Body - Club Door Opening Problems
SI M51 11 08Body Equipment
November 2008
Technical Service
This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI M51 11 08 dated October 2008.
[NEW] designates changes to this revision
SUBJECT
Club Door Opening Problems
MODEL
R55 (Cooper Clubman, Cooper S Clubman) produced up to 8/2008
SITUATION
Intermittently, when the passenger door is opened, the release lever on the club door does not release. As a result, the club door can not be opened via the pull handle on the inside of the door. Manually pulling the release lever on the leading edge of the club door will allow it to be opened.
CAUSE
The release lever on the club door is spring loaded so that it will release when the front door is opened. Incorrect Bowden cable routing leads to higher than expected static friction in the release lever mechanism which causes the release lever to stick in the depressed position.
CORRECTION
Reroute and lubricate the Bowden cable for the release lever.
PROCEDURE
1. If the club door will not open, open the front door and pull the sticking release lever (1) away from the door. This will allow the door to be opened using the interior release handle.
2. If the club door will not open, open the front door and pull the sticking release lever away from the door. This will allow the door to be opened using the interior release handle.
3. Remove the club door trim panel per repair instruction RA 51 42 021.
4. On the inside of the club door, inspect where the Bowden cable from the release lever (1) is routed through the door to the release handle. If the cable is routed through the outermost passage in the door (2), it must be removed and routed through the round inner passage (3) along with the 2 other cables.
5. [NEW] Spray a liberal amount of silicone spray into both ends of the Bowden cable.
6. [NEW] Only if the release lever is still stiff to move after performing steps 1-5, replace the release lever with an updated part. The updated release lever Bowden cable has a slightly more flexible sheathing, which allows the cable to move with less resistance. Steps 4 and 5 should be applied to the replacement release lever as well.
[NEW] PARTS INFORMATION
[NEW] WARRANTY INFORMATION