2004 MINI COOPER Complaints

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND MY POWER STEERING SUDDENLY WENT OUT-HARD TO STEER CAR. I OWN A 2004 MINI COOPER. *TR

@ APPROXIMATELY 85K MILES POWER STEERING FAILURE INTERMITTENTLY BECAME AN ISSUE ON 2004 MINI COOPER S. @ 95K MILES POWER STEERING BECAME COMPLETE FAILURE. *TR

THE POWER STEERING UNIT IN MY 2004 MINI COOPER HAS BEEN ACTING STRANGE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. IT WOULD SPORADICALLY CUT OFF MAKING THE CAR DIFFICULT TO STEER. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. LUCKILY, ALL OF THE INCIDENTS HAPPENED WHEN THE CAR WAS MOVING SLOW. NOW THE CAR HAS NO POWER STEERING AT ALL. IT COMPLETELY FAILED TODAY. OUR MINI COOPER ONLY HAS 43,000 MILES ON IT. IMAGINE IF I WAS DRIVING OVER 30 MILES AND HOUR AND THE POWER STEERING CUT OFF! I FEEL LIKE THE CAR IS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I AM VERY NERVOUS ABOUT PARKING THE CAR SINCE THE POWER STEERING IS INTERMITTENT, I HOPE THAT IT DOESN'T CUT OUT WHEN I TURN INTO A PARKING SPACE, WHICH WOULD INCREASE THE CHANCE OF HITTING A PARKED CAR. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND GOT A QUOTE FOR $1200 IN PARTS ALONE. ADDING THE LABOR WILL BRING THE GRAND TOTAL TO $1400. *TR

POWER STEERING GOT TIGHTER AND TIGHTER MAKING IT REALLY HARD TO TURN IN SMALL CORNERS (WHICH ARE EVERYWHERE IN BIG CITIES). IT TURNS OUT THE BE A WELL-KNOWN ISSUE WHICH IS POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK. IT ALMOST GOT ME INTO ACCIDENTS/PROPERTY DAMAGE DUE TO TIGHT STEERING. *TR

2004 MINI COOPER POWER STEERING RANDOMLY STOPS WORKING MAKING THE VEHICLE EXTREMELY HARD TO STEER. EMERGENCY MANEUVERS WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE. MUST SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTART TO GET STEERING BACK, WHICH IS NOT EASY TO DO IN MANY SITUATIONS. WILL WORK MOST OF THE TIME BUT FAIL ONCE PER DAY OR SO. MY MECHANIC HAS ORDERED A NEW POWER STEERING PUMP AND FAN FROM BMW WHICH HE SAYS IS THE FIX FOR THIS WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM. IF A LIGHT PERSON WAS DRIVING THE CAR WHEN THIS HAPPENS I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THEY COULD KEEP THE CAR ON THE ROAD DUE TO THE ARM STRENGTH REQUIRED TO CONTINUE STEERING THE CAR. PROBLEM COULD HAPPEN AT ANY SPEED. *TR

MY CAR KEEPS HAVING INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE, IT HAS BEEN QUITE SPONTANEOUS, ALWAYS WHILE I AM DRIVING. *TR I HAVE HAD MORE THAN 10 INSTANCES, SOME EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF MAKING A TURN WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURS. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE AS OF YET; I AM PLANNING TO TAKE MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP ONCE I HAVE THE MONEY TO DO SO.

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED TO WORK, IT WORKED OFF AND ON FOR A SHORT PERIOD. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING IT. *TR

I OWN A 2004 MINI COOPER S AND LOST THE POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THERE WERE NO LEAKS DETECTED BUT THE PS CANISTER WAS EMPTY. THE MINI WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM CROWN MINI IN RICHMOND, VA. WE ARE THE ONLY OWNERS OF THE MINI. MY WIFE IS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE MINI NOW AND WE WANTED TO REPORT THE PROBLEM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I HAVE RECEIVED NO HELP FROM MINI AFTER SENDING THEM AN EMAIL AND CALLING THEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, HE SUDDENLY HAD A LOSS OF POWER STEERING WITH OUT ANY WARNING. THE STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER AFTER THE FAILURE. HE WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER AND IT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED HIM THAT THERE WAS A TSB BUT NO RELATED RECALLS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 109,000. UPDATED 04/15/11*LJ

FAILED COMPONENT 1: LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS DIAGNOSED AT DEALERSHIP AS BAD AND OIL LEAK IS DUE TO FAULTY O RING. FAILED COMPONENT 2: POWER STEERING TOTAL FAILURE. DEALER STATED THIS WAS DUE TO POOR DESIGN OF STEERING PUMP FAN (POOR PLACEMENT OF THE FAN). DEALER STATED THERE WAS A POSSIBLE RECALL REGARDING POWER STEERING FAILURE DUE TO THIS POOR DESIGN POSSIBLY PENDING. WORK TO REPAIR THESE FAILED COMPONENTS HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED PENDING A DEALER RECALL. THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE.