Just removed my rear wiper blade to do the home delete kit and the rear hatch wont open now what do I do!?!

 

Take handle off and check connection? I had a similar problem. When it rained moisture would get into the hatch switch and it wouldn't open till it dried out. Dealer fixed it by replacing the assembly.

 

next thing is that I can't find the emergency hatch release ring that is suppose to be in the back seat, as described in the owners manual. If it helps it is a 2002 manual Mini cooper base

 

On MOST gen1 cars, if you reach under the rear seat, there is a vable that will manually pull the latch open....
The button that opens the latch electrically might have gone bad....or some water got to it....you can take it apart..use some contact cleaner..or even replace the handle.

 

Do you have to pull the bottom part of the seat out or up rather? I didn't see anything. And is it passenger or driver side.

 

just reach under, and feel for the cable...
some early cars did not have it...but the dealer retrofited them to most.

 

Grab the front of the seat and give it good tug upwards. It's just held down with a few clips, so you don't have to worry about breaking anything. There should be a yellow handle on a long wire. You can't miss it.

 

My bad, it's not yellow afterall. Here's a pic from my R53.

 

I remember reading somewhere that the early gen 1's did not have that release cable.. could this be why he can't locate it? I would hope this wouldn't be the case though!

 

That's right .... my 02-S which I bought in October off the delivery truck was a late Aug build as I recall and it did not have the release

or a jack

or brake wear sensors

all these things came later . . .

sorry 'bout that mate