Electrical haywire when starting on cold mornings

[levi.hoffman]

I have a 2009 mini cooper clubman that has recently started going haywire when trying to start it on cold mornings (below 32 degrees F). The doors unlock just fine and when I initially push the start button it acts as if it is going to start (all the lights come on and dashboard lights up) but when I continue to hold the button to start it the electric system starts to go haywire with error messages flashing, key no longer recognized and the engine just clicks like the battery is dead. This will continue for a minute or two despite me not pushing the button anymore and will eventually drain the battery. It does not do this when it is a warmer morning and I am at a loss here. Any suggestions?

[Macguyvic]

Sounds like your battery is on the way out. You are really getting into the cold cranking amps when it's that cold. If your battery is original it must be time.

[levi.hoffman]

I thought that too and had it replaced about three months ago when this first started, despite testing as a good battery. It is still doing this on a new battery.

[andrew9-5se]

My girlfriends clubbie D decided to start pulling a similar irregular trick and the fault was eventually traced back to, believe it or not, an air leak in the fuel supply (cracked fuel filter casing). Once the car was running and warm it was generally fine except under heavy load when it would stutter but on starting and particularly when cold, it was sending the stop start crazy and as the car was trying to crank and start was convincing itself it should be stopping and then cranking itself to death!!

Hope this helps