The 2002 cars also don't have the hatch release cable... The actual latch mechanism is set up for it, the tabs are welded into the body shell, they just didn't fit the cable until 2003! They must have been training a new employee to put them on in '02.

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...i-pull-it.html


the pull cable...
NOTE
It does vary a bit...many were installed by dealers AFTER production in a service campaign to install them...it only took a drill and about 5 minutes to add...
Mine, on a 2005 (2004 production) was dealer added....does not have the welded holder...

 

I am not a troll nor am I a dumb blond. What happened is true and I posted on this site to see if this has happened to any other mini owners and possibly get some honest answers...not be ridiculed.

I bought this MINI used and, if there is a release cable, I am unaware of it but I will look at it today and post whether or not there is one. One thing I know with my MINI is that the seats have to be unlatched from the trunk area so they lie flat. Even if I pull a cable to unlatch the hatch how do I crawl out if I can't get the back of the seat down?

I am not stupid....I tried both door handles (and yes, I pulled twice) The locks go down in to the door (anti theft) and cannot be pulled up with your fingers, if there is no power to the locks the remote will not open them and even if I did press the lock button on my remote while I was in the car, Do you agree that I should not be able to be locked in?

I do have video where we were able to recreate what happened several times. We can show that it is possible to be locked in the car if there is no power. We know that it is something electrical but the question is.....is this a design flaw?

To ZIPPNH. I am a five foot woman. I did not panic I tried all my options before I chose to kick out the window. I was lucky that I could. Yes, a MINI is small but It is not impossible to lie down on your back and kick at the window as hard as you can. I'm glad I'm in good shape otherwise I may not have been able to get out. I did not have a phone on me to call the police. It was possibly the most frightening time in my life and you are making fun of me....are you a cyber bully?

Now, does anyone have any honest suggestion or similar experience?

 

Ok, I went and checked it out, yes, there is a release cable but how do you get out if the seat backs don't go down? If Someone from outside puts the seats down, you can crawl out but, unless there is a release in side the car compartment, you can't get the seat backs down from inside the car....... is there a seat release that I am missing?

 

Double pull function for doors is purely mechanical requiring no electrical power whatsoever and mechanically designed to override the lock setting. It is designed that way in case of electrical failure or if the MINI is immersed in water. Only way it could not have worked is if both Bowden cables in both doors were broken.

 

Gray Raven, Thanks, that's good information. My husband agrees with you but those door handles did not open, they did not function as they were supposed to and we do have video.

I contacted MINI when this happened they had an engineer inspect it. The findings were basically that everything was mechanically sound but there was corrosion in connector behind the fuse panel. Beyond that their findings were inconclusive yet, I can go out right now and duplicate this occurence

I believe this corrosion may have been caused from the sunroof tube leaking and getting water on floorboards.

I agree an electric issue should not cause this malfunction......this is where my question lies.

Dicks Garage---I wish you would send me more information on the safety regulation you mentioned. Is there a site that has that information? We did contact the NHTSA but were not getting any reply from them.

 

No I am not a Troll. I'm sorry that you do not believe my story but it is true and I do not sit on the computer making up stories to post on forums.

I am interested in what you state about passenger door by law having to open. Would you happen to have information regarding the regulation you mention? Where can I locate this information because this is exactly what I am looking for.
We contacted the NHTSA but have not heard back from them......apparently the man who was in charge of door locking systems has retired and hasn't been replaced.

 

What is the name of the MINI dealership looking into this. There must be a PUMA case on it.

 

Caroleann,

Yes, I agree.

mini_wisconsin

 

Gray Raven,

I took my MINI to MINI of Ann Arbor. They had it for about a week while an engineer inspected it. I had the window replaced there. This was in July. I am not sure what you mean by PUMA case. I can post video if you want so you can see that it happens.

 

When something like this cannot be diagnosed by a MINI / BMW Tech, a PUMA case is entered into BMW's national database by the tech. It's part of the process of diagnosing and repairing major issues.

July! Do the doors open now with the double pull ?

 

That is the part of the situation that makes no sense...
To the op...
Are you using the key remote to lock and unlock the door? NEVER do this if in the car... Use the center locking switch....think there is something going on....a car with Bowden cables can be opened with the battery removed....wonder if the door locks were messed up by a person using a "slim-jim" to open from the outside....
Here we get so many BS posts, folks tend to be pretty cynical about some posts....many are from competing car groups (subru wrx is common) just rabble rousing.... So we can sometimes "josh" back, kinda like at a party.... Hard to convey humor and satire in text.

I'm guessing the door locks MIGHT be deforned for the prior owner trying a hard single pull....can destroy the match or stretch the Bowden cable that unlocks the door...
Does it always open on the first try?
And the trunk....
You would not climb over the seat...
But pull the latch...the fold the rear seat toward you...and climb out....
Yeah....I'm blond, as is my sister...lots of jokes for years...but still...
Gotta stop and think...

 

Yes, doors function normally as they always did but malfunction still occurs when locked with key fob. For the malfunction to occur currently two things have to happen, doors have to be locked with key fob and then there has to be a loss of battery connection.
I am not driving the car. I am looking for information/input from other MINI owners prior to fixing the corrosive wiring.

 

I have never had any problems with doors opening prior to this incident. I have owned the car since 2010. The MINI engineer found no such damage to the doors or locks their investigation was inconclusive. The only thing MINI found corrosive wiring behind the fuse panel but even with that....should I be able to be locked in my car. ...if electrical has nothing to do with it.
I checked pull cord it does work but this this does not change the fact that the doors are malfunctioning/flawed whether by design or something else.

 

One thought....
If you can recreate it...
Should be easy to fix...
Yank the door card off..recrate it...get locked in the car...
And look at the mechanicals...be a couple hours max. Not sure why a dealer would keep a car for a week...other than to have a record of them "trying"....
My experience with " non-us" car makers when I lived in Michigan was pretty bad...was kinda like the dealer was faking incompetence or were ridden with guilt to make their unemployed neighbors feel better...folks who have lived in MI get this I think...
Had a Hyundai at the time....took the car to a dealer in Sioux-st-marie, the us side (dealer on the us side was just a counter)...they drove the car to canada (where the service bays, and show room was) , fixed it in about an hour....brought the car back....another dealer down south said it would be "several days" to diaganose, order parts then fix...what a joke....

 

The only reason that I knew of the existence of the release handle is because in the past I've removed the rear seat cushion on my 2008 MINI Cooper S. I also used it when the normal hatch release broke. I've since learned it’s called the "Bowden cable."

Let's get real -- how many average drivers would think of looking under the rear seat for a "Bowden cable" when you're locked in a car? In my opinion hiding the "Bowden cable" out of plain view doesn't pass the logic test, if it was designed as an egress mechanism.

In 2003 MINI added the cable for a reason -- does anyone know why it was added? My guess would be that it allows you to open the rear hatch when the normal mechanism breaks.

Let’s give her credit for having the courage to post her story!

mini_wisconsin

 

Have your MINI programmed to auto lock when you start driving....that will solve the issue making sure doors are locked in case you forget to do this manually.

Locking car while sitting inside the car using FOB does not make any difference. Double pull of door handles are completely mechanical and defeats any anti-theft mechanisms....

 

OK...let me say this again...NEVER LOCK THE CAR WITH THE KEYFOB IF YOU ARE IN THE CAR....
Let me say it again.... Never lock the car with the key fob if you are in the car....
Use the center licking switch.

 

That's because it was never designed to be an "egress mechanism".

 

Actuly the Bowden cable is in the door...the cable under the seat was a realse cable...
Cable was added cause on the S, GEN1 CARS had the battery in the trunk, and trunk release wax electric...
Folks would remove the battery to replace it...close the trunk...could not get the trunk open to get the new battery installed...
Dealers added the cable...took about 5 minutes...came standard 2005+ on...was also a good back up for if the button broke or the battery was loose, etc...you could open the drivers side door...the pull the cable...and change/connect the battery.

 

My husband agrees with you that recreating would be a good tool for trouble shooting but same mechanical thing wrong with both doors????? We were hoping MINI engineer would enlighten us.

 

How can the doors electrically lock w/wo fob if car battery is dead ?

 

Thanks Gray Raven, there are times when locking door with FOB is going to happen by accident you still should be able to get out of car.

 

Actually...think there was a warning about using the key fob in the car from mini YEARS ago...made it into the 2005+ owners manual I think...gotta go look...
Remember some type of issue...
But back to the op...
If you must lock yourself in the car, then have the battery die or be disconnected....
Might happen....er....every.... Er....few....er...hundrend....er...years...unless your car has other issues...
But problem is solved by NEVER LOCK THE DOOR WITH THE KEY FOB IF IN THE CAR....taken from your list of how it happens...kinda like saying "doctor, it hurts when I do xxxx". Doctor says..don't do xxxx.

 

ok, "flash forum mob".....everyone go out to their 1st gen MINI and bring their cell phone. Get in, lock the car with your key fob and lets see who doesn't come back here...