MINI One 1.4 2008 battery flat

richardsheil

Hi my daughter's MINI One R56 1.4 with about 145000km had a flat battery this weekend. She drives about 550km per month and that is mostly on weekends so the car does sit for quite long periods.

Background- the AGM battery that was in the car was replaced around February as it would not take a charge.

At the time my internet research indicated that I did not need to get a new AGM battery and that a regular lead acid would be fine with perhaps the loss of the stop start function.

So I fitted a lead acid and she has now had two occasions where the car would not start.

Once charged it was fine again.

Do I really need to buy an AGM (glass mat battery)?
Do I really need to have it coded or setup to the car by a scan tool?
Could I just code the existing lead acid battery to the car?
Is there anything else it could be?

Thanks for any help on this.

Richard

tcawley29

richardsheil wrote: »

Hi my daughter's MINI One R56 1.4 with about 145000km had a flat battery this weekend. She drives about 550km per month and that is mostly on weekends so the car does sit for quite long periods.

Background- the AGM battery that was in the car was replaced around February as it would not take a charge.

At the time my internet research indicated that I did not need to get a new AGM battery and that a regular lead acid would be fine with perhaps the loss of the stop start function.

So I fitted a lead acid and she has now had two occasions where the car would not start.

Once charged it was fine again.

Do I really need to buy an AGM (glass mat battery)?
Do I really need to have it coded or setup to the car by a scan tool?
Could I just code the existing lead acid battery to the car?
Is there anything else it could be?

Thanks for any help on this.

Richard

Is it used mainly for short trips or long trips?

If short trips and then left sitting this could be the reason the battery is dying.

Other than that the only think it could possibly be is a drain on the battery somewhere that an auto electrician will have to diagnose

richardsheil

That's great advice and i may just charge it up once a month as her journeys are short.

Is there anyone with specific MINI advice to ad to the mix?

richardsheil

anybody?

biko

No need to try to bump thread. If someone can answer they will.

I am moving this to main forum where you will get some more exposure.

mullingar

Does it have BMS? Battery monitoring system? You can tell if the battery earth point has a second thin wire coming out of a matchbox sized box attached to the post

James Bond Junior

Hot weather can do just as much damage to a battery as freezing temps. Did the mechanic check the alternator when changing the battery? Could be on the way out.

richardsheil

I will check if it has the smart system next time I see her. Most likely on Sunday.

I did not check the alternator when i changed the battery. I will do that too.