MINI Cooper Remote Start – Stay Cozy in Heat and Cold

Have you ever wondered how technology has made our lives much more convenient just in recent years? How it’s possible to pay the toll on a highway from an app without stopping at the gate. Or to refuel at a self-service gas station. In the era of remote work and all the technological advancements, it’s no surprise that you can also remotely start your vehicle. 

On a more serious note: remote start isn’t really that recent of an invention. It has been around for some time already. Particularly loved by drivers who live in areas that experience heavy winters, though it’s not uncommon in hot climates. But why would you even need this feature? 

The answer is simple – to not freeze (or overheat!) when the temperatures around you reach extremes. Read on to learn how MINI Cooper remote start can save you from high or low temperatures and how to add it to your car.

What is MINI Cooper Remote Engine Start?

Similarly to BMW remote start, the option allows you to turn on the engine of your MINI remotely from the original MINI Cooper key fob. You don’t even have to be near the vehicle, so long as your control fob’s batteries or a car battery aren’t dead or exhausted. 

And it’s especially convenient in winter, before you leave for work. This way, you’ll allow your engine to warm up a bit and preheat the air conditioning system. Or, in the case of aforementioned hot regions, cool down the interior of the vehicle. 

Moreover, preheating the engine has an additional benefit that you simply cannot overlook – getting the oil up to operating temperature, so that you can start driving faster than you would if the car was started after you entered it. You will no longer have to worry about revving too high when overtaking someone, in fear of increasing the wear of your engine. 

Regardless of which of the scenarios you are most likely to face, MINI Cooper remote start is a useful feature to have. So much so that you’ll appreciate it even in some more temperate environments. 

Does MINI Cooper Have Remote Start?

Some of the BMWs came equipped with a remote start feature right from the factory, but not all car manufacturers tend to offer it, even as an option. Despite MINI being a part of BMW Group, they were never configurable to be started remotely. That is, you couldn’t get a remote start for 2012 MINI Cooper when buying a brand new car.

However, you could for some time purchase an official MINI Cooper remote start kit directly from the car manufacturer. Though it was rather expensive and designed for a very limited range of models, so it didn’t gain much popularity. 

What also contributed to MINI offering remote start kind of like an afterthought? Well, this feature is much more common in the United States, than it is in the EU, which is the primary market for MINIs. In many European countries, remote start is outright illegal – there, you can’t have your car running on idle for a longer period, waiting for it to warm up. 

What MINI Cooper Models and Years Have Remote Engine Start? 

In 2016, MINI USA offered a retrofit that allowed you to turn your engine on remotely. It was designed only for the cars with automatic transmission and only for the following models:

• F54 Clubman
• F55 Cooper 5 Door
• F56 Hatch
• F57 Convertible

As you can see, if you own or want to buy a 2022 MINI Cooper, remote start isn’t something that is fitted to those vehicles on the assembly line. That being said, if you would like to have your MINI equipped with a remote start, all is not lost. We already have a BMW remote start retrofit and we are actively working on a similar product for MINI Coopers. Sign up to our newsletter to be notified when it comes out for your model.

But before we let you in on more details, check out our video on the remote start for BMW to learn about its advantages. 

MINI Remote Ventilation

Although not directly related to remote start, remote ventilation works in a slightly similar way. If your vehicle is equipped with the feature, you can turn on the ventilation fans using your Cooper keys or MINI Connected app. Additionally, it’s possible to set at what time the ventilation should be activated. 

Keep in mind though that the remote ventilation is much simpler than remote start. It only controls the fans and without the engine running you won’t be able to heat up or cool down the interior, since the AC compressor and heater both need a steady power supply. 

Nevertheless, remote ventilation will help you bring some fresh air in. Which can be especially useful when the days are getting warmer, but it still isn’t extremely hot outside.

What Are the Elements of the MINI Remote Start?

The remote start system of a MINI Cooper only consists of two components: a remote starter and a transmitter. 

In this case, the starter is a special device that needs to be connected to certain outputs of your car. Those include ignition switch and wire, power wire, starter wire, brake wire, ground wire, and tachometer wire. In turn, the key fob acts as the transmitter that relays the signal to the starter, letting you start the engine remotely by pressing a button. From the warmth of your house, for example. 

How to Start a Mini Cooper with Remote Start?

With the remote start kit installed on your MINI, all you need to do is take advantage of the new features by using your standard MINI Cooper key fob. With the vehicle in range of your remote (so up to 70 m or 230 ft), click the “lock” button two times following with holding it down for a couple of seconds. This will result in your engine starting. 

If you set the air conditioning to a specific temperature and fan speed before you turn off your car the last time you use it, the AC will also be turned on. Meaning no more chilly car in winter or steaming hot interior in summer. 

If you are looking for a way to reliably improve the convenience of your car in all climate conditions, you might want to sign up for our newsletter. We’ll keep you posted with all the details regarding our MINI Cooper remote start retrofit.