So I've noticed that starts have been taking a few more cranks than normal lately. Then today, came back to the car after a hike (was sitting in the hot sun for 4 hours), and it would not even try and turn over. Power seemed fine (ie. lights/radio working fine; no dimness/flickering). Turn the key and hear the relay click but won't even try to turn over.

AAA showed up and we tested the battery (was a little low 11.4+). He tried to jump it but that didn't work. Guy said I need a new starter. He suggested I try to push-start the car to get it home (its a manual). Push start worked and just returned home. After turning off the car, I tried to start it and it started like normal (again with a few cranks - like its been doing recently).

I've been reading through a bunch of threads and the list of possible issues seem to include:

- bad ground(s)
- battery
- ignition switch
- clutch safety switch

These things range in price and I don't want to replace anything that's not really broken. For context, the car is an '04 w/ 55k miles. I've not replaced/done any work recently. I replaced the battery in '16 (AAA brand).

Thanks in advance for your help folks!

-Matt

 

Have you checked and cleaned the connections on the starter? Disconnect the negative post in the trunk and then remove and clean the starter connections.

Do a search on testing a starter. If you have electrical testing equipment you can do yourself. If you are not comfortable doing the testing, suggest you take to a mechanic.

 

This sounds more like a battery than the starter. If the battery was at 11.4V after sitting for four hours, then it is failing and cannot provide the necessary power to crank the car properly. There is a possibility that something is draining the battery. Have you installed any electronic devices lately? 11.4 Volts is not a little low, see chart:

 

My money is on the battery being your problem too. If the battery reads only 11.4V without load, it is in very bad condition. With that low mileage very unlikely the starter is in need of replacing. You might even still have the original battery. And on the ignition switch, or clutch override switch they are even more unlikely. I suggest you carefully check the date on the battery to see how old it is. You might just better off just go get a $119 battery at Walmart and save yourself the cost of going to a garage.

 

Any auto parts store will sell and mount a new battery at no extra charge. While fussing with the starter, replace the serpentine belt while you're in there. Who knows how old it is and they should be replaced at around 40K.

 

So far wouldn't start again this am. I checked the voltage and it was above 12.2. Ended up push starting again, but now it won't start without a push start.

 

Take it to an Autozone and they can do a load test on the battery, that'll tell you if the battery is any good. If your battery is over five years old, it is probably all done.

 

By measuring the voltage of the battery no load you can infer nothing. That is why in decent auto repair shop they have a specialty battery tester. It measures the battery voltage while loading it with a very heavy load - for a few seconds. I suggest try turn on the ignition (without the engine running) and turn on the head lights then measure the voltage. Still, my money is with that you likely just need a new battery.

Is your battery white and has a sight glass? If so the chance is you have the stock battery that has long past the useful life.

 

Definitely sounds like a battery.

 

Since it is essentially a new battery according to the OP, then the charging system needs to be checked out.

 

Missed that part, sounds about right.

 

So you checked the starter connections as well as the battery terminals? Different car but I just had issues on a starter and it turned out to be the connections. You should also verify that the starter is not hanging up that you do by loosening the belt and then turning the crank pulley (put a socket on the pulley bolt).

Should also have the battery tested and have them put the tester on the battery, not the posts under the hood.

 

How do I check the starter connections? Will autozone check the starter for me as well as the battery? Also the starter isn't very accessible, I can barely see it. What's he best/easiest way for me to access?

 

Some auto stores can bench test starters, but you'd have to pull it off the car.

Starters draw lots of current, they are generally connected with big, thick electrical cables that are easy to find and see.

My experience with starters is that they are pretty obvious when they are dying/dead. I wouldn't be starting with the starter, it sounds like you have a charging system not functioning properly, or a parasitic drain that is killing your battery as the car is parked. This is assuming your relatively new battery is good to go.

How to get to starter.



Some discussion on charging systems.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...r-failing.html

 

Instead of questioning and speculating, eliminate the easy things first. Battery is easy to pull and take to a parts store to test. Do that first, it'll take them 1-2 hours in the tester. You'll know whether you need to dig further and eliminate the easy solution, or it'll be a $100 fix for a new battery.

 

If the battery is faulty, AAA should replace same. Get the battery charged up, go to a local car store and have them check your charging system. With your high mileage, it's well within the realm of possibility that you have a bad alternator. The other possibility that was touched on above is that you have a parasitic drain on the battery. Using a digital ammeter, you can check by disconnecting the + terminal and connect a digital ammeter in series from the + terminal to the + post of the battery. Let the car go to "sleep" and measure the total milliamp draw. It should be no more than around 30 milliamps. If you see higher than that, find the draw by pulling likely culprit fuses one at a time until you see a drop to normal.

 

I too missed that the OP has recently replaced the battery. Just I thought I mention, have you check the ground strap on the passenger that connects the engine to the chassis is properly tighten? You mentioned you did the 15% pulley yourself, if memory serves.

 

So here's an update: AAA guy came with a special battery tester. He tested from battery itself in the trunk. He says the battery is totally fine. What's weird is when he tested the starter the message he got was "charge battery" but the battery had plenty of charge so he said it likely is the starter.

Should I take to a mini specialist here in la or just order a new starter. Any recommendations on what to replace with?

 

It could be a bad connection between the battery and the starter. take part the connections clean them and see if that fixes things.

Or, take it to a MINI specialist, if you don't have the time or inclination to troubleshoot/repair it yourself.

 

You know the Mini's battery is in the boot, and hence there is a long journey to the engine bay, and finally to the starter. The ground strap that I provided the photo is the return path for the engine electrical accessories as well as for the starter very high current when cranking. The other place to check for integrity too is the + jumper connection by the intake air filter box. For the mileage you reported I would not immediately condemn the starter. Changing the starter is a requires the removal of the passenger side drive axle. You will also need to loosen the metal shield that protects the starter in that confined space.

While I won't rule out the starter or its integral solenoid, it is possible that someone has mess with the electrical connections and did not reconnect it back properly.

If you are not up to the task of tackling this yourself I recommend taking it to a indie Mini specialist.

 

Have you watched the ModMini video above that details starter removal? The connections I have noted in the past are shown in the video. I had a starter issue with another type car it was the connections not the starter.

There are two ways to work on cars, first is to throw money at it by buying parts without doing any research/trouble shooting, the second is to research and trouble shoot. In the long run, the second is actually the shortest time and cheapest.

 

sooo here's an update folks:

not sure how I didn't notice this before (and not sure if its related) but the cables leading to the b+ battery terminal have melted through the plastic housing! I had to literally cut the plastic case off to free the positive/negative cables (which are attached with a nut to a ground strip). The positive cable looks fine, but the negative cable has some corrosion on the terminal end (see pics):




Any ideas what could have caused this?

What is the purpose of the b+ terminal? Do they need to be connected together for the starter to work? For now, I've wrapped the terminal ends from both the positive and negative cables in electrical tape and ordered a new case.

Anyway, after all that, the engine still doesnt try to turn over. Push starts fine though. I'm going to get under the car today and remove the exaust manifold so I can get to the starter and see if the connections are OK there. Stay tuned.




after cutting out the plastic casing



plastic housing



negative battery terminal corrosion on end

 

AWESOME video !!!

This guy knows his stuff !!!!!

Wish he was around here!!!

Even though the 2 Mini techs I allow to work on my cars are GREAT!!!!

 

I don't mean to be condescending. If you ask what can cause the plastic housing to melt, I advise you proceed very carefully. Do disconnect the battery negative terminal before you do anything especially attempting to remove the starter. 100+ amps can do a lot of damage including human body, despite it is only 12V.

Let me just throw out one of many possibility why the jumper terminal melted. Someone unqualified to work on the car messed with it not knowing the dire consequence is my guess.

I would not bother to post this if I not sense a potential of something bad can happen. Please do disconnect the battery before you do anything.

 

It's amazing how some people on this forum want to be helpful and others just want to troll. I'm trying to learn how to fix things like this myself. So thanks for your unhelpful and condescending comment. I know not to mess with anything on the car before disconnecting the battery. And if this is indeed my fault (which I'm not saying it's not) I have no idea how or what I might have done to illicit this issue