2002 MINI COOPER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 20 MPH WHEN THE STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE STEERING RACK, POWER STEERING PUMP AND THE FAN MIGHT HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 102,000.

POWER STEERING WENT OUT AT HIGHWAYS SPEEDS, AFTER 3+ HOURS OF DRIVING. AFTER COOLING DOWN FOR AN HOUR, POWER STEERING CAME BACK, BUT ONLY LASTED 5 MIN., AND WAS OUT FOR ANOTHER DAY. COMES AND GOES, DEPENDING ON HOW HOT THE WEATHER/ENGINE IS, BUT STAYS OUT LONGER AND ONLY WORKS FOR SHORT PERIODS OF TIME NOW. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL/EXTENDED WARRANTY AS CANADA HAS SOON! *TR

THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON IN MY MINI. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE CABLE TENSIONER, BUT ON MODELS OF 2003 AND ABOVE. I AM WANTING YOU TO RECONSIDER THE YEAR OF THIS RECALL TO INCLUDE 2002. I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE REP CABE F SEAT SIDE AIRBAG, REP CABLE BEL TENSIONER, CABLE STRAP, CABLE CONNECTOR, SHRINKING HOSE AND CABLE STRAP WITH BRACKET FOR A COST OF 800. THE AFFECT OF THIS DEFECT IN THE CAR IS FOR THE CAR TO BE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE WEIGHT OF THE PASSENGER IN THE CAR IN ORDER TO DEPLOY THE AIRBAG PROPERLY. *TR

MY WIFE HAS BEEN COMPLAINING OF INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER ASSIST. I DRIVE HER CAR VERY LITTLE HOWEVER I RECENTLY HAD THE PROBLEM HAPPEN TO ME. ONE OF MY HOBBIES IS SPORT CAR RACING (MOST RECENTLY AT SUMMIT POINT RACEWAY IN WV) SO I DO EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED HOWEVER IT IS SO INTERMITTENT IT IS OFTEN FORGOTTEN. IT WILL BE FINE FOR WEEKS THEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN. THOUSANDS OF REPORTS IN THE UK AND CANADA ISSUED A RECALL. YOU DON'T LOSE YOUR STEERING JUST THE ASSIST. NEXT TIME YOU ARE ALONE ON A BACK ROAD WITH A CURVE TURN YOUR CAR OFF AND YOU WILL SEE WHAT THE DESCRIBED PROBLEM FEELS LIKE. LETS NOT HAVE A SERIOUS INCIDENT BEFORE BMW RESOLVES THIS ISSUE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND LOST THE POWER STEERING. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. I GOT HOME PARKED THE CAR AND LET IT GO. THE NEXT MORNING IT WAS FINE. HOWEVER, THIS MORNING, 6/8/2012, IT HAPPENED AGAIN AS I WAS TURNING IN AN INTERSECTION. FORTUNATELY FOR ME THERE WEREN'T MANY CARS ON THE ROAD, AS IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED IN EVEN A SEMI-BUSY INTERSECTION, I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN TROUBLE. *JS

WHILE DRIVING STEERING BECAME STIFF. ALMOST UNABLE TO TURN WHEEL WHEN I SLOWED TO PARK. AFTER TURNING CAR OFF AND BACK ON, PROBLEM RESOLVED. STILL HAPPENS AT LEAST ONCE PER DAY USUALLY WHILE SLOWING OR DOWNSHIFTING. ALWAYS RESOLVES AFTER RESTARTING CAR. *TT

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED AFTER PASSENGER SEAT WAS MOVED. LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF. *TR

I WAS DRIVING THE CAR IN LACEY WA. SMOKE STARTED ISSUING FROM THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT. I OPENED THE HOOD AND SMOKE WAS ISSUING FORTH. AFTER 5 MINUTES, I SPOTTED FLAMES. I HAD A SMALL FIRE EXTINGUISHER BUT IT WAS INSUFFICIENT TO PUT OUT THE FLAMES. A PASSING MOTORIST ARRIVED WITH A LARGER EXTINGUISHER AND PUT OUT THE FLAMES. AN INSURANCE ADJUSTER INFORMED ME THAT THE FIRE WAS DUE TO A FAULTY POWER STEERING PUMP. *TR

WHILE ON A SHORT VACATION OUT OF TOWN, CLOSE TO 230 MILES FROM MY HOME, MY COOPER S' POWER STEERING FAILED AND ALMOST CAUSE ME AN ACCIDENT. I IMMEDIATELY CHECKED THE FLUID AND SAW THAT THERE WERE NO VISIBLE LEAKS PRESENT. AFTER MAKING ARRANGEMENTS FOR A RENTAL VEHICLE, I NOTICED THAT THE POWER STEERING STARTED WORKING CORRECTLY AGAIN. BECAUSE OF THAT I PROCEEDED TO RETURN HOME AND THE STEERING DID NOT FAIL FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP. DURING MARCH OF 2012, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AGAIN, DURING A COMMUTE HOME FROM WORK ON FRIDAY, MAY 3RD. TO THIS DAY, I HAVE NO BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD ADDITIONAL REPAIRS OR DIAGNOSTICS, BECAUSE OF THE MONTHLY PAYMENTS, INSURANCE, FUEL AND PREVIOUS ISSUES OF REPAIRS UNDER 75,000 MILES INCLUDING THE HEAD GASKET, AND HEATER CORE. REGARDLESS OF THE POLICIES THAT BMW/MINI AND THE NHTSA HAVE CONCERNING USED VEHICLES, AND WARRANTIES, ABSOLUTELY NO VEHICLE PRODUCED BY AN INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN COMPANY OR BUSINESS SHOULD BE PRODUCING SUCH UNRELIABLE, UNSAFE AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS MOTOR VEHICLES AND NOT TAKE IMMEDIATE RESPONSIBILITY TO ISOLATE AND TERMINATE THE ISSUE RATHER THAN IGNORE AND DENY RESPONSIBILITY FOR POORLY MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS. *TR

COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE DURING OVERTAKING ON TWO LANE ROAD. STEERING REQUIRED AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF EFFORT. BARELY MANAGED TO MOVE BACK TO RIGHT HAND LAND BEFORE GETTING DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. POWER STEERING DID NOT RECOVER FOR ANOTHER 2.5 MINS OF DRIVING. PULLED OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD, TURNED CAR OFF, ON AGAIN, POWER STEERING RETURNED. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP NOW RUNS CONTINUOUSLY EVEN WHEN KEY IS TURNED OFF. INDICATIVE OF ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP CONTROLLER FAILURE. I CONTINUE TO HAVE CONCERNS THAT POWER STEERING MAY CUT OUT AT ANY TIME AGAIN, AND THAT IF THE PUMP CONTINUES RUNNING CONSTANTLY EVEN WHEN THE KEY IS REMOVED IT MAY START A FIRE AT SOME POINT. I HAVE TO DISCONNECT THE NEGATIVE TERMINAL OF THE BATTERY TO PREVENT THE PUMP FROM RUNNING CONTINUOUSLY. *TR