hatchback door won't open using outside button on hatchback. Works ok when using wireless remote. suspect bad switch. How do I replace the switch?

 

Hi Jerry, mine was doing the same thing until I realized that I had to press the unlock button twice on the key fob. Have you tried that? Welcome and good luck.

 

Or go into your on board programming and set it to unlock everything at the first push of the button...

 

One click of the wireless key does open the hatch door. However, the manual latch does not do anything. Are you saying that two clicks on the wireless key will allow it to be opened from the manual latch?

 

Hi Jerry, Yes that is correct. Pressing the unlock button twice in quick succession will unlock all doors and allow the use of the manual latch on the hatch, or as 10Zero suggested, you can change your programming so one push of the unlock button will unlock all. let us know how you make out.

 

Tried double click on remote. Still won't work with latch. After some research with Mini dealer in San Francisco they suggest replacing trim over license plate. This trim piece contains the license plate lights and trunk latch/micro switch. The micro switch cannot be replaced. Unfortunately the trim piece costs 180 dollars and then you face to get it painted (another 200 dollars). I'm now looning for a used trim piece (silver) from a junk yard. Anybody know a good junkyard in the San Francisco Bay area that specializes in Mini parts?

 

Hi Jerry,

Sorry that it appears your issue is a part failure, and not something simple. The prices you were quoted seem a bit high however. I have been using a dealer based web site that lists the unpainted trunk lid grip for about $98 or a chromed one for about $96. They also list a painted one for $193. Here is the site URL if you are interested: http://www.penskeparts.com/fiche.aspx?brand=mini

Once on the site, you will need to select your year/model of MINI and it will bring you to the dealer fiche files for all of the parts groups on your car. You will want to go to group 41-Bodywork and look for digram labled Trunk Lid/Closing System (see attached). From there you can order online and have it shipped to you.

I hope this information is of help.

 

I got the same damn issue! On the R56 you have to buy the freaking assembly which includes the outside trim that needs to be painted! But, you can unscrew and remove the button sub assembly but it does not give access to the switch. The switch is in a plastic welded sub-sub-assembly. Only need the insert with the vulcanized rubber coated switch. I am going to try junk yard. If not will try to surgically extract the welded in switch housing! The EastBay MINI wanted about $130 for the whole assembly!!! This is STUPID! If you do buy the assembly, just unscrew the switch sub assembly and swap it out. This way you don' t have to deal with painting it. You will need a Torx driver to get the screws out but then again where don't you need on on these MINI's!

 

Oh man was hoping this would be a simple repair since I'm having the same issue :(

 

Crap, same here, stopped working just a few days ago on my '08 MCS.

 

i got the same problem on my 08 MCS

 

I have the same issue with my '10. The key fob is the only way to pop the hatch, but I'm hesitant to get it fixed because a) I don't want anything coming back more screwed up and b) I don't want the paint to not match. It's more annoying than anything; MINI needs to design a hatch release button activated from the inside. Why they don't have that = fail.

 

DUDE, the hatch release on my 09 just quit the other day as well. The driver information also told me that i had a light out at about the same time which happened to be a license plate light. Could the light going out not completing the circuit have anything to do with the release not functioning from the outside..highly doubt it but I am going to get a new bulb now to see if it happens to work in my favor.

 

OK, so I just relpaced the burned out license plate lamp and guess what, the hatch release now works. This really makes my day!

 

i have had this prob for a year now but I have just been using the button on my key. classic mini build quality.

 

My 2010 started doing this Sunday.

It still pops open using the remote but it now requires a slight upward tug to unstick it when opening with the switch in the handle.

 

Had my original one replaced under warranty. Current one acting up now too. Sometimes I can open it without having to use the fob, sometimes I cannot. Weird gremlin issues.

 

was it easy to replace the light bulb? I haven't changed anything on my 07 mcs myself but now that it is outta warranty, I would rather do it myself. Thanks

 

Mine started this problem about a month ago when I had the recall service done. In my case, I'm quite certain that the micro switch under the rubber button has come loose. When you press the rubber button, it doesn't feel like you are pressing anything underneath. I also tried taking the trim piece off of the car, but quickly realized I wasn't going to be able to get inside of it. With the trim piece off the car, it is obvious that the switch is loose and rattling around inside the assembly. I hope when I take it to Flow that they will still replace it under warranty.

 

i had the same problem on my 2007 r56. I found a switch, new light covers and new rubber switch cover at BMW/Mini of South Atlanta. I ordered it over the Internet.

Switch: PN 51 47 7 114 536
Lenses: PN 51 24 7 114 535

Good luck.

 

Ours would not unlock with the button on the door for a long time, then one day it started working. The FOB always worked, one press I think, maybe 2. Don't know for sure (I really don't have time to deal with all these computer hacks), but I think there is a way to program the way the rear hatch works in the menu. I'd play with that for a while and see if anything changes before I'd start spending money on parts. Yeah, mini build quality, or f@@king computer.