No worries. It's nice to have the key-less entry back. If /G-d forbid/ the passenger side goes, I'll do it myself, just buy the actuator and do it. seems like a straightforward swap. I was getting stuck with trying to troubleshoot it.

When you take the door panel off, everything gets exposed, the screws etc are fairly obvious.

 

03, Cooper, passengers side, @ 80k, door lock went out. Keep me posted on event.

 

03 cooper non s. 03/03 build. drivers and passenger locks both went out at around 65,000 miles. last i saw the lock actuators were about $200 each.

 

You can save about $73 each by getting them here,
http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/...I1.x=10&I1.y=7
(this is the driver's side above, the passenger side is 51200556769.)
or try Classic MINI, which might be an even better price with NAM discount.

 

Driver's door actuator died this weekend. 57K miles - 2003.
Locks and unlocks with the key only.
Those Bastards!!
I'll be ordering an actuator and installing myself.

 

Thanks to volki we have the parts pictures on page 6 also timcuculic for his pictures and comments, then on page 9 to mataleao for the steps by the numbers how too and Tron Chief for the door panel removal video.

 

I recommend and endorse: Classic Auto Campus for replacement parts. Listed in the Vendor directory.

 

Got my new actuator from Pelican this week and just installed the actuator. Thanks in large part to the excellent step-by-step instructions, all is fixed after 45 minutes. Pay particular attention to the hints (#9) about removing the screw at the bottom of the door to allow you to slide the rear window guide toward the interior to allow you to slip the actuator out. Also (#10) which says to remove the door handle (INTERIOR!) to connect the actuator cable end first, then back feed it through to the interior door handle.
Anyone in the market for a used p.o.s. actuator? Maybe we should pack them all up and ship them to Mini.

 

I finally replaced my driver's side actuator this morning, and have a couple observations to add.

One - avoid dropping one of the door panel screws into tall grass beside the car
(easy to re-order, and not essential while waiting for a new one).

Two - I was worried that it would be hard to get the cable from the outside
door handle to the actuator on by feel (#2 in the diagrams).
You have to lift the other release that the inside door handle works to be able
to pull back the lever for the former, but it went surpisingly easily after that.

Three - the torque screw for the inside handle cable end holder (#4) is a T20 and the
3 screws for the actuator itself are T25. Don't do what I did and pick up the
T20 by mistake and use it to booger up the T25 actuator screw heads - I almost botched
the whole job doing this, but was able to hammer on the T25 bit well enough
to work the screws (will get new ones asap).

Four - The white pocket (#1) that the door lock pin fits to has to be turned to
the correct orientation before putting things together, or things won't work right.
I was able to take out the actuator screws (with difficulty - see above)
and pull away the actuator (with all the cables still attached), move the key
in the door handle 90 degrees, and push the actuator back into place, and
tighten the screws again. This seemed to be an easier approach than
removing the outside door handle to reposition things, which probably would
have worked if the above approach hadn't.

Everything is back together and works correctly again. Yea!!

 

I am glad that the pictures are helping everyone here... It's sad that so many people are still having issues with the sub-par actuators.

 

Doubly helpful since the Bentley Manual doesn't cover changing the actuator assembly at all, only one picture that
refers to the section on removing the outside door handle.

 

'03 Cooper S; 03/03 build.

@ 85,900 driver's side no power locking or unlocking (all others working). Driver's side handles work (can lock & unlock manually). Guess I'm now in the market for a LH actuator.

 

After having the door actuator done, I now get a lot of wind-noise from my drivers side window at highway speeds.

if I put my hand there, I can feel the wind catching and pulling the window... any help/suggestions?

 

Did you move the rear window rail to get the actuator in and out and forget to put it back in its original position?
If it's not that, did you re-initialize the window so that it's fully closed when up?

 

I actually didn't do the work, how do you "re-initialize the window?"

that sounds like the missing step.

 

There are two bolts (about 10 mm or 3/8 inch) on the bottom of the door frame
that one can loosen and move one way or another then tighten to
adjust the position of the window frame rail. Look at the position of the rear
one on the door that was repaired and compare it to the other door. If the bolt is
further towards the inside of the car than the nonrepaired side, it probably needs to be
put back in its original position so that the window sits against the window seal correctly.
This is easier to see with the door panel off, but I'm sure it can be done by simply looking
up at the bottom of the door frame from ground level with the door open. Use a mirror if necessary.

If the window isn't fully closing (isn't all the way up when closed), it can be re-initialized by
closing the door, putting the window all the way down, then all the way up, and then
holding the window button up for 10 seconds.

 

04 MCS 85k miles. Driver side locks auto but only unlocks manually. I think I has to do with water getting in while the window is cracked.

 

reinitializing the door did not do anything, so I compared the bolts, the drivers door (that had work done) is dead center, the passenger side is closer to the cabin of the car. This is probably the issue... I'll change it up and find out.

 

'03 MC 90k Drivers side. Anybody already know how to fix it?

 

Found good pics on post #126 and a good writeup on post #147.


Quote:
Originally Posted by volki
Maybe these pictures could help







Quote:
Originally Posted by mataleao
Hello, I'm new to the forum and have had my 2003 mini cooper s for a little over a month. I love it. I did not realize that my driver's door lock actuator was broken until getting on to the forum. I like to think I am mechanically incline but this project took me about three hours to complete. It works great now. I will try to clear a few things that made my job easier.

1. Taking off the door panel. I used a small screw driver covered in tape so as not to scratch anything. I used that to take off the reflector.
2. Removing the short and long screws require a Torq 40 driver.
3. Releasing the door trim can be done by hand which is the method I prefer because nothing will be scratched. You can use a flat bladed object covered in tape and a screw driver covered in tape if you are having a hard time getting the panel off. Just pull it out and you will hear the clips unlocking.
4. Raise the door trim so that it clears the manual lock and then pull towards you to release the clips. The trim around the door handle will pop out on it's own.
5. Disconnecting cables #2 and #3 (from pics on this thread)was done by pulling away from actuator.
6. #4 is a Tork screw(sorry forgot the size) that you remove to release the cable.
7. #5 is release by puling down on connection.
8. #1 requires you to now release the door actuator from the 3 Tork 30 screw on the outside of the door. Hold onto the actuator so it does not fall and angle the bottom of the unit toward the outside of the door while sliding down.
9. You now have taken the unit out but I needed to unscrew the window rail from underneath the door to pull it toward the inside to give me more room to slide out. This was the hardest part because it touches the outside of the door and can leave dents if not careful.
10. Before sliding the new actuator in I found it easier to take the door handle off, disconnect the door lock cable, remove cable, and connect it to #2( the end of the cable hooks onto a hook inside of the actuator).
11. Screw #4 onto new unit.
12. Remove the plastic cable holder from the old one and put on the new one.
13. Slide the unit back in on an angle while pulling the window rail towards you.
14. Slide the unit up with the bottom angled toward the front of the door and with your hand guide #1 into position.
15. Screw actuator back onto door( not tight yet).
16. Connect cable to #4 and make sure it looks like photo on this thread.
17. Run door lock cable through the back of the window rail to the hole leading back to the handle. There is a clip for the cable next to #2 on the inside door that you want to make sure it is clipped to.
18. Reattach the door handle.
19. Connect #5.
20. Tighten door actuator.
21. Line up rail to original mark and tighten.
22. Lower window slightly to make sure it is functional.
23. Sit in driver's side and close door.
24. Use toggle switch to see if locks work.
25. Get out of vehicle and lower passenger window ( don't want to get lock out until you know it is working).
26. Use key to lock and unlock door.
27. Place key into lock to lock and unlock.
28. Success!
If anyone needs further help PM me or if your in my area I will be glad to help. I'm looking to get into a mini club in NJ.

 

Hi.
I hive a problem with my 05 mcs.
The lock system looks working perfectly except for the remote control.
My car locks and unlocks only when i put the key in the lock.
I checked my battery but nothing.

thanks!!

 

My drivers actuator just died. Key locking required. 62k, 2003 MCS.

 

03, build date sept 02. Drivers 1st at aprox 85,000, pass, shortly after.... Then pass started working again after about another 1,000 miles. My wife is my door unlocker for my side (KEY DOESNT UNLOCK IT, OR LOCK it for some reason).. HATES it . Another thing is, is it can ONLY be locked when the door is SHUT.

 

Just replaced the driver side door actuator a few weeks ago (see post #234 above).
Now the passenger side actuators went out a couple days ago.
Will have to buy one for that side and wait for a reasonable weekend day
when I'm not working to do that. At least it will be a little easier due to
previous experience replacing the other one, and there's no key lock on that side, so
no lock shaft to articulate correctly with the actuator assembly on that side.

 

This is insanity. I pulled mine out a week ago while I waited on the new one. Assumed I could just throw the old one out since it was junk. Trash got emptied and now the new one didn't come with the plastic retainer or the metal retainer for the outside door handle pull. I could jury rig something but I am definitely kicking myself in the rear. Where do you even order those parts from???