Truck keeps popping open

Tiny
NASER NASER
  • MEMBER
  • 2008 MINI COOPER
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 94,000 MILES
Trunk keeps opening every time I close it.
Monday, March 16th, 2020 AT 11:41 AM

8 Replies

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,896 POSTS
Hi,

There is a technical service bulletin on this issue. Here is the TSB. Take a look through it and let me know if it helps.
___________________________________

2008 Mini Cooper (R56) L4-1.6L (N12)
Body - Tailgate Will Not Latch Closed
Vehicle Body and Frame Technical Service Bulletins By Symptom Body - Tailgate Will Not Latch Closed
BODY - TAILGATE WILL NOT LATCH CLOSED
SI M51 07 08
Body Equipment

June 2008
Technical Service

This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI M51 07 08 dated May 2008.

[NEW] designates changes to this revision

SUBJECT
Tailgate will not Latch Closed

MODEL
R56 (Cooper and Cooper S) produced up to 4/2008

SITUATION
The tailgate latch will not latch in the closed position and the latch appears to be inoperative.

CAUSE
During assembly, the emergency release lever may have been pulled too hard. As a result, the black plastic ball which secures the cable to the latch may have broken off and become lodged in the latch.

CORRECTION
A process improvement has taken place to prevent this situation.

PROCEDURE

1. Remove the rear latch cover trim per repair instruction RA 51 46 050.

2. [NEW] Early production cars have a manual release tether located under the rear seat bottom cushion, which has been eliminated from later production cars.

A. If the car does not have the manual release Bowden cable, operate the manual release lever of the latch, and then remove any debris which may be lodged in the latch.

B. If the car does have the manual release Bowden cable, determine whether it is still connected to the release lever on the latch. If the cable is NOT connected to the latch, the retaining lug is likely lodged in the latch. Continue with the following procedure.

Pic 1

3. Remove the lodged black plastic ball from the area around the release lever (1).

4. [NEW] Replace the emergency release Bowden cable per repair instruction RA 51 24 065.

NOTE:
If the vehicle was not equipped with a release cable from production, it should not be retrofitted to that car.

5. Ensure proper operation and reassemble the vehicle.

Pic 2

PARTS INFORMATION

pic 3

WARRANTY INFORMATION
Covered under the terms of the MINI New Vehicle Limited Warranty.

_______________________________________

Let me know if this helps or if you have questions.

Take care,
Joe
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Monday, March 16th, 2020 AT 1:09 PM
Tiny
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No mine latches but keeps unlatching randomly, sometimes it keeps doing it sometimes doesn't.
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Monday, March 23rd, 2020 AT 11:24 AM
Tiny
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  • MEMBER
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No it still did it even with the piece away from the latch.
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Monday, March 23rd, 2020 AT 11:32 AM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,896 POSTS
Hi,

I hope you are doing well. As far as the issue, for it to unlatch at random times, there must me some shorting to power. Take your test light and see if you start moving wiring around if you get hits of power.

Let me know.
Joe
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Monday, March 23rd, 2020 AT 11:47 AM
Tiny
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You mean hits of power to any of the wires just by moving them? Isn't some of them supposed to have some power already even when the latch is open or closed?
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Monday, March 23rd, 2020 AT 12:08 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,896 POSTS
I looked through the schematic, and to the best of my knowledge, power should only be sent to the latch when requested.

Joe
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Monday, March 23rd, 2020 AT 12:59 PM
Tiny
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  • MEMBER
  • 836 POSTS
Took off the above tag latch trim and disconnected the button and it stopped doing it, still opens with remote.
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Monday, March 23rd, 2020 AT 1:19 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,896 POSTS
Something is shorted to power. Chances are the switch is bad.

Let me know if you need anything.
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Monday, March 23rd, 2020 AT 8:05 PM

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