Hello i have a 2005 mini and my wife drove car and doors and locks worked fine then she shut door and not it wont open from inside or out the lock will unlock and lock seems like the outside handle feels funny ..i read how to take door panel off but cant get it off with door shut cant pull bottom out enough to clear the door can anyone please help i hate to have to take it in to get fixed..thanks

 

unfortunately it might be the cable for the outside handle

Only thing I can think of would be removing the seat to allow more room to get the panel out

 

But it also seems like the edge of the dash will not let the panel move either do you know if that is true?thanks

 

Hi, just wondering whether you got this problem fixed as i am now having the same problem i cannot open the driver door from inside or outside and am having to climb in through the passenger door.

Please help!!

 

Unfortunately it is most likely the door lock actuator itself. The cables rarely break, the bowden cable is known to fall off from the actuator which results in not being able to open it from the inside, but that wouldnt affect the outside handle. There is no easy way to get the door panel off when the door is closed but it can be done. Best bet it to take it in for service

 

Mini Cooper/BMW clearly has design problems with the door latch assembly at least for 2005s. My wife's mini had the original problem of the bowden cable popping out of the latch assembly like so many other MC owners. I popped it back in place several times before giving up and having MC "fix" it. A few months later it was back again and then the passenger side had the same problem. A few weeks ago I made a U clip to slide over the latch assembly to hold the Bowden cable in place since I was not successful in getting MC/BMW to provide a solution to their design problem. The clip worked great for days and then suddenly the door will not open from the inside or out (but the locks are ok). I am faced with trying to get the interior panel off with the door closed. YAY!
JD Powers nailed the rating for Mini's for inferior interior quality.
If I develop successful solutions I let you guys know and may offer them to MC/BMW so they can help their customers.

 

replace the door lock actuator with the updated part. trying to 'fix' it or snap it back in will only last so long. the updated part has a security flap that covers the bowden cable where it hooks in as an added feature

 

Thanks for the feedback IHATEMINIS. My problem is with the cable sheathing end piece popping out, not the cable end coming loose from the latch lever. My latch assembly does have the security flap. I managed to get the door open and remade the U clip with a thinner piece of aluminum. I think the heavier steel piece I used put the assembly in a bind. Its working great now. I'll give it another week or two and then do the same thing to the passenger side.

 

It could be your door actuator & you might have to take the door panel off to find the actual issue ... search the forums as there are plenty of pics/diys to be found on that topic. Good luck

 

I'm having a problem with this now - only I can open the door from outside, just not inside. The actuator works fine.