Hey, happy to be among so many enthusiasts and MINI people. I have an ’06 MCS that was hit in the left rear qtr panel a month after I bought it. (Good times, right!?) Anyhow, the body shop didn’t reinstall the fuel door lock actuator (it’s just sitting in the compartment loose). I could take it back for them to fix, but due to time constraints, I am hoping to be able to just install it myself. I could not find an install diagram via Google to know if I need to access through the interior paneling or through the fender. Thanks in advance for your help. I look forward to some great conversations with all of you.
Welcome to M/A! I'd be happy to help you if I could, but have never had your problem before and have no idea how to remedy it. On the bright side, there are plenty of other folk here in M/A who have forgottem more than I could ever hope to learn and will be around to give lots of advice. Good luck!
Welcome to MA! doesn't show much but maybe this will help. https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=RE33-USA-07-2006-R53-Mini-Cooper_S&diagId=41_1378
Thank you, MCS02! I have checked out REALOem.com and since it is on the page as the fender, it makes me think you access it from the fender liner, but when I removed it I was unable to see the access point. I checked with ECSTuning as well. No installation diagram... Maybe I will just suck it up and take it to the body shop, just the logistics complicate things...
I have, that is where I saw the actuator just sitting loose. I cannot see to line up the push rod in the hole to catch the fuel door. Not to mention being able to secure it the mounting location.
I will have to look at my Mini in the morning. Not to help, I just like looking at my Mini, it makes me smile. I thought it was a straight shot. I will try to take some pictures for you.
Solution! Thanks for all the help! I had some time this weekend to poke around a bit more. I was in process of trying some new LED reverse lights which led me to the discovery of how to access the fuel door lock actuator. Attached are photos taken through the left rear tail light assembly cut-out. The notes on the photos are what I sent to the body shop (despite me not being a body repair Tech, apparently I do have some common sense as to why there is a problem with the actuator in the first place...)