Something is rolling around in the back, and as far as we can tell, it's under the rear seat. It sounds like a pencil going most of the way from side to side, and it's driving us nuts!

So, anyone do it? I'd prefer to leave the seatback in position if possible, because I'm guessing (hoping) it is a 5 minute job to find the offender and then put everything back again. Also, are there any safety considerations we should worry about with the job or reinstallation?

I am so not looking forward to this. Please tell me it's easy.

 

Hmm, I've not done it but I'm sure it can be done. But have you tried getting under there with a long vacuum nozzle or something?

 

No, there doesn't seem to be enough room for that. Last week I found a pencil in the tool compartment. Wasn't it. A few days later I decided the problem was in the air compressor, in the "extra parts" compartment. Nope. This weekend Hubby reached in as much as he could, and found a BBQ skewer (we'd gone camping after MITM). Our ghost responded by rattling on the first hard corner.

At this point I don't see an alternative to pulling the seat...

 

The answer to your question and some neat pictures of the process can be found here: http://www.miniacal.com/remove_rear_seats/

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Hubby will be happy to dig into this project. Not.

I'll enjoy the silence. True!

 

Deb, I love your Praying Angel Smiley...I might have to use that some time!!

 

Thanks! Best site I've seen for smilies is bestsmileys.com. They have everything, except...a MINI.

 

Rear seat removal is really easy. Don't worry about any removal pains.

 

Tell ya' what. It's cold here right now, but next week it should be back up in the mid to upper 50's. I'll trade you warm weather if you'll do the job. There's even a 6-pack in it!

Seriously, we're freezing right now. I even got dinged in my own driveway when I ran an errand a few hours ago, and it's dropped from there. It's be in the mid-20's tonight.

 

Anyone know what the part number of that center rear bracket is? Somehow my new to me mini is missing it. I looked around realoem.com and couldn't find it.

 

Why don't you call the parts department at the dealer and ask him/her to look at the exploded drawing s/he has?

I removed the back seat and found nothing under there that could be rolling from side to side. I found out, though, that it's easy to pull up the back seat tush cushion (which is all I wanted to do)--just slip your fingers between carpet and imitation fake leather, and it picks right up. Somehow the rolling stopped, even though there was nothing there.

And that's all I cared about.

 

if you have an armrest look in there. Might be something your forgot about rolling around.

 

Nope, the car's been cleaned for at least 2 autocrosses. Everything's taken out. Besides, it takes a couple of seconds for "it" to roll from one side to the other. It sounds exactly like a pen under the seat! It think "it" is gone, now, though I did hear something back there a couple of days ago. Right now I'm on a trip with a zillion things packed here and there, so that doesn't surprise--or alarm--me.

We (MINI & me) drove from Houston to Tampa pretty rapidly. Not too fast, but a few miles in excess of the limit (70). Good car--just ticks along at about 3300 rpm hour after hour. I'll let you calculate.