The battery in our '05 S died (again). I learned about the manual release the last time this happened but for some reason it's not working this time. When I pulled it I heard the trunk "pop" but I cant pull it open. When I pull up on the handle it feels like it's depressed and not releasing.

It's currently 19 degrees out so I thought maybe it was frozen, I took a hairdryer to the handle but no dice. If I pull up on the hatch it moves about 1/4" up and down but that's it. I also pulled the 4 torx screws out thinking I could take the mechanism apart but after pulling on the handle it seemed to remain firmly stuck in place.

Any help would be appreciated, I'm at the end of my rope!

 

Have a helper pull on the door while you pull on the cable, I remember that sometimes when I pulled on the cable and went to open the boot it. Closed on me again, sometimes when the car moves a bit it will latch again

 

Yup, this was it. No helper though so I had to do it from inside the car, then jam a newspaper in it since the struts dont want to work in this weather.

I can confirm now that the hatch handle/button definitely has stopped working. Guess I need to figure out how to replace it.

 

Was it working before the battery died? Check your fuses first and make sure that the connection didn't come loose, check you lic plate lights if they are not working ( assuming that they were before) check the connection or fuses.

If you have to buy it, you'll need the whole handle also make sure that you get a new seal otherwise you will get water in there.

http://www.ecstuning.com/Mini-2005-C.../Body/ES78252/