
Opening and closing
30
Do not close the windows until the closing 
procedure for the convertible top is fin-
ished. Otherwise, it is not ensured that the side 
windows will close properly against the rubber 
seals of the convertible top. Convertible top, 
refer to page31.<
After switching off the ignition
When the ignition is switched off, the windows 
can still be operated for approx. 1 minute as 
long as no door is opened.
Take the key with you when you leave the 
car; otherwise, children could operate the 
electric windows and possibly injure them-
selves.<
MINI: pinch protection system
This function does not apply to the MINI Con-
vertible.
If the closing force exceeds a specific value as a 
window closes, the closing action is interrupted 
and the window reopens slightly.
Even though there is the pinch protection 
system, always ensure that the window's 
travel path is clear; otherwise, the safety system 
might fail to detect certain kinds of obstructions, 
such as thin objects, and the window would con-
tinue closing.
Do not install any accessories that might inter-
fere with window movement. Otherwise, the 
pinch protection system could be impaired.<
Closing without pinch protection
If there is an external danger, or if ice on the win-
dows, etc., prevents you from closing the win-
dows normally, the window can be closed man-
ually.
1.Press the switch upward and hold it there. 
Pinch protection is limited and the window 
reopens slightly if the closing force exceeds 
a certain value.
2.Press the switch upward again within 
approx. 4 seconds and hold it there. The 
window closes without pinch protection.
Convertible top with 
integrated sliding 
sunroof
To conserve battery power, if possible 
operate the convertible top only while the 
engine is running.
Prior to closing the convertible top, check for 
and remove all debris from the windshield 
frame; otherwise, the closing of the top may be 
hampered.<
Opening and closing the sliding sunroof
To open:
Press the switch backward until the desired posi-
tion or the end position is reached.
To close:
Press the switch forward.
The sliding sunroof can be operated up to a road 
speed of 74 mph / 120 km/h.
Power convertible top
The fully automatic convertible top provides 
protection from the weather, combined with 
simple and easy operation.
So that you can get the most enjoyment out of 
your MINI Convertible, here are some helpful 
tips:
>It is recommended that you close the con-
vertible top whenever the vehicle is parked. 
The closed convertible top not only protects 
the vehicle interior from damage due to 
unforeseen bad weather, but also provides a 
certain degree of protection against theft. 
Always keep your valuables inside the 
locked luggage compartment, even if the 
convertible top is closed. 

 39
AT A GLANCE REFERENCE MOBILITYCONTROLS DRIVING TIPS COMMUNICATIONS
Opening
1.Grasp the belt firmly.
2.Press the red button in the buckle.
3.Guide the belt into its reel.
MINI Convertible: rear belt guide
Please ensure that the belt guide loop, 
arrow, is locked when putting on the rear 
seat belts.<
Safety belt reminder
Front seats
The indicator lamps come on and an 
acoustic signal sounds. 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. The "Fasten safety belts" 
reminder is also activated 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 
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 the 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 closer 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.<
1Adjusting the left or right exterior mirror
2Folding 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 mirrors that were folded 
in by hand back out into their correct positions.
Automatic heating*
At outside temperatures below a certain limit, 
both exterior mirrors are automatically heated 
while the engine is running or the ignition 
switched on. 

Driving
44
Driving
Ignition lock
Inserting the key into the ignition lock
Insert the key all the way into the ignition lock.
Radio readiness
Individual electrical consumers can operate.
Removing the key from the ignition lock
Press in the key briefly. It is ejected slightly.
At the same time:
>The ignition is switched off if it was on 
beforehand.
Automatic transmission
The key can only be removed if the selector lever 
is in position P: interlock.
Start/Stop button
Press the Start/Stop button to switch radio readi-
ness or the ignition on and off. Do not depress 
the brake or clutch while doing so.If the start/stop button is pressed while the 
clutch is depressed in the manual trans-
mission or the brake pedal is depressed in the 
automatic transmission, the engine starts.<
Radio readiness
Individual electrical consumers can operate. The 
time and outside temperature are displayed in 
the tachometer.
Radio readiness is switched off automatically:
>When the key is removed from the ignition 
lock
>When using Comfort Access
* by pushing the 
button on the door handle or the 
button on the remote control, refer to 
Locking on page27
>After a certain has elapsed
Ignition on
Most indicator and warning lamps in indicator 
area 1, page13, light up for varying lengths of 
time.
When the engine is off, switch off the igni-
tion and any unnecessary electrical con-
sumers in order to preserve the battery.<
Radio readiness and ignition off
All indicator and warning lamps in the displays 
go out.
The ignition automatically turns off
* when the 
driver's door is opened. Pressing the Start/Stop 
button again switches the ignition back on.
The ignition is not switched off in situations such 
as the following:
>The clutch or brake is depressed
>The low beams are switched on 

 45
AT A GLANCE REFERENCE MOBILITYCONTROLS DRIVING TIPS COMMUNICATIONS
Starting the engine
Do not allow the engine to run in enclosed 
areas; otherwise, inhalation of the noxious 
exhaust gases can lead to loss of consciousness 
and death. Exhaust gases contain carbon mon-
oxide, an odorless and colorless, but highly toxic 
gas. Never leave an unattended vehicle with the 
engine running; otherwise, such a vehicle repre-
sents a potential safety hazard.
Before leaving the car while the engine is run-
ning, place the transmission in neutral or move 
the selector lever to position P and forcefully 
apply the parking brake to prevent the car from 
moving.<
Avoid frequent starting in quick succes-
sion or repeated start attempts in which 
the engine does not start. Otherwise, the fuel is 
not burned or inadequately burned and there is 
a danger of overheating and damaging the cat-
alytic converter.<
Do not let the engine warm up with the vehicle 
at a standstill. Move off immediately at a moder-
ate engine speed.
When starting the engine, do not depress the 
accelerator pedal.
Manual transmission
Key in ignition lock or inside vehicle with Com-
fort Access, refer to page26.
1.Depress the brake.
2.Depress the clutch.
3.Press the Start/Stop button.
Automatic transmission*
Key in ignition lock or inside vehicle with Com-
fort Access, refer to page26.1.Depress the brake.
2.Shift the selector lever into position P or N.
3.Press the Start/Stop button.
The starter operates automatically for a certain 
time, and stops automatically as soon as the 
engine has started.
Switching off the engine
Always take the key with you when you 
leave the vehicle. 
When parking, apply the parking brake force-
fully; otherwise, the vehicle could begin to roll.<
Manual transmission
1.With the car at a standstill, press the Start/
Stop button.
2.Shift into first gear or reverse.
3.Forcefully apply the parking brake.
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 ignition 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. 

Driving
46
Releasing
Pull slightly upward, press 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 has to be overcome.
Automatic transmission* 
with Steptronic
In addition to the fully automatic mode, you can 
shift gears manually using Steptronic, page47.
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 page44.
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 lever away from P or N 
with the vehicle stationary, first depress the 
brake; otherwise, the selector lever will 
refuse to move: shiftlock. 

 47
AT A GLANCE REFERENCE MOBILITYCONTROLS DRIVING TIPS COMMUNICATIONS
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 vehicle 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.
Sport program and manual operation 
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 lever 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 plausible 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. 

 51
AT A GLANCE REFERENCE MOBILITYCONTROLS DRIVING TIPS COMMUNICATIONS
Window washer nozzles
The window washer nozzles are heated auto-
matically
* while the engine is running or the 
ignition is switched on.
MINI: rear window wiper
0Rear wipers parked
1To switch on intermittent wipe :
Turn the cap to level1.
Operation is continuous in reverse gear.
The rear wiper does not move if the cap is in 
interval stage1 before the ignition is switched 
on.
Cleaning the rear window
2To clean the rear window during intermit-
tent wipe  :
Turn the cap further to level2 and hold it 
there.
3To clean the rear window when wipers are 
parked :
Turn the cap to level3 and hold it there.
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 fluid 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.< 

Driving
52
Activating
1Resuming cruise control
2Activating/deactivating cruise control
3Maintaining, storing and increasing speed
4Maintaining, storing and decreasing speed
Indicator lamp in the speedometer lights up. The 
cruise control system is ready and can be acti-
vated.
Activating/deactivating cruise control
Press button 2.
In addition, the system is automatically deacti-
vated:
>When the brakes are applied
>When the clutch is depressed
>When the automatic transmission is in selec-
tion lever position N
>When the driving stability control system is 
active
Cruise control is not deactivated by depressing 
the accelerator pedal. Once the accelerator 
pedal is released, the stored speed is achieved 
again and maintained.
The stored speed is cleared when the ignition is 
switched off.
Maintaining current speed
Press button3.
The system maintains and stores the current 
vehicle speed.
If, on a downhill grade, the engine braking effect 
is not sufficient, the controlled speed may be 
exceeded. On uphill grades vehicle speed may 
drop if the engine output is insufficient.
Increasing speed
Press button3 repeatedly until the desired 
speed is reached. Every time you press the but-
ton, the speed increases by approx. 1 mph or 
2km/h.
Accelerating using the button
Press and hold button3.
The vehicle accelerates without pressure on the 
accelerator pedal. After the button is released, 
the driving speed is maintained and stored.
Decreasing speed
Press button4 repeatedly until the desired 
speed is reached.
The functions here are the same as for increas-
ing the speed or accelerating, except that the 
speed will be decreased.
Resuming a speed stored beforehand
Press button 1.
The last speed stored is achieved again and 
maintained.
The stored speed is cleared when the ignition is 
switched off.
Display in tachometer*
Selected speed is displayed briefly.
If --- mph or --- km/h is displayed briefly in 
the tachometer, the conditions necessary 
for operation may not be fulfilled.<
Malfunction
The warning lamp in the tachometer 
lights up if the system fails.