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Wife has a 2004 Mini Cooper. Battery was replaced about two years ago. Twice in the last week, she’s gone out to start the car and...?
It was completely dead. No lights at all, no ticking, nothing. The first time, I got out the battery charger to jump start it, and as soon as I touched the positive lead, all lights came on full power and it started without issue and without actually using the charger. The charger wasn’t even plugged in. The negative lead was never connected.
Couple days later, same. thing, only this time away from the house so I hooked up jumper cables to my other car, and then as soon as I touched the positive lead to the Mini (no negative lead attached) all lights came on and it started right up with no jump.
Any ideas about what could be going on?
Thanks in advance!
Chris
Thanks for the responses. I will check our your suggestions as soon as I get home this evening, but a few additional details:
1) The posts, cables, connectors, etc. are in great shape. Zero visible corrosion
2) The connections are all very tight.
3) When I say I "touched" the terminal, I mean that literally. I manipulated the terminals to ensure snugness, and that did zero. It isn't until I "touch" the lead to the terminal that it comes on. I'm not even clamping it; just a quick touch.
9 Answers
- TechnobuffLv 73 years ago
The act of putting the clamp on the battery terminal is causing the battery cable clamp to make contact with the battery POST.
Remove, clean and tighten the positive clamp, but first remove the NEGATIVE one, and don't replace it until you have completed the job on the positive clamp.
This avoids accidental short circuits while using spanners on the positive terminal.
- The DevilLv 73 years ago
Check that all the fuses and relays are tight and in place. Make sure the battery terminals are clean and tight. Check the battery voltage with the car turned off.
- Anonymous3 years ago
Clean the terminals and remake the connectors. Use wire wool and WD40.
- Pilsner ManLv 73 years ago
Damn, I had a light bulb that wouldn't come on until I touched it. Wow, it was loose.
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- thebax2006Lv 73 years ago
I believe you should have removed the battery cables and cleaned the battery posts and cable clamp contact areas. Make sure the clamps are tight when you put them back on!
Source(s): Mitsubishi Master Tech - UndeadlyLv 43 years ago
Follow the cars negative lead to the place on the car body that it is connected to; the lead at that point should be tight if its loose your battery will give intermittent sparking. Cold weather plus short journeys plus charging the phone drains battery very quickly, so does leaving lights on and freezing cold weather. If journeys are always 8 miles or less day by day the battery is not running long enough to keep a charge in winter.
- River EuphratesLv 73 years ago
So... you touched the positive lead and it came on. That would lead me to believe the positive lead is loose and/or has some corrosion on it.
Remove the positive lead and clean the terminal/post and the clamp (or whatever) on the battery cable, put some dialectric grease on it, and tighten it back down snug.
- Robert JLv 73 years ago
The positive lead is not properly connected to the battery, or the battery terminal has an internal crack and is disconnecting from the guts of the battery.
If it is a "round post" style terminal, try loosening the clamp then seating it lower down the battery terminal post before re-tightening.
They are tapered and if the terminal clamp is too high it may be closing up before properly gripping the post.
