CONTROLSOpening and closing
26
Club Door
To facilitate entry into the rear seat, insert the
seat belt into the belt receptacle, arrow.
Opening
The Club Door can only be opened using the
handle on the inside. The right-hand front door
must be open when opening the Club Door.
Closing
First close the Club Door, followed by the right-
hand front door.
Split Rear Barn Doors
To avoid damage, make sure there is suf-
ficient clearance before opening the Split
Rear Barn Doors. <
Opening
In some market-specific versions, the Split
Rear Barn Doors cannot be unlocked using
the remote control unless the vehicle is
unlocked first. Only drive with the Split Rear Barn Doors fully
closed; otherwise, the tail lamps will be
obscured and driving safety will be compro-
mised.
<
Press and hold the button in the handle
or the button of the remote control. The Split
Rear Barn Doors are unlocked.
Using the button in the handle, fully open first
the right side, arrow 1, and then the left side of
the Split Rear Barn Doors, arrow 2.
Press and hold the button in the handle or the button for the remote control for approx.
1 second. The Split Rear Barn Doors are
unlocked.
Using the button in the handle, fully open first
the right side, arrow 1, and then the left side of
the Split Rear Barn Doors, arrow 2.
Closing
Make sure that the closing path of the Split
Rear Barn Doors is clear; otherwise, inju-
ries may occur. <
Close the left side, arrow 1, and then the right
side of the Split Rear Barn Doors, arrow 2.
CONTROLSAdjustments
32
Adjustments
Sitting safely
The ideal sitting position can make a vital contri-
bution to relaxed, fatigu e-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 th e safety systems operate
with optimal efficiency, we strongly urge you to
observe the instructions contained in the follow-
ing section.
For additional informatio n on transporting chil-
dren safely, refer to page 38.
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 inju ry 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 occupants keep their heads
away from the side ai rbag and do not lean
against the head-level ai rbag; otherwise injuries
can occur when the airbag is triggered. <
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 page 69.
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 page 34.
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.
Number of safety belts
Never allow more than one person to
wear a single safety belt. Never allow
infants or small children to ride in a passenger'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 sh arp 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 page 35.
AdjustmentsCONTROLS
33
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.
On the front passenger seat as well, do not
incline the backrest too far to the rear while the
vehicle is being driven; otherwise, there is a dan-
ger in the event of an a ccident of sliding under
the safety belt, eliminat ing the protection nor-
mally provided by the belt. <
Comply with the instruct ions on head restraint
height on page 34 and on damaged safety belts
on page 36.
Seat adjustment
Observe the instructions on page 33 to
ensure the best possible personal protec-
tion. <
Longitudinal adjustment
Pull the lever, arrow 1, and slide the seat into the
desired position, arrows 2.
After releasing the lever, move the seat slightly
forward or back so that it engages properly.
Height
Pull up or push down the lever repeatedly,
arrows 1, until the desired height is reached,
arrows 2.
Backrest
Pull the lever, arrow 1, and apply your weight to
the backrest or lift it off, as necessary, arrows 2.
Lumbar support*
You can also adjust the contour of the backrest
to obtain additional support in the lumbar
region.
The upper hips and spinal column receive sup-
plementary support to help you maintain a
relaxed, upright sitting position.
AdjustmentsCONTROLS
35
Front
1.Pull up as far as it will go.
2. Fold the backrest forward slightly.
3. Press button 1 and pull the head restraint
out as far as it will go.
4. Fold back the backrest.
Rear
1.Pull up as far as it will go.
2. Press button 1 and pull the head restraint
out completely.
Seat heating*
Switching on
Press once for each temperature level.
Three LEDs indicate the highest temperature.
If you continue driving within the next
15 minutes, the seat heating is automatically
activated at the previously set temperature.
The temperature is lowered or the heating is
switched off entirely to reduce the drain on the
battery.
The LEDs stay lit.
Switching off
Press button longer.
Safety belts
Observe the instructions on page 33 to
ensure the best possible personal protec-
tion. <
Before every drive, make sure that all occupants
wear their safety belts. Airbags complement the
safety belt as an additi onal safety device, but
they do not represent a substitute.
Front and rear seats
Closing
Make sure you hear the lock engage in the belt
buckle.
The upper belt anchor is suitable for adults of
any stature as long as th e seat is adjusted prop-
erly, page 33.
Opening
1.Grasp the belt firmly.
2. Press the red button in the buckle.
3. Guide the belt into its reel.
Safety belt reminder
Front seats
The indicator lamps come on and an
acoustic signal so unds. Check whether
the safety belt has been fastened cor-
rectly. The 'Fasten safety belts'
reminder is issued when the driver's safety belt
has not been fastened. Th e "Fasten safety belts"
reminder is also activate d at road speeds above
approx. 5 mph or 8 km/h if the front passenger's
safety belt has not been fastened, if objects are
CONTROLSAdjustments
36
placed on the front passenger seat, or if driver or
front passenger unfasten their safety belts.
Damage to safety belts
If the safety belts are damaged or stressed
in an accident: have th e safety belt system
and its seat-belt tensioners replaced and the
belt anchors checked. Have this work carried out
only by a MINI dealer or by a workshop that has
specially trained personnel working in accor-
dance with the specifications of the MINI manu-
facturer; otherwise, correct operation of these
safety systems is not ensured.<
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors
The front passenger's mirror is more con-
vex than the driver's mirror. The objects
seen in the mirror are cl oser than they appear.
Do not gauge your distance from traffic behind
you on the basis of what you see in the mirror;
otherwise, there is an increased risk of an acci-
dent. <
1 Adjusting the left or right exterior mirror
2 Folding mirrors in and out
*
Manual adjustment
The mirrors can also be adjusted manually: press
the edge of the glass.
Folding mirrors in and out*
Turn the knob beyond the pressure point in
direction 2. The mirrors can be folded in at road
speeds up to approx. 20 mph/30 km/h.
This can be beneficial in narrow streets, for
example, or for moving mi rrors that were folded
in by hand back out into their correct positions.
Automatic heating*
At external temperatures below a certain limit,
both exterior mirrors are automatically heated
while the engine is running or the ignition
switched on.
Interior rearview mirror
To reduce glare from vehicles behind you when
you are driving at night:
Turn the knob.
Interior and exterior mirrors,
automatic dimming feature*
It is controlled by two photosensors:
> Inside the interior rearview mirror, arrow
> On the back of the mirror.
CONTROLSTransporting children safely
38
Transporting children safely
The right place for
children
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle; otherwise, they could endanger
themselves and/or other persons by opening the
doors, for example. <
Children should always sit in the rear
Accident research has shown that the safest
place for children is on the rear seat.
Only transport children under the age of
13 or smaller than 5 ft/150 cm in the rear
in a child restraint system suitable for their age,
weight and size. Otherwise, there is an
increased risk of injury in the event of an acci-
dent. <
Children 13 years of age or older must be buck-
led in with a safety belt as soon as there no
longer is any child restraint system that is appro-
priate for their age, size and weight.
Only install child seats in the rear when the
rear seat backrest is folded all the way
back and engaged. Otherwise, there is an
increased risk of injury in the event of an acci-
dent. <
Exception for front passenger seat
Front passenger airbags
Should it be necessary to use a child
restraint system on the front passenger
seat, the front and side airbags must be deacti-
vated. Otherwise, there is an increased risk of
injury to the child if th e airbags deploy, even if
the child is seated in a child restraint system.<
For more information on automatic deactivation
of the front passenger airbags, refer to page 70.
Child restraint systems,
installation
Observe the child restraint system manu-
facturer's instructions when selecting,
installing and using child restraint systems.
Otherwise, the protective effect may be dimin-
ished. <
On the front passenger seat
After installing a chil d restraint system on
the front passenger se at, make sure that
the front and side airbags for the front passen-
ger are deactivated; otherwise, there is an
increased risk of injury if the airbags deploy. <
Seat position
Before installing a child restraint system, move
the front passenger seat as far back and up
* as
possible to obtain the be st possible position for
the belt. Do not change the seat position after
this.
Child seat security
All rear safety belts and the safety belt for the
front passenger can be prevented from being
pulled out in order to se cure child restraint sys-
tems.
Transporting children safelyCONTROLS
39
To lock the safety belt
1.Secure the child restraint system with the
belt.
2. Pull the belt strap all the way out.
3. Allow the belt strap to retract and pull it taut
against the child restraint system.
The safety belt is locked.
To unlock the safety belt
1. Open the belt buckle.
2. Remove the child restraint system.
3. Allow the safety belt strap to retract all the
way.
LATCH child restraint
fixing system
LATCH: Lower Anchors an d Tethers for Children.
To install and use the LATCH child restraint
system, follow the op erating and safety
instructions provided by the manufacturer of the
system; otherwise, the protective function of the
seat may be compromised. <
Anchor points for LATCH anchors
Before installing the child seat, pull the belt out
of the area for the child restraint fixing system.
The anchor points for the lower LATCH anchors
are located behind the labeled protective caps. Make sure that both lower LATCH anchors
are properly engaged
and that the child
restraint system rests fi rmly against the seat
backrest; otherwise, the protective function of
the seat may be compromised. <
Child restraint system with tether strap
Use the tether strap anchors to secure
child restraint systems only; otherwise, the
anchors could be damaged. <
By way of example, the illustration shows the
cargo area in the MINI.
There are two additional anchors for child
restraint systems with tether straps, arrows.
When the vehicle is equipped with a flat load
floor
*, the anchors are covered. Their positions
are labeled.
Placement of the tether strap
Make sure the upper retaining strap does
not run over sharp edges and is not
twisted as it passes to the top anchor. Other-
wise, the strap will not properly secure the child
restraint system in the event of an accident.<
Technology for driving comfort and safetyCONTROLS
69
Airbags
The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:1
Front airbags
2 Side airbags in backrests
3 Head airbags at the front and rear
Protective effect
Observe the instructions on page 32 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. Th e relevant side airbag
supports the side upper body area. The respec-
tive head airbag supports the head.
The airbags are designed to not be triggered in
every type of collision, e.g. not in minor acci-
dents, certain rollover si tuations 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-
g e r s i d e f r e e f r o m o b s t r u c t i o n , i . e . d o n o t c o v e r i t
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 syst em o r it s w iring in an y w ay . This inclu des th e
upholstery in the center of the steering wheel,
on the instrument cluster, the doors, and the
roof pillars as well as the sides of the headliner.
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 malfuncti
ons, deactivation, or
triggering of the airbag restraint system, have
the testing, repair, remova l, and disposal of air-
bag generators executed only by a MINI dealer
or a workshop that work s 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 info rmation about the air-
bags can also be found on the sun visors.