MINI Countryman: safety switch
With the safety switch, the rear windows are
prevented from being opened or closed via the
switches in the rear passenger area, such as by
children.
Press the button. The LED lights up if the safety
function is switched on.
WARNING
When operating the windows, body parts
and objects can be jammed. There is risk of in‐
juries or risk of property damage. Make sure
that the area of movement of the windows is
clear during opening and closing. ◀
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AdjustingVehicle 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.
Sitting safely
The ideal seating position can make a vital con‐ tribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving.
The seating position plays an important role in
an accident in combination with:▷Safety belts, refer to page 38▷Head restraints, refer to page 41.▷Airbags, refer to page 74.
Seats
Note before adjusting WARNING
Seat adjustments while driving can lead
to unexpected movements of the seat. Vehicle
control could be lost. There is risk of an acci‐
dent. Only adjust the side on the driver's side
when the vehicle is stationary. ◀
WARNING
With a backrest inclined too far to the
rear, the protective effect of the safety belt
cannot be ensured anymore. There is a danger
of sliding under the safety belt in an accident.
There is risk of injuries or danger to life. Adjust
the seat prior to starting the trip. Adjust the
backrest in an as upright position as possible
and do not adjust again while driving. ◀
WARNING
There is risk of jamming when moving the
seats. There is risk of injuries or risk of property
damage. Make sure that the area of movement
of the seat is clear prior to any adjustment. ◀
Front seat adjustment
Forward/backward
Pull the lever, arrow 1, and slide the seat into
the desired position, arrows 2.
After releasing the lever, move the seat forward
or back slightly to make sure it engages prop‐
erly.
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Move the buckle tongues to the belt holder on
the headliner, refer to page 40, and insert them
into the provided holders.
Safety belt reminder for driver's seat
and front passenger seat
The indicator lamps light up and a sig‐
nal sounds. Check whether the safety
belt has been fastened correctly.
Damage to safety belts
In the case of strain caused by accidents or
damage:
Have the safety belts, including the safety belt
tensioners, replaced and have the belt anchors
checked.
WARNING
The protective effect of the safety belts
may not be fully functional or fail in the follow‐
ing situations:
▷Safety belts are damaged, soiled or
changed in any other way.▷Safety belt buckle is damaged or heavily
soiled.▷Belt tensioners or belt retractors were
modified.
Safety belts can be imperceptibly damaged in
the event of an accident. There is risk of injuries
or danger to life. Do not modify safety belts,
safety belt buckles, belt tensioners, belt retrac‐
tors or belt anchors and keep them clean. After
an accident, have the safety belts checked by a
dealer’s service center or another qualified
service center or repair shop. ◀
Head restraints
Information WARNING
A missing protective effect due to re‐
moved or not correctly adjusted head restraints
can cause injuries in the head and neck area.
There is risk of injuries. Install head restraints
on occupied seats prior to driving and make sure that the center of the head restraint sup‐
ports the back of the head at eye level. ◀
WARNING
Objects on the head restraint reduce the
protective effect in the head and neck area.
There is risk of injuries.▷Do not use seat or head restraint covers.▷Do not hang objects, e.g., clothes hangers,
directly on the head restraint.▷Only use accessories that have been deter‐
mined to be safe for attachment to a head
restraint.▷Do not use any accessories, e.g. pillows,
while driving. ◀
Correctly set head restraint
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk of spinal injury in the event of an accident.
Height Adjust the head restraint so that its center is
approx. at ear level.
MINI Countryman: the center rear head re‐
straint is not height adjustable.
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Height adjustment
To raise: pull.
To lower: press the button, arrow 1, and push
the head restraint down until it engages.
MINI Countryman: additionally press button 2
on the rear head restraints only if you wish to
remove them.
Removing Only remove the head restraint if no one will be
sitting in the seat in question.
Front
1.Pull the head restraint upward as far as
possible.2.MINI Countryman: tilt the backrest back
slightly.
MINI Paceman: fold the backrest forward if
necessary.3.Press button 1 and pull out the head re‐
straint all the way to the stop.
MINI Countryman: additionally press but‐
ton 2 using a suitable tool.4.Pull out the head restraint.5.Fold back the backrest.
Rear
1.Pull the head restraint upward as far as
possible.2.Fold the backrest forward slightly.3.Press button 1 and pull out the head re‐
straint all the way to the stop.
MINI Countryman: additionally press but‐
ton 2 using a suitable tool.4.Pull out the head restraint completely.5.Fold back the rear seat backrest.
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors
General information
The mirror on the passenger side is more
curved than the driver's mirror.
WARNING
Objects reflected in the mirror are closer
than they appear. The distance to the traffic
behind could be incorrectly estimated, e.g.
while changing lanes. There is risk of an acci‐
dent. Estimate the distance to the traffic behind
by looking over your shoulder. ◀
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Transporting children safelyVehicle 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.
The right place for chil‐
dren
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. ◀
Children should always be in the rear WARNING
Persons shorter than 5 ft, 150 cm cannot
correctly fasten the safety belt without suitable
additional restraint systems. The protective ef‐
fect of the safety belts can be limited or lost
when safety belts are fastened incorrectly. An
incorrectly fastened safety belt can cause addi‐
tional injuries, e.g. in the event of an accident
or during braking and evasive maneuvers.
There is risk of injuries or danger to life. Secure
persons shorter than 5 ft, 150 cm using suitable
restraint systems. ◀
Accident research shows that the safest place
for children is on the rear seat.
Only transport children younger than 12 years
of age (13 years of age) or shorter than 5 ft,
150 cm in the rear in child restraint systems
suitable for the age, weight and size of the
child.
Children 13 years of age or older must wear a
safety belt as soon as a suitable child restraint
system can no longer be used due to their age,
weight and size.
Children on the front passenger seat
Should it be necessary to use a child restraint
fixing system on the front passenger seat,
make sure that the front and side airbags on
the front passenger side are deactivated, refer
to page 75.
Information WARNING
Active front-seat passenger airbags can
injure a child in a child restraint system when
the airbags are activated. There is risk of inju‐
ries. Make sure that the front-seat passenger
airbags are deactivated and that the PASSEN‐
GER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp lights up. ◀
WARNING
The stability of the child restraint system
is limited or compromised with incorrect seat
adjustment or improper installation of the child
seat. There is risk of injuries or danger to life.
Make sure that the child restraint system fitsSeite 45Transporting children safelyCONTROLS45
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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.
When using the features and systems described
here, adhere to local regulations.
Ignition lock
Insert the remote control into the
ignition lock
Insert the remote control all the way into the
ignition lock.
Radio ready state is switched on. Individual
electrical consumers can operate.
Steering wheel lock
Removing the remote control from the
ignition lock
Before removing the remote control, push it all
the way in to release the locking mechanism.
The ignition is switched off if it was on.
Steptronic transmission You can only take out the remote control if
transmission position P is engaged: interlock.
Start/Stop button
Pressing the Start/Stop button switches the ig‐
nition on or off and starts the engine.
The engine starts when the Start/Stop button is
pressed and:
▷Manual transmission: the clutch pedal is de‐
pressed.▷Steptronic transmission: the brake pedal is
depressed.
Radio ready state
Individual electrical consumers can operate.
Radio ready state is switched off automatically:
▷When the remote control is removed from
the ignition lock.▷With Comfort Access, refer to page 28, by
pressing the button on the door handle or
the
button on the remote control.
▷After a certain period of time.
Ignition on All electrical consumers can operate. Most indi‐
cator and warning lights light up for different
lengths of time.
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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 28.
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.
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WARNING
Washer fluid may catch fire if it comes
into contact with hot engine parts. There is risk
of injuries or risk of property damage. Only refill
washer fluid after the engine has cooled down.
Then fully close the cap of the washer fluid res‐
ervoir. ◀
Washer fluid reservoir
All washer nozzles are supplied from one reser‐
voir.
The recommended minimum filling quantity is
0.2 US gal/1 liter.
Fill with a mixture of window washing concen‐
trate and water; if needed, add antifreeze ac‐
cording to the manufacturer instructions.
Mix the washer fluid before adding to maintain
the correct mixing ratio.
Do not fill in undiluted window washing con‐
centrate and do not fill in pure water; this could
damage the washer system.
Do not mix window washing concentrate from
different manufacturers; this could cause the
washer nozzles to clog.
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 58, 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 50.
Selector lever positions
P R N D M/S + –
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