Help,all of a sudden my left rear barn door won't open. Everything worked fine yesterday but this morning, it won't open. No amount of locking/unlocking seems to release it. Handle button doesn't release it.
Anybody know how to remedy this? I can hear the lock solenoids when the buttons are pressed and the right door works fine.

 

2011 ? Still under warranty ? If not the back panel just pops off, you can look for a loose connector.

 

thanks but never mind, I searched and found the fix. the left door opener/ unlock device has crapped out. It is under the sill trim and I can't get the sill trim off. The slot for the striker is not open all the way to the edge of the trim piece so you can't slide it off to get to the latch to try to unlock it. Tomorrow I will try to rotate the sill trim to see if I can reach the latch. The dealer has some procedure to accomplish this as the motor is a high failure part. But i don't know what it is. Once the door is unlatched it is relatively straightforward to R&R the failed part. NO, this car is not under warranty.

 

I removed the inner door panel but that still doesn't give you access to the latch which is under the plastic sill cover. Rotating the sill cover doesn't work either as it won't rotate far enough to access the latch. I can't be the only person this has happened to but there has to be a procedure for unlatching the left rear door. I spoke to service advisers at two of the three mini dealers in michigan who said they had heard of the problem but had never seen a car with it in their shop. How can they fix it if they don't know how to unlatch the door to replace the malfunctioning parts. I need to hear from someone soon that actually knows what to do. The failure is either in the handle switch or in the motor behind and under the sill plate. but you can't test nor R&R either part with the door latched. So how does one manually unlatch the left barn door?

 

Here is a thread for the rear barn doors with diagrams and part numbers for both locks.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...arn-doors.html



Did you try all these techniques?

Thanks and hope that helps.

 

thanks, that is all good and I have seen the diagram and know what parts need to be checked/replaced. what I missing here is exactly how to release the latch to get the door open without breaking the plastic sill plate.

 

corcorand,
There is a link above ECS's diagram. That'll show you how to open. I missed it the first time

 

thanks, but I reviewed that multiple times and it doesn't seem to help

 

Look at the link again, it has photos and everything.

 

+1 try the link again above. Thanks

 

I have read a lot of threads about this problem. However, nobody has said exactly HOW you unlock the door if the locking mechanism is broken. Could someone please post how you access the Left Rear Door Lock if it won't unlock, because the lock is UNDER the door. Thanks so much. I do appreciate it.

 

Thanks CooperClubman, I couldn't have said it better myself. While folks are trying to be helpful, the suggestions are all not specific enough and I find the ECStuning link and diagram to be no help. We need the 1,2,3 on HOW to get the door unlatched.
I called two dealers and neither has ever had a car come in for that problem and they were both unable to explain how it could be done or where to begin. Just said" bring it in and we'll have a look" which didn't inspire a lot of confidence in their ability to resolve the problem.

 

From Comment #9 in the link ECS tuning provided:

~~~~~~~~~~
Ok, so I finally got a new motor ordered. Once I had the new one in hand, I could see there is a spot for a cable to attach for a manual release.

Knowing what and where it was I was able to pull the inside panel off the door and pull it out enough to reach in behind and get to the latch to get it to release. I used a punch, but a long reach, skinny flat tip screw driver would probably work best.

You just have to get it onto the release (where the cable would go if there was one ) and push it towards the back and it'll release. Once I knew exactly what I was looking for it only took a couple minutes of poking around to trip it. Then the motor is 2 screws & about 90 sec to change .

These pics show the release and where you have to catch it with a screw driver / punch:
Attached Thumbnails
~~~~~~~~~~

 

Thanks bratling, just saw this.

 

Ok - thanks, but all of the info you are sending us to relates to the RIGHT rear door, not the Left door.

We need assistance accessing the LEFT (Driver's Side) rear barn door lock. My dealership just told me they just tear out the left door panel and replace it as part of the repair. The door panel costs around $88 !! The lock only costs $54. Another amazing mechanical design by Mini Cooper!! Why not just install a manual cable release on these locks!! Really

So - if you have ideas on how to access the Left rear (driver's side) door lock it would be appreciated.

Thanks,

CooperClubman

 

You need to get under the panel #7, to acess that left side lock ( driver side). Its snaps ina and out a bit, or lift it up in that region. Un-trigger the lock. Replace the lock.

 

It is very unlikely that a fuse or electronic opening wiring issue is causing the failure (99% sure on this).

Typically the reason why is due to the white, plastic gear housings within the lock that have cracked or broken, thereby unable to sit or grab properly.

I know it is frustrating and what seems impossible to access, it wa fairly simple for a novice like me. And boy I was happy when it worked.

Take the little fastners off of the plastic panel which covers the barn dooor sill. They are on the vertical side of the inside plastic sill and there are about 6 of them (with two variatons (pin types and what look like bolt heads). You can use a flat heard screw driver or better yet , pick up a panel fastner removing tool from any auto store for around $3. While you are there, you may want to get a pack of picks that look like what dentists use when cleaning teeth. They are essentially a long skinny screw driver with a 45 degree hook or slightly bent tip. These can be ued to unlatch the latch but a flat head screw driver may work.

Pry the plastic panel upwards and a little bit towoard the car cabin. Work it so you get a feel for it. The trick is to almost wanting to break it by tugging at it upward in frustration to just buy a new panel later if it does. But again, I say this is the trick to success. I thought the plastic panel on the sill would snap after applying 100 lbs of force in an upward motion as I moved from the open right side door to the left; but nope! I dont know what it is made of but it is not brittle plastic which I believed to be the case. It bends like hard rubber (even though it looks cheap). I bent mine almost to 90 degress from the open right door to get underneath it and the cover went right back to the mold form in seconds. Crazy material! So be a tough guy and swear you wont break it.

So once you get it bent up in any fashion to easily enabe your hand to get underneath, feel for an openin/metal cut-out just under the flat or horizontal part of the underlying metal sill. It is about 5 inches wide and 2 inches in height. It is shaped like a long, perpendicular rectangle with rounded corners (elipse) cut into the verticle edge of the metal sill. Take your time to use your fingers to feel the flat, horizontal mechanism inside. There is a slide wheret the latches move horizontlaly. You make feel it, you may not but it is along the side of the horizontal lock. The lock is quite flat and only about a half inch in height as it rests on its side (unlike a home door latch).

Take your flat head or pick (I used the a 30 degree tip found in my pack of 4 purchased) and try to guide the pirck/driver tip to the lock lever chanel which will be on one side or the other of the lock depending on left or right door. In my case, the chanel was on the left (looking out from the interior of the cabin where I was doing my work) or simply on the side of where the middle of the barn doors clasp. Move your drive or pick back and forth the side of the lock assembly near the middle and use hand force against it until the lock catches or moves and the door will unlock. You should have the door open within 5 minutes of playing around. After that, you can do it in 30 seconds as you will know how to do it. Be mean to it as it has been to you lol. You cant break anything.

This will take you 15-30 minutes in total time from sill to unlock if you are an amateur.

Use 10 torx on top of the sill to unfasten the locking mechanism and replace. It may also be a good idea to play around with the old one and figure out how to attach a lanyard or a tiny cable/chain/rope to the latch and feed it through a small hole in the verticle side of the plastic sill cover (just any small drill bit) and put a key chain on the end of it so that with a tug, it unlocks. Save your money by doing this or buy a new replacement (find a part source in this thread somewhere) or both.

Put the sill back into place. It will conform to its original shape no problem.

You can do it!

VelvetClown