Car won't start....lost
 

It's got back from a long trip from CT to Philly for work on Thursday. Friday morning I was driving to work and everything seemed 100% fine. I stopped to get coffee and when I came back out the car wouldn't start.

I assumed it was the battery only because over the winter I had cycled the crap out of it when I was getting the car back together after doing a clutch replacement. So I bought a battery and went back to put it in and nothing changed.

When I try to start it all the lights and Bella come on like normal and it almost "coughs" once and then nothing.

When I got the car towed the tow guy and I tried to push start it just to see. We tried to push start it in 2nd and 3rd and when I popped the clutch the car locked to a complete stop which I found really odd.

I already ordered a new starter because it's the original and I live in CT so I figured it's on it's last legs anyway due to corrosion. I'm afraid though it's not the starter because I couldn't roll start the car. Any credence to that?

I'm at a loss and I don't know where to go next. Help.....thanks.

Well to eliminate some things I just checked the ground on the left side of the engine and that looked fine.

I also took out the ignition switch and tore that apart....looks practically brand new and it's making good contact all around.

Same exact thing happen to me and was just after installing an ...ugh....Optima battery. I needed a new DME.....hopefully not the case but is very very similar with your description.

On the upside the newer DME's look like it was made by Apple....the OEM one looked like it came out of a Tiger Tank from 1944.

Thanks for the reply!

How much did that end up setting you back all in? I jumped the gun and already ordered a new starter because it had been slow to start a couple times over the last two or three months and it's one of the few things I didn't replace when I did the clutch.

"Slow to start" or slow cranking power is typically bad battery. I would first test "new" battery to be sure it is aok.

The 1st Gen MINI DME is designed to protect itself from low voltage starts. While you may have dash lights, dome lights and radio, when low voltage is detected by the DME it will not permit voltage to go to electrical components to start the car ( coil pack )

Double check that battery before moving on.

DME's are not cheap. And most cases MINI dealers purchase the preprogramed unit as there is much difficulty with 1st gen units to program properly. Difference in price is negligible, and both run appx $1500.00 ea.

If you require part no. 12147563210 Preprogrammed DME, they come direct from Germany so expect a 7-10 wait time.

GL.

PS: Over 225K miles and my MINI still using original starter...not typically a part we see much trouble with on the 1st Gen MINI.

Thanks for the reply. The battery is a brand new battery from Napa. (It fit perfectly in case anyone is wondering about those batteries.)

When I try to start the car it isn't "slow to start" per se. It sounds punchy if I have to assign an adjective to it. I turn the key and I hear a really powerful first crank and then nothing.


I've had a couple of instances of the first start in the morning being hesitant so I assumed it was the battery when I first had the dreaded no start but no dice.

I already ordered the starter anyway and it should be here on Tuesday so I'm going to swap it out anyway and cross my fingers. I don't want to throw parts at it after that.

Doing my research I've seen about a dozen different reasons that an R53 wouldn't start but I'm hoping and praying it's not the DME because of cost. I'm not even sure the car is worth more than twice that much. I'm at 170K on an '04.

Has anyone had any luck doing the "buy a used DME off eBay and send it to RPM in Canada solution?" That seems to be half the cost.

Thanks!

More updates:

I saw a post about a guy that had a broken sunroof drain hose causing flooding in his floor and shorting out a bunch of stuff causing his car not to start. I checked my floor and it was soaked....sob.

I checked the drain hoses from the sunroof and they look great...no disconnect..no nothing. I even tested them and as soon as I poured water in there I had an immediate puddle under the car and nothing on the floor inside the car.

I felt around and it feels like the water is coming from the center console and not the door side. Its wet under both the passenger and driver's sides. Could this be the A/C drain dumping onto the floor? Where is that hose I couldn't find it.

So I'm not sure if this is a separate problem or not, but help would be cool.

I checked for codes again because I haven't had any and low and behold I finally got a code on my cheep, non-mini specific reader: P0500 Vehicle Speed Sensor A

Any ideas? I replaced both the front and rear brake wear sensors. Could this be the ABS sensor or could it be something causing the car to not start.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

You know what I just thought about the code and it might be caused by having the tach disconnected? It's still disconnected from when I checked the ignition switch.

Sorry for all these posts but I'm using it as documentation for the next guy too:)

I just went out and pulled the whole carpet back from the passenger side and took a picture.

Is this drain from the top side for the A/C? I just want to make sure it's attached on this side before I suck out the mess from the bottom. I pulled this whole piece last year as well because I had to fix the linkage in the auto climate control system. That was a nightmare.

Thanks!
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...f0aecc1239.jpg

my R53 was run out of gas then the battery was run down trying to start it , then I burned up the starter trying to start it after the battery was charged up and fuel added. I must have flooded out the plugs, because after I changed the starter and plugs it started right up.:roll::roll::roll:

That gives me hope! I'm waiting with bated breath until Tuesday to see if a new starter will fix it.

Water on pass side ? That can damage electrical components there specifically the BC1.

https://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net...20111206000225

A known problem.....if water damaged can cause all sorts of electrical gremlins.

No, cannot just purchase a DME used from ebay and make that work sorry. Just as one cannot purchased a key off ebay or Amazon and make that work either....parts are coded for each car from MINI.

I have checked that component specifically after reading about that I don't see where any water had reached it or any wire damage. I think the water was coming from the a/c and the mats were soaking it up before i got there. Still something to check if this starter doesn't work.

As far as the DME I thought that's exactly what companies like RPM Motorsport does? Programs these things to match your VIN?

If you're still in Philly, you can always come to Helix if the Starter doesn't work...

Not that I am aware of but give them a call.

To make a MINI run on used DME, would also require the BC1 and Keys from same donor vehicle.

I was joking with the girlfriend and she said "At least it didn't happen while you were in Philly" to which I replied "...but then I would be closer to Helix. Now I'm stuck equidistant between two crappy dealerships."

Ok that makes sense then. From what I had read they need the DME, the interlock device and the key so I'll call if it gets to that point.

Anyone have any insight on this one before it gets lost in the thread? I found the drain on the underside next to the cat and it looked bone dry but when I took a shopvac to it nothing came out. Can't for the life of me find the leak.

The drain you can get from here for the A/C. Most people just get it from the bottoma dn make sure its not clogged , it get to the better you would have to go under nith and remove the exhaust heat shield and reach up.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...line-help.html


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...38a26fa9b5.jpg

I saw this thread yesterday and was hoping and praying i would get the spigot this guy got lol. I may just remove the heat shield and see what's up. I'm just hoping I'm onto the right track.

Removing the climate control brick under the dash is just out of the question. I've done it once before and that involves removing the whole dash, draining coolant, and draining the a/c system.

Ok the new starter is in and I'm wiring it up but I seem to have an extra cable. I only remember disconnecting 2 cables from the starter, 1 on the 10mm bolt and 1 on the 13mm bolt. The extra wire looks a bit like the wire that i disconnected from the 13mm bolt. Any ideas?

Thanks!

I did some forum searching and it looks like both fat wires go on the 13mm connection.....here goes nothing.....

So I went to start it and got a click again. Just for sh1ts I checked the charge on the battery because I had been trying to start it so much. I hooked up my battery tender (CTEK) and it read that the battery was in bad shape so I let it charge a bit. Once it had hit halfway I tried to start it and it sounded like the starter was trying to turn over but it sounded bad. Almost like a rhythmic groan. Keep in mind this is the rebuilt one I got off Amazon so there's that. I'm going to let the battery fuller charge on the CTEK and see what I get.

Any insight?

get a full charge , pull the plugs and allow the engine to turn , to see if it turns over fast, install new plugs and try again.