steering MINI COOPER 2012 Owners Manual

AT A GLANCECockpit
10
Cockpit
Vehicle equipment
In this chapter, all production, country, and
optional equipment that is offered in the model range is described. Equi
pment is also described
that is not available because of, for example,
selected options or coun try version. This also
applies to safety relate d functions and systems.
Around the steering wheel
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CockpitAT A GLANCE
11
1Adjusting the exterior mirrors, folding them
in and out 39
6 Ignition lock 44 7
Buttons on steering wheel,
right
left side
8 Horn: the entire surface
9 Adjusting the steering wheel 40
10 Releasing the hood 144
2
Parking lamps 75
Low beams 75
Automatic headlamp control 75
Adaptive Light Control 77
Turn signals 49
High beams 78
Headlamp flasher 49
Roadside parking lamps 78
Computer 55
3 Tachometer 12
Instrument lighting 78
Resetting the trip odometer 54
4 Wiper system 50
5 Switching the ignition on/off and
starting/stopping the engine
44
Resuming cruise control52
Storing speed and accelerating or
decelerating
Activating/deactivating cruise
control 52
Increasing or reducing volume
Telephone:
Accepting and ending a call,
starting dialing of selected phone
number and redialing if no phone
number is selected
Changing the radio station
Selecting a music track
Scrolling through the redial list
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AdjustmentsCONTROLS
35
Adjustments
Vehicle equipment
In this chapter, all production, country, and
optional equipment that is offered in the model
range is described. Equipment is also described
that is not available because of, for example,
selected options or count ry version. This also
applies to safety related functions and systems.
Sitting safely
The ideal sitting positi on can make a vital
contribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving. In
conjunction with the safety belts, the head
restraints and the airbags, the seated position
has a major influence on yo ur safety in the event
of an accident. To ensure that the safety systems
operate with optimal efficiency, we strongly
urge you to observe the instructions contained
in the following section.
For additional information on transporting
children safely, refer to page 41.
Airbags
Always maintain an adequate distance
between yourself and the airbags. Always
grip the steering wheel on the rim, with your
hands in the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions, to
minimize the risk of inju ry to the hands or arms
in the event of the airbag being deployed.
No one and nothing should come between the
airbags and the seat occupant.
Do not use the cover of the front airbag on the
front passenger side as a storage area. Ensure
that the front passenger is correctly seated, e.g.
that no feet or legs are propped against the
dashboard. Otherwise, leg injury could result if
the front airbag suddenly deployed.
Make sure that passeng ers keep their heads
away from the side airbag and do not lean
against the cover of the head airbag; otherwise injuries can occur when the airbags are
deployed.
<
Even if you follow all the instructions, injuries
resulting from contact with airbags cannot be
fully excluded, depending on the circumstances.
The ignition and inflation noise may provoke a
mild hearing loss in ex tremely sensitive indivi-
duals. This effect is usually only temporary.
For airbag locations as well as additional infor-
mation, refer to page 72.
Head restraint
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk of neck injury in the event of an accident.
Adjust the head rest raint in such a way
that its center is at approx. ear level.
Otherwise, there is an increased risk of injury in
the event of an accident. <
Head restraints, refer to page 37.
Safety belt
Before every drive, make sure that all occupants
wear their safety belts. Airbags complement the
safety belt as an additi onal safety device, but
they do not represent a substitute.
Number of safety belts
Never allow more th an one person to
wear a single safety belt. Never allow
infants or small children to ride in a passenger's
lap.
Make sure that the belt in the lap area sits low
across the hips and does not press against the
abdomen. The safety belt must not rest against
the throat, run across sh arp edges, pass over
hard or fragile objects or be pinched. Fasten the
safety belt so that it is pulled taut across the lap
and shoulder, fitting the body snugly without
any twists. Otherwise, the belt could slide over
the hips in the event of a frontal collision and
injure the abdomen. Avoid wearing bulky
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CONTROLSAdjustments
40
Interior and exterior mirrors,
automatic dimming feature
It is controlled by two photosensors:
>Inside the interior rearview mirror, arrow
> On the back of the mirror.
For proper function:
> Keep the photosensors clean
> Do not cover the area between the interior
rearview mirror and the windshield
> Do not place stickers or decals on the wind-
shield in front of the mirror.
Steering wheel
Adjustments
Do not adjust the steering wheel position
while the car is in motion; otherwise, there
is a risk of accident du e to an unexpected move-
ment. <
1. Fold the lever down.
2. Move the steering wheel to the preferred
distance and angle to suit your seated
position. 3.
Swing the lever back up.
Do not use force to swing the lever
back up; otherwise, the mechanism
will be damaged. <
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DrivingCONTROLS
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Radio readiness and ignition off
All indicator and warning lamps in the displays
go out.
The ignition switches off automatically if the
driver's door is opened. Pressing the Start/Stop
button again switches the ignition back on.
The ignition is not switched off in situations such
as the following:
>The clutch or brake is depressed
> The low beams are switched on
Starting the engine
Do not allow the engine to run in enclosed
areas; otherwise, inhalation of the noxious
exhaust gases can lead to loss of consciousness
and death. Exhaust gases contain carbon
monoxide, an odorless and colorless, but highly
toxic gas. Never leave an unattended vehicle
with the engine running; otherwise, such a
vehicle represents a potential safety hazard.
Before leaving the car while the engine is run-
ning, place the transmission in neutral or move
the selector lever to position P and forcefully
apply the parking brake to prevent the car from
moving. <
Avoid frequent starting in quick succes-
sion or repeated start attempts in which
the engine does not start. Otherwise, the fuel is
not burned or inadequately burned and there is
a danger of overheating and damaging the
catalytic converter. <
Do not let the engine warm up with the vehicle
at a standstill. Move off immediately at a
moderate engine speed.
When starting the engine, do not depress the
accelerator pedal.
Manual transmission
Key in ignition lock or inside vehicle with
Comfort Access, refer to page 30.
1. Depress the brake.
2. Depress the clutch.
3. Press the Start/Stop button.
Automatic transmission
Key in ignition lock or inside vehicle with
Comfort Access, refer to page 30.
1. Depress the brake.
2. Shift the selector lever into position P or N.
3. Press the Start/Stop button.
The starter operates auto matically for a certain
time, and stops automatically as soon as the
engine has started.
Switching off the engine
Always take the key with you when you
leave the vehicle.
When parking, apply the parking brake force-
fully; otherwise, the vehicle could begin to roll.
Secure the vehicle on steep upward and down-
ward slopes, for example, turn the steering
wheel towards the curb. <
Manual transmission
1.With the car at a standstill, press the Start/
Stop button.
2. Shift into first gear or reverse.
3. Forcefully apply the parking brake.
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CONTROLSDriving
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Sport program and manual mode M/S
Move the selector lever from position D to the
left into the M/S shifting slot:
The Sport program is activated and DS is
displayed. This position is recommended for
a performance-oriented driving style.
To deactivate the Sport program or manual
mode M/S, move the selector lever to the right
into position D.
Shifting with the selector lever
Push the selector lever forward or pull it back to
activate manual operation. Steptronic shifts the
gear.
> Pull the selector lever in the + direction.
Transmission shifts up.
> Push the selector leve r in the – direction.
Transmission shifts down.
The selected gear is displayed in the tacho-
meter, e.g. M1.
To use the automatic mode again, move the
selector lever to the right into position D.
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only when
they will result in a plausible combination of
engine and vehicle speed; thus, for example,
a downshift that would cause the engine to
overrev will not be executed by the system. The
selected gear is displayed briefly, followed by
the current gear.
Shifting on the steering wheel
With the selector lever in position D, automatic
drive, you can shift gears using the shift paddles
on the steering wheel. The transmission auto-
matically switches to manual mode. If you do not shift gears with the shift paddles or
accelerate for a certai
n amount of time, the
transmission automatically returns to D, auto-
matic drive.
> Pull one of the shift paddles.
Transmission shifts up.
> Push one of the shift paddles.
Transmission shifts down.
M1 through M6 are displayed in the tachometer.
Manually releasing the selector lever
lock
Should the selector lever refuse to move out of
position P even though the ignition is switched
on, the brake is depressed and the button on the
selector lever is pressed, the selector lever lock
can be overridden:
1. Unclip the sleeve of the selector lever.
2. Pull the sleeve up over the selector lever
until the sleeve is insi de out. Disconnect the
cable connector if necessary.
3. Insert extractor hook 1 from the toolkit into
the loop on the passenger's side.
4. Pull the loop up.
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CONTROLSDriving
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Do not use the washers when the washer
fluid reservoir is empty; otherwise, you will
damage the washer pump. <
Washer fluid
Washer fluid is flammable. Keep it away
from ignition sources, only store it in the
closed, original container, and keep out of reach
of children; otherwise, there is a danger of
injury. Comply with the instructions on the
container. <
Washer fluid reservoir
Only refill washer fl uid that contains anti-
freeze when the engine is cool, to avoid
contact with hot engine parts. Otherwise, fluid
spills constitute a fire hazard and a risk to
personal safety.<
Fill with water and, if required, with a washer
antifreeze, according to manufacturer's recom-
mendations.
Mix the water and antifreeze before filling
the washer fluid rese rvoir to make sure
the correct concentration is maintained. <
Capacity
Approx. 2.6USquarts/2.5liters.
With headlamp washer system:
approx. 4.8 US quarts/4.5 liters.
Cruise control
The concept
Cruise control is available at vehicle speeds of at
least approx. 20 mph or 30 km/h. The car then
stores and maintains the speed that you specify
using the button on the steering wheel.
Do not use cruise control when driving at
constant speed is prevented by adverse
conditions, e.g. winding roads, dense traffic or
poor road conditions due to, e.g. snow, rain, ice
or loose surfaces. Otherwise, you could lose
control of the vehicle an d cause an accident as
aresult. <
Activating
1Maintaining, storing and increasing speed
2 Activating/deactivating cruise control
3 Maintaining, storing and decreasing speed
4 Resuming cruise control
Indicator lamp in the speedometer lights up. The
cruise control system is ready and can be acti-
vated.
Activating/deactivating cruise control
Press button 2.
The system is automati cally deactivated if:
> Braking takes place
> The clutch is engaged
> The transmission is set on N
> The stability control system is on
Cruise control is not deactivated by depressing
the accelerator pedal. Once the accelerator
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CONTROLSTechnology for driving comfort and safety
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property damage. Loud sound sources outside
or inside the car can drown out the PDC signal.<
Driving stability control
systems
Your MINI has a number of systems that help to
maintain the vehicle's stability even in adverse
driving conditions.
The laws of physics cannot be repealed,
even with driving stability control systems.
An appropriate driving style always remains the
responsibility of the driver. Therefore do not
reduce the additional safe t y m a r g i n b y e n g a g i n g
in hazardous driving thereby running the risk of
an accident. <
Antilock Brake System ABS
ABS prevents locking of the wheels during
braking. Safe steering response is maintained
even during full braking. Active safety is thus
increased.
Braking safely, refer to page 95.
ABS is operational every time you start the
engine.
Cornering Brake Control CBC
Driving stability and stee ring characteristics are
further enhanced while braking in turns or
during a lane change.
Electronic brake-force distribution EBV
The system controls the brake pressure in the
rear wheels to ensure stable braking behavior.
Brake Assist
Rapidly depressing the brake causes this system
to automatically develop maximum braking
force. Thus, the system helps keep braking dis-
tance to a minimum. At the same time, all the
benefits provided by ABS are exploited.
Do not reduce the pressure on the brake for the
duration of the full braking application.
Dynamic Stability Control DSC
The concept
DSC prevents the driving wheels from losing
traction when you pull away from rest or
accelerate.
DSC also detect s unstable driving conditions
such as when the vehicle's rear end fishtails or
the vehicle is sliding on its front wheels. In these
cases, DSC helps the ve hicle maintain a safe
course within physical limits by reducing engine
output and through braking actions at the indi-
vidual wheels.
Every time that the engine is started, DSC is
ready to operate.
Deactivating DSC
Press the button until the DSC OFF indicator
lamp on the speedometer is on and DSC OFF is
displayed on the tachometer. DSC is deacti-
vated. Stabilizing and propulsion promoting
actions are no longer executed.
When driving with snow chains or to 'rock free'
in snow, it can be helpfu l to switch off DSC for a
brief period.
To increase vehicle stabil ity, activate DSC again
as soon as possible.
Activating DSC
Press the button again: the DSC indicator lamps
in the display elements go out.
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CONTROLSTechnology for driving comfort and safety
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Deactivating both DTC and DSC
Press the button for at least 3 seconds; the indi-
cator lamp DSC OFF on the speedometer comes
on and DSC OFF is displayed on the tachometer.
The Dynamic Traction Control DTC and Dynamic
Stability Control DSC are both deactivated. There
will be no more stabilizing interventions.
Interventions (differential lock) in braking occur
to improve propulsion when drive wheels are
rotating unevenly, even when DSC is deacti-
vated.
Activating DSC
Press the button again: the indicator lamps go
out.
Hill Assist
Hill Assist aids you in co mfortably driving off on
inclines. It is not necessary to use the parking
brake for this.
1. Hold the MINI with the brake.
2. Release the brake and immediately drive
off.
Hill Assist holds the car in place for approx.
2 seconds after the brake is released. Depending on the load and gradient, the
vehicle can roll backwa rd slightly during
this period. After you release the brake, imme-
diately start driving since the Hill Assist only
holds the vehicle for about 2 seconds, and it will
start to roll backward. <
Sport button
Pressing the button causes your MINI to respond
even more sportily.
>Engine responds more spontaneously to
movements of the accelerator.
> Steering response is more direct.
> Cooper S, John Cooper Works: the engine
sounds more sporty in coasting mode.
With automatic transmission:
> More rapid gear shifting in Sport program.
Activating the system
Press the button.
The LED lights up.
SPORT is briefly displayed in the tachometer.
Deactivating the system
>Press the button again.
> Switch off the engine.
Flat Tire Monitor FTM
The concept
The system does not me asure the actual infla-
tion pressure in the tires.
The system detects a pres sure loss in a tire by
comparing the rotational speeds of the indivi-
dual wheels while moving.
In the event of a pressure loss, the diameter and
therefore the rotational speed of the corre-
sponding wheel change. This is detected and
reported as a flat tire.
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CONTROLSTechnology for driving comfort and safety
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1.Reduce speed and stop the vehicle with
caution. Avoid sudden braking and steering
maneuvers.
2. Check whether the vehicle is equipped with
normal tires or with run-flat tires.
Run-flat tires, refer to page 140, are identi-
fied by a circular symbol containing the
letters RSC on the tire sidewall.
If the vehicle is not equipped with run-flat
tires, do not continue driving; continuing
to drive can result in serious accidents. <
When a flat tire is repo rted, the Dynamic Stability
Control DSC is activated.
Actions in the event of a flat tire
Normal tires
1. Identify the damaged tire.
To do so, check the infl ation pressure in all
four tires.
The inflation pressure display of the Mobility
Kit, page 160, can be used for this purpose.
If the inflation pressure in all four tires is cor-
rect, the Flat Tire Mo nitor might not have
been initialized. The system must then be
initialized.
If it is not possible to identify the damaged
tire, contact your MINI dealer.
2. Use the Mobility Kit to remedy the flat tire on
the damaged wheel, refer to page 160, or to
replace the damaged wheel, refer to
page 162.
Run-flat tires
You can continue driving with a damaged tire at
speeds up to 50 mph or 80 km/h.
Continued driving with a flat tire
When driving with a damaged tire:
1.Avoid sudden braking and steering
maneuvers.
2. Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph or
80 km/h. 3.
At the next opportunity, check the air pres-
sure in all four tires.
If the inflation pressure in all four tires is
correct, the Flat Tire Monitor might not have
been initialized. The system must then be
initialized.
Possible driving distance with complete loss of
tire inflation pressure:
The distance it is possible to drive with a flat tire
depends on the load and the stress on the vehi-
cle while driving.
With an average load, it may be possible to drive
for approx. 50 miles/80 km.
When driving with damaged tires, the handling
characteristics change, e. g. the vehicle will skid
sooner when braking, braking distances will be
longer, or self-steerin g response will change.
Adapt your driving style accordingly. Avoid
turning abruptly and driv ing over obstacles such
as curbs, potholes, etc.
Since the possible driving distance depends to a
considerable degree on the strain exerted on
the vehicle while driving, it can be shorter or,
with a gentle driving styl e, can also be longer,
depending on the speed, road condition, exter-
nal temperature, vehicle load, etc.
Drive cautiously and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.
A loss of tire inflation pressure results in a
change in the handling characteristics, e.g.
reduced lane stability during braking, a longer
braking distance and altered self-steering
properties. <
Vibrations or loud no ises while driving can
indicate final failure of the tire. Reduce
your speed and bring the vehicle to a stop;
otherwise, pieces of tire may come off, which
could result in an acci dent. Do not continue
driving and contact your MINI dealer. <
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 914 744 - \251 07/12 BMW AG