2004 MINI COOPER S Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING WOULD FAIL SPORADICALLY AND MORE EFFORT HAD TO BE EXERTED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND FAN WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 83,000.

UNEXPECTED AND INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE. INTERMITTENT FAILURES FIRST STARTED AROUND 2008, THE FAILURES WOULD LAST FOR MINUTES TO HOURS LONG, DAYS, WEEKS, AND MONTHS WOULD GO BY BETWEEN FAILURES. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THE CAUSE WAS THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND SINCE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THE REPAIR WOULD COST ~$700 TO REPLACE. WHEN THE PUMP FAILS THE CAR IS *VERY* DIFFICULT TO STEER AT SLOW AND MODERATE SPEEDS. ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS A SURPRISE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NARROW, WINDY ROAD AND IT WAS A STRUGGLE TO MAINTAIN THE LANE, AVOID HITTING ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND STAYING ON THE ROAD. THE PUMP WAS REPLACED AND AS OF THIS WRITING IS NEW ONE IS NOW INTERMITTENTLY FAILING. I JUST EXPERIENCED AN INTERMITTENT FAILURE WHEN TURNING FROM A STOP AND NARROWLY MISSED HITTING A CURB AS I STRUGGLED TO COMPLETE A TURN. THE PUMP FAILURE LASTED ABOUT 10 MINUTES. *TR

ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2010 2004 MINI COOPER S POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING ON SAN FRANCISCO/OAKLAND BAY BRIDGE. ABLE TO SAFELY EXIT BRIDGE AND HAD CAR TOWED TO AUTO SHOP IN BERKELEY, CA WHERE THEY "PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TIME CHECK FOR NO POWER STEERING. FOUND PUMP COMING ON, NO PRESSURE TO SYSTEM". THEY REMOVED AND REPLACED POWER STEERING PUMP INCLUDING BLEEDING THE SYSTEM. *TR

SUDDEN TOTAL LOSS OF POWER STEERING ON A 2004 MINI COOPER S IN A PARKING AT LOW SPEED. CAR WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO DRIVE BACK TO DEALER DUE TO HIGH GRIP THE CAR HAS. DEALER REPLACED POWER STEERING PUMP FOR POWER ASSISTED GEAR. COULD HAVE BEEN DANGEROUS IN A CORNER. MILEAGE 20,257. *TR

INTERMITTENT AND UNEXPECTED POWER STEERING FAILURE ON MY 2004 MINI COOPER S (R53). WE PURCHASED THE CAR WITH 69,000 MILES AND WITHIN A WEEK HAD OUR FIRST POWER STEERING PROBLEM. WE GOT THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED THE CAR OFF AND WHEN WE TURNED IT BACK ON THE STEERING WAS FINE. THIS OCCURRED RANDOMLY FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. POWER STEERING WOULD QUIT WITHOUT WARNING AT SLOW AND HIGHWAY SPEEDS. FINALLY TOOK THE CAR TO THE SHOP AND THE MECHANIC SAID THE POWER STEERING UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. REPAIR WAS DONE THE FIRST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER AND WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY POWER STEERING PROBLEMS SINCE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING WAS ABSENT. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS BEFORE THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 102,000. UPDATED 01/03/11

I WANT TO REPORT PROBLEM WITH STEERING COMPONENTS IN MY 2004 MINI COOPER S (BASED ON ARTICLE IN USA TODAY). IN JULY OF THIS YEAR, 2010, MY STEERING SUDDENLY BECAME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN. I STOPPED, CALLED MY DEALERSHIP, HAD THE CAR TOWED IN. THEY REPLACED THE POWER STEERING MOTOR. THIS WEEK, SEPT. 2010, I HEARD A STRANGE SOUND. TOOK IT BACK IN, THEY REPLACED THE POWER STEERING FAN. *TR

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED ON MINI COOPER S WITH APPROXIMATELY 71,000 MILES LAST WEEK. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED SUDDENLY. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN. THE POWER STEERING RACK WAS THEN REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 108,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000.

POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING, REPAIR COST APP. $ 2.000.-, NO HELP FROM MINI USA. *TR