R50/53 R50 or R53 Power Door Lock Repair
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Joined: Dec 2018
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R50 or R53 Power Door Lock Repair
Hello all,
There is a well known issue with the power door locks on the R50/53 Mini's, where one of the motors fails and the door will no longer lock/unlock remotely. I repaired the problem today on my daughter's R50 and discovered something through trial and error that I think is worth documenting well. There are two motors in the lock assembly. One has a 7.2mm drive screw and the other has an 8.8mm drive screw. The one that dies is usually the 7.2mm, but since opening up the case is a pain in the butt, I highly recommend just buying the pair of motors for $10 more than a single one and replace both at the same time. That will hopefully help you avoid getting wrong one as well.
Before you start tearing things apart, go buy the following.
1. A 10-24 X 3/4, flat-head, countersunk screw with a locknut.
2. Replacement motors. Ebay has many sellers. Just look for "mini cooper door lock motor" and buy the pair in 8.8mm and 7.2mm screw drive.
3. Good quality grease. I am a fan of Super Lube. It is synthetic, high heat rated (for use most anywhere) and has PTFE.
This is a good dis-assembly video I followed. Pay close attention to what he says at 14:30. I made that boo-boo and it prevents the door from actually locking.
One thing he really should mention in the video is that if you remove your side-mirror, remove the glass and break loose the outer window regulator rail, you can swing it to the center of the door and access is WAY better. If you don't have doll-sized hands (mine are fairly baseball mitt sized) it is TOTALLY worth the extra 20 minutes of work to get that regulator rail out of your way. I have a 3D printed a wrench I use to loosen the window nuts (the giant, sunflower looking ones). The right tool makes that job way easier.
Now that I'm familiar with the whole process, I think I could have the lock out, fixed and replaced in less than 2-hours.
Happy motoring people.
Jose
There is a well known issue with the power door locks on the R50/53 Mini's, where one of the motors fails and the door will no longer lock/unlock remotely. I repaired the problem today on my daughter's R50 and discovered something through trial and error that I think is worth documenting well. There are two motors in the lock assembly. One has a 7.2mm drive screw and the other has an 8.8mm drive screw. The one that dies is usually the 7.2mm, but since opening up the case is a pain in the butt, I highly recommend just buying the pair of motors for $10 more than a single one and replace both at the same time. That will hopefully help you avoid getting wrong one as well.
Before you start tearing things apart, go buy the following.
1. A 10-24 X 3/4, flat-head, countersunk screw with a locknut.
2. Replacement motors. Ebay has many sellers. Just look for "mini cooper door lock motor" and buy the pair in 8.8mm and 7.2mm screw drive.
3. Good quality grease. I am a fan of Super Lube. It is synthetic, high heat rated (for use most anywhere) and has PTFE.
This is a good dis-assembly video I followed. Pay close attention to what he says at 14:30. I made that boo-boo and it prevents the door from actually locking.
One thing he really should mention in the video is that if you remove your side-mirror, remove the glass and break loose the outer window regulator rail, you can swing it to the center of the door and access is WAY better. If you don't have doll-sized hands (mine are fairly baseball mitt sized) it is TOTALLY worth the extra 20 minutes of work to get that regulator rail out of your way. I have a 3D printed a wrench I use to loosen the window nuts (the giant, sunflower looking ones). The right tool makes that job way easier.
Now that I'm familiar with the whole process, I think I could have the lock out, fixed and replaced in less than 2-hours.
Happy motoring people.
Jose
6th Gear
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 1,680
Likes: 311
Hello all,
There is a well known issue with the power door locks on the R50/53 Mini's, where one of the motors fails and the door will no longer lock/unlock remotely. I repaired the problem today on my daughter's R50 and discovered something through trial and error that I think is worth documenting well. There are two motors in the lock assembly. One has a 7.2mm drive screw and the other has an 8.8mm drive screw. The one that dies is usually the 7.2mm, but since opening up the case is a pain in the butt, I highly recommend just buying the pair of motors for $10 more than a single one and replace both at the same time. That will hopefully help you avoid getting wrong one as well.
Before you start tearing things apart, go buy the following.
1. A 10-24 X 3/4, flat-head, countersunk screw with a locknut.
2. Replacement motors. Ebay has many sellers. Just look for "mini cooper door lock motor" and buy the pair in 8.8mm and 7.2mm screw drive.
3. Good quality grease. I am a fan of Super Lube. It is synthetic, high heat rated (for use most anywhere) and has PTFE.
This is a good dis-assembly video I followed. Pay close attention to what he says at 14:30. I made that boo-boo and it prevents the door from actually locking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltfFsf-Cg4w
One thing he really should mention in the video is that if you remove your side-mirror, remove the glass and break loose the outer window regulator rail, you can swing it to the center of the door and access is WAY better. If you don't have doll-sized hands (mine are fairly baseball mitt sized) it is TOTALLY worth the extra 20 minutes of work to get that regulator rail out of your way. I have a 3D printed a wrench I use to loosen the window nuts (the giant, sunflower looking ones). The right tool makes that job way easier.
Now that I'm familiar with the whole process, I think I could have the lock out, fixed and replaced in less than 2-hours.
Happy motoring people.
Jose
There is a well known issue with the power door locks on the R50/53 Mini's, where one of the motors fails and the door will no longer lock/unlock remotely. I repaired the problem today on my daughter's R50 and discovered something through trial and error that I think is worth documenting well. There are two motors in the lock assembly. One has a 7.2mm drive screw and the other has an 8.8mm drive screw. The one that dies is usually the 7.2mm, but since opening up the case is a pain in the butt, I highly recommend just buying the pair of motors for $10 more than a single one and replace both at the same time. That will hopefully help you avoid getting wrong one as well.
Before you start tearing things apart, go buy the following.
1. A 10-24 X 3/4, flat-head, countersunk screw with a locknut.
2. Replacement motors. Ebay has many sellers. Just look for "mini cooper door lock motor" and buy the pair in 8.8mm and 7.2mm screw drive.
3. Good quality grease. I am a fan of Super Lube. It is synthetic, high heat rated (for use most anywhere) and has PTFE.
This is a good dis-assembly video I followed. Pay close attention to what he says at 14:30. I made that boo-boo and it prevents the door from actually locking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltfFsf-Cg4w
One thing he really should mention in the video is that if you remove your side-mirror, remove the glass and break loose the outer window regulator rail, you can swing it to the center of the door and access is WAY better. If you don't have doll-sized hands (mine are fairly baseball mitt sized) it is TOTALLY worth the extra 20 minutes of work to get that regulator rail out of your way. I have a 3D printed a wrench I use to loosen the window nuts (the giant, sunflower looking ones). The right tool makes that job way easier.
Now that I'm familiar with the whole process, I think I could have the lock out, fixed and replaced in less than 2-hours.
Happy motoring people.
Jose
thank you I think I need this 🙏
6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 2,349
Likes: 747
From: DFW, TX
Just so you know, a flathead screw driver and a dead-blow hammer works well to loosen/tighten the "giant, sunflower looking" nut that holds the glass, as long as you're careful to not hit the glass..
About 2wo years ago; I came across the R50 or R53 Power Door Lock Repair video as sown above in post #1. Having pulled and disassembled a salvage yard driver's door locking actuator/mechanism, I quickly
realized that my (US driver's side) salvage yard door actuator was very different than the one that the guy in the video was instructing/working on. I was confused. My driver's side (never been tampered with) salvage actuator only used/had one motor in it - BUT a space for two!??!
I don't recall which 1st Gen year I'd pulled it from ....but I'm pretty sure it wasn't from a 2007 2nd Gen.
Regardless - It was a pretty interesting exercise in disassembly and seeing the inner workings.
EDIT: I just scrounged up that salvage yard actuator stored away in a parts bin. The date stamped on it reads: 12.12.06....I most likely had indeed, mistakenly pulled it from an '07 2nd Gen and not a 1st Gen '06
realized that my (US driver's side) salvage yard door actuator was very different than the one that the guy in the video was instructing/working on. I was confused. My driver's side (never been tampered with) salvage actuator only used/had one motor in it - BUT a space for two!??!
I don't recall which 1st Gen year I'd pulled it from ....but I'm pretty sure it wasn't from a 2007 2nd Gen.
Regardless - It was a pretty interesting exercise in disassembly and seeing the inner workings.
EDIT: I just scrounged up that salvage yard actuator stored away in a parts bin. The date stamped on it reads: 12.12.06....I most likely had indeed, mistakenly pulled it from an '07 2nd Gen and not a 1st Gen '06
Last edited by Here2Go; Jul 27, 2024 at 11:34 AM.
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