"Increased Battery Discharge" message and won't start
"Increased Battery Discharge" message and won't start
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Shaun_E

Original Poster:

748 posts

286 months

Thursday 17th May 2012
quotequote all
Has anyone had the message "increased battery discharge" followed by a failure to start on a Cooper S?
The first time this happened we took the car back to the dealer (it's nearly new and under warranty). They did some checks and said the battery was flat due to the car being used infrequently and for short journeys (never a problem with our previous Cooper) and that they had charged the battery up. They said if we brought it back for the same problem they would have to charge us! I have since put the battery on a condtioner and kept a diary of use:
10 May battery charged
14 may 4.4 miles return journey (2 starts)
15 may 2.6 miles return journey (2 starts)
17 May Low battery message
This doesn't seem reasonable to me.

nickfrog

24,795 posts

243 months

Thursday 17th May 2012
quotequote all
Not normal at all. My 4 year old MCS on its original battery can hold 3 weeks (and possibly more) after a full charge and no driving.
Just go the dealer principal face to face, it usually speeds things up, super courteous but super firm with him and someone at his end will get it in the neck for taking you for an idiot hopefully.

AndyM31

817 posts

231 months

Thursday 17th May 2012
quotequote all
When I had mini, I had particular situations when the vehicle on its own volition drain the power of the battery to such level that the trips, radio stations and all else programable would reset. The vehicle would start but it took a while for the error message to wipe and the flashing alarm light to go away.

Took it to the dealer, they kept it over night and charged the thing and then left it. they could never track the power drain. Thankfully it was very seldom. For your case id like to think that the diagnostics computer at the dealership could help find where the drain if any is. As mentioned before a nice word with the DP should help sort things out for you otherwise consider the intervention of HQ Customer care.

Shaun_E

Original Poster:

748 posts

286 months

Friday 18th May 2012
quotequote all
Booked in for Thursday next week - I hope they find the cause.

Shaun_E

Original Poster:

748 posts

286 months

Monday 28th May 2012
quotequote all
Update - the garage couldn't see any abnormal current draw so the battery was replaced although they had to get MINI to agree it as "goodwill". We'll wait and see if the problem has gone.