The lights on the MINI turn on by themselves and drain the battery – how to fix it?

MINI driver’s question

I have a problem with the battery and lights. At a standstill after locking the car from the remote control after some time the lights come on by themselves, the light indicator is at position 0. After a few days of standstill I had a discharged battery. What is the cause of such a malfunction?

The problem affected the MINI Cooper S, but it can also happen in other models.

BM Cars service response

The described problem indicates a malfunctioning body controller or light controller. In newer Mini models, both of these controllers were replaced by a single combined FRM controller.

Sometimes, under the influence of moisture that enters the controller or the airtight connectors, the controller is awakened and executes commands that were not sent to it by the vehicle user.

In addition, switching on a significant electrical load in the form of lights and waking up the vehicle (preparing the engine to start) causes a significant discharge of the battery. With frequently repeated total discharges, permanent damage to the battery can occur.

For an accurate diagnosis, a full computer diagnostics of the vehicle is necessary.

We invite you to schedule an appointment with our service center.

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