wheel MINI COOPER 2003 Owners Manual

CONTENTS

2
© 2002 Bayerische Motoren Werke
Aktiengesellschaft
Munich, Germany
Reprinting, including excerpts, only with the
written consent of BMW AG, Munich.
Order No. 01 41 0 156 890
US English VIII/02
Printed in Germany
Printed on environmentally friendly paper –
bleached without chlorine, suitable for recycling.
Notes
About this Owner's Manual6
Symbols used6
Your individual vehicle6
Editorial notice7
For your own safety7
Symbol on vehicle parts8
Service and warranty8
Reporting safety defects8
At a glance
Cockpit12
Display elements13
Display elements with navigation
system14
Indicator and warning lamps15
Multifunction steering wheel19
Controls and features
Opening and closing:
Keys22
Central locking system23
Opening and closing – from outside23
Opening and closing – from inside26
Tailgate27
Electric power windows28
Sliding/tilt sunroof29
Roller sun blind30
Alarm system31
Adjustments:
Safe seating position33
Seat adjustment34
Entry to the rear35
Heated seats36
Head restraints37
Safety belts38
Steering wheel38
Mirrors39
Airbags40
Transporting children safely41
Vehicle Memory44
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OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATION CONTROLS DATA INDEX

Driving:
Ignition lock45
Starting the engine46
Switching off the engine47
Parking brake47
Manual transmission48
Continuously Variable automatic Trans-
mission (CVT)49
Parking lamps/Low beams52
Turn signal indicator/Headlamp
flasher52
Instrument lighting53
Fog lamps53
Interior lamps53
Light-emitting diodes54
Washer/wiper system54
Cruise control56
Everything under control:
Odometer58
Tachometer58
Fuel gauge58
Coolant temperature gauge59
Service interval display60
Clock60
Computer60
Technology for safety and driving
convenience:
Automatic Stability Control plus Traction
(ASC+T)62
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)63
Flat Tire Monitor64
Park Distance Control (PDC)66
Controlling the climate for pleasant
driving:
Air conditioning system67
Automatic climate control70
Interior conveniences:
Glove compartment73
Ashtray/Beverage holder73
Cigarette lighter/12 V power supply73
Loading and transporting cargo:
Cargo area cover74
Foldable rear backrest74
Loading cargo75
Roof-mounted luggage rack76

Operation, care, maintenance
Special operating instructions:
Break-in procedures80
General driving notes81
Refueling82
Fuel specifications83
Antilock Brake System (ABS)83
Brake system84
Wheels and tires:
Tire inflation pressure85
Tire condition87
Tire replacement87
Wheel and tire combinations89
Winter tires89
Snow chains90
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NOTES

Installation and operation of non-MINI
approved accessories such as alarms,
radios, amplifiers, radar detectors, wheels,
suspension components, brake dust
shields, telephones – including operation of
any portable cellular phone from within
the vehicle without using an externally
mounted antenna – or transceiver equip-
ment – e.g. CB, walkie-talkie, ham radio or
similar – may cause extensive damage to
the vehicle, compromise its safety, inter-
fere with the vehicle's electrical system or
affect the validity of the MINI Limited
Warranty. See your MINI Dealer for addi-
tional information.
<

Maintenance, replacement, or repair
of the emission control devices and
systems may be performed by any auto-
motive repair establishment or individual
using any certified automotive part.
<

Symbol on vehicle parts
Indicates that you should consult the
relevant section of this Owner's Man-
ual for information on a particular part or
assembly.
Service and warranty
This manual is supplemented by a Service
and Warranty Information Booklet for US
models or a Warranty and Service Guide
Booklet for Canadian models.
We recommend that you read this publica-
tion thoroughly.
Your MINI is covered by the following
warranties:
>
New Vehicle Limited Warranty
>
Rust Perforation Limited Warranty
>
Federal Emissions System Defect
Warranty
>
Federal Emissions Performance
Warranty
>
California Emission Control System Lim-
ited Warranty
Detailed information about these warran-
ties is listed in the Service and Warranty
Information Booklet for US models or in the
Warranty and Service Guide Booklet for
Canadian models.

Reporting safety defects
The following only applies to vehicles
owned and operated in the US.
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect
which could cause a crash or could cause
injury or death, you should immediately
inform the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration NHTSA in addition to
notifying the MINI Division of BMW of
North America, LLC, P.O. Box 1227, West-
wood, New Jersey 07675-1227,
Telephone toll-free 1-866-275-6464.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it
may open an investigation, and if it finds
that a safety defect exists in a group of
vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy
campaign. However, NHTSA cannot
become involved in individual problems
between you, your dealer, or BMW of North
America, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may either
call the Auto Safety Hotline toll-free
at 1-800-424-9393 or 366-0123 in
Washington, D.C. area, or write to:
NHTSA, U.S. Department of Transportation,
Washington, D.C. 20590. You can also
obtain other information about motor
vehicle safety from the Hotline.
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COCKPIT

1
>
Parking lamps/Low beams52
>
Turn signal indicators52
>
Standing lamps52
>
High beams52
>
Headlamp flasher52
>
Computer602Washer/wiper system54
3Instrument lighting53
4Outside mirror adjustment39
5Hazard warning flashers6Bonnet release91
7Horn19
8Adjusting steering wheel38
9OBD interface socket102

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INDICATOR AND WARNING LAMPS

Green: for your information
Turn signal indicators
Flashes when turn signal indicator
is on.
Rapid flashing: the system is defective.
More information on page 52
Cruise control
*
Lights up when the cruise control is
activated: operation via the multi-
function steering wheel.
More information on page 56
Blue: for your information
High beams
Comes on when the high beams
are on or the headlamp flasher is
actuated. More information on page 52
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OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATION CONTROLS DATA INDEX

MULTIFUNCTION STEERING WHEEL

*
The control buttons integrated within the
multifunction steering wheel have been
designed to allow you to operate a number
of accessories both quickly and safely, with-
out taking your eyes from the road:
>
Some audio source functions
>
Cruise control.
The illustration shows the possible full
equipment level. For further details, please
consult the description of the relevant item
of equipment.

Buttons facing the driver
1Cruise control: activate/interrupt/deacti-
vate
2Continue cruise control
3Horn
4Cruise control: store and accelerate
with +
5Cruise control: store and decelerate
with –
Buttons facing away from the driver
Left:
1
>
Radio
Press briefly: selection of the station
memory in the FM and AM range
Extended pressure: station scan
>
CD
Press briefly: jump to next track
Extended pressure: title scan
>Cassette
Press briefly: jump to next track or
stop fast forward
Extended pressure: fast forward/
rewind
Right:
1Volume
2Changing between radio, cassette and CD
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OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
ALARM SYSTEM
*
The concept
The alarm system reacts if:
>A door, the bonnet or the tailgate is
opened
>There is any movement inside the vehicle
– interior motion sensor
>There is a change in the tilt angle of the
vehicle, e. g. during attempts to steal
wheels or tow away the vehicle
>There is interruption of the battery volt-
age.
Depending on the country-specific version,
the alarm system signals unauthorized
entry or tampering in different ways:
>Acoustic alarm for 30 seconds
>Turning on the hazard warning flashers
for approx. five minutes.
To arm and disarm the alarm systemWhen the vehicle is locked or unlocked via
the driver's door lock or with the remote
control, the alarm system is also simulta-
neously armed or disarmed.
The interior motion and tilt alarm sensors
are also activated with the closing action.
The alarm system cannot be armed if
the driver's door is not properly
closed.
In some country-specific versions the alarm
system can only be operated with the
remote control.
Unlocking these vehicles with the key trig-
gers the alarm.
To stop the alarm:
Press button 1 – unlock –
or
turn the ignition key to position 1.<
Indicator lampAlarm system:
>Indicator lamp in the wiper system lever
changes after 10 seconds from fast blink-
ing to constant flashing:
The system is activated
>Indicator lamp does not react:
Doors, bonnet or tailgate are not prop-
erly closed.
Even if these are not closed any more,
the alarm system is activated and
secures the remaining part of the vehi-
cle. If everything is closed, the indicator
lamp changes after 10 seconds from fast
blinking to constant flashing
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OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
SAFE SEATING POSITIONThe ideal seating position can make a vital
contribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driv-
ing. Together with the safety belts and air-
bags, the seating position plays an impor-
tant role in providing occupants with
maximum levels of passive safety in an
accident. To ensure that the safety systems
operate with optimal efficiency, we
strongly urge you to observe the instruc-
tions contained in the following section.
For supplementary information on trans-
porting children, refer to page 41.
Sitting safely with airbags
Always maintain an adequate dis-
tance between yourself and all of the
airbags. Always hold the steering wheel by
the rim with the hands at the 9 and
3 o'clock positions to keep any chance of
injury to hands or arms to an absolute min-
imum, should the airbag be deployed. No
one and nothing is to come between the
airbags and the seat occupant. Never use
the front passenger airbag cover as a sto-
rage surface for objects of any kind, or as a
support for legs or feet, as this will increase
the risk of injury in a collision severe
enough in which the airbag will deploy.<
For airbag locations and additional infor-
mation on airbags, refer to page 40.
Safe with safety belts
Never allow more than one person to
wear a single safety belt. Never allow
infants or small children to ride in a passen-
ger's lap. Avoid twisting the belt while rout-
ing it firmly across the hips and shoulder,
wear it as snugly against your body as pos-
sible. Do not allow the belt to rest against
hard or fragile objects. Do not route the
belt across your neck, or run it across sharp
edges. Be sure that the belt does not
become caught or jammed.
Avoid wearing bulky clothing that prevents
the belt from fitting properly, and pull on
the belt periodically to retension it over
your shoulders. In the event of a frontal
impact, a loose lap belt could slide over the
hips, leading to abdominal injury. In addi-
tion, the safety belt's restraint effective-
ness is reduced if the belt is worn loosely.
Expectant mothers should always wear
their safety belts, taking care to position
the lap belt against the lower hips, where it
will not exert pressure against the abdomi-
nal area.<
For information on using the safety belts,
refer to page 38.
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OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
SEAT ADJUSTMENT ENTRY TO THE REARLumbar support* You can adjust the contour of the backrest
for additional support in the curvature of
your spine's lumbar region. The upper hips
and spinal column receive supplementary
support to help you maintain a relaxed,
upright posture.
Turn the wheel. The contour is strengthened or weakened.
Backrest tilt 1. Pull up the lever at the inside of the seat
2. Apply weight to or remove weight from
the backrest as required
3. Release the lever so that the backrest
locks into place.
Easy entryThe Easy entry function includes a memory
for the longitudinal seat and the backrest
positions.
1. Push down the lever at the outside of the
seat, see arrow 1.
The backrest folds forward automatically
2. Push the seat forwards, see arrow 2.Original positionSlide the seat back to its home position
before folding back the backrest, otherwise
the seat is latched in at its current position.
Then make any longitudinal adjustment
manually, see page 34.
1. Push the seat back into its home posi-
tion
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SAFETY BELTS STEERING WHEEL Drive with your safety belt onEven though there is an airbag, always fasten
your seat belt before driving off, because air-
bags are designed to enhance the effective-
ness of the safety belts, not to replace them.To fastenMake sure you hear the lock engage in the
belt buckle.
The warning lamp – Fasten safety
belts – lights up for several seconds
or until after the safety belts are
fastened.To release1. Press the red button in the belt buckle
2. Hold the belt
3. Guide the belt back into its reel.
Safety belt height adjustmentUse the height adjustment mechanism to
adapt the safety belt to the ideal position
for your own body:
Press the button and at the same time push
the entire unit upwards or downwards.
Also observe the instructions on adjusting
the seats on page 33.
If the safety belts are damaged or
stretched in an accident: have the
safety belt system replaced by your MINI
Dealer and the belt anchors checked, other-
wise the safety function can no longer be
guaranteed. If a child-restraint system was
in the vehicle during an accident, consult
the manufacturer's instructions regarding
replacement.<
To adjust the steering wheel height1. Push the locking lever downward
2. Adjust the desired steering wheel posi-
tion
3. Pull the lever back in.
Do not adjust the steering wheel
while the vehicle is moving, other-
wise unexpected movement could increase
the risk of accident.<
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