A couple of Roadfly posts that might help:

http://forums1.roadfly.org/mini/forums/cooper/forum.php?postid=3104047

http://forums1.roadfly.org/mini/forums/cooper/forum.php?postid=3106514&page=1

Who's your dealer and how many hours labor did they quote you?

 

Wow... what a quick reply and GREAT INFO from the other site.

My dealer, East Bay Mini in the SF bay area, said they had never done one and didn't know how long it would take. They did say that their labor rate was $135/hr and I should figure to pay at least one hr. of labor. The dealer was very clear that MINI would NOT pick up the tab and the bill would be mine.

The Roadfly comments indicate this is clearly in the do-it-yourself range and I will go that route. I have an order about finished up for Brian... figure I'll add the part numbers and go from there.

Thanks Again

 

Wow... what a quick reply and GREAT INFO from the other site.

This was one of those RARE cases that I found something at Roadfly that wasn't already posted here or MCO

My dealer, East Bay Mini in the SF bay area, said they had never done one and didn't know how long it would take. They did say that their labor rate was $135/hr and I should figure to pay at least one hr. of labor.

Labor rates at Bay Area dealers run $125-155 per hour ... one hour labor sounds about right.

The dealer was very clear that MINI would NOT pick up the tab and the bill would be mine.

I emailed MINIUSA about retrofitting the trunk release and also fitting the power steering fan with a protectvie shroud ... suggesting that these "design flaws" should be rectified at their expense. I received their normal BS response

The Roadfly comments indicate this is clearly in the do-it-yourself range and I will go that route. I have an order about finished up for Brian... figure I'll add the part numbers and go from there.

I'm contemplating doing this eventually also. If you have a digital camera, take some pictures so we can put together a pictorialized DIY

 

Consider it done. I do have a digital camera and will shoot a few pictures as I go.
I'll let you know how it goes.

 

What, no pictures yet?

I also want to install this hatch release cable and also do the rear power point at the same time. So I would greatly appreciate pictures before starting this. The writeup that MINIAC posted by that SKYdude was good but I got lost at the B-filler, C-filler, D-filler thing. I don't know if my MINI has those fillers or not.

Thanks Ken for any pics you could post in a FAQ, and thanks to MINIAC also, for the corpulation work in gathering helpful tips from the other MINI websites.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the manual refer to a manual trunk release cable? I couldn't find mine & now I see that it was never installed. Shouldn't Mini install it for free?

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the manual refer to a manual trunk release cable? I couldn't find mine & now I see that it was never installed.

This feature wasn't installed until model year 2003 builds.

Shouldn't Mini install it for free?

Here was MINIUSA's response to retrofitting the trunk release:

I checked out the website posting and while they do list parts and part numbers there, MINI has no retrofit kit available at this time. I can't speak to the viability of what's on the internet as to whether or not it would work or if it would cause any damage either. If there is a change in the future, we will advise the dealer network of the availability. Stay in touch with your dealer and us for the latest updates.

If you wish to contact MINIUSA yourself, you can mention #455595, the reference number assigned to my original email.

 

I posted that I was going to do an install on this manual release and would take some photos. I intend to do that, but it will probably be AT LEAST two weeks (probably three) as I have yet to order the parts. I intend to order on Thursday of this week, so please don't expect an immediate set of photos.

I'll keep folks posted

 

I have an Aug 02 car with some 03 plusses on it. Tell me please exactly where this 03 cable would be found/what it looks like.

TIA

 

Tell me please exactly where this 03 cable would be found/what it looks like.

The pull ring for the cable is located underneath the rear seat bench.

 

Happy Birthday, MINIAC, from your pals back East and MAMA

 

Folks,

My install went just fine... and I took a half-dozen digital pictures that I would be happy to send anyone who wants them (or knows how to upload them to the appropriate page. I don’t have a clue). e-mail me direct at ken95524@cox.net

Following the instructions from SkyMcGriff posted on roadfly (linked in the previous postings), I made the following changes and or additions.

1. First, my release cable did not have a ‘small metal arm’ but a ‘small plastic arm’ but it seems to have worked just fine. The mechanism came apart in shipping but there are only two parts to the whole thing and it took all of about 10 seconds to figure out how to put it back together and snap the parts in place.

2. Placing the small end of the arm into the current mechanism was the only part that confused me for a few minutes. You PUSH a small plastic lever all the way to one side and the point needed to hook the plastic arm into becomes exposed. Really simple once I figured it out... I took several photos of the whole affair.

3. Never did find any clamps along the right side while snaking the cable along from the back to inside the car. No problem, I used a couple of nylon cable ties and it worked just great. A second person helps a lot when snaking the cable to know when you have it where you want.

Outside of that, I followed the six steps of SkyMcGriff fairly much to the tee and all went well. I got all the parts from Brian at Classic.

Side point, I also installed a Mini Cup Link system and it looks like it will work like a charm.

 

Good Show

Ken, could you e-mail those to MINIAC so they could be posted in the FAQ. That way they would be readily available for any future DIY'er, any save you a bunch of individual e-mails.
Thanks for doing pictures on this. I am going to order my parts this week.

 

Ummmm... My last MINI (September 2002 build, 2003 spec) had no cable.

My current MINI has the cable, but I'm yet to work out what the hell it's worth is? What is the supposed point of having one?

 

The purpose of the cable is to be able to open the hatch if you have a dead battery. Without the cable, if the battery goes dead you can't get into the area to replace the battery without jumpers, etc, etc. etc. As much as anything else, it is a safety device.

 

I also had the misfortune of having the lock of the boot fail. At first it wouldn't unlock, then when it did, it would not latch. The rest of the locks doors etc. were OK, so I was able to drive about, but with the boot flapping about. The manual said that there was a manual cable, but it wasn't fitted.

Anyway, I discovered that if the unlock button on the key fob was held down for say seven seconds or so, the boot lock would repeatedly fire. It was fine after that. It haapened once more, and so I was able to fix it quickly.

I think think the hold down fob idea is only UK as US owners seem to describe this as opening their windows n' stuff.

UK model Feb 02 build.

 

I think think the hold down fob idea is only UK as US owners seem to describe this as opening their windows n' stuff.

UK model Feb 02 build.

That only works on 2001/2002 model year MINI's IIRC. My last MINI September 2002 build, 2003 spec had the windows drop when the remote button was held.


So, can the boot be opened from outside when you've pulled the cable? The cable only unlocks the lock to the first positon doesn't it?

 

The boot can be opened fully with just the cable release

 

I attempted to do this retrofit and was unsuccessful.

The release cable (pn 51 24 7 069 310) I purchased doesn't seem to be compatible with the boot latch mechanism on my May 2002 build. The end of the plasitc arm from the "box" on the end of the cable can't be attached to the "hook" on the latch mechanism [see attached image on left or click here for high resolution image].

Furthermore, the latch mechanism on my MINI doesn't have a bracket for anchoring the "box" on the end of the cable as in Ken's MINI [see arrow in attached image on right].

The latch mechanism plate on my MINI is stamped "VALE0 08 02 J".

Anyone else have a latch mechanism like mine?

 

Wrote a letter to BMW MINI explaining that my fuse had blown on nthe road that controlled the hatch and I had to crawl to the bach to rertreive my shopping items.
I own a 2002 S, I also in the wrote in the letter that is was in the manual and if this was not repaired that I will lemon the car. I received the cable installed the next week for me and my father's Mini.
Hope this helps .

 

I attempted to do this retrofit and was unsuccessful.

The release cable (pn 51 24 7 069 310) I purchased doesn't seem to be compatible with the boot latch mechanism on my May 2002 build. The end of the plasitc arm from the "box" on the end of the cable can't be attached to the "hook" on the latch mechanism [see attached image on left or click here for high resolution image].

Furthermore, the latch mechanism on my MINI doesn't have a bracket for anchoring the "box" on the end of the cable as in Ken's MINI [see arrow in attached image on right].

The latch mechanism plate on my MINI is stamped "VALE0 08 02 J".

Anyone else have a latch mechanism like mine?

I had the same problem last winter when I went to do mine. I had the parts and the time and I made them work.

I attached the plastic box at the end of the cable to a small alumium plate. I the made up an adapter by attaching a loop of s/s safety wire to the cable end so it would hook on the plastic clip on the latch.

I then adjusted the location of the aluminum plate until the cable worked properly and attached it to the body with pop rivets.

I am sorry I did not take any pictures.

 

Thanks for the feedback usaminicooper and gja_era ...

I'd rather not have to fabricate something to make the cable work, so I'm off to the dealer on Monday to see if there's a cable for the latch mechanism on my car.

It would be helpful to know when the switch between the two different latch mechanisms occurred. If everyone who has done this retrofit would post the build date of their MINI we might zero in on it.

As previously stated, mine is a 05/02 (specifically 05/28/02) build.

Ken2002S has a 08/02 build.

 

Mine was built on 05/02/02.

Let me know if you get the correct part number.

 

Miniac: It is my belief that all Mini S cars have been designed to have the cable installed. It was the mistake of Mini in their lack of wisdom to leave it out of a number of early cars.
They put it into our manual and they should be forced like I did to keep their word.

 

I've just returned from the dealers and determined the following release cable is required for my 05/02 build:

pn 51 24 7 119 986

The parts computer noted 05/17/2002 as the cutoff date between the two different cables. This didn't make sense to me as my MINI finished being built on 05/28/2002. The parts guy used my VIN to verify the appropriate cable part number.

The release cable is a special order item, so I won't be able to verify that it fits until next week.