air condition MINI Hardtop 2 Door 2006 Owner's Manual

3
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATION CONTROLS DATA INDEX
Driving:
Ignition lock53
Starting the engine53
Switching off the engine54
Parking brake54
Manual transmission55
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic56
Parking lamps/Low beams59
Turn signal indicator/Headlamp
flasher60
Instrument lighting61
Fog lamps61
Interior lamps61
Washer/wiper system62
Washer fluid63
Cruise control64
Everything under control:
Odometer66
Clock66
Fuel gauge66
Coolant temperature gauge67
Tachometer68
Service interval display68
Onboard computer69Technology for safety and driving
convenience:
Driving stability control systems71
Flat Tire Monitor73
Airbags75
Park Distance Control (PDC)77
Controlling the climate for pleasant
driving:
Air conditioning system78
Automatic climate control81
Interior conveniences:
Glove compartment84
Center armrest84
Drinks holders, ashtray85
Cigarette lighter, 12 V power supply85
Integrated universal remote control86
Loading and transporting cargo:
Luggage compartment in the MINI88
Luggage compartment in the MINI
Convertible89
Loading cargo90
Roof-mounted luggage rack93OPERATION, CARE, MAINTENANCE
Special operating instructions:
Break-in procedures96
General driving notes96
Refueling99
Wheels and tires:
Tire inflation pressure101
Tire coding105
Tire condition106
Run Flat tires108
New wheels and tires109
Snow chains110

25
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
OPENING AND CLOSING: FROM OUTSIDE
Via remote control
When the vehicle is unlocked or locked, the
anti-theft system is also deactivated/acti-
vated and the interior lamp is switched on/
off.
People or animals could lock the
doors from the inside. Always take
the vehicle keys with you so that the vehi-
cle can be opened again from the outside at
any time.<
For US owners only
The transmitter and receiver units comply
with part 15 of the FCC, Federal Communi-
cations Commission, regulations. Opera-
tion is governed by the following:
FCC ID: LX8765S
LX8765E
LX8CAS
Compliance statement:
This device complies with part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the fol-
lowing two conditions:
>This device may not cause harmful inter-
ference, and
>this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
Any unauthorized modifications or
changes to these devices could void
the user's authority to operate this equip-
ment.<

78
1 Air onto the windshield and onto the
side windows
2 Air for the upper body area80
3 Air for the front and rear footwells4 Temperature79
5 Windshield heating
*79
6 Air volume/Blower79
7 Cooling function798Air distribution79
9 Recirculated air mode79
10 Rear window defroster79
AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM

79
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM
Air volume/Blower
You can select blower speeds
from 1 to 4. Position 0: fan is off.
The heating, ventilation and air
conditioning operate in position
1 or higher.
Temperature
Turn to the right, red, to increase
the temperature.
Turn to the left, blue, to cool the
air.
Air distribution
Air distribution towards upper
body region , upper body
region and footwell , footwell
, footwell and windows ,
and windows .
Intermediate positions are possible, refer to
illustration and overview on page78.
Rear window defroster
The LED is lit when the rear win-
dow defroster is on.
The heater switches off auto-
matically after a short time.
Windshield heating*
The LED is lit when the wind-
shield heating is on.
The windshield heating switches
off automatically after a short time.
Cooling function
The LED is lit when the cooling
function is on.
The air is cooled and dehumidi-
fied and, depending on the temperature
setting, rewarmed.
Depending on the weather, the windshield
can fog up temporarily after the engine is
started.
When the cooling function is on, con-
densation forms which then exits
under the vehicle. Traces of condensed water
on the ground are therefore normal.<
Recirculated air mode
The LED is lit when the recircu-
lated air mode is on. Supply of
outside air into the vehicle is
blocked.
The air within the vehicle is recirculated.
If the windows fog up in the recircu-
lated air mode, turn the recirculated
air mode off and, if necessary, increase the
air supply. The recirculated air mode should
not be used constantly over a longer period
of time; otherwise the air quality in the
vehicle's interior will gradually deterio-
rate.<

80
AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM
Draft-free ventilation
Button 1: air outlets can be opened and
closed by turning.
The points indicate the position in each
case.
Nozzle 2: change the direction of the air-
flow by swiveling.
Microfilter
The integrated microfilter removes dust
and pollen from the incoming or recircu-
lated air.
Your MINI Dealer will replace it during rou-
tine maintenance. A substantial reduction
in the air supply indicates that the filter
must be replaced before scheduled mainte-
nance.
Defrosting and demisting windows
1. Set the rotary blower speed control for
the airflow rate to position 4
2. Turn the rotary temperature control
completely to the right, red
3. Turn the rotary switch for air distribu-
tion to position
By activating the cooling function, the
windows are demisted more quickly
4. Turn on windshield heating if necessary
5. To defrost the rear window: turn on the
rear window heater.

82
AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL*
Automatic air distribution and volume
The LED is lit when the AUTO pro-
gram is on.
Automatic adjustment of the air distribu-
tion and volume, and adaptation of the
specified temperatures to external influ-
ences, e.g. outside temperature and insola-
tion.
In the automatic program (AUTO), the air
conditioning is activated automatically. To
create a pleasant air climate, the air tem-
perature coming from the vents in the
upper body area is lower than the air tem-
perature in the footwell.
Air volume/Blower
Switching automatic climate control
off/on
Press the left or right half of the
button to vary the air volume.
Automatic adjustment of the air volume is
deactivated.
Switching air conditioner on/off.
Press the left half of the button while the
blower is at the lowest setting. The blower,
heating and air conditioning are switched
off. All displays go out.
Switch the automatic climate control back
on by pressing any button.
Cooling function
The LED is lit when the cooling
function is on.
The air is cooled and dehumidified and,
depending on the temperature setting,
rewarmed.
The cooling function is automatically acti-
vated in the AUTO program.
Depending on the weather, the windshield
can fog up temporarily after the engine is
started.
When the air conditioning is on, con-
densation is formed which then exits
under the vehicle. Traces of condensed
water on the ground are therefore nor-
mal.<
Recirculated air mode
The LED is lit when the recirculated
air mode is on. Supply of outside air
into the vehicle is blocked.
The air within the vehicle is recirculated.
In the automatic program (AUTO) in hot
weather conditions, the recirculated air
mode is activated temporarily to enable
faster cooling.
The LED for the recirculated air button is
not lit.
The recirculated air mode should not
be used constantly over a longer
period of time; otherwise the air quality in
the vehicle's interior will gradually deterio-
rate. If the windows fog up in the recircu-
lated air mode, turn the recirculated air
mode off and, if necessary, increase the air
supply.<
Rear window defroster and windshield
heating*
The LED comes on when the rear
window/windshield heating is on.
The heater switches off automatically after
a short time.
Temperature
Tap or turn the wheel in the
appropriate direction to change
the temperature step by step.
The figures in the display provide
a general indication of interior tempera-
ture. When you start the vehicle, the sys-
tem ensures that the selected temperature
is achieved as quickly as possible and then
maintained.
Permanent heating with maximum
power output at temperature selec-
tion HI. Permanent cooling at LO. With the

84
GLOVE COMPARTMENT CENTER ARMREST*
To open
Pull the handle.
The light goes on.
To close
Fold the door up.
To prevent injury in the event of an
accident, close the glove compart-
ment immediately after use.<
Ventilation
To allow ventilation:
Turn the rotary switch to the horizontal
position.
To stop ventilation:
Turn the rotary switch to the vertical posi-
tion, see arrow.
Depending on the temperature set-
ting of the air conditioning or the
automatic climate control, high tempera-
tures may result in the glove compart-
ment.<
Storage compartments
Depending on the equipment version*, the
center armrest between the front seats
contains a compartment or a base plate for
a mobile phone.
To open:
Slide the cover backwards.
The cover slides along guide rails and
can be opened fully by pushing it
back and lifting it slightly.<
To close:
Push the cover forwards.

91
OVERVIEW REPAIRS OPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
LOADING CARGO
Determining cargo limit
1. Locate the following statement on your
vehicle's placard:
The combined weight of occu-
pants and cargo should never
exceed XXX kg or YYY lbs, as this could
otherwise result in damage to the vehi-
cle and unstable driving conditions.<
2. Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle
3. Subtract the combined weight of the
driver and passenger from XXX kilo-
grams or YYY pounds
4. The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity.
For example, if the YYY amount equals
1,400 lbs. and there will be four 150 lbs.
passengers in your vehicle, the amount
of available cargo and luggage load
capacity is 800 lbs.:
1,400 lbs. minus 600 lbs. = 800 lbs.
5. Determine the combined weight of lug-
gage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and luggage
load capacity calculated in Step 4
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer,
load from your trailer will be transferred
to your vehicle. Consult the manual for
transporting a trailer to determine how
this may reduce the available cargo and
luggage load capacity of your vehicle.
Cargo and luggage load capacity
The permissible load is the sum of the occu-
pants' weights and the weight of the cargo.
The greater the weight of the occupants,
the less cargo can be transported.

97
OVERVIEW REPAIRSOPERATIONCONTROLS DATA INDEX
GENERAL DRIVING NOTES
Safe braking
Your vehicle is equipped with ABS as a stan-
dard feature. If you are in a situation which
requires full braking, it is best to brake
using maximum brake pressure. 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.
Wet roads:
It is a good idea to periodically dry the
brakes with a gentle application when driv-
ing in rain and on wet roads. Monitor traffic
conditions to ensure that this maneuver
does not hinder other road users. The
resulting heat dries brake rotors and pads.
Then if the braking force is needed, it is
immediately available.
Driving downhill:
To prevent overheating and the
resulting reduced efficiency of the
brake system, drive down extended or
steep mountain gradients in the gear
which requires the least brake applications.
Otherwise, even light but consistent pres-
sure on the brake can lead to high tempera-
tures, brake wear and possibly even brake
failure.<
The braking effect of the engine can be
increased by downshifting in the manual
mode of the automatic transmission, to
first gear if necessary, refer to page58. This
protects the brakes from excessive loads.
Do not coast with the clutch
depressed, the transmission in idle or
the engine switched off. Otherwise, the
engine provides no braking effect, and
there is no power-assist for braking or
steering.
Make sure that there are no floor mats,
floor carpets or other objects in the vicinity
of the pedals; otherwise pedal function
could be impeded.<
Corrosion on the brake rotors:
When the vehicle is driven only occasion-
ally, during extended periods when the
vehicle is not used at all, and in operating
conditions where brake applications are
less frequent, there is an increased ten-
dency for corrosion of the brake rotors and
accumulation of contamination on the
brake pads. This occurs because the mini-
mal pressure that must be exerted by the pads to clean the rotors by brake applica-
tions is not reached.
Corrosion on brake rotors is signaled by a
running or pulsation during braking; even
extended subsequent braking will not cure
this phenomenon.
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.<

98
GENERAL DRIVING NOTES
Mobile communications in the vehicle
The manufacturer of your MINI rec-
ommends that you do not use mobile
devices, e.g. mobile phones, inside the vehi-
cle without directly connecting them to an
outside antenna. Otherwise, interference
between the vehicle electronics and the
mobile device cannot be ruled out. In addi-
tion, it is not ensured that the radiation
emitted during mobile transmission will be
directed outside of the vehicle.<
Driving through water
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.<
Use the parking brake on inclines
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.<
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 every
vehicle's exhaust system. Do not
remove the heat protection plates fitted in
the area of the exhaust system and do not
apply body-cavity protectant to this area.
When driving, standing at idle, and parking
the vehicle, take care to avoid contact
between the hot exhaust system and flam-
mable materials, e.g. hay, grass, leaves, etc.
Such contact could lead to a fire resulting in
serious personal injury and property dam-
age.<
Parking the vehicle
Condensation forms in the air conditioning
system during operation, and then exits
under the vehicle. Traces of condensed
water on the ground are therefore normal.
Close the tailgate
Drive the vehicle only when the tail-
gate is completely closed. Otherwise,
exhaust fumes could penetrate the interior
of the vehicle.<
Should it be absolutely necessary to drive
with the tailgate open:
1. Close all windows as well as the glass
sunroof or the sliding sunroof of the
MINI Convertible
2. Sharply increase the air supply for the
heater, the air conditioning or the auto-
matic climate control, refer to page78
or81.