LampsVehicle equipmentThis chapter describes all series equipment as
well as country-specific and special equipment
offered for this model series. Therefore, it also
describes equipment that may not be found in
your vehicle, for instance due to the selected
special equipment or the country version. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems.
When using the features and systems described
here, adhere to local regulations.
At a glance0Lamps off / daytime running lights1Parking lights and daytime running lights2Low-beam headlights and welcome lights3Automatic headlight control, Adaptive Light
Control, daytime running lights, and wel‐
come lights
Parking lights/low
beams, headlight con‐
trol
General information
When the driver's door is opened with the igni‐
tion switched off, the exterior lighting is auto‐
matically switched off when the light switch is
in position 0, 2, or 3.
Switch on the parking lights if necessary, switch
position 1.
Parking lights
Switch position 1: the vehicle lights light up on
all sides.
Do not use the parking lights for extended peri‐
ods; otherwise, the battery may become dis‐
charged and it would then be impossible to
start the engine.
When parking, it is preferable to switch on the
one-sided roadside parking lights, refer to
page 76.
Low beams Switch position 2: the low beams are lit when
the ignition is switched on.
Automatic headlight control
Switch position 3: the low beams are switched
on and off automatically depending on the am‐
bient light, e.g., in tunnels, in twilight, or if
there is precipitation. Adaptive Light Control is
active.
A blue sky with the sun low on the horizon can
cause the lights to be switched on.
The low beams remain switched on independ‐
ent of the ambient lighting conditions when
you switch on the front fog lights.
Personal responsibility
The automatic headlamp control cannot
serve as a substitute for your personal judg‐
ment in determining when the lamps should be
switched on in response to ambient lighting
conditions.Seite 75LampsCONTROLS75
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 961 029 - II/15
Depending on the steering angle and other pa‐
rameters, the light from the headlight follows
the course of the road.
Activating With the ignition switch on, turn the light switch
to position 3, refer to page 75.
To avoid blinding oncoming traffic, the Adap‐
tive Light Control does not swivel to the driver's
side when the vehicle is at a standstill.
When driving in reverse, Adaptive Light Control
is not active.
Malfunction The warning light lights up. Adaptive
Light Control is malfunctioning or has
failed. Have the system checked as
soon as possible.
More information, refer to page 199.
Fog lights
MINI Coupe, MINI Roadster1Fog lights2Rear fog light
To switch on/off, press the respective button.
MINI Convertible▷To switch on the front fog lights:
Press the switch upward.▷To switch on the rear fog light:
Press the switch downward.
To switch off, press the respective switch up‐
ward or downward again.
Fog lights The parking lights or low beams must be
switched on. The green indicator lamp lights up
when the front fog lights are switched on.
Depending on the vehicle equipment, the front
fog lights are switched off when the headlight
flasher or the high-beams are activated.
If the automatic headlight control is activated,
refer to page 75, the low beams are switched
on automatically when the front fog lights are
switched on.
Rear fog light The low beams or parking lights with front fog
lights must be switched on. The yellow indica‐
tor lamp lights up when the rear fog light is
switched on.
Instrument lightingThe parking lights or low beams must be
switched on to adjust the brightness. The
brightness is increased to a certain limit and is
then reduced again.
Seite 78CONTROLSLamps78
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 961 029 - II/15
▷Press the button briefly: the brightness
changes in stages.▷Press and hold the button: the brightness
changes continuously.
Interior lights
The interior lights, the footwell lights and thecargo area light are controlled automatically.
To avoid draining the battery, all lights inside
the vehicle are switched off some time after the
ignition is switched off.
Switching interior lights on/off
manually
To switch the interior lights on/off: press the
switch.
If the interior lights are to remain switched off,
press the switch for approx. 3 seconds.
Reading lights
Switching the reading lights on/off
Press the switch.
MINI Roadster with semi-automatic convertible top
To switch on the interior lights: press the switch
back.
To switch on the reading lights: press the switch
forward.
To switch off, press the respective switch for‐
ward or back again.
Ambient lighting
The color and brightness of the ambient light‐
ing can be changed.
Seite 79LampsCONTROLS79
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 961 029 - II/15
SafetyVehicle equipment
This chapter describes all series equipment as
well as country-specific and special equipment
offered for this model series. Therefore, it also
describes equipment that may not be found in
your vehicle, for instance due to the selected
special equipment or the country version. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems.
When using the features and systems described
here, adhere to local regulations.
Airbags1Front airbags2Side/head airbags in the seat backrests
Front airbags
Front airbags help protect the driver and front
passenger by responding to frontal impacts in
which safety belts alone cannot provide ade‐
quate restraint.
Combined side/head airbag
The combined side/head airbag supports the
side of the body in the chest area and the head.
Protective action
Airbags are not triggered in every impact situa‐
tion, e.g., in less severe accidents or rear-end
collisions.
Information on how to ensure the opti‐
mal protective effect of the airbags▷Keep at a distance from the airbags.▷Always grasp the steering wheel on the
steering wheel rim, holding your hands at
the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions, to
keep the danger of injury to your hands or
arms as low as possible if the airbag is trig‐
gered.▷There should be no people, animals, or ob‐
jects between an airbag and a person.▷Do not use the cover of the front airbag on
the front passenger side as a storage area.▷Keep the dashboard and window on the
front passenger side clear, i.e., do not cover
with adhesive labels or coverings, and do
not attach holders or cables such as for
navigation instruments and mobile phones.▷Make sure that the front passenger is sitting
correctly, i.e., keeps his or her feet and legs
in the footwell; otherwise, leg injuries can
occur if the front airbag is triggered.▷Do not place slip covers, seat cushions or
other objects on the front passenger seat
that are not approved specifically for seats
with integrated side airbags.▷Do not hang pieces of clothing, such as
jackets, over the backrests.▷Make sure that occupants keep their heads
away from the side airbag and do not rest
against the head airbag; otherwise, injuries
can occur if the airbags are triggered.▷Do not remove the airbag restraint system.▷Do not remove the steering wheel.Seite 81SafetyCONTROLS81
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 961 029 - II/15
Indicator light for the front passengerairbags
The indicator lamp for the front passenger air‐
bags indicates the operating state of the front
passenger airbags.
The light indicates whether the airbags are acti‐
vated or deactivated.
▷The indicator lamp lights up
when a child in a child re‐
straint fixing system in‐
tended for the purpose is
properly detected on the
seat. The airbags on the front
passenger side are not acti‐
vated.▷The indicator lamp does not light up when,
for example, a correctly seated person of
sufficient size is detected on the seat. The
airbags on the front passenger side are ac‐
tivated.▷The indicator lamp does not light up when
the seat is empty. However, the airbags on
the front passenger side are not activated.
Most child seats are detected by the system.
Especially the child seats required by NHTSA at
the time that the vehicle was manufactured.
After installing a child seat, make sure that the
indicator lamp for the front passenger airbags
lights up. This indicates that the child seat has
been detected and the front passenger airbags
are not activated.
Operational readiness of airbag system
In the radio ready state and beyond, re‐
fer to page 56, the warning light lights
up briefly to indicate that the entire air‐
bag system and the belt tensioners are opera‐
tional.
Airbag system malfunction
▷Warning light does not light up in the radio
ready state.▷Warning light remains permanently on.
Have the airbag system checked without
delay if there is a malfunction
In the event of a malfunction in the airbag sys‐
tem, have it checked without delay; otherwise,
there is the risk that the system will not func‐
tion as intended even if a sufficiently severe ac‐
cident occurs. ◀
MINI Convertible: roll‐
over protection system
The rollover protection system is automatically
activated in a sufficiently severe accident or
when the inclination of the longitudinal axis is
extremely high. The protective bars behind the
rear head restraints extend within fractions of a
second.
The rollover protection system increases the
safety of the vehicle occupants in addition to
the reinforced windshield frame.
Seite 83SafetyCONTROLS83
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 961 029 - II/15
should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper pres‐
sure. Driving on a significantly under-inflated
tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to
tire failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel ef‐
ficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the
vehicle's handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver's
responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure,
even if under-inflation has not reached the
level to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when
the system is not operating properly. The TPMS
malfunction indicator is combined with the low
tire pressure telltale. When the system detects
a malfunction, the telltale will flash for approxi‐
mately one minute and then remain continu‐
ously illuminated. This sequence will continue
upon subsequent vehicle startups as long as
the malfunction exists. When the malfunction
indicator is illuminated, the system may not be
able to detect or signal low tire pressure as in‐
tended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a va‐
riety of reasons, including the installation of re‐
placement or alternate tires or wheels on the
vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning
properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the re‐
placement or alternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function properly.Seite 90CONTROLSSafety90
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 961 029 - II/15
Driving stability control systemsVehicle equipment
This chapter describes all series equipment as
well as country-specific and special equipment
offered for this model series. Therefore, it also
describes equipment that may not be found in
your vehicle, for instance due to the selected
special equipment or the country version. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems.
When using the features and systems described
here, adhere to local regulations.
Antilock Brake System
ABS
ABS prevents locking of the wheels during braking.
Steerability is maintained even during full brak‐
ing. This increases active driving safety.
ABS is operational every time you start the en‐
gine.
Electronic brake-force distribution EBVThe system controls the brake pressure in the
rear wheels to ensure stable braking behavior.
CBC Cornering Brake Control
When braking in curves or during a lane
change, driving stability and steering response
are improved further.
Brake assistant When the brakes are applied rapidly, this sys‐
tem automatically produces the maximum
braking force boost. In this way, the system
helps keep the braking distance as short aspossible. This system utilizes all of the benefits
provided by ABS.
Do not reduce the pressure on the brake pedal
for the duration of full braking.
Dynamic Stability Con‐ trol DSC
The concept
DSC prevents traction loss in the driving wheels
when driving away and accelerating.
DSC also recognizes unstable vehicle condi‐
tions, such as fishtailing or nose-diving. Subject
to physical limits, DSC helps to keep the vehicle
on a steady course by reducing engine speed
and by applying brakes to the individual
wheels.
DSC is operational every time you start the en‐
gine.
Adjust your driving style to the situation
An appropriate driving style is always the
responsibility of the driver.
The laws of physics cannot be repealed, even
with DSC.
Do not reduce the additional safety margin
with a risky driving style, as otherwise there is a
risk of an accident. ◀
Deactivating DSCSeite 91Driving stability control systemsCONTROLS91
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 961 029 - II/15
In the interest of better forward momentum,
brake intervention is performed in the manner
of a differential lock when the drive wheels spin
unevenly even when DSC/DTC is deactivated.
Indicator/warning lamps The indicator lamp in the tachometer
flashes: DTC is controlling the drive
forces and brake forces.
The indicator lamp lights up: DSC and DTC has
failed.
The indicator lamp in the speedometer
lights up and TRACTION appears in the
tachometer.
DTC is activated.
Hill drive-off assistant This system supports driving away on gradients.
The parking brake is not required.
1.Hold the vehicle in place with the foot
brake.2.Release the foot brake and drive away
without delay.
Driving off without delay
After releasing the foot brake, start driv‐
ing without delay, since the drive-off assistant
will not hold the vehicle in place for more than
approx. 2 seconds and the vehicle will begin
rolling back. ◀
Sport button
When this button is pressed, the vehicle re‐
sponds in an even sportier manner.▷The engine responds more spontaneously
to accelerator movements.▷The steering responds more directly.▷Cooper S, John Cooper Works: the engine
sounds sportier when coasting.▷For Steptronic transmissions: more rapid
gear changes in the Sport program.
Activating the system
Press the button; the LED in the button
lights up and SPORT is displayed briefly
in the tachometer.
Deactivating the system
▷Press the button again.▷Switch the engine off.
MINI Coupe, MINI Road‐
ster: automatic rear
spoiler
General information The automatic rear spoiler increases the driving
stability of the vehicle.
Seite 93Driving stability control systemsCONTROLS93
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 961 029 - II/15