I was having some issues with my 2005 Cooper S manual turning over, if I wiggled the steering wheel and waited it would eventually start but not this time. I thought it was the battery so I bought a brand new battery, still will not crank over.

New Battery
All Ignition lights come on
No noise from starter at all

I was able to push start it though....

Any ideas here? I am thinking it may be the neutral safety switch. I have searched and searched these forums and found many people with the same issue but no one has ever updated their thread with a fix.

 

Old trick...try hitting the starter with a hammer...as they begin to fail, a wack will sometimes get another start or two out of it. The fact you can push start means it is likely a starter, ground or battery issue....

 

Thanks for the tip, where is the starter located? Is there an EDU on how to replace the starter?

 

Have you tried another key? The fact that wiggling the steering seemed to help has me thinking it is something to do with the key, ignition switch, electronic immobilizer system, ring antenna by the key, etc. I also wonder if a trouble code might be logged that would point you to the exact problem.

If the problem is the starter, you should get a "click" as the starter relay closes. If not, then the starter isn't the problem. Might be the relay though.

AFAIK, the Gen 1 manual tranny cars do not have anything that detects neutral in the tranny. Instead, you have to press the clutch to start the car regardless of whether the transmission is in neutral. If you think it might be a safety interlock, I'd look for a problem in the clutch switch. It's located on the clutch master cylinder, under the dash.

- Mark

 

I haven't seen my other key in years.

The starter would click but then shut off when I started having the issue but it wouldnt sound like a bad starter, it sounded like the car was losing power so that's why I bought a new battery.

 

Manual cars do not have neutral safety switches. But there is a switch in the clutch pedal.

 

When you say wiggle the wheel...was the lock engaged and sticking?!

 

No the steering wheel was not locked, I could make full rotations.

 

Looking for more ideas, also looking to see if anyone has an EDU on how to replace the starter.

 

Also forgot to mention that I was able to find my second key and tried that and I have the same problem.

 

Car goes into the shop tomorrow for a new starter, dealer wanted just around $1k, found shops to do it for around $750 but then I found a BMW/Mini repair shop by my house that will do it for $450 with a OEM starter! At that price it isn't worth doing myself.

 

Before they swap it out at your request, be sure to have them diagnose the problem...might get lucky and have it be a loose wire or the clutch switch.
If you just say swap out the starter, they will do it...and the issue could be anything!!
Remember, any diagnoses by internet is only as good as a wag or a slightly educated guess...it takes a bit of hands on to be 100% sure of the cause. It does sound like you did find a shop that has decent pricing though!!

 

They are going to diagnose it first but they believe it's the starter as well. They said they'll hook up a meter and see if it's bad or not.

 

Was not the starter, it was the EWS.

 

Good to hear they figured it out before swapping parts! Are they just re-aligning it (i think the term i have heard used when they reset it) or is it needed parts? Hopefully this info can help the next guy.
not sure if it is a good/bad thong it wasn't the starter...i guess you will know when the bill comes. Just proves it pays to test, test, test before swapping parts!

 

They are swapping it out, I guess they need to order it from Mini so it is matched with my vin#. I think they said the part was $180 and labor is 3 hours. Total is $360.

 

I find it interesting that the car would push start with a faulty ews. I hot wired my starter to the terminal of the battery and the engine would crank while i had someone in the driver seat turning the car over and holding the clutch(nothing happens when you turn it to the crank position in the ignition)

 

The 03 mini cooper s has the clutch safety switch located on the master cylinder. The can be knocked off and eben if its still plugged in, the car wont engage, it has to be in its little notch on MC