Door Lock Won't Unlock
 

Today, after leaving a store with my wife, I pushed the door unlock button twice to open both doors. The passenger side did not open. I tried the FOB several times with no luck. I tried re-locking and then unlocking. Nothing. I wound up entering the car via the drivers side and trying the switch on the console. Nada. I had to pull the handle twice from the inside, as if I were already a passenger. The door opened fine and we went on our way locking at speed. At the next stop it happened again. The door will lock with the FOB but only the drivers side will unlock no matter what I do. I've found a post or two on the door locks, but they were pretty vague. An obvious option would be to get a replacement unit, but I hate changing parts without understanding the reasons.

Any outside input?

Is this miata patchelect ? ( from miata.net) It's drivehard (Alex) with the 03 miata se >>>>. Correction who had the 03 miata se ...... I traded her in for for my 13 R58 fJCW Sent from my iPad using NAMotoring

Sounds like the actuator failed and can't unlock but can still lock. The reason you can pull the handle is the safety device built into the lock. A cable is pulling the actuator open. A double safety in case of an accident and there is no power so you can still get out. Sent from my iPad using NAMotoring

#10 is opening you lock but you probably need #1



Attachment 99657

Hi Alex!

Yes it's me! Sold the NA last October after 8 years and about 30K miles. Sciatica was killing me! Wound up in the Mini. Loving it, except when it's BMW based technology goes south and it costs me a portion of my body!

Thanks for your input. I know that if you still have the same job, you definitely have access to the information!!!

I got a PM from someone who has the needed item. I think I'll contact him/her and swap the mechanism.

Hey paul. Great to find u here. And yes i am at same job. And i had the miata11 years and only 49k. I had had enough "convertiable" and i hear you 100% on the back pain and falling in and crawling out of that car.

I moved to amityville so we are almist neighbors lol. Maybe well get together at some event.

Good luck with the actuator. Let me know how it turns out and to respond to the thread as i always hate to see unfinished threads that msybe help someone else.

Regards. Alex.

This morning I opened the car and the passenger side lock was very cooperative. I guess it must be an intermittent problem. Kind of odd that the passenger side would quit and not the drivers side since that gets far more use.

I'm going to keep an eye on it and maybe open the door up when I have the time for a look see.

Not as trouble free and the old NA, that's for sure!!

Never fails. It could have been jammed and cycling it freed it up but I'm guessing it will happen again. Do you hear any odd grinding rubbing noises when it does unlock? As compared to the drivers side? I guess yeah keep a eye on it.

Lol. I think if I recall I fixed 4 things on the miata in 11 years. I over maintained it and cleaned the hell out of it for sure I those 11 years. Already had the mini in for a new boost sensor with only 1300miles. Hoping for an easy life with our minis Fingers crossed.

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This morning the lock decided to fail again. I guess I'm going to get a new actuator and replace it. I was offered one by a member here, but I think I'll get a new one because I don't want to have to do this again, although I expect that the drivers door will be next! Can't understand why the passenger door failed first, but I don't know the history on the car except for the low miles.

I suspect the failure is more the "German Engineering" than a real failure, like the window motors on the cabrios. Not a product failure, just a design flaw.

Yes,

Sound like the actuator in the door lock. #1 Due to the door opening manually. You can access it withe window all the way up and with the door card off. Sometimes its one or the other first , then both. If its ever both at the same time , and the toggle bank does not work, check the plug at the back of the toggle bank to make sure its plugged in all the way.

http://realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/t/a/215.png


Make sure you get the right part: 51200556769 Right ( passenger side )

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/51200556769/

http://c1552172.r72.cf0.rackcdn.com/85138_x600.jpg


&

Door Lock Unit - Left ( driver side ) 51200556768

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/51200556768/

http://c1552172.r72.cf0.rackcdn.com/87746_x600.jpg

Thanks

Thanks! I already ordered it from you this morning!

Your welcome. Ok thanks again, you beat me to the thread ;). :thumbsup:

Hey Patchelect, Greasyman from Miata.net. I have to spell my name differently here. Small world. I don't have a MINI, but I'm shopping for a small car to replace my Scion xB. Good luck and have fun with yours.

Hey Greasyman!

Funny how you meet the weirdest people on these sites!

LOL

Good luck with your search. Having had the Mini for almost a year I can say that I love it except when it breaks. There are too many electrically integrated systems that knock each other out on this car. Maybe all new cars are like that, I don't know. My '11 Subaru Outback has been trouble free so I can't say. The Miata was a 94 and my other vehicle is an '01 Dodge Dakota, both of which are antiques in todays world of vehicles. I've already had bad window motors keep the top from functioning, both in going down AND going up! OTOH, I've put more miles on the Mini in less than a year than I did in 2 years added together with the NA! I wanted another drop top so the market was limited and I wasn't settling for a Chrysler Sebring!

It seems the OP has found a solution for his issue on the door lock. I have the same issue except the door will not open with the lock toggle or the FOB. This is the passenger door.

I can hear the actuator working when I toggle the lock or when I press the FOB, but the lock doesn't move. Assuming the cable or some type of connection has failed or has become disconnected, I can't see until I can open the door and take off the door panel.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Oh, I have attempted to unlock the door with a 'slim-jim' without success. I can actually move the lock up and down, but it will not actually unlock the door.

Thanks!

2 possibilities i think

A). The actuator is stripped internally hence you hear the actuator but its not moving the lock to the unlick position

B) the lock rod is dislodged from the lock.

Either will require you to go in there and take a peek

Yes
 

...same thought here. Normally I would have no issue using a slim-jim or similar device to unlock the door, but I have never done it on a mini. I have attempted to take off the door panel while door is shut, but of course that is impossible.
I've tried with the window up and down. Tried from the inside and from the outside....frustrated.

Oops missed that part in last post.

You can try when using the slim Jim to also be pulling on the inner door handle. Don't forget that our door locks require a "double pull" so when you were moving the lock you may not have disengaged the first lock yet. You may need 2 people. 1 to work the slim Jim. 1 to work the inner door handle.

It's worth a shot.

Good luck. Let us know.

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On Saturday I did install the new actuator and everything is working fine. I'm lighter by a few stupid bucks necessary for a slipshod German engineered POS design, but thankful that my problem is resolved. There are also a series of scratch marks on both doors from previous panel removals for varying reasons over the history of the car. I'm aware of the window motor top interconnectivity problem and now the door lock issue. I wonder what else is interconnected?

And our friend Ronnie has his own set of problems to resolve. A door that won't open at all! I wonder if the engineering people even BOTHER to think out the possibilities? Or do they just call a tow truck and bring the car back to the factory if they have problems? I wish that MY life worked that way. Endless support at zero expense.

And I didn't even mention my grief with the leaking steering rack a month ago~

patchelect - glad you got it fixed.

Yesterday I took off the door panel for the drivers door to view what the inner workings of the lock would be. I even attempted to unlock the door from the inside without luck. Same issue as before. I can manually push the door lock up, but it will not unlock the door and will not stay up. Any and every lever or cable that can be pulled or manipulated was tried without luck. I had my wife outside the car locking and unlocking the door with the key to visualize the system. I don't think it can be unlocked manually with the inner mechanisms.

I may be screwed. My next plan is to pay a locksmith.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but what can a locksmith do that you haven't tried. There is no lock on the passenger door, only the drivers door. The only access to the inner working is removal of the panel and you can't do that without opening the door.

HOWEVER!!!

I just looked at my car more closely and it appears that the inner door panel CAN be removed with the door closed. A PITA to be certain, but with the correct right angle tools I think you can pull the panel from its mounts at the bottom and side edges. Then lifting it upward to free it seems possible. Once you have that done you are "in". You may have to shove the seat all the way back and do some creative cursing but I have a feeling that it can be done. While I'll be the first to complain about things, it would seem rather silly to have the panel closed between the door and the framework.

Patience Grasshopper. You can do it!

lol. That's funny.

Ronnie are you local to NY Long Island? Would be happy to try and help you at my house. I do in fact have an " awesom set of tools".

Try patches idea. That has been done before just don't recall on minis. I do know it can be done on BMW's. Techs usually unbolt the seat and take it out the other side. 2 guys in the car passing it thru. It's not fun and your deodorant better be up to par

Offer open to assist.

Regards.

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*Subscribed* My passenger door locks but doesn't unlock with the fob. :/


I have to roll down the window to be a gentleman and open the door for my girl.

Got it
 

Okay everyone, I finally had success in fixing my door lock.

After much thought I decided to take out the passenger seat. I then started at the top of the door and popped it loose; then the back of the door, then the bottom. This would not have worked without removing the seat.

The front where the door meets the a-post area was the most difficult. All three areas were free, top, rear and bottom. The front panel would not come loose from the door, but after much manipulation it finally cam free. I only broke one gray plastic piece.

I then could lay down in the car and stick my hand and head in the oval. After looking on the net at how the latch hooks to the lock mechanism, I could feel the little door where the cable inserts and hooks to the lock.
The cable end had come free from the latch inside the mechanism.

I opened the small flip down door and found the latch. I pushed it down twice and presto, door opened.

Standing there looking at my door opened was almost as satisfying as looking at my new born son. ;)

I was then able to hook the cable back up, close the latch door. I hooked the outside latch back to it's mechanism and my door is working again. SHEW, it feels good to have a working door.

Thanks for all the advice and help!

Ronnie

And hopefully it won't become "undone" again! However, I have serious doubts about life being so easy with a BMW, er I mean MINI!!

At least when it happens again you will feel empowered enough to do it without any fear of the unknown.