2002 MINI COOPER Complaints

I READ LAST WEEK ABOUT POSSIBLE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSOCIATED WITH 04-05 MINI MODELS. I HAVE AN 02 MINI COOPER S AND HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM APPROX 6 TIMES IN THE LAST 4 YEARS. WITH NO WARNING, THE POWER STEERING WILL SUDDENLY DISAPPEAR. I CAN STEER THE CAR, BUT ONLY WITH SIGNIFICANT EFFORT. MY MECHANIC CANNOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS AS A RESULT OF THIS. I'M NOT CERTAIN, BUT IT APPEARS THIS MIGHT HAPPEN MORE FREQUENTLY WHEN THE ROAD IS WET. *TR

POWER STEERING FAILURE CAUSED HARD STEERING AND SUPREME SCARE. PRIOR INTERMITTENT ON/OFF OF POWER STEERING PUMP PREVIOUS WEEK. HAD TO REPLACE PUMP AND FAN MOTOR. OLD PUMP IS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

MY 2002 MINI COOPER S HAD AN INCIDENT APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS AGO WHEN I COMPLETELY LOST POWER STEERING WHILE GOING A LOW RATE OF SPEED. I WAS ABLE TO MUSCLE THE STEERING FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES UNTIL THE POWER STEERING RETURNED. THIS OCCURRED ONCE MORE BUT VERY BRIEFLY IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE SOME TIME LATER. I DID NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM EITHER TIME BUT I SAW A STORY IN USA TODAY ON MINI STEERING PROBLEMS (29 SEPT) AND INSTANTLY RECALLED MY PROBLEM. I AM CERTAIN IT IS RELATED TO THE MINI STEERING ISSUE NOW BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE NHTSA. *TR

POWER STEERING IN MY 2002 MINI COOPER FAILED. STEERING VEHICLE BECAME VERY DIFFICULT WITH LITTLE ABILITY TO TURN VEHICLE. REPAIR REQUIRED A NEW ELEC. STG PUMP AND COOLING FAN ($602) PLUS LABOR OF $384 FOR A TOTAL OF $986. *TR

RECENT NEWS REPORTS ALERTED ME ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION INTO MINI POWER STEERING FAILURES IN 2004-05 MINI COOPERS. I AM WRITING TO REPORT THAT A FEW YEARS AGO, I EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE IN MY 2002 MINI COOPER (AT ABOUT 70K) MAKING STEERING VERY DIFFICULT. BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WOULD COME AND GO, IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR MY REPAIR SHOP TO FIND THE ROOT CAUSE. EVENTUALLY, THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH, THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHICH CAUSED DIFFICULTY IN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE IN OPERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED THE POWER STEERING FLUID READING WAS AT THE CORRECT CAPACITY LEVEL. ALSO, HE MENTIONED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAN MOTOR COULD HAVE POSSIBLY OVERHEATED, CAUSING THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,500.

1. DRIVING IN NORMAL CONDITIONS, CAR STARTS OVER HEATING. 2. CONSTANT POWER STEERING FAILURE. HAS HAPPENED 2 TIMES SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. (3 YEAR SPAN) AND ALSO 2 TIMES FOR THE ORIGINAL OWNER. 3. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. OLD PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE. COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER ASSIST. JUST HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN DURING NORMAL DRIVING. *TR

2002 MINI COOPER S POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED LEAVING CAR WITH VERY HEAVY STEERING. CAR TRAVELED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC BUT NO DAMAGE OR INJURY OCCURRED. I HAVE OLD PS PUMP AVAILABLE. *TR

2002 MINI COOPER S POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE. PUMP HAD STOPPED WHILE DRIVING THE CAR PREVIOUSLY. NOW, PUMP CONTINUES TO RUN AFTER TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. *TR