2004 MINI COOPER S Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH CAUSING LIMITED STEERING CAPABILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND COLUMN WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED AT THAT TIME. THE FAILURE DID NOT RECUR. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 51,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000.

NEAR THE END OF A 500 MILE TRIP FROM NORTHERN TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. I COMPLETED THE TRIP WITHOUT THE POWER STEERING. THE NEXT DAY I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE OLD PART IS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 MINI COOPER S BUILT IN LATE SEPTEMBER OR EARLY OCTOBER 2003. AT APPROXIMATELY 54,000 MILES IN SPRING OF 2010, I LEFT TO GO ON A TRIP ACROSS TOWN. AFTER ABOUT 2 MILES OF THE UP TO THEN NORMAL DRIVE, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING STOPPED WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF A CURVE. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO RETAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR AND MAKE IT TO MY DESTINATION A COUPLE MORE MILES AWAY. AFTER SITTING ABOUT 15 MINUTES, UPON RESTART, THE CAR PERFORMED NORMALLY AS FAR AS I CAN TELL. CHECKING THE INTERNET, IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS A SOMEWHAT COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AND THAT IT WILL CONTINUE ON AND OFF UNTIL THE POWER STEERING DOES NOT FUNCTION AT ALL. THIS CAN ALSO LEAD TO A FIRE AT THE POWER STEERING PUMP THAT MAY LEAD TO COMPLETE LOSS OF VEHICLE AND OR ADDITIONAL PROPERTY DAMAGE. SOME WITH FIRES HAVE NOT HAD ANY PRIOR HINTS OF AN ISSUE AND SOME HAVE HAD THE INTERMITTENT PUMP GOING OUT. IN SPEAKING TO THE MINI SERVICE CENTER, THEY OF COURSE SAID THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM AND REFUSED TO GIVE ME ANY HELP UNDER GOODWILL WARRANTY. I HAD THEM REPLACE THE PUMP AT MY EXPENSE TO AVOID THE RISK OF FIRE. *TR

POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING NORMALLY ON THE FREEWAY AND IT BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE CAR. POWER STEERING RETURNED AFTER LETTING THE CAR SIT IN A PARKING LOT, BUT FAILED AGAIN WHILE DRIVING HOME. WE HAVE NOT DRIVEN THE CAR SINCE. THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WE HAVE TALKED TO MINI, BUT THEY HAVE NOT OFFERED TO HELP REPAIR THE CAR. WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WILL COST AROUND $1500 TO REPLACE THE MALFUNCTIONING PARTS. *TR

I OWN A 2004 MINI COOPER S AND WHEN DRIVING THE POWER STEERING FAILED. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF AN OFF RAMP AND THE STEERING BECAME EXTREMELY HARD. I WAS UNABLE TO NAVIGATE THE TURN AND WENT OFF THE ROAD. LUCKILY I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING. WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND THEN BACK ON THE POWER STEERING CAME BACK ON. FROM TIME TO TIME NOW I LOOSE THE POWER STEERING. I FEEL THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND DO NOT LET MY WIFE OR CHILD RIDE IN THE CAR. *TR

I OWN A 2004 MINI COOPER S. ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2010, I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT. THIS WAS OUT OF THE BLUE, AND I HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING. I WAS ABLE TO TAKE IT TO MY MECHANIC THE SAME DAY AND WAS INFORMED THAT MY POWER STEERING FAN WENT OUT, THEREFORE CAUSING MY POWER STEERING PUMP TO FAIL. AFTER I HAD EVERYTHING REPLACED FOR AROUND $900, I SAW AN ARTICLE IN USA TODAY THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TO OTHER 2004 AND 2005 MINI'S. I THINK MINI SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL SO THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. IT WAS VERY SCARY TO DRIVE MY MINI WITH NO POWER STEERING, AND I FEEL FORTUNATE THAT I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE CAR UNDER CONTROL WHEN THE STEERING WENT OUT. *TR

POWER STEERING FAILURE. WHEN DRIVING POWER STEERING WILL UNEXPECTEDLY STOP WORKING. USUALLY AFTER DRIVING FOR AN HOUR OR SO. WHEN POWER STEERING STOPS WORKING THE CAR IS VERY HARD TO CONTROL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED IT; THE POWER STEERING SEEMED TO RESET IT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWO ADDITIONAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 67,000. UPDATED 01/20/11 *BF UPDATED 01/31/11

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE 2004 MINI COOPER S TO PICK UP OUR SON FROM SCHOOL. AFTER SHE RETRIEVED HIM, SHE WENT AROUND A CORNER AND THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING CAUSING HER TO CRASH INTO A CURB. SHE DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH STRENGTH TO TURN THE WHEEL AND THERE WAS NO WARNING OF A POSSIBLE FAILURE. I AM FEARFUL TO REPLACE THE PART AND CONTINUE TO MAKE PAYMENTS ON A VEHICLE I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE PUTTING MY CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN IN DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE NEW POWERING STEERING PUMP WILL FAIL IF REPLACED. *TR

2004 MINI COOPER S - POWER STEERING PUMP AND FAN FAILURE. POWER STEERING QUITS WORKING CAUSING INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT STEERING. SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE PUMP AND FAN AND THE EXPENSE OF THE OWNER, ME. I BELIEVE THIS PUMP AND FAN SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED AND ALSO THAT THERE SHOULD BE A NATIONWIDE RECALL SINCE THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF MINI COOPER DRIVERS WITH THIS SAME ISSUES. *TR