2006 R53 automatic: So my wife stopped by a friends house for may be 15 minutes, came out, turned the key and nothing ... it’s as if someone cut the cable to the starter. The battery is fully charged and it seems I have power to everything but the starter. This just happened tonight so I haven’t researched it at all yet.
Any ideas come to mind?

 

Could be fuse or ignition switch. Bad starter would click.

 

Think shot starter! Check the battery connections and large fuse in battery box. (under rear trunk) Sometimes water will fill up the box and short the system. If it is full of water, there is a clogged drain under the battery!
Keep us posted!

 

A bad or loose engine ground connection will do that.

 

My bad, I get one little click.
There is no water in the battery compartment.
I will check the fuse near the battery and the engine grounds.

Thanks and stay tuned.

 

Ok, I uncovered the battery compartment and pushed on the small 2 clip case to the right a couple of times and it started. Since it’s raining I didn’t linger so I’m going to assume that there is a loose or corroded connection inside of it.
Wish me luck and thanks to all.

 

Nope. Wouldnt start again. Tightened the three nuts on the case to th right of the battery. Made sure of the connection of small wire(s) from there to the positive cable. Cleaned cable ends and terminals. Nope! Disconnected the ground cable from the chassis and wire brushed the stud and cable cable end.. yup it started. Turned it off then tried starting again ..nope. The rest of the day taking my wife to find another car. She settled on a 2015 Subaru Impreza Limited with all the bells and whistles, 31,000 mi. With extended 5 year warranty.
The good news is I’m keeping her Mini with the starting problem and I think the auto tranny is on its way out. My guy says it would cost $6,000 for rebuilt, installed.. Nope!
So, my question: Is it possible to pull that tranny and swap all of the clutch works and 6 sp. com my 2003 R53. We just swapped out her seized motor for one with 30,000 mi., both quarter panels and one door skin replaced for free from Mini (the 06 is guaranteed from rust for life). It also has all of the bells and whistles whereas my 03 is bare bones (I love it though).

 

It can be done with time and money. There are threads here someplace. Pretty sure you have to get an ECU for a stick as the program is different for the auto.

 

This is the most info I’ve seen in one thread, but there are still details which are left out.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...onversion.html