belt MINI COOPER 2004 Owners Manual

CONTENTS

2
© 2003 Bayerische Motoren Werke
Aktiengesellschaft
Munich, Germany
Reprinting, including excerpts, only with the
written consent of BMW AG, Munich.
Order No. 01 41 0 157 644
US English VIII/03
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 defects9
OVERVIEW
Cockpit12
Display elements13
Display elements with navigation
system14
Indicator and warning lamps15
Multifunction steering wheels18
CONTROLS
Opening and closing:
Keys22
Central locking system23
Opening and closing: from outside23
Opening and closing: from inside26
Tailgate27
Electric power windows28
Glass sunroof, electric29
Roller sun blind30
Adjustments:
Safe seating position31
Seat adjustment32
Head restraints33
Entry to the rear34
Safety belts35
Seat heating35
Steering wheel36
Mirrors36
Vehicle Memory37
Transporting children safely38
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OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATION CONTROLS DATA INDEX

INDICATOR AND WARNING LAMPS

Technology that monitors itself
The system runs a check on the indicator
and warning lamps marked by
+

each time
you switch on the ignition. They each light
up once for different periods of time.
If a malfunction should occur in one of
these systems, the corresponding lamp
does not go out after the engine is started
or it lights up while the vehicle is moving.
You will see below the correct way to react
to this.
Red: stop immediately
Battery charge current
+

The battery is no longer being
charged. Indicates a defective alter-
nator drive belt or a problem with the
charge circuit. Please contact the nearest
MINI Dealer.
If this lamp lights up, the power-assist for
steering can be deactivated.
If the drive belt is defective, do not
continue driving. The engine could be
damaged due to overheating. When the
power-assist is deactivated, increased
steering effort is required.
<
Engine oil pressure

+

Stop immediately. Switch off
engine. Check the engine oil and fill
as needed. Please contact the nearest MINI
Dealer.
Do not continue driving; otherwise,
the engine could be damaged
because of inadequate lubrication.
<

Brake warning lamp
+


Lights up although parking brake is
released: check the brake fluid
level. Before driving further, be sure to
comply with the information on pages 86
and 101.
Brake warning lamp for Canadian
models.
With navigation system option:
Coolant temperature warning
lamp in the speedometer
+

Lights up while driving:
Engine is too hot. Switch off the engine
immediately and allow to cool down, also
refer to page 55.
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INDICATOR AND WARNING LAMPS

Yellow: stop immediately
Flat Tire Monitor
+

Flashes: tire failure.
Reduce speed immediately and
stop the vehicle.
With Run Flat tires:
Carefully reduce the driving speed to below
50 mph / 80 km/h and continue to a safe
location.
In both cases, avoid hard brake applications
and steering maneuvers. Check the tire
inflation pressures.
Conduct in the event of a flat tire, refer to
pages 93, 116, 117, 121.
General information on the system, refer to
page 62.
Red and yellow: continue driving
cautiously
Brake warning light together with
yellow indicator lamp for ABS, CBC,
EBD and ASC/DSC:
The control system ABS, CBC, EBD
and ASC/DSC has failed. Drive cau-
tiously and defensively. Avoid full
brake applications.
Please have the system checked by
your MINI Dealer as soon as possible.
More information on pages 59, 60.
Brake warning lamp together with
the yellow indicator warning lamps
ABS, CBC, EBV and ASC/DSC for
Canadian models.
Red: an important reminder
Brake warning lamp
with parking brake applied.
More information on the parking
brake on page 43.
Brake warning lamp for Canadian
models.
Fasten safety belts
+

Lights up for several seconds or, de-
pending on the version, until after
the safety belts are fastened. A signal
*
also
sounds depending on the version.
More information on page 35.
Depending on the level of equipment,
the indicator lamp is in the vicinity of
the navigation system.
<
Airbags
+

Please have the system inspected
at your MINI Dealer.
More information on page 65.
Depending on the level of equipment,
the indicator lamp is in the vicinity of
the navigation system.
<
Bonnet/Tailgate
Lights up when the bonnet and/or
tailgate are open.
More information on pages 27, 95.
Brake pads
Have the condition of the brake
pads checked.
More information on page 86.
Depending on the level of equipment,
the indicator lamp is in the vicinity of
the navigation system.
<
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31
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
SAFE SEATING POSITIONThe ideal seating position can make a vital
contribution to relaxed, relatively fatigue-
free driving. Together with the safety belts
and airbags, the seating position also plays
an important role in providing occupants
with maximum levels of passive safety in
an accident. To ensure that the safety sys-
tems operate with optimal efficiency, we
strongly urge you to observe the instruc-
tions contained in the following section.
For additional information about trans-
porting children safely, refer to page 38.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. Do not
use the front passenger airbag cover as a
storage surface for objects of any kind.
Ensure that the front passenger is correctly
seated, i.e. that no feet or legs are propped
against the dashboad. Otherwise, leg injury
could result if the front passenger airbag
suddenly deployed. Never let an occupant's
head rest near or on a side airbag because
the inflating airbag could cause a serious or
fatal injury.<
Even if all these instructions are followed, it
cannot entirely be ruled out that in some
circumstances injury may result from con-
tact with the airbags. In sensitive individu-
als, the ignition and inflation noise may
induce a mild hearing loss that is usually
temporary.
For airbag locations and additional infor-
mation on airbags, refer to page 65.Safe seating position with safety belt Fasten your safety belt before each drive.
Airbags are an additional safety device and
work in conjunction with the safety belts,
but do not replace them.
Your vehicle is equipped with four seats,
each of which is provided with a safety belt.
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.
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.
Never allow more than one person to wear
a single safety belt. Never allow infants or
small children to ride in a passenger's lap.
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 twisting the belt while routing it
firmly across the hips and shoulder; wear it
as snugly against your body as possible and
do not allow it to rest against sharp or frag-
ile objects. Otherwise, the belt could slide
over your hips in the event of a frontal
impact and cause abdominal injury. Avoid
wearing bulky clothing and pull on the lap
belt periodically to retension it over your
shoulder. Otherwise, the safety belt's
restraint effectiveness could be reduced.<
For information on using the safety belts,
refer to page 35.
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SEAT ADJUSTMENTImportant adjustment information
Never try to adjust your seat while
operating the vehicle. The seat could
respond with an unexpected movement,
and the ensuing loss of vehicle control
could lead to an accident.
While driving, do not recline the backrest
too far toward the rear. This especially
applies to the front passenger side. If you
do so, there is a risk that you will slide
under the safety belt in an accident, thus
reducing the protection provided by the
safety belt.<
Longitudinal adjustment1. Lift the handle
2. Push the seat into the desired position
3. After releasing the handle, apply pres-
sure to the seat to ensure that the latch
engages securely.
Height adjustment 1. To raise:
Pull the handle up repeatedly, continu-
ing until the seat reaches the desired
height
2. To lower:
Push the handle repeatedly, continuing
until the seat reaches the desired height.
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OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
SAFETY BELTS SEAT HEATING
*
To close
Make sure you hear the lock engage in the
belt buckle.
Fasten safety belts: the warning
lamp lights up until after the safety
belt is fastened. An acoustic signal
sounds for several seconds.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 31.Damaged safety belts
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.<
The seat cushion and backrest can be
heated with the ignition key in position 2.
Select the temperature setting:
Press each button briefly.
Direct deactivation from the second tem-
perature setting:
Press the button for a longer period.
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TRANSPORTING CHILDREN SAFELY The proper place for childrenChildren should always sit in the rear:
Accident research shows that the safest
place for children in a vehicle is in the rear
seat.
Older children should be tightly secured
with a safety belt, after they have out-
grown a booster seat that is appropriate for
their age, height and weight.
A child sitting in the rear seat and not
properly restrained may place his or
her head on or near the airbag, if so
equipped. For example, a child – even
though belted – may fall asleep with his or
her head against the side airbag. It may be
difficult for a driver to ensure that children
in the rear seat will remain properly posi-
tioned at all times and do not place their
heads on or near the side airbag. Therefore,
we recommend that the rear side airbags, if
provided, be deactivated if you plan to
transport children in the rear seat.<
Child-restraint system in the rear
Children under 13 years of age and
children less than 5 ft / 150 cm tall
should always ride in the rear and the
restraint systems should be secured with
the vehicle's safety belts.<
Younger children should be secured in an
appropriate forward-facing child-restraint
system that has first been properly
restrained. We strongly urge you to care-
fully read and comply with the instructions
for installation and use provided by the
child-restraint's manufacturer whenever
you use such a device.
All rear seating positions in your vehicle
meet the recommendations of SAE J1819,
an industry-recommended practice for
securing child-restraint systems in motor
vehicles.
Exception for the front passenger seat
Never install a rearward-facing child-
restraint system in the front passen-
ger seat of this vehicle if the passenger's
airbag is not deactivated. If you do so, the
child could be severely injured or killed
when the airbag is triggered. Your vehicle is
equipped with an airbag supplemental
restraint system for the front passenger.
Because the backrest on any rearward-fac-
ing 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 system in the front passen-
ger seat, since the impact of the airbag
against the child restraint's backrest could
lead to serious or fatal injuries.<
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OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
TRANSPORTING CHILDREN SAFELYInstalling child-restraint systemsBefore installing any child-restraint system
or child seat, read the following:
Always follow the manufacturer's
instructions concerning installation
and use; otherwise the system's protective
function could be impaired.
After an accident, have all parts of the
affected safety belt system inspected and/
or replaced by your MINI Dealer.<
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.
Child seat securityAll of the rear belt retractors and the front
passenger's safety belt can be locked for
mounting and securing child-restraint sys-
tems.
Information regarding this is located near
the buckle latch of each safety belt.To lock the beltPull 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-
restraint system.
The retraction mechanism is now locked.
To unlock the beltRelease the buckle, remove the child-
restraint system and allow the belt retrac-
tor to reel the belt completely in.
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OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
AIRBAGS1Side airbags in seatback on the driver
and passenger side: front
2Head airbags on the driver and passenger
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 protection
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.
The airbags are designed to not be trig-
gered in certain types of collisions, e.g. in
minor accidents, certain kinds of vehicle
rollover and rear impact.
For information on the ideal seating position,
refer to page 31.
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 cloth-
ing, e. g. jackets, over the backrests.
Do not attempt to remove the airbag
restraint system from the vehicle. Do not
make any changes yourself to the individual
components and wiring. This includes the
padded covers of the steering wheel, instru-
ment panel and roof supports, as well as the
sides of the roofliner and the original back-
rest covers on the front seats. Do not attempt
to remove or dismantle the steering wheel.
Do not touch the individual components
directly after the system has been triggered,
as otherwise there is a danger of burns. In the
event of malfunctions, immobilization or use,
i.e. triggering, of the airbag restraint system
in accordance with its intended function,
please commission a MINI Dealer with the
inspection, repair or disassembly. Unprofes-
sional attempts to service the system could
lead to failure in an emergency or undesired
airbag activation, either of which could result
in personal injury. In view of the applicable
safety regulations, please arrange for your
MINI Dealer to dispose of the airbag genera-
tors.<
Airbag warning information is also pro-
vided on the sun visors.Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp in the display
elements shows the status of the
entire airbag system and the seat
belt tensioners starting from ignition key
position 1.
System operational:
>The indicator lamp comes on briefly.
System malfunction:
>The indicator lamp does not come on
starting from ignition key position 1
>The indicator lamp stays lit
>The indicator lamp lights up while driving.
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OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
LOADING CARGOStowing cargo >Place heavy cargo as far forward as possi-
ble, directly behind the backrests, and as
low as possible
>Cover sharp edges and corners
>Do not pile objects higher than the top
edge of the backrest
>For very heavy cargo when the rear seat
is unoccupied, fasten each safety belt in
the opposite buckle. This provides addi-
tional stabilization for the rear backrests.
Securing the load >Secure smaller and lighter items using
the cargo area net
* or elastic straps
>For large, heavy items, see your MINI
Dealer for load-securing devices
*. Lash-
ing eyes are provided at the inner corners
of the cargo area for attaching these
load-securing devices.
Comply with the information enclosed
with the load-securing devices.
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