Repairing 2001-2006 Mini Cooper Seat Backrest Adjuster
Tools
These are some common tools used to work on this device. You might not need every tool for every procedure.
Background and Identification
In 2001, Mini started production on a new incarnation of the car. Between 2001 and 2006 they produced the One, One D, Cooper, and Cooper S hatchback models. In 2004 they changed the look of those models as well as introduced the convertible version. Identifying which of these models the car is is usually straightforward because it has the specific model lettered on the back. If that has been removed, however, you can still figure out exactly which one you have by looking at the VIN, or Vehicle Identification Number (located on the side of the driver’s doorway). The fifth digit of the VIN will tell you which exact model you have:
‘A’ -- One
‘B’ -- One D
‘C’ -- Cooper
‘D’ -- One Convertible
‘E’ -- Cooper S
‘F’ -- Cooper Convertible
‘H’ -- Cooper S Convertible
The other important digit to look at on the VIN is the 10th digit as that will tell you the year. For the year 2000-2009 models, the 10th digit of the VIN corresponds to the last digit of the year. So a 2004 model would have a ‘4’ in that place.
Lastly, you might hear your car referred to by a three-digit code, such as R50 or R53. These also refer to the model of the car. R50 refers to the One, One D, and Cooper models; R52 is the convertible model; and finally R53 refers to the Cooper S.
Troubleshooting
2001-2006 Mini Cooper Troubleshooting