My system is manual not automatic.

 

When you first start the car, the brake light indicator in the tach is orange, then changes to red. Anyone know why?

 

I don't get this. The a/c has it's own switch. You can run the fan without ac with the auto system. Recirc is also separately controlled. Leave recirc off, a/c off and fan on whatever speed you want.

 

I can see the point being made. My Integra allowed fresh air to come through the vents without the fan. At 45+ mph you got a good draft without using the fan. With the MINI you seem to have to have the fan on to get fresh air, even if the AC is off.

 

I kinda knew this but reminded myself the other night, that you can have the headlights 'follow you home'. As you're leaving the car flick on the brights and the lights stay lit for 20 seconds or so.

 

Yeah. You can set the amount of time they stay on.

 

That's good to know!

 

EXACTLY! It has worked this way on every other car I've ever owned (and I've had quite a few over the past 40 years). I don't know why no one can understand this--I've mentioned this on a few threads before this. Guess I can't explain it as well as you did. Thanks!

 

I'm guessing you have the parking brake on, right? It's telling you to release it before you drive.

 

If the brake light turns red and stays on it means the OBC thinks your past due on your brake job(either front or back).You can tell by the red MINI pic w/circle above(either front or back) on the tach when you startup.I had that light on for a week until last night I found out how to reset all service lights and got rid of it since my front brakes were NOT in need of changing.

 

I think he's just refering to the idiot light with the word "brake." It does go from yellow to red (with no other indicator light) when you start up, until you release the brake.

 

With keyless entry, you can press the button on the door handle to lock the doors upon leaving the car. You just have to wait 2 seconds.

 

Yes I know that, just wondering why the color changes.

This is not the service light, it's the word "brake" that lights up in the tach. It changes color from orange to red.

I'm guessing orange is the normal "checking all indicator lights" you get when you turn on the car and red meaning I have the parking brake on. I'll have to try it without the brake on.

 

This might have something to do with the air filter that is built in to the auto A/C cars. Perhaps the filter is keeping air from flowing in on it's on so it needs that little extra pull that the fan provides in order to get air into the cabin.

I like leaving the recirc on auto as sometimes, like now during pollen season, when I don't want outside air getting in but still want air circulating. Hit auto air, auto recirc, and turn off the a/c and I'm good to go motoring.

 

Okay, I get it. But that means there is no way to stop the air from coming in. Why would you want that? I like Mini's way better. You want air, put on the fan; you don't turn it off vs. You don't want air, tough.

 

Actually in this case you can switch to recirculate and it will stop the air flow. Every car I've had since the 70's has allowed for fresh air to come through without a fan on like Robin mentioned. My MINI is the first that has needed a fan.

 

Yeah, but I would like to allow outside air to seep in without having it blow on me, if I choose. With recirc on, the windows sometimes fog up.

 

The bummer about having to have the fan on for minimal air flow is that it is more than just a draft. Plus the fan in not the quietest one I've had (turn up music).

 

Cool, another excuse to blast the music!

 

I think that's the key--at least it is for me--the fan is noisy (and interferes with my audio-book). Besides, I see dollar bills flying away when I think of repairs. As for not having the air come in, I just twist the vent **** shut. In my last car, a '94 BMW 325i, I could hear the damper open or close when the outside vent vs. air conditioning control was manipulated.

 

I think that's it, too. I remember when the SZL went out last year the yellow brake light stayed on (red, if the brake was engaged). It was telling me all was NOT well with the system, in addition to the other failure items.

 

Hi guys, finally got my MINI "Horse" on friday and it was love at first sight.

So yesterday my girlfriend parked the car near the park to go for a run. She didn't want to take her whole keychain so she just took the keyfob off of the emergency spare key (I got convenient access), and went to close the trunk. But the trunk kept popping back open and she realized that the whole keyfob had to be together because the car wasn't going to let her lock any part of her keys in the car.

Just one of many cool things we've discovered so far over the first few days.

 

Congratulations on receiving your new car.

With comfort access, your car won't lock if the fob portion of the key set is left inside. I officiate a lot of softball games and I don't want all of my keys with me. I disconnect the key set and take just the fob portion with me. That does the trick.

 

That's actually what she was trying to do. She had the fob part in her pocket but the emergency key was in her backpack attached to her keychain in the trunk. Do you have comfort access? I thought maybe this was some safety measure on the mere chance that her fob would run out of batteries and she would need the emergency key to get in the car? It seemed as if the key had to be in the fob to lock the car with comfort access, let me know if this is incorrect.

 

Yes, I have comfort access, and like I said, I frequently detach the emergency key inside the fob and leave that mechanical key and my other keys inside the hidden compartment when I go to umpire games.

Is the spare fob (your second vehicle key) inside the backpack left in the trunk? If you have either fob inside the vehicle, the car will not lock. Basically, it's made so that you can't lock your keys in the vehicle.