Hi. I'm a newbie here, but a long time MINI owner (and a classic Austin Mini owner before that).

I've searched extensively on this site, but can't find any posts that seem to cover this problem for the pre-2004 changes, so I am looking for some help please.

I have an early R53 Cooper S, (built 4/2002) which I purchased new. Earlier this week the cooling fans stuck on when the car was turned off, completely discharging the battery. A new relay fixed the problem with the cooling fans, and the car battery is now back to a full charge.

But... my key remote does not work at all. Obviously, this is related to my car losing all power. Surprisingly, when the car battery regained a charge I did not lose my radio station pre-sets, or my service reminder count-down, but my clock near the rear mirror lost all time.

Since this is an early car, it has the oval-shaped key with the two buttons (one chromed MINI logo button and one little round black button with the padlock symbol). This is the remote key that has the replaceable #CR 2032 button battery - it is not the later key which is charged by the car. I know the little battery in the remote is good (I just replaced it a month ago out of caution as it was years and years old).

I have tried following the instructions in the owner's manual for initializing the master key (which worked great when I put a new remote battery in recently).

This is what I have tried (unsuccessfully):

Key in, turn ignition on - don't start car
remove key, within 10 seconds push big button (#1) once, push small button (#2)

and the alternative method per the manual, push either button #1 or #2 four times in quick secession

I also took the battery out of the remote in case that would somehow reinitialize it, and I tried both methods above again. No luck.

I have also tried, unsuccessfully, the procedure used for 2004 and later R50s and R53s

Can anyone help? I just paid to get the fan relay fixed (non-dealer shop) and I really want to avoid having to pay a dealer for something that I am sure is simple.


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I spoke to a helpful parts person at my local MINI dealer. She checked with some of the service techs about my problem and the running theory is this: If I had the key in the ignition of my car when I hooked up jumper cables (battery was beyond dead), the jolt to the electrical system may have fried the remote functions of my key.

Hmmm... seems like that would be more likely with later-style key that is recharged each time it is used - not a self-powered one like mine. And going from dead to suddenly 12V is a common occurrence each time a new battery is installed in a MINI. Of course a key is not usually in the ignition when that happens, but still...

Cost is about $150 for a new key and then $115 to program it. $265 seems crazy for the convenience of locking & unlocking my car while standing nearby.

Can anyone suggest some viable alternatives to a new key? And/Or dealer key programming?


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Try replacing the battery first.

Then what needs to be done is that someone dealer or aftermarket with the BMW computer needs to run a key test and find out if the key is sending out a signal, if it is then the car may have lost the code, and the car just needs the code for your key put back into it. But you need the BMW computer to do this, if you were closer we could do this but sounds like you may be stuck with the dealer.

 

Thanks for the insight. I do wish I was close to you guys so you could do the work.

I'm in the Dallas area. Can anyone recommend a shop in the DFW area to handle this? (other than the dealers)


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