2005 MINI COOPER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 70 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED.THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY MERGE TO THE SHOULDER WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF. ONCE RESTARTED, THE STEERING RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER AND SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS OR REPAIRS. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE MECHANIC STATED TO THE CONTACT THAT THE ENTIRE POWER STEERING SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER OR CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF POWER STEERING BEGINNING AT APPROXIMATELY 48,000 MILES, WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY AND DURATION UNTIL COMPLETE FAILURE OF POWER STEERING AT APPROXIMATELY 55,000 MILES, DESPITE FULL POWER STEERING FLUID RESERVOIR AT ALL TIMES. MINI DEALER ADVISES NEW POWER STEERING PUMP REQUIRED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING SEIZED AND BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED WHO ADVISED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE AND THAT HE SHOULD BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,781.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MOVE WHEN THE CONTACT NOTICED A BURNING ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING COMPONENT HAD MELTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A CONCURRENT INVESTIGATION FOR THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 63,260. UPDATED 12/20/11*LJ THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE POWER STEERING UNIT HAD SUFFERED A COMPLETE MELT DOWN WHICH SPREAD TO THE POWER STEERING HOSE AND WIRING HARNESS. UPDATED 01/20/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THEN CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, BUT REPAIRS WERE NOT PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

I RECENTLY BOUGHT MY 2005 MINI COOPER, AFTER MOVING TO TACOMA, WA. ONLY AFTER A WEEK OF DRIVING I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING. I HAVE NOT EVEN MADE A PAYMENT ON THE VEHICLE. I HAVE CONTACTED UKMINI AND MY INFORMATION WAS FORWARD TO BMW HEAD OFFICE IN GERMANY. MINIUSA CONTACTED ME TO BRING THE VEHICLE INTO A LOCAL DEALER TO VERIFY THE FAULT. THEY DIDN'T SAY THEY WOULD COVER THE COST. BUT BEING IN THE MILITARY I WILL ENSURE THAT SOLDIERS ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS THEY MAY FACE WITH THIS COMPANY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE POWER STEERING BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44,776. UPDATED 01/18/12*LJ THE STATED SHE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING AS SHE ROUNDED A CURVE. THE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING FORCED HER OFF THE ROAD AND NEARLY INTO A DITCH. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED IT WOULD COST $1400 TO REPLACE THE STEERING PUMP. UPDATED 02/28/12

THE POWER STEERING ON MY 2005 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE SUDDENLY FAILED ON A TURN, NEARLY CAUSING ME TO GO INTO A DITCH. MY MINI DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS PROBABLY THE POWER STEERING PUMP & WOULD COST $1400 TO REPLACE. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET & FOUND THIS WAS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE MINI COOPER & THAT AN INVESTIGATION WAS TAKING PLACE INTO THE DEFECTIVE PUMP & THAT A RECALL MIGHT BE FORTHCOMING. I CALLED MINI USA'S CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPT. THEIR REP TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE ISSUE & THAT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO OFFER "GOODWILL" ASSISTANCE IN GETTING IT REPLACED IF I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER FOR VERIFICATION THAT IT WAS A PUMP FAILURE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO VERIFIED THAT THE PUMP NEEDED REPLACED. THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THIS HAD BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM & THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE COMPLAINTS MADE ABOUT THE PUMP GOING BAD. I CALLED MINI USA'S CUSTOMER SERVICE, SPOKE TO A SUPERVISOR WHO TOLD ME SHE'D GET BACK TO ME. A WEEK LATER, SHE CALLED & TOLD ME THAT MY REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN DENIED & THAT I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPLACEMENT. I STRONGLY FEEL THAT, IN LIGHT OF THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE POWER STEERING PUMP, BMW/MINI SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ITS REPLACEMENT. $1400 IS AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO REPLACE SOMETHING THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE BAD IN THE FIRST PLACE. THERE ARE NO LOCAL MECHANICS WHO CAN TAKE REPAIR THIS SO MINI USA/BMW HAS US RIGHT WHERE THEY WANT US - POWERLESS TO FIGHT A BIG COMPANY & HELPLESS BECAUSE WE NEED OUR VEHICLES. I WOULD HAVE NEVER EXPECTED THIS TO HAPPEN ON A CAR WITH LESS THAN 45,000 MILES ON IT. SUDDENLY LOSING ONE'S POWER STEERING CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I ENCOURAGE NHTSA TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THIS VEHICLE'S POWER STEERING PUMP DEFECT & ISSUE A RECALL TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE'S DRIVERS, PASSENGERS & ANYONE WHO COULD BE INJURED DUE TO SUDDEN LOSS OF ITS POWER STEERING. *KB