DEFINITELY registered for Dragon Draggin'...can't wait for the package to arrive so I can start on this year's variation...heh heh heh!

 

They get mailed out TOMORROW!!!! Came out well this year and, since they're a single-piece design, the hatch won't go Boonk!

 

Thanks for posting this. My boot stopped opening and my local dealer just charged me $475 for replacing the boot handle / switch / license plate light assembly and for "repairing" the harness which was corroded (on my Cooper). I'm sure the felt tape was involved with holding moisture in my case as well. Needless to say, I am not thrilled with the bill. Especially after seeing the part for $110 at various online MINI parts retailers....

Oh yeah, the part had to be color-matched ($70) prior to being installed.

Thanks for posting this, as I'm sure my local dealer probably would not show me the details of the repair.

 

Sorry to hear the dealer took you to the cleaners (and the bank...). I wish I could've posted this where you'd have seen if beforehand but there's only so much I can do!

 

The fact that you posted it at all helped out. Armed with the photos and text fresh in my head, I was able to ask specific details about the repairs made. The dealer said corrosion on the components and associated harness prevented a good ground from being provided. Rather than clean / or repair everything, they replaced the corroded parts, and connector on the harness. They "said" that everything was sealed using some sort of nylon/rubber coating , and that the repairs are warranted for the next 2 years. I just bellyaching over the $380+ in labor. They also replaced the actuator and the latch / catch which also had some surface corrosion. They didn't have to replace the painted housing and saved me the added expense of repainting. I guess I should have asked for the unused boot handle!

Anyway, thanks again for posting those photos. I've noticed the dealers treat you with an inch more respect when you are somewhat knowledgeable about the vehicle and its components.

 

$380 in labor? Honestly, disassembling, diagnosing, fixing and reassembling didn't take me over about 90 minutes, and I had zero idea what was going on when I started. OK, maybe I'm not completely including the time spent going to and from the hardware store buying that really stanky liquid electrical tape, so add about 25 minutes. Shop rates for mini dealers are $95-105 per hour, so I'd have "spent" $150 in labor.

It's really easy to remove that panel and see what they did, IIRC it's just a few torx bolts.

Wow. They should be ashamed (assuming that dealer actually has feelings).

Just realized I shouldn't gripe about it - sorry - I hope the rest of yoru mini ownership experience is so excellent that this fades into memory...

 

My local Anonymous MINI dealer charges $128/hr. Yes, I feel the number of book hours spent diagnosing was a bit excessive. <sigh> I've read the term "Stealership" used, but I won't gripe. I will admit seeing the bill stings and bites and blows.. The service writer even commented after I paid the bill, "Most MINI owners may not realize, a MINI is not an inexpensive economy car. It is a Premium Small Car. That said, some MINI owners may not be able to afford to own and maintain one without suitable income, or at the least, a prepaid service contract....." Upon hearing that, I glanced through the window at the many, many BMW's in the service lot and wondered was he referring to my Cooper or a BMW M5???!!!

I think I will add his quote to another post elsewhere on this site. Not sure if it will be the "Things I hate most about my MINI" or "Stupidest things you've ever heard about the MINI"....

I'm just venting and bellyaching right now. This repair should last another 7 years or 100,000 miles!

 

FInd a good local independent shop and run, don't walk, away from that dealership (unless they're warrantying something). Minis are really no more or less expensive to own and maintain than any other import, and aren't THAT hard to work on!.

 

Excellent work and great write up, Took 20 minutes start to finish...Didn't have to dis-assemble the switch though, the corrosion seems to be in the connector between the switch pack and body. Unplug it and re-plug it 10-15 times and the corrosion is cleaned off. Pack it with grease and re-assemble..

Hopefully my first "premium small car" is just as reliable as the "cheap" Civics I've been driving for the last 15 years..

Jeff

 

From what I've seen, it's pretty close and a whopping lot more fun...

 

My problem is the opposite. After a washing my '06 R53, the hatch won't open. Just had a Spring Inspection at Motor City Mini and they said my license plate lights were out. They said was probably due to a bad latch gasket and would fix it for an immodest fee. I am sure my situation is related to your issue.

Next weekend is our club Spring Clean at DT. I will take it apart there so when I bung things up, I'll have lots of help to bail me out.

Thanks for sharing!

Motor On!
Chris

 

MI MINI, I'd bet it's the same problem in reverse. That cloth anti-rattle tape grabs moisture, and if you're in Michigan with that highly corrosive salt you all put on the roads up there (wife is from MI), it's likely something shorted. Follow the instructios above, remove, clean, inspect, grease, reassemble, replace the fuse (in that order), and I'll bet it all gets better.

Good luck!

 

Son of a BOONK!!! My 03 just started acting up for the first time today. We had one hell of a rainstorm that may be the culprit. I'm going to pull the license plate panel off and take a look. Then I'll follow your instructions to disable this auto-open-at-will feature.

 

Hope it works for you! Mine has behaved itself since the original fix...

 

Thanks for the detailed information. I am experiencing the same thing with my 2005 Cooper S.It's been raining for a month here, and yesterday I started up, noticed the open hatch light was on, got out, closed the hatch, back in the driver's seat and ...the hatch unlatches by itself. Light back on, get out, shut the hatch again, back behind the wheel. Click...click...click...and the hatch unlatches. Now, it's open and will not latch. I didn't wait to let it cycle through. I will take your post and follow the instructions. I trust it will work for me, too. Thanks.

 

Hope so - good luck! That's almost exactly the same problem statement as mine, so I suspect the same cause...

 

Thanks for the post. Helped me out immensely. In case anyone else has the same problem (and I'm certain that they do/will), as an alternative, I purchased a new switch:
540-DC1C-A1AA
MFG Part No:DC1C-A1AA
DC1C-A1AA
CHERRY Basic / Snap Action Switches
US HTS:8536509040 ECCN:EAR99 COO:DE
and it works beautifully (with some very minor mounting modification), at a fraction of the price of the "OEM" switches that are available (~$5).

 

Glad to see this is still helping. I STILL have the Mini, still love it, and still no "auto Boonk"...

 

The Boonk started happening to me after 2 days of rain. I'm glad this is here!

 

Besides sealing the wiring and switches, I purchased a new gasket for the handle which should help keep water out. Water can also get in from the third brake light, but I haven’t found a separate replacement seal for that.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...t/51247114521/