REFERENCEAT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
51
Window washer nozzles
The window washer nozzles are heated auto-
matically
* while the engine is running or the
ignition is switched on.
MINI: rear window wiper
0Rear wipers parked
1To switch on intermittent wipe :
Turn the cap to level1.
Operation is continuous in reverse gear.
Cleaning the rear window
2To clean the rear window during intermit-
tent wipe :
Turn the cap further to level2 and hold it
there.
3To clean the rear window when wipers are
parked :
Turn the cap to level3 and hold it there.
Do not use the washers when the washer
fluid reservoir is empty; otherwise, you will
damage the washer pump.<
Washer fluid
Washer fluid antifreeze is flammable.
Therefore, keep it away from ignition
sources, store it only in the closed original con-
tainer and keep it out of reach of children; oth-
erwise, there is a risk of personal injury. Comply
with the instructions on the container.<
Washer fluid reservoir
Only refill washer fluid that contains anti-
freeze when the engine is cool, to avoid
contact with hot engine parts. Otherwise, fluid
spills constitute a fire hazard and a risk to per-
sonal safety.<
Fill with water and, if required, with a washer
antifreeze, according to manufacturer's recom-
mendations.
Mix the water and antifreeze before filling
the washer fluid reservoir to make sure
the correct concentration is maintained.<
Capacity
Approx. 2.6 US quarts/2.5 liters.
With headlamp washer system:
Approx. 4.8 US quarts/4.5 liters.
Cruise control*
The concept
Cruise control is available at vehicle speeds of at
least approx. 20 mph or 30 km/h. The car then
stores and maintains the speed that you specify
using the button on the steering wheel.
Do not use cruise control when driving at
constant speed is prevented by adverse
conditions, e.g. winding roads, dense traffic or
poor road conditions due to, e.g., snow, rain, ice
or loose surfaces. Otherwise, you could lose con-
trol of the vehicle and cause an accident as a
result.<
REFERENCEAT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
71
Airbags
The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:
MINI:
1Front airbags
2Side airbags in backrests
3Head airbags at the front and rearMINI Convertible:
1Front airbags
2Side/head airbags in the backrests
Protective effect
Observe the instructions on page35 to
ensure the best possible personal protec-
tion.<
The front airbags help protect the driver and
front passenger by responding to frontal
impacts in which safety belts alone cannot pro-
vide adequate restraint. When needed, the head
and side airbags help provide protection in the
event of side impact. The relevant side airbag
supports the side upper body area. The head air
bag supports the head.
The side/head airbag in the MINI Convertible
protects the head during impact.
The airbags are designed to not be triggered in
every type of collision, e.g. not in minor acci-
dents, certain rollover situations or rear impacts.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the
cover panels of the airbags, cover them or
modify them in any other way.
Keep the dashboard and window on the passen-
ger side free from obstruction, i.e. do not cover it
with adhesive film or coverings, and do not affix
any holders such as for a navigation device or a
mobile phone.
Do not attach seat covers, cushions or other
objects not specifically approved for seats with
integral side airbags to the front seats. Do not hang items of clothing such as coats or jackets
over the backrests. Do not attempt to remove
the airbag retention system from the vehicle. Do
not modify the individual components of the
system or its wiring in any way. This includes the
upholstered covers on the steering wheel,
instrument panel, seats and roof posts, as well as
the sides of the roof lining. Do not attempt to
remove or dismantle the steering wheel.
Do not touch the individual components imme-
diately after the system has been triggered,
because there is a danger of burns.
In the event of malfunctions, deactivation, or
triggering of the airbag restraint system, have
the testing, repair, removal, and disposal of air-
bag generators executed only by a MINI dealer
or a workshop that works according to repair
procedures of the manufacturer of your MINI
with correspondingly trained personnel and has
the required explosives licenses. Otherwise,
unprofessional attempts to service the system
could lead to failure in an emergency or undes-
ired airbag activation, either of which could
result in personal injury.<
Warning notices and information about the air-
bags can also be found on the sun visors.
REFERENCEAT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
79
Climate
Equipment versions
Depending on your vehicle's equipment, your
MINI contains an air conditioner
or an automatic
climate control
*.
1Air conditioner
2Automatic climate control
*
Air vents
3Airflow directed toward the windshield and
side windows
4Air to the upper body area, draft-free venti-
lation
5Air to the footwell
Climate
80
Air conditioner
1Air flow rate
2Cooling function
3Recirculated-air mode
4Temperature5Rear window defroster
6Air distribution
7Windshield heating
*
Air flow rate
Adjust the air flow rate. The higher the
rate, the more effective the heating or
cooling will be.
The air flow rate is lowered or switched off
entirely to save on battery power.
Switching the system on/off
Turn the air flow rate rotary switch to 0. Blower
and air conditioner are completely switched off
and the air supply is cut off.
Set any desired air flow rate to switch on the air
conditioner.
Cooling function
When the cooling function is on,
the air is cooled, dried, then
reheated according to the temper-
ature setting. The recirculated-air mode may be
switched on automatically. This function is only
available while the engine is running.
The cooling function helps prevent condensa-
tion on the windows or removes it quickly.
Depending on the weather, the windshield may
fog over briefly when the engine is started.
Recirculated-air mode
If the air outside the car has an
unpleasant odor or contains pollut-
ants, shut off the supply to the inte-
rior of the car temporarily. The system then
recirculates the air currently within the vehicle.
If condensation starts to form on the
inside window surfaces, switch off the
recirculated-air mode and, if necessary, switch
on the cooling function
or increase the air flow
rate.<
To prevent the air quality inside the vehi-
cle from deteriorating during extended
use of the recirculated-air mode, fresh air is
added briefly at regular intervals.<
Temperature
Turn upward, red, to increase the temper-
ature.
Turn downward, blue, to decrease the
temperature.
Rear window defroster
The defroster is switched off auto-
matically after a certain time.
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81
Air distribution
Direct the flow of air to the win-
dows , to the upper body area
or to the footwell . Interme-
diate settings are possible.
Windshield heating*
The windshield heating is switched
off automatically after a short time.
Defrosting windows and removing
condensation
1.Set air flow rate to the maximum level.
2.Set air distribution to position .
Condensation is removed from the windows
more quickly when the cooling function
* is
also activated.
3.Set to the highest temperature, red.
4.Deactivate recirculated-air mode.
5.Turn on windshield heating if necessary.
6.Turn on rear window defroster if necessary.
Microfilter
The microfilter captures dust and pollen. The
microfilter is changed by your MINI dealer dur-
ing routine maintenance work.
Automatic climate control*
1Air flow rate, manual
2AUTO program
3Recirculated-air mode
4Maximum cooling
5Air distribution, manual6Temperature
7Defrosting windows and removing conden-
sation
8Cooling function
9Rear window defroster
10Windshield heating
*
Comfortable interior climate
AUTO program2 offers the ideal air distribution
and air flow rate for almost all conditions, refer
to AUTO program below. All you need to do is
select an interior temperature which is comfort-
able for you.
The following sections inform you in detail about
how to adjust the settings.Most settings are stored for the remote control
currently in use, refer also to Personal Profile set-
tings on page19.
Climate
82
Air flow rate, manual
Press the – button to reduce air flow. Press
the + button to increase it.
You can reactivate the automatic mode
for the air flow rate with the AUTO button.
The air flow rate is lowered or switched off
entirely to save on battery power. The display
remains the same.
Switching the system on/off
Reduce the air flow by pressing the – button
repeatedly until the system is switched off. All
indicators go out.
Press the AUTO button to switch the automatic
climate control back on.
AUTO program
The AUTO program adjusts the air
distribution to the windshield and
side windows, towards the upper body area and
into the footwell for you. The air flow rate and
your temperature specifications will be adapted
to outside influences in accordance with sea-
sonal changes, e.g. sunlight.
The cooling function is automatically switched
on along with the AUTO program.
Convertible Program
If the soft top is open, the Convertible Program is
activated. During the Convertible Program, the
automatic climate control is optimized for driv-
ing with the soft top down. Furthermore, with
increasing vehicle speed, the airflow is also
increased.
If attaching the wind reflector, the perfor-
mance of the Convertible Program can be
significantly improved.<
Recirculated-air mode
Recirculated-air mode: the supply
of outside air is permanently shut
off. The system then recirculates
the air currently within the vehicle.
If condensation starts to form on the
inside window surfaces, press the AUTO
button or switch off the recirculated-air mode and, if necessary, increase the air flow rate.
The recirculated-air mode should not be used
over an extended period of time; otherwise, the
air quality inside the car will deteriorate contin-
uously.<
Maximum cooling
At outside temperatures above
327/06 and when the engine is
running, you obtain a maximum
cooling effect as soon as possible.
The automatic climate control goes into recircu-
lated-air mode at the lowest temperature. Air
flows at maximum rate from the vents for the
upper body area. You should therefore open
them for maximum cooling.
Air distribution, manual
The flow of air is directed to the
windows, to the upper body area or
to the footwell as selected.
You can switch the automatic air
distribution back on by pressing the AUTO but-
ton.
Temperature
Set the desired temperature individually.
The automatic climate control achieves
this temperature as quickly as possible
regardless of the season, using maximum
cooling or heating power if necessary, and then
maintains it.
If you switch between different tempera-
ture settings in quick succession, the auto-
matic climate control does not have enough
time to achieve the set temperature.<
Rear window defroster
The defroster is switched off auto-
matically after a certain time.
Depending on your vehicle's equip-
ment, the upper wires serve as an
antenna and are not part of the rear window
defroster.
REFERENCEAT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
83
Defrosting windows and removing
condensation
Quickly removes ice and condensa-
tion from the windshield and front
side windows.
For this purpose, also switch on the
cooling function.
The windshield heating
* is switched on auto-
matically.
Windshield heating*
The windshield heating is switched
off automatically after a certain
time.
Cooling function
The passenger compartment can only be cooled
while the engine is running.
When the cooling function is on,
the air is cooled, dried, then
reheated according to the temper-
ature setting.
The cooling function helps prevent condensa-
tion on the windows or removes it quickly.
Depending on the weather, the windshield may
fog over briefly when the engine is started. The
recirculated-air mode may be switched on auto-
matically.
When the AUTO button is pressed, the cooling
function switches on automatically.
Microfilter/activated-charcoal filter
The microfilter captures dust and pollen. The
activated-charcoal filter provides additional pro-
tection by filtering gaseous pollutants from the
outside air. Your MINI dealer replaces this com-
bined filter as a standard part of your scheduled
maintenance.
You can call up further information in the service
requirements display, page58.
Ventilation
1Knob for continuous opening and closing
2Jet for direction of air flow
Opening/closing
Turn the knob.
Direction of air flow
Swivel the entire jet.
Things to remember when driving
92
Things to remember when driving
Break-in period
Moving parts need breaking-in time to adjust to
each other. Please follow the instructions below
in order to achieve the optimal service life and
economy of operation for your vehicle.
Engine and differential
Always obey all official speed limits.
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Drive at varying engine and road speeds, but do
not exceed the following:
>Gasoline engine
4,500 rpm or 100 mph/160 km/h
Avoid full-throttle operation and use of the
transmission's kickdown mode.
After driving 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Engine and vehicle speeds can be gradually
increased.
Tires
Due to technical factors associated with their
manufacture, tires do not achieve their full trac-
tion potential until after an initial break-in
period. Therefore, drive cautiously during the
first 200 miles/300 km.
Brake system
Brakes require an initial break-in period of
approx. 300 miles/500 km to achieve optimized
contact and wear patterns between brake pads
and rotors. Drive cautiously during this break-in
period.
Clutch
The function of the clutch reaches its optimal
level only after a distance driven of approx.
300 miles/500 km. During this break-in period,
engage the clutch gently.
Following part replacement
The same break-in procedures should be
observed if any of the components mentioned
above have to be renewed in the course of the
vehicle's operating life.
General driving notes
Close the liftgate
Drive the vehicle only when the liftgate is
closed. Otherwise, exhaust fumes could
penetrate the interior of the vehicle.<
If special circumstances make it absolutely nec-
essary to drive with the liftgate open:
1.Close all windows and the glass sunroof
*.
2.Switch off the recirculated-air mode and sig-
nificantly increase the air flow rate of the air
conditioner or automatic climate control,
page80 or82.
Hot exhaust system
In all vehicles, extremely high tempera-
tures are generated in the exhaust sys-
tem. Do not remove the heat shields installed
adjacent to various sections of the exhaust sys-
tem, and never apply undercoating to them.
When driving, standing at idle and while park-
ing, take care to avoid possible contact between
the hot exhaust system and any highly flamma-
ble materials such as hay, leaves, grass, etc. Such
contact could lead to a fire, with the risk of seri-
ous personal injuries and property damage. Do
not touch hot exhaust tail pipes. Otherwise,
there is a risk of burns.<
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 sur-
face. This situation, known as hydroplaning, can
cause partial or complete loss of tire contact
with the road surface, so that the car cannot be
steered or braked properly.<