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 passeng ers keep their heads
away from the side ai rbag and do not lean
against the cover of the head airbag, otherwise
injuries can occur when the airbags are trig-
gered. <
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 68.
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.
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 68.
Child restraint systems,
installation
Before installing a child restraint system on the
rear seats, move the seat as far back as possible. After the child restr
aint system has been
installed on the respecti ve rear seat, move the
backrest forward so that the it rests lightly
against the child restrain t system, refer to Rear
seat backrests on page 92.
Observe the child restraint system manu-
facturer's instructions when selecting,
installing and using child restraint systems. Oth-
erwise, 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, side, and knee airbags for the front
passenger are deactivated; otherwise, there is
an increased risk of inju ry 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 mounts for the lower LATCH anchors are
located at the points indicated by the arrows.
Make sure t hat bo th low er LATC H anch ors
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. <
There are two additional anchors for child
restraint systems with tether straps, arrows.
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.<
1 Direction of travel
2 Head restraint
3 Rear cargo well
4 Tether strap hook
5 Anchor
6 Seat backrest
7 Tether strap of the child restraint system
Technology for driving comfort and safetyControls
69
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 38.<
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.
Things to remember when drivingDriving tips
93
1.Hold on to the backrest near the top, for
example on the headrest, and pull on the
loop, arrow.
2. Lock backrest in the de sired position or fold
down.
Folding the backrests back into position
When folding the backrest, ensure that the
lock properly engages. Otherwise, for
example during braking and avoidance maneu-
vers, cargo can be thrown into the interior and
endanger the occupants. <
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. <
When backrests are folded back from the
folded-down position, they lock in the transport
position.
To set the desired backrest angle or a comfort-
able position, pull the lo op forward and adjust
the backrest.
Cargo area privacy screen
Between the cargo area and the rear seat back-
rest, there is a cargo area privacy screen. It can
be folded down and used as a loading platform.
When the rear seat backrests are folded
down, do not fold the privacy screen
upright. In an accident , cargo could fold down
the privacy screen and damage it. <
Folding down the privacy screen
1.If necessary, remove the cargo area cover,
refer to page 92.
2. Fold the privacy screen up and to the rear,
arrow 1.
3. Release the locking mechanisms on the left
and right sides, arrows 2.
4. Grasp the outer sides of the privacy screen
and guide it downward.
Do not exceed the maximum load of
330 lbs./150 kg of the privacy screen
when it is in folded do wn into the loading plat-
form position; otherwis e, damage may occur.<
Folding the privacy screen forward
1.Fold down rear seat backrests.
2. Unlock privacy screen, see above.
3. Grasp the outer sides of the privacy screen
and guide it forward onto the folded-down
rear seat backrests.
Removing
1.Removing cargo area cover, page 92.
2. Fold the privacy screen up and to the rear
and unlock it, refer to Folding the privacy
screen forward.
ReferenceEverything from A to Z
182
Center Rail, refer to Storage compartments 84
Central locking system 21
– Comfort Access 27
– from inside 24
– from outside 21
– setting unlocking
behavior 21
Changing bulbs 148
Changing wheels 155
Chassis number, refer to Engine compartment 139
Check Control 57
Child restraint fixing system LATCH 39
Child restraint systems 38
Child seats 38
Child-safety locks 40
Chrome parts, care 146
Chrome parts, refer to Care 144
Cigarette lighter 85
Cleaning headlamps 48
– washer fluid 49
Clock
– 12 h/24 h mode 54
– setting time 57
Closing
– from inside 24
– from outside 21
Clothes hooks 85
Cockpit 10
Cold start, refer to Starting the
engine 42
Comfort Access 27
– replacing the battery 29
– 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 107
Computer 52
Condensation, refer to When the vehicle is parked 92Condition Based Service
CBS 142
Configuring settings, refer to Personal Profile 20
Connecting vacuum cleaner, refer to Connecting electrical
appliances 86
Consumption, refer to Average fuel consumption 52
Controls and displays 10
Convenient access, refer to Comfort Access 27
Convenient operation
– windows 22
Convenient start, refer to
St
arting the engine 42
Coolant 140
– checking level 141
– filling 141
– temperature 141
Coolant temperature 141
Cooling fluid, refer to
Coolant 140
Cooling, maximum 79
Copyright 2
Cornering light, refer to Adaptive Light Control 73
Cruising range 52
Cupholders 85
Curb weight, refer to
Weights 178
Current fuel consumption 52
D
Dashboard instruments, refer
to Displays 12
Dashboard lighting, refer to Instrument lighting 74
Dashboard, refer to Cockpit 10
Data 176
– capacities 179
– dimensions 177
– engine 176
– weights 178
Data memory 143 Date
– setting
57
Date setting 103
Daytime running lights 72
DBC Dynamic Brake Control, refer to Brake Assist 60
Deactivating front passenger
airbags 68
Deadlocking, refer to Locking 22
Defect
– door lock 24
– fuel filler flap 128
Defogging windows 78,80
Defrost position, refer to Defrosting windows 78,80
Defrosting windows 78,80
Defrosting windows and removing condensation
– air conditioner 78
– automatic climate control 80
Defrosting windshield, refer to
Defrosting windows 78,80
Differential, breaking in 90
Digital radio, refer to HD
Radio 105
Dimensions 177
Dipstick, engine oil 139
Directional indicators, refer to Turn signals 46
Displacement, refer to Engine data 176
Display lighting, refer to
Instrument lighting 74
Displays 12
– instrument cluster 12
Displays and controls 10
Displays, care 147
Disposal
– of coolant 140
– remote control battery 29
– vehicle battery 156
Distance remaining to service, refer to Service
requirements 55
Distance warning, refer
to Park
Distance Control PDC 59
Everything from A to ZReference
187
P
Paintwork, care145
Park Distance Control PDC 59
Parking
– vehicle 42
Parking aid, refer to Park
Distance Control PDC 59
Parking brake 43
Parking lamps, replacing
bulb 150
Parking lamps/low beams 71
Parts and accessories, refer to
Your individual vehicle 4
Pathway lighting 71
PDC
– volume 102
Personal Profile 20
Phone numbers
– dialing 120
Pinch protection system
– windows 31
Plastic parts, care 146
Playing a track scan
– CD 107
Pollen
– refer to Microfilter for air conditioner 78
– refer to Microfilter/activated-
charcoal filter for automatic
climate control 80
Power failure 156
Power window
– safety switch 31
Power windows 30
Power windows, refer to Windows 30
Pressure monitoring of tires,
refer to Tire Pressure Monitor
TPM 64
Pressure monitoring, tires 62
– Flat Tire Monitor 62
Pressure, tires 130 Protective function, refer to
Pinch protection system
– windows 31
PTY 104
Puncture
– Flat Tire Monitor 62
R
Radio
– HD Radio105
Radio key, refer to Integrated key/remote control 20
Radio MINI Boost CD
– playing stations 104
– recalling stations 104
– satellite radio 105
– station search 103
– storing stations 104
– switching on/off 102
– tone control 103
– volume 102
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 104
Reading lamps 75
Rear fog lamp
– indicator lamp 162
Rear lamps
– bulb replacement 151
Rear lamps, refer to Tail lamps 151
Rear seat backrest, folding 92
Rear seats
– adjusting 34
– folding down the
backrests 92
Rear window
– windshield wiper 48
Rear window defroster 77,79 Rear window safety switch
31
Rear-mounted luggage rack 97
Rearview mirror, refer to
Mirrors 36
Reception
– quality 104
– radio station 103
Recirculated-air mode 77,79
Recirculation of air, refer to
Recirculated-air
mode 77,79
Reclining seat, refer to
Backrest 33
Refueling 128
Releasing
– hood 138
Remote control 20
– battery renewal 29
– Comfort Access 27
– garage door opener 81
– liftgate 23
– malfunct
ions23,29
– service data 142
Replacement remote
control 20
Replacing bulbs, refer to Lamps and bulbs 148
Replacing tires, refer to New wheels and tires 136
Reporting safety defects 6
Reserve warning, refer to Fuel gauge 51
Reservoir for washer systems 49
Reset, refer to Resetting tone
settings 103
Restraint systems
– for children 38
– refer to Safety belts 35
Reverse
– CD 107
Reverse gear
– automatic transmission with Steptronic 44
– manual transmission 43