Electrical - Closed-Circuit Current Monitoring
SI M61 07 07
General Electrical Systems
October 2011
Technical Service
This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI M61 07 07 dated September 2007.
[NEW] designates changes to this revision
SUBJECT
Closed-circuit Current Monitoring
MODEL
[NEW] All
SITUATION
Increased closed-circuit currents may occur permanently or intermittently and cause the battery to discharge prematurely. The increase in
closed-circuit current may be caused by a faulty control module or by the installation of a non-approved accessory.
2002-2006 Mini Cooper (R50) L4-1.6L (W10) Page 23
In a situation where a vehicle has broken down due to a discharged battery, for diagnostic purposes it is important not to disconnect the battery. This
is because a control module will be reset if the battery is disconnected. Following a reset, the faulty control module may start functioning correctly
again, making accurate diagnosis impossible.
[NEW] To correctly measure closed-circuit current, the 50-amp clip-on probe can be used in conjunction with the IMIB (Integrated Measurement
Interface Box) to properly diagnose closed-circuit current problems over an extended period of time.
PROCEDURE
1. [NEW] It is very important that any "Power management" faults stored be diagnosed and corrected and the "Energy Diagnosis" (only for R55,
R56, R57, R58, R60) test plan carried out before the following procedure is performed.
2. Check and test the battery using an approved MINI battery tester. If necessary, recharge or replace the battery.
3. [NEW] If the battery is installed in the trunk, open the trunk and turn the lock to the locked position using a screwdriver or similar tool (simulates
the trunk lid being closed). The hood must be closed. If the battery is installed in the engine compartment, open the hood and pull the front lid
contact switch fully up and lock in this position (workshop position, simulates the front lid being closed). The trunk must be closed.
4. With the exception of the trunk/hood above, all other doors/lids must be closed.
5. In order to simulate normal closed-circuit conditions:
^ Turn the ignition on and activate all electrical consumers, including any accessories. Turn the ignition off. In some cases, a drive cycle may need
to be carried out in order to duplicate a closed-circuit current problem.
^ Open and close the driver's door (simulates somebody getting out).
^ Lock the car, arming the DWA if this is installed.
6. [NEW] In general, closed-circuit current consistently over 80 mA must be investigated. Depending on the vehicle's equipment, closed-circuit
current by vehicle model is approximately as follow shown above.
7. If the nominal milliamp reading is not achieved after the appropriate time, refer to the MINI diagnosis system functional description and training
manual for further information.
[NEW] CLOSED-CIRCUIT CURRENT MEASUREMENT WITH THE IMIB
Note:
This technique with an IMIB is particularly suitable for extended measurements, and provides a graphical readout of recorded measurements over
time. It is recommended for situations where the use of a multimeter provided insufficient information for problem diagnosis. Refer to ISTA
document FUB (Functional Description) "BLB0207FP606130 Closed-circuit current measurement" for additional information.
1. The IMIB can be accessed from any ISID within the workshop.
2. Select "Activities".
3. Select "Measuring devices"
4. Select from the "Level 1" column, "Measuring devices", and then "OK".
5. From the "Connection manager" screen, select the free IMIB and "Set up connection".
6. The "Measures devices" screen opens on the "Multimeter" tab.
7. Select the "Oscilloscope" tab.
8. Highlight the "CH1" tab to activate channel 1.
9. Under channel 1, "Source", scroll with the arrows to select "Clip-on probe 50A" or "Clip-on probe 100A".
2002-2006 Mini Cooper (R50) L4-1.6L (W10) Page 24
10. Make sure the clip-on probe is not connected to the battery cable, and acknowledge the pop-up message with "OK".
11. Change the "A/Div" setting to "1A".
12. Under the "Time" selection box, change the "Time/Div" setting based on the number of measurements needed (5 ms to 200 s). The longer times
should be selected when performing the measurement over an extended period.
13. Select "CH 1" under "Cursor" to monitor the actual readings.
14. Select "Record" if performing long-term measurements.
15. After performing the measurement, select "Record" again; the display will change to "Compress" and display the recorded data on the 1 screen.
This Service Information bulletin is intended to provide technical, diagnostic and/or repair information only.
