Jump Start ICE vehicle?

[Newbs]

Is it possible to use the 12V battery in the Mini SE to jump start a gas vehicle? And even if possible, is it advisable?

Someone came up to me yesterday to ask for a jump, and I had to apologize that I couldn't help. (I carry a portable jumper in my other car, but didn't have one with me in the Mini.) I did check the manual but didn't see anything about using the 12V battery for this. I imagine that it may not be sized for supporting starting an engine.

 

[insightman]

Is it possible to use the 12V battery in the Mini SE to jump start a gas vehicle? And even if possible, is it advisable?

Someone came up to me yesterday to ask for a jump, and I had to apologize that I couldn't help. (I carry a portable jumper in my other car, but didn't have one with me in the Mini.) I did check the manual but didn't see anything about using the 12V battery for this. I imagine that it may not be sized for supporting starting an engine.

If you want to be a nice guy, carry a pocket-sized jump-starter. I'm sure the SE's 12V battery is equal to a pocket-sized jump-starter, but why risk an accidental electrical problem?

 

[Puppethead]

The SE has a 12 V AGM battery, standard in all MINIs. They're powerful, but expensive to replace (I just replaced the one in my Clubman). I wouldn't risk it, especially since the SE will not run if the 12 V battery is dead. As @insightman suggests, a pocket jumper is a safer bet. Plus they take up less space than jumper cables.

 

[insightman]

The Mini Cooper SE has a small 20Ah AGM 12V battery that costs in the neighborhood of $300. Because it's completely enclosed, it would be the most laborious to swap of any car I've ever owned.

 

[JonR]

I jumped my wife's old Honda CRV last winter with zero problems. There is a big red cap to get to the positive battery terminal under the hood and right near it is the negative terminal on the strut tower.

 

[Puppethead]

Because it's completely enclosed, it would be the most laborious to swap of any car I've ever owned.

The battery also needs to be "registered" with the car after installation. Well, "need" if you don't want spurious warnings.

 

[Rogwp]

FWIW, I asked my MA at delivery and he said not to give jump starts.

 

[SameGuy]

I’ve tried to avoid jumpstarting with almost any car that has any form of modern electronics in it. Once or twice I’ve been stuck, and needed it for my own (ICE) cars, so I clenched my teeth and hoped for the best. But I usually come up with an excuse when somebody needs a boost. Now that I’m driving an EV, that’s what I tell people, sorry not possible.

 

[JonR]

I still prefer the "push the car and then pop the clutch" method.

 

[MrSnrub]

The Mini Cooper SE has a small 20Ah AGM 12V battery that costs in the neighborhood of $300. Because it's completely enclosed, it would be the most laborious to swap of any car I've ever owned.

You’ve not lived until you replaced a battery on a Q7 or Cayenne…

 

[CuriousGeorge]

I jumped my wife's old Honda CRV last winter with zero problems. There is a big red cap to get to the positive battery terminal under the hood and right near it is the negative terminal on the strut tower.

View attachment 19950

Interesting that they are officially labeled as jump starting terminals. Any chance that is inadvertent carryover from the ICE version?

 

[pictsidhe]

The Mini Cooper SE has a small 20Ah AGM 12V battery that costs in the neighborhood of $300. Because it's completely enclosed, it would be the most laborious to swap of any car I've ever owned.

My information is that the SE has a 50Ah battery. The i3 had a considerably smaller one, though I forget the capacity.

 

[Louis W]

Interesting that they are officially labeled as jump starting terminals. Any chance that is inadvertent carryover from the ICE version?

No, because as someone else mentioned, the SE still needs the 12V battery to power the electronics. If your 12V battery is dead, then you'd need a jump to switch the car on. Once that's done, the SE's internal charging mechanism would take over.

For what it's worth, I don't think jumping an ICE car would be an issue. Jumping a battery connects it in parallel. Your SE has no idea whether it's one battery or two; all it detects is that the 12V battery (really two batteries) is slightly depleted, and so it'd start the charging process. Leave the depleted battery connected long enough and it'll eventually charge enough to start the ICE car.

I wouldn't worry about dirty power either. Even if a battery is too depleted to start a car, it still has enough charge to smooth out the power ripples. For similar reasons, it's not great to run a car on the alternator only.

 

[insightman]

You’ve not lived until you replaced a battery on a Q7 or Cayenne…

I see what you mean! Grandpa Battery Shop shows the Cayenne's under-the-seat battery replacement. His apprentice shows how to replace the under-the-floor Q7 battery.

Replacing the battery in an electric MINI requires removing a bunch of covering pieces, but it's probably easier than in an ICE MINI as shown here because the air-intake ducting must also be dismantled in the ICE MINI.

 

[Rexsio]

My information is that the SE has a 50Ah battery. The i3 had a considerably smaller one, though I forget the capacity.

Comparing to BMW i3 battery 20 Ah mini se 12 v battery is a monster 50 Ah and almost 3 times heavier and terminals are expose to jump a car not like in Bmw I 3 terminals where not visible at all .Personally I never jump a car with my mini se 12 v battery to avoid to fry a charging DC charger from high voltage battery .

 

[MrSnrub]

I see what you mean! Grandpa Battery Shop shows the Cayenne's under-the-seat battery replacement. His apprentice shows how to replace the under-the-floor Q7 battery.

Replacing the battery in an electric MINI requires removing a bunch of covering pieces, but it's probably easier than in an ICE MINI as shown here because the air-intake ducting must also be dismantled in the ICE MINI.

I see what you mean! Grandpa Battery Shop shows the Cayenne's under-the-seat battery replacement. His apprentice shows how to replace the under-the-floor Q7 battery.

Replacing the battery in an electric MINI requires removing a bunch of covering pieces, but it's probably easier than in an ICE MINI as shown here because the air-intake ducting must also be dismantled in the ICE MINI.

Worst are those shitbox mopars with the battery in the bumper… you are rewarded with a solid lump of corrosion !

 

[carrrl]

If you want to be a nice guy, carry a pocket-sized jump-starter.

A modest 12v boost is all most EVs need to close the main contactors and fire up their DC-DC converters. A lot of them are USB battery bank + flashlight + jump combos. It's a smart piece of kit for all EV owners.

 

[SameGuy]

I drive my 30 year old Crapolla and keep what was 10 years ago a state of the art Stanley brand NiCad jumpstarter/compressor/flashlight in the trunk. But it’s a Toyota with a new AGM battery, so I’ve only ever used it to help stranded coworkers in their relatively recent American and Korean cars! Lol But I will probably get one of the newer lithium jumpstarters one of these days, precisely because it is so light and compact that it’s kind of a no-brainer to throw one in the boot basement.

 

[MrSnrub]

I drive my 30 year old Crapolla and keep what was 10 years ago a state of the art Stanley brand NiCad jumpstarter/compressor/flashlight in the trunk. But it’s a Toyota with a new AGM battery, so I’ve only ever used it to help stranded coworkers in their relatively recent American and Korean cars! Lol But I will probably get one of the newer lithium jumpstarters one of these days, precisely because it is so light and compact that it’s kind of a no-brainer to throw one in the boot basement.

The NOCO ones on Amazon go on sale often and I keep around the house. It’s boosted a few neighbours cars last month but for continual use I prefer ye olde booster pac