How many people have the dealer take out the handle double-pull to exit the car? Is it annoying, or should I keep it?

 

It's not annoying, it's character.

I've kept it, if only for safety reasons.
Double pull just means that your doors are locked.
1) Prevents would be robber from opening your door at a light, etc.
2) A locked door is less likely to fly open in an accident.
3) If they don't rip the handle off, it's fun to freak out unfamiliar passengers.

 

Just depends... I had my auto-unlock enabled when the car was delivered (unlocks when you turn off the car - making exit a single-pull process). My passengers and I prefer this.

If I frequently traveled in high-crime areas, I might prefer auto-unlock disabled... but it won't stop bullets...

 

LOL I did number 3 the first time I rode in a Mini (didn't rip off the handle but I didn't know what was going on). I wish my xB did this but it's not expensive enough.

 

I don't know whether that's true or not, but the accident sensor in the MINI automatically *unlocks* the doors, along with turning on the hazard lights and the dome light, so it wouldn't matter whether your doors were locked or unlocked before the impact - they'll be unlocked afterwards (assuming the locks themselves weren't damaged during the impact).

 

Hey Scott - any idea what parameters the accident sensor uses to unlock the doors? Airbags going off?
In either case, it would be locked upon initial impact.

 

The documentation from MINI is vague as usual, but I don't think the airbags have to deploy for the accident sensor to be activated. I say this because in the description of the accident-detection system, it says that it will unlock the doors, turn on the interior lights and turn on the hazard lights. Then it goes on to say that *if* the airbags deploy, the accident sensor also shuts off the fuel pump.

I still don't think that a locked door is statistically less likely to come open during an impact than an unlocked door. The *locking* mechanism has nothing to do with the structural integrity of the *latching* mechanism. For an unlocked door to open when a locked door wouldn't, the impact would have to cause movement of the door-pull lever, similar to pulling the release latch from the inside. Or I guess as you're getting thrown around inside the car after the impact, part of your body/clothing could catch the interior door-pull, but I think by that time, the accident sensor would have unlocked the doors anyway.

 

Mine lock when driving unlock when the key is turned off. I doubt someone would be able to open my door at an intersection as was suggested. How many people turn off the car at intersections??

 

i love pumping mine twice to open the door. my passengers dont really like it. cause after the first time they wait for me to unlock it. and everytime i have to say one more time.
but i wouldnt want to take it away.

 

No auto lock for me. I don't care too much for the double pull.

 

It's different just like a mini should be! Dare to be different!

 

I like the way mine's set up. It locks when I start moving. It unlocks after I remove the key. Anything in between requires a double-pull. I like this for the safety aspect.

 

+1

 

I have been a Firefighter now for almost 35 years... In a accident you are dazed or scared - having to remember to pull twice is NOT something most people will remember to do - esp if you are not really used to it... In an accident you want to be able to get out easy - as far as the door flying open??? I have been to a lot of accidents over the years... I have not seen this / most times the door are stuck shut...

If I can disable the"double" pull - I will.... I think it is more a hazard than a help...

 

The double pull is a pain ,the double remote click to unlock the doors is a pain, the "no chirp" when remote locking the doors is a pain, most are reprogramable but for $$$ if you bought a used car even then the dealer does'nt get it right after the $$$. The crime laden areas make it a pain for the rest of us . And as Harley0711 says the safetycrats(bureaucrats only worse , bureaucrats are in it for themselves ,safetycrats protect you from yourself regardless if you want it or voted for it)
Anyway I had the double pull reprogramed for about $75 but they could'nt get the "unlock all the doors /hatch with one push with the remote" to work .

 

Well, you should obviously configure the door-handle operation any way that makes you comfortable, but in the case of an accident, the doors will unlock anyway, making the double-pull unnecessary. Also, if you pull on the handle once and it doesn't open, you're going to pull on it again - that's just human nature. Lastly, if you're dazed/confused/scared after an accident, the last thing you should probably do is rush out of the car. That's just asking to either stumble into traffic, or to possibly aggravate any injuries you received in the accident and aren't aware of yet.

I guess if the auto-unlock fails to operate, and the car's on fire or underwater, and you only have the strength to pull the door handle once, then you might be better off with the double-pull disabled, but that's going to be an extremely-unlikely confluence of events.

 

That's interesting that you couldn't program single-press unlocking of all locks on your 2003. My dealer wasn't able to program it on my car, but I was told it was because the single-press option was no longer available on my 2006.

Your post makes me wonder whether the later cars are actually incapable of being programmed for single-press unlocking, or if the difference is in the version of the software that the dealer uses on their programming computer?

 

Eh....

I have a Sept 2006 build cabrio, and they programmed the single press unlock just fine... Scott, I'll bet yours can be, too, with enough attempts.

I gave the dealer the list of programming options before delivery of my car, and they SWEAR they put them all in right, but all of them didn't "take" (but some did) - they had to redo it while I waited...

 

Hmmm, mine's a September-build 2006 as well, so it sounds like my dealer just didn't try hard enough. I'll pester them some more when I have the time.

 

Or you could just have the quadriple pull option on my Mini (door cables broken again). I would not recommend the 20 pull option that I have sometimes :(

 

+1

 

I have an 07 I can't find anywhere in the Manual that explains how I can get the doors to automatically unlock when I remove my key. My Saturn did that cmon!!!!

I have it setup now when I drive off the doors lock ( which I like ) so when I get done I want the doors to unlock when I take the key out.

Is this possible

 

I am a newbie and waiting for my Mini = I stopped by the dealer today and ask about this 'double pull" feature - was told it could not be programed out?? as for what Scottriqui posted - I agree in an emergency people should not be rushing out - but in my 35 years on the Fire Dept - most people panic and when a person panics - ALL common sense is GONE - I have seen people in cars Screaming "help me I am trapped" They had a car that when moving it locks the doors and ONLY unlocks when put into park - Bang/accident - battery DEAD from impact - doors locked - Person inside "Screaming" and pulling and pulling on the handle in a Panic - I arrive and tell them to "maually" unlock the door - they push the lever and open the door... You would be surprised how many people "believe" their car is going to "Blow Up" like in the movies - in all my 35 years - I have never seen that happen - not saying it won't happen tomorrow - just that I have not seen it... I still do not like the double pull but I can live with it, if I have to...

On a six speed - coming to a stop - doors will ONLY unlock on the automatic when I kill the engine AND remove the key????????????????