2004 MINI COOPER Complaints

WHILE EXITING THE FREEWAY THE STEERING SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING BECAME EXTREMELY HEAVY TAKING SIGNIFICANTLY MORE EFFORT THEN NORMAL TO JUST MOVE THE WHEEL SLIGHTLY. THE NEXT DAY THE POWER STEERING WORKED NORMALLY BUT THE FAN ON THE POWER STEERING PUMP CONTINUED TO RUN AFTER THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. AFTER 5 MINUTES IN A PARKING LOT IT HAD DRAINED THE BATTERY TO THE POINT WHERE IT STRUGGLED TO START THE ENGINE. WHEN I RETURNED HOME I WAS FORCED TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY UNTIL I CAN GET IT SERVICED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING, I NOTICED IT BECAME MARKEDLY MORE DIFFICULT TO TURN THE WHEEL. I WAS ABLE, WITH EFFORT, TO DRIVE SAFELY TO MY DESTINATION. WHEN IT WAS TIME TO RETURN HOME, THE POWER STEERING WAS WORKING FOR THE FIRST 4 OR SO MILES, THEN IT GAVE OUT AGAIN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH, THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR ASSISTANCE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ENTIRE POWER STEERING SYSTEM BECAUSE THE ELECTRONIC POWER ASSIST PUMP COULD NOT BE REPLACED BY ITSELF. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,995 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,000. UPDATED 03/14/12*LJ ALSO, THE AUXILIARY COOLING FAN WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 04/18/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING AND WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 98,000.

TOOK CAR INTO DEALER AND THEY SAID THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDS TO REPLACED, WHICH WOULD COST $1050.00 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. PRIOR TO TAKING IT INTO DEALER, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHICH CAUSED ME TO USE ALL MY STRENGTH TO GET THE CAR TO STEER. ON FEBRUARY 5, 2012, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, I PARKED THE CAR, AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAN RAN CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL IT DRAINED THE BATTERY. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT MINI COOPER OWNERS ARE TRYING TO GET BMW TO RECALL THIS DEFECT, BUT THEY WILL NOT. I ALSO READ THAT NHTSA CHECKED INTO THIS, BUT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME WAS. *TR

POWER STEERING PUMP WENT OUT COMPLETELY WITHOUT WARNING AS I WAS DIVING AT A LOW SPEED. STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN, MAKING THE CAR VERY DANGEROUS TO MANEUVER OUT OF TRAFFIC AND PARK SAFELY. NARROWLY AVOIDED HITTING PEDESTRIANS DUE TO MY INABILITY TO TURN STEERING WHEEL. *TR

I HAD ONLY HAD MY MINI FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS AND WAS DRIVING FROM HUNTSVILLE, AL TO TUSCALOOSA, AL FOR AN EVENT FOR MY DAUGHTER. THE CVT WENT OUT AND I HAD TO RENT A VEHICLE TO GO. THEN WHEN I GOT IT FIXED THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD BE ABOUT 2,000.00 DOLLARS BUT WHEN I WENT TO PICK IT UP IT WAS 6,000.00. THEN ABOUT A MONTH AGO 1/2012 MY POWER STEERING STARTED MESSING UP AND TOOK TO MY MECHANIC. HE THOUGHT IT WAS HOPEFULLY JUST A LOOSE HOSE AND GOT IT WORKING AGAIN. HOWEVER TWO WEEKS AGO IT WENT OUT AGAIN AND HE CHECKED IT OUT AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS TOAST. DOES NOT EVEN HAVE 100,000 MILES ON IT. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH IT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ONLY FUNCTIONED INTERMITTENTLY. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER .THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED MOMENTARILY BEFORE RESUMING NORMAL OPERATION INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT HAD EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE AT LEAST TWICE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

I HAD POWER STEERING ONE DAY AND THE NEXT DAY WHEN I WAS DRIVING I BEGAN TO MAKE A TURN AND REALIZED MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT. TO THIS DAY IT HAS NEVER CAME BACK. I WAS TOLD IT IS SOMETHING LIKE AN ELECTRIC HYDRAULIC PUMP BUT THE PRICE IS SO OUTRAGEOUS I CANNOT AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED SO I JUST TRY TO DRIVE IT AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE AND BE AS CAREFUL AS I CAN. *TR