Mini Countryman advice on fault please

4567 Views 6 Replies 4 Participants Last post by Dearnie, Dec 15, 2020

Dearnie

Discussion Starter · Dec 14, 2020

hi, could someone give me some advice please?

I get in my countryman and I put my key fob in but after about 30 seconds/1 minute the orange battery light comes on and bleeps in my revolution box. when I press the button to start the car it starts and the battery symbols goes off. I have had a new battery fitted last year and I have tested it this morning and it sits at over 14 when running and 12.3 when engine isn't running. Iv had it plugged in to a diagnostic but no faults are coming up at all 🤯

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mike1967

· #2 · Dec 14, 2020

12.3v is low it should be on a fuilly charged battery 12.8v on a fe years old battery 12.6v ,,, at 12..2v on standing voltage would tell me battery maybe not to good,, would charge the battery over night then disconnect and leave for a few hours and recheck the standing voltage ie should be 12.8v also do a load test on it with lights on engine off see what voltages you get,

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Martin W

· #3 · Dec 14, 2020

Check the battery terminals are tight. next would be the earth strap, sorry new to Minis so not sure exactly where it is.

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JTownPBX

· #4 · Dec 14, 2020

12.30 volts is awful low. For a higher compression turbo engine. 12.80 volts is within reason. and should not go down after re charging it and letting it sit over night. I would wait 2 days to see what the voltage is. 12.65 is really not acceptable in my application. Of course I do have 10.5:1 compression with a turbo charger. And Yours if it is the turbo is 9.5:1 compression so you might get it to start and run with it.
Keep in mind this is one of those items I personally list(my own opinion); as a pyramid of potential issues that may arise.
Like starting a fire it take oxygen,heat,fuel.
Only on modern cars the way they have incorporated everything. It takes a starter,battery,alternator.
When ever you mess with one you potential loose one of the other two or all three.
Double that on the fact you more than likely have the IBS system that would require a computer reset to function. The problem becomes more complex.
Not to scare anyone out there. Just to be aware that it is not good to jump start modern cars this being one of them. Each time you take a chance of blowing out electronics. Knowing is half the battle.
And if something do arise where you may need a new starter or alternator afterward you are not surprised and still have hope in a resolvable ending.
1.) Don't jump start your car
2.) Don't run the car out of Gas
3.) Don't run the car out of oil.
4.)Check the air pressure in the tires.
When a suspension goes out. Everything else tends to go with it!

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Dearnie

Discussion Starter · #5 · Dec 14, 2020

mike1967 said:
12.3v is low it should be on a fuilly charged battery 12.8v on a fe years old battery 12.6v ,,, at 12..2v on standing voltage would tell me battery maybe not to good,, would charge the battery over night then disconnect and leave for a few hours and recheck the standing voltage ie should be 12.8v also do a load test on it with lights on engine off see what voltages you get,

Hi Mike thank you for answering, I have just been out and the battery is 12.3 with key fob in and I turned lights on with out starting my engine and it dropped to 11.9 so I’m thinking the battery is not good for a 1year old battery 🥺

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mike1967

· #6 · Dec 15, 2020

to confirm the battery really need to charge it over night and see if does same trick after,, if does then its a battery issue if dont a charging issue or wiring maybe or discharge fault on the car maybe,,
a discharge test would connect a multimeter between the positive battery terminal and its post on battery set to amps,,, then lock car and wait 3 minutes for bcm to go to sleep at this point the draw on the battery should be around 300ma thats point 3 of a volt ie its running the alarm system only ,,, if you have more than 400ma would say there is something on car pulling power when it should not be,, common is alternator also common is body control modules

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Dearnie

Discussion Starter · #7 · Dec 15, 2020

UPDATE

Hi,

I took my mini in to have the battery checked with it being under warranty and it shows everything is working fine and alternator is charging as it should. The battery light kept coming on while it was being tested in there as I stood watching it and a young mechanic saidhe wasn’t sure but it could be the battery in the key fob warning it’s low. When I got home I changed the fob for my spare and it doesn’t show a battery symbol anymore.
Who would have known a big orange square battery symbol would mean the key fob tiny round battery was running low 🤯 even mini didn’t know.

thank you everyone for all the advice and I hope this helps others with this same problem 🤗

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