
Cockpit
10
Cockpit
Around the steering wheel: Controls and displays
1Adjusting the exterior mirrors, folding them 
in and out
*41
2
Parking lamps75
Low beams75
Automatic headlamp control
*75
Turn signals50
High beams77
Headlamp flasher50
Roadside parking lamps
*77
Computer
*56 

REFERENCE
AT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
 11
3Always Open Timer57
7Ignition lock46
8Buttons
* on steering wheel
9Horn: the entire surface
10Adjusting the steering wheel42
11Releasing the bonnet116 4Tachometer12
Instrument lighting78
Resetting the trip odometer55
5
Wiper system51
6Switching the ignition on/off and 
starting/stopping the engine46
Continuing cruise control
*53
Right:
Storing speed and accelerating or 
decelerating
Left:
Increase or reduce volume
Activating/deactivating cruise 
control
*54
Telephone
*:
Accepting and ending a call, start-
ing dialing
* of selected phone 
number and redialing if no phone 
number is selected
Activating/deactivating voice acti-
vation system
*
Changing radio station
Selecting music track
Scrolling through phone book and 
lists with stored phone numbers 

REFERENCEAT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
 37
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 page43.
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 should come between the 
airbags 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 in the MINI; 
otherwise, serious injuries can result if 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 page72.
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 page39.
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 page40.
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. 

Adjustments
42
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 
mirror.
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.
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 
movement.<
1.Fold the lever down.
2.Move the steering wheel to the preferred 
distance and angle to suit your seated 
position.
3.Swing the lever back up.Do not use force to swing the lever 
back up; otherwise, the mechanism 
will be damaged.< 

REFERENCEAT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
 49
To prevent the vehicle from creeping 
after you select a driving position, 
depress the brake until you are ready to 
start.<
A lock prevents accidental shifting into selector 
lever positions R and P.
Overriding the selector lever lock
Press the button on the front of the selector 
lever, arrow.
P Park
Select this only when the vehicle is stationary. 
The transmission locks to prevent the drive 
wheels from turning.
R Reverse
Select this only when the vehicle is stationary.
N Neutral
Select this when you are in a car wash, for exam-
ple. The vehicle can roll.
D Drive, automatic position
Position for normal vehicle operation. All for-
ward gears are selected automatically.
Under normal operation conditions, fuel con-
sumption is lowest when you drive in position D.
Kickdown
Kickdown enables you to achieve maximum 
performance. 
Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the full-
throttle resistance point.
Sport program and manual 
operation M/S
Move the selector lever from position D to the 
left into the M/S shifting slot:
The Sport program is activated and DS is dis-
played. This position is recommended for a per-
formance-oriented driving style.
To deactivate the sport program or manual 
mode M/S, move the selector lever to the right 
into position D.
Shifting with the selector lever
Push the selector lever forward or pull it back 
to activate manual operation. Steptronic shifts 
the gear.
>Pull the selector lever in the + direction.
Transmission shifts up.
>Push the selector lever in the – direction.
Transmission shifts down.
The tachometer displays M1 to M6.
To use the automatic mode again, move the 
selector lever to the right into position D.
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only when 
they will result in a plausible combination of 
engine and vehicle speed; thus, for example, a 
downshift that would cause the engine to over-
rev will not be executed by the system. The 
selected gear is displayed briefly, followed by 
the actual gear.
Shifting on the steering wheel*
With the selector lever in position D, automatic 
drive, you can shift gears using the shift paddles 
on the steering wheel. The transmission auto-
matically switches to manual mode. 

REFERENCEAT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
 53
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
 65
in hazardous driving thereby running the risk of 
an accident.<
Antilock Brake System ABS
ABS prevents locking of the wheels during brak-
ing. Safe steering response is maintained even 
during full braking. Active safety is thus 
increased.
Braking safely, refer to page93.
Among others, ABS includes the following func-
tions:
>Cornering Brake Control CBC
>Electronic brake-force distribution EBV
>Brake Assist
Cornering Brake Control CBC
Driving stability and steering characteristics are 
further enhanced while braking in turns or dur-
ing a lane change.
Electronic brake-force distribution EBV
The system controls the brake pressure in the 
rear wheels to ensure stable braking behavior.
Brake Assist
Rapidly depressing the brake causes this system 
to automatically develop maximum braking 
force. Thus, the system helps keep braking dis-
tance to a minimum. At the same time, all the 
benefits provided by ABS are exploited.
Do not reduce the pressure on the brake for the 
duration of the full braking application.
Dynamic Stability Control DSC
DSC prevents the driving wheels from losing 
traction when you pull away from rest or accel-
erate. The system also recognizes unstable driv-
ing conditions, for example if the rear of the car 
is about to swerve or if momentum is acting at 
an angle past the front wheels. In these cases, 
DSC helps the vehicle maintain a safe course 
within physical limits by reducing engine output 
and through braking actions at the individual 
wheels.DSC also encompasses the following functions:
>Antilock Brake System ABS
>Electronic brake-force distribution EBV
>Brake Assist
>Cornering Brake Control CBC
>Hill Assist
Deactivating DSC
Press the button repeatedly until the DSC indica-
tor lamps come on. DSC is deactivated. Stabiliz-
ing and propulsion promoting actions are no 
longer executed.
When driving with snow chains or to 'rock free' 
in snow, it can be helpful to switch off DSC for a 
brief period.
To increase vehicle stability, activate DSC again 
as soon as possible.
Activating DSC
Press the button again: the DSC indicator lamps 
go out.
For better control
If the indicator lamp flashes: 
The DSC controls the driving and break-
ing forces.
If the indicator lamps are on: 
DSC is deactivated. 

REFERENCEAT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
 67
Sport button*
Pressing the button causes your MINI to respond 
even more sportily.
>Engine responds more spontaneously to 
movements of the accelerator.
>Steering response is more direct.
With automatic transmission:
>More rapid gear shifting in Sport program.
Activating the system
Press the SPORT button.
The LED lights up.
SPORT is briefly displayed in the tachometer.
Deactivating the system
>Press the SPORT button again.
>Switch off the engine.
Flat Tire Monitor FTM*
The concept
The Flat Tire Monitor detects pressure loss in a 
tire by comparing the rotating speeds of the 
individual tires while moving.
If a tire loses pressure, its rolling circumference 
changes, and this in turn alters the speed of 
rotation. This change is detected and is reported 
as a flat tire.
Functional requirement
In order to assure the reliable reporting of a flat 
tire, the system must be initialized for the cor-
rect tire inflation pressure.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 is unable to warn the driver 
of sudden, severe tire damage caused by exter-
nal factors, nor can it identify the gradual loss of 
pressure that will inevitably occur in all four tires 
over a lengthy period of time.
In the following situations, the system could be 
delayed or malfunction:
>System has not been initialized
>Driving on snowy or slippery road surface
>Performance-oriented style of driving: slip in 
the drive wheels, high lateral acceleration
>Snow chains are attached
When the vehicle is driven with a space-saver 
spare tire
*, page133, the Flat Tire Monitor can-
not function.
Initializing the system
The initialization is completed during driv-
ing, which can be interrupted at any time. 
When driving resumes, the initialization is con-
tinued automatically. 
Do not initialize the system if you are driving 
with snow chains or a space-saver spare tire
*.<