08 Key fob boot button

[MX-5 Lazza]

My Mrs has an 08 Cooper S Convertible and the key fob has a boot button. We got the car in April last year and the boot button has never worked. Mrs called the dealer this morning (I've been bugging her to do that since March last year!) and they said it only worked when the doors were unlocked. I think they are talking rubbish as if the doors are unlocked the boot is also unlocked anyway.

So people, can you please confirm what the boot button on the key fob is supposed to do and how it's supposed to work?

[Waugh-terfall]

MX-5 Lazza said:

My Mrs has an 08 Cooper S Convertible and the key fob has a boot button. We got the car in April last year and the boot button has never worked. Mrs called the dealer this morning (I've been bugging her to do that since March last year!) and they said it only worked when the doors were unlocked. I think they are talking rubbish as if the doors are unlocked the boot is also unlocked anyway.

So people, can you please confirm what the boot button on the key fob is supposed to do and how it's supposed to work?

The R50 opened the boot hatch independently of the doors, just flashed the rear indicators and popped the catch, doors remaining locked. When you closed the hatch, the rear indictators would flash again and that was that. I'd assume R57 works the same. If nobody else answers by next Saturday, I can see what an R56 does...

[Waugh-terfall]

Here we go, just picked up mates R56 (not gone well by the way), his boot button doesn't work as the old R50 did, the car has to be unlocked first for that button to operate, a little pointless...

[MX-5 Lazza]

Thanks for checking for me. So what does the button actually do?

[Defcon5]

Does it operate the popper so the boot opens an inch or so?

[Waugh-terfall]

Defcon5 said:

Does it operate the popper so the boot opens an inch or so?

Yeah, this. Basically pops the catch so long as the car is already unlocked... The feature on the old R50/53 was much better, logical!

Unlock the car, press and hold the boot button for maybe 2, 3 secs and you'll hear the catch pop.

[MX-5 Lazza]

Would that qualify as the most pointless feature on the car? I can't think of anything else so useless...

[Miglia 888]

On our 61 plate MINI Clubman, the key fob boot button makes the drivers side rear "barn door" swing open out wide.

I've found it very useful on many occasions when loading up the boot, and it startles passers by as a bonus :-)

[Waugh-terfall]

Miglia 888 said:

On our 61 plate MINI Clubman, the key fob boot button makes the drivers side rear "barn door" swing open out wide.

I've found it very useful on many occasions when loading up the boot, and it startles passers by as a bonus :-)

Audi A6 does that, but obviously the saloons boot hatch swings up, have sent some bints phone, purse and keys flying after watching her use it as a table at the supermarket...

[Loui]

MX-5 Lazza said:

My Mrs has an 08 Cooper S Convertible and the key fob has a boot button. We got the car in April last year and the boot button has never worked. Mrs called the dealer this morning (I've been bugging her to do that since March last year!) and they said it only worked when the doors were unlocked. I think they are talking rubbish as if the doors are unlocked the boot is also unlocked anyway.

So people, can you please confirm what the boot button on the key fob is supposed to do and how it's supposed to work?

It won't! They weren't coded from late 2006 due to, too many issues of keys being locked in the boot

[Waugh-terfall]

Was about to say, same story with 61-plate cars too. Silly thing really, everyone else manages...

[Loui]

Waugh-terfall said:

Was about to say, same story with 61-plate cars too. Silly thing really, everyone else manages...

All the gen 2 cars should work but require you to open the car before the remote will release the boot

[MX-5 Lazza]

Loui said:

Waugh-terfall said:

Was about to say, same story with 61-plate cars too. Silly thing really, everyone else manages...

All the gen 2 cars should work but require you to open the car before the remote will release the boot

Which is completely pointless. If it actually opened it right up I could kind of understand it but as it only unlatches it I really can't see the point.
My old Focus, my Mrs old Megane Coupe and even my MX5 have a boot release on the key fob. I know Minis are marketed towards females but this suggests they expect a large percentage of blondes

[Miglia 888]

Just took delivery of our new 2012 Cooper SD Convertible today.

With a locked car, a long press on the tailgate/boot button of our remote key fob for a second or two, unlocks just the bootlid, while the rest of the car stays locked.

Our manual (latest one for new MINI Coupe, Roadster, and Convertible models) says this:

"Unlocking the tailgate

Press the (tailgate/boot) button for approx. 1 second and then release.

On certain national-market versions, the tailgate cannot be unlocked unless the vehicle has been unlocked."

How does that compare with what your 08 instruction manual says on the subject?

[MX-5 Lazza]

Miglia 888 said:

How does that compare with what your 08 instruction manual says on the subject?

Cheers for that M888

The wording in the 08 manual is:
"The tailgate can be unlocked separately after the vehicle has been locked by means of the central locking system."
It does then go on to say: "In certain national-market versions, the tailgate can be opened only after the vehicle has been unlocked."

I've just tried it again and the boot button does nothing. Makes no difference if the car is locked or not so I guess it's just broken.

[Waugh-terfall]

MX-5 Lazza said:

Cheers for that M888

The wording in the 08 manual is:
"The tailgate can be unlocked separately after the vehicle has been locked by means of the central locking system."
It does then go on to say: "In certain national-market versions, the tailgate can be opened only after the vehicle has been unlocked."

I've just tried it again and the boot button does nothing. Makes no difference if the car is locked or not so I guess it's just broken.

Are you pressing and holding until you hear the clunk?

[MX-5 Lazza]

Waugh-terfall said:

Are you pressing and holding until you hear the clunk?

I can press & hold until the cows come home, there is no clunk

[Waugh-terfall]

MX-5 Lazza said:

Waugh-terfall said:

Are you pressing and holding until you hear the clunk?

I can press & hold until the cows come home, there is no clunk

Ah well, you're not missing much!

[MX-5 Lazza]

I'm not missing anything:

MX-5 Lazza said:

My Mrs has an 08 Cooper S Convertible...