A little help diagnosing a fault.

A little help diagnosing a fault.

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Kell

Original Poster:

1,708 posts

214 months

Tuesday 3rd November 2015
quotequote all
I wonder if anyone out there is knowledgeable enough to have a stab at diagnosing a problem over the interwebs.

We've got a Mini2 Covertible which is on an 06 plate and it keeps dying on us. By which I don't mean when you're driving (thankfully), but for example I came out to it this morning opened the door and turned the key and got nothing at all. Not even the dials or clock came on.

Had it about 4 years or so.

First year everything was fine. Second year it started doing this intermittently, and then gave up the ghost on enough occasions that we had a new battery installed. And all has been fine until this morning.

This video was taken after it did it before the battery was changed. but back then, it was weird as if I waited for about two minutes, it would then suddenly come back to life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfKIvOpFO8w


The only thing that's been changed since we had it is an aftermarket stereo. But both the RAC guy that rescued me last time and the garage that changed the battery said that the there was no drain on the battery.

It is only happening in the winter, so I had assumed that maybe the alternator wasn't completely kaput, but maybe isn't up to the job of charging the battery while running lights, heater, radio etc.

I've also just read up on the power steering pump sometimes causing excessive drain on the battery, but that wouldn't explain why only in the winter.

Anyone got any ideas? They'd all be gratefully received.

eatcustard

1,003 posts

133 months

Tuesday 3rd November 2015
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Could it be the alarm?

helix402

7,913 posts

188 months

Wednesday 4th November 2015
quotequote all
1. Charge battery (carry out diagnosis test of all fault memories)
2. Test battery (replace if necessary)
3. Check drain
4. Check alternator