2011 MINI Clubman Owner's Manual (Mini Connected)

Practical interior accessoriesCONTROLS
95
Power socket in cargo area
By way of example, the illustration shows the
cargo area in the MINI.
Pull out the cover.

Drive Me.

AT A GLANCE
CONTROLS
NAVIGATION
ENTERTAINMENT
Communications
MOBILITY
REFERENCE DRIVING TIPS

DRIVING TIPSThings to remember when driving
98
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 distan ce 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 Split Rear Barn Doors
Only drive with the Split Rear Barn Doors
closed. Failure to do so may endanger
passengers or other road users or may damage
the vehicle in the event of an accident or a brak-
ing and evasive maneuver. In addition, exhaust
gas may flow into the passenger compart-
ment. <
If special circumstances make it absolutely nec-
essary to drive with the Split Rear Barn Doors
open:
1. Close all windows and the glass roof
*.
2. Switch off the recirculated-air mode and sig-
nificantly increase the air flow rate of the
automatic climate control, page 88.
Hot exhaust system
As in all vehicles, extremely high tempera-
tures are generated on 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.
Make sure that when driving, idling or when
parking, no easily flamma ble materials, such as
hay, leaves, grass, etc. come into contact with
the hot exhaust system. Such contact could lead
to a fire, with the risk of serious personal injuries
and property damage. Do not touch hot exhaust
tail pipes. Otherwise, there is a risk of burns. <

Things to remember when drivingDRIVING TIPS
99
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce road speed. If you do not, a wedge
of water can form betw een 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. <
The risk of hydroplaning increases with declining
tread depth on the tires, refer also to Tread
depth on page 195.
Driving through water
Drive through water on the road only if it is
not deeper than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only
at walking speed at the most. Otherwise, the
vehicle's engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission may be damaged. <
Parking brake on inclines
On inclines, do not hold the vehicle with
the clutch; use the parking brake. Other-
wise, greater clutch wear will result. <
For information on drivin g off using Hill Assist,
refer to page 71.
Braking safely
Your MINI is equipped with ABS. If you are in a
situation which requires full braking, it is best to
brake using maximum brake pressure. Since the
vehicle maintains steeri ng responsiveness, you
can still avoid possible obstacles with a mini-
mum of steering effort.
The pulsation of the brake pedal, together with
the sound of hydraulic regulation, indicates that
ABS is functioning properly.
Objects in the move ment range of the
pedals
Keep floor mats, carpet, and other objects
out of the movement range of the pedals;
otherwise, they may inhibit the function of the
pedals during driving.
Do not place additional floor mats onto an exist-
ing one or onto other objects. Only use floor mats that
have been approved for
the vehicle and can be appropriately fastened.
Make sure that the floo r mats are securely fas-
tened again after they have been removed, e.g.
for cleaning. <
Driving in wet conditions
When roads are wet or ther e is heavy rain, briefly
exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal every
few miles. Monitor traffic conditions to ensure
that this maneuver does not endanger other
road users. The heat generated in this process
helps dry the pads and rotors to ensure that
Then full braking force will be immediately avail-
able when it is needed.
Hills
To prevent overheatin g and the resulting
reduced efficiency of the brake system,
drive long or steep downhill gradients in the
gear in which the least braking is required. Even
light but consistent brake pressure can lead to
high temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake failure. <
You can increase the engine's braking effect by
shifting down, all the way to first gear if neces-
sary. This strategy helps you avoid placing
excessive loads on the brake system. Downshift-
ing in manual mo de of the automatic transmis-
sion, page 50.
Never drive with the clutch held down,
with the transmission in neutral or with
the engine switched off; otherwise, engine brak-
ing action will not be present or there will be no
power assistance to th e brakes or steering.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or any other
objects to protrude into the area around the
pedals; otherwise, pedal function could be
impaired. <
Corrosion on brake rotors
When the vehicle is driven only occasionally,
during extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all, and in operating conditions where
brake applications are less frequent, there is an

DRIVING TIPSThings to remember when driving
100
increased tendency for corrosion to form on
rotors, while contaminan ts accumulate on the
brake pads. This occurs because the minimum
pressure which must be exerted by the pads
during brake applications to clean the rotors is
not reached.
Should corrosion form on the brake rotors, the
brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating
effect that even extended application will fail to
cure.
When the vehicle is parked
Condensation forms while the automatic climate
control is in operation, and then exits under the
vehicle. Traces of condensed water under the
vehicle are therefore normal.
In the MINI Cooper S, the coolant pump may
continue to run for some time after the engine is
switched off. This will generate noise in the
engine compartment.
Cargo loading
To avoid loading the tires beyond their
approved carrying ca pacity, never over-
load the vehicle. Overloading can lead to over-
heating and increases the rate at which damage
develops inside the tires. The ultimate result can
assume the form of a sudden blowout. <
Avoid fluid spills in the cargo area as they
could damage the vehicle. <
Luggage compartment roller cover
Do not place heavy or hard objects on the
luggage compartment roller cover. If you
do so, they may already po se a danger to vehicle
occupants during braking or evasive maneuvers.
Do not allow the luggage compartment roll-up
cover to snap back, ot herwise it can be dam-
aged. < The roll-up cover can be locked in place at the
intermediate positions
1to 3.
The roll-up cover can be removed to load bulky
luggage.
Removing
1. Pull on the handle to roll the cover up.
2. Pivot the roll-up cover upward at both ends,
arrow 1 and move it up out of the holders,
arrow 2.
Installing
1. Insert the left and right ends of the roll-up
cover into the mounts.
2. Push down until the roll-up cover is resting
on the holders.
Expanding the cargo area
The rear set backrest is split. Both sides can be
folded separately to expand the cargo area.
If necessary, remove th e third head restraint,
refer to Head restraints, Removing page 39.

Things to remember when drivingDRIVING TIPS
101
By way of example, the illustration shows the
cargo compartment in the MINI.
1. Pull the lever.
2. Fold rear seat backrests forward.
When folding the backrest back up, make
sure that the seat's locking mechanisms
engage properly. Otherwise, cargo could be
thrown around in the event of sharp braking or
swerving and endanger the occupants. <
Adjusting rear seat backrest*
Expand the cargo area by raising the rear seat
backrests to a steeper angle.
By way of example, the illustration shows the
cargo compartment in the MINI.
1. Pull the lever, arrow 1, and fold the rear seat
backrest forward.
2. Fold up the lever of the backrest lock until it
audibly engages, arrow 2.
3. Fold back the backrest until it engages.
If the rear seat backrests are positioned at
a steeper angle, do not install child
restraint systems in the rear of the vehicle as
their protective features may be ineffective. <
Cargo net*
Ensure that the cargo net is firmly
attached; otherwise, injuries may occur.<
The cargo net can be mounted in the cargo area
or behind the front seats.
In the cargo area
1. Fold the rear seat backrest forward if neces-
sary, page 101.
2. Insert each cargo net mounting pin all the
way into its respective rear mount in the
headliner, arrow 1, and push it forward.
3. Hang the hooks of the cargo net into the
eyelets on the rear cargo well, arrow 2.
Behind the front seats
1. Fold down the rear seat backrests, refer to
Expanding the cargo area.
2. Insert each cargo net mounting pin all the
way into its respective front mount in the
headliner, arrow 1, and push it forward.
3. Fold up the eyelets on the rear seat and
hook the cargo net into them, arrow 2.

DRIVING TIPSThings to remember when driving
102
Flat load floor*
The maximum load of the flat load floor is
165 lbs./75 kg. Do not exceed a maximum
permissible load of 55 lbs./25 kg for the storage
compartment beneath the flat load floor; other-
wise, damage can occur. <
Raise the flat load floor and fold it up toward the
front, arrow.
Removing
1. Fold up the flat load floor.
2. Pull the load floor back slightly.
3. Then take it out toward the top.
Determining cargo limit
1.Locate the following statement on your
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
XXX lbs. or YYY kg. Otherwise, damage to
the vehicle and unstable driving conditions
may result. <
2. Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle. 3.
Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX pounds or
YYY kilograms.
4. The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the XXX amount equals
1,400 lbs. and there will be four 150-lb. pas-
sengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs.:
1,400 lbs. minus 750 lbs. = 650 lbs.
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated
in step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, part of
the load from your trailer will be transferred
to your vehicle. Consult the manual for
transporting a trailer to determine how this
may reduce the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.
Load
The permissible load is the sum of the occu-
pants' weights and the we ight of the cargo. The
greater the weight of the occupants, the less
cargo/luggage can be transported.