I've searched this forum, google, and youtube and can't find anything.. maybe it's just not my day for searches.
I'm trying to remove the plastic cowl piece that covers the battery. I've got the 2 bolts removed, the weather strip removed, and wiper arm removed, and I still can't get it out. Seems like something far on the passenger side is holding it in but I can't find it.
Any help would be appreciated. If we had cliffs in TX, this car would have been pushed over one today.
RT4

 

Apparently just asking the question made the car gods have pity on me.... that plastic piece is wedged into some rubber piece attached to the cowl/lower windshield. All you have to do is pull.

 

How did you remove the wiper arm?

 

Better question and one more appropriate to me.... Were you able to put it back together?

 

Hi
I am new here, from Australia. I have a Cooper S Countryman. This morning I had to jump start another car, and after locating the battery... (had to get the owners manual to find it) I freaked at the location... How on earth does it get replaced? I am wondering if anyone knows of a step by step guide that I can use in an emergency dead battery/local mechanic scenario... OR Does someone know where I could download a CM workshop manual at all? I live about 4 hours from the nearest Dealer...

Thanks.
Scott

 

I replaced my at 4K. It was -20, and I did crack some of the plastic bits. It was not easy to remove.

 

It's not that hard once you know what you're doing (though something is bound to break at -20 degrees. Ouch). It definitely takes more tools than the average car and some planning ahead of time. Here's a quick step by step:

1. First you have to remove the windshield wiper arm.

a. Buy a windshield wiper arm removal tool. (I found one on Amazon for a few bucks.)

b. Pop off the plastic cap on the right hand wiper (left wiper if you're facing the windshield).

c. Remove the nut under the plastic cap. You'll notice the arm is still stuck on after removing the nut.

d. Use painters tape to mark above/below the wiper on the windshield so you can put it back in the same orientation.

e. Use the wiper arm removal tool to pop off the wiper arm. (The tool I bought tends to walk its way off the bolt as it gets tightened, so I drilled a small divot in the center of the bolt to keep it in place.)

2. Next you have to remove the cowl piece over the battery.

a. Pop off the cover over the battery.

b. Pop off the small piece of chrome belt line on the top of the A panel. (The piece that's about 6 inches long. It just slides upward--no fasteners).

c. Remove the two plastic nuts near the fender holding the cowl piece on.

d. Remove the weather stripping at the rear of the engine bay. (You can just pull back half if you want.)

e. Start wiggling the cowl piece and get it separated from the firewall piece (the piece underneath the cowl). Try to not break any of the clips.

f. Slowly lift the cowl piece to separate from the windshield.

3. Finally you can remove the battery.

a. Unhook positive terminal.

b. Unhook negative terminal.

c. Lift battery out of compartment.


Edit: here's a pic from the last time I had it apart: http://chrunck.com/mini/dos_intake/dos_intake_27.jpg

 

I would not suggest removing the wiper arms. More work and not needed. You should be able to wiggle the cowl out. Once it's off you will also have to take the long 10mm retaining bolt along with the metal hold down that the bolt runs through.

 

I didn't know about the 10mm bolt, but I've never actually removed my battery. That was just what I remembered from installing the DoS intake snorkel.

This is what happened when I didn't remove the wiper arm: http://chrunck.com/mini/dos_intake/dos_intake_17.jpg

A lot of my problem was unfamiliarity with how the cowl attaches. If you say you can do it without removing the wiper, I'll take your word for it. I guess I might give it a try in a pinch, but given time I'll just remove the arm.

 

Ouch. Yea I guess I'm just very familiar with doing it since I'm a technician at a dealer. If I do need to remove the wiper arm I have had good luck by just grabbing the wiper before the joint and push and pull it back and forth with some force and it comes loose and you can just pull it right off with no tool.

 

What a complete cluster F just to replace the battery! Sheeesh
:smh:

 

Wowsers, thanks for that, I had hoped there would be a simpler way, but it doesn't look too bad, just a bit ridiculous and worthy of scoffing from any non-mini enthusiast...
I will be getting the best, longest lasting battery regardless of the cost whan replacement is needed!

Thanks again!

 

.

Tyler, since you are a Mini Tech, I have a related question. On the Countryman wiper system, can you get the wiper out of the way by parking it (stopping it) in a up position by pushing the start/stop button with the wiper operating, or remove the fob, or removing a fuse?

Also regarding charging the battery, when parked for over a few weeks, do I have other options to connect a charger other then opening the hood and cowl battery compartment cover to get current into the battery. The accessory sockets don't seem to be live when the fob is removed.
Maybe I'll just install a pigtail to the battery thru a small hole in the plastic compartment keeping the exposed end capped when not in use.

Thanks for your input to this site, B.B.

 

The wipers will always right themselves in the down position when the vehicle is shut off. As far as pulling the fuse I am not 100% sure. I can try it at work tomorrow and let you know.

As far as charging the vehicle the only way to properly charge it is to connect directly to the battery. Many people that want to have the capability to charge there vehicles easily purchase a battery maintainer (available from BMW) and have us hard wire them to the battery then run the a/c cord out to the front so the hood doesn't need to be opened. Maybe this would be a good option for you.

 

Good news. I tried the fuse trick and sure enough they stopped all the way up if you time it right. The fuse is under the hood in the fuse box (30Amp).

 

all that noise to change a battery, FT

 

It is not an easy task LOL

 

Thanks for checking out the ability to stop the wipers in an up position. I've given my self a lesson in where the many fuses are in our Mini. I do own a BMW charger that is used on my K1200LT.

B.B.

 

So if the wiper blade is stopped at the top, does the arm not need to be removed to removed the cowl?

 

Correct. That's a pretty good discovery, though it may be difficult to turn on the wipers if the battery is dead