I may have discovered how Nav-equipped Minis might be able to predict a weakening car battery before failure is complete.

Several months ago I wrote a thread asking whether any other nav. owners had experienced their screens not coming on immediately after starting the car. Mine had been experiencing longer and longer delays before lighting up -- and then not at the beginning of the process with the large MINI emblem and then the legal disclaimer screen -- No, it would finally light up with the current map displayed.

Well, last week the car battery failed completely in my '04 MCS after slightly more than 3-1/2 years since delivery (and 50,000 miles!).

THE FIRST THING I NOTICED AFTER INSTALLING A NEW BATTERY WAS THAT THE NAV. SYSTEM WAS OPERATING NORMALLY AGAIN ! Now the MINI emblem greets you first, then the disclaimer screen, just as before. NO DELAYS ANYMORE IN THE SCREEN COMING ALIVE !

So, I have concluded that a car battery which is starting to loose voltage probably no longer can supply the nav. system with the initial "kick" it needs to begin operating.

Therefore, a system that is slow to light up might be an early warning that your battery is going to fail within three months or so.

I'd be interested in hearing whether any other Nav equipped MINIs might have experienced this same phenomenon before their batteries failed.

Joe

 

Pretty interesting. Stuff like this can be very helpful. I'll pay attention to mine and maybe be able to provide another data point (in a couple of years)

 

Thanks for that info.

 

I REPOSTED THIS THREAD IN THE FIRST GENERATION MINI NAV SECTION.

WHAT I WROTE MAY NOT APPLY TO SECOND GENERATION MINIS.

(It's been a long time since I posted anything and I didn't realize there are now separate sections for the two series of MINIs.)

Joe