MINI Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF AND WITHIN A FEW MINUTES HE SMELLED FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE. HE OPENED THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED; HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO MENTION OF A FIRE REPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR LOCAL MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY OF THE RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

2004 MINI COOPER POWER STEERING RANDOMLY STOPS WORKING MAKING THE VEHICLE EXTREMELY HARD TO STEER. EMERGENCY MANEUVERS WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE. MUST SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTART TO GET STEERING BACK, WHICH IS NOT EASY TO DO IN MANY SITUATIONS. WILL WORK MOST OF THE TIME BUT FAIL ONCE PER DAY OR SO. MY MECHANIC HAS ORDERED A NEW POWER STEERING PUMP AND FAN FROM BMW WHICH HE SAYS IS THE FIX FOR THIS WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM. IF A LIGHT PERSON WAS DRIVING THE CAR WHEN THIS HAPPENS I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THEY COULD KEEP THE CAR ON THE ROAD DUE TO THE ARM STRENGTH REQUIRED TO CONTINUE STEERING THE CAR. PROBLEM COULD HAPPEN AT ANY SPEED. *TR

AFTER PICKING MY SISTER UP FROM THE TRAIN STATION I NOTICED A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. STEERING IS NOW VERY DIFFICULT AROUND CORNERS AND IN CITY DRIVING. NO REPAIRS MADE YET. *TR

I WAS LEAVING MY HOME WHEN I NOTICE, AS SOON AS I START MY CAR, THAT MY STEERING IS VERY STIFF. I HAVE TO USE MY WHOLE BODY TO TURN THE WHEEL AND MANEUVER THE CAR. IT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ALMOST A WEEK NOW OFF AND ON. GO ONLINE AND RESEARCH PROBLEM TO FIND ITS GOING TO COST ME NEAR $1000 TO FIX. *TR

LOST POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING. SIGNIFICANT FORCE WAS NEEDED TO TURN THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM LASTED FOR ONE DAY. THE POWER STEERING RETURNED THE FOLLOWING DAY, BUT THE MOTOR STAYED ON AFTER THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF. THE DEALERSHIP HAS TO REPLACE THE MOTOR AND THE FAN. *TR

EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH-SPEED AND PREPARING TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY. AS SUCH, I NEARLY DROVE OFF THE ROAD ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE VEHICLE ON THE EXIST RAMP -- VERY HARD EMERGENCY BRAKING WAS NECESSARY BECAUSE IT WAS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN, AND THUS, CONTROL THE CAR. I LATER DISCOVERED BY MINI OF SAN DIEGO (WHO CONDUCTED REPAIRS) THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAD FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED COSTING APPROXIMATELY $1,100. THEY ALSO INFORMED ME THAT CHRONIC PROBLEMS WITH MINI POWER STEERING PUMPS WERE BEING INVESTIGATED AND THAT A RECALL MIGHT BE ISSUED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I RESEARCHED FURTHER AND BELIEVE THAT THE 1ST YEAR BEING REVIEWED IS THE 2004. I BELIEVE THAT THE 2003 SHOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED AS WELL IN THE EVENT OF A RECALL SINCE I EXPERIENCED THE VERY SAME PROBLEM BEING INVESTIGATED, AND THE DANGER RESULTING FROM THE DEFECT IS CONSIDERABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE FROM THE TECHNICIAN TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP DEFECT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WHILE DOING FURTHER RESEARCH ON THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 89,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

POWER STEERING UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE BECAUSE OF PS MOTOR FAILING SUDDENLY AND WITH NO WARNING. FIRST OCCURRENCE NEARLY CAUSED CRASH BECAUSE PS FAILED WHILE NEGOTIATING INTERSECTION. *TR

THE VEHICLE HAS LOSS THE POWER STEERING ASSIST DUE TO POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE. THUS REQUIRING INCREASED FORCE TO STEER AND CONTROL THE VEHICLE. STEERING HAS BECOMES EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND HAS MADE MANOEUVRING THIS CAR FAR HARDER AND DANGEROUS. THE CAR HAS SPOTTY ELECTRICAL FAILURES; EXAMPLE THE WINDOW JUST DOESN'T WANT TO ROLL UP; NO, WAIT, IT DOES. NO, WAIT, IT DOESN'T. THE STEREO JUST GIVES UP; NO SOUND ANYMORE,THEN IT PLAYS AGAIN. THE SAME WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR YOU COULD HERE IT UNLOCK AND RE-LOCK, BUT THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN AND THEN IT WOULD. ALSO BOTH OF MY KEYS TO OPEN THE DOOR BOTH TURNED OFF AT THE SAME TIME AND I HAD TO HAVE THE KEYS RE-CALIBRATED AT A MINI DEALERSHIP TO REOPEN THE VEHICLE.

POWER STEERING FAILURE ON MY 05 MINI COOPER-S. POWER STEERING JUST STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING THE CAR ON THE ROAD IN REGULAR TRAFFIC, WAS TURNING LEFT INTO A PARKING LOT FROM A 5 LANE ROAD WHEN IT QUIT WORKING, WAS BARELY ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL ENOUGH TO SAFELY MAKE IT INTO THE PARKING LOT AND AVOID A CRASH. APPARENTLY AS OF NOW IF I TURN THE CAR OFF AND THEN BACK ON THE POWER STEERING MIGHT COME BACK ON; TERRIBLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM TO HAVE ON A PART ON A CAR THAT SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR. REPAIR ESTIMATES ARE AROUND $800-1300, AND IS APPARENTLY A COMMON PROBLEM W/ THESE CARS. *TR