Alarm and key fob questions
 

Hey guys. I have a question about the alarm and key fob functions. The buttons on my key does not unlock my doors and from inside the car, the unlock switch on the dash does not do anything either. Did all Mini Cooper S models come with remote locking? I have tried the various reprogramming tips from the site and nothing happens. The year of my model is 2005. Thanks!

Do you mean that you can only lock and unlock the doors using the physical key and inside door lock? Obviously something is wrong. Do you hear anything when you operate the switch? The solenoid or latch may be malfunctioning. You need to take the door apart or have someone look at it. And yes, all MINI come with remote locking as standard.

Yes, I can only lock and unlock from the driver's door. No noises are heard. However I do hear a noise from the gas cap when I use the toggle switch on the dash. I did check the pod on the roof behind the rear sunroof and there is not "box" there, just a wire connection. Any thoughts? And if the box is supposed to be there, where can I get a replacement? Will one from a junkyard work or will I have to get a new one and have it programmed from the dealer?

That is the location for a motion sensor, if you add a car alarm. The radio receiver for the remote lock is in the rear view mirror.

If the lock switch toggle in the center console doesn't work, the lock isn't working electrically. The remote cannot work until you get this working first. Do the passenger door and rear hatch lock/unlock in some way?

The passenger door will only unlock from inside and the hatch will only unlock from the driver's door (twisting the key twice). However everything will lock completely from the drivers door using the key. Could a fuse be blown that works the radio receiver? Thanks!

Your car might have multiple issues.

According to the Owners Manual, twisting twice should unlock everything (both doors, hatch, fuel door). Your passenger door may have a bad solenoid or actuator.

Some auto parts stores such as AutoZone have a tester available to check if a remote key is transmitting a signal. This would show whether the transmitter is operating at all.

See if it makes any difference if you hold the key up to the rearview mirror and press lock/unlock. If it works, the problem could be a weak signal or receiver. Some owners had a problem where the remote worked but only at short range, and it was fixed by replacing the receiver.

It is possible that the rechargeable battery in your key may be dead. It recharges wirelessly with key in the ignition while driving, but after 10+ years the battery may no longer be holding a charge. This has happened to a number of owners on this forum. Unfortunately the 2005 key wasn't designed for a replaceable battery. The fix is to split open the key, unsolder and remove the old battery, and solder in a new battery.

This is the programming procedure that is applicable for your 2005: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ml#post1462932. If nothing happens at Step #4, the key isn't communicating with the car but for an unknown reason (perhaps one of the issues above).

However, I want to come back to your comment that the toggle switch on the console doesn't do anything. It could be a sign of a deeper issue in the car's locking system that also prevents the remote from working.

The door lock actuators on the early cars were a weak point and many of them have failed. Open both doors and your hatch and then close them again. Hit the lock button on your remote key. You've said the doors don't lock but if the hatch is locked your central locking system is functioning correctly. The hatch actuator is much less prone to failure. To confirm try your filler cap but I'm not sure if that locks on an "S" model as it has a different type than a base model. Don't see why it wouldn't, though.

Try again from inside with a helper. Hit the toggle switch to lock and have them see if the hatch is locked; then unlock and see if the hatch is open. This will help confirm that the problem is in the door actuators.

Don't bother with used actuators- new ones are built more robustly and seem to open and close with a stronger sound. I recommend doing one side at a time to see if it takes care of the problem. My experience is that the door lock isn't meant for daily use and will break under that use. They cylinder and pin mechanism is made of a cheap pot-metal. Replace those actuators and don't take the chance of getting locked out.

Val