So as the title says, i browsed our agora and i couldnt come across symptoms much like mine so i decided to post this on here.

So this morning I got up early to go study with a classmate of mine and i get in my car and...dim lights and some clicking... then i jog to autozone to buy a booster pack. So im running with this thing over my head and i see a friend of mine in the drive way... facebook works wonders when you need help.lol.

anywho we get the car started and i go to school (i didnt put the blowers on full blast or anything like that like the manual suggests before disconnecting the cables)

So i get to class and im late and i also have a test that day and knock it out of the ball park then i get out early and head to my car...

i try to start it and no luck... i ask some one for a jump and i get close to starting up first try then everything after that is unsuccessful. so i have my car towed and i come home to my booster pack then i charge my battery 100% and i try to start up.

This time no dim lights and everything works fine electrically. i try to start and i get dim lights and the voltage of the battery drops to 7.2 from 13volts (the booster pack also had a voltmeter). when i tried to start i also got this clicking from the speedometer for a brief second. like a sporadic fast clicking. i also thought i heard the starter clicking with out success.

Now I dont know if its the starter, alternator, ignition or battery... could i get some inputs ?

 

How old is your car?

I think your battery is shorted out, you need a new one.

 

Hmm... i wonder how that happend. i didnt have any problems with the battery until some grease monkey towed my car. whatever happend in the that car lot stays in the car lot i guess.

anywho, i have an 03 mini cooper with 46,000 on the odometer. i think it might be a stock mini cooper batter (its white with the mini logo and some lettering in german)

So yea, again a few minutes ago i go into my car and i try to unlock the doors and it seemed like it was completely dead!!! then i try to start and everything goes CRAZY!!!! lights flickering and everything goes nuts. so i hook up the booster pack and read the voltage level and it went down to 9v or something like that then i put it on charge and it was @ 9% (maybe i originally read that wrong.) this is driving me nuts :0(

thanks for the speedy reply though

 

If it is the original battery, it is DEFINITELY time for a new one. MINI electronics do weird things when the battery is bad.

 

I had starting issues that were similar, but when I changed the battery, the car was back to its normal self. Strange...but true

 

i like what im hearing. ill go out and replace the battery. what about the color disply where it says if its green its ok if its black it needs a charge and if its yellow you need a new battery. yall know what im talking about ? mine reads green last i checked. also i noticed the battery gets drained within the hour after charging it... i hope thats further indication for a shorted out battery

 

Your battery is dead.....

 

With an old battery, all electrical troubleshooting starts (and typically stops) with a new battery. Batteries can test Okay and be crap. And a battery that is going can cause all sorts of strange symptoms, including yours. Stop screwing around and just replace the battery.

- Mark

 

Lol @markjenn. Got it done, boss! btw that was the problem. thanks to all who provided inputs. i turned it on today, drove it up to 50mph then brought it home turned it off and turned it on again and it started like a champ. only problem now is the Service Engine Soon light came on... i hope it goes away since i did leave the car un attended for 4 days :(