MINI COOPER 2011 Owners Manual

Things to remember when drivingDRIVING TIPS
99
Adjusting rear seat backrest*
Expand the cargo area by raising the rear seat
backrests to a steeper angle.
1.Pull the lever, arrow 1, and fold the rear seat
backrest forward.
2. Fold up the lever of the backrest lock until it
audibly engages, arrow 2.
3. Fold back the backrest until it engages.
If the rear seat backrests are positioned at
a steeper angle, do not install child
restraint systems in the rear of the vehicle as
their protective features may be ineffective. <
MINI Convertible: luggage compartment
Do not place any objects on the luggage
compartment roller cover, as this may
damage the cover or the convertible top. <
Loading aid
When the convertible top is closed, you can load
the vehicle more easily by releasing the convert-
ible top and folding it up.
1.Release the convertible top using the han-
dles, refer to arrows 1. 2.
Lift the convertible top, refer to arrow 2.
3. Fold back the handles and place them on
holders 3.
Expanding the luggage compartment
volume
You can enlarge the luggage compartment
volume when the convertible top is closed.
1. Fold the convertible top upward, refer to
Loading aid.
2. Pull luggage compartment roller cover
rearward out of the lower brackets and pivot
upward, refer to arrows 1,
3. Push cover into the upper storage areas,
refer to arrows 2 and place down horizon-
tally.
To operate the convertible top, move
the cargo area cover back to its lower
position. <

DRIVING TIPSThings to remember when driving
100
Split-folding rear seats
To be able to transport larger objects, the rear
backrest can be folded down.
1.If necessary, use the integrated key to open
the backrest lock 1.
2. Press button 2 and fold down backrest
together with the belt strap.
3. Fold the backrest forward.
When folding the backrest back into its
original position, alwa ys ensure that the
catch engages securely. A loose backrest might
fail to prevent cargo from entering the passen-
ger compartment during sudden braking or
evasive maneuvers, posing a potential hazard
to occupants.
The belt guide loop, refer to page 41, must be
closed. <
Determining cargo limit
1.Locate the following statement on your
vehicle's placard
*:
The combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
XXX lbs. or YYY kg. Otherwise, damage to
the vehicle and unstable driving conditions
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 pounds or
YYY kilograms.
4. The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the XXX amount equals
1,400 lbs. and there will be four 150-lb.
passengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs.:
1,400 lbs. minus 750 lbs. = 650 lbs.
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated
in step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, part of
the load from your trailer will be transferred
to your vehicle. Consult the manual for
transporting a trailer to determine how this
may reduce the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.
Load
The permissible load is the sum of the occu-
pants' weights and the we ight of the cargo. The
greater the weight of the occupants, the less
cargo/luggage can be transported.

Things to remember when drivingDRIVING TIPS
101
Stowing cargo
>Position heavy objects as low and as far
forward as possible, id eally directly behind
the rear seat backrests.
> Cover sharp edges and corners.
> For very heavy cargo when the rear seat is
not occupied, secure each safety belt in the
respective opposite buckle.
> Do not stack higher than the top edge of the
backrests.
MINI
MINI Convertible Securing cargo
>
Secure smaller and lighter items using
retaining or draw straps
*.
> Heavy-duty cargo straps
* for securing larger
and heavier objects ar e available at your
MINI dealer. Four lashing eyes are provided
for attaching the cargo straps. Two of them
are located on the forward wall of the cargo
area.
Comply with the information enclosed with
the load-securing devices.
Always position and secure the cargo as
described above, so that it cannot endan-
ger the car's occupants, for example if sudden
braking or swerves are necessary.
Do not exceed the approved gross vehicle
weight and axle loads, page 191; otherwise, the
vehicle's operating safety is no longer assured
and the vehicle will not be in compliance with
the construction and use regulations.
Heavy or hard objects should not be carried
loose inside the car, since they could be thrown
around, for example as a re sult of heavy braking,
sudden swerves, etc., and endanger the occu-
pants. Do not secure ca rgo using the fastening
points for the tether strap, page 44; they may
become damaged. <

DRIVING TIPSThings to remember when driving
102
MINI: roof-mounted
luggage rack*
A special rack system is available as an option for
your MINI. Your MINI dealer will be glad to
advise you. Comply with the installation
instructions supplied with the rack system.
Mounting points
Remove the cover panel.
Loading roof-mounted luggage rack
Because roof racks raise the vehicle's center of
gravity when loaded, they have a major effect
on vehicle handling and steering response.
You should therefore always remember not to
exceed the approved roof load capacity, the
approved gross vehicle weight or the axle loads
when loading the rack.
You can find the applicable data under Weights
on page 191.
The roof load must be distributed uniformly and
should not be too large in area. Heavy items
should always be placed at the bottom.
When loading, make sure that there is sufficient
space for the movement of the glass roof and
that no objects protrude into the swiveling area
of the liftgate; otherwise, damage can occur.
Fasten roof-mounted cargo correctly and
securely to prevent it from shifting or falling off
during the trip.
Drive smoothly. Avoid su dden acceleration and
braking maneuvers, and take corners gently.
Rear-mounted luggage
rack*
For your MINI Convertible, there is a special
rear-mounted luggage ra ck available as an
optional accessory. Please note the information
contained in the asse mbly instructions.
Mounting points
The mounting points are under the protective
caps in the bumper.
Push out the caps at the respective slots.
Loading rear luggage rack
When loading, make su re that the maximum
allowed roof load, the gross vehicle weight and
the axle loads are not exceeded.
You can find the applicable data under Weights
on page 191.
Saving fuel
Fuel consumption depends on a number of
different factors. The implementation of certain
measures, your driving style and regular mainte-
nance can have an influence on fuel consump-
tion and on the environmental impact.
Remove unnecessary cargo
Additional weight incr eases fuel consumption.

Things to remember when drivingDRIVING TIPS
103
Remove attached parts no longer in use
Remove auxiliary mirrors, roof- or rear-mounted
luggage racks whenever you are not using
them.
Attached parts on the vehicle affect its aerody-
namics and increase fuel consumption.
Check tire inflation pressure regularly
Check and, if necessary, correct tire inflation
pressure at least twic e a month and before
starting on a long trip.
Low inflation pressure increases rolling resis-
tance and thus leads to greater fuel consump-
tion and tire wear.
Drive off immediately
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.
Think ahead while driving
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking by
maintaining a suitable di stance to the vehicle
driving ahead.
Driving smoothly and anticipating impending
traffic situations redu ces fuel consumption.
Avoid high engine speeds
Use first gear only for dr iving off. In second and
higher gears, accelerate smoothly to a suitable
engine and road speed. In doing so, avoid high
engine speeds and shift up early.
When you reach your desired traveling speed,
shift to the highest suitable gear and drive at
constant speed.
As a rule: driving at lo w engine speeds lowers
fuel consumption and reduces wear.
Coasting
When approaching a red traffic light, take your
foot off the accelerator and let the vehicle coast
to a halt in the highest suitable gear.
On a downhill gradient, take your foot off the
accelerator and let the vehi cle coast in a suitable
gear.
Fuel supply is shut off automatically when the
vehicle is coasting.
Switch off the engine during lengthy
stops
Switch off the engine when stopping for lengthy
periods, e.g. at traffic lights, railroad crossings or
in traffic jams.
Have the vehicle serviced
Have your vehicle serviced regularly to achieve
good economy and a long vehicle life. The man-
ufacturer of your MINI recommends having the
vehicle serviced by a MINI dealer. Also note the
MINI Maintenance System, page 151.

Rock Me.

AT A GLANCE
CONTROLS
DRIVING TIPS
COMMUNICATIONS
MOBILITY
REFERENCE ENTERTAINMENT

ENTERTAINMENTRadio MINI Boost CD
106
Radio MINI Boost CD
Radio switching on/off
Press left rotary knob. The radio selects
the last selected audio source:
> Radio
> HD Radio
*
>Satellite radio*
>CD
> External audio device
> USB audio interface
*.
Listening to the radi o with the ignition
off
After turning off the radi o, which was ready for
operation, the radio functions are available for
approx. 20 minutes.
The radio can also be turned on again.
To spare the battery, ensure that the radio
is turned off when leaving the vehicle. <
Adjusting volume
Press left rotary knob. The setting is
saved for the currently used remote
control.
As soon as you make a phone call using
the hands-free device, the radio is auto-
matically muted. <
Setting the volume for the PDC* and bell
You can raise or lower the volume of the audio
signals for the PDC or bell with respect to the
volume of the audio sources.
The audio signals have fixed minimum and
maximum volumes, which they can not fall
below or exceed. Set the audio source to a high volume
level to be able to better set the volume of
the audio signal. <
1. Press the button.
2. Press the button if necessary.
3. button
or
Press the button.
4. Select the desired vo lume and press the
button on the right.
Setting the speed-dependent volume
As the speed increases, the speed-dependent
volume controls automatically increase the vol-
ume. You can set different levels for increasing
the volume.
1. Press the button.
2. Press the button if necessary.
3. Press the button.
4. Select the desired vo lume and press the
button on the right.
Setting the volume for external audio
devices
Your radio has the ability to connect to an exter-
nal audio device, such as an MP3 player, and to
output the sound through your car speakers.
You can adjust the volume using the radio.
To connect an extern al device, refer to
page 114.

Radio MINI Boost CDENTERTAINMENT
107
To adjust the volume of an external audio device
to the radio:
1. MODE Press button.
2. Press the button.
3. Press the button.
4. Select the desired volume and press the
button on the right.
Tone control
You can select between the following settings:
>Bass: bass adjustment.
> Treble: treble adjustment.
> Balance: volume distribution left/right.
> Fader: volume distri bution front/back.
The tone settings are set for all audio sources at
once.
Setting the bass, treble and balance
1. Press the button.
2. Select the desired volume and press the
button on the right.
3. Carry out the desired se ttings and press the
button on the right.
Resetting tone settings
The tone settings are reset to the middle value.
1. Press the button.
2. Press the button.
Time
Setting the time, date and time format
You may set the time, date and the time format,
refer to page 63.
Radio
You radio is designed for the reception of FM
and AM signals.
To listen to the radio
1.Turn on the radio, refer to page 106.
2. MODE If necessary, press the button.
3. Press the button.
4. Press the corresponding button as
often as necessary until the desired wave-
length band is selected.
> AM: AM and AMA
> FM: FM1/FM2 and FMA
Selecting a station
The setting is stored for the remote control in
use.
Next station
… Press the button.
The next available st ation is selected.
Selecting stations by changing the
frequency
1. Press the button.
2. Press the button each time to enter a
desired frequency.

ENTERTAINMENTRadio MINI Boost CD
108
Or, using the knob on the right:
1. Press the button.
2. Turn the knob on the right until the desired
frequency is reached.
Automatically update the strongest
station
Press the corresponding button until
"Autostore" is displayed.
It may take a few seconds until the stations are
stored and one of these stations can be heard.
If you do not want to use the Autostore
feature, then you can store six stations of
your choice in the FM A or AMA memory level. <
Playing and selecting stations, scan
You can listen to all the receivable stations for
approx. 10 seconds.
Press the button.
To cancel scan an d select a station:
Press the button.
Storing and recalling stations
Memory presets
Your radio can store 30 stations:
> FM1, FM2: six stations each of your choice
> AM: six stations each of your choice
> FMA/AMA: the six stro ngest stations auto-
matically
Storing a station
1.
Press the corresponding button
as often as necessary until the desired
frequency range is selected.
2. Selecting stations. 3.

… Keep the desired
button pressed until the station can again be
heard after a short interruption.
The memory level and the selected button
are shown on the display, e.g.:
Recalling stored stations
1. Press the corresponding button as
often as necessary until the desired wave-
length band is selected.
2.
… Press the desired
button.
Using the knob on the right:
Turn the knob on the right until the desired
station is reached.
RDS – Radio Data System
The Radio Data System transmits additional
information in the FM band. RDS stations pro-
vide the following features:
> For stations that broadcast over several
frequencies, the frequency with the best
reception quality is au tomatically selected.
> When there are good reception conditions,
then the station names are displayed.
> Additional information can be shown on the
display, e.g., text me ssages from the station.
> Over RDS, some stations transmit the type of
the received program, PT Y. At the discretion
of the station, this is shown for a brief period
of time on the display, e.g., messages,
NEWS. Using PTY, warnings about catastro-
phes can also be disp layed, e.g., "ALARM".