A year ago, the first weekend I had my 05' MCS, the trunk would not shut. The boot was open, the latch mechanism was set in the "closed" position, and I could not get it to unlatch by pressing the trunk open button on my key. I eventually took a screw driver and pried it open, and it worked normally ever since.

Until this weekend. My boot would not OPEN. It felt to be the same situation, it did not respond to the boot open button, nor by hitting the button recessed on the boot handle.

I came back to the car an hour later, and the boot operated normally – I was able to open it by lifting on the handle.

Has anyone experienced this before? Any easy fixes?

 

I say under warranty take it to the dealer.

 

if the boot is ever inoperable, there is a pull cord under the back seat to relase it manually. NEVER use a screwdriver on a mechanisim liek that!

 

Exactly! Just lift up the part of the rear seat that you butt would be on. It isnt screwed on or anything, just give it a good tug. There is a cord with a handle that is RIGHT in the middle! That would be a ton eaiser.

 

To me this sounded like the locking mechanism not an electrical issue was the cause (hence screwdriver fix) maybe a spring loose, or screw jamming something.

 

yes, but the tug handle is a mechanical release, not electrical. so whatever it is, that handle will relaese the boot.

 

Always check here before resorting to brute force
Last Monday for my birthday I decided my gift to myself would be to finally install the Ipod adapter that had been on my workbench for weeks. I only got about halfway through the project and had to go get showered and dressed for dinner out. I closed up El Kabong, since he was kind of in pieces, and went out. We had a great time and stayed out pretty late so I decided to just finish the install in the morning. I got up early the next morning and finished it up and was all set to do my "test". I needed to hook the battery back up (since I'm a good girl and follow instructions, I'd disconnected the negative terminal as I was told). Well, guess what, you can't open the boot with no power. All the other doors were unlocked, since I knew the last thing I'd done before disconnecting the battery was open the windows and hit the door unlock just to be sure (I'm paranoid about locking keys in the car).
Anyway, I knew I'd read there was a way to get the boot open and went to grab the manual. GRRRR it was in the boot, probably still open to the page showing how to disconnect the battery. So I ran in the house and checked NAM and found my solution in about 3 minutes!!!! YAY NAM. Just popped up the bottom of the back seat and there was that magic little ring everyone said would be there. I love NAM, really I do.
Whew!
Annette

 

Unless its the mechanics that are jammed, hence the need for use if the screw driver the first time round.

 

Please translate, Drew!

 

Perhaps that fixed it, typing in the dark can be hit or miss some times

 

I may be wrong, or remembering incorrectly, but I called Mini roadside assistance for the first mechanism jam - and they might have been the one's to suggest a screwdriver. It was a year ago, so I'm not totally sure how I got the idea.

Anyway, the most recent boot problem did not require the use of a screwdriver to fix. The boot was locked shut, and I was unable to get it to open.

My frustration was compounded by the fact that I had just returned from the grocery store with several cartons of ice cream. In the boot.

Luckily, my wife's arm was thin enough to slip between the hinged tray and the seatback, and reach down to release one of the rear seats. We folded them both down, and retrieved our rapidly melting frozen goods.

An hour later, I went out to my Mini, hit the boot release button, and was able to open the boot with no problems...

I had no idea there is a boot release under the seats. I'll have to look for that today, thanks for the tip!