
Opening and closing
26
>LEDs flash after unlocking until the key is 
inserted in the ignition, but for no longer 
than approx. 5 minutes: an attempt was 
made to tamper with the car.
Tilt alarm sensor
The vehicle's inclination is monitored. The alarm 
is triggered, for instance, if an attempt is made 
to steal the car's wheels or tow it away.
Interior movement detector
Before the interior movement detector can 
operate correctly, the windows and glass roof 
must be closed.
MINI Convertible
The passenger compartment is monitored up to 
the height of the seat's surface. This way, the 
anti-theft alarm system including the interior 
motion sensor are armed, even if the convertible 
top is open. Falling objects, e.g. tree leaves, may 
trigger a false alarm, refer to Avoiding false 
alarms.
Avoiding false alarms
The tilt alarm sensor and the interior movement 
detector can be switched off together.
This prevents false alarms, e.g. in the following 
situations:
>In duplex garages
>When being transported on car-carrying 
trains, ferries or trailers
>If pets are to remain inside the car
Switching off the tilt alarm sensor and 
interior movement detector
>Press the  button on the remote con-
trol twice in succession.
>Lock the vehicle twice with the integrated 
key.
LEDs flash in short succession for approx. 
2seconds.
The tilt alarm sensor and the interior movement 
detector are switched off until the car is next 
unlocked and locked.
Comfort Access*
Comfort Access enables you to enter your vehi-
cle without having to hold the remote control in 
your hand. All you need to do is wear the remote 
control close to your body, e.g. in your jacket 
pocket. The vehicle automatically detects the 
remote control within the immediate vicinity or 
in the passenger compartment.
Functional requirements
>The vehicle or the liftgate can only be locked 
when the vehicle detects that the remote 
control currently in use is outside of the 
vehicle.
>The vehicle cannot be locked or unlocked 
again until after approx. 2 seconds.
>The engine can only be started when the 
vehicle detects that the remote control is 
inside the vehicle.
>The doors and liftgate must be closed to be 
able to operate the windows and glass sun-
roof
*.
Comfort Access supports the following func-
tions:
>Unlocking/locking the vehicle
>Unlocking the liftgate by itself
>Starting the engine
>MINI Convertible: convenient closing and 
soft-top control with the remote control for 
Comfort Access
Comparison to standard remote controls
Essentially, it makes no difference whether you 
control the above-mentioned functions using 
Comfort Access or by pressing the buttons on 
the remote control for Comfort Access.
Instructions on opening and closing are found 
starting on page18.
Special features regarding the use of Comfort 
Access are described below.
If you notice a brief delay while opening or 
closing the windows, the glass sunroof or 
the convertible top, the system is checking 
whether a remote control is inside the vehicle.  

 27
AT A GLANCE REFERENCE MOBILITYCONTROLS DRIVING TIPS COMMUNICATIONS
Repeat the opening or closing procedure, if nec-
essary.<
To unlock
Press button 1.
Depending on the setting, refer to Unlocking 
mode on page19, only the driver's door or the 
entire vehicle is unlocked.
Press the button again to lock the vehicle 
again.<
Convenient opening with the remote control, 
refer to page20.
Locking
Press button 1.
MINI Convertible: if a remote control is inside the 
vehicle, windows and convertible top can be 
opened and closed as soon as the remote is 
operational.
Unlocking the liftgate separately
Press the button on the outside of the liftgate.
If the vehicle detects that a remote control 
has been accidentally left inside the 
locked vehicle's cargo area after the liftgate is 
closed, the liftgate will reopen slightly. The haz-
ard warning flashers flash and an acoustic sig-
nal
* sounds.<
Windows and glass sunroof, electric*
If the engine is switched off, you can still operate 
the windows and glass sunroof so long as a door 
or the liftgate has not been opened.
If the doors and liftgate are closed again and the 
remote control is located inside the vehicle, the 
windows and the glass sunroof can be operated 
again.Insert the remote control into the ignition lock to 
be able to operate the windows or glass sunroof 
when the engine is switched off and the doors 
are open.
Switching on radio readiness
Switch on radio readiness by briefly pressing the 
Start/Stop button, page44.
Do not depress the brake or the clutch; 
otherwise, the engine will start.<
Starting the engine
The engine can be started or the ignition can be 
switched on when a remote control is inside the 
vehicle. It is not necessary to insert a remote 
control into the ignition lock, page44.
Switching off the engine in cars with 
automatic transmission
The engine can only be switched off when the 
selector lever is in position P, page45.
To switch the engine off when the selector lever 
is in position N, the remote control must be in 
the ignition lock.
Before driving a vehicle with automatic 
transmission into a car wash
1.Insert remote control into ignition lock.
2.Depress the brake.
3.Move the selector lever to position N.
4.Switch off the engine.
The vehicle can roll.
Malfunction
Comfort Access may malfunction due to local 
radio waves.
If this happens, open or close the vehicle via the 
buttons on the remote control or using the inte-
grated key. 
Insert the remote control into the ignition lock 
and start the engine. 

Opening and closing
28
Warning lamps
The warning lamp comes on when an 
attempt is made to start the engine: the 
engine cannot be started. The remote 
control is not inside the vehicle or is malfunc-
tioning. Take the remote control with you inside 
the vehicle or have it checked. If necessary, 
insert another remote control into the ignition 
lock.
The warning lamp comes on when the 
engine is running: the remote control is 
no longer inside the vehicle. After the 
engine is switched off, the engine can only be 
restarted within approx. 10 seconds.
The indicator lamp comes on: replace 
the battery in the remote control.
Replacing the battery
The remote control for Comfort Access contains 
a battery that will need to be replaced from time 
to time.
1.Remove the cover.
2.Insert the new battery with the plus side fac-
ing up.
3.Press the cover on to close.
Take the old battery to a recycling center 
or to your MINI dealer.<
Glass sunroof, electric*
To prevent injuries, exercise care when 
closing the glass sunroof and keep it in 
your field of vision until it is shut.
Take the key with you when you leave the car; 
otherwise, children could operate the sunroof 
and possibly injure themselves.<
Tilting
>Press the switch backward to the resistance 
point and hold it there.
Both glass sunroofs are tilted.
Releasing the switch stops the movement.
>With the ignition switched on, press the 
switch backward beyond the resistance 
point.
Both closed sunroofs are tilted fully.
Pressing again stops the movement.
Opening, closing
With the ignition switched on and the glass sun-
roof tilted, press the switch backward and hold it 
there.
The front glass sunroof opens.
The rear glass sunroof is closed.
Releasing the switch stops the movement.
The glass sunroof can be closed in the same way 
by pressing the switch forward.
The front glass sunroof remains in a tilted posi-
tion. The rear glass sunroof is tilted. Pressing on 
the switch again closes both sunroofs com-
pletely.
Convenient operation via door lock or Comfort 
Access, refer to page20,22,27. 

Opening and closing
32
Interruption
A convertible top which is not completely 
open or closed is hazardous.<
The automatic movement is immediately inter-
rupted when the button for the convertible top 
operation is released. The procedure can be 
continued in the desired direction by pressing 
the appropriate button.
If the opening or closing procedure is inter-
rupted by releasing the respective button, the 
convertible top stays in its current position for 
several seconds before it slowly moves into a 
more stable position. The procedure can be con-
tinued by pressing the appropriate button.
The opening and closing procedure is also inter-
rupted in case of a mechanical blockage. In this 
case, in order to operate the convertible top 
again:
1.Switch off the ignition and then switch it on 
again.
2.Press the button to continue the procedure 
in the desired direction.
Opening and closing procedure
Do not interrupt and restart the closing 
procedure several times one after 
another, or the convertible top mechanism 
could be damaged.<
If the convertible top can be moved in only 
one direction after several consecutive 
attempts to operate it, the convertible top sys-
tem has overheated. Allow the system to cool 
down for approx. 4 minutes.<
If the battery was disconnected, e.g. for 
changing batteries or vehicle storage, 
reinitialize the power windows, refer to page29. 
Otherwise, the windows cannot be lowered or 
the convertible top cannot be opened.<
Convenient operation
For convenient operation using the remote con-
trol, refer to page19; for operation via the door 
lock, refer to page22.
Manual closing in the event of an 
electrical malfunction
Only close the convertible top manually if 
it is absolutely necessary. Never open it 
manually. Improper handling of the convertible 
top can result in damage. The closing procedure 
must be completely finished. Otherwise, dam-
age or injury could result.<
Before closing
1.Remove allen key and screwdriver from 
vehicle tools, refer to page137.
2.Pry out luggage compartment lamp from 
the left side trim using the screwdriver.
3.Use the screwdriver and turn the gold-col-
ored screw, see arrow, one and a half turns 
in the direction of the arrow.
Releasing the convertible top
1.Push cover panel forward, see arrow1.
2.In order to unlock the convertible top use 
the allen key to loosen the screws of the 
locking devices, see arrows 2.
3.Release the second side frame. 

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. 

Controls overview
58
7.Press and hold the button until the display 
changes.
8.Press the button briefly to change the for-
mat or unit of measure.
9.Press and hold the button until the display 
changes.
The settings are stored.
Resetting to factory settings
The settings for formats and units of measure 
can be reset to the factory settings. The settings 
are stored for the remote control currently in 
use, refer also to Personal Profile on page18.
1.Briefly press the button in the turn signal 
lever repeatedly until "SET/INFO" is dis-
played.
2.Press and hold the button until the display 
changes.
3.Briefly press the button repeatedly until the 
symbol and "SET" are displayed.
4.Press and hold the button until the display 
changes.5.Briefly press button repeatedly until "RESET" 
is displayed.
6.Press and hold the button until the display 
changes to the first setting. 
The settings are reset.
Service requirements
The remaining driving distance and the date of 
the next scheduled service are briefly displayed 
immediately after you start the engine or switch 
on the ignition.
The extent of service work required can be 
read out from the remote control by your 
MINI dealer.<
Displaying vehicle check
For certain maintenance operations, you can 
view the respective distance remaining or due 
date individually in the tachometer. 

 73
AT A GLANCE REFERENCE MOBILITYCONTROLS DRIVING TIPS COMMUNICATIONS
Lamps
Parking lamps/low beams
0Lamps off and daytime running lights
1Parking lamps and daytime running lights
2Low-beam headlamps and welcome lamps
3Automatic headlamp control
*, daytime run-
ning lights, welcome lamps, and Adaptive 
Light Control
*
When you open the driver's door with the igni-
tion switched off, the exterior lighting is auto-
matically switched off if the light switch is in 
position 0, 2 or 3.
Switch on the parking lamps if necessary, switch 
position 1.
Parking lamps
Turn the light switch to position 1. 
The front, rear and side vehicle lighting is 
switched on.
Activation of lights on one side of the vehicle for 
parking, page75.
The parking lamps will discharge the bat-
tery. Therefore, do not leave them on for 
unduly long periods of time; otherwise, the bat-
tery might not have enough power to start the 
engine.<
Low beams
Turn the light switch to position 2.
The low beams come on when the ignition is on.
Automatic headlamp control*
When the switch is in position3, the low beams 
are switched on and off automatically depend-
ing on ambient light conditions, e.g. in a tunnel, 
in twilight, or if there is precipitation. Adaptive 
Light Control
* is active.
The headlamps may also come on when the sun 
is sitting low on a blue sky.
When driving into tunnels with bright overhead 
lights, there may be a delay before the head-
lamps come on.
The low beams remain switched on indepen-
dent of the ambient lighting conditions when 
you switch on the fog lamps
*.
If the daytime running lights are activated, 
page74, the low beams are always switched on 
with the light switch in position 3 and the igni-
tion on. The exterior lamps are automatically 
switched off after the vehicle is parked.
The automatic headlamp control cannot 
serve as a substitute for your personal 
judgment in determining when the lamps 
should be switched on in response to ambient 
lighting conditions. For example, the system 
cannot detect fog or hazy weather. To avoid 
safety risks, you should respond to these kinds 
of low-visibility situations by switching the head-
lamps on manually.<
Welcome lamps
If you leave the light switch in the low beam or 
automatic headlamp control position when you 
switch off the ignition, the parking lamps and 
interior lamps come on for a certain time as soon 
as the vehicle is unlocked.
Pathway lighting
If you activate the headlamp flasher after 
switching off the ignition with the lamps 
switched off, the low beams come on and 
remain on for a certain time.
The setting is stored for the remote control in 
use, refer to Personal Profile, page18.