
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.

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.<

CONTROLSTransporting children safely
40
1Direction of travel
2 Head restraint
3 Tether strap hook
4 Rear cargo well
5 Anchor
6 Seat backrest
7 Tether strap of the child restraint system
Attaching upper retaining strap to the
attachment point
1.Slide the head restraint upward.
2. Guide the tether strap between the head
restraint holders.
3. Attach the tether strap to the anchor using
the hook.
4. Push the head restraint into its lowermost
position.
5. Attach the tether strap to the anchor using
the hook.
6. Pull the retaining strap tight.

CONTROLSTechnology for driving comfort and safety
70
Automatic deactivation of the front
passenger airbags
An analysis of the impression in the front pas-
senger seat cushion determines whether and
how the seat is occupied. The front and side air-
bags for the front passenger are activated or
deactivated by the system accordingly.
The indicator lamp above the interior rear-
view mirror shows the current status of
the front passenger airbags, deactivated or acti-
vated, refer to Status of front passenger airbags
below. <
Before transporting a child on the front
passenger seat, read the safety precau-
tions and handling instructions under Transport-
ing children safely, page 38.
The front and side airbags can also be deacti-
vated by adolescents and ad ults sitting in certain
positions; the indicator lamp for the front pas-
senger airbags comes on. In such cases, the pas-
senger should change his or her sitting position
so that the front passeng er airbags are activated
and the indicator lamp goes out. If the desired
airbag status cannot be achieved by changing
the sitting position, transport the relevant pas-
senger on a rear seat. Do not attach covers,
cushions, ball mats or other items to the front
passenger seat unless they are specifically rec-
ommended by the manufacturer of your MINI.
Do not place items unde r the seat which could
press against the seat from below. Otherwise, a
correct analysis of th e seat cushion is not
ensured. <
Status of front passenger airbags
The indicator lamp for the front passenger air-
bags shows the functional status of the front
passenger's front and side airbags in accordance
with whether and how the front passenger seat
is occupied. The indica tor lamp shows whether
the front passenger airbags are activated or
deactivated.
> The indicator lamp co mes on as intended
when a child in a specially designated child
restraint system is detected on the seat.
The front and side airbags for the front pas-
senger are not activated.
Most child seats are detected by the
system. This particularly applies to
child seats that were required by NHTSA at
the time of manufacture of the vehicle. After
installing a child seat, check that the indica-
tor lamp for the front passenger airbags
lights up. It indicates that the child seat has
been detected and that the front passenger
airbags are deactivated. <
> T h e i n d i c a t o r l a m p d o e s n o t c o m e o n a s l o n g
as a person of sufficient size and in a correct
sitting position is detected on the seat.
The front and side airbags for the front pas-
senger are activated.
> The indicator lamp does not come on if the
seat is empty.
The front and side airbags for the front pas-
senger are not activated.

Things to remember when drivingDRIVING TIPS
93
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 93.
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.

REFERENCEEverything from A to Z
182
Child restraint systems38
Child seats 38
Chrome parts, care 144
Chrome parts, refer to
Care 142
Cigarette lighter 87
Cleaning headlamps 48
– washer fluid 49
Clock
– 12 h/24 h mode 55
– setting time 57
Closing
– from inside 24
– from outside 21
Clothes hooks 86
Club Door 26
Cockpit 10
Cold start, refer to Starting the engine 42
Comfort Access 28
– replacing the battery 30
– what to observe before
entering a car wash 29
Comfort area, refer to Around the center console 14
Compartment for remote control, refer to Ignition
lock 41
Compressed audio files 105
Computer 52
Condensation, refer to When the vehicle is parked 92
Condition Based Service
CBS 140
Configuring settings, refer to Personal Profile 20
Connecting vacuum cleaner, refer to Connecting electrical
appliances 87
Consumption, refer to Average fuel consumption 52
Control Display
– settings 53
Controls and displays 10
Convenient access, refer to
Comfort Access 28 Convenient operation
– windows
22
Convenient start, refer to Starting the engine 42
Coolant 139
– checking level 139
– filling 139
Coolant temperature 139
Cooling fluid, refer to Coolant 139
Cooling, maximum 81
Copyright 2
Cornering light, refer to
Adaptive Light Control 74
Cruising range 52
Cupholders 87
Curb weight, refer to Weights 178
C
urrent fuel consumption 52
D
Dashboard instruments, refer
to Displays 12
Dashboard lighting, refer to
Instrument lighting 76
Dashboard, refer to Cockpit 10
Data 176
– capacities 179
– dimensions 177
– engine 176
– weights 178
Data memory 141
Date
– setting 58
Date setting 101
Daytime running lights 73
DBC Dynamic Brake Control, refer to Brake Assist 61
Deactivating front passenger airbags 70
Deadlocking, refer to
Locking 22
Defect
– door lock 24
– fuel filler flap 126
Defogging windows 80,82 Defrost positi
on, refer to
Defrosting windows 80,82
Defrosting windows 80,82
Defrosting windows and
removing condensation
– air conditioner 80
– automatic climate control 82
Defrosting windshield, refer to Defrosting windows 80,82
Differential, breaking in 90
Digital radio, refer to HD Radio 103
Dimensions 177
Dipstick, engine oil 137
Directional indicators, refer to Turn signals 46
Displacement, refer to Engine data 176
Display lighting, refer to
Instrument lighting 76
Displays 12
– instrument cluster 12
Displays and controls 10
Displays, care 145
Disposal
– of coolant 139
– remote control battery 30
– vehicle battery 155
Distance remaining to service, refer to Service
requirements 56
Distance warning, refer
to Park
Distance Control PDC 60
Door
– rear, refer to Club Door 26
Door key, refer to Integrated
key/remote control 20
Door lock 24
Door lock, confirmation
signals 22
Doors, manual operation 24
DOT Quality Grades 132
Double doors, refer to Split Rear Barn Doors 26
Drinks holders, refer to
Cupholders 87

Everything from A to ZREFERENCE
187
Pollen
– refer to Microfilter for air conditioner 80
– refer to Microfilter/activated-
charcoal filter for automatic
climate control 82
Power failure 155
Power windows 31
Power windows, refer to Windows 30
Pressure monitoring of tires, refer to Tire Pressure Monitor
TPM 65
Pressure monitoring, tires 63
– Flat Tire Monitor 63
Pressure, tires 128
Protective function, refer to Pinch protection system
– windows 31
PTY 103
Puncture
– Flat Tire Monitor 63
R
Radio
– HD Radio103
Radio key, refer to Integrated
key/remote control 20
Radio MINI Boost CD
– playing stations 102
– recalling stations 102
– satellite radio 104
– searching stations 101
– storing stations 102
– switching on/off 100
– tone control 101
– volume 100
Radio position, refer to Radio
readiness 41
Radio readiness 41
– switched off 42
– switched on 41
Rain sensor 47
Range, refer to Cruising
range 52
RDS 102 Reading lamps
76
Rear door, refer to Club Door 26
Rear doors, refer to Split Rear
Barn Doors 26
Rear double doors, refer to Split Rear Barn Doors 26
Rear fog lamp 75
– indicator lamp 161
– replacing bulb 150
Rear lamps
– bulb replacement 150
Rear lamps, refer to Tail
lamps 150
Rear seat backrest, folding 92
Rear seats
– folding down the backrests 92
Rear window defroster 79,81
Rearview mirror, refer to Mirrors 36
Reception
– quality 102
– radio station 101
Recirculated-air mode 79,81
Recirculation of air, refer to Recirculated-air
mode 79,81
Reclining seat, refer to Backrest 33
Refueling 126
Releasing
– hood 136
Remote control 20
– battery renewal 30
– Comfort Access 28
–
garage door opener 83
– malfunctions 23,29
– service data 140
– Split Rear Barn Doors 23
Replacement remote control 20
Replacing bulbs, refer to Lamps and bulbs 147
Replacing tires, refer to New
wheels and tires 134
Reporting safety defects 6Reserve warning, refer to Fuel
gauge 51
Reservoir for washer systems 49
Reset, resetting tone settings 101
Restraint systems
– for children 38
– refer to Safety belts 35
Reverse
– CD 106
Reverse gear
– automatic transmission with
Steptronic 44
– manual transmission 43
Roadside Assistance 157
Roadside parking lamps 75
– replacing bulb 149
Roadworthiness te st, refer to
Service requirements 56
Roof load capacity 178
Roof-mounted luggage
rack 95
Rope, refer to Tow-starting, towing away 159
RSC Run-flat System Component, refer to Run-flat
tires 134
Rubber parts, care 143
Run-flat System Component
RSC, refer to Run-flat
tires 134
Run-flat tires 134
– flat tire 64
– tire inflation pressure 128
– tire replacement 134
– winter tires 135
S
Safety belt
– number32
Safety Belt Reminder 35