
CONTROLSTechnology for driving comfort and safety
66
Technology for driving comfort and
safety
Park Distance Control
PDC*
The concept
PDC assists you with parking in reverse. Acoustic
signals and a visual indicator
warn you of the
presence of an object behind the vehicle. The
measurement is carried out by four ultrasonic
sensors in the rear bumper.
These sensors have a range of approx.
6.5ft/2m. However, an acoustic warning
does not sound until an object is approx. 24 in/
60 cm from the rear corner sensors or approx.
5 ft/1.50 m from the rear center sensors. PDC is
a parking aid that can display objects, which are
slowly being approached, which is the usual
case when parking a vehicle. Avoid approaching
an object at high speed; otherwise, physical cir-
cumstances may lead to the system warning
being issued too late. <
Automatic mode
With the engine running or the ignition switched
on, the system is activated automatically after
approx. 1 second when you engage reverse
gear or move the automatic transmission selec-
tor lever to position R. Wait this short period
before driving.
Acoustic signals
As the distance between vehicle and object
decreases, the intervals between the tones
become shorter. If the distance to the nearest
object falls to below roughly 1 ft/30 cm, then a
continuous tone sounds.
If the distance remains co nstant, e.g. when driv-
ing parallel to a wall, th e acoustic signal stops
after approx. 3 seconds.
Malfunction
Indicator lamp lights up. PDC has failed.
A message appears on the Control Dis-
play.Have the system checked.
To avoid this problem, keep the sensors clean
and free of ice or snow in order to ensure that
they will continue to operate effectively. When
using a high-pressure cleaner, do not direct the
jet toward the sensors for lengthy periods and
only spray from a distance of at least 4 in/10 cm.
PDC with visual warning
To have the system show distances to objects on
the Control Display. The contours of distant
objects are shown on the Control Display even
before the acoustic sign al sounds. The display
appears on the Control Display as soon as the
transmission is shifted into reverse or the selec-
tor lever is moved into the R position.
System limitations
Even with PDC, final responsibility for esti-
mating the distance between the vehicle
and any obstructions always remains with the
driver. Sensors, too, have blind spots in which
objects cannot be dete cted. Moreover, ultra-
sonic detection can reach its physical limits with
objects such as trailer tow bars and couplings,
thin and wedge-shaped objects, etc. Low
objects already indicated, such as curbs, may
enter the sensors' blind spots before or after a
continuous audible signal is given. Higher, pro-
truding objects, such as wall ledges, may not be
detectable. Therefore, always drive cautiously;
otherwise, there is a risk of personal injury or
property damage. Loud sound sources outside
or inside the car can drown out the PDC signal. <

Technology for driving comfort and safetyCONTROLS
69
Deactivating the DTC* and DSC together
Press the button for at least 3 seconds; the indi-
cator light DSC OFF on the speedometer comes
on and DSC OFF is displayed on the tachometer.
The Dynamic Traction Control DTC and Dynamic
Stability Control DSC are both deactivated. There
will be no more stab ilizing interventions.
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 co mfortably 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 backwa rd 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. <
ALL4 all-wheel drive system*
ALL4 is the all-wheel drive system of your MINI.
The combined effects of ALL4 and DSC further optimize the traction and dynamic driving char-
acteristics. The ALL4 all-wheel drive system vari-
ably distributes the drive force to the front and
rear axle depending on
the driving situation and
prevailing road conditions.
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: the engine sounds more sporty in
coasting mode.
With automatic transmission:
> More rapid gear shifting in Sport program.
Activating the system
Press the SPORT button.
The LED lights up.
SPORT is briefly displayed in the tachometer.
Deactivating the system
>Press the SPORT button again.
> Switch off the engine.
Flat Tire Monitor FTM
The concept
The system does not me asure the actual infla-
tion pressure in the tires.

CONTROLSTechnology for driving comfort and safety
74
The use of tire sealant, e.g. Mobility System,
can damage the TPM wheel electronics. In
this case, have the electronics checked and
replaced if necessary at your earliest oppor-
tunity.
Run-flat tires*
You can continue driving with a damaged tire at
speeds up to 50 mph/80 km/h.
If the vehicle is not equipped with run-flat
tires, do not continue driving; continuing
to drive can result in serious accidents. <
Continued driving with a flat tire
When driving with a damaged tire:
1.Avoid sudden braking and steering maneu-
vers.
2. Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph or 80
km/h.
3. At the next opportunity, check the air pres-
sure in all four tires.
If the inflation pressure is correct in all four
tires, then the Tire Pressure Monitor may not
have been reset. The system must then be
reset.
Possible driving distance with complete loss of
tire inflation pressure:
The distance it is possible to drive depends on
the load and the stress on the vehicle while driv-
ing.
With an average load, it may be possible to drive
for approx. 50 miles/80 km.
When driving with damaged tires, the handling
characteristics change, e.g. the vehicle will skid
sooner when braking, braking distances will be
longer, or self-steerin g response will change.
Adapt your driving style accordingly. Avoid turn-
ing abruptly and driving over obstacles such as
curbs, potholes, etc.
Since the possible driving distance depends to a
considerable degree on the strain exerted on
the vehicle while driving, it can be shorter or,
with a gentle driving styl e, can also be longer, depending on the speed, road condition, exter-
nal temperature, vehicle load, etc.
Drive cautiously and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.
A loss of tire inflation pressure results in a
change in the handling characteristics, e.g.
reduced lane stability during braking, a longer
braking distance and alte red self-steering prop-
erties. <
Vibrations or loud no ises while driving can
indicate complete failure of the tire.
Reduce your speed and bring the vehicle to a
stop; otherwise, pieces of tire may come off,
which could result in an accident. Do not con-
tinue driving and contac t your MINI dealer.<
Malfunction
The small warning lamp flashes in yel-
low and then lights up continuously; the
larger warning lamp lights up in yellow.
On the on-board computer, the tires are
shown in gray and a message appears.
No flat tire can be detected.
Display in the following situations:
> Wheel without TPM electronics is mounted:
If need be, have it checked by your MINI
dealer.
> Malfunction:
Have the system checked
> TPM was unable to complete the resetting
procedure; reset the system again.
The small warning lamp flashes in yel-
low and then lights up continuously; the
larger warning lamp lights up in yellow.
On the on-board computer, the tires are
shown in gray and a message appears.
No flat tire can be detected.
Display in the following situation:
> Interference due to sy stems or devices that
use the same radio frequency:
The system automatically reactivates once it
is outside of the field of interference.

Technology for driving comfort and safetyCONTROLS
77
activates or deactivates the front, side, and knee
airbags for the front passenger.Make sure that the front passenger's feet
remain in the footwell; otherwise, it is not
possible to guarantee the function of the front
passenger airbags. <
The indicator lamp above the interior rearview
mirror shows the current status of the front pas-
senger airbags, deactivate d or activated, refer to
Status of front passenger airbags below.
Before transporting a child on the front
passenger seat, read the safety informa-
tion and follow the instructions under Transport-
ing children safely, page 43.<
Malfunction of the automatic
deactivation
When teenagers and adul ts assume certain sit-
ting positions, this can cause the front, side, and
knee airbags to deactiva te. The indicator lamp
for the front passenger airbags lights up when
this occurs. In such cases, the passenger should
change his or her sittin g position so that the
front passenger airbags are activated and the
indicator lamp goes out. If the desired airbag
status cannot be achieved by changing the sit-
ting position, transport the relevant passenger
on a rear seat.
> Do not attach covers, cushions, ball mats or
other items to the front passenger seat
unless they are specifically recommended
by the manufacturer of your MINI.
> Do not place items on the front passenger
seat.
> Do not place items un der the seat which
could press against th e seat from below.
Status of front passenger airbags
The indicator lamp for the front passenger air-
bags shows the functional status of the front
passenger's front, side , and knee airbags in
accordance with whether and how the front
passenger seat is occupied. The indicator lamp
shows whether the front passenger airbags are
activated or deactivated.
> The indicator lamp lights up when a child in
a specially designated child restraint system
i s p r o p e r l y d e t e c t e d o n t h e s e a t o r t h e s e a t i s
unoccupied.
The front, side, and knee airbags for the
front passenger 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. <
> The indicator lamp does not come on as long
as a person of sufficient size and in a correct
sitting position is detected on the seat.
The front, side, and knee airbags for the
front passenger are activated.

CONTROLSTechnology for driving comfort and safety
78
Operational readiness of airbag system
As of radio readiness, page46, the warning
lamp lights up briefly to indicate that the entire
airbag system and the be lt tensioners are oper-
ational.
Airbag system malfunction
> The warning lamp does not come on when
radio readiness is switched on.
> The warning lamp stays lit continuously.
In the event of a fault in the airbag system,
have it checked without delay; otherwise,
there is the risk that the system will not function
as intended even if a severe accident occurs. <

LampsCONTROLS
79
Lamps
Parking lamps/low beams
0Lamps off and daytime running lights
1 Parking lamps and daytime running lights
2 Low-beam headlamps and welcome lamps
3 Automatic 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, page 81.
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 position 3, the low beams
are switched on and of f automatically depend-
ing on ambient light condit ions, 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,
page 80, the low beams are al ways 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 determin ing 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 fo r 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 lo w beams come on and
remain on for a certain time.

CONTROLSLamps
80
The setting is stored for the remote control in
use, refer to Personal Profile, page 26.
Setting the duration or deactivating the
function
1."Settings"
2. "Lighting"
3. "Pathway light.:"
4. Set a time of duration or deactivate the func-
tion.
The setting is stored fo r the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Daytime running lights*
The light switch can remain in the lamps off,
parking lamps or automatic headlamp control
*
position.
In the lamps off position, the exterior lighting is
automatically switched off after the vehicle is
parked. In the parking lamps position, the park-
ing lamps will stay on after the ignition is
switched off.
Switch on the parking lamps separately if
needed.
Activating/deactivating daytime
running lights
The setting is stored for the remote control in
use, refer to Pers onal Profile, page 26.
1. "Settings"
2. "Lighting" 3.
"Daytime running lamps"
The setting is stored fo r the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Adaptive Light Control*
The concept
Adaptive Light Control is a variable headlamp
control system that enables better illumination
of the road surface. Depending on the steering
angle and other parameters, the light from the
headlamp follows the course of the road.
Activating Adaptive Light Control
With the ignition switched on, turn the light
switch to position 3, refer to page 79.
Standstill function
*: to avoid blinding oncoming
traffic, the Adaptive Light Control directs light
toward the front passenger side when the vehi-
cle is at a standstill.
In reverse, the Adaptive Light Control is not acti-
vated.
Malfunction
A message is displayed.
The Adaptive Light Control is malfunctioning or
failed. Have the system checked as soon as pos-
sible.

LampsCONTROLS
81
High beams/
roadside parking lamps
1Turn signals/roadside parking lamps*
2Switching on high beams
3 Switching off high be ams/headlamp flasher
Roadside parking lamps, left or right*
The vehicle can be illumi nated on one side for
parking. Comply with local regulations when
doing so.
Switching on
After parking the vehicle, press and hold the
lever up or down, arrow 1.
The roadside parking lamps drain 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. <
Switching off
Press the lever up or down to the pressure point.
Fog lamps*
Press the button to swit ch the lamps on and off.
Fog lamps*
The parking lamps or low beams must be
switched on for the fog lamps to operate. The
green indicator lamp lights up when the fog
lamps are switched on.
Depending on your vehicle's equipment, the fog
lamps are switched off when you activate the
headlamp flasher or switch on the high beams.
If the automatic headlamp control is acti-
vated, the low beams will come on auto-
matically when you switch on the fog lamps. <
Instrument lighting
You can adjust the brightness of the instrument
lighting only when the parking lamps or the low
beams are on.
Increasing brightness
Press and hold the button until the desired
brightness is reached.