Please help ASAP

 

You have a standard Cooper? The battery should be under the hood somewhere (mine's an S so the battery's in the back under the boot mat). The clamps on mine look like they might be 1/2" bolts. Just loosen the clamp on the positive terminal and pull it off.

 

Be sure not to let the other end of your wrench touch anything else metal (ground) while undoing the positive cable!!!!

 

Examine very closely the tabs on the side of the battery cover and determine which way it locks in place.

Apply GENTLE pressure to release the tabs or else it will break :smile: :smile: :smile:

 

>>Please help ASAP

What's the problem your having?

 

>> Be sure not to let the other end of your wrench touch anything else metal (ground) while undoing the positive cable!!!!

YES...Once I was loosening the battery cable of my vw and the wrench slipped out of my hand. One end was still touching the terminal and the other end touched the car body. The wrench popped up and a portion of the terminal became a flying molten missile. (Luckily, it landed harmlessly. Now, I always where safety glasses whenever I deal with electrical work or work underneath a car)

 

>>>> Be sure not to let the other end of your wrench touch anything else metal (ground) while undoing the positive cable!!!!
>>
>>YES...Once I was loosening the battery cable of my vw and the wrench slipped out of my hand. One end was still touching the terminal and the other end touched the car body. The wrench popped up and a portion of the terminal became a flying molten missile. (Luckily, it landed harmlessly. Now, I always where safety glasses whenever I deal with electrical work or work underneath a car)
>>

I should add, it is safer to disconnect the negitive cable first, then the positive.

 

Cool, thanks for all the help. I needed to take the battery off since I was installing the driving lights. Didn't turn out too well.

I placed the mounting brackets perfectly and drilled the holes and did the riveting.

My problem was with the wiring. I got a 2003 Cooper model, so the directions probably needed to be updated. It was talking about an inertia box that my Cooper did not have, at least where they said it would be. Here's a picture from http://www.r53w11.com/


It was an inertia switch that I was supposed to look for. In my car "A" and the black piece next to it is not there.

Since this is my 1st time working on a car's interior it took me a while and decided to save it for tomorrow. I put the driving lights on w/out the wiring for now.

So for today, it's back to the wiring. Anyone with a 2003 Cooper know which step I'm talking about?

I have to ground this one wire but there is no screw where they said it would be. Did they change this for 2003 models?

HELP PLEASE

_________________
-Ivan ....
['Thumper': 2003 Silver Cooper w/silver roof/Black bonnet stripes/P,S,C packages/Xenon/Rain Sensor/Auto Dim/Chrome/HK Sound/Pioneer DVD player & navigation/Leatherette/White tail lamps/clear side markers/17" R90 Wheels]

 

I'd like to know the answer to this inertia switch question too since I plan on installing the driving lights myself on a 2003 MCS.


>>It was an inertia switch that I was supposed to look for. In my car "A" and the black piece next to it is not there.
>>
>>Since this is my 1st time working on a car's interior it took me a while and decided to save it for tomorrow. I put the driving lights on w/out the wiring for now.
>>
>>So for today, it's back to the wiring. Anyone with a 2003 Cooper know which step I'm talking about?
>>
>>I have to ground this one wire but there is no screw where they said it would be. Did they change this for 2003 models?

 

Item A in your picture is the fuse box for the driving lights. Item B does not exist in 2003 models, at least not in that position.

I have the driving lights. The fuse box sits alone in that space. If you are talking abotu the power wire, it's the bolt on the rearmost part of the underhood fuse/relay box. You have to drill a small hole there to accomodate the wire.

 

Here is where I'm stuck



On step 6 there is nut or ground stud.

Can I ground this wire anywhere on the car. I see empty holes where this would've been. I'm guessing I have to buy a ground nut from the dealership.

Help please.

 

You can ground it anywhere it will reach, it's not a problem. I checked out mine, the ground stud is there but higher up and further back than the installation guide implies (look under the cowling). There is also another ground stud to the right (facing the front of the car) and back where the hood is grounded (directly above the letter 'B' in your picture, it has a black wire attached). Pass the wires thru the gommet and use that stud if they will reach (they should).

You can use one of the bolts holding the fuse box as well if you can't find anything nearby.



_________________
'03 MCS, Dk Silver, 17" wheels NAV, DSC, Premium #1 and #3, Rally lights, etc, etc. Fulton, MD. FRS 7-21

 

Alright, I'll do that, thanks. You know, I bought my driving lights from minispares.com and they didn't even give me the switch or the covers for the lights. Since service is closed today, I'm going to have to wait for tomorrow to install. I wanted to have these done by the Italian Job screening tomorrow. Oh well, I'll just put on the lights without the wiring for now.

Thanks for all the help.

 

>>You know, I bought my driving lights from minispares.com and they didn't even give me the switch or the covers for the lights.<<

If you have the same wiring I'm fighting with, there is no switch (I think they're talking about the relay when they say switch on the website...at least that's what it looks like to me). The inertia valve isn't there, but there are still 2 screws there that will hold your bracket where it should be.