The backrests can be adjusted to 10 different
positions between the comfort and transport
positions and they can be folded down.
In the comfort position, the backrests are tilted
back to the greatest possible angle and in the
transport position they are nearly vertical.
Before beginning with the mounting of a child
restraint fixing system, note the instructions,
refer to page 45.1.Hold the top of the backrest, for example
the head restraint, and pull on the loop, ar‐
row.2.Engage the backrest in the desired position
or fold it down.
Folding the backrests back up
WARNING
With an unlocked backrest, an unsecured
load can be thrown into the car's interior, e.g.
in case of an accident, braking or evasive ma‐
neuver. There is risk of injuries. Make sure that
the backrest engages into the locking after
folding it back. ◀
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 fits
securely against the backrest. If possible, adjust
the backrest tilt for all affected backrests and
correctly adjust the seats. Make sure that seats
and backrests are securely engaged. If possible,
adjust the height of the head restraints or re‐
move them. ◀
When the backrests are folded back up, they
engage in the transport position.
To set the desired backrest inclination or com‐
fort position, hold the backrest, pull the loop
forward, and adjust the backrest.
MINI Paceman: rear seat backrests1.Fold the belt buckles down.2.Pull on the respective loop, arrow.
The backrest is unlocked.3.Fold the backrest forward.
Folding the backrests back up Hold the top of the backrest, for example the
head restraint, and fold it back.
WARNING
With an unlocked backrest, an unsecured
load can be thrown into the car's interior, e.g.
in case of an accident, braking or evasive ma‐
neuver. There is risk of injuries. Make sure that
the backrest engages into the locking after
folding it back. ◀
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Removing
To remove and stow the partition net, proceed
in reverse order.
To fold up, press the release button, arrow.
MINI Countryman: multi-function hook
Hooks designed for hanging shopping bags and
totes, for example, are located on the left and
right sides of the cargo cover support, arrow.
WARNING
Improper use of the multifunction hooks
can lead to a danger of objects flying about
during braking and evasive maneuvers. There is
risk of injuries and risk of property damage.
Only hang lightweight objects, e.g. shopping
bags, from the multifunction hooks. Only trans‐
port heavy luggage in the cargo area if it has
been appropriately secured. ◀
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Storage compartmentsVehicle 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.
Information WARNING
Loose objects in the car's interior can be
thrown into the car's interior while driving, e.g.
in the event of an accident or during braking
and evasive maneuvers. There is risk of injuries.
Secure loose objects in the car's interior. ◀
CAUTION
Anti-slip pads such as anti-slip mats can
damage the dashboard. There is risk of prop‐
erty damage. Do not use anti-slip pads. ◀
Storage compartments Interior▷Glove compartment, refer to page 106.▷Center armrest, refer to page 107.▷Center rail, refer to page 107.▷Compartments in the center console.▷Compartments in the doors.▷Pockets on the back of the front seat back‐
rests.▷Cupholders, refer to page 100.▷Clothes hooks, refer to page 107.
Cargo area
▷Lashing eyes, refer to page 118.▷Storage compartment under the flat load‐
ing floor, refer to page 104.▷Multi-function hook on the cargo cover
support, refer to page 105.
Glove compartment
Opening
Pull the handle to open the lid.
The light in the glove compartment switches
on.
Closing Fold up the cover.
WARNING
Folded open, the glove compartment
protrudes in the car's interior. Objects in the
glove compartment can be thrown into the
car's interior while driving, e.g. in the event of
an accident or during braking and evasive ma‐
neuvers. There is risk of injuries. Always close
the glove compartment immediately after us‐
ing it. ◀
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Ventilation
Depending on the vehicle's equipment, the
glove compartment can be ventilated and, if the cooling function is switched on, cooled.
Opening
Turn the switch in the direction of the arrow.
ClosingMove the switch to the vertical position by
turning it in the opposite direction of the arrow.
Depending on the temperature setting of the
air conditioning or automatic climate control,
high temperatures may occur in the glove com‐
partment.
Center armrest
The center armrest between the front seats
contains a storage compartment or a cover for
the snap-in adapter, refer to page 145, de‐
pending on the equipment.
Do not position tall accessory parts directly on
the center rail of the center armrest; otherwise, they may be damaged when the center arm‐
rest is opened or closed.
Center armrest front
Opening
Press the button, arrow, and pull up the lid.
Center rail
Rail segment
The rail segment can be used to secure various
objects that are placed into the rail against slip‐
ping, such as a ball point pen or smartphone.
In addition, the connection cable of the smart‐
phone can be secured using the rail segment.
1.Twist the rail segment, arrow 1, to remove
it.2.Insert the connection cable centrally into
the recess, arrow 2.3.Fix the rail segment in the rail.
Clothes hooks
Clothes hooks are located on the grab handles
in the rear.
WARNING
Clothing articles on the clothes hooks can
obstruct the view while driving. There is risk of
an accident. When suspending clothing articles
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from the hooks, ensure that they will not ob‐
struct the driver's view. ◀
WARNING
Improper use of the clothes hooks can
lead to a danger of objects flying about during
braking and evasive maneuvers. There is risk of
injuries and risk of property damage. Only hang
lightweight objects, e.g. clothing articles, from
the clothes hooks. ◀
Connection for an exter‐
nal audio device
This can be used to connect an external audio
device, such as a CD or MP3 player.
Radio MINI Boost CD, refer to page 132.
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Closing the tailgateWARNING
An open tailgate protrudes from the vehi‐
cle and can endanger occupants and other traf‐
fic participants or damage the vehicle in the
event of an accident, braking or evasive ma‐
neuvers. In addition, exhaust fumes may enter
the vehicle interior. There is risk of injuries or
risk of property damage. Do not drive with the
tailgate open. ◀
If, despite this, the vehicle must be driven with
the tailgate open:▷Drive moderately.▷Close all windows and the glass sunroof.▷Switch off recirculated air mode and greatly
increase the blower speed.
Hot exhaust system
WARNING
During driving operation, high tempera‐
tures can occur underneath the body, e.g.
caused by the exhaust gas system. If combusti‐
ble materials, such as leaves or grass, come in
contact with hot parts of the exhaust gas sys‐
tem, 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
The vehicle's performance may be af‐
fected by interference from high frequency
radio signals. These signals are emitted by a
series of transmission systems, such as from air
traffic beacons or relay stations for mobile tele‐
communications.
If you have problems of this nature, we recom‐
mend that you consult your dealer’s service
center or another qualified service center or re‐
pair shop. ◀
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.
The risk of hydroplaning increases as the tire
tread depth decreases. Minimum tread depth,
refer to page 160.
Driving through water Drive though calm water only if it is not deeper
than 12 inches/30 cm and at this height, no
faster than walking speed, up to
6 mph/10 km/h.
Using the parking brake on inclines On inclines, do not hold the vehicle stationary
with a slipping clutch for extended period; use
the parking brake instead. Otherwise, the
clutch will be subject to increased wear.
Support from the hill drive-off assistant, refer to
page 86.
Braking safely The vehicle is equipped with ABS as a standardfeature.
Applying the brakes fully is the most effective
way of braking in situations when this is neces‐
sary.
The vehicle maintains steering responsiveness.
You can still avoid any obstacles with a mini‐
mum of steering effort.
Pulsation of the brake pedal and sounds from
the hydraulic circuits indicate that ABS is in its
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Objects in the area around the pedalsWARNING
Objects in the driver's floor area can limit
the pedal distance or block a depressed pedal.
There is risk of an accident. Stow objects in the
vehicle such that they are secured and cannot
enter into the driver's floor area. Use floor mats
that are suitable for the vehicle and can be
safely attached to the floor. Do not use loose
floor mats and do not layer several floor mats.
Make sure that there is sufficient clearance for
the pedals. Ensure that the floor mats are se‐
curely fastened again after they were removed,
e.g. for cleaning. ◀
Driving in wet conditions When roads are wet or there is heavy rain,
briefly exert gentle pressure on the brake pedal
every few miles.
Ensure that this action does not endanger other
road users.
The heat generated in this process helps dry
the brake discs and pads.
In this way braking efficiency will be available
when you need it.
Hills
Drive long or steep downhill gradients in the
gear in which the least braking is required. Oth‐
erwise, the brake system may overheat, result‐
ing in a reduction in the brake system effi‐
ciency.
You can increase the engine's braking effect by
shifting down, going all the way to first gear, if
necessary.
Downshifting in manual mode of the Steptronic
transmission, refer to page 58.
WARNING
Light but consistent brake pressure can
lead to high temperatures, brakes wearing out
and possibly even brake failure. There is risk ofan accident. Avoid placing excessive load on
the brake system. ◀
WARNING
In idle or with the engine switched off,
safety-relevant functions are restricted or not
available anymore, e.g. braking effect of the
engine or braking force and steering support.
There is risk of an accident. Do not drive in idle
or with the engine switched off. ◀
Brake disc corrosion Corrosion on the brake discs and contamina‐
tion on the brake pads are furthered by:▷Low mileage.▷Extended periods when the vehicle is not
used at all.▷Infrequent use of the brakes.
Corrosion occurs when the minimum pressure
that must be exerted by the pads during brake
applications to clean the discs is not reached.
Should corrosion form on the brake discs, the
brakes will tend to respond with a pulsating ef‐
fect that generally cannot be corrected.
When the vehicle is parked
When using the automatic climate control, con‐
densation water develops that exits under‐
neath the vehicle.
Therefore, traces of condensed water under the
vehicle are normal.
After the engine is switched off, the coolant
pump may continue running for some time in
the MINI Cooper S. This causes noises in the en‐
gine compartment.
Driving on poor roadsYour MINI with ALL4 all-wheel drive feels com‐
fortable on all streets and roads. It combines an
all-wheel drive system with the advantages of a
normal passenger car.
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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.
When using the features and systems described
here, adhere to local regulations.
General information WARNING
High gross weight can overheat the tires,
damage them internally, 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 per‐
mitted gross weight. ◀
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. ◀
WARNING Loose objects in the car's interior can be
thrown into the car's interior while driving, e.g.
in the event of an accident or during braking
and evasive maneuvers. There is risk of injuries.
Secure loose objects in the car's interior. ◀Determining the load
limit1.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.
For example, if the YYY amount equals
1,000 lbs and there will be four 150 lbs pas‐
sengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity
is 400 lbs: 1,000 lbs minus 600 lbs =
400 lbs.5.Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely exceed theSeite 116DRIVING TIPSLoading116
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