I recently took the battery out of my "05 Mini Convertible to dry out the battery compartment. (It had about an inch of water after a storm, but cleaned up easily. I cleaned and dried it out and replaced the battery. Its possible I hooked the minus terminal up first- which is not the recommended way. It hesitated at first- no electrical power of any kind, but after a few minutes it started. I drove and got gas and to the carwash and home- no issues. Today, when i went to start it, therre was no electric power- zero- no dash lights came on, no hint of the starter trying to turn it over- nothing at all. The battery is 2 1/2 years old and reads 12.4 volts. Is there a reset of some kind that I need to follow. Every other post I've read on this site, talks of battery replacement as no big deal. Any ideas would be appreciated. The car has only 16K original and has had no issues until now.

 

Did you happen to put a non conductive washer in a wrong spot? That's what someone else's problem was a while back.

 

That was me! Yeah OP, make sure you haven't got the washer on the wrong end of the terminal. It was an embarrassing trip to the dealership.

 

Thanks for the replies, but no parts were changed. Battery out, cleaned well, battery back in. Drove to get gas and car wash, then home, next morning no electric power. Battery reads 12.4V with no load, but I don't even have dash lights

 

did you check the big fuseable link in the battery box?

 

I have not checked the fusible link. As I understand it, it disconnects the running gear while maintaining some systems such as lights. It's next onmy list of possibilities.

 

I don't know what I did, but suddenly, my convertible has come back to life. I went out today to work on it further. I hooked up another battery that read 13V after charging and still, nothing. I checked every fuse even remotely connected to the battery circuit ( I guess ultimately, they all are) Still, nothing. Then, while I had the driver's door open and was trying to unlatch the rear hatch, I heard the "door open" beep. I then tried the key again and for the first time got some momentary light. I then took the key and opened the door lock three times. Back at the ignition, I suddenly had readouts on the dash. Finally, without my doing anything, all the dash lights came on and I was able to start it. I dove up and down the block and turned it off. It fired up again as though nothing had ever happened. I have no idea what I did right or wrong for that matter. My only guess is that some control module had to reprogram itself, maybe after the key in the door ID'd the owner. I have no idea, maybe someone out there has a plausible explanation

 

My 2007 MCS suddenly refused to come alive yesterday when I inserted the key. Checked fuses (but NOT the fusible link in the battery compartment - thanks for that clue) AAA came out, battery read OK. Jumpers to a new battery did not change anything. Only the radio and interior lights would come on. Locked and unlocked with hard key and remote many times, nothing helped. Steering column was locked, which made getting him on the carrier interesting. Carried to the dealer last night (Jackie Cooper Mini in OKC.), waiting for a diagnosis. (To be continued.)

 

Rowdyboy> you have nothing at all, no interior lights at all, no central locking? Or just no dash/starter? Could be the ignition tumbler if the latter.

mroselius> You have a MK2 without a key?

 

Thanks for all the replies. Turns out I didn't go far enough in trying to find he problem. I recharged the battery, checked the fusible link \- I had 12V+ at the fuse box in the engine compartment. I was able to check all of the fuses on the underside and top side of that fusebox- and all were OK. Instead of going further, I decided to take it in to the dealer. Turns out the problem was corrosion at the connectors to the fuse box in the drivers side kick panel.
That, of course, is the next thing I should have checked before giving in. With voltage to the engine compartment fuse box, the interior fuse box is next in line. If I'd just checked the positive side of the fuses there and found no voltage, it would not have been a big deal to pull it loose and find what they found. They replaced the whole panel. I wonder if I would have been able clean up the corrosion or if bad enough fashioned a jumper around it. So, six hundred dollars later, it is running fine with a new fuse box. By the way, they informed me that I have a bad hydraulic motor mount- so on it goes!

 

Yeah the top engine mount goes every 30k. Get it done because it puts wear on the lower engine mounts and exhaust. Don't bother with the aftermarket solid mounts, they are for race cars.

If the car is at 80-100k might as well do the lower engine and gearbox mounts too at the same time for about $50 ea plus labour since they are partially disassembled when doing the top mount.

PNs
upper
22116778610 $96 22114046186 Lemforder (OEM) 29901 01 $75 Febi 31861
lower 22116756406 $43 Lemforder (OEM) 29903 01 $38

Gearbox mount (6 Speed manual)
22316754422 $98 Lemforder (OEM) 29559 01 $103

 

The irony of it is the fact that the car has less than 17K original miles. Their service rep says that its a common issue due to potholes and I have to admit that the surface streets here in San Diego have a lot of them.

 

Don't worry, the original mini went through top engine mounts like they were candy too.

You can see it will be weeping oil onto the frame if it's busted.

 

You will know when the side upper mount will leak. You will have a black residue over on the passenger side of the engine and its hard to get the residue off. Its a good thing to replace all the mounts at once. Like joylove said, I added the buffers.

http://www.ecstuning.com/Mini-2005-Cooper-R52-S-Convertible-L4_1.6L_W11B16A/Drivetrain/Mounts/


Click the link above.


22116756406 Lower passenger side

22116778610 Upper passenger side

22316754422 Transmission driver side ( Manual only )

22326768207 Transmission driver side ( Auto only )


22116754183 rubber buffers ( replace those while you have the transmission mount out ) both manual and auto

We carry all the major MINI brand. Thanks and I hope this helps.