hey new to the forum just got my mini cooper s on friday, its my first car. its got the premium pack. sport pack. and convenience pack. its laser blue with white bonnet stripes and ive fallen in love. anyways i read in the manual that theres a kick down mode that gives you the best performance on the mini, does anyone know how to activate it

 

that's probably the sport mode, if so press the sport button that's right in front of the gear shift

 

This is something that refers only to the automatics, but basically when you push the accelerator you will feel a point of resistance, this is full throttle. Push it some more and you are in kickdown, I believe, at least in my current CVT MC, it basically downshifts for you and keeps full throttle. I also think this is really only when you are in D as using any of the other options you would downshift and everything like that yourself.

 

IIRC my MA said it was when you downsifted yourself to accelerate; either with the paddle shifters or shifting the car into manual mode.

 

kick down in an auto is pressing pedal to the medal, if bmw handles it like my actual bmw, youll feel the pedal snap - and the car will probably down shift itself and go max acceleration.


not soething you want to do in the first 1100 miles.

 

The kick-down button is under your acceleration pedal, and only appears on automatic or step or whatever-MINI-is-calling-it transmission. You will feel it 'click' when you put the pedal to the metal and your car will almost immediately downshift for you. It's like an override button to make the ECU kick it down a gear.

 

Don't use kick-down if you've got less than 1,200 miles! The engine is still in it's break-in period and kick-down mode is specifically the thing mentioned to avoid.

 

thans for all the help... i cant wait to get to 1200 miles so i can really drive this bad boy

 

Congrats and Welcome to the land of MINIs....Happy Motoring...

Donna

 

To be more specific, please do not rev above 4000 RPM (though you may vary revs underneath), and keep top speed below 80.

Do this for 1100-1200 miles unless.......

-ELmO

 

there is not button under the pedal. Its drive by wire like current BMWs. There are throttle postion that will drop it down a gear or even 2 for passing etc.
The 2 gear drop down will raise the revs very quickly so be careful during break in especially when in sport mode or when set for manual shifting where the revs are raised anyway