MINI Complaints

THE STEERING WHEEL ON MY MINI COOPER HAS BECOME HARD TO STEER ON AND OFF FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS. AT THE ONSET, I WAS GOING AT ABOUT 15 TO 20MPH AND TURNING RIGHT. THE STEERING GOT HARD TO TURN AND I WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY STAYING OUT OF ON COMING TRAFFIC. I PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED OFF THE CAR AND HOOD UNDER THE HOOD TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING TO EXPLAIN WHAT WAS GOING ON. I WAS NOT ABLE TO IDENTIFY ANYTHING TO EXPLAIN THIS OCCURRENCE, SO I RESTARTED THE CAR AND IT WAS BACK TO NORMAL. SINCE THEN IT HAS DONE THIS ON AND OFF SEVERAL OTHER TIMES. I CALL THE MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THESE VEHICLES HAVE LOTS OF PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING PUMP, COOLING FAN AND RELY SWITCH.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE A LOUD NOISE AND THE POWER STEERING WOULD FAIL. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A LEAK COMING FROM OVER THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED HIM TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

POWER STEERING PUMP AND FAN FAILED AT 55,000 MILES. WHILE IT HAPPENED IN MY CASE WHILE I WAS TRYING TO PARK, IT COULD EASILY HAPPEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND CREATED A SERIOUS HAZARD.

POWER STEERING IS NOT RELIABLE; SOMETIMES WORKS, AND SOMETIME DOES NOT. CONSEQUENTLY IT CAUSES DANGEROUS SITUATIONS PARTICULARLY IN SLIPPERY CONDITIONS. INITIALLY THE PROBLEM WAS BARELY NOTICEABLE. WHEN CONSULTED, MINI SERVICE STATED THAT THIS IS NOT A FAULT BUT A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE MINI. WITH TIME THE STEERING GOT PROGRESSIVELY LESS PREDICTABLE. AND, THE PROBLEM WAS RECTIFIED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO WITH REPLACEMENT OF THE POWER STEERING POMP. ONE YEAR LATER, THE UNPREDICTABLE LOSS OF POWER STEERING RETURNED AGAIN (SPORADICALLY), AND NOW COME (PERMANENT) FUTURE OF DRIVING. *TR

THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF RANDOMLY. THE LIGHT WILL COME ON REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT A PASSENGER IS SEATED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED IT WOULD BE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE ELECTRONIC POWER ASSIST WOULD PREVENT THE WHEEL FROM BEING TURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER CLUBMAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN PULLING AND DRIFTING ABNORMALLY. SHE WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND AFTER A MINUTE, THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS PROBABLY DUE TO ROAD CROWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 26,000. UPDATED 06/07/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE ELECTRONIC STEERING FAILED THREE TIMES. UPDATED 07/11/11*JB

DROVE 70 MI FROM MILLTOWN, NJ TO VALHALLA, NY ON APRIL 26. POWER STEERING STOPPED FUNCTIONING UPON ARRIVAL. TURNING OFF AND RESTARTING ENGINE REMEDIED THE PROBLEM. ON RETURN TRIP, FAILURE OCCURRED JUST PAST ESSEX TOLLS ON GARDEN STATE - ABOUT HALF WAY TO RETURN DESTINATION. CHECKED AND TOPPED FLUID. THE STEERING FAILS REGULARLY ACCORDING TO THIS PATTERN. IT APPEARS THAT POWER STEERING PUMP COOLING FAN HAS STOPPED WORKING. I WILL REPLACE FAN. IF THIS DOES NOT REMEDY THE SITUATION, I WILL REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP. I WILL RETAIN THE OLD PARTS. *TR

POWER STEERING HAS BEEN FAILING TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. IT OCCURS MAINLY AFTER STARTING THE CAR AND DRIVING AWAY FROM A STOP. STOPPING AND RESTARTING CLEARS THE PROBLEM. IT DID HAPPEN ONCE AT FREEWAY SPEED ON A LEFT HAND OFF RAMP. IT MADE THE STEERING VERY HEAVY AND HARD TO TURN AND COULD HAVE LEAD TO LOSS OF CONTROL HAD THE PAVEMENT BEEN SLIPPERY. THE POWER STEERING DID RETURN AFTER SLOWING AND COMPLETING THE TURN. *TR

I HAVE 2008 MINI COOPER S, I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IT EVEN THE FIRST YEAR I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR. IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY WERE ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEMS. BUT LATELY, THREE YEARS LATER THERE WAS A LOUD RATTLING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IT TO THE BMW DEALER BECAUSE OF THE TIMING CHAIN DEFECTS THAT MAY LEAD TO ENGINE DAMAGE. THE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, AND THE DEALER WILL NOT FIX THE CAR FREE OF CHARGE. *TR