
To save battery power when the engine is off,
switch off the ignition and any unnecessary
electronic systems/power consumers.
Radio ready state and ignition off All indicator and warning lights in the displays
go out.
The ignition switches off automatically when
the driver's door is opened. Pressing the Start/
Stop button again switches the ignition back
on.
For example, the ignition is not switched off in
the following situations:▷Depress the clutch or brake pedal.▷The low beams are switched on.
Starting the engine
General information DANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or ventila‐
tion is insufficient, harmful exhaust gases can
enter into the vehicle. The exhaust gases con‐
tain carbon monoxide, an odorless and color‐
less but highly toxic gas. In enclosed areas, ex‐
haust gases can also accumulate outside of the
vehicle. There is danger to life. Keep the ex‐
haust pipe free and ensure sufficient ventila‐
tion. ◀
WARNING
An unsecured vehicle can put itself into
motion and roll away. There is risk of an acci‐
dent. Before exiting, secure the vehicle against
rolling.
In order to ensure that the vehicle is secured
against rolling away, observe the following:
▷Set the parking brake.▷On uphill grades or on a slope, turn the
front wheels in the direction of the curb.▷On uphill grades or on a slope, additionally
secure the vehicle, e.g. with a wheel
chock. ◀
CAUTION
In the case of repeated starting attempts
or repeated starting in quick succession, the
fuel is not burned or is inadequately burned.
The catalytic converter can overheat. There is
risk of property damage. Avoid repeated start‐
ing in quick succession. ◀
Do not wait for the engine to warm-up while
the vehicle remains stationary; start driving
right away, but at moderate engine speeds.
Do not depress the accelerator when starting
the engine.
Starting the engine
Manual transmission
Remote control in the ignition lock or with
Comfort Access inside the vehicle, refer to
page 37.
1.Depress the brake pedal.2.Depress the clutch pedal.3.Press the Start/Stop button.
The ignition is activated automatically for a cer‐
tain time and is stopped as soon as the engine
starts.
Seite 59DrivingCONTROLS59
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 964 459 - VI/15

Steptronic transmissionRemote control in the ignition lock or, with
Comfort Access, inside the vehicle, refer to
page 37.1.Depress the brake pedal.2.Move the selector lever to position P or N.3.Press the Start/Stop button.
The ignition is activated automatically for a cer‐
tain time and is stopped as soon as the engine
starts.
Engine stop
General information WARNING
Unattended children or animals can move
the vehicle and endanger themselves and traf‐
fic, e.g. with the following actions:
▷Pressing the Start/Stop button.▷Releasing the parking brake.▷Opening and closing of doors or windows.▷Shifting the selector lever into neutral.▷Using vehicle equipment.
There is risk of accidents or injuries. Do not
leave children or animals unattended in the ve‐
hicle. Carry remote control along when exiting
and lock the vehicle. ◀
WARNING
An unsecured vehicle can put itself into
motion and roll away. There is risk of an acci‐
dent. Before exiting, secure the vehicle against
rolling.
In order to ensure that the vehicle is secured
against rolling away, observe the following:
▷Set the parking brake.▷On uphill grades or on a slope, turn the
front wheels in the direction of the curb.▷On uphill grades or on a slope, additionally
secure the vehicle, e.g. with a wheel
chock. ◀
Before driving into a car wash
To make it possible for the vehicle to roll in an
automatic car wash, follow the information on
Washing in automatic car washes, refer to
page 254.
Switching off the engine
Manual transmission
1.With the vehicle at a standstill, press the
Start/Stop button.2.Shift into first gear or reverse.3.Set the parking brake firmly.4.Remove the remote control from the igni‐
tion lock.
Steptronic transmission
1.Engage transmission position P with the ve‐
hicle stopped.2.Press the Start/Stop button.3.Set the parking brake firmly.4.Remove the remote control from the igni‐
tion lock.
Parking brake
The concept
The parking brake is primarily intended to pre‐
vent the vehicle from rolling while parked; it
brakes the rear wheels.
Also follow the instructions under Switching off
the engine, refer to page 60.
Setting The lever engages automatically.
Seite 60CONTROLSDriving60
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 964 459 - VI/15

Releasing
Pull up slightly, press the button, and lower the
lever.
Information If for once use during driving is required, en‐
gage the parking brake slightly and hold the
button down.
The brake lights do not light up when the park‐
ing brake is pulled.
Turn signal, high-beams,
headlight flasher
1Turn signal2Switching on the high-beams3Switching off the high-beams/headlight
flasher
Turn signal
Press the lever beyond the resistance point.
To switch off manually, press the lever to the
resistance point.
Unusually rapid flashing of the indicator lamp
indicates that a turn signal bulb has failed.
Signaling a turn briefly Press the lever to the resistance point and hold
it there for as long as you want the turn signal
to flash.
Triple turn signal activation Press the lever to the resistance point.
The turn signal flashes three times.
This function can be activated or deactivated:1."Settings"2."Lighting"3."Triple turn signal"
Settings are stored for the remote control cur‐
rently in use.
Washer/wiper system
Information Do not use the wipers if the windshield is dry,
as this may damage the wiper blades or cause
them to become worn more quickly.
CAUTION
If the wipers are frozen to the windshield,
the wiper blades can be torn off and the wiper
motor overheat on switching on. There is risk of
property damage. Defrost the windshield prior
to switching the wipers on. ◀
Seite 61DrivingCONTROLS61
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 964 459 - VI/15

Manual transmission
CAUTION
When shifting to a lower gear, excessive
speeds can damage the engine. There is risk of
property damage. When shifting into 5th or 6th
gear, press the gearshift lever to the right. ◀
Reverse gear Select only when the vehicle is stationary. When
the gearshift lever is pressed to the left, a slight
resistance needs to be overcome.
Steptronic transmission
In addition to the fully automatic mode, gears
can also be shifted manually, refer to
page 66, using Steptronic.
Parking the vehicle Before exiting the vehicle, make sure that se‐
lector lever position P is set. Otherwise, the ve‐
hicle may begin to roll.
Disengaging the remote control
To remove the remote control from the ignition
lock, first move the selector lever to position P
and switch off the engine: interlock. Remove
the remote control from the ignition lock, refer
to page 58.
Selector lever positions
P R N D M/S + –
Displays in the tachometer
The selector lever position is displayed and the
engaged gear, such as M4, is displayed in
manual mode.
Changing selector lever positions
▷To prevent the vehicle from creeping after
you select a gear, maintain pressure on the
brake pedal until you are ready to start.▷With the ignition switched on or the engine
running, the selector lever can be moved
out of position P.▷When the vehicle is stationary, step on the
brake before shifting out of P or N; other‐
wise, the selector lever is locked: shiftlock.
A lock prevents accidental shifting into selector
lever positions R and P.
To override the lock, press the button on the
front of the selector lever, see arrow.
P Park
Select only when the vehicle is stationary. The
front wheels are blocked.
Seite 65DrivingCONTROLS65
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 964 459 - VI/15

The transmission shifts down.
The vehicle only shifts up or down at suitable
engine and road speeds, e.g., it does not shift
down if the engine speed is too high. The se‐
lected gear is briefly displayed in the instru‐
ment panel, followed by the current gear.
Manually unlocking the selector leverlock
If the selector lever is locked in position P al‐
though the ignition is switched on, the brake is
depressed, and the button on the selector lever
is pressed, the selector lever lock can be over‐
ridden:
1.Switch off the ignition.2.Unclip the sleeve of the selector lever.3.Pull the sleeve up over the selector lever
until the sleeve is inside out.
Pull off the plug-in cable connector if nec‐
essary.4.Insert the pulling hook 1 into the loop on
the passenger side.
The pulling hook is found in the vehicle
document portfolio or in the pouch of the
wheel change set, refer to page 245.5.Pull the loop upward.6.Move the selector lever into the desired po‐
sition, pressing the button on the front of
the selector lever.WARNING
If the transmission lock is released man‐
ually, the vehicle may begin to roll. There is risk
of an accident. Before manually unlocking the
transmission lock, set the parking brake to pre‐
vent the vehicle from rolling away. ◀Seite 67DrivingCONTROLS67
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 964 459 - VI/15

Driving stability control systemsVehicle 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.
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.
Adapt your driving style to the situation, for an
appropriate driving style is always the responsi‐
bility of the driver.
DSC is operational every time you start the en‐
gine.
WARNING
When driving with roof load, e.g. with
roof-mounted luggage rack, driving safety may
not be ensured in driving-critical situations due
to the elevated center of gravity. There is risk of
accidents or risk of property damage. Do not
deactivate Dynamic Stability Control DSC when
driving with roof load. ◀Seite 93Driving stability control systemsCONTROLS93
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 964 459 - VI/15

Deactivating DSC
Press the switch until the DSC OFF indicator
lamp lights up in the speedometer and DSC OFF
appears in the tachometer. DSC is deactivated.
Intervening measures to stabilize the vehicle
and give it forward momentum are no longer
executed.
When driving with snow chains or to rock the
vehicle free of snow, it may be useful to deacti‐
vate DSC temporarily.
To increase vehicle stability, activate DSC again
as soon as possible.
Activating DSC
Press the switch again; the DSC indicator lamps
in the display elements go out.
Indicator/warning lights The indicator lamp in the tachometer
flashes: DSC 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 DSC OFF appears in the
tachometer.
DSC and DTC deactivated.
Dynamic Traction Con‐
trol DTC
The concept
The DTC system is a version of the DSC in which
forward momentum is optimized.
The system ensures maximum forward mo‐
mentum on special road conditions, e.g., unp‐
lowed snowy roads, but driving stability is lim‐
ited.
It is therefore necessary to drive with appropri‐
ate caution.
You may find it useful to briefly activate DTC
under the following special circumstances:
▷When driving in sand, on snowy inclines, in
slush, or on unplowed, snow-covered road
surfaces.▷When rocking a vehicle free or starting off
in deep snow, sand, or on loose ground.▷When driving with snow chains.Seite 94CONTROLSDriving stability control systems94
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 964 459 - VI/15

Activating DTC
Press the switch; the DSC OFF indicator lamp
lights up in the speedometer and TRACTION
appears in the tachometer. Dynamic Stability
Control DSC is deactivated, Dynamic Traction
Control DTC is activated.
Deactivating DTC Press the switch again; the DSC OFF indicator
lamp in the speedometer and TRACTION in the
tachometer go out.
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 lights 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.
After the foot brake is released, the vehicle is
held in place for approx. 2 seconds.
ALL4 all-wheel system ALL4 is the all-wheel system of your MINI. The
combined effects of ALL4 and DSC further opti‐
mize the traction and dynamic driving charac‐
teristics. The ALL4 all-wheel system variably
distributes the drive forces to the front and rear
axles depending on the driving situation and
prevailing road conditions.
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.Seite 95Driving stability control systemsCONTROLS95
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 964 459 - VI/15