Drivers door won't open!!!
 

Not sure if this has been covered here before, my drivers door will not open from the inside. It will open from the outside, is there and adjustment within the door that will cause this?

Sure it has been covered before. But the problem tends to be with a cable from the inside door handle to the latch mechanism. What is even more annoying are the acrobatics that are involved after a freezing rain or snow that makes opening the doors impossible. on my 2004, I had this happen twice. I was locked in, but luckily the passenger side window would roll down, enabling me to escape from said vehicle in a rather clumsy manner. The next morning car still frozen, so I opened the boot and folded down the rear seats. After wriggling through, I was able to motor on. When I arrived at work I escaped through the window again.
I do love the MINI though and am trading in my 2004 Chili Red/White for a Mellow Yellow/Black MCS any day now. Her name is BEEtrice.
The fix for your car should be relatively simple.

Thanks for the feedback. Is the cable adjustable? Are there an DIY instrcutions with images avaliable or will be be pretty starit forwardonce I get the door panel off?

should be obvoius. but it probably cam loose or a tab broke off. that is usually what it is in most cars that i have dealt with...

Did you try those little silver things? hahaha couldn't resist, sorry. :lol:

Well I thought I fixed it!!!!! Some time ago we discuussed the issue with the door not opening from the inside. Well I removed the door panel and the door handle/cable assembly is straight forward. At the end the cable dissappears into a gromet behind the metal structure....I cannot find any way to reach or view the assembly, anyone have an easier way?

So I can't reach the elusive assembly, so I focus my attention to what is reachable and that is the cable assembly, everything looks fine to me, no obovious signs that anything has broken or is missing cable securing clamps, so I closed the door (me on the outside with the window down) and reached inside to open the door and it would not open. Hmmm so I do the most simple and obvious direction I push down on the cable allowing for a bend to form and tried to open the door from outside and it worked. I noticed the part of the cable that inserts into the handle assembly was pulling backwards exposing the cable within, when this occured the door would not open, when tention was applied the door would work. I'm sorry, but I cannot locate or figure out if an adjustment in the cable is avaliable, unless it's behind the elusive gromet.

Any idea's? Should I look into purchasing a replacement cable?

try this link, I found it very helpful. https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=138109

Take a look at this thread
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=139298

If the dealer is close by they might cover it considering yours is an 05.

Thanks everyone for al the information. The links provided will be helpful the next time I can't open the door. What I did do over the weekend was to tie wrap at both bowden cable clips as well as one clip prior to the bowden cable dissappearing behind grommet as well as prior to the release handle. Once the tie wraps were in place and before replacing the door skin I opened/closed the door several times as well as pulling on the door release while the doors are locked, then unlocked and able to open the door.

The bowden cable sems to be streached out, and with the informatuion provide by everyone I will be able to replace the bowden cable properly.

I know my repair was crude, but it worked and it's buying me time until a new cable s ordered. McGuyver would be proud of me!

OK, here is another take. Both ends of the cable were attached and I found that if I took up slack in the cable by raising up the section that runs along, exposed, just aft of the handle, that it worked beautifully. I raised it up to where it arced just above the hole for the center plastic panel fixing stud and reinstalled the panel. The fixing stud holds the cable up the perfect amount for everything to function as new. It took less than 5 minutes. Thanks to all.

I did exact same thing and door operates fine... I wonder if that much slack is typical and cable should be ove rth epanel fixing stud.... hard to know since I had door hatch served and never looked closely at cable location....

Rick