AdjustmentsCONTROLS
35
ing and regularly pull the belt in the upper-body
area taut; otherwise, its restraining effect could
be impaired. <
Safety belts, refer to page 37.
Seats
Note before adjusting
Never attempt to adjust your seat while
the vehicle is moving. The seat could
respond with unexpected movement, and the
ensuing loss of vehicle control could lead to an
accident.
On the front passenger seat as well, do not
incline the backrest too far to the rear while the
vehicle is being driven; otherwise, there is a dan-
ger in the event of an a ccident of sliding under
the safety belt, eliminat ing the protection nor-
mally provided by the belt. <
Comply with the instruct ions on head restraint
height on page 36 and on damaged safety belts
on page 39.
Seat adjustment, front
Observe the instructions on page 35 to
ensure the best possible personal protec-
tion. <
Longitudinal direction
Pull the lever, arrow 1, and slide the seat into the
desired position, arrows 2.
After releasing the lever, move the seat slightly
forward or back so that it engages properly.
Height
Pull up or push down the lever repeatedly,
arrows 1, until the desired height is reached.
Backrest
Pull lever, arrow 1, and apply weight to or
remove weight from the backrest as needed.
Lumbar support
You can also adjust the contour of the backrest
to obtain additional support in the lumbar
region.
The upper hips and spinal column receive
supplementary support to help you maintain
a relaxed, upright sitting position.
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CONTROLSAdjustments
36
Turn the wheel to increase or decrease the
curvature.
Seat adjustment, rear
Do not adjust rear seats while the vehicle
is moving; otherwise, passengers could be
injured.
Make sure that the locking devices of the rear
seats engage properly. Otherwise the restrain-
ing effect of the safety belts during an accident
could be reduced. <
Longitudinal adjustment
1.Pull the lever and slide the seat into the
desired position.
2. Release the lever and mo ve the seat slightly
forward or back so that it engages properly.
Backrest
Adjusting backrest an gle, refer to page98.
Head restraints
Correctly adjusted head restraint
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk of neck injury in the event of an accident.
Correctly adjust the head restraints of all
occupied seats; othe rwise, there is an
increased risk of injury in an accident. <
Height
Adjust the head restraint so that its center is
approximately at ear level.
Height adjustment
To raise: pull up.
To lower: press the button, arrow 1, and slide
the head restraint down.
Removing
Only remove a head rest raint if no one will be
sitting on the seat in question.
Reinstall the head restraint before trans-
porting passengers, as otherwise the head
restraint cannot provide its protective func-
tion. <
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AdjustmentsCONTROLS
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Front
1.Pull up as far as it will go.
2. Fold the backrest back slightly.
3. Press button 1 and pull the head restraint
out as far as it will go.
4. Also press button 2 with a suitable tool and
completely remove the head restraint.
5. Fold back the backrest.
Rear
1.Pull up as far as it will go.
2. Fold the backrest forward slightly.
3. Press button 1 and pull the head restraint
out completely.
4. Also press button 2 with a suitable tool and
completely remove the head restraint.
5. Fold rear seat backrest back into position.
Seat heating
Switching on
Press once for each temperature level.
Three LEDs indicate the highest temperature.
If you continue driving within the next
15 minutes, the seat heating is automatically
activated at the previously set temperature.
The temperature is lowered or the heating is
switched off entirely to reduce the drain on the
battery.
The LEDs stay lit.
Switching off
Press button longer.
Safety belts
Observe the instructions on page 35 to
ensure the best possible personal protec-
tion. <
Before every drive, make sure that all occupants
wear their safety belts. Airbags complement the
safety belt as an additi onal safety device, but
they do not represent a substitute.
Front and rear seats
Closing
Make sure you hear the lock engage in the belt
buckle.
The upper belt anchor is suitable for adults of
any stature as long as the seat is adjusted
properly, page 35.
Opening
1.Grasp the belt firmly.
2. Press the red button in the buckle.
3. Guide the belt into its reel.
Height adjustment for rear safety belt
tongues
When the outer rear seats are unoccupied, the
safety belt tongues can be slid back to the cargo
area trim panel with a clasp to prevent noise.
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AdjustmentsCONTROLS
39
Stow away the center belt
If the center seat is not occupied, then insert the
belt buckles3 and 4 into the corresponding
holders, arrows.
Guide belt latches to the belt take-ups on the
headliner, refer to page 38, and insert them in
the provided take-ups.
Safety Belt Reminder
Front seats
The indicator lamps come on and an
acoustic signal so unds. Check whether
the safety belt has been fastened cor-
rectly. The Safety Belt Reminder is
issued when the driver's safety belt has not been
fastened. The Safety Belt Reminder is also acti-
vated 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 se at, or if driver or front passen-
ger 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 tensio ners 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 mirror on the passenger's side is more
curved 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
accident. <
1 Adjusting the left or right exterior mirror
2 Tilting mirrors in and out
To adjust electrically
1.Choose a mirror, and also turn the button to
position 1.
2. To adjust the mirror, tilt the button into the
desired direction forward, back, left or right.
Manual adjustment
If there is, for example, an electrical failure, press
on the edges of the mirror glass.
Tilting 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.
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Transporting children safelyCONTROLS
41
Transporting children safely
Vehicle equipment
In this chapter, all production, country, and
optional equipment that is offered in the model
range is described. Equipment is also described
that is not available because of, for example,
selected options or count ry version. This also
applies to safety related functions and systems.
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. Othe rwise, there is an
increased risk of injury in the event of an
accident. <
Children 13 years of age or older must be
buckled in with a safety belt as soon as there
no longer is any child re straint system that is
appropriate 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.
of the front passenger airbags, refer to page 73.
Child restraint systems,
installation
Before installing a child restraint system on the
rear seats, move the seat as far back as possible.
5-seater: adjust the incl ination of the center
backrest to the respective outer backrest.
After the child restraint system has been
installed on the respecti ve rear seat, move the
backrest forward so that the it rests lightly
against the child restraint system, refer to Rear
seat backrests on page 98.
Observe the child restraint system manu-
facturer's instructions when selecting,
installing and using ch ild restraint systems.
Otherwise, the protective effect may be dimin-
ished. <
On the front passenger seat
After installing a child restraint system on
the front passenger seat, make sure that
the front, side, and knee airbags for the front
passenger are deactivated; otherwise, there is
an increased risk of injury 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.
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CONTROLSTransporting children safely
42
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 secure child restraint
systems.
Locking 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.
Unlocking 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.
Center belt: unlocking additional belt buckle
3, see page 38.
Guide safety belt to the take-up on the
headliner.
LATCH child restraint
fixing system
LATCH: Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children.
To install and use the LATCH child restraint
system, follow the operating 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 l owe r LATCH ancho rs
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. <
4-seater
The child restraint anchor fittings, see arrows,
are located behind the back of the rear seats.
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Transporting children safelyCONTROLS
43
5-seater
The child restraint anchor fittings for the two
outer seats, see arrows, are located behind the
back of the rear seats.
The child restrain t anchor fitting for the center
seat is located under the luggage-compartment
sill, position 4 in picture center seat.
Placement of the tether strap
Make sure the upper tether strap does not
run over sharp edges and is not twisted as
it passes to the top anchor. Otherwise, the strap
will not properly secure the child restraint sys-
tem in the event of an accident. <
Outer seats:
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
Center seat: 1
Forward driving direction
2 Head rest
3 Attaching clip
4 Child restraint anchor fitting
5 Load area floor
6 Seat back
7 Strap of the chil d restraint systemAttaching upper tether strap to the
attachment point
1.Slide the head restraint upward.
2. Center seat: fold the load area floor
backwards
3. Guide the tether strap between the head
restraint holders.
4. Attach the tether strap to the anchor using
the hook.
5. Push the head restraint into its lowermost
position.
6. Pull the tether strap tight.
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Technology for driving comfort and safetyCONTROLS
73
Airbags
The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:
1Front airbags
2 Knee airbag 3
Side airbags in backrests
4 Head airbags at the front and rear
Protective action
Observe the instructions on page 34 to
ensure the best possible personal protec-
tion. <
The front airbags help protect the driver and
front passenger by responding to frontal
impacts in which safety belts alone cannot pro-
vide adequate restraint. When needed, the head
and side airbags help provide protection in the
event of side impact. Th e relevant side airbag
supports the side upper body area. The head air
bag supports the head.
The airbags are designed to not be triggered in
every type of collision, e.g. not in minor acci-
dents, certain rollover si tuations or rear impacts.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the
cover panels of the airbags, cover them or
modify them in any other way.
Keep the dashboard and window on the passen-
g e r s i d e f r e e f r o m o b s t r u c t i o n , i . e . d o n o t c o v e r i t
with adhesive film or coverings, and do not affix
any holders such as for a navigation device or a
mobile phone.
Do not attach seat covers, cushions or other
objects not specifically approved for seats with
integral side airbags to the front seats. Do not
hang items of clothing such as coats or jackets
over the backrests. Do not attempt to remove
the airbag retention system from the vehicle. Do not modify the individual components of the
syst em o r it s w iring in an y w ay . This inclu des th e
upholstery in the center of the steering wheel,
on the instrument panel, the doors, and the roof
pillars as well as the side
s of the headliner. Do
not attempt to remove or dismantle the steering
wheel. <
Do not touch the individual components
immediately after the system has been
triggered, because there is a danger of burns.
Have the testing, repair , removal, and disposal
o f a i r b a g g e n e r a t o r s e x e c u t e d o n l y b y y o u r M I N I
dealer or a workshop that has the required
explosives licenses.
Otherwise, unprofessional attempts to service
the system could lead to failure in an emergency
or undesired airbag activation, either of which
could result in personal injury. <
Warning notices and in formation about the
airbags can also be found on the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of the front
passenger airbags
The presence of a passenger in the front passen-
ger seat is detected by measuring the resistance
of the human body. The system correspondingly
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