2004 MINI COOPER S Complaints

FAILURE OF POWER STEERING PUMP MADE VEHICLE VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER IN TRAFFIC AND WHEN PARKING. *JS

EXITING ON AN OFF-RAMP FROM THE FREEWAY THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AND STEERING BECAME ROCK HARD AND IT TOOK CONSIDERABLE STRENGTH TO KEEP THE CAR FROM GOING STRAIGHT AND RUNNING INTO THE GUARD RAIL AROUND THE TURN. VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE AND IF I HAD DECREASED MUSCLE STRENGTH THE CAR WOULD HAVE VEERED STRAIGHT FOR THE GUARD RAIL AND AT HIGH FREEWAY EXIT SPEEDS. *JS

WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED, RESULTING IN A NEAR-LOSS OF CONTROL AND CRASH DUE TO THE SUDDEN DRAMATIC INCREASE IN PHYSICAL EFFORT REQUIRED TO CONTROL THE CAR. THE FAILURE WAS DETERMINED TO BE RELATED TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP NO LONGER FUNCTIONING. THERE WAS NO LOSS OF FLUID OR BREACH IN THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM. THIS IS APPARENTLY A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THIS MODEL OF CAR. *TR

EXPERIENCED POWER STEERING LOSS DRIVING ALONG A SUBURBAN ROAD. AFTER STOPPING AND RESTARTING THE CAR THE POWER STEERING RETURNED. *TR

I HAD MULTIPLE INCIDENTS WHERE MY POWER STEERING WASN'T AVAILABLE. SEVERAL TIMES THE POWER STEERING FAILED DRIVING AROUND THE CORNER WHICH WAS VERY FREIGHTING. I CONTACTED BMW ABOUT THE ISSUE BUT THEY SAID IT WAS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT SINCE MY CAR ONLY HAD 35K MILES. I OWNED OTHER CARS WHERE I NEVER HAD A FAILED POWER STEERING PUMP. MINI UK SEEM TO HANDLE THE PROBLEM MUCH BETTER FOR THEIR CUSTOMER (SEE LINK BELOW). I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THERE HAS NO RECALL BEING MADE YET. PAID ALMOST 1K FOR REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE PUMP AND IT SEEMS THAT THE NEW PUMP THEY PUT IN MY MINI STARTS ACTING UP AGAIN. HTTP://WWW.BBC.CO.UK/BLOGS/WATCHDOG/2009/02/MINI_STEERING_SYSTEM_FAILURES.HTML. *TR

WHILE EXITING THE FREEWAY THE STEERING SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING BECAME EXTREMELY HEAVY TAKING SIGNIFICANTLY MORE EFFORT THEN NORMAL TO JUST MOVE THE WHEEL SLIGHTLY. THE NEXT DAY THE POWER STEERING WORKED NORMALLY BUT THE FAN ON THE POWER STEERING PUMP CONTINUED TO RUN AFTER THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. AFTER 5 MINUTES IN A PARKING LOT IT HAD DRAINED THE BATTERY TO THE POINT WHERE IT STRUGGLED TO START THE ENGINE. WHEN I RETURNED HOME I WAS FORCED TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY UNTIL I CAN GET IT SERVICED. *TR

I HAD POWER STEERING ONE DAY AND THE NEXT DAY WHEN I WAS DRIVING I BEGAN TO MAKE A TURN AND REALIZED MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT. TO THIS DAY IT HAS NEVER CAME BACK. I WAS TOLD IT IS SOMETHING LIKE AN ELECTRIC HYDRAULIC PUMP BUT THE PRICE IS SO OUTRAGEOUS I CANNOT AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED SO I JUST TRY TO DRIVE IT AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE AND BE AS CAREFUL AS I CAN. *TR

POWER STEERING FAILED, CAR WOULD NOT TURN. SECOND OCCASION 1/19/12 SAME THING AT 40MPH. AFTER CAR RESTS PROBLEM DISAPPEARS. ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN CAR AT ALL. *TR

POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING---WHILE DRIVING ON CURVE---IMPACTED CAR CONTROL. REGAINED POWER STEERING. THIS HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES. VERY DANGEROUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR

ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED WHILE DRIVING. I NOTICED IT WHEN I WENT TO CHANGE LANES AND THE CAR RESISTED. I SLOWED FOR A CORNER AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN, IT BECAME VERY APPARENT THAT THERE WAS NO STEERING ASSIST. THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE ON THE FIRST GENERATION MINI COOPERS THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE AND DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES, POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS.