My daughter awoke to a completely dead R53 battery the other day. I replaced the battery. Then I started noticing some crazy issues. Like back wiper not turning off no matter what you turn the stalk to. Traction control light coming on and not being able to shut it off. Then the engine wouldn't turn off when you took the key out. Random headlight flickering... etc. I figured it must be the voltage regulator, so I replaced the alternator/VR. Took it for a spin and all the problems seemed to be gone. This was last night. Awoke this morning to another dead battery. Jumped it and the back wiper immediately started going, even though it's off at the stalk. Been charging it for several hours. It's about 85% charged. Started it up to check things out and now we're back to random headlight flickering, traction control light on and can't turn it off, then turned car off and engine kept running again. Had to disconnect the battery again. I'm going to charge it to 100% and see what happens then, but I'm at a loss. Does anyone know what could be going on? After a new battery and alternator, I'm about done throwing money at what I "think" it is. Time for some help... HELP!!!

 

Found the problem!!! 😳

 

 

That's crazy! I've had water in there once...but it was very little

 

Water was above the passenger mat when the sunroof drain came loose on my '05 S. Considering how thick the carpet is there... that's a lot of water. No dead BCM for me tho, got lucky. The stupid part is that I had to fold the tube in order to put it back on, so no clue how it's possible for it to come off in the first place. Car is stored in a heated garage each winter since 2010, so ice isn't even a possible reason.

 

My mini is pretty much a track car. Upon removing a lot of my trim and exposing wires I have found several places where wire insulation was rubbed off. I have thought to myself if one of these spots got bad enough to short it would be very hard to find being behind trim.

 

Got the headliner down and low and behold, black drain was not attached to the a-arm end. Not even possible for it to just "come undone"... Unbelievable. I wonder how long it's been like that. Trying to dry it out is a pain. Been running the heat on high, recirc, with ac on for hours, after I vacuumed all the water as best I could. There's still a lot of water in that carpet sponge.

 

We have a Fiat 500 Abarth. It came from the factory with the AC drain tube 100% disconnected. Did not figure it out until the second summer we owned it! Dealer covered it and replaced all the carpet. We escaped any other side effects.