2003 MINI COOPER S Complaints

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE I HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND FELT A SHUTTER, THEN A LOSS OF POWER AND SMOKE TO THE REAR OF THE CAR. I TURNED MOTOR OFF AND COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS OK. ONCE STOPPED, I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR. SAW MORE SMOKE AND SPARKS FROM THE TAIL PIPE. I THEN SAT AND STARTED TO CALL A TOW TRUCK, WHEN I NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM THE HOOD SCOOP. I POPPED THE HOOD AND UPON OPENING IT, NOTICED A FIRE AT THE FRONT OF THE MOTOR, DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE SUPERCHARGER. I WAS UNABLE TO PUT OUT THE FLAME, SO I CALL 911 AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ON SITE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE IN A FEW MINUTES, BUT BY THEN THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. ALLSTATE CALLED IT A TOTAL LOSS. *TR

THE DRIVER'S SIDE (POWER) WINDOW OF MY 2003 MINI COOPER S (50K MI) FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY WHILE IN AN UP POSITION. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT PROVES INCONVENIENT, TO SAY THE LEAST, PARTICULARLY WHEN ENTERING/EXITING PARKING GARAGES AND TOLL BOOTH STATIONS. MY MECHANIC WILL REPLACE THE MOTOR AND REGULATOR FOR $600. GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF GROUSING I'VE SEEN ON THIS SUBJECT, I SHOULD THINK THAT BMW SHOULD STAND BY ITS PRODUCT. *TR

THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY (NO WARNING) WHILE DRIVING, MAKING THE STEERING WHEEL SIGNIFICANTLY MORE DIFFICULT TO TURN AND DRIVING THE VEHICLE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE DANGEROUS. *TR

SUDDEN AND INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE MAINTAINING CONTROL OF VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT SCHEDULED FOR REPAIR. *TR

WE HAVE A 2003 MINI COOPER S THAT SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT ON FIRE TODAY. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH WHEN I SMELLED SOMETHING AND THE POWER STEERING JUST QUIT WORKING. I CAME TO A STOP, THEN SMOKE CAME OUT FROM THE SIDE OF THE CAR. I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND OPENED THE HOOD - THERE WAS A FIRE UNDER THE EXHAUST BY THE POWER STEERING PUMP. I WAS ABLE TO GET A BUCKET OF WATER AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. I GOT ON THE INTERNET AND THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO SITES (SEE: HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/MINI.HTML HTTP://WWW.NORTHAMERICANMOTORING.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?S=015B1E186260B0639D13CF8A7D6522DD&T=73527&PAGE=8 WHERE MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR ISSUES. WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR A RECALL? I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY DEATHS, BUT SEVERAL REPORTS OF FIRES. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING 70 ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE POWER STEERING QUIT AND THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE, IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. I SEE WHERE AN INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED IN APRIL (PE07022), BUT PLEASE MOVE ON THIS. I AM VERY AFRAID THE NEXT PERSON WILL NOT BE SO LUCKY. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND DOUSED THE VEHICLE WITH A BUCKET OF WATER. THE DEALER AND THE POLICE WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE IS PARKED IN HIS GARAGE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED FROM THE NHTSA WEBSITE THAT THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY EIGHT OTHERS WHO HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE SAME FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 58,000.

2003 MINI COOPER S. BOTH WINDOWS ARE STUCK AND DO NOT WORK. HAD BOTH MOTORS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. WINDOWS HAVE FAILED AGAIN AND NOW THE CAR'S WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. *TR

PARKING THE VEHICLE AFTER A 35 MI COMMUTE TO WORK WITH THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF THE ELECTRO HYDRAULIC STEERING PUMP CONTINUED TO RUN. THE ONLY WAY TO TURN THE PUMP OFF AND AVOID OVERHEATING WAS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. THE FAILURE WAS CORRECTED BY REPLACEMENT OF THE ELECTO HYDROLIC STEERING PUMP. OLD PART IS NOT AVAILABLE. *AK

POWER STEERING FAILURE AND SOON AFTER ELECTRICAL SMELLING SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. UPON INSPECTION AT THE DEALERSHIP SOME OF THE WIRES HAD MELTED AND THE POWER STERRING MOTOR WAS BURNT OUT.

2003 MINI COOPER S I DROVE TO WORK AS ON ANY OTHER DAY AND PULLED INTO MY USUAL PARKING SPOT. ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER MY CAR ALARM WENT OFF. WHEN I WENT OUTSIDE TO CHECK, ALL THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS WERE GOING NUTS - DOOR LOCKS, LIGHTS, THE ALARM, ETC. I SAW A LITTLE BIT OF SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I POPPED THE HOOD AND BOOT, PULLED OUT MY FIRE EXTINGUISHER, BUT DIDN'T SEE FLAMES. I SMELLED ELECTRICAL FIRE, AND SAW A WHISP OF SMOKE BUT THAT WAS IT. I EMPTIED THE BOOT AND TRIED TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY (I HEARD SOMETHING 'WHIRRING' AND REALIZED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS OBVIOUSLY MALFUNCTIONING.) I COULDN'T DISCONNECT IT MANUALLY SO I LEFT IT AND CHECKED THE ENGINE BAY AGAIN. STILL NO FLAME, BUT MORE SMOKE. I RAN INSIDE AND ASKED A CO-WORKER TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THEN GRABBED MY PHONE AND RAN BACK OUT. ANOTHER CO-WORKER CAME OUT WITH ME AND HELPED ME GET THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER WORKING; NOW WE COULD SEE SOME SMALL FLAMES COMING FROM BELOW THE AIRBOX. I USED UP THE EXTINGUISHER BUT THERE WAS STILL A LITTLE FIRE. FORTUNATELY IT WORKED ITSELF OUT... THEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOWED UP. THEY DISCONNECTED MY BATTERY AND HAD A LOOK. THEY SAID THAT USING THE EXTINGUISHER DEFINITELY KEPT IT FROM SPREADING. THEY FILED A REPORT BUT TO MY KNOWLEDGE THERE WAS NO POLICE REPORT. THE DAMAGE STARTED WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP IGNITING. THE PUMP WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH SOME WIRING HARNESSES AND A FEW OTHER ASSORTED PARTS. THE ENGINE BAY WAS DETAILED TO GET ALL THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER 'GOO' OUT OF IT. THE CAR HAS BEEN FUNCTIONING NORMALLY FOR ALMOST A YEAR NOW WITH THE NEW PARTS. MORE INFO HERE: HTTP://WWW.NORTHAMERICANMOTORING.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=73527. *TR