Argh... Dawn's sick... Won't start. Posted a thread over on the "Stock problems forum:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ml#post3032250

Has anyone had a battery go dead? Some people report my symptoms even with a dead battery (full electric power but turning the key does nothing). Is there an immobilizer or something obvious I'm forgetting to check?

Gah!!

 

If your battery is pushing 4-5 years in age, you could be in the danger zone.

I replaced my Sept '05 build '06 MCS battery recently with an Optima red top.

Failed/failing battery symptoms run the gamut from crazy lights to no-not-nothing-at-all and everything in between. Common symptom tho is car won't start.

 

Does anyone local carry the Optima (looks like the 34R is what I need)? I'd rather get it local in case that doesn't fix the issue and I have to return it.

Thanks!!

 

jump start the car and put a meter on the battery if it starts. Or take the battery to auto zone and have it tested.

 

Maybe Dawn is just jealous of your new toy and the fact that you brought Fiona on Saturday.

 

Strange, same symptoms...power is on but when i turn key nothing happens. I was able to push start car. I found a few inches of water in my battery well and it might have shorted something. A knowledgeable mechanic/friend checked everything out and altrenator/starter/battery all good...turns out my BST needs replacing...quite unusual unless you're in an accident (which I was in a few month ago but the airbags didn't go off)...not sure if that helps but that's my story.

 

Matt Batteries Plus carries the Optima 34R. There are several stores here in town, you may have to call a couple. Take your old battery with you, they can load test it & confirm it is indeed dead. It seems that our MINIs are fussy & want a good battery.

 

It's them stripes.

He done went and put them stripes on that "other" car, and now he's gonna pay.

Man, you just can't mess with a MINI!

 

Matt, check the connection at the postive jump stud under the hood. If the connection from the cable to the stud is loose it can do exactly what you are describing. +1 on Batteries plus having the Optima battery.

 

Hey Matt, did you ever get your MINI started?

 

Nah....he's out pullin' them stripes off........

 

They looked pretty nice. Shame to have to pull them off. Maybe he put the battery from his laptop in the MINI & can't respond.

 

I was in California all week - just got back. Car started right up on a jump, so I'm gonna get a new battery and see if that sorts it out. Thanks guys!

 

Welcome home Matt! I think a battery is a good guess. If it was my car I'd buy one.

 

Autozone was actually cheaper than Batteries Plus, and they have them in stock.

NOTE ON THE OPTIMAS: I'm hearing that Optima's are no longer made in the USA (now in Mexico) and there have been some reported performance issues following the switch. Optimas still have the 3-year warranty, however, so I figure given how finicky the MINI is, if there are issues I'll likely know about them still in the warranty period. I'll bring in my battery and have the 'Zone load test it while I'm at it - that way I'll avoid the core charge anyway.

Thanks everyone for all the help!!

 

I see no problem with its origin. Would you rather have a genuine Lucas battery? I've had three Optima red tops in 3 different cars & for my money it is a very good battery. Just my .02 here.

 

No argument... I'm just repeating what both Batteries Plus and Autozone said about the Optimas. Apparently they just switched over manufacturers last year, and the first crop of batteries has some hitches. I'm still OK with it, so long as the warranty remains the same (which it does).

Thanks, Chuck!

 

More power to you Matt

 

This is weird... the battery tested fine. Only 51% charge, but amps were fine. They put it on a charger for 30 minutes and it was back to 92% charge. I put is back in the car to see what would happen and it fired right up...

Does anyone know where I can test the output voltage from the alternator and what it should read?

 

put your meter on the battery posts and you can read the output from the alternator. I think it should read 14 if I remember correctly.

 

I was wondering if that would work or not - thanks for confirming. Although - wouldn't I get a Check Engine light if the voltage coming off the alternator were weak? I'm still betting on the battery though (naturally... as an alternator replacement would be a bucketload more $).

PS - Mark: I'll check that jump stud connection in the morning - I didn't have the chance to look before I had to go out of town - thanks!

 

The engine compartment positive nut was tight, and the battery is reading 12.5v with the engine off, and 14.2 running, so it looks like the charging system is still operating correctly, at least. I guess if it dies again I'll just put in the new battery and see what happens, since everything else looks OK. Thanks!

 

So Autozone quick-charged the battery (it was at 51%) and re-tested it and it read as 100% fine (97% charge, plenty of cold-crank amps), so I put it back in the car. I've been driving on it for almost two weeks now and everything's fine. Maybe I left something on somehow that drained it?? Weird...

 

You must be parking too close to your classic. A classic case of Lucas drain.

 

Wouldn't the wiring catch fire if that was it?