Hi everyone! Let me start with what issue I'm seeing. My fiance's 2012 countryman was running fine this morning. I drove around town and made a few stops with no issues. For no reason that I can tell the car will no longer start. I put the FOB in and press the start button to hear a couple of clicks come from (what sounds like) the gear shifter. Her car is an automatic so jump starting is not an option. The clicking I'm hearing is a quick pulse of maybe 5 clicks then nothing. no crank, no turnover. I've read repeatedly in other forms that it's likely the battery, but I've replaced that within the last 8 months trying to jump the car with another car still yields nothing, and none of the electronics seem to be suffering in anyway so it seems unlikely. Another forum post mentioned something about the lead wire from the starter button could be loose, but after pulling the button off and checking the connection terminal I'm not seeing anything that would indicate the connection is loose. The clicking noise I'm hearing from in (?) the shifter feels like it implies something past the ignition switch, but I'm at a loss. Another forum suggested it could be a short at the relay, or in the junction box, which I'm going to check next.
My question is, the clicking I'm hearing from the shifter. this is new since the car wouldn't start, I don't ever recall hearing it before. Is there some sensor or check to ensure the car is in park before it starts that could have failed?
My dad was a mechanic for 50 years, but has since retired, as such I have enough knowledge to basically be dangerous. I have done repairs above that of the standard person but I have no real training. if through q&a for better details on what could/is causing the issue it's determined that something needs to be replaced I can do it (baring needing some specific BMW tool) and would prefer to do so as it would further my understanding and ability. Any insight or things to check that can be offered would be greatly appreciated.

Paul

 

So everything in the car functions as it should but when you push start, it clicks and that's it, right?

can you place the shifter at N and try to start?

does the car have a sunroof? any water leaks?

you can invest in ISTAD and k+dcan USB cable to diagnose the car. it will pay itself in the first usage.

where is the car located?

 

My daughter just called me yesterday with a similar issue. Out of the blue while at school she goes to start and nothing, just hears clicking (which I would assume is starter relay or something)? The parking lot attendant tried to jump it but it just did the same thing. My daughters mom drove over to see and try to jump start and again, just clicking. She said she sat a bit and revved the car to try and charge and evidently they got the car to start and run. While running there was no light or anything... They drove it home and it sits there waiting for me... So, because it looks like the stock battery, I'm going to try that first and see. Evidently, I have to register the battery as well and who knows what other special crap is needed for something that I hope is basic.

 

@Paul were you able to find a fix, my 2012 Mini Countryman is having the same issue, Replaced the battery, key fob battery, and ignition switch.

 

rapid clicking from the fusebox is indication of bad CAS aka immobilizer. Send me a PM if you want to get it cloned.

 

Ugh. I am dealing with this same thing. I might be contacting you myself.

Incidentally, do you know if a physical repair of the board is a real fix or does it still need a re-flash?
reference: https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1612672

Matt

 

Mine turned out to be a bad/intermittent man power relay to the DME or something like that. I could move the relay a bit, and hear clicking start/stop etc. I was concerned the issue was the main fuse box connection. I swapped one of the identical relays from the cooling fan to a main relay that was the culprit and the car behaved just fine ever since. I ended up replacing the suspect relay I had swapped to the cooling circuit. This issue had caused me a massive amount of codes and was intermittent. I feel lucky that I found the source and it was cheap. Previoulsy, I had taken it in to mini and they had printed me pages of codes with no solution. Because it was intermittent they just gave me the vehicle back after taking my money to scan and said it was fixed but it wasn't.

 

Was the relay in the right passenger kick panel? or under the hood?

 

Under the hood in the main fuse box on the driver side.