Thanks a ton for all the help guys!! Awesome community. I think I will have a crack at the lock, it is buggered anyway I suppose, so it is either try and fix or replace.

 

Well isn't this just the week for door lock problems. Found a good used door lock actuator for the 05 JCW, will install that on the weekend when we have a bit of a respite from the deep freeze we are currently in.
On to the next problem, our other Mini (2003 S), hasn't been used in a few days, my wife went to take it for a run today , just to check everything is still ship shape. The driver side door was frozen shut, but she managed to get the passenger door open and get the car started. She only told me about this when she came inside again, so I then went outside and managed to get the driver side door open, by squeezing (harder than she could) on the door handle (everything is locking and unlocking OK). All well and good till this evening early, I thought I would take it for a run instead of firing up my Suburban diesel again, went to open the driver side door, not a chance would it open (handle squeezers in OK and unlocks), same with the passenger door. The trunk lid opened OK, so I crawled in through there (some gymnastics involved as I am 6' 1") and got the car started.
Left it running with the heat on full blast, went outside again to try and open it, no go. Left it running for another half hour, same result (or lack of result).

Any ideas? I am thinking that maybe opening it yup earlier defrosted the door just enough to open and now they have frozen shut altogether, if that makes any sense? (the temp here right now is a balmy -18 with a good wind blowing as well)

 

Try a heat gun (30$ at hardware store) or hairdriyer directly on the lock area to rule out ice. Not sure if high interior ambient temps will effectively deice a lock in 30mins... If you do this, just be careful of heating up the area too much in case you damage the paint

 

Thanks, I do have a heat gun, plan on trying that out in the morning. It just seems weird after battling with the JCW's lock over the weekend I am now faced with this. I hope it is only ice, kind of awkward entering and exiting through the rear hatch

 

Success!! Thanks for the advice, played the heat gun over the driver's door latch area for about 10 minutes to gently warm everything up, then actually heard a soft "click" and the door opened fine. Did the same on the passenger side, then sprayed the latch mechanism liberally with WD-40 to dispel any moisture that may be there, then sprayed white lithium grease. Hopefully that doesn't happen again. We have had exceptionally cold weather the last few days though, never had this problem on any other car of mine before.

 

Awesome! Glad it worked and was an inexpensive fix. You might try some silicone around the door handle if that's where the water got in. Although It's been a balmy 40deg in Houston all week so can't say I am too familiar with icing on a MINI

 

Hi, just a quick update on the JCW door lock actuator. Seeing as how I was going to get a new door lock actuator anyway, I took a stab at "repairing" the old unit. Suufice to say that was a dismal failure

Got the new unit in OK over the weekend, watch point, makes rue you clip the inside door latch cable (the bowden cable) into the clip on the inside of the door handle, otherwise it will catch on the window going up or down. (rather not ask me how I know this ) Found a bit of an easier way to re-attach the cable for the outside door handle to the actuator. While the actuator was still loose in the door, I first attached the bowden cable to the actuator, then pulled on the loose end of the cable, so as as to compress the mechanism (i.e. it pulls the white connector thingie down), then clamped the cable in this position using a vice grip plier, it was then a piece of cake to re-attach the outside door cable. (this was after about an hour of trying to attach the cable with one hand, trying to pull down on the white thingie and slip the cable end into place)

All in all an interesting experience, once you "know how", it is not too difficult a job. If I have to do it again I am pretty sure it will be a lot easier.

 

I'm glad my pictures from August 2008 are still helpful for dealing with this widespread problem.

Now, I have to remind myself the procedure, because the passenger side actuator just quit (2003 MCS, 120Kmiles). What's a good source to order a new actuator?

 

I found a good used unit from a scrapyard, came with 30 day warranty, so was worth talking a chance, the stealers here want a small fortune for the damn thing. Looks like it was a slightly newer model than the one that came out, the Bowden cable is a little different, but just re-used the old one. (anyone want a Bowden cable? )

 

Try Classic MINI - they usually give about 20% off list price on OEM parts. I've had a great experience with them and I order just about every OEM part I need from them.

 

We have the parts and the diagram linked a page back:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...oblems-17.html

Just click through to the parts link.

 

My gf just got an 04 Base model with 41k miles. The key fob locks all doors. The switch in the dash locks all doors. However, the only way to unlock the passenger door is to pull the handle from the inside. When trying to unlock with either the fob or the switch, I can hear something move in the passenger door, it just doesn't unlock.

From reading here I think the cable has come loose. Any thoughts?

 

Check the diagrams a page back which is in the my post right above. On that situation what I have seen and sounds like the door lock mechanism itself, locking but not enough power to unlock. So the lock mechanism is stuck in the unlock function. Not the cable for what you are telling me. The inside handle connects to that cable, pull handle twice when locked, manual override and unlocks.

Thanks

 

Mine 2004 does exactly the same thing, only on the driver side. It's not the cable as you wouldn't be able to unlock it from the inside if it was. I haven't repaired mine (just living with it), but I'm pretty sure it is the actuator.

- Mark

 

are actuators from all minis the same?? I just looked at 2011 unit and it looks the same to me. Can somebody verify?

 

Bookmark this site for parts references:
http://www.penskeparts.com/fiche.aspx?brand=mini


Looks like the actuators in second gens are different from the ones in first gens based on the part numbers.

 

Original problem:
If door is locked, first pull on inside door handle did not unlock door. Hit toggle switch on console and door unlocks. One pull on inside door handle will open door.

If it's a loose bowden cable, why can I still open the door with the inside handle (provided the door isn't locked)?

New problem:
Key fob unlock button will not unlock door. Toggle switch will not unlock door. Unlocks with key just fine. Door no longer automatically locks when I drive home. One pull on door handle and door opens... provided I didn't lock the door myself.

The source of the new problem, I'm guessing, is a bad unlock motor in the actuator.

On a side note, I already hacked in a new resistor for low-speed radiator fan problem, discovered a frozen power steering cooling fan and the driver's side window motor works only when it wants to.

When it comes to electro-mechanical quirks, these things really take the cake. Worse than my old 84 Corvette and that POS was DREADFUL!

 

I just spent some of the afternoon wrestling with this myself. My driver's door stopped working from the inside after I got frozen out of the car (again) last week.

Fortunately in my case, it was just that the loop on the end of the cable came off the actuator behind the latch. (Must have happened when I was pounding on it)

After removing the door panel, I was able to reach in and pop open the little plastic door on the mechanism and put the cable back on by feel. (after 10 minutes of fidgeting).

I found this video to be all I needed to understand what I was working with. It gives much of the information already (generously) presented here in photo form, in video with explanation. Which I just find easier to take in.

How to fix the locks and door handle on a Mini Cooper by "briansmobile1"

Here are direct links to posts 126:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...5-post126.html
..and 147
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...9-post147.html

 

just had it happen today for me 2005 MCS automatic, 107K km, drivers door locks with remote but will not unlock with remote and inside using inside lock/unlock from console will not unlock either, must be one of the motors gone, I suppose there are two electric motors that lock and unlock, weird thing is that it locks with remote, but inside toggle switch will not lock it very strange indeed.

 

An update, here is what happens:


1. unlock via key fob makes actuator noise at the door handle area but does not unlock
2. 2nd click passenger door unlocks
3. locking vi key fob locks all doors and gas cap
4. locking/unlocking using toggle switch inside only works on passenger door lock
5. driving to activate locks passenger side only


any ideas? I'm thinking some issue with the lock rod getting caught for unlocking but actuator motors are ok since I can hear both times locking/unlocking?

 

03 MCS , driver side stopped worked at about 95k, passenger side just went out this week at 104k. I really think this should should be a recall and should be warrantied just like the steering pumps. I'm not paying $150-180 for each actuator. It's a pain to uninstall and install and I know mini would charge a butt load to fix.

 

was going to start a new thread, but this seems like a good place to post.

my door locks still work fine (now amazed seeing how many of you have them crapped out, im at 107k with an 06 jcw).

but, the reason im posting, is because i swear just this morning during a long sweeping right hand turn, my car UNLOCKED itself for no reason. heard that double click sound, looked over, and yes, both doors are unlocked!

i have heard the car do this a couple of times now, seemingly to randomly unlock, then re-lock the doors, just never caught it in action; usually just ignored it.

any thoughts? is this just another "the car is getting old" thing? man i hope the locks just keep working at this given the amount of people with failed actuators in this huge multi-year thread.

 

HELP HELP!!! Does any one know how to open the door when this happens. I have 2008 Mini the inside and outside handle is not releasing the latch. I can't get the door open to take the panel off to fix the cables problem. Does anyone know the the secret trick to open the door without the handle????? The locking seems to work fine it seems like the cable has come loose so the latch does not release.

 

04 R50 with 134,000 both door fail to unlock with fob.

Al

 

Did you find your solution?