parking brake MINI Hardtop 2 Door 2005 Owner's Manual

3OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATION CONTROLS DATA INDEX
Driving:Ignition lock
51
Starting the engine
51
Switching off the engine
52
Parking brake
53
Manual transmission
53
Continuously Variable automatic
Transmission (CVT)
54
Parking lamps/Low beams
57
signal/Headlamp flasher
58
Instrument lighting
58
Fog lamps
58
Interior lamps
59
Washer/wiper system
59
Cruise control
61
Everything under control:Odometer
63
Clock
63
Fuel gauge
63
Coolant temperature gauge
64
Tachometer
65
Service interval display
65
Onboard computer
66
Technology for safety and driving
convenience:All Season traction Control (ASC)
68
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
69
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
70
Flat Tire Monitor
71
Airbags
72
Park Distance Control (PDC)
74
Controlling the climate for pleasant
driving:Air conditioning system
75
Automatic climate control
78
Interior conveniences:Glove compartment
81
Ashtray, drinks holders
81
Cigarette lighter, 12 V power supply
82
Integrated universal remote control
83
Loading and transporting cargo:Luggage compartment in the MINI
85
Luggage compartment in the MINI Convertible
86
Loading cargo
86
Roof-mounted luggage rack
89
OPERATION, CARE, MAINTENANCESpecial operating instructions:Break-in procedures
92
General driving notes
93
Refueling
94
Brake system
96
Wheels and tires:Tire inflation pressure
97
Tire coding
99
Tire condition
100
Run Flat tires
101
New wheels and tires
102
Snow chains
104

16
INDICATOR AND WARNING LAMPS Technology that monitors itselfThe 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 your MINI
Dealer.
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. +
The engine oil pressure is too low.
Pull over immediately and switch
off the engine. Please contact your MINI
Dealer.Do not continue driving; otherwise, the engine could be damaged
because of inadequate lubrication.<
Brake warning lamp
+
Lights up although the parking
brake is released. The brake fluid
level is too low. Before driving further, be
sure to comply with the information on
pages 96 and
111
. Have the system
checked immediately.
Display of the malfunction described above in Canadian mod
-
els.
If equipped with a navigation system or
Cockpit Chrono Pack:
Coolant temperature warning lamp in the navigation system or
Cockpit Chrono Pack
+
Lights up while driving:

Engine is too hot. Pull over to the side of
the road immediately, switch off the
engine and allow it to cool down, refer also
to page
64. Have the system checked
immediately.

17
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATION CONTROLS DATA INDEX
INDICATOR AND WARNING LAMPSYellow: stop immediately
Flat Tire Monitor
+
The warning lamp indicates a flat
tire or a system malfunction. In the
event of a flat tire, an acoustic signal also
sounds.
Reduce speed immediately and stop the
vehicle.It is possible that the acoustic signal was
not heard. In this case, in order to deter
-
mine if there is a flat tire or a system mal
-
function:1. Switch off the ignition, ignition key posi
-
tion 0
2. Switch the ignition back on, ignition key
position 2, or start the engine.If an acoustic signal sounds, you have a flat
tire. Otherwise, the system has a malfunc
-
tion or has failed.For instructions on how to proceed further,
refer to Flat Tire Monitor starting on
page
71.Depending on the equipment ver
-
sion, the indicator lamp is in the area
of the navigation system or the Cockpit
Chrono Pack.<
Red and yellow: continue driving
cautiously
Brake warning light

together with yellow indicator
lamp for ABS, CBC, EBD and ASC/
DSC:

The driving stability control has
failed. Drive cautiously and defen
-
sively. Avoid full brake applications.

Have the system checked as soon
as possible.

More information on pages
68, 69
.
Display of the malfunction described above in Canadian mod
-
els.


Red: an important reminder
Brake warning lamp

with parking brake applied.

More information on the parking
brake on page
53.
Warning lamp in Canadian models.

Fasten safety belts
+
Lights up for several seconds or
until the driver has fastened his or
her safety belt.

A signal
* also sounds depending on the
version.
More information on page
45.
Depending on the equipment ver
-
sion, the indicator lamp is in the area
of the navigation system or the Cockpit
Chrono Pack.
Lights up when the bonnet and/or
tailgate are open.

More information on pages
29, 105
.

52
STARTING THE ENGINE
SWITCHING OFF THE ENGINE
StartingWhen starting the engine, do not press the
accelerator pedal.
Do not stop the starting procedure too early, and do not continue it for
more than approx. 20
seconds. Release the
ignition key immediately when the engine
starts.

Extended starting attempts, characterized
by excessively frequent or long periods
with the starter engaged, can lead to dam
-
age in the catalytic converter. attempt, for instance if the engine is very
hot or cold:When starting the engine, press the gas
pedal down halfway.Cold start at very low temperatures, above
approx. +5
7
/ –15
6, at high altitudes
above 3,300
ft / 1,000 m:
>For the initial start attempt, allow the
starter to remain engaged somewhat
longer, approx. 10
seconds.
>When starting the engine, press the gas
pedal down halfway.
Manual transmission1. Engage the parking brake2. Put the manual gearshift lever in neutral3. Depress the clutch pedal, especially at
low temperatures4. Start the engine.
Move the gearshift lever to neutral position and engage the parking
brake before leaving your vehicle with the
engine running.

Do not leave the vehicle unattended with
the engine running. This is a safety haz
-
ard. Transmission (CVT)1. Press the footbrake2. Put the selector lever in position
P or N
3. Start the engine.
Move the selector lever to position
P
and engage the parking brake before
leaving your vehicle with the engine run
-
ning.

Do not leave the vehicle unattended with
the engine running. This is a safety haz
-
ard.<
You should never remove the ignition key when the vehicle is in motion, as
the steering lock could engage.

When you leave the vehicle, always remove
the ignition key and engage the steering
lock.

When parking on inclines, engage the park
-
ing brake, or the vehicle could roll. 1 or 0.
Continuously Variable automatic
Transmission (CVT)Engage selector lever position
P, turn the
ignition key to position
1 or 0.

53
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
PARKING BRAKE
MANUAL TRANSMISSION
The parking brake is designed primarily to prevent the vehicle from rolling when it is
parked. It operates against the rear wheels.To engageLever automatically locks in position.

The indicator lamp in the instrument clus
-
ter lights up from ignition key position
2,
refer to page
17.
To release1. Pull up slightly2. Press the button3. Push the lever downwards.
If, in exceptional circumstances, it should be necessary to engage the
parking brake while the vehicle is in
motion, do not pull the lever with excessive
pressure. Keep your thumb pressed against
the release button while carefully pulling
the lever up to apply moderate pressure.

Excessive pressure can lead to overbraking
and loss of traction, i.e. fishtailing, at the
rear axle. The brake lamps do not come on
when the parking brake is engaged.<
To avoid corrosion and one-sided braking, apply the parking brake
lightly from time to time when coasting to
a standstill, for instance at a traffic light,
provided that it is safe to do so.<
6-speed transmission*
When changing gear in the 5th/6th gear plane, press the gearshift lever
to the right to prevent inadvertently shift
-
ing to a gear of the
3rd/4th gear plane.<

54
MANUAL TRANSMISSION
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (CVT)
*
Reverse gearBefore selecting reverse gear, ensure the
vehicle is stationary; then, fully depress the
clutch pedal and pause briefly before mov
-
ing the gearshift lever into position.5-speed transmission: Press the gearshift lever to the right and to
the back.6-speed transmission: Press the gearshift lever towards the left.
Thereby overcome the slight resistance and
press forward.As you do this, the backup lamps will come
on automatically when the ignition key is
in position
2.
Do not hold the vehicle in place on slopes by slipping or 'riding' the
clutch. Use the parking brake instead. Oth
-
erwise, a high degree of clutch wear could
result.<
In addition to the fully automatic mode,
you can shift gears manually using Step
-
tronic, refer to page
55.
Selector lever positionsP R N D M/S
+ –
Range selection Inadvertent engaging of certain selector
lever positions is prevented by a lock.Press the button on the front side of the
selector lever knob. The lock is released.
While the vehicle is stationary, and before shifting out of P or N, press the
brake pedal in order to disengage the selec
-
tor lever lock mechanism, shiftlock.

If the engine speed is too high when the
vehicle is at a standstill, the selector lever is
also blocked to protect the transmission.

Hold the brake pedal down until starting
off. Otherwise the vehicle will 'creep' when
a drive position is engaged.<
To prevent the vehicle from starting off on its own, always move the

55
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (CVT)
*
selector lever to position
P and engage the
parking brake before getting out of your
vehicle with the engine running.

Do not leave the vehicle unattended with
the engine running. This is a safety haz
-
ard.<
If the selector lever is not placed in position
P when the vehicle is parked,
the position display of the selector lever
stays on. This can lead to battery dis
-
charge.<
P Park
Select only when the vehicle is completely
stopped. The transmission locks to prevent
the rear wheels from turning.R Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is completely
stopped.N Neutral Idle
Engage this gear, for example, when you
are in a car wash. The vehicle can roll.D Drive: CVT driving position
This position is designed for driving under
all normal operating conditions. Kickdown Kickdown can be used to achieve maxi
-
mum vehicle performance.

Press the accelerator pedal past the
increased resistance point at the full-throt
-
tle position.
M/S
+ – Manual mode and Sport
program Switch from D into M/S
+ –:
Activates the Sport program and displays
SD in the gear indicator in the speedome
-
ter. Press selector lever once:Shifts from the Sport program to the man
-
ual mode.Shifting with the selector lever>Press selector lever briefly towards +:

Transmission shifts upwards>Press selector lever briefly towards –:

Transmission shifts downwards.1 to 6 appear in the gear indicator.

93
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
GENERAL DRIVING NOTESParking the vehicle Condensation forms in the air conditioner
system during operation, and then exits
under the vehicle. Traces of condensed
water on the ground are therefore normal.Safe braking Your vehicle is equipped with ABS as a stan
-
dard feature. The best way to brake the
vehicle in critical situations requiring brak
-
ing is to apply maximum pressure to the
brake pedal: panic stop. Since the vehicle
remains maneuverable, you can still go
around any obstacles with the smallest
possible steering movements. The pulsation of the brake pedal, together
with the sound of hydraulic regulation,
indicates to you that ABS is actively taking
effect. Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy roads, reduce road speed. If you do not, a
wedge of water can form between tires
and road surface. This phenomenon is char
-
acterized by a partial or complete loss of
contact between the tires and the road sur
-
face. The ultimate results are loss of steer
-
ing and braking control.<
Mobile communications in the vehicle
The manufacturer of your MINI

recommends that you do not use
mobile devices, e.g. cellular phones, inside
the vehicle without directly connecting
them to an outside antenna. Otherwise,
interference between the vehicle electron
-
ics and the mobile device cannot be ruled
out. In addition, it is not ensured that the
radiation emitted during mobile transmis
-
sion will be directed outside of the vehi
-
cle. Do not drive through water on the road if it is deeper than 1
ft / 30 cm,
and then only at walking speed at the
most. Otherwise, the vehicle's engine, the
electrical systems and the transmission
may be damaged.<
Clothes hooks
When suspending clothing from the hooks, ensure that they will not
obstruct the driver's vision. Do not hang
heavy objects on the hooks. If you do, they
could injure the occupants during braking
or evasive maneuvers.<
Hot exhaust system
High temperatures occur in any vehi
-
cle equipped with a catalytic con
-
verter. Do not remove the heat protection
plates fitted in the area of the exhaust sys
-
tem and do not apply body-cavity pro
-
tectant to this area. When driving, standing
at idle, and parking the vehicle, take care to
avoid contact between the hot exhaust sys
-
tem and flammable materials, e.g. hay,
grass, leaves, etc. Such contact could lead
to a fire resulting in serious personal injury
and property damage.<

111
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
BRAKE FLUIDWarning lamp
The warning lamp comes on although the parking brake is
released:

The brake fluid level in the reservoir is too
low, refer to page
16. At the same time,
brake pedal travel may become signifi
-
cantly longer.

Have the system checked immediately.
Display of the malfunction described above in Canadian mod
-
els.
Adding brake fluid To add brake fluid or to determine and cor
-
rect the cause of brake fluid loss, please
consult your MINI Dealer. Your MINI Dealer
is familiar with the specifications for fac
-
tory-approved brake fluids,
DOT
4.
Brake fluid loss may result in extended
brake pedal travel. If this occurs, refer to
the information on page
96.
Brake fluid is hygroscopic, that is, it absorbs moisture from the air over
time.
In order to ensure the brake system's safety
and reliability, have the brake fluid
changed every two years by a MINI Dealer
or a workshop that has specially trained
personnel working in accordance with the
specifications of the MINI manufacturer,
also refer to the Service and Warranty
Information Booklet for US
models or the
Warranty and Service Guide Booklet for
Canadian models. Brake fluid is toxic and
also damages vehicle paintwork. Always
store brake fluid in tightly closed original
containers kept well away from the reach
of children.

Do not spill the brake fluid and do not fill
the brake fluid reservoir beyond the MAX
mark. The brake fluid could ignite upon
contact with hot engine parts and cause
serious burns.<
Comply with the applicable environ
-
mental laws regulating the disposal
of brake fluid.<

125
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATION CONTROLS DATA INDEX
REPAIRING A FLAT TIRE
SPACE-SAVER SPARE TIRE
*
Safety measures in the event of a flat tire:

Stop the vehicle as far as possible from
passing traffic. Switch on the hazard warn
-
ing flashers.

Turn the steering wheel to the straight-
ahead wheel position and engage the
steering lock. Engage the parking brake and
shift into 1st or reverse gear – selector lever
in P.

All passengers should be outside the vehi
-
cle and well away from your immediate
working area – behind a guardrail, for
instance.

If a portable hazard warning lamp is avail
-
able, set it up on the roadside at an appro
-
priate distance from the rear of the vehicle.
Comply with all safety guidelines and regu
-
lations. -
dures should be followed depending on the
equipment included in your vehicle:>Vehicles with Run Flat tires, refer to
page
101
>Vehicles with a space-saver spare tire,
refer to the following section>Vehicles with MINI Mobility System,
refer to page
129
.
To change a space-saver spare tire, proceed
as follows:>Remove space-saver spare tire, refer to
the section after the next one>Prepare for tire change, refer to page
127
>Jack up the vehicle, refer to page
128
>Mount the space-saver spare tire, refer
to page
128
>Tighten the lug bolts, refer to page
128
>Drive with space-saver spare tire, refer to
page
127
.
Tire change setOn vehicles with a space-saver spare tire,
the tire change set with onboard tools is
stored in the luggage compartment under
the floor mat.1 Chock, folding2 Hubcap remover3 Wheel stud wrench4Jack5 Special wrench for removing the space-
saver spare tire6 Towing eyelet7 Lifting handleThe onboard tool kit includes a pouch with
a plastic bag in which you can place the
damaged wheel.