Tailgate is locked shut but car thinks its open - a small piece of fabric appears stuck in latch.

Is there a manual latch anywhere? Can't get it open not can I leave it as-is since light is staying on in trunk.

Thanks!

 

Read your owner's manual... The Mini Cooper Hatch has a manual release cable under the rear seat, the Countryman probably does too, just not sure where. Check the manual.

 

Thanks. I went through it but didn't find anything. Not do I see anything under the seat.

I worked at it for about a 1/2 hour with a screwdriver and got it open. What a pita.

 

The Mini Cooper Hatch Owners Manual


Manual tailgate latch


Online manual may help
http://www.motoringfile.com/files/20...perCooperS.pdf

 

Yes, the manual for an entirely different car will surely help.

 

If the latch IS JAMMED shut with a piece of fabric, I think you might have to force it open....looking like elbow grease!!
going back to the gen1 MINI they "manual" method to open it (added by MINI POST PRODUCTION) was a cable under the rear seat, and a hole thy drilled into the latch for the cable to attached too....but since the latch is jammed shut, not sure even this simple way would have worked...sounds like the trunk is JAMMED shut...but not pushing on the switch.

 

I don't see it in manual, weird... It is in the MC Hatch manual...

 

That's exactly what worked - a combination of digging the cardboard away from that latch and pushing on the tailgate. Popped right open.