Hi! I am new here so bare with me. I have a 2011 cooper s and I am having several issues. Out of the blue, my car didn't start and had to be jumped. I didn't leave any lights on or anything like that! The check engine light came on about a day after that. When taking it in, it ran a p173b code. When googling that i got mixed things! I went and got an oil change(desperately needed) and they filled up my coolant, which was very low! ): The engine light stayed on. That same day, my car died twice. I have had my battery tested 3 times now, as well as the alternator. 2/3 places said my battery and alternator were fine. One place said that my battery had a dead cell and was at 0/650! It has started 2 days in a row now since that ordeal. Has anyone had these issues or have any idea as to what it sounds like?! I don't have a mini dealer where I live, closest 4 hours away. Last resort is to take it in, I have had several people who are handy with cars look at it but no luck! Please help me! Thank you

 

You didn't say how old your battery is. A marginal battery in these cars will cause the kind of problems you are describing. I replace mine every 3 years regardless, the AZ heat kills them fast..

 

A couple things to check-
-Look at the terminal connections very closely. They can feel tight, but they might not be. There is a spear like thing with the 10mm nut on the end that can get jammed/crossed up. Also, make sure it isn't stripped. If so, these are cheap to replace....you don't have to go to the dealer.

-If you have anything other than a genuine MINI/BMW battery, check that the terminal connector truly fits the battery terminal. They can look like they fit, but they might not completeily. I had this problem and eventually just bought a MINI battery and had no issues after that.

-Do you have Nav? If so, you probably have IBS (Intelligent Battery Sensor). My '09 with Nav had IBS, and my '09 without Nav doesn not have IBS. If you do have IBS, you must register your battery - which requires a dealer or a MINI/BMW independent shop with the right equipment. I may be wrong, but if you don't have IBS, I don't think that you have IBS. Anyway, if you have IBS and don't register a new battery, it can cause some weird problems over time.

 

Mine had weird electrical problems that all cleared up once I changed the battery. Most notably it would throw a CEL, windows and interior lights acted funky.