Hey guys I just bought a 2011 Mini S, I have a lot of options that are installed but don't seem to be accessible. Such as I have the xenon headlights but I don't seem to have the option to turn them on to the adaptive headlight. Also I have the xenon headlights but the headlight washers are there but not hooked up. And one more thing, I have the buttons for Bluetooth phone connection but I have no option in the menu to sync my phone to Bluetooth. Anybody have any idea why anyone would pay for these options but not have them active?

 

Welcome aboard! In each of these cases, the options you're asking about may not actually be installed in the car. For instance, it is possible to have xenons but not have adaptive headlights. Likewise with the headlight washers. As far as I know, the xenons with and without washers look the same from the outside. Also, I'm pretty sure that all the 2011 cars have the steering wheel buttons regardless of whether or not bluetooth is installed.

All of what I've just said is completely moot, however, if you've got evidence (such as the original window sticker) that these options really are installed in the car. If the car didn't come with a copy of the original window sticker, any MINI dealer should be able to look up the car's build using the VIN. If your car does have these options installed but they don't work, then there may be a software issue - nearly everything on these cars is software-enabled somewhere along the line.

Let us know what you find, and good luck!

 

Agree with the above posted. My 07 MCS has the steering controls for a bluetooth set-up, but no bluetooth is actually installed on the vehicle. Threw me for a loop at first!

 

I believe Xenons are adaptive by law, at least if they are OEM. Watch them when they are turned on - like aimed at the garage door - you should see the light dip down and come back up to point straight ahead. I have an '08 and the buttons don't really work on the steering wheel, but I can pair my iPhone with Bluetooth through the radio controls. It answers hands free for me all the time. In all honesty, I have not really attempted any calls out with the controls, always initiating the call from the phone which then switches to the car for audio.

 

Anybody have any idea why anyone would pay for these options but not have them active?

I just sold my 7'S

I didn't like the plugs in the rear fascia so I put in the rear fog fittings.




elapsed time ... 3 minutes

I had no intention of paying for computer reprogramming to make them work .....

and my 7 had blu tooth buttons on the wheel but no blu tooth in the car . .

 

That's auto leveling, which is required. Adaptive means they turn left and right with the steering wheel.

 

Ah! I stand corrected! I should have known that. Does any MINI through 2013 have adaptive?

 

What does auto leveling do? I have xenons on my MCS R58 and it says auto leveling -but I do not know what that means.

 

Do any of you people ever read an owners manual?

 

Auto-leveling adjust to angle of the car from front to back. If the car tiles back, the beams generally aim down and visa versa. This helps continuously illuminate the road.

This isn't a DOT requirement to have. There are a lot of cars that do not have this feature, but have factort Xenon lights.

 

I think all newer cars come with auto leveling for HID's due to the blinding effect, when you see a vehicle thats had HID's not factory installed you get blinded on the road. If I'm parked on my driveway and turn the lights on you can see them level out. As for the washers all xenon lights have washers in the UK they are required but not in the USA. So we dont get the plumbing on the mini's

 

why would anyone do that, when they can just come here and ask the same questions 23923 times?

 

The owners manual is so generic to a series of Mini's and options, so it is very related to this thread. Now I know I have xenon headlamps - the manual only mentions that they rarely burn out and not to try to change myself. Mini talks of adaptive and self leveling headlamps, but neither are mentioned on the sticker, and if all xenon are adaptive, then the manual talks about adaptive, but does not refer to xenon nor self leveling.
So in short - I know my headlights are xenon - I know they move up then down when I start my car. Either they are adaptive or self leveling - but I am not sure.
I also learned that asking question on this site is taboo. With so many know-it-alls; you would think they would want to share their knowledge.

 

Many of the options on our cars have hardware that is physically installed, but the feature is disabled in the software running in the car's computer systems. You have to re-program the car to enable them, and it isn't cheap. In some cases, part of the hardware is present, so to enable a feature you have to install the rest of the hardware and then modify the software.

They probably do that because it is easier and cheaper for them to only have a couple of versions of a part (e.g., a wiring harness, or a taillight module) rather than have a different part for every available option.

 

To check if they're adaptive, turn the headlights to the auto position (1 click back from off) and then turn the steering wheel left and right and see if the lights follow.

If I remember correctly MINI didn't offer adaptive headlights until 2012.

 

Go here to validate what features your car really does or doesn't have from the factory:
http://www.bmwarchiv.de/vin/bmw-vin-decoder.html

No more guessing.

a

 

the first part would be a question that honestly should have been asked before you even bought the car. if you don't know what a feature is, ask before you buy the car, not after.

asking a question on this site is not taboo. what people get annoyed with is people asking the same question 3895702385 times. use the search feature, the vast majority of the questions you have will have already been answered. THAT'S why people get annoyed. not because you have a question, but because there's only so many times that a person can read a thread about the same topic before they want to scream. the search feature exists for a reason, everyone should use it.

 

I appreciate all the insight. With the headlights the do the up down thing when turned on and they are xenon. And the washers are installed just not plumbed. The steering wheel controls make sense, I'm sure they don't want to make a whole bunch of different wheels. I know these options are a huge deal just kind of annoying that they are there and can't be used.

 

That's a bit freaky, they have a pic. and everything...pretty cool!! Nice to know I could add a 6-Disc CD Changer if I wanted!!

 

Tony, I believe if you check your manual on the headlight washer system, you'll find they are automatic and only work when the headlights are on. According to the manual. That said, there is no way to manually engage the headlight washers like the windshield washers. I have never seen them work on my '08 either.

 

Mine work when I have my headlights on and hit the windshield washer. I've only seen them work when driving. Never tried them sitting in the driveway.
The Xenon headlight option includes high pressure washer.

 

I must be short! I can't see the headlights when I'm driving. I'd suspected they'd work with with the washers. I wonder how much good they really do?

 

Ha! I can't see the actual washers, but I can see the spray mist in the headlight beams.

 

I'm also told by the my dealer that you have the option to install an adapter for an iPhone or iPod in place of the 6-Disc CD Changer. I have seen the kit, it's a couple hundred dollars to install. I would like to install it myself though, wonder if the Bently manual would cover this upgrade.

 

For what it's worth, my car has no special wiring kits for anything, but underneath the passenger-mirror toggle switch there is a 2.5mm audio jack input. You have to dive into the foot-well to see it, but on my '08 MCS it's there for free.
Coupled with a phone holder and a charger, I get perfect smart phone adapter and Google Nav system integration - all in one, all for free. Works like a charm by piping audio via "Aux" input selection and charging the phone in the process.

YMMV,
a

P.S.: I repeated the same "integration" in my other 3 cars, and now I have consistent, free, and superior (Google Nav is way better than anything MINI, BMW, or Acura have to offer!) "Nav" system in all my cars