
REFERENCEAT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
 21
>Response of the central locking system 
when the car is being unlocked21
>Automatic locking of the vehicle25
>Triple turn signal activation50
>Settings for the displays in the speedometer 
and tachometer:
>12h/24h mode of the clock, refer to For-
mats and units of measure59
>Date format, refer to Formats and units 
of measure59
>Units of measure for fuel consumption, 
distance covered/remaining distances 
and temperature, refer to Formats and 
units of measure59
>Light settings:
>Pathway lighting75
>Daytime running lights76
>Automatic climate control
*: activating/
deactivating the AUTO program, setting the 
temperature, air volume and air 
distribution82
>Entertainment:
>Audio volume, refer to separate Owner's 
Manual
>Speed-dependent volume, refer to sepa-
rate Owner's Manual
Central locking system
The concept
The central locking system is ready for operation 
whenever the driver's door is closed.
The system simultaneously engages and 
releases the locks on the following:
>Doors
>Tailgate
>Fuel filler flap
Operating from outside
>Via the remote control
>Via the door lock
*
>In cars with Comfort Access*, via the door 
handles on the driver's and passenger's 
sides.
The anti-theft system is also operated at the 
same time. It prevents the doors from being 
unlocked using the lock buttons or door han-
dles. The remote control can also be used to 
switch on/off the welcome lamps and interior 
lamps. The alarm system
* is also activated or 
deactivated, page27.
Operating from inside
Button for central locking system, page25.
In the event of a sufficiently severe accident, the 
central locking system unlocks automatically. In 
addition, the hazard warning flashers and inte-
rior lamps come on.
Opening and closing: 
from outside
Persons or animals in a parked vehicle 
could lock the doors from the inside. Take 
the key with you when you leave the vehicle 
so that the vehicle can be opened from the 
outside.<
Using the remote control
Unlocking
Press the   button.
The welcome lamps and interior lamps come on.
Unlocking mode
You can also set which parts of the car are 
unlocked. The setting is stored for the remote 
control in use. 

REFERENCEAT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
 23
Watch during the closing process to be 
sure that no one is injured. Releasing the 
button interrupts the closing process.<
Setting confirmation signals
To have the vehicle confirm when it has been 
locked or unlocked.
1.Switch on the ignition, refer to page46.
2.Briefly press the button in the turn indicator 
lever repeatedly until "SET/INFO" is dis-
played.
3.Press and hold the button until the display 
changes.
4.Briefly press the button repeatedly until the 
symbol and "SET" are displayed.
5.Press and hold the button until the display 
changes.
6.Briefly press the button to select, arrow:
> Confirmation signal during unlocking
> Confirmation signal during locking7.Press and hold the button until the display 
changes.
8.Briefly press the button to select:
>
The hazard warning flashers light up dur-
ing unlocking/locking.
>
An acoustic signal sounds during unlock-
ing/locking.
>
The hazard warning flashers light up and 
an acoustic signal
* sounds during 
unlocking/locking.
>
The function is deactivated.
9.Press and hold the button until the display 
changes. The setting is stored.
Switching on interior lamps
While the car is locked:
Press the   button. 
You can also use this function to locate your 
vehicle in parking garages, etc.
Unlocking the tailgate
Press the   button.
When it is opened, the tailgate swings 
upward and outward to the rear. Make 
sure that adequate clearance is available before 
opening.
To prevent accidentally locking yourself out, do 
not place the key down in the cargo bay. If the 
tailgate was locked before opening, it will be 
locked again after it is closed.
Before and after each trip, check that the tail-
gate has not been inadvertently unlocked.< 

Opening and closing
26
8.Briefly press the button to select:
>
The central locking system automatically 
locks the vehicle after some time if no 
door has been opened.
>
The central locking system automatically 
locks the vehicle as soon as you drive off.
>
The central locking system automatically 
locks the vehicle after some time if no 
door has been opened, or as soon as you 
drive off.
>
The central locking system remains 
unlocked.
9.Press and hold the button until the display 
changes. The setting is stored.
Tailgate
To avoid damage, make sure there is 
sufficient clearance before opening the 
tailgate.<
Opening
In some market-specific versions, the tail-
gate cannot be unlocked using the remote 
control unless the vehicle is unlocked first.<
Press the button in the handle, arrow, or the 
 button of the remote control, for an 
extended period. The tailgate is unlocked and 
can be opened.
MINI Convertible
The maximum load that may be placed on 
the open trunk lid is 175 lbs/80 kg.<
Manual release in the MINI Convertible
In the event of an electrical malfunction, you can 
also unlock the tailgate manually.
1.Use the integrated key and open the back-
rest 1 lock.
2.Press button2 and fold down backrest 
together with the belt strap.
3.Pull the handle, see arrow. The tailgate is 
released.
Closing
Make sure that the closing path of the tail-
gate is clear; otherwise, injuries may 
occur.< 

REFERENCEAT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
 27
The handle recesses on the interior trim panel of 
the tailgate make it easier to pull it down.
Alarm system*
The concept
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.
In certain market-specific versions, 
unlocking via the door lock triggers 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 Comfort Access
*, press the but-
ton on the door lock.
Display on the revolution counter
When the system is armed, all LEDs pulse. After 
approx. 16 minutes one LED flashes.
>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 acti-
vated.
>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. 

Opening and closing
28
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.
MINI Convertible
The passenger compartment is monitored up to 
the height of the seat's surface. This way, the 
anti-theft alarm system including the interior 
motion sensor are armed, even if the convertible 
top is open. Falling objects, e.g. tree leaves, may 
trigger a false alarm, refer to Avoiding false 
alarms.
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 inte-
grated key.
LEDs flash in short succession for approx. 
2seconds.
The tilt alarm sensor and the interior movement 
detector are switched off until the car is next 
unlocked and locked.
Comfort Access*
Comfort Access enables you to enter your vehi-
cle without having to hold the remote control 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.
Comfort Access supports the following func-
tions:
>Unlocking/locking the vehicle
>Unlocking the tailgate by itself
>Starting the engine
>MINI Convertible: Convenient closing
>MINI Convertible: Convertible top operation
Functional requirements
>The vehicle or the tailgate 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 tailgate must be closed to 
be able to operate the windows and glass 
sunroof
*.
Comparison to standard remote controls
In general, there is no difference between using 
Comfort Access or pressing the buttons on the 
remote control to carry out the functions men-
tioned above. 
Instructions on opening and closing are found 
starting on page20.
Special features regarding the use of Comfort 
Access are described below.
If you notice a brief delay while opening or 
closing the windows, the glass sunroof or 
the convertible top, the system is checking 
whether a remote control is inside the vehicle. 
Repeat the opening or closing procedure, if nec-
essary.< 

REFERENCEAT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
 29
To unlock
Press button 1.
Convenient opening with the remote control, 
refer to page22.
Locking
Press button 1.
For Convenient closing, press and hold button 1.
The power windows and the glass sunroof
* are 
closed.
M I N I  C o n v e r t i b l e :  I f  a  r e m o t e  c o n t r o l  i s  i n s i d e  t h e  
vehicle, windows and convertible top can be 
opened and closed as soon as the remote is 
operational.
Unlocking the tailgate separately
Press the button on the outside of the tailgate.
If the vehicle detects that a remote control 
has been accidentally left inside the 
locked vehicle's cargo bay after the tailgate is 
closed, the tailgate will reopen slightly. The haz-
ard warning flashers flash and an acoustic sig-
nal
* sounds.<
Windows and glass sunroof, electric*
If the engine is switched off, you can still operate 
the windows and glass sunroof so long as a door 
or the tailgate has not been opened.
If the doors and tailgate are closed again and the 
remote control is located inside the vehicle, the 
windows and the glass sunroof can be operated 
again.
Insert the remote control into the ignition lock to 
be able to operate the windows or glass sunroof 
when the engine is switched off and the doors 
are open.
Switching on radio readiness
Switch on radio readiness by briefly pressing the 
start/stop button, page46.
Do not depress the brake or the clutch; 
otherwise, the engine will start.<
Starting the engine
The engine can be started or the ignition can be 
switched on when a remote control is inside the 
vehicle. It is not necessary to insert a remote 
control into the ignition lock, page46.
Switching off the engine in cars with 
automatic transmission
The engine can only be switched off when the 
selector lever is in position P, page47.
To switch the engine off when the selector lever 
is in position N, the remote control must be in 
the ignition lock.
Before driving a vehicle with automatic 
transmission into a car wash
1.Insert remote control into ignition lock.
2.Depress the brake.
3.Move the selector lever to position N.
4.Switch off the engine.
The vehicle can roll.
Malfunction
Comfort Access may malfunction due to local 
radio waves.
If this happens, open or close the vehicle via the 
buttons on the remote control or using the inte-
grated key. 
Insert the remote control into the ignition lock 
and start the engine. 

REFERENCEAT A GLANCE CONTROLS DRIVING TIPS MOBILITY
 33
objects from the luggage compartment, if 
necessary.
If the temperature drops below +10 7/
–12 6 , do not operate the convertible 
top; otherwise, damage may occur.
Do not leave a wet convertible top open for 
more than one day, since the humidity may 
cause damages.
Do not place any objects on the convertible top, 
as they could otherwise fall off while the con-
vertible top is being operated and result in prop-
erty damage or personal injury.
If the rollover protective system is extended, do 
not operate the convertible top.
Always completely finish the operation of the 
convertible top. Driving off before an opening or 
closing procedure is completely finished can 
lead to property damage or personal injury.
Do not reach into the moving parts during 
the opening and closing procedure. Keep chil-
dren away from the pivoting range of the con-
vertible top.
For safety reasons, only operate the convertible 
top while the vehicle is standing.<
While opening and closing, the convertible 
top pivots upward. If operating the con-
vertible top inside a garage or under a bridge, or 
similar low structure, ensure the minimum clear-
ance is 7 ft/2 m; otherwise, the vehicle may be 
damaged.<
Before opening and closing
>Please observe the previous safety instruc-
tions.
>Please ensure the luggage compartment 
roller cover is in its lowest position, refer to 
page95; otherwise, the convertible top can-
not be opened.
>Ensure the cargo does not push against the 
luggage compartment roller cover from 
below.
>Ensure the tailgate is closed.
Opening and closing the convertible top
To open:
Press the switch backward in order to open the 
sliding/tilting sunroof. Pressing the button again 
opens the convertible top.
To close:
Press the switch forward.
Operating while driving
The convertible top may be opened or closed 
while driving not faster than 20 mph/30 km/h.
While operating the convertible top, pay 
close attention to the surrounding traffic; 
otherwise, an accident may happen. Try to avoid 
operating the convertible top while reversing 
the vehicle since the rear view is very limited 
during the convertible top's movement. Do not 
operate the convertible top when driving on 
winding and rough roads or during windy condi-
tions.<
For better control
>The LED lights up during convertible top 
operation until the opening or closing pro-
cedure is completely finished.
>The LED flashes after releasing the switch. 
The opening or closing procedure has not 
yet been completed. The procedure can be 
continued in the desired direction by press-
ing the appropriate button.
>The indicator lamp Convertible top not 
locked, refer to page141, lights up.
Interruption
A convertible top which is not completely 
open or closed is hazardous.< 

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 tailgate
Drive the vehicle only when the tailgate is 
closed. Otherwise, exhaust fumes could 
penetrate the interior of the vehicle.<
If special circumstances make it absolutely nec-
essary to drive with the tailgate 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, 
page81 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