MINI Countryman 2013 Workshop Manual
Manufacturer: MINI, Model Year: 2013, Model line: Countryman, Model: MINI Countryman 2013Pages: 275, PDF Size: 4.09 MB
Page 51 of 275

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Driving
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 coun try version. This also 
applies to safety relate d functions and systems.
Ignition lock
Inserting the key into the ignition lock
Insert the key all the way into the ignition lock.
Radio readiness
Individual electrical consumers can operate.
Removing the key from the ignition lock
Press in the key briefly. It is ejected slightly.
At the same time:
>The ignition is switched off if it was on 
beforehand.
Automatic transmission
The key can only be removed if the selector lever 
is in position P: interlock.
Start/Stop button
Press the Start/Stop button  to switch radio readi-
ness or the ignition on and off. Do not depress 
the brake or clutch while doing so.
If the Start/Stop button is pressed while 
the clutch is depressed in the manual 
transmission or the brake pedal is depressed in 
the automatic transmission, the engine starts. <
Radio readiness
Individual electrical consumers can operate. The 
time and external temperature are displayed in 
the tachometer.
Radio readiness is switched off automatically:
>When the key is removed from the ignition 
lock
> When using Comfort Access
 by pressing 
the button on the door handle or the 
button on the remote control, refer to 
Locking on page 34
> After a certain has elapsed
Ignition on
Most indicator and warn ing lamps in indicator 
area  1, page 13, light up for varying lengths of 
time.
When the engine is off, switch off the igni-
tion and any unnecessary electrical con-
sumers in order to preserve the battery. <
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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 mon-
oxide, an odorless and colorless, but highly toxic 
gas. Never leave an unattended vehicle with the 
engine running; otherwise, such a vehicle repre-
sents 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 cat-
alytic converter. <
Do not let the engine warm up with the vehicle 
at a standstill. Move of f immediately at a moder-
ate engine speed.
When starting the engine, do not depress the 
accelerator pedal.
Manual transmission
Key in ignition lock or  inside vehicle with Com-
fort Access, refer to page 33.
1. Depress the brake.
2. Depress the clutch.
3. Press the Start/Stop button.
Automatic transmission
Key in ignition lock or  inside vehicle with Com-
fort Access, refer to page 33.
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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Automatic transmission
1.With the car at a stop, move the selector 
lever to position P.
2. Press the Start/Stop button.
3. Forcefully apply the parking brake.
Before driving into a car wash
By following these steps, the vehicle is able to 
roll:
1.Place the remote control, even with Comfort 
Access, in the ignition lock.
2. Depress the brake.
3. Move the selector lever to position N.
4. Switch off the engine.
Parking brake
The parking brake is primarily intended to pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling while parked; it 
brakes the rear wheels.
In addition, follow the instructions on page 51 
under Switching off the engine.
Applying
The lever locks in position automatically.
Releasing
Pull upward slightly, pr ess the button, arrow, 
and guide the lever down.
In exceptional cases, if the parking brake 
has to be used to slow  or stop the car, do 
not pull the lever up too hard. In doing so, con-
tinuously press the button of the parking brake  lever.
Otherwise, excessive force could lead to over-
braking and loss of traction
, i.e. fishtailing, at the 
rear axle. <
Manual transmission
When shifting into 5t h or 6th gear, press 
the gearshift lever to the right. Otherwise, 
the engine could be damaged if you inadvert-
ently shift into 3rd or 4th gear. <
Reverse gear
Select this only when the vehicle is stationary. 
When the gearshift lever is pressed to the left, a 
slight resistance has to be overcome.
Automatic transmission 
with Steptronic
In addition to the fully automatic mode, you can 
shift gears manually using Steptronic, page 54.
Parking the vehicle
To prevent the vehicle from rolling, always 
select position P and apply the parking 
brake before leaving the vehicle with the engine 
running. <
Removing the key
To remove the key from the ignition lock, first 
move the selector lever into position P and then 
switch off the engine: in terlock. Remove the key 
from the ignition lock, refer to page 50.
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Selector lever positions
P R N D M/S + –
Displays in the tachometer
P R N D DS M1 to M6
The selector lever position is displayed, or the 
current gear in  the manual mode.
Changing selector lever positions
>The selector lever can only be moved out of 
position P when the ignition is switched on 
or the engine is running.
> Before moving the lever away from P or N 
with the vehicle stationary, first depress the 
brake; otherwise, the selector lever will 
refuse to move: shiftlock.
To prevent the vehicle from creeping 
after you select a driving position, 
depress the brake until you are ready to 
start. <
A lock prevents accidental  shifting into selector 
lever positions R and P.
Overriding the selector lever lock
Press the button on the front of the selector 
lever, arrow.
P Park
Select this only when the vehicle is stationary. 
The front wheels are blocked.
R Reverse
Select this only when the vehicle is stationary.
N Neutral
Select this when you are in a car wash, for exam-
ple. The vehicle can roll.
D Drive, automatic position
Position for normal vehi cle operation. All for-
ward gears are selected automatically.
Under normal operating  conditions, the fuel 
consumption is lowest when driving in 
position D.
Kickdown
Kickdown enables you to achieve maximum 
performance. 
Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the full-
throttle resistance point.
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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 dis-
played. This position is recommended for a per-
formance-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 tachome-
ter, 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 over-
rev 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 into the loop on the 
passenger's side.
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The extractor hook is in the onboard 
document holder or in the pouch for 
the tire-changing set, page 232.<
4. Pull the loop up.
5. Move the selector le ver into the desired 
position by pressing the button on the front 
of the selector lever.
Before manually unlocking the selector 
lever lock, firmly set the parking brake to 
prevent the vehicle from rolling away. <
Turn signals/
headlamp flasher
1Turn signals
2 Headlamp flasher
Using turn signals
Press the lever beyond  the resistance point.
To turn off manually, pre ss the lever to the resis-
tance point.
Unusually rapid flashi ng of the indicator 
lamp indicates that an indicator bulb has 
failed. <
Signaling a turn briefly
Press the lever as far as  the resistance point for 
as long as you wish to signal a turn.
Triple turn signal activation
Press the lever as far as the resistance point.
You can set whether the turn signal flashes once 
or three times.
1. "Settings"
2. "Lighting"
3. "Triple turn signal"
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Wiper system
Do not turn on the wipers when they are 
frozen; otherwise, the wiper blades and 
the windshield wiper motor may be damaged. <
Do not use the windshield wipers when 
the windshield is dry; otherwise the wiper 
blades may wear out faster or be damaged. <
1 Switching on wipers
2 Switching off wipers or brief wipe
3 Activating/deactivating  intermittent wipe or 
rain sensor
4 Cleaning windshield and headlamps
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Switching on wipers
Press the lever upward, arrow1.
The lever automatically returns to its initial posi-
tion when released.
Normal wiper speed
Press once.
The system switches to intermittent operation 
when the vehicle is stationary.
Fast wiper speed
Press twice or press beyond the resistance point.
The system switches to normal speed when the 
vehicle is stationary.
Intermittent wipe or rain sensor
If the car is not equipped with a rain sensor, the 
intermittent-wipe time is preset.
If the car is equipped with a rain sensor, the time 
between wipes is contro lled automatically and 
depends on the intensity of the rainfall. The rain 
sensor is mounted on the windshield, directly in 
front of the interior rearview mirror.
Activating intermittent wipe or rain 
sensor
Press button, arrow 3.
This symbol is displayed in the 
tachometer.
Deactivate the rain se nsor before entering 
an automatic car wash . Failure to do so 
could result in damage caused by undesired 
wiper activation. <
Adjusting the sensitivity of the rain 
sensor
1.Switch on the ignition, refer to page 50.
2. Press the button in the turn signal indicator 
as often as necessary until "SET/INFO" is dis-
played. 3.
Press and hold the button until the display 
changes.
4. Press the button as often as necessary until 
the symbol and "SET" are displayed.
5. Press and hold the button until the display 
changes.
6. Press the button to se lect the desired sensi-
tivity.
7. Wait, or press and hold the button until the 
display changes.
The settings are stored.
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Deactivating intermittent wipe or rain 
sensor
Press the button again, arrow3.
Brief wipe
Press the lever downward once, arrow 2.
Cleaning windshield and headlamps
Pull the lever, arrow  4.
Washer fluid is sprayed onto the windshield and 
the wipers are operated briefly.
When the vehicle lighting system is switched on, 
the headlamps are cleaned at regular and 
appropriate intervals.
In cars equipped with an alarm system, the 
headlamps cannot be cleaned when the hood is 
open. Do not use the washers when the washer 
fluid reservoir is empt y; otherwise, you will 
damage the washer pump. 
Only use the washers if the hood has been com-
pletely closed; otherwise, the headlamp washer 
system
 may be damaged. Do not use the wash-
ers if there is any danger that the fluid will freeze 
on the windshield. If you do, your vision could be 
obscured. For this reason, use antifreeze. <
Window washer nozzles
The window washer nozzles are heated auto-
matically while the engine is running or the igni-
tion is switched on.
Rear window wiper
0Rear wipers parked
1 To switch on intermittent wipe :
Turn the cap to level 1.
Operation is continuous in reverse gear.
The rear wiper does not move if the cap is in 
interval stage 1 before the ignition is switched 
on.
Cleaning the rear window
2 To clean the rear window during intermit-
tent wipe  :
Turn the cap further to level 2 and hold it 
there.
3 To clean the rear window when wipers are 
parked :
Turn the cap to level 3 and hold it there.
Do not use the washers when the washer 
fluid reservoir is empty; otherwise, you will 
damage the washer pump. <
Washer fluid
General information
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 con-
tainer. <
United States: the washer fluid mixture ratio is 
regulated by the U.S. EPA and many individual 
states; do not exceed the applicable limits on 
allowable washer fluid dilution ratios. Follow the 
usage instructions on the washer fluid container. 
Use MINI Windshield Washer Concentrate or the 
equivalent.
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 per-
sonal safety. <
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Fill with a mixture of washer fluid concentrate 
and water and, if required, with a washer anti-
freeze according to manufacturer's recommen-
dations.
Do not fill with undiluted washer fluid concen-
trate and do not use wa ter alone; these can 
damage the washer system.
Mix the water and antifreeze before filling 
the washer fluid rese rvoir to make sure 
the correct concentration is maintained. <
Capacity
Approx. 4.2 US quarts/4 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 con-
trol of the vehicle and cause an accident as a 
result. <
Activating
1Maintaining, storing and increasing speed
2 Activating/deactivating cruise control
3 Maintaining, storing and decreasing speed
4 Resuming cruise control
Activating/deactivating cruise control
Press button  2.
Interruption
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 
pedal is released, the stored speed is achieved 
again and maintained.
The stored speed is cleared when the ignition is 
switched off.
Maintaining current speed
Press button  1.
The system maintains and stores the current 
vehicle speed.
If, on a downhill grade, the engine braking effect 
is not sufficient, the controlled speed may be 
exceeded. On uphill grades vehicle speed may 
drop if the engine output is insufficient.
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Increasing speed
Press button1 repeatedly until the desired 
speed is reached. Every time you press the but-
ton, the speed increases by approx. 1 mph or 
1km/h.
Accelerating using the button
Press and hold button 1.
The vehicle accelerates wi thout pressure on the 
accelerator pedal. After the button is released, 
the driving speed is maintained and stored.
Decreasing speed
Press button 3 repeatedly until the desired 
speed is reached.
The functions here are the same as for increas-
ing the speed or accelerating, except that the 
speed will be decreased.
Resuming a speed stored beforehand
Press button 4.
The last speed stored is achieved again and 
maintained.
The stored speed is cleared when the ignition is 
switched off.
Displays
Selected speed is displayed briefly. If --- mph or --- km/h is displayed briefly in 
the tachometer, the conditions necessary 
for operation may  not be fulfilled.<
For better control
Indicator lamp in the speedometer 
lights up. The cruise control system is 
ready and can be activated.
Malfunction
The warning lamp in the tachometer 
lights up if the system fails. A message 
appears on the Control Display.
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