MINI COOPER 2003 Service Manual
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39
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
MIRRORS Adjusting exterior mirrors1Switch for choosing between the left and 
right mirror
2Switch for 4-way adjustmentManual adjustmentThe mirrors can also be adjusted manually:
Press the edge of the lens.Electric heating*Both mirrors are heated automatically 
when the ignition key is in position 2.
 
Interior rearview mirror To reduce glare from vehicles behind you 
when you are driving at night:
Tilt the lever forward.Illuminated vanity mirrorFrom ignition key position 1:
1. Fold down the sun visor
2. Fold the cover panel upwards.Sun visorsCan be swung sideways.
Interior mirror, automatic dimming* This mirror dims automatically as required.
The mirror becomes clear again when you 
engage reverse gear or select position R on 
the selector lever. 
Keep the photocells free and clean to 
ensure that the mirror functions perfectly.
There is one photocell in the mirror frame; 
the other is on the back of the mirror.
Do not cover the area between the 
inside rearview mirror and the wind-
shield, and do not place stickers or toll tags 
on the windshield in front of the mirror.<
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AIRBAGS 1Side airbags in seatback on the driver 
and passenger side – front
2Head airbags on the driver and passen-
ger sides for both rows of seats – 
front/rear
3Front airbags on the driver and passen-
ger sidesProtective effectThe front airbags supplement the safety 
belts by providing additional protection for 
the driver and front passenger in the event 
of a frontal collision in which the protec-
tion afforded by the belts alone may no 
longer be sufficient. 
When needed, the head and side airbags 
help to furnish protection in the event of 
side impact. 
Each of the side airbags is designed to help 
support the seat occupant's upper body.
For information on sitting posture, refer to 
page 33.
The airbags do not deploy in response 
to minor collisions, rear impacts and 
certain kinds of vehicle rollover.<
Even when all safety guidelines are 
observed, there is a small residual risk that 
passengers will sustain facial, hand or arm 
injuries in isolated instances. The ignition 
and inflation noise may induce a mild tem-
porary hearing loss in sensitive individuals.
Do not apply adhesive materials to 
the cover panels of the airbags, cover 
them or modify them in any other way. Do 
not fit covers, cushions or other items to 
the front seats that have not been specially 
approved for seats with side airbags. Do 
not hang clothing, e. g. jackets, over the 
backrests. Do not attempt to remove the 
airbag restraint system from the vehicle. In 
the event of malfunctions, immobilization 
or use, i. e. triggering, of the airbag restraint 
system in accordance with its intended 
function, commission a MINI Dealer with 
the inspection, repair or disassembly. Do 
not make any changes yourself to the indi-
vidual components and wiring. This 
includes the padded covers of the steering 
wheel, instrument panel and the roof sup-
ports, as well as the sides of the roofliner 
and the original backrest covers on the 
front seats. Do not attempt to remove or 
dismantle the steering wheel. In view of 
the applicable safety regulations, arrange 
for your MINI Dealer to dispose of the air-
bag generators. Unprofessional attempts 
to service the system could lead to failure 
in an emergency or undesired airbag acti-
vation, either of which could result in per-
sonal injury. Do not touch the individual 
components directly after the system has 
been triggered, as otherwise there is a dan-
ger of burns.<
At all times, occupants should sit 
upright and be properly restrained, 
infants and small children in appropriate 
child-restraint systems, larger children and 
adults using the safety belts. Never let an 
occupant's head rest near or on a head air-
bag because the inflating airbag could 
cause serious or fatal injury. A child which 
is not properly restrained could place his or 
her head on or near the airbag.<
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OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
AIRBAGS TRANSPORTING CHILDREN SAFELYIndicator lamp
The indicator lamp on the instru-
ment panel shows the airbag sys-
tem status starting from ignition 
key position 1.
System operational:
>The indicator lamp comes on briefly.
System malfunction:
>The indicator lamp does not come on
>The indicator lamp fails to go out after 
the engine has been started, or it comes 
on during normal driving.
A system defect could prevent the airbags 
from deploying in response to a severe 
impact occurring within the system's nor-
mal triggering range.
Have the airbag system checked as soon as 
possible by your MINI Dealer. 
Children younger than 12 years of age or 
smaller than 5 ft / 150 cm must be trans-
ported in suitable child-restraint system. 
Otherwise there is an increased risk of 
injury in the event of an accident.
Commercially-available child-restraint sys-
tems are designed to be secured with a lap 
belt or with the lap belt portion of a combi-
nation lap/shoulder belt. Improperly or 
inadequately installed restraint systems 
can increase the risk of injury to children. 
Always read and follow the instructions 
that come with the system. 
If you use a child-restraint system with a 
tether strap:
Your vehicle has one of two different types 
of child-restraint anchor fittings on the 
back of the rear seats, see arrows 1 or 2.
Depending on the location selected for 
seating in the rear passenger area, attach 
the tether strap to the corresponding 
anchorage point to secure the child-
restraint system.
Adjust the tether strap according to the 
child-restraint manufacturer's instructions.
Anchor fitting 1 is shown above.
Anchor fitting 2 is shown in the next 
column.<
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TRANSPORTING CHILDREN SAFELYBoth seating positions are fitted with a 
head restraint. Lift the head restraint and 
pass the tether strap between the head res-
traint and the seat back. It is recommended 
to readjust the head restraint into the low-
est possible position.
Adjust the tether strap according to 
the child-restraint manufacturer's 
instructions. Before installing any child-res-
traint system, please read the following: 
Never install a rearward-facing child-res-
traint system in the front passenger seat of 
this vehicle. 
Your vehicle is equipped with an airbag 
supplemental restraint system for the front 
passenger. Because the backrest on any 
rearward-facing child-restraint system – 
of the kind designed for infants under 
1 year and 20 Ibs. / 9 kg – would be within 
the airbag's deployment range, you should 
never mount such a device in the front pas-
senger seat, since the impact of the airbag 
against the child-restraint's backrest could 
lead to serious or fatal injuries. 
If it is necessary for a child – not an infant – 
to ride in the front seat, certain precautions 
should be taken. First, move the passenger 
seat as far away from the instrument panel 
as possible. This important precaution is 
intended to maximize the distance 
between the airbag and the child. Older 
children should be tightly secured with a 
safety belt, after they have outgrown a 
booster seat that is appropriate for their 
age, height and weight. Younger children 
should be secured in an appropriate for-
ward-facing child-restraint system that has 
first been properly secured with a safety 
belt. Never install a rearward-facing child-
restraint system in the front passenger 
seat. 
We strongly urge you to carefully read and 
comply with the instructions for installa-
tion and use provided by the child-
restraint's manufacturer whenever you use 
such a device.
Be sure that all occupants – of all ages – 
remain properly and securely restrained at 
all times.
According to accident statistics, children 
are safer when properly restrained in the 
rear seats than in the front seating positi-
ons.<
All rear seats in your vehicle conform to the 
guidelines defined in SAE J1819, an indus-
try recommended practice for securing 
child-restraint systems in motor vehicles.
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OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
TRANSPORTING CHILDREN SAFELYChild seat securityAll of the rear belt retractors and the front 
passenger's safety belt can be locked for 
mounting and securing child-restraint 
systems.
Information regarding this is located near 
the buckle latch of each safety belt.
To lock the belt Pull the entire length of the belt from the 
belt retractor. Allow the reel to retract the 
belt somewhat and engage the buckle, 
then tighten the belt against the child-res-
traint system. 
The retraction mechanism is now locked. To unlock the belt Release the buckle, remove the child-
restraint system and allow the belt retrac-
tor to reel the belt completely in. 
LATCH child-restraint systemOpen the cover.
The illustration is an example showing the 
mounts for the LATCH, Lower Anchors and 
Tethers for CHildren, child-restraint moun-
ting system at the right rear.
The system is also available at the left rear 
position.
Canadian models only:
The LATCH anchorage points are identified 
by buttons, see illustration.
Always follow all manufacturer's 
instructions and observe all safety 
precautions when installing the LATCH 
child-restraint system.<
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VEHICLE MEMORY How the system functionsNo doubt you have often reflected on how 
great it would be if you could configure 
your vehicle's various adjustment settings 
to meet your own personal requirements. 
In developing this vehicle, the manufac-
turer of the MINI has incorporated a num-
ber of options that your MINI Dealer can 
program to reflect your individual prefer-
ences. 
What the system can doYour MINI Dealer can provide you with 
details on the capabilities of the Vehicle 
Memory system.
Examples for Vehicle Memory:
>Automatic locking after starting to drive, 
see page 26
>Selective central locking system, see 
pages 24, 25
>Automatically opening the sliding/tilt 
sunroof, see page 29
>Convenience opening, see pages 24, 
25, 26
>Delayed lighting shut off, "Follow-me-
home" lamps, see page 52
>Daytime driving lamps, see page 52
>Speed-dependent windshield wipers, see 
page 55
>Acoustic ignition key warning, 
see page 45
>Fuel consumption display, see page 61
>Temperature display, see page 61
>Volume control PDC, see page 66
>Acoustic alarm for starting PDC 
activation, see page 66This symbol alerts you to Vehicle 
Memory functions in the Owner's 
Manual<
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OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
IGNITION LOCK 0Steering locked 
1Steering unlocked
2Ignition switched on
3Starting the engine0Steering locked The key can be inserted or removed in this 
position only.
To lock the steering:
1. Remove the key
2. Turn the steering wheel slightly to the 
left or right until the lock engages.
A sound alarm goes off if the key 
remains in the ignition after opening 
the driver's door.<
You can have this function activated/
deactivated by your MINI Dealer.<
Vehicles with Continuously Variable 
automatic Transmission (CVT):
Do not move the selector lever from 
position P until the engine is running.
Your vehicle is equipped with an interlock. 
Therefore, the ignition key cannot be 
turned to position 0 and removed until the 
selector lever is in position P – Interlock.<
1Steering unlocked Individual electrical accessories are ready 
for operation.
You will find that it is often easier to turn 
the ignition key from position 0 to 
position 1 when you move the steering 
wheel slightly to help disengage the lock.2Ignition switched onAll electrical accessories are ready for oper-
ation.3Starting the engine
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Step on the clutch when starting the 
vehicle. A lockout prevents the engine from 
starting if the clutch is not depressed.<
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STARTING THE ENGINE Do not allow the engine to warm up with 
the vehicle at a standstill. Move off imme-
diately at a moderate engine speed.
Do not allow the engine to run in 
enclosed spaces. The exhaust gases 
contain carbon monoxide, an odorless and 
colorless, but highly toxic gas. Breathing 
the exhaust gases poses an extreme health 
risk, and can lead to unconsciousness and 
death. 
Do not leave the vehicle unattended with 
the engine running. This is a safety hazard.
When driving, standing at idle or parking 
the vehicle, take care to avoid contact 
between the hot exhaust system and flam-
mable materials – e.g. hay, leaves, grass, 
etc. Such contact could lead to a fire, result-
ing in serious personal injury and property 
damage.<
StartingWhen starting the engine, do not press the 
accelerator pedal.
Do not actuate the starter for too 
short a time. Do not turn it for more 
than approx. 20 seconds. Release the igni-
tion key immediately when the engine 
starts.
Extended starting attempts, characterized 
by excessively frequent or long periods 
with the starter engaged, can lead to dam-
age in the catalytic converter.<
If the engine does not start on the first 
attempt, for instance if the engine is very 
hot or cold: 
>When starting the engine, press the gas 
pedal down halfway.
When first starting the engine at very low 
temperatures – from +5 7 / –15 6:
>When starting the engine, press the gas 
pedal down halfway
>For the initial start attempt, allow the 
starter to remain engaged somewhat 
longer, approx. 10 seconds.
Manual transmission1. Engage the parking brake
2. Put the manual gearshift lever in neutral
3. Press the clutch pedal
4. Start the engine.Continuously Variable automatic 
Transmission (CVT)*1. Press the footbrake
2. Put the selector lever in position P or N
3. Start the engine.
Move the selector lever to position P 
and engage the parking brake before 
leaving your vehicle with the engine run-
ning.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended with 
the engine running. This is a safety haz-
ard.<
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OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
SWITCHING OFF THE ENGINE  PARKING BRAKE 
You should never remove the ignition 
key when the vehicle is in motion, as 
the steering lock could engage.
When you leave the vehicle, always remove 
the ignition key and engage the steering 
lock.
When you park on downward slopes, 
engage the parking brake.<
Manual transmissionTurn the ignition key to position 1 or 0.Continuously Variable automatic 
Transmission (CVT)*Engage selector lever position P, turn the 
ignition key to position 1 or 0.
The parking brake is designed primarily to 
prevent the vehicle from rolling when it is 
parked. It operates against the rear wheels.To engageLever automatically locks in position. 
The warning lamp in the instrument cluster 
comes on when the ignition key is in 
position 2, see page 16.To release1. Pull up slightly
2. Press the button
3. Push the lever downwards.
If, in exceptional circumstances, it 
should be necessary to engage the 
parking brake while the vehicle is in 
motion, do not pull the lever with excessive 
pressure. Keep your thumb pressed against 
the release button while carefully pulling 
the lever up to apply moderate pressure.
Excessive pressure can lead to overbraking 
and loss of traction, i.e. fishtailing, at the 
rear axle.
The brake lamps do not come on when the 
parking brake is engaged.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Always engage the parking brake when 
parking on hills and inclined surfaces, as 
first gear or reverse may not provide ade-
quate resistance to rolling.
Vehicles with CVT:
Place the selector lever in P.<
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MANUAL TRANSMISSION The manual gearshift lever neutral plane 
lies in the gear plane of the 3rd / 4th gear.
When shifting from each gear into Neutral, 
the manual gearshift lever springs back 
automatically into the gearshift lever neu-
tral plane.6-speed transmission*
When changing gear in the 5th/6th 
gear plane, press the gearshift lever 
to the right to prevent inadvertently shift-
ing to a gear of the 3rd/4th gear plane.<
Reverse Before selecting reverse gear, ensure the 
vehicle is stationary; then, fully depress the 
clutch pedal and pause briefly before mov-
ing the gearshift lever into position.
5-speed transmission:
Press the gearshift lever to the right and to 
the back.
6-speed transmission:
Press the gearshift lever towards the left. 
Thereby overcome the slight resistance and 
press forward.
As you do this, the backup lamps will turn 
on automatically when the ignition key is 
in position 2.Do not hold the vehicle in place on 
slopes by slipping or "riding" the 
clutch. Use the parking brake instead. 
Riding the clutch causes the clutch assem-
bly to wear out sooner.<
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