Hello all. LONG POST:
I have been away from the forum due to ill health but I am back now and of course with a problem.
While I was ill, the battery died on my Mini. Since the battery was in the trunk, I had my neighbor call a locksmith to open the car to access the manual trunk unlock under the rear seat.
All went well and the battery was replaced. BUT NOW............
I can open the car with the key fob but the driver door will not open or should I say UNLATCH.
On the driver door (LEFT SIDE) when I press the unlock button on the key fob the door unlocks, I can physically see the locking rod move up and down. When I use the key it also locks and unlocks the door but the door will not unlatch from the striker plate using the the outer door handle or the inner door handle.
I was able to remove the door panel to see if anything was disconnected when the locksmith opened the door. I contacted him and he said "NOT HIS PROBLEM".
The BOWDEN cable for the inside handle is connected and moves as it should.
I can move the mechanism on the door lock connected by a cable to the outer door handle. Feeling this cable it seems as there are a few frayed strands of cable.
Using the inner door handle the cable moves also, but the door does not unlatch from the striker plate therefore the door will not open.
I have to get the door open in order to remove and inspect/replace the door lock and the frayed cable going to the outer handle.
The door unlock and opened before the locksmith episode. The windows go up and down.
It seems to me that the lock/unlock solenoid is not completely unlocking the door lock but that's just me clinging to straws.
Does anyone have any ideas of how to get the door open? Is there a way to manually get the door to unlock and unlatch?
The passenger door works fine but I am not as agile as I once was to schlep across the center console to get into the driver seat. I need your help.
One poster said to reset the computer by disconnecting the battery. Will that work?
I don't know if this means anything but since the battery replacement all of the amber warning lights stay on after starting the car.
Thank you all in advance.