2005 MINI COOPER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN MANUALLY OR WITH A KEY FOB FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE. SHE WAS ONLY ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR BY OPENING THE WINDOW AND USING THE DOOR HANDLE FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 34,816.

I WAS TURNING THE CORNER TO PULL INTO MY STREET AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I BARELY MANAGED TO TURN THE VEHICLE INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND THEN TURNED IT OFF. WHEN I WENT TO TRY IT AGAIN A FEW DAYS LATER, I COULD NOT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. *TR

MY POWER STEERING UNEXPECTEDLY STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING TO WORK. STEERING FLUID LEVEL IS FINE AND WHEN I LEFT WORK IT WAS BACK ON. IT IS CONTINUING TO STOP AND START WORKING AT UNEXPECTED TIMES AND WITHOUT WARNING WHICH MAKES STEERING HARD WHEN IT GOES OUT. *TR

WHEN THIS HAPPENS, IT BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, THE POWER STEERING WAS FINE AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN BECAME STIFF. I WAS DRIVING UP A CURVY MOUNTAIN ROAD WHEN IT HAPPENED AND I HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO MAKE SURE I COULD NAVIGATE THE TURNS. THE PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED 8-10 TIMES SINCE - SOMETIMES WITH A COMPLETELY COLD CAR, OTHER TIMES AFTER DRIVING 25-30 MILES, TURNING OFF THE CAR AND THEN TURNING IT BACK ON AGAIN. IF, WHEN I TURN THE CAR ON, THE POWER STEERING ISN'T WORKING, I TURN THE CAR OFF, LET IT SIT FOR 10 SECONDS OR SO AND RESTART IT. THIS PROCESS FAILED ONCE, BUT AFTER TURNING IT OFF AND ON AGAIN, THE POWER STEERING CAME BACK ON. I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THE POWER STEERING FAILING WHILE DRIVING SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT. HOWEVER, MY PARTNER HAS EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM TWICE WHILE DRIVING. I SPOKE WITH SOMEONE AT THE MINI COOPER DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT IN DENVER, CO REGARDING THIS PROBLEM AND HE DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN ANY PROBLEMS OR INVESTIGATIONS REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. *TR

POWER STEERING SUDDENLY DOES NOT SEEM TO WORK. THE STEERING IS DIFFICULT AND JERKY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND WHILE AT A TRAFFIC STOP, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ELECTRONIC POWER ASSIST WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 44,000.

PARKED CAR ON CITY STREET AND TURNED OFF CAR. HEARD HIGH-PITCHED NOISE LIKE SOMETHING WAS STILL RUNNING. TURNED CAR ON AND BACK OFF AGAIN. STILL HEARD NOISE. SAW GRAY, ACRID SMOKE BILLOWING FROM BENEATH HOOD. CAR STARTED BUT POWER STEERING WAS OUT. HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER. HIGH-PITCHED NOISE WAS POWER STEERING PUMP FAN WHICH DIDN'T TURN OFF WHEN CAR WAS TURNED OFF WHICH BURNT OUT THE POWER STEERING PUMP, WIRES, HARNESS AND OTHER RELATED PARTS. $2000 REPAIR MADE AT MINI/BMW DEALER IN SAN FRANCISCO. *TR

SINCE I HAD THE CAR IN 2009 I HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING THAT IT HAS A FAILURE. BMW NO RESPONSE FOR THIS ITS A PUMP THAT ITS NOT DESIGN CORRECTLY. LOST OF MINIS HAS THIS PROBLEMS. HARD TO STEER AND ALMOST GOT INTO A CRASH. *TT

INITIALLY WE WERE PARKED WITH A LARGE ADULT WHO WEIGHS ~200LBS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, AND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. SHIFTING AROUND AND UNBUCKLING-REBUCKLING SEATBELT CAUSED THE LIGHTS TO GO OFF FOR A BIT. WE BEGAN TO DRIVE ANYWAY, THE TERRAIN WAS MOUNTAINOUS, AND EVENTUALLY THE LIGHTS WENT OFF. THAT NIGHT. IN THE FOLLOWING WEEKS AND MONTHS, IT WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM, SOMETIMES UPON GETTING SEATED AND STARTING TO DRIVE, OTHER TIMES ONCE WE WERE IN MOTION, VERY UNPREDICTABLE. THE PROBLEM SOMETIMES RESOLVED BY SHIFTING HIS WEIGHT OR FUSSING WITH THE SEATBELT TO GET THE LIGHTS OFF, BUT FOR THE PAST MONTH IT HAS BEEN A CONSTANT PROBLEM. *TR

THE AIR BAG SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT MALFUNCTIONED AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRENTY IN 2009. THE SENSOR HAS MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN IN 2011. THE DEALER SAID THEY DO NOT COVER IT UNDER WARRENTY BECAUSE THE VEHICLE AND THE PART WERE PAST THE WARRENTY PERIOD. THEY WANTED OVER $1000 TO FIX IT. I CONVEYED TO THEM THAT THEY HAVE A SAFETY PROBLEM RELATED TO THIS SENSOR AND APPARENTLY THEY HAVE NOT CORRECTED IT YET, SO WHY WOULD I PAY TO HAVE IT REPLACED BY A PART THAT WILL MALFUNCTION AGAIN. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT BMW/MINI ARE IGNORING!