Things to remember when drivingVehicle features and op‐
tions
This chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems. The respectively applicable country provi‐
sions must be observed when using the respec‐
tive features and systems.
Breaking-in period
General information
Moving parts need time to adjust to one an‐
other (break-in time).
The following instructions will help accomplish
a long vehicle life and good efficiency.
During break-in, do not use the Launch Control,
refer to page 77.
Information
WARNING
Due to new parts and components, safety
and driver assistance systems can react with a
delay. There is risk of an accident. After instal‐
ling new parts or with a new vehicle, drive con‐
servatively and interfere early if necessary. Ob‐
serve the break-in procedures of the respective
parts and components.◀
Engine, transmission, and axle drive
Up to 1,200 miles/2,000 km
Do not exceed the maximum engine and road
speed:
▷For gasoline engine 4,500 rpm and
100 mph/160 km/h.
Avoid full load or kickdown under all circum‐
stances.
From 1,200 miles/2,000 km
The engine and vehicle speed can gradually be
increased.
Tires
Tire traction is not optimal due to manufactur‐
ing circumstances when tires are brand-new;
they achieve their full traction potential after a
break-in time.
Drive conservatively for the first
200 miles/300 km.
Brake system
Brakes require an initial break-in period of ap‐
prox. 300 miles/500 km to achieve optimal per‐
formance between brake discs and brake pads.
Drive moderately during this break-in period.
Clutch
The function of the clutch reaches its optimal
level only after a distance driven of approx.
300 miles/500 km. During this break-in period,
engage the clutch gently.
Following part replacement
The same break-in procedures should be ob‐
served if any of the components above-men‐
tioned have to be renewed in the course of the
vehicle's operating life.
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General driving notes
Closing split doors
WARNING
An open split door protrudes from the ve‐
hicle and can endanger occupants and other
road users or damage the vehicle in the event
of an accident, braking or evasive maneuvers.
In addition, exhaust fumes may enter the vehi‐
cle interior. There is risk of injuries or risk of
property damage. Do not drive with split doors
open.◀
If nevertheless you need to drive with split
doors open:
▷Close all windows and the glass sunroof.▷Greatly increase the air flow from the vents.▷Drive moderately.
Hot exhaust system
WARNING
During driving operation, high tempera‐
tures can occur underneath the body, for ex‐
ample caused by the exhaust gas system. If
combustible materials, such as leaves or grass,
come in contact with hot parts of the exhaust
gas system, these materials can ignite. There is
risk of injuries or risk of property damage.
Do not remove the heat shields installed and
never apply undercoating to them. Make sure
that no combustible materials can come in con‐
tact with hot vehicle parts in driving operation,
idle or during parking. Do not touch the hot ex‐
haust system.◀
Mobile communication devices in the
vehicle
WARNING
Vehicle electronics and mobile phones
can influence one another. There is radiation
due to the send operations of mobile phones.
There is risk of injuries or risk of property dam‐
age. If possible, in the car's interior use only
mobile phones with direct connections to an
exterior antenna in order to exclude mutual
disturbance and deflect the radiation from the
car's interior.◀
Hydroplaning
On wet or slushy roads, a wedge of water can
form between the tires and road surface.
This phenomenon is referred to as hydroplan‐
ing. It is characterized by a partial or complete
loss of contact between the tires and the road
surface, ultimately undermining your ability to
steer and brake the vehicle.
Driving through water
CAUTION
When driving too quickly through too
deep water, water can enter into the engine
compartment, the electrical system or the
transmission. There is risk of property damage.
When driving through water, do not exceed the
maximum indicated water level and the maxi‐
mum speed for driving through water.◀
When driving through water, observe the fol‐
lowing:
▷Drive through calm water only.▷Drive through water only if it is not deeper
than maximum 9.8 inches/25 cm.
▷Drive through water no faster than walking
speed, up to 3 mph/5 km/h.
Braking safely
Your vehicle is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature.
Perform an emergency stop in situations that
require such.
Steering is still responsive. You can still avoid
any obstacles with a minimum of steering ef‐
fort.
Pulsation of the brake pedal and sounds from
the hydraulic circuits indicate that ABS is in its
active mode.
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LoadingVehicle features and op‐
tions
This chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems. The respectively applicable country provi‐
sions must be observed when using the respec‐
tive features and systems.
Information
WARNING
High gross weight can overheat the tires,
damage them, and cause a sudden drop in tire
inflation pressure. There is risk of an accident.
Pay attention to the permitted load capacity of
the tires and never exceed the permitted gross
weight.◀
WARNING
Loose objects or devices with a cable
connection to the vehicle, for example mobile
phones, can be thrown into the car's interior
while driving, for example in the event of an
accident or during braking and evasive maneu‐
vers. There is risk of injuries. Secure loose ob‐
jects or devices with a cable connection to the
vehicle in the car's interior.◀
CAUTION
Fluids in the cargo area can cause dam‐
age. There is risk of property damage. Make
sure that no fluids leak in the cargo area.◀
CAUTION
The cargo floor panel is designed for a
particular maximum weight. Weight that is too
high and that is selective can damage the cargo
floor panel. There is risk of property damage.
Do not exceed the maximum load of the cargo
area floor and evenly distribute the cargo
across the cargo area floor.
The maximum load is 881 lbs/440 kg.◀
Determining the load
limit
1.Locate the following statement on your ve‐
hicle’s placard:
▷The combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX kg or
YYY lbs. Otherwise, damage to the ve‐
hicle and unstable driving situations
may result.
2.Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kilograms or YYY
pounds.
4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load ca‐
pacity.
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Roof racks are available as special accessories.
Securing
Follow the installation instructions of the roof
rack.
Loading
Because roof racks raise the vehicle's center of
gravity when loaded, they have a major effect
on vehicle handling and steering response.
Therefore, note the following when loading and
driving:
▷Do not exceed the approved roof/axle
loads and the approved gross vehicle
weight.
▷Be sure that adequate clearance is main‐
tained for tilting and opening the glass sun‐
roof.
▷Distribute the roof load uniformly.▷The roof load should not extend past the
loading area.
▷Always place the heaviest pieces on the
bottom.
▷Secure the roof luggage firmly, e.g., tie with
ratchet straps.
▷Drive cautiously and avoid sudden acceler‐
ation and braking maneuvers. Take corners
gently.
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Saving fuelVehicle features and op‐
tions
This chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems. The respectively applicable country provi‐
sions must be observed when using the respec‐
tive features and systems.
General information
Your vehicle contains advanced technology for
the reduction of fuel consumption and emis‐
sions.
Fuel consumption depends on a number of dif‐
ferent factors.
The implementation of certain measures, driv‐
ing style and regular maintenance can influ‐
ence fuel consumption and environmental im‐
pact.
Remove unnecessary
cargo
Additional weight increases fuel consumption.
Remove attached parts
following use
Remove auxiliary mirrors, roof-mounted or rear
luggage racks which are no longer required fol‐
lowing use.
Attached parts on the vehicle impair the aero‐
dynamics and increase the fuel consumption.
Close the windows and
glass sunroof
Driving with the glass sunroof and windows
open results in increased air resistance and
raises fuel consumption.
Tires
General information
Tires can affect fuel consumption in various
ways, for example, tire size may influence fuel
consumption.
Check the tire inflation pressure
regularly
Check and, if needed, correct the tire inflation
pressure at least twice a month and before
starting on a long trip.
Low tire inflation pressure increases rolling re‐
sistance and thus raises fuel consumption and
tire wear.
Drive away without de‐
lay
Do not wait for the engine to warm-up while
the vehicle remains stationary. Start driving
right away, but at moderate engine speeds.
This is the fastest way for the cold engine to
reach its operating temperature.
Look well ahead when
driving
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking.
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By maintaining a suitable distance to the vehi‐
cle driving ahead of you.
Driving smoothly and proactively reduces fuel
consumption.
Avoid high engine speeds
As a rule: driving at low engine speeds lowers
fuel consumption and reduces wear.
Use 1st gear to get the vehicle moving. Starting
with the 2nd gear, accelerate rapidly. When ac‐
celerating, shift up before reaching high engine
speeds.
When you reach the desired speed, shift into
the highest applicable gear and drive with the
engine speed as low as possible and at a con‐
stant speed.
The gear shift indicator, refer to page 86, of
your vehicle indicates the most fuel efficient
gear.
Use coasting conditions
When approaching a red light, take your foot
off the accelerator and let the vehicle coast to a
halt.
For going downhill take your foot off the accel‐
erator and let the vehicle roll.
The flow of fuel is interrupted while coasting.
Switch off the engine
during longer stops
Switch off the engine during longer stops, for
example, at traffic lights, railroad crossings or in
traffic congestion.
Auto Start/Stop function
The Auto Start/Stop function of your vehicle au‐
tomatically switches off the engine during a
stop.
If the engine is switched off and then restarted
rather than leaving the engine running con‐
stantly, fuel consumption and emissions are re‐
duced. Savings can begin within a few seconds
of switching off the engine.
In addition, fuel consumption is also deter‐
mined by other factors, such as driving style,
road conditions, maintenance or environmental
factors.
Switch off any functions
that are not currently
needed
Functions such as seat heating and the rear
window defroster require a lot of energy and
consume additional fuel, especially in city and
stop-and-go traffic.
Therefore, switch off these functions if they are
not actually needed.
Have maintenance car‐
ried out
Have vehicles maintained regularly to achieve
optimal vehicle efficiency and service life. MINI
recommends that maintenance work be per‐
formed by a MINI service center.
Also note the MINI maintenance systems, refer
to page 201.
GREEN Mode
The concept
The GREEN Mode supports a driving style that
saves on fuel consumption. For this purpose,
the engine control and comfort features, e. g.
the climate control output, are adjusted.
For Steptronic transmission:
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Display
Display in the instrument cluster
The mark in the bar display be‐
low the tachometer is high‐
lighted green and appears at the
zero point. The tachometer ap‐
proximately indicates idle speed.
Indications on the Control Display
The Coasting driving condition is displayed in
MINIMALISM Info while this driving mode is ac‐
tive.
The distance traveled in the Coasting driving
condition is indicated by a counter.
Color code green, arrow 1: distance traveled in
the Coasting driving condition. Symbol, ar‐
row 2: coasting driving condition.
Displaying MINIMALISM info
1. "Vehicle info"2."MINIMALISM"3. "MINIMALISM info"
Deactivating the system manually
The function can be deactivated in the Config‐
ure GREEN Mode, refer to page 170, menu, for
example, to use the braking effect of the en‐
gine when traveling downhill.
Settings are saved for the profile currently be‐
ing used.
MINIMALISM driving style analysis
The concept
In this situation the system helps develop an
especially efficient driving style and to conserve
fuel.
For this purpose, the driving style is analyzed.
The assessment is done in various categories
and is displayed on the Control Display.
Using this indication, the individual driving style
can be oriented toward conserving fuel.
The last fifteen minutes of a trip are evaluated.
The range of the vehicle can be extended by an
efficient driving style. This gain in range is dis‐
played as a bonus range in the instrument clus‐
ter and on the Control Display.
Functional requirement
The function is only available in GREEN Mode.
Calling up MINIMALISM Analyser
Via the Driving Dynamics Control
1.Activate GREEN Mode.2."MINIMALISM"3. Select the symbol.
Display
Display on the Control Display
The display of the MINIMALISM Analyser con‐
sists of a fish, which is riding along in a glass of
water on the roof of the MINI and a table of
values that rates the driving style in various cat‐
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RefuelingVehicle features and op‐
tions
This chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems. The respectively applicable country provi‐
sions must be observed when using the respec‐
tive features and systems.
Information
Observe the fuel recommendation, refer to
page 180, prior to refueling.
CAUTION
With a range of less than 30 miles/50 km
it is possible that the engine will no longer have
sufficient fuel. Engine functions are not ensured
anymore. There is risk of property damage. Re‐
fuel promptly.◀
Fuel lid
Opening
1.Briefly press the rear edge of the fuel filler
flap.
2.Turn the fuel cap counterclockwise.3.Place the fuel cap in the bracket attached
to the fuel filler flap.
Closing
1.Fit the lid and turn it clockwise until you
clearly hear a click.
2.Close the fuel filler flap.
WARNING
The retaining strap of the fuel cap be
jammed and crushed during closing. In this
case, the lid cannot be correctly closed and fuel
vapors or fuel can escape. There is risk of inju‐
ries or risk of property damage. Pay attention
that the retaining strap is not jammed or
crushed when closing the lid.◀
Manually unlocking fuel filler flap
E. g. in the event of an electrical malfunction.
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