Mini Cooper Clubman D - Efficient Dynamics system

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Sun 4 Nov 2012 12:28
Mini Cooper Clubman D - Efficient Dynamics system - RosieL

I have just had a new battery fitted, the car being 15months old with 7500 on the clock. I was told by the garage that the battery had been damaged because I had done too many short journeys and I gather this is because of the efficient dynamic system. None of this was pointed out when I purchased the car. Apart from having to do long journeys is there anything else I can to to stop the new battery from draining? Does it help to turn off the stop/start button, should I charge the battery regularly, can the system be disabled? It does not seem to be a very "efficient system" to me!! Have others had this problem?

The garage said a new battery costs £300, (after protesting they did not charge me), is this really true? If I need another battery in the future do I have to get a bettery from the dealer?

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Sun 4 Nov 2012 12:38
Mini Cooper Clubman D - Efficient Dynamics system - unthrottled

Anything with the word "Eco", "intelligent"or "Dynamics" in the title should be avoided. It's not as if anyone sets out to build inefficient, undynamic engines!

"intelligent" alternators attempt to charge the battery during overrun and unload the alternator during normal driving. Sounds like an obvious fuel saver-and it is. The reason it wasn't used before is because most batteries do not like being charged or discharged quickly-especially when cold.

Calcium lead acid batteries are expensive.

There's no place for Stop-Start on a diesel. Switch it off.

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Sun 4 Nov 2012 13:47
Mini Cooper Clubman D - Efficient Dynamics system - daveyjp
The battery problem may well be more down to the low mileage than the dynamic effciency system. 6-7,000 a year is definately petrol territory.

I can turn the system off on my MB, but over short journeys it doesn't activate in order to protect the battery.
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Sun 4 Nov 2012 14:44
Mini Cooper Clubman D - Efficient Dynamics system - unthrottled

6-7000 miles p.a. isn't that low. It's only on short journeys that Stop-Start makes any sense. A warm diesel can idle on a pint of fuel for over an hour.

Big expense for small saving.

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Sun 4 Nov 2012 16:19
Mini Cooper Clubman D - Efficient Dynamics system - RosieL

Thanks for replies, I appreciate what you say but apart from this problem I love my mini and am not going to change it now, so just wanted some tips on how to manage the present situation as it is.

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Sun 4 Nov 2012 18:46
Mini Cooper Clubman D - Efficient Dynamics system - thunderbird

When my BMW 118 D with Efficient Dynamics needed a new battery (under warranty) it was a special battery that can cope with the very high output alternator plus it has to be programmed into the car, if its not the car does not know its a battery.

Its a job for BMW or a specialist with the right kit, not a Halfords spotty kid job, you would be wasting your money.

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Sun 4 Nov 2012 19:08
Mini Cooper Clubman D - Efficient Dynamics system - unthrottled

What a palaver to save 50p worth of diesel!

I replaced an OEM lead acid battery aged 11 years for a scrappy sourced one for £10. Would I have saved £290 worth of fuel by using an intelligent alternator? No way.

Just switch thed Stop-Start off and save money.

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Mon 5 Nov 2012 07:58
Mini Cooper Clubman D - Efficient Dynamics system - thunderbird

Just switching the stop start off does not mean you can use a standard battery from a scrappy, if only it was that simple. You still have the huge output alternator and you still have an ECU that needs to talk to the battery to monitor the charge.

Whilst I agree stop start is a waste of time,(on the motorway it saves nothing, in town it only works while the battery has suffiicient power, in winter when its under 4 degress it dioes not work at all) if the car you own has it you need to use the correct battery.

Why the OP was quoted so much for replacement I have no idea, when I asked the delaer how much it would have cost me out of warranty I was told £150, still a lot for a battery but way short of the figure quoted above.

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Mon 5 Nov 2012 09:04
Mini Cooper Clubman D - Efficient Dynamics system - gordonbennet

Thanks for another enlightening thread.

More gimmick rubbish to avoid....£300 for a battery for a shopping trolley, never heard anything so ridiculous and as for having to program a battery in...i give up, saving a thimbleful of fuel seems to cost an awful lot of money these days.

How much will this efficient alternator cost when it packs up i wonder.

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Mon 5 Nov 2012 09:34
Mini Cooper Clubman D - Efficient Dynamics system - Quicksilver

My Volvo has this system. It is installed to reduce the CO2 emissions. After starting the 1st thing I do is always switch it off. Since I do little stop start driving it makes no difference. It is just more to go wrong!

Q.

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Mon 5 Nov 2012 10:30
Mini Cooper Clubman D - Efficient Dynamics system - Collos25

Wait till you have to change the stop start motor that will fetch tears to your wallet.

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