ESP MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE 2007 Owner's Manual
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112
NEW WHEELS AND TIRESThe correct wheels and tires
The manufacturer of your MINI rec-
ommends mounting only wheels and
tires that it has specifically approved for
use on your particular model. Although
other wheels and tires may theoretically
have the same dimensions, variations in
factors such as manufacturing tolerances
can result in contact between tire and
bodywork, ultimately leading to serious
accidents. The manufacturer of your MINI
cannot evaluate non-approved wheels and
tires to determine if they are suited for use,
and therefore cannot ensure the operating
safety of the vehicle if they are mounted.<
Your MINI Dealer will be glad to inform you
about the correct wheel and tire combina-
tion for your vehicle.
The correct wheel and tire combination is
also important for various systems that
would otherwise be impaired, e.g. ABS or
DSC.
To maintain good handling and vehicle
response, use only tires of a single brand
and tread configuration. In the event of tire
damage, remount the previous wheel and
tire combination as soon as possible.
Run-Flat TiresFor your own safety, use Run-Flat Tires
when mounting new tires or replacing
summer tires with winter tires or vice
versa. Keep in mind that no spare wheel is
available in the event of a flat. Your MINI
Dealer will be glad to advise you.
For safety reasons, the manufacturer
of your MINI recommends having
Run-Flat Tires replaced, not repaired, if they
are damaged.<
Tire designationFor each tire size, the manufacturer of your
MINI recommends certain tire brands. You
can recognize these by the clearly visible
designation on the tire's sidewall.
When used properly these tires meet the
highest standards regarding safety and
handling characteristics.
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117
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
ENGINE OILMeasuring the oil level1. With the vehicle's engine at normal
operating temperature, i.e. after unin-
terrupted driving for at least 6 miles/
10 km, park the vehicle on a level surface
2. Switch off the engine
3. Pull the dipstick out after approx.
5 minutes and wipe it off with a lint-free
cloth, paper towel, or similar material
4. Carefully push the dipstick all the way
into the guide tube and pull it out again.
The oil level should be between the two
marks on the dipstick.
As with fuel economy, oil consumption is
directly influenced by your driving style and
vehicle operating conditions.
The oil volume between the two marks
MIN, MAX on the dipstick corresponds to
approx. 1.1 quarts/1 liter.
Do not fill beyond the upper mark on
the dipstick. Excess oil will damage
the engine.<Adding engine oil
Only top up oil when the oil level has
dropped to just above the lower mark
of the dipstick. However, never allow the
level to drop below the lower mark.<
Add oil within the next 30 miles/
50 km, otherwise the engine could be
damaged.<
Always store oil, grease, etc., out of
reach of children. Comply with all
warning labels and information on lubri-
cant containers, otherwise health risks may
result.<
Oil changeHave the oil changed only by a MINI Dealer
or a workshop that has specially trained
personnel working in accordance with the
specifications of the MINI manufacturer.
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121
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
MINI MAINTENANCE SYSTEMThe MINI maintenance system helps main-
tain your vehicle's road safety and opera-
tional safety.
Please bear in mind that regular mainte-
nance is not only necessary for the safety of
your vehicle, but also plays a significant
role in maintaining the resale value of the
vehicle.
Service interval displayWhile conventional systems determine
maintenance intervals according to fixed
kilometer readings, the MINI Maintenance
System takes the vehicle's driving condi-
tions into account because not every mile is
the same as another in this respect.
From a maintenance standpoint,
60,000 miles/100,000 km accumulated
through short-distance driving cannot be
treated the same as 60,000 miles/
100,000 km accumulated through long-dis-
tance highway travel.
The condition-based MINI Maintenance
System includes the Engine Oil Service and
Inspections I and II.
Determining the maintenance intervals
according to the actual use of the vehicle
covers every kind of operating situation.
People who drive very little, i.e. much less
than 6,000 miles/10,000 km per year,
should have the engine oil changed at least
every 2 years since oil deteriorates over
time, regardless of use.
For more information on the service inter-
val display, refer to page69.
Service and Warranty Information
Booklet for US models, Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet for Canadian
models For additional information on maintenance
intervals and procedures, please refer to
the Service and Warranty Information
Booklet for US models or the Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet for Canadian models.
As a precaution against rust, it is advisable
to have the body checked for damage from
rocks or gravel at the same time, depending
upon operating conditions.
The manufacturer of your MINI rec-
ommends having maintenance and
repair work carried out only by a MINI
Dealer or a workshop that has specially
trained personnel working in accordance
with the specifications of the MINI manu-
facturer.
Make sure that maintenance work is con-
firmed with an entry in the Service and
Warranty Information Booklet for
US models or the Warranty and Service
Guide Booklet for Canadian models. These
entries are your proof that the vehicle has
received regular maintenance.<
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122
SOCKET FOR ONBOARD DIAGNOSTICS OBD CARING FOR YOUR VEHICLEPrimary components of exhaust emissions
can be checked by a device via the OBD
socket.
This socket is located to the left of the
driver's side, on the bottom of the instru-
ment panel underneath a cover.Exhaust emission values
The warning lamp comes on. The
exhaust emissions have deterio-
rated. Have the vehicle checked as
soon as possible.
Canadian models display this
warning lamp.
Under some circumstances, the lamp will
flash. This indicates severe engine misfir-
ing. In this case, you should reduce your
speed and visit your nearest MINI Dealer as
soon as possible. Severe engine misfiring
can quickly lead to serious damage of emis-
sions-related components, especially the
catalytic converter.
If the fuel filler cap is not properly
tightened, the OBD system may con-
clude that fuel vapors are escaping, causing
an indicator to light up. If the filler cap is
then tightened, the indicator should go out
within a few days.<
Suitable car-care products
Use the cleaning and car-care prod-
ucts available at your MINI Dealer.<
Washing your vehicleYou can wash your new MINI or MINI Con-
vertible in automatic car washes from the
beginning. Preference should be for cloth
car washes. If, due to lack of availability,
brush car washes must be used, modern
systems with soft brushes should be given
preference.
When using steam cleaners or high-
pressure cleaners, maintain sufficient
distance to the vehicle and do not exceed a
maximum temperature of 1407/606. If
the jet is too close or the pressure is too
high, this can lead to damage or initial
damage that can develop into more serious
damage. Water that enters vehicle compo-
nents can lead to damage over the long
term.
After washing the vehicle, apply the brakes
briefly to dry them, otherwise water can
reduce braking efficiency over the short
term and the brake rotors can corrode.
Switch the rain sensor off when passing
through an automatic car wash, refer to
page63. Failure to do so could result in
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123
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
CARING FOR YOUR VEHICLEdamage caused by undesired wiper activa-
tion.<Rod antenna
If necessary, for example before
entering a car wash or a garage with
elevator ramp, remove the rod antenna.
To do so, grip the rod antenna at the base
and unscrew it from the antenna foot by
turning it to the left.<
Headlamps
When cleaning the headlamps,
please note: do not rub the head-
lamps dry and do not use any abrasive or
caustic cleaning products. Remove dirt and
contamination, such as insects, by soaking
with shampoo and then rinsing with plenty
of water. Always use a deicer spray to
remove accumulated ice and snow; never
use a scraper.<
Vehicle paintwork Regular care contributes greatly to driving
safety and value retention.
Environmental influences varying from one
region to the next can affect the vehicle
paintwork. Please base the frequency and
scope of car care on these various influ-
ences.Care of upholsteryDepressions that come about on the uphol-
stery material of the seats in daily use can
be brushed out using a slightly damp brush
against the grain.
The fact that velour lays down is not a qual-
ity defect, but rather is inevitable in the
case of home textiles or clothing materials.
In the case of strong sunlight and longer
parking periods, cover the seats or all win-
dows to prevent discoloration.
Care of special parts>Light-alloy wheels
*:
Use wheel cleaner especially during the
winter months, but do not use any
aggressive, acidic, strong alkali or rough
cleansers or steam jets above 1407/
606. Observe the manufacturer's
instructions
>Chrome parts
* such as the bonnet grille,
door handles, and similar parts:
Particularly if they were exposed to road
salt, clean these parts carefully with
plenty of water and shampoo additive, if
necessary. For additional treatment, use
chrome polish
>Rubber components:
Treat only with water or rubber care
products.
Do not use silicon sprays or other
silicon-containing care products,
otherwise noise and damage could
occur.<
>Plastic parts, artificial leather surfaces,
headliner, lamp lenses, cover glass over
display elements as well as matt-black
die-cast parts:
Clean these parts with water and plastic
care products, if necessary. Do not
dampen seats and the headliner.
Never use solvents such as lacquer thin-
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142
JUMP-STARTINGWhen your battery is discharged, you can
use two jumper cables to start your vehicle
with power from the battery in a second
vehicle. Correspondingly you can help start
another vehicle. Only use jumper cables
with fully insulated handles on the termi-
nal clamps.Preparing for jump-starting
Do not touch live wiring and cables
on a running engine. There is a risk of
fatal injury if you do this. Carefully observe
the following instructions to avoid per-
sonal injury and/or damage to either vehi-
cle or both vehicles. Make sure that there is
no contact between the bodywork of the
two vehicles to avoid a short circuit haz-
ard.<
1. Check whether the battery of the sup-
port vehicle has 12 Volts and approxi-
mately the same capacity measured in
Ah. These data are printed on the bat-
tery
2. Switch off the engine of the support
vehicle
3. Switch off any electrical systems and
components in both vehicles.Connect the jumper cables
Always adhere to this sequence when
connecting the jumper cables; failure
to observe this procedure can lead to spark-
ing and pose an injury hazard.<
The illustration shows the auxiliary jump-
starting terminal on the MINI COOPER S
and the MINI COOPER S Convertible.
In the MINI COOPER S and the MINI
COOPER S Convertible, the auxiliary jump-
starting terminal, arrow 1, acts as the posi-
tive battery terminal, refer to view of
engine compartment on page116. The
cover is marked with a +.
1. Remove the cover of the battery or open
the cover of the auxiliary jump-starting
terminal:
>MINI COOPER and MINI COOPER Con-
vertible:
Remove the battery cover.
To do so, press the two clips simulta-
neously.
>MINI COOPER S and MINI COOPER S
Convertible:
Page 161 of 172
EVERYTHING FROM A TO Z
159
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATION CONTROLS DATA INDEX
Driving downhill99
Driving hints, refer to Driving
notes98
Driving lamps, refer to Parking
lamps/Low beams60
Driving notes98
Driving stability control
systems72
Driving through water100
Dry air, refer to Cooling
function80,83
Drying air,
refer to Cooling
function80,83
DSC Dynamic Stability
Control72
indicator lamp17
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC)72
indicator lamp17
E
Easy entry to the rear45
EBD Electronic Brake Force
Distribution72
Electric glass sunroof33
Electric power windows31
initializing32 Electrical malfunction
automatic transmission with
Steptronic58
convertible top38
door lock27
driver's door27
fuel filler door102,103
glass sunroof, electric34
tailgate30
Electronic Brake Force
Distribution (EBD)72
Electronic Stability Program
(ESP), refer to
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC)72
Emergency operation, refer to
Manual operation
convertible top38
driver's door27
fuel filler door102,103
glass sunroof, electric34
tailgate30
transmission lock, automatic
transmission with
Steptronic56 Engine
break-in procedures98
data148
electronics18
indicator lamp18
overheated, refer to
Coolant temperature
gauge68
speed69
starting53
switching off54
Engine compartment
MINI COOPER and MINI
COOPER Convertible115
MINI COOPER S and MINI
COOPER S Convertible116
Engine coolant118
Engine data148
Engine oil117
adding117
dipstick117
indicator/warning lamp16
recommended oils118
specified oil grades118
Engine oil level117
indicator/warning lamp16
Engine oil level, checking117
Engine oil pressure, indicator/
warning lamp16
Engine output, refer to Engine
data148 Entry to the rear45
ESP Electronic Stability
Program, refer to Dynamic
Stability Control (DSC)72
Exhaust system, refer to
Hot exhaust system100
Exterior mirrors48
adjusting48
automatic heating48
folding in and out48
External audio device85
Eyelet, for towing and tow-
starting143
F
Failure of an electrical
consumer140
Fastening safety belts, refer to
Safety belts46
Filling canister, refer to MINI
Mobility System138
Filling hose, refer to MINI
Mobility System138
Filter, refer to
Microfilter81
Microfilter/Activated-
charcoal filter84
Page 171 of 172
Please enter your preferred fuel quality here.
The oil volume between the two marks on the dip-
stick corresponds to approx. 1.1 US quarts/1 liter.FuelQualityEngine oil Preferred oil gradeTire inflation pressure
Summer Winter
front rear front rear
2 persons
4 persons plus luggage
To ensure that you always have convenient access
to all essential information when you stop for fuel,
we recommend that you take the time to fill out
the adjoining chart by entering the data that
applies to your vehicle.
REFUELING