Door lock problems
It would be very difficult - I tried to "repair mine" before buying the replacements (so I ended up taking everything apart twice!) Once I had it out, I took a few things apart on the actuator and also sprayed some graphite lubricant in it....to no avail...it's always fun to tear something like that open though 
03 S 64k and my drivers side lock is just about dead. If I click the unlock switch a bunch of times I van get out of the car. Otherwise I have to lower the window and open the door from the outside. It seems to be stuck somewhere in the middle. Also the hatch will not pop open usin the key. I have to use the pull cable under the seat. What is going on!!!
5th Gear
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 965
Likes: 4
From: Loveland, CO
'05 MCS 92,000 miles. Driver's side door handle locks with remote but won't unlock with remote. Will unlock with key. Latch works from the inside.
I fixed it last night. The solution was to replace the driver's side lock actuator (+/- $150 parts).
Removing the door panel was easy once I figured out the arm rest pad removal.
Removing the old actuator was tricky as it is a VERY tight fit. I had to loosen the window rail guide and slide it over to make room.
Hooking up the actuator end of the inside lock release cable was very tricky. I had to put a small clamp on the outside door handle to hold it in the unlocked position. Then I had to manipulate the hooking end of the cable with one hand and the inside door pull with the other. The tricky part was hooking on the cable end entirely by feel. There has GOT to be a better way to do this. If you know the trick, please share it with us.
I fixed it last night. The solution was to replace the driver's side lock actuator (+/- $150 parts).
Removing the door panel was easy once I figured out the arm rest pad removal.
Removing the old actuator was tricky as it is a VERY tight fit. I had to loosen the window rail guide and slide it over to make room.
Hooking up the actuator end of the inside lock release cable was very tricky. I had to put a small clamp on the outside door handle to hold it in the unlocked position. Then I had to manipulate the hooking end of the cable with one hand and the inside door pull with the other. The tricky part was hooking on the cable end entirely by feel. There has GOT to be a better way to do this. If you know the trick, please share it with us.
Last edited by Johnna; Jul 1, 2011 at 08:33 AM. Reason: Add fix
1st Gear
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 41
Likes: 1
From: Guthrie, OK
Get this: we have two mini's, both '05 Copper S - mine has 75K on the clock and my sons has 68K... my passenger door and his drivers door both quit early last week!! Now what are the chances of that happening?? Evidently 100%
2nd Gear
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
From: Lafayette, LA
03 MCS, drivers side only at 84k. Locks/unlocks w/ key so chose to ignore it for time being. Wanted to save my money for what I felt would be imminent PS failure based on the age of my car, which just happened now at 87k.
Alliance Member
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 4,101
Likes: 230
From: York, Pennsylvania
I wouldn't mind having to change them every 8 years or 100K.
My last car (1982 VW Rabbit S) went through several from 1982 to 2003,
(mostly on the driver's side) and they were simple mechanical latches.
My last car (1982 VW Rabbit S) went through several from 1982 to 2003,
(mostly on the driver's side) and they were simple mechanical latches.
2nd Gear
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
From: Essex, CT
So out of the blue both my doors will not open using the interior door pulls? I can get them to open if I use the central locking switch and if I use the key fob while in the car, but the locks will not come up if I just pull the handles on BOTH doors. This really confuses me as I could see one side failing, but both at the same time? This seems almost more of an electrical issue than a mechanical one, but yet I thought the interior door pulls worked on pure mechanical function? Any ideas?
So out of the blue both my doors will not open using the interior door pulls? I can get them to open if I use the central locking switch and if I use the key fob while in the car, but the locks will not come up if I just pull the handles on BOTH doors. This really confuses me as I could see one side failing, but both at the same time? This seems almost more of an electrical issue than a mechanical one, but yet I thought the interior door pulls worked on pure mechanical function? Any ideas?
Are you able to open the door at all with the inside handle? If that cable is loose, I don't think you would be able to.
1st Gear
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: Manchester, MD
I'm not sure if this has been stated yet in this thread, but working in the BMW side of the cars there have been problems with the BMW's. From BMW's standpoint if the lock actuators are lubricated with any kind of silicone or lithium based lubricants then it will cause premature failure of the lock actuators.
From the looks if it the locks on my car are not that different in some ways than that of an E46. So my guess is that the internal makeup is the same.
I have and 04 MCS and the right side one just quit on me today. Millage is 111500.
From the looks if it the locks on my car are not that different in some ways than that of an E46. So my guess is that the internal makeup is the same.
I have and 04 MCS and the right side one just quit on me today. Millage is 111500.
Neutral
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
2003 MCS with 117K miles. My passenger side actuator went out a couple months ago and I couldn't unlock the door with either the remote or the center console toggle. I finally got a chance to rip into it this weekend and it looks like I'll be buying a new module and putting it in this week
4th Gear
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 337
Likes: 0
From: Pelham AL
'05 ...
Removing the old actuator was tricky as it is a VERY tight fit. I had to loosen the window rail guide and slide it over to make room.
Hooking up the actuator end of the inside lock release cable was very tricky. I had to put a small clamp on the outside door handle to hold it in the unlocked position. Then I had to manipulate the hooking end of the cable with one hand and the inside door pull with the other. The tricky part was hooking on the cable end entirely by feel. There has GOT to be a better way to do this. If you know the trick, please share it with us.
Removing the old actuator was tricky as it is a VERY tight fit. I had to loosen the window rail guide and slide it over to make room.
Hooking up the actuator end of the inside lock release cable was very tricky. I had to put a small clamp on the outside door handle to hold it in the unlocked position. Then I had to manipulate the hooking end of the cable with one hand and the inside door pull with the other. The tricky part was hooking on the cable end entirely by feel. There has GOT to be a better way to do this. If you know the trick, please share it with us.
I did partially disassemble the actuator to see if I could find anything obviously wrong. That's 2 hours of my life I'll never get back. My suspicion is its an electrical issue. There are two motors for locking and unlocking, a microswitch to signal for window drop-down, and some 'wiring' encapsulated in plastic. Me thinks bad or intermittent connections between the motor(s) and the 'wiring'. Looks like the same poor design as the boot latch mech. which I also had to replace. Best to just replace it.
1/7/12 update: I replaced the actuator (MINI speak="rotary door latch") and that fixed the 'does not unlock electrically' issue. So I did an autopsy on the bad one. I was wrong; the problem was not with the electrical connections in the mechanism. The problem, in this case, turns out to be a defective lock motor. Well duh. There are two small motors in the mech. One locks and the other unlocks. They both appear to be identical. The good one measures 20 ohms and spins fine at 5 volts. The bad one measured 3k ohms and does not spin. There is nothing exotic going on in the mech. A 7 pin connector has pins dedicated to the window drop down micro-switch/sensor, another two devices (not equipped in this version of the actuator but appear to be for another switch and ?), and the two motors that share a common and have each a dedicated pin. There is a capacitor across each motor motor winding for electrical noise control.
So I'm saving the bad part in case I have to replace another motor - this side or drivers side. Plan B of course is to buy another $175 part.
Last edited by shorn; Jan 7, 2012 at 12:23 PM. Reason: updated info
2nd Gear
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: New Orleans, Louisiana
Everyone who's doing a door lock replacement should take a look at this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9H33ad1UcA
He does a LOT of really informational automotive repair videos, that even if not directly on Minis are applicable in general terms.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9H33ad1UcA
He does a LOT of really informational automotive repair videos, that even if not directly on Minis are applicable in general terms.
1st Gear
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
02 MC passenger door power lock failed 20k miles after the driver side door lock failed. Dealer repaired the first issue at a premium price, so I want to do my own repair this time. Is anyone familiar with troubleshooting and repairing the central locking system on a 2002 MC?
Neutral
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
So after I parked my 2003 Mini Cooper S (110,000 miles) the other day, when I tried to open my door, it would not open. I could tell the cable was still connected, because pulling on the interior door handle would move the door unlock button slightly. I was able to roll down my window, and open it from the outside.
After reviewing this thread, I went down and bought a replacement cable, assuming that the cable needed to be replaced.
After getting back from the dealer, I took the door panel off to take a look. Since I could not see where the cable connected to the actuator, I used my camera to take a couple picks.
The following is what I found. The cable popped out of the actuator ( the photos are not as nice as Volki's, but I thought they may be useful ).
So, I reached in there, and pushed the cable back in. It didn't really snap into place, it just kind of slid in there. If it popped back out eventually, I would not be surprised. This is what it looked like after I put it back in.
I hope these photos help you visualize what is going on inside the door.
Also, for those of you that need the cable, I bought mine at Prestige Mini in Mahwah NJ, for $11.73 plus tax. Here is the info:
Part: Bowden Cable
Part number: 51-21-7-143-538
Again, this is the part number for a 2003 Mini Cooper S. I'm not sure if it's the same for all years.
After seeing the cable, I think it would be very tricky to replace it without taking the actuator out. You would have to reach in, open the little flap, release the cable, slide the new cable on, close the flap, all without seeing what you are doing (unless you have a fiber optic camera). I guess it's worth a shot though!
Here is what the cable looks like:
Good luck!
After reviewing this thread, I went down and bought a replacement cable, assuming that the cable needed to be replaced.
After getting back from the dealer, I took the door panel off to take a look. Since I could not see where the cable connected to the actuator, I used my camera to take a couple picks.
The following is what I found. The cable popped out of the actuator ( the photos are not as nice as Volki's, but I thought they may be useful ).
So, I reached in there, and pushed the cable back in. It didn't really snap into place, it just kind of slid in there. If it popped back out eventually, I would not be surprised. This is what it looked like after I put it back in.
I hope these photos help you visualize what is going on inside the door.
Also, for those of you that need the cable, I bought mine at Prestige Mini in Mahwah NJ, for $11.73 plus tax. Here is the info:
Part: Bowden Cable
Part number: 51-21-7-143-538
Again, this is the part number for a 2003 Mini Cooper S. I'm not sure if it's the same for all years.
After seeing the cable, I think it would be very tricky to replace it without taking the actuator out. You would have to reach in, open the little flap, release the cable, slide the new cable on, close the flap, all without seeing what you are doing (unless you have a fiber optic camera). I guess it's worth a shot though!
Here is what the cable looks like:
Good luck!
C