2002 MINI COOPER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPERS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC SHOP WHERE THEY INFORMED HIM THAT THE FUSE THAT CONTROLLED THE POWER STEERING CHARGING SYSTEM HAD BLOWN. THE COMPONENT WAS REPLACED AT A THE CONTACTS EXPENSE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED TO REPORT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000. UPDAT ED 06/03/11 *BF UPDATED 08/08/11

POWER STEERING PUMP IN 2002 MINI COOPER FAILED WHILE MAKING A RIGHT HAND RUN, CAUSED ME TO DRIFT INTO THE ONCOMING LANE, ALMOST HITTING THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC. *TR

I ALWAYS MAINTAINED MY 2002 MINI COOPER AND AT 80K MILES THE TRANSMISSION BLEW UP JUST BEFORE I WAS TO ENTER A VERY BUSY FREEWAY IN LOS ANGELES, DOWNTOWN AREA. THERE WAS PLENTY OF OIL IN THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT A FAULT OF MY CARE AFTER THE MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT UPON TOW IN. IT JUST STOPPED FAST AND SHORT WITH A HUGE JERK FORWARD AND EXPLOSIVE NOISE. THE MECHANIC SAID IT BLEW IN BIG CHUNKS. I COULDN'T MOVE IT FROM TRAFFIC IN NEUTRAL AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE SHOP. 80K IS EARLY FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND I SEE MANY PEOPLE ARE REPORTING THIS HAPPENED WITH EVEN LESS MILEAGE, 34K, 48K ...NO REPLACEMENTS AND SO MANY FAILURES LIKE THIS? MINI TURNS THEIR HEADS; WOULD NOT REPLACE OR EVEN TALK TO ME. PREVIOUSLY TOO THE POWER STEERING PUMP ALSO JUST STOPPED AND NO MOVEMENT ON THE WHEEL. SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP ONE TIME IN MOUNTAIN VIEW, I HAD AN OIL LEAK. AT THE TIME THE AMOUNT THEY WANTED ME TO PAY WAS HIGH, 700.00 OR SO (JUST AFTER WARRANTY ENDED). I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC. HE TOOK ME UNDER THE CAR AND SHOWED ME THERE WAS NOT A SPOT OF OIL UNDER THAT CAR IN ANY NOOK OR CRANNY. IN THINKING ABOUT THIS AFTER TRANSMISSION PROBLEM I REALIZE THESE THINGS ARE TELLING ME MINI KNOWS ABOUT THEIR MINI MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. ALSO WHEN THE NEW ($4350.00) TRANSMISSION WAS PURCHASED, LA, MINI TOLD THE MECHANIC THEY HAD 5 TRANSMISSIONS IN STOCK IN THEIR PARTS DEPARTMENT AT ALL TIMES BECAUSE THIS WAS SO COMMON. THAT'S PROOF THEY KNOW IT'S A PROBLEM. YET NO RECALL TO PEOPLE WITH THESE ISSUES AND THESE CAN CAUSE SERIOUS LIFE THREATENING PROBLEMS. *TR

A FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING COOLING FAN. AT SOME POINT THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT THE FAN SEIZED AND THE RESULTING ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE IN THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS CAUSED THE WIRING HARNESS TO HEAT TO A POINT OF MELTING SOME OF THE PLASTIC WIRE INSULATION ALLOWING FOR DIRECT WIRE TO WIRE CONTACT AND RESULTED IN AN ELECTRICAL FIRE BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE RESULTING FIRE COMPLETELY DISABLED THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND REQUIRES AT MINIMUM THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE MAIN WIRING HARNESS. EVENT DESCRIPTION AFTER A SHORT DRIVE (LESS THAN 2 MILES ON A COLD ENGINE) THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. AFTER THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF SMOKE WAS SEEN RISING FROM THE VEHICLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. UPON RAISING THE HOOD, FLAMES WERE SEEN BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT REFLECTING OFF BOTH FIRE WALLS. 2 FIRE EXTINGUISHERS WERE REQUIRED TO PUT OUT THE FLAMES AFTER THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED. TOTAL LOSS OF THE VEHICLE TO FIRE WAS PREVENTED BY THE OWNERS ACTIONS.

PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING, IT WORK INTERMITTENT, ALMOST GOT TO A ACCIDENT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 82,426. UPDATED 05/03/11*LJ UPDATED 05/16/11

AFTER PICKING MY SISTER UP FROM THE TRAIN STATION I NOTICED A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. STEERING IS NOW VERY DIFFICULT AROUND CORNERS AND IN CITY DRIVING. NO REPAIRS MADE YET. *TR

I BOUGHT A 2002 MINI COOPER AND WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STERERING QUIT WORKING. I CONTACTED A MINI REPAIR SHOP AND FOUND THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS ELECTRIC AND IT'S RELAY OR OR ONE FOR IT'S COOLING FAN MIGHT HAVE FAILED. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT IS VERY COMMON AND WOULD COST OVER $1000. TO FIX IT. HAD I BEEN IN THE WRONG MODE OF DRIVING THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE KILLED ME. *TR

THE SECOND POWER STEERING PUMP ON MY 2002 MINI COOPER S HAS FAILED. THE FIRST TIME WHEN IT HAPPENED I HAD LOSS OF STEERING WHILE DOING A LOW SPEED TURN AND HIT A CURB. *LN

2002 MINI COOPER S. POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE WITH 55K MILES ON THE HIGHWAY. CAUSED LOSS OF POWERSTEERING MAKING THE CAR DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. UPON STOPPING THE POWER STEERING PUMP WOULDN'T GO OFF AND DRAINED THE CARS BATTERY. THIS IS A WELL PUBLICIZED PROBLEM ON THE WEB, YET MINI DENIES ANY FAULT. *TR