Many thx to the OP. I just went thru this, only takes about 20 min to get the old battery out and the new one in. I did run into a problem that the battery cover wouldn't stay secure. I found this thread and saw it has clip/snaps that need to be secured. No more problem. I know this is in the 'How to', but is hard to find. Should be made a sticky!!

 

Is there a way to find out if my 2015 Mini Cooper countryman will need a re-code when replacing my battery? Is this something that I can do on my own? My battery keeps dying now and then lately...

 

Just replaced my battery with a Supper Start Extreme Size 47 H5 from O’Reilly’s. My 09 clubby s doesn’t have the IBS. All I had to do is reset the clock.

 

if your negative looks like this you have IBS and need to be coded. My 09 Clubby S had a regular negative terminal.

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...oaAtemEALw_wcB

 

A bit of a revive of this thread...

Thanks to the OP for this set of instructions.

Just replaced the battery on my 2012 R56 S. The 2nd of the MINI batteries that was in it has been dying for a long time and a week ago it failed to start the car... A quarter turn of the engine, that was it. Time for it to go.

First - An added caution for everyone changing their own battery...
REMOVE ALL RINGS AND HANGING JEWELRY
A wedding ring between the positive terminal and ground could result in the loss of a finger. It has happened. And getting the cowl off is a bear and if you reach inside to remove it your have a chance of this happening.

The main reason for this post is to give people a heads up that the plastic piece that covers the battery (MINI calls it a “Firewall apron”) was a bear for me to get off, to the point I broke it. Now this car is almost 10 years old and it has been a long time since this piece has been removed.

The windshield edge of this plastic piece has a lip that fits into a slot at the base of the windshield.


Slot for cowl cover lip

I know it is really hard to seen in this next picture, but that lip fits into that slot shown above. In my case it was snapped in place and I broke it when I pulled on it.


Cowl cover lip on the underside of the cover

Broken lip and broken cover. If you look below where my hand is, you will see the crack through the piece.


Broken cowl cover lip

My apologies, but I didn’t figure out a good way to pop the lip out of that slot. If I were to try it again, I might try getting a flat blade screwdriver up under that to pry it up instead of pulling on it. But, that is going to be a blind effort.

Here is the NAPA replacement battery versus the MINI battery that was in the car. The original MINI battery was replaced by the dealership under warranty a few years after I bought the car, so I don’t know if this matches what came in the car or not... Seems small to me. Also note that the NAPA battery is almost double the CCAs...


Replacement NAPA battery vs the MINI battery

Of course critters get everywhere...


Critter nest

I vacuumed that out and then found the drain for this area...


Drain hole

While you are in there replacing the battery you are going to want to make sure that this drain hole is not plugged. Otherwise, I would imagine that if it is plugged you run the risk of filling the car up with water when this area fills up in a rain storm.

I did order a replacement firewall apron from ECS (https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...-/51132751210/)
I am happy to say they still have them and I should be getting mine in the near future. However, I do wonder how much longer these will be kept in stock...

Hope this helps the next person attempting this effort. Hope it all goes well...