Hey R55ers! I just got my long sought after 2008 Clubman and noticed right off that when I close my passenger side door, the club door and windows all shake like the combination of both doors aren't able to be tight. They make a rattle noise as they close too. There is no special noise nor any looseness or deformation of the structure when at speed while driving. This only occurs as I shut the door. Is this a normal condition on the Clubman? If it is, the only thing I can attribute it to is overslam tolerances.

I've looked at the latches and everything seems in good working order, so I'm not sure what to make of it, but it LOOKS tenuous, scary and abnormal when you see it close. My youngest kid insists on having the door locked when he's in the back as a consequence.

Thoughts anyone?

 

I've never noticed anything like this on my Clubman....I'll pay more attention and let you know if I see anything similar....

the only thing I've ever noticed regarding the Club door is some "rain sizzle" noise that isn't there in the hardtop....never any moisture in the inside...just noise.

 

Thanks! I'm concerned that there's either damage to the latching mechanisms of the doors or something off on the body.

 

Definitely do not let it go. That has never happened on my Clubman, or any I've seen. I don't know what the likely culprit is so I can't offer any advice on where to start. Good luck. Please let us know how this turns out.

 

Thanks Bratling. Yes, its an odd condition. Everything seems to fit right and move properly. No leaks or extra wind noise. No strange wear on the seals to show misalignment, but when the big door closes, the small door kind of shakes. It doesn't rattle, but looks like it OUGHT to have a hard, firm fit into the body and instead acts like it has extra float.

I'll update this thread when I figure out more.

 

Does the club door have any play in it, either when open or when shut? It wouldn't take much play for there to be a rattle. Similarly, check that the U-shaped latch holds aren't loose (can't imagine they would be, but weirder things have happened).

Also, just in case, check that the door panels aren't loose; if one or two of the expanding tabs that secure to the metal door frame are missing or broken, the door card itself could be rattling as you shut the door. (This happened to me when I accidentally smushed and bent a tab on my wife's countryman's rear driver side door. Fifty cent part, easily fixed.)

 

Yea, i would check for play in the latch pivot point and he rear strut.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=41_1829

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=41_1816

 

I believe the diagram needed would be this one?

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=41_1830

Good idea to use RealOEM. Such a useful site.

 

Thanks for those leads!

Near as I can tell, it is a problem with how tightly (or loosely in this case) the upper door latch on the window mounting flag/stub-jamb locks into the upper striker. There is definite play in that part and while I can't "shake" the door from down low, I can if I try up on that flag/stub-jamb. almost 1/4" overall in and out (1/8 off center each way). What I can't tell is whether this is an adjustment I could make to the latch or if I need a replacement part. Interestingly, the club door ALWAYS shows it is ajar, whether it is closed or open. I get warning chimes every time I accelerate in 1st gear and a continuously flashing warning on my tach all the time. I'm suspecting it is this latch that is the culprit in both cases...

 

Here's the latch and receiver.

 

Sorry, though you were talking about the rear club doors.

You can try to adjust the inter lock a hair so when it closes shut its tight, or replace the seal around the door so when it shuts it applies pressure and keeps the door from rattling. my bet is the lock needs adjusted , there should be a couple bolts.

 

Thanks for this suggestion. Is the interlock the top latch I'm pointing to in the pictures?

 

OK! FINALLY, I FIXED IT!

It turns out my suspicion about the upper latch was correct. The original part had failed internally and wasn't responding to the electric signals.

I first had it diagnosed by the local Austin Mini dealer who THOUGHT it MIGHT need a new upper latch. They quoted me $480 to fix it. I said, "yeeeeah... no." I then took it to my local indy BMW repair shop who has a certified Mini mechanic on staff. He also thought it was either the latch or the striker was out of alignment and quoted me a still expensive, but more reasonable $245 for the repair.

So, I did more research looking at all of the possible components in that door and then found a used upper latch on EBay. $40, free shipping... SOLD! I got it yesterday and installed it tonight.

BINGO!

As soon as I plugged the battery back together, the latch immediately began to work properly! YEAH! This is the FIRST time I've heard the cabin without a rattle coming from that door and the ONLY time it has closed solidly. My youngest son was happy again riding in the back seat.

HOW I fixed it...

It wasn't a HARD repair, but it took much detailed observation to remove both the upper and lower door panel trims, unhook the various electrical connections and get everything apart to replace the switch.

1. you have to remove two #20 torx screws from either side of the latch on the top of the B Pillar trim panel, and then carefully pull it off, popping loose a couple of pressure fit pins. Unhook the electrical cable for the pillar "cabin light" and then slide the panel down the seatbelt and set it aside in the car.

2. Remove the screw holding the top of the upper section of the door panel to the club door B Pillar jamb, then again, carefully pop loose all of the several pressure fit pop-in studs.

There are three major components to this latch:
A) the latch itself which bolts into the top of the floating B Pillar

B) an electrical cable with a quick connect end which is zip-tied to a pop in stud

C) a cable which triggers the latch when the door release handle is pulled

So, to continue:

3. Starting with the electrical wire, disconnect the existing electrical quick connect where it is affixed to the door and remove the pop in stud to release the cable.

4. carefully un-thread the electrical line through the plastic hold back halfway up the B Pillar and let it hang loose.

5. Remove the door release handle assembly by unscrewing the 4 #20 torx head screws holding it in place and lay it back so you can reach the backside (which usually goes against the door frame).

You will now see that there is a rotating twisting assembly affixed to the back of the Club door release handle by a #20 trox screw in the center at the pivot point. this part pulls opposite ways on two actuator cables as it turns when you pull on the door release handle. One cable goes down to the lower latch/passenger door interlock at the bottom of the door and the other cable goes up to the upper latch (THIS is the one we are concerned with). there are springs which pull the cable back to neutral also attached to this part. YOU DO NOT WANT TO LOOSEN OR REMOVE the springs.

6. Instead, LOOSEN but DO NOT REMOVE the center hinge point #20 torx head screw (at the pivot of the latch) behind the release handle.

7. Carefully remove the ferrule that holds the cable line into the release assembly by popping it out of it's clip-in point, give the cable a half twist to loosen it from the attachment point in the release latch and lift the cable stop at the end of the cable out of the receiver it is hooked into. unthread the cable from along the B Pillar and leave this cable to hang as well.

8. Remove the three bolts which hold the latch to the top of the floating B Pillar and take the whole assembly away from the door.

Now it is pretty simple to just install your new (or used) replacement latch back to the door in the reverse order of the above steps. Take careful note of HOW the cables and electrical lines thread through the various clips and voids in the trim panels as you put it all back together.

I BEGAN with attaching the NEW cable stop back into the release handle assembly FIRST so that I had the greatest flexibility in hooking it in securely and completely. If you have any experience with this sort of cable stop into a receiver, you know that if you don't seat it completely, it can shear off either the edge of the receiver (thus breaking it and never getting use of that part again) or yanking the cable stop off the end, and again, making the part useless.

After I seated and retightened the pivot of the release assembly, I bolted the latch to the top of the B Pillar, leaving it a little bit un-snugged to allow for alignment with the striker on the body. THEN I rehtreaded the electrical cable, plugged it into the female connector and popped in the pop stud into the door to secure it. After this I put all of the screws back into the release handle and reassembled the upper door panel section and reconnected the cabin light to the B Pillar trim and snapped it back into place.

I then hooked my battery back in and shut the club door VIOLA! Pop the door back open and remove the B Pillar trim to tighten down the latch and reinstall the B Pillar trim again and you're done!

So, in the end instead of giving the Dealer $480 or my mechanic $245, I paid $40 for the part on EBay and spent 40 minutes installing it, only because I was picking and finding my way along as I went. If I had found the instructions I just wrote above somewhere online, I could have done it in probably 15 to 20 minutes! Its a nice win when you can fix it yourself with a little determination.

FINALLY, no more "Club door ajar" chimes and warning lights!

 

Thanks for the update, just saw your question in that last post. Looks like you got it straightened out and it will be helpful to people with this problem.

51227167491 is the part number for that upper latch.


https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-mini-parts/door-lock-top/51227167491/

 

Don't think my issue is the electronics.

I don't get a door ajar warning and hear no rattles.

Club door won't open unless I push on the upper part of the door from the outside while pull g the inner door latch. This just started out of nowhere.

The bottom plastic piece is lubricated and comes out all the way. Thoughts?

 

I would think either that top or the bottom latch needs adjusted.

 

I agree with ECS. It is sounding like the upper striker needs to be adjusted and tightened down.

 

Yes, did you adjust it?