My doors are difficult to open when using the exterior door handles. Handles replaced while under warranty with no improvement noted. Anyone have other ideas?

 

Can you explain more of what your actual problem is?

What does "door are difficult to open when using the exterior door handles" mean?

Is it that you have trouble squeezing them, or are they to small, more info would help us to help you.

 

I have problems squeezing mine sometimes. They're really hard to squeeze. Sometimes it takes two hands.

 

Thanks for asking clarification question - the handle is hard to squeeze. It is a little subtle but I have noticed that various people have struggled a bit when attempting to open the door. I suspect it is a "feature" of the design of the handle.

 

Yes unfortunately the design of the handle does make it rather difficult to squeeze and there really is nothing that can be done about it.

 

Yes, mine do the same also

 

I had the exact same problem over the past few months. In fact, there were many times I couldn't open one or the other of the doors at all, no matter how hard I tried. And a few times both were stuck and I had to climb through the hatch. I made an appointment to have it fixed and the entire problem disappeared before I was able to get it in. Figures, doesn't it?

I will keep an eye on this thread. I'd love to know what is going on.

 

I appreciate the responses - at least I know that my subtle problem is not just associated with my car. Based on responses, I am thinking this is unsolvable with present design. Just one more question: my car seems to have gotten worse over time - I did not notice it in November 2007. Same?

 

There is a mechanical linkage inside the door. The only thing that can possibly be done to make it easier is to have all the parts lubricated. Doubtfull this will help much but it may. But as the door handles have already been replaced then most of the mechanical parts have already been lubricated. Only the actual door latch remains, and i would have thought that they would have re-lubricated that when the job was done but maybe not.

 

Any updates to this? I have always noted my doors were somewhat difficult to open, but was nearly convinced the handle had seized yesterday and today a service guy had a hard time opening the door. I was almost convinced the only way to open the door was to squeeze it with a pair of pliers. It has definitely gotten worse since I first got the car 2 years ago.

-'07 Mini Cooper

 

I was going to call to schedule to take mine in for this issue today, but forgot. I have an '09 and it has been getting progressively worse. Some days are worse then others. At times I didn't think I would be able to get the door to unlatch. To me it feels like something is binding in the mechanism. My wife's Countryman (same or very similar handle) is far easier to operator.

 

I have this problem also. used to only happen with passenger door but lately it has been driver door. What a pain - will talk to them about it when next service.

 

At 30,000 miles, getting the rear breaks replaced and service check. We got a 2011 Cooper s hatch loaner that had easy to open handles. So after arriving at home, I called and left 3 messages for my service rep. Glad he checks his messages, I got a return call where he told me that he got the messages and went back to the bay to add door handles to the check.

Turns out mine are very hard to open. I got used to it but my 9 year old couldn't open either side with even two hands. So it was the comparison of opening the 2011 doors that saved me.

All told, the SA siad that mine were in need of replacement. The new ones with cables are a " new" system so hopefully they will be super smooth to open. I told him that I want my daughter to be able to open them with one hand. So we'll see...

Ps: hope they take care with my Hertz speakers as to do this job, door panels had to come off. I'll get my "Fosforito" MINI back Wednesday.

 

Mine are very easy to open. I don't squeeze then at all, I just stick a finger behind the handle and pull. When I first got my MINI, I even thought they might be electric switches rather than mecanical handles.

Dave

 

I'd be happy with those! Congrats!

 

I took mine in for this problem, the invoice after the work (warranty free) said lubricated hinges and latch. All external lube work - so try that, lube the latch area. It makes sense, if that is dragging metal on metal, and the weak fulcrum provided by that design-y door handle, having some lube on there makes sense. Since then, been a month all good still.

 

My problem is slightly different, opening from outside in cold weather(not necessarily below freezing) the black latch release will not spring back to original position, then the door will not latch shut, had to pop it back out with screwdriver. Tried lubrication, didn't work when got cold again. This was mfg, in 10/03, I heard there was a tsb free repair. Is there a home fix? thanks

 

Mine have gotten a bit harder to open. Ut not as bad as i origenally posted. Curious to hear MINI resolves this for you. What product people are buying for the "home fix"?

 

I don't know that there is a home fix, but I am hoping mini will replace

 

When this happened to our 2006 Cooper COnvertible the dealer changed the door handle assemply to correct the problem. Now the hadle is easier to operate. They indicated that it had to do with water, so that also links to lubrication.

 

well, I'll be...I'm calling MINI. Thought I was crazy. Driver's side door handle is hard to open, as in it doesn't depress (sometimes) when you grab it. Just thought I was stuck (no pun intended) with a fluky door handle.

 

What type of lube would be best on the external latch mechanism? My wife couldn't get into the passenger side door yesterday.

 

Had the same issue on my 2012. I sprayed 10-40..seems to have done the trick

 

I had the same exact issue (outside door latch) on the passenger side only of my R53, it became very difficult to open shortly after purchasing the vehicle, and when I took it in to the dealer under warranty they "lubricated hinges" and called it a day and didn't solve the issue.

Well, fast-forward six years later, I go to open my passenger side door today and there's an ugly breaking sound and now the latch is doing nothing. Although I can't say for certain there's a causal relationship there — I'd say make sure you get this fixed under warranty.

 

I've noticed mine have gotten worse and worse (both sides) and now it takes quite a bit of effort to squeeze that black lever part in the door handle. I also notice it's easier to squeeze when the doors are locked vs unlocked, so perhaps it's the locking mechanism which slides into position for the lever to push when unlocked that's the problem, not the spring loaded lever in the handle.