R50/53 I am livid
OK, Crashton, that's just wrong. 
But I
anyway. 
I stopped to take an ice covered MINI shot in Oklahoma (or was it Texas?) and I had to climb out the passenger door because mine was stuck. Then the local LEO stopped to make sure I was ok (and not drunk as I stumbled out of my passenger door!)

But I
anyway. 
I stopped to take an ice covered MINI shot in Oklahoma (or was it Texas?) and I had to climb out the passenger door because mine was stuck. Then the local LEO stopped to make sure I was ok (and not drunk as I stumbled out of my passenger door!)
Yes...I agree. 1) what year is your MINI? 2) are you the original owner? 3) have the pieces of the door release mechanism been updated, because freezing of same is a known problem with a known fix?
Reminds me of the time I was stationed in northern Japan. We had a 14-inch snowfall and I spent about an hour and a half shoveling out my parking space in front of my base housing complex. I go run an errand and when I get back, one of my not-so-friendly neighbors parked there.
Mmmm my favorite! How YOU doin?


That reeks of PWT, but still...
I suppose so. 
"Sir, since the VP is such a VIP, shouldn't we keep the PC on the QT? If it leaks to the VC, he might be MIA and we'd all be put on KP."
OK, maybe it's time to stop threadjacking lest the OP become really livid!

OK, maybe it's time to stop threadjacking lest the OP become really livid!
There are two possibilities:
The door is actually frozen shut. This can also happen on any car.
Or.... the problem I and many others have experienced. The handles do not work. The mechanism gets to cold and doesn't function properly. You squeeze the outside handle and it just stays in or you pull from the inside and absolutely nothing happens. You will have to have the dealership fix this and I really hope it doesn't reoccur. I live in GA... it doesn't even get cold here, but there were a few times that I could not get in my car and I got pretty fed up with it.
Nope, later models as well. My 06 had this problem fixed... twice. I got pretty sick of it. The glass freezing to the sill and not dropping down isn't the issue. Glass can freeze on any car.
You can still open the doors if the window doesn't drop. I've done it, carefully, many times.
You can still open the doors if the window doesn't drop. I've done it, carefully, many times.
There are two possibilities:
The door is actually frozen shut. This can also happen on any car.
Or.... the problem I and many others have experienced. The handles do not work. The mechanism gets to cold and doesn't function properly. You squeeze the outside handle and it just stays in or you pull from the inside and absolutely nothing happens. You will have to have the dealership fix this and I really hope it doesn't reoccur. I live in GA... it doesn't even get cold here, but there were a few times that I could not get in my car and I got pretty fed up with it.
The door is actually frozen shut. This can also happen on any car.
Or.... the problem I and many others have experienced. The handles do not work. The mechanism gets to cold and doesn't function properly. You squeeze the outside handle and it just stays in or you pull from the inside and absolutely nothing happens. You will have to have the dealership fix this and I really hope it doesn't reoccur. I live in GA... it doesn't even get cold here, but there were a few times that I could not get in my car and I got pretty fed up with it.
Hence the "carefully" part. I always gave it a little hand. But it wasn't as bad as the stuck handles problem because, even if it took work, the door would open. With the stuck handle.. it was stuck and that was that. It was either hope the other door would open or crawl out the boot... which I did once.
Just use a bit of rubber protectant on the weatherstripping and no more problems.
The frozen handles were taken care of with a TSB. They will replace the pre 05 handles with the later model that shouldn't freeze up.
The frozen handles were taken care of with a TSB. They will replace the pre 05 handles with the later model that shouldn't freeze up.
You have a problem with the latch mechanism/cable. Gotta get the inner door panel off, but as you said, ya can't with the door closed. sry, i dont have a solution for that. Someone else have a bright idea??
I think the people that would best know how to deal with this are a couple of guys over in Hazzard county that go by the names Bo and Luke. I think the last name is something with a D. Seriously, though, I think you need a good repair shop for this one.
I have had this happen several times where my glass froze in the channels. If you lower your door glass the same amount it drops when you pull the handle it still seals and you don't have to worry about it keeping you from opening the door. I do it every year at winter time and just leave them like that all winter. Haven't had a problem since.







See, it's workin' and I haven't even washed the MINI for 2 weeks. /cackle
