DrivingCONTROLS
43
Automatic transmission*
1.With the car at a stop, move the selector
lever to position P.
2. Press the Start/Stop button.
3. Forcefully apply the parking brake.
Before driving into a car wash
By following these steps, the vehicle is able to
roll:
1.Place the remote control, even with Comfort
Access, in the ig nition lock.
2. Depress the brake.
3. Move the selector lever to position N.
4. Switch off the engine.
Parking brake
The parking brake is primarily intended to pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling while parked; it
brakes the rear wheels.
Applying
The lever locks in position automatically.
Releasing
Pull slightly upward, pre ss the button and lower
the lever.
In exceptional cases, if the parking brake
has to be used to slow or stop the car, do
not pull the lever up too hard. In doing so, con-
tinuously press the button of the parking brake
lever. Otherwise, excessive force could lead to over-
braking and loss of traction, i.e. fishtailing, at the
rear axle.
<
Manual transmission
When shifting into 5th or 6th gear, press
the gearshift lever to the right. Otherwise,
the engine could be damaged if you inadvert-
ently shift into 3rd or 4th gear.<
Reverse gear
Select this only when the vehicle is stationary.
When the gearshift lever is pressed to the left, a
slight resistance ha s to be overcome.
Automatic transmission*
with Steptronic
In addition to the fully automatic mode, you can
shift gears manually using Steptronic, page 45.
Parking the vehicle
To prevent the vehicle from rolling, always
select position P and apply the parking
brake before leaving the vehicle with the engine
running. <
Removing the key
To remove the key from the ignition lock, first
move the selector lever into position P and then
switch off the engine: interlock. Remove the key
from the ignition lock, refer to page 41.
CONTROLSDriving
44
Selector lever positions
P R N D M/S + –
Displays in the tachometer
P R N D DS M1 to M6
The selector lever position is displayed, or the
current gear in the manual mode.
Changing selector lever positions
> The selector lever can only be moved out of
position P when the ignition is switched on
or the engine is running.
> Before moving the le ver away from P or N
with the vehicle stationary, first depress the
brake; otherwise, the selector lever will
refuse to move: shiftlock.
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 vehi cle 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.
DrivingCONTROLS
45
Sport program and manual mode 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 leve r in the – direction.
Transmission shifts down.
The selected gear is displayed in the tachome-
ter, e.g. M1.
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 pl ausible 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 current 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. If you do not shift gears with the shift paddles or
accelerate for a certai
n amount of time, the
transmission automatically returns to D, auto-
matic drive.
> Pull one of the shift paddles.
Transmission shifts up.
> Push one of th e shift paddles.
Transmission shifts down.
M1 through M6 are displayed in the tachometer.
Manually releasing the selector lever
lock
Should the selector lever refuse to move out of
position P even though the ignition is switched
on, the brake is depressed and the button on the
selector lever is pressed, the selector lever lock
can be overridden:
1. Unclip the sleeve of the selector lever.
2. Pull the sleeve up over the selector lever
until the sleeve is insi de out. Disconnect the
cable connector if necessary.
3. Insert extractor hook 1 from the onboard
vehicle toolkit into the loop on the passen-
ger's side.
4. Pull the loop up.
DrivingCONTROLS
49
Do not use the washers when the washer
fluid reservoir is empty; otherwise, you will
damage the washer pump. <
Washer fluid
Washer fluid is flammable. Keep it away
from ignition sources, only store it in the
closed, original container, and keep out of reach
of children; otherwise, there is a danger of
injury. Comply with the instructions on the con-
tainer. <
Washer fluid reservoir
Only refill washer flui d 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. <
Activating
1Resuming cruise control
2 Activating/deactivating cruise control
3 Maintaining, storing and increasing speed
4 Maintaining, storing and decreasing speed
Indicator lamp in the sp eedometer lights up. The
cruise control system is ready and can be acti-
vated.
Activating/deactivating cruise control
Press button 2.
The system is automatically deactivated if:
> Braking takes place
> The clutch is engaged
> The transmission is set on N
> The stability cont rol system is on
Technology for driving comfort and safetyCONTROLS
61
The laws of physics cannot be repealed,
even with driving stability control systems.
An appropriate driving style always remains the
responsibility of the driver. Therefore do not
reduce the additional safety margin by engaging
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 respon se is maintained even
during full braking. Act ive safety is thus
increased.
Braking safely, refer to page 91.
ABS is operational every time you start the
engine.
Cornering Brake Control CBC
Driving stability and steering characteristics are
further enhanced while braking in turns or dur-
ing a lane change.
Electronic brake-forc e 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
The concept
DSC prevents the driving wheels from losing
traction when you pull away from rest or accel-
erate. DSC also detects unstable driving conditions
such as when the vehicle'
s rear end fishtails or
the vehicle is sliding on its front wheels. In these
cases, DSC helps the vehicle maintain a safe
course within physical limits by reducing engine
output and through brakin g actions at the indi-
vidual wheels.
Every time that the engine is started, the DSC is
ready to operate.
Deactivating DSC
Press the button until the DSC OFF indicator light
on the speedometer is on and DSC OFF is dis-
played on the tachometer. DSC is deactivated.
Stabilizing and pr opulsion promoting actions are
no longer executed.
When driving with snow chains or to 'rock free'
in snow, it can be helpfu l 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
in the display elements go out.
For better control
Indicator light on the tachometer is
flashing:
The DSC controls the driving and brak-
ing forces.
Technology for driving comfort and safetyCONTROLS
63
Interventions (differential lock*) in braking
occur to improve propulsion when drive wheels
are rotating unevenly, even when the DSC is
deactivated.
Activating DSC
Press the button again: the indicator lamps go
out.
Hill Assist
Hill Assist aids you in co mfortably driving off on
inclines. It is not necessary to use the parking
brake for this.
1. Hold the MINI with the brake.
2. Release the brake and immediately drive
off.
Hill Assist holds the car in place for approx.
2 seconds after the brake is released. Depending on the load and gradient, the
vehicle can roll backwa rd slightly during
this period. After you release the brake, immedi-
ately start driving since the Hill Assist only holds
the vehicle for about 2 seconds, and it will start
to roll backward. <
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.
> Cooper S, John Cooper Works: the engine
sounds more sporty in coasting mode.
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 system does not me asure the actual infla-
tion pressure in the tires.
The system detects a pre ssure loss in a tire by
comparing the rotational speeds of the individ-
ual wheels while moving.
In the event of a pressure loss, the diameter and
therefore the rotational speed of the corre-
sponding wheel change. This is detected and
reported as a flat tire.
Functional requirement
The system must have been initialized while the
tire inflation pressure was correct; otherwise,
reliable signaling of a fl at tire is not ensured.
Initialize the system afte r every correction of the
tire inflation pressure and after every tire or
wheel change.
CONTROLSTechnology for driving comfort and safety
64
System limitations
Sudden serious tire damage caused by
external influences cannot be indicated in
advance. <
A natural, even pressure loss in all four tires can-
not be detected. Therefore, check the tire infla-
tion pressure regularly.
In the following situatio ns, the system could be
delayed or malfunction:
> System has not been initialized
> Driving on snowy or sl ippery 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
*, page 154, the Flat Tire Monitor can-
not function.
Initializing the system
The initialization process adopts the set inflation
tire pressures as refere nce values for the detec-
tion of a flat tire. Initia lization is started by con-
firming the inflation pressures.
Do not initialize the system when driving with
snow chains.
Using the button in the turn signal lever
1. Start the engine, but do not start driving.
2. Press the button on the turn signal indicator
as often as necessary until "SET/INFO" is dis-
played.
3. Press and hold the button until the display
changes. 4.
Press the button as often as necessary until
the corresponding symbol and "RESET" are
displayed.
5. Press and hold the button until the display
changes.
6. Start driving.
Initialization is completed while the car is on
the move, without any feedback.
The initialization is completed during driv-
ing, which can be interrupted at any time.
When driving resumes, the initialization is con-
tinued automatically. <
Indication of a flat tire
The warning lamps come on in yellow
and red. An acoustic signal also sounds.
There is a flat tire or a major loss in tire
inflation pressure.
1. Reduce speed and stop the vehicle with cau-
tion. Avoid sudden braking and steering
maneuvers.
2. Check whether the vehicle is equipped with
normal tires or with run-flat tires
*.
Run-flat tires, refer to page 134, are identi-
fied by a circular symbol containing the let-
ters RSC on the tire sidewall.
If the vehicle is not equipped with run-flat
tires, do not continue driving; continuing
to drive can result in serious accidents.<
When a flat tire is repo rted, the Dynamic Stability
Control DSC is activated.
Technology for driving comfort and safetyCONTROLS
65
Actions in the event of a flat tire
Normal tires
1.Identify the damaged tire.
To do so, check the inflation pressure in all
four tires.
The inflation pressure di splay of the Mobility
System, page 151, can be used for this pur-
pose.
If the inflation pressure in all four tires is cor-
rect, the Flat Tire Monitor might not have
been initialized. The system must then be
initialized.
If it is not possible to identify the damaged
tire, contact your MINI dealer.
2. Use the Mobility System to remedy the flat
tire on the damage d wheel, refer to
page 151, or to replace the damaged wheel,
refer to page 153.
Run-flat tires*
You can continue driving with a damaged tire at
speeds up to 50 mph or 80 km/h.
Continued driving with a flat tire
When driving with a damaged tire:
1.Avoid sudden braking and steering maneu-
vers.
2. Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph or
80 km/h.
3. At the next opportunity, check the air pres-
sure in all four tires.
If the inflation pressure in all four tires is cor-
rect, the Flat Tire Monitor might not have
been initialized. The system must then be
initialized.
Possible driving distance with complete loss of
tire inflation pressure:
The distance it is possible to drive with a flat tire
depends on the load and the stress on the vehi-
cle while driving.
With an average load, it may be possible to drive
for approx. 50 miles/80 km. When driving with damage
d tires, the handling
characteristics change, e.g. the vehicle will skid
sooner when braking, braking distances will be
longer, or self-steering response will change.
Adapt your driving style accordingly. Avoid turn-
ing abruptly and driving over obstacles such as
curbs, potholes, etc.
Since the possible driving distance depends to a
considerable degree on the strain exerted on
the vehicle while driving, it can be shorter or,
with a gentle dr iving style, can also be longer,
depending on the speed, road condition, exter-
nal temperature, vehicle load, etc.
Drive cautiously and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.
A loss of tire inflation pressure results in a
change in the handling characteristics, e.g.
reduced lane stability during braking, a longer
braking distance and alte red self-steering prop-
erties. <
Vibrations or loud noises while driving can
indicate final failure of the tire. Reduce
your speed and bring the vehicle to a stop; oth-
erwise, pieces of tire may come off, which could
result in an accident. Do not continue driving
and contact your MINI dealer. <
Tire Pressure Monitor
TPM*
The concept
Measuring the inflation pressure in the four
mounted tires. The system notifies you if there is
a significant loss of pressu re in one or more tires.
Functional requirement
The system must have been reset while the
inflation pressure was correct; otherwise, reli-
able signaling of a flat tire is not ensured.
Always use wheels with TPM electronics to
ensure that the system will operate properly.