
Notes
6
Service and warranty
We recommend that you read this publication 
thoroughly.
Your MINI is covered by the following warran-
ties:
>New Vehicle Limited Warranty
>Rust Perforation Limited Warranty
>Federal Emissions System Defect Warranty
>Federal Emissions Performance Warranty
>California Emission Control System Limited 
Warranty
Detailed information about these warranties is 
listed in the Service and Warranty Information 
Booklet for US models or in the Warranty and 
Service Guide Booklet for Canadian models.
Your vehicle has been specifically adapted and 
designed to meet the particular operating con-
ditions and homologation requirements in your 
country and continental region in order to 
deliver the full driving pleasure while the vehicle 
is operated under those conditions. If you wish 
to operate your vehicle in another country or 
region, you may be required to adapt your vehi-
cle to meet different prevailing operating condi-
tions and registration requirements. You should 
also be aware of any applicable warranty limita-
tions or exclusions for such country or region. In 
such a case, please contact Customer Relations 
for further information.
Reporting safety defects
For US customers
The following applies only to vehicles owned 
and operated in the US.
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect that 
could cause a crash or could cause injury or 
death, you should immediately inform the 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 
NHTSA, in addition to notifying MINI of North 
America, LLC, P.O. Box 1227, Westwood, New 
Jersey 07675-1227, Telephone 1-800-831-
1117.If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may 
open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety 
defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order 
a recall and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA 
cannot become involved in individual problems 
between you, your dealer, or MINI of North 
America, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle 
Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 
1-800-424-9153); go to http://www.safercar. 
gov; or write to: administrator, NHTSA, 400 
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. You 
can also obtain other information about motor 
vehicle safety from http://www.safercar.gov
For Canadian customers
Canadian customers who wish to report a 
safety-related defect to Transport Canada, 
Defect Investigations and Recalls, may tele-
phone the toll-free hotline 1-800-333-0510. 
You can also obtain other information about 
motor vehicle safety from http://www.tc.gc.ca/
roadsafety 

 15
AT A GLANCE REFERENCE MOBILITYCONTROLS DRIVING TIPS COMMUNICATIONS
1MINI: microphone for voice processing sys-
tem
* and for hands-free telephone*
MINI Convertible: microphone in the steer-
ing column
2Indicator/warning lamp
* for front passen-
ger airbags71
4Hazard warning flashers
5Speedometer12
6Radio/CD, refer to separate owner's manual
7Air conditioner or automatic climate 
control
*788Switches in the center console
9AUX-IN port, USB audio interface*85
10Driving stability control systems
>Dynamic Stability Control DSC63
>Dynamic Traction Control
 DTC* 63
11Sport button
*64 3
Reading lamps
*77
Color of ambient lighting
*77
Glass sunroof, electric
*28
MINI Convertible: opening and clos-
ing the sliding/tilting roof30
Interior lamps77
Temperature
Recirculated-air mode
Air distribution for air conditioner
Air distribution to the windshield
*
Air distribution to the upper body 
area
*
Air distribution to the footwell*
Automatic air distribution and flow 
rate
*
Maximum cooling*
Cooling function
Defrosting windows
*
Rear window defroster 
Windshield heating
*
Air flow rate
Seat heating
*38
Power windows29
MINI Convertible: central power 
window unit29
Rear fog lamp
*76
Fog lamps
*76
Central locking system, inside23 

 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. 

Technology for driving comfort and safety
64
Activating DTC
Press the button, the indicator lamp for DTC 
lights up in the display elements and TRACTION 
is displayed in the tachometer.
For better control
If the indicator lamp flashes: 
DTC controls the driving and breaking 
forces.
The indicator lamp lights up and TRAC-
TION is displayed in the tachometer: 
DTC is activated.
Deactivating DTC
Press the button again: the DSC indicator lamps 
go out.
Deactivating both DTC and DSC
Press the button for at least 3 seconds: the DSC 
indicator lamps in the display elements come 
on. The Dynamic Traction Control DTC and 
Dynamic Stability Control DSC are both deacti-
vated. There will be no more stabilizing inter-
ventions.
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 comfortably 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 backward 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. 

Everything from A to Z
172
Everything from A to Z
INDEX
A
ABS Antilock Brake System63
Accessories, refer to Your 
individual vehicle4
Acknowledgment signals for 
locking/unlocking vehicle21
Activated-charcoal filter for 
automatic climate control82
Adaptive Light Control75
Additives
– coolant129
– engine oil129
Adjusting temperature inside 
the car, refer to Air 
conditioner79
Adjusting temperature inside 
the car, refer to Automatic 
climate control80
Air conditioner78
Air conditioning mode
– air conditioner79
– automatic climate control80
– ventilation82
Air distribution
– automatic81
– individual80
– manual80
Air flow rate79,81
– air conditioning system79
– automatic climate control81
– heating, ventilation79
Air outlets, refer to Air vents78
Air pressure, checking, refer to 
Tire inflation pressure118
Air recirculation, refer to 
Recirculated-air 
mode79,81
Air supply
– air conditioner79
– automatic climate control80
– ventilation82
Air vents78Airbags70
– sitting safely35
– warning lamp72
Airing, refer to Ventilation82
AKI, refer to fuel grade117
Alarm system25
All-season tires, refer to Winter 
tires126
Always Open Timer55
Ambient air, refer to 
Recirculated-air 
mode79,81
Ambient lighting77
Antenna, care133
Antifreeze
– coolant129
– washer fluid
51
Antilock Brake System ABS63
Anti-theft alarm system, refer 
to Alarm system25
Anti-theft system19
Approved axle loads, refer to 
Weights169
Approved engine oils129
Approved gross vehicle 
weight, refer to Weights169
Armrest, refer to Center 
armrest85
Ashtray87
Assistant systems, refer to
– Dynamic Stability Control 
DSC63
Audio device, external85
AUTO program for automatic 
climate control81
Automatic
– air distribution81
– air flow rate81
– cruise control51
– headlamp control73
Automatic climate control78
– automatic air distribution81Automatic transmission with 
Steptronic46
– interlock46
– overriding selector lever 
lock48
– shiftlock46
– sport program47
AUX-IN, refer to External audio 
device85
Average fuel consumption54
– setting the units57
Average speed54
Axle loads, refer to 
Weights169B
Background lighting, refer to 
Ambient lighting77
Backrests, refer to Seats36
Backup lamps
– replacing bulb140,141
Band-aids, refer to First aid 
pouch148
Bar, refer to Tow-starting, 
towing away150
Base plate for telephone or 
mobile phone
– refer to Snap-in adapter113
Battery146
– charging147
– disposal28,147
– jump-starting148
– temporary power failure147
Battery renewal
– remote control28
Being towed150
Belt tensioner, refer to Safety 
belts38
Belts, refer to Safety belts38
Beverage holders, refer to 
Cupholders87 

 179
AT A GLANCE REFERENCEMOBILITYCONTROLS DRIVING TIPS COMMUNICATIONS
Restraint systems
– for children41
– refer to Safety belts38
Reverse gear
– automatic transmission with 
Steptronic47
– manual transmission46
Roadside Assistance148
Roadside parking lamps75
– replacing bulb139
Roadworthiness test, refer to 
Service requirements58
Roof load capacity169
Roof-mounted luggage 
rack97
Rope, refer to Tow-starting, 
towing away151
RSC Run-flat System 
Component, refer to Run-flat 
tires125
Rubber parts, care135
Run-flat System Component 
RSC, refer to Run-flat 
tires125
Run-flat tires125
– flat tire66
– tire inflation pressure118
– tire replacement125
– winter tires126
S
Safety belt
– number35
Safety Belt Reminder39
Safety belts38
– damage39
– indicator lamp39
– reminder39
– sitting safely35
Safety belts, care136
Safety systems
– airbags70
– Antilock Brake System 
ABS63
– Dynamic Stability Control 
DSC63
– safety belts38Safety tires, refer to Run-flat 
tires125
Screw thread for tow 
fitting150
Seat adjustment
– mechanical36
Seats36
– adjusting the seats36
– heating38
– sitting safely35
Securing the vehicle
– from inside23
– from outside19
Selector lever
– automatic transmission with 
Steptronic46
Selector lever lock
– automatic transmission with 
Steptronic, refer to 
Shiftlock46
– overriding manually48
Selector lever positions
– automatic transmission with 
Steptronic46
Service car, refer to Roadside 
Assistance148
Service data in the remote 
control131
Service Interval Display, refer 
to Condition Based Service 
CBS131
Service, refer to Roadside 
Assistance148
Service requirement display, 
refer to Condition Based 
Service CBS131
Service requirements58
Settings
– clock, 12h/24h mode57
Shifting gears
– automatic transmission with 
Steptronic47
– manual transmission46
Shiftlock
– automatic transmission, refer 
to Changing selector lever 
positions46
Side airbags70Side turn signal
– replacing bulb140
Side windows, refer to 
Windows29
Signal horn, refer to Horn10
Sitting safely35
– airbags35
– safety belts35
– with head restraint35
Size, refer to Dimensions167
Sliding/tilt sunroof
– refer to Glass sunroof, 
electric28
Slipstream deflector, refer to 
Wind deflector33
Slot for remote control44
Smokers' package, refer to 
Ashtray87
Snap-in adapter
– inserting/removing113
– use102
Snap-in adapter, refer to 
Center armrest storage 
compartment85
Snow chains126
Socket for On-Board Diagnosis 
OBD131
Socket, refer to Connecting 
electrical appliances87
Space-saver spare tire
– changing tires144
– inflation pressure118
Spare wheel, refer to Space-
saver spare tire144
Special oils, refer to Approved 
engine oils129
Speed166
– with winter tires126
Speedo, refer to 
Speedometer12
Speedometer12
Split rear backrest, refer to 
Through-loading system95
Split rear seat backrest, refer to 
Expanding the cargo area94
Sport button64
Stability control, refer to 
Driving stability control 
systems62