O.K., here's the deal. The battery ground cable is disconnected cause I was
working on some electrics. The rear hatch was accidently shut. I lifted up the rear seat expecting to find the pull cable. Yup, the bracket is there but no sign that a cable had ever been installed.

As you can tell - I need some serious advice. Like, how do I get the hatch
open?

Joel

 

I think you'll have to crawl back after lowering the rear seats, pull up the cover, and reattach the battery cable to open the hatch. My 2003 doesn't have the realease either; don't know when they were first installed. Good luck!

 

Sometime in October 2002 ...

http://www.mini2.com/forum/1780230-post2.html

 

Hook up some jumper cables to the jumper points under the bonnet, then open the boot normally.

 

Rawhyde - Thanks!
That's what I was thinking of doing but I needed reasurrance.

Like a charm! Hatch open - won't do that again ('till next time).

Thanks for the help guys.

Joel

 

My 2002 does not have one either - real pain when exactly what you have described happens. I crawled over the rear seat and reattached the battery cable and then was able to re-open the rear hatch.
Weird.

 

Wonder if you can retro fit the cable from newer cars?

 

Yes ... see the link in my previous post.