MINI Complaints

2005 MINI COOPER S INTERMITTENTLY LOSES POWER STEERING, THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING AND RENDERS THE VEHICLE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS ON AN ELEVATED EXIT RAMP AND ALMOST CAUSED ME TO STRIKE THE SAFETY WALL. AFTER A DRASTIC SLOW DOWN I WAS ABLE TO STRONG ARM THE VEHICLE BACK ON COURSE. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE - MOST DANGEROUS WHEN IT CUTS OUT AND THE RANDOMLY COMES BACK ON CAUSING SEVERE OVER-STEERING. *LN

WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 MINI COOPER (APPROX 48,000 MILES) OUR POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY SEEMED TO CUT OUT MAKING THE STEERING EXTREMELY HEAVY AND UNRESPONSIVE. WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY IT MADE DRIVING DIFFICULT, BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE. HOWEVER, ON ARRIVING IN TOWN WE WERE UNABLE TO MAKE A TURN WITHOUT ENDING UP IN THE LANE OF ON-COMING TRAFFIC! LUCKILY THERE WAS LITTLE TRAFFIC AROUND WHEN WE ARRIVED AT OUR DESTINATION. TURNING THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT SEEMED TO RESTORE OUR POWER STEERING LONG ENOUGH TO GET TO OUR FINAL DESTINATION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED, MAKING IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED WHO WAS UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE MANUFACTURE NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WAS APPROXIMATELY 58,900. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TENSIONER FAILURE 44,406 MILES. CAUSING ENGINE DAMAGE. ALMOST IN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF FAILURE. FROM DEALER LEARNED THAT AND OTHER MINI COOPER S HAD THE SAME FAILURE. MINI KNOWS OF THE TENSIONER PROBLEM AND HAS NOT FIXED IT. *TR

POWER STEERING FAILED IN THE MIDDLE OF A CURVE IN THE ROAD, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND NEARLY CAUSING THE CAR TO GO INTO A DITCH. #20 THE CAR IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER WITHOUT THE POWER-ASSISTED STEERING. #20 MINI USA DENIES ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THIS PROBLEM, YET THERE ARE IN EXCESS OF 1,600 REPORTS ON ONE INTERNET FORUM ALONE. #20 THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS OFFICIALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THIS ISSUE, AND IN EUROPE BMW/MINI HAS ACTED, BUT IN THE USA THE COMPANY DENIES ANY AWARENESS. #20 THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE COST ME AND MY WIFE OUR LIVES IF I WERE A LESS SKILLED DRIVER WHO MANAGED TO FORCE THE CAR BACK ONTO THE ROAD.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COPPER. WHILE TRAVELING 25 MPH THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHICH MADE THE STEERING WHEEL DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE FAILURE ONLY LASTED FOR A SHORT TIME AND BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 44600.

STARTED TO HAVE INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE IN JANUARY 2010, THEN IT FINALLY STOPPED WORKING IN JULY 2010, HAVEN'T HAD POWER STEERING SINCE. *TR

2006 MINI COOPER, FAULTY WIRING ON PASSENGER SEAT MATE SENSOR, THE WIRING HARNESS THAT COMES OUT OF THE FLOOR AND CONNECTS TO THE SENSOR MATE IN THE SEAT IS TO SHORT AND BECOMES DAMAGED WHEN YOU SLIDE THE SEAT BACK. THIS CAUSES AN ERROR IN THE AIR BAG SYSTEM MAKING IT THINKS THERE IS A SMALL CHILD OR NO ONE IN THE SEAT AND TURN THE PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF. THIS IS A PROBLEM WHEN THERE IS AN ADULT IN THE SEAT, THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WILL NOT PROTECT THEM. THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL, BEING THAT THE REPAIR CAN COST UP TO $1000.00 IF THE SEAT MAT SENSOR IS DAMAGED. THE COST MAY CAUSE OWNERS NOT TO REPAIR IT. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AND THE MANUFACTURE SHOULD FIX THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED FROM THIS. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE AIRBAG SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT FAILED AROUND 50,000 MILES. I WAS TOLD THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1400.00. THIS IS A KNOW ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR OF MINI COOPER S. DEALSHIPS NEED TO BE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND MINI/BMW NEEDS TO HAVE A RECALL. *TR

FOUND NEED MORE TURNING OF STEERING WHEEL AT TRAFFIC LIGHT INTO THE CROSS STREET, THEN PARKED THE CAR, TURNED OFF ENGINE BUT STILL FOUND SOMETHING RUNNING IN ENGINE BAY. THOUGHT IT WAS THE FAN TO COOL THE ENGINE OFF, SO DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION. AT LUNCH, COME BACK TO PICK UP THE CAR, AND FOUND ITS BATTERY WAS DRAINED ALMOST TOTALLY. JUMPED THE CAR WITHOUT ISSUE AND DROVE BACK HOME WITHOUT ISSUE. TURNED OFF ENGINE AND STILL HEAR THE NOISE OF SOMETHING RUNNING IN THE ENGINE BAY. PULLED ALL FUSES TO SEE IF CAN IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM, DOESN'T HELP, SOMETHING STILL RUN WITH LOAD NOISE. SEARCHED INTERNET, FOUND OTHER OWNERS ALSO EXPERIENCED THE SAME AND IS THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE, SOME EVEN FOUND FAILURE WHILE DRIVING.