readiness and ignition off
All indicator and warning lamps in the displays
go out.
ProCarManuals.com

Driving
38
The ignition automatically turns off* when the
driver's door is opened. Pressing the start/stop
button again switches the ignition back on.
The ignition is not switched off in situations such
as the following:
>The clutch or brake is depressed
>The low beams are switched on
Starting the engine
Do not allow the engine to run in enclosed
spaces; otherwise inhalation of the nox-
ious exhaust gases can lead to unconsciousness
and death. Exhaust gases contain carbon mon-
oxide, an odorless and colorless, but highly toxic
gas. Never leave an unattended vehicle with the
engine running, otherwise such a vehicle repre-
sents a potential safety hazard.
Before leaving the car while the engine is run-
ning, place the transmission in neutral or move
the selector lever to position P and forcefully
apply the parking brake to prevent the car from
moving.<
Avoid frequent starting in quick succes-
sion or repeated start attempts in which
the engine does not start. Otherwise, the fuel is
not burned or inadequately burned and there is
a danger of overheating and damaging the cat-
alytic converter.<
Do not let the engine warm up with the vehicle
at a standstill. Move off immediately at a moder-
ate engine speed.
When starting the engine, do not depress the
accelerator pedal.
Manual transmission
Key in ignition lock or inside vehicle with conve-
nient access, refer to page25.
1.Depress the brake.
2.Depress the clutch.
3.Press the start/stop button.
Automatic transmission
Key in ignition lock or inside vehicle with conve-
nient access, refer to page25.
1.Depress the brake.
2.Move the selector lever to position P.
3.Press the start/stop button.
The starter operates automatically for a certain
time, and stops automatically as soon as the
engine has started.
switching off the Engine
Always take the key with you when you
leave the vehicle.
When parking, apply the parking brake force-
fully, otherwise the vehicle could begin to roll.<
Manual transmission
1.With the car at a standstill, press the start/
stop button.
2.Shift into first gear or reverse.
3.Forcefully apply the parking brake.
ProCarManuals.com