I tried to start my car just now and for some reason it won't start. Everytime I try, the RPM needle and the Speedometer needle just flickers and vibrates. The lights wouldn't come on execpt a couple random lights. The windows come down when I open the door, but won't go up when I close them. I somehow got them to close with the window button with the key turned in. But it wont' start. Any ideas?

 

sounds like bad battery?

 

Dead battery?

 

How bright are the headlights? and then when you try to start it? Like it was said maybe the battery

 

shouldn't be a dead battery, because I tried my other car (toyota camry) and that thing won't start either. the temp outside is 17 degrees. could that be a factor? I hear a clicking noise coming from the left side when I try to start it. My radio works, but the sound isn't like it is normally. (kinda like AM vs FM). My windshield wipers work but the are like robots moving left, left, left, left, than right, right, right...you get the drift... the temp is gonna be warmer tomorrow. maybe I shoud try tomorrow.

also if it is a dead battery, where is the battery located? I just bought the car not too long ago, so I'm not familiar with it yet.

 

Its in the boot. And you should not have any problem at 17 I was 0 today and had no problem starting.

 

Clicking is probably starter solonoid <sp> and radio and other electronics dont require near the power of the starter 17 degrees is not that cold I started my MINI this morning at -5 degrees

Batteries have to work much harder at colder temps and start off producing less power to start with

 

Clicking usually means a dead battery. Both are probably dead; cold is heck on batteries.

 

Sorry the English is kicking in its in the back under the trunk mat

 

I agree with the others. It's the battery.

 

you got two dead batterys

 

Can you jump a dead battery? I had my friend over so I can jump start my car to go buy a new battery but I can't even jump start the car. I notice there is a more steady amount of clicks when the batteries are hooked up. When I disconnected them, the clicks would only click twice and then it would stop when I tried to start the car. Could it still be the battery or a frozen fuel line? Or maybe it's just too cold.

 

With modern cars and their widely integrated electrical system, the battery doesn't have to be completely dead to suffer strange electrical bugs and a no start. A good battery should test at over 12.2 VDC (volts DC) while cranking. And to test the alternator the voltage between terminals while running should be over 13.2 VDC and under 14.6 VDC. Anything other than those reading means a defective part.

Any battery under 12.2 needs a charge and if it drops into the 11's while cranking you have a bad cell. And under or over voltages on the alternator will either not charge properly or bake the battery. Hope some of this helps.

 

hmm, time for a new battery i suppose. What kind of battery does a MINI Cooper Need?

 

It's a group 47. Since the battery is under the boot (inside the cabin), it needs to be vented to the outside. I'm sure there are lots of people who don't have any issues getting a regular battery but there could be problems if the battery vents into the cabin. This is why a lot of people get an Optima or other dry cell that needs no vent. I know Interstate has a BMW vent tube adapter for it's batteries.

 

what do u mean by vent to outside or vents into the cabin?

 

You can jump a dead battery (unless it is shorted). Run the working car around 1500 -2000 rpm for a couple of minutes while the jumper cables are connected then try to start your car.

Your batter is toast and you should go and get a new one. Or at least take your current one in and have it charged and tested.


Another thing to do is connect the ground on the dead car to body or engine ground rather than the battery ground terminal. This may help as well.

 

Regular lead acid batteries are not sealed and when current is applied to them, they vent some gas. Lots of current (like if something happens that causes the battery to overcharge) causes more gas. Since the MCS's battery is in the cabin, MINI supplied it with a vent tube. It's a small tube that plugs into the top of the battery that vents all the bad gasses out under the car. A lot of batteries don't even have a provision for this tube. Sealed batteries like Optima's don't need to be vented. As I said before, I know for a fact that Interstate sells a BMW vent tube adapter for it's batteries. I don't know if this tube fits all Interstate batteries of only certain one's. When I asked about it at a local battery dealer, they never heard of such a thing so your mileage may vary.

 

Actually, a good battery should drop to no lower than 9.7 volts at 80 F,
9.9 when at or above 100 F, and 9.3V or better at 40 F or less.

Copied this from http://www.repairfaq.org/ELE/F_Car_Battery.html

6. HOW DO I TEST A BATTERY?


The are four simple steps to test a car battery--inspection, remove surface charge, state-of-charge test and load test. To test a battery (or to troubleshoot charging or electrical systems), you will need a digital voltmeter with .5% or better accuracy. A digital voltmeter can be purchased at an electronics store and will cost between $20 and $200 U.S. If you have a non-sealed battery, you will need a temperature compensating hydrometer which can be purchased at an auto parts store for approximately $5 U.S.
6.1) INSPECTION


Visually inspect for obvious problems, e.g., loose alternator belt, low electrolyte, corroded cable or terminal clamps, loose hold-down clamps or cable terminals, or a damaged case.
6.2) REMOVE SURFACE CHARGE


If you have just recharged you battery or driven your car, eliminate any surface charge by one of the following methods; otherwise, go to the next step:

1. Allow the battery to sit for two to three hours,
2. Turn the headlights on high beam for five minutes and wait five minutes, or
3. With a battery load tester, apply a load at one half the battery's CCA rating for 15 seconds and wait five minutes.

6.3) STATE-OF-CHARGE TEST


Using the following table, determine the battery's state-of-charge:

Battery Voltage - State-of-charge - Specific Gravity
12.65+ ..............100% .................1.265+
12.45 ................75% ...................1.225
12.24 ................50% ...................1.190
12.06 ................25% ...................1.155
11.89 .................0% ...................1.120
[If the temperature of the electrolyte is below 70 degrees F (21.1 degrees C), then add .012 volts (12 millivolts) per degree below 70 degrees F to the reading.]
For non-sealed batteries, check both the specific gravity in each cell with a external hydrometer AND the battery terminal voltage with a digital voltmeter without the engine running. For sealed batteries, measuring the battery's voltage without the engine running with an accurate digital voltmeter is the only way you can determine the state-of-charge. Some batteries have a built-in hydrometer which only measures the state-of-charge in ONE of it's six cells. If the indicator is clear or light yellow, then the battery has a low electrolyte level and should be refilled before proceeding, or if sealed, the battery should be replaced.
If the state-of-charge is BELOW 75% using either the specific gravity or voltage test or the built-in hydrometer indicates "bad" (usually dark), then the battery needs to be recharged BEFORE proceeding. Replace the battery, if one or more of the following conditions occur:

1. If there is a .050 or more difference in the specific gravity reading between the highest and lowest cell, you have a weak or dead cell(s),
2. If the battery will not recharge to a 75% or more state-of-charge level or if the built-in hydrometer still does not indicate "good" (usually green, which is 65% state-of-charge or better),
3. If digital voltmeter indicates 0 volts, you have an open cell, or
4. If the digital voltmeter indicates 10.45 to 10.65 volts, you have a shorted cell. [A shorted cell is caused by plates touching, sediment build-up or "treeing" between plates.

6.4) LOAD TEST


If the battery's state-of-charge is at 75% or higher or has a "good" built-in hydrometer indication, then load test the battery by one of the following methods:

1. Turn the headlights on high beam for five minutes,
2. Disable the ignition and turn the engine over for 15 seconds with the starter motor,
3. With a battery load tester, apply a load equal to one half of the CCA rating of the battery for 15 seconds, or
4. With a battery load tester, apply a load equal to one half the OEM cranking amp specification for 15 seconds.

DURING the load test, the voltage on a good battery will NOT drop below 9.7 volts with the electrolyte at 80 degrees F (26.7 degrees C). [If the electrolyte is above 80 degrees F, add .1 volt for every 10 degrees above 80 until you reach 100 degrees. If below 80 degrees F, subtract .1 volt for every 10 degrees until 40 degrees.] After the load is removed, wait five minutes and the battery should "bounce back" to the 50% state-of-charge level or above. If the battery drops below minimum test voltage, does not bounce back, or will not start the engine, then you should replace it. If the battery passes this test, you should recharge it to restore it to peak performance.

 

Growing up in Iowa, we used to get "frozen" batteries. I don't know if they actually froze solid but I do know that we would turn on the headlights to "thaw" them out. Leave the lights on for 10 minutes or so and then try to start the car again. If still no go leave the lights on for another 10 minutes or so and try again.

Mike

 

So I'm not very handy, well I am at home but I never worked on cars. The only thing I can change on a car is a windshield wiper and a spare tire. But I went out, bought a new battery and installed it myself. =] Yeah yeah make fun of me all you want, I'm proud I can remove and install a new battery. =] But yeah, after the new battery, my MINI purred to life. Thank god ! It's back again! Thanks for the help guys...

Case Closed.

 

Glad it's done and everything's OK again with your MINI.
Battery change is very easy on a MINI, providing the battery you get that's supposed
to fit actually fits (some group 47s do and some don't, and it's different between
the MC and the MCS even though both take the same OEM battery).
On some cars (Mk IV and V VWs come to mind), you have to re-adapt the
throttle body and put in a code to wake the radio back up unless you apply power to the + and - from another battery while making the swap.
The MINI doesn't really mind if you unhook the battery (except the clock and
trip odometer both go to zero).

 

lol yeah I noticed that the clock and odometer had reset. changing the battery was the funniest thing. cuz at first i tried to open the trunk via remote. and i was like what... and i realized...no battery, cuz I took the battery out to get it swapped. so I had to manually open the trunk and found out theres a hook with a string underneath the rear seats. so I pulled it went outside and around, and couldn't open the trunk. so i'm like hmmm.... how can I pull the string while being outside to open the trunk at the same time. I spent about 10 minutes trying to wake up my girlfriend to help me, but when she woke up, I finally got the idea. I'm a little slow. -.- So i pulled the string and pushed the trunk open from the inside. Duh...

And when I was changing a battery, I saw sparks at first, so I kept flicking the wire ends with my finger and after 10 times of just flicking it like a dumb kid, i finally realized I can't get shocked and just grabbed it and put it on. lol...

experience at it's best.