To open door to the mini, I need to double pump the door handle as we all have to do. Just curious as to why one pump on handle does not open it.

 

So you don't open the door when you accidentally hit the handle or something like that

 

It is a programmable option. I changed mine from doing it to only one pull to open, especially after my 82 yo father kept trying to pull harder to open the door.

It is in the manual on how to change. I think it is a security thing 1 pull for the driver, 2 for the passenger. It also correlated to one push of the unlock on the remote to open only the drivers door, 2 for all doors. Now 1 push unlocks all doors, including the boot.

Cheers,
Ken

 

First pump unlocks the door. You should notice that the first pump raises the lock plunger at the top of the door. In many other cars (especially Japanese) this would be equivalent to flipping the lock lever next to door handle.

If you always have to double pump, your doors are set to autolock when the car gets going (I think this is the default setting). You can disable autolock if you want to open the door with only one pull.

 

True, but if you don't auto lock then there is a chance you could come to a stop light and someone might steel you or your passenger

I leave auto lock on because I think it's funny to have people pull twice.

 

Every car I have driven has auto lock when your drive away above a certain speed, and auto unlock when you remove the key from the ignition. Why MINI's have auto lock, but no auto unlock is beyond me.

 

You may have the anchor for the pull cable popped out behind the door panel just below the lock mechanism. The outer sleeve of the cable just snaps into an anchor and if it comes unsnapped you will have this symptom.

 

the double PUMP is an OEM "feature" on most MINI's as delivered from the factory...
First pump unlocks...
second pump opens...

if the "bowden cable" is stretched or the locking mechanism is damaged, it can take MULTIPLE pulls to open the door....but that is more than 2....

EXACTLY!!

 

Auto unlock was a programmable option in the 1st gen, but unfortunately it was removed in the 2nd gen. My 2006 R52 has auto unlock. I would be very annoyed at having to double pull every time.

 

MIne has auto lock feature still activated. I am not sure if the double pump is a feature of the US branded models with auto lock.
Mine 2008 JCW ( I know they were not released in US until 2009) Mine is programmable to work with the key fob locking feature. Either 1 press for all doors, or 2 press - driver only, second all doors. Auto lock activates at I reach 16kph

Cheers,

Ken