MINI Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE GOT IN THE VEHICLE AND STARTED IT, THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. SHE PULLED OUT OF THE PARKING SPOT AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED IT. HOWEVER, THE POWER STEERING WAS STILL NON-FUNCTIONAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

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

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRYING TO MOVE OUT A PARKING LOT, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED UP. THE REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 58,000.

MY 2005 MINI COOPER S HAS HAD THE POWER STEERING GO OUT SEVERAL TIMES. THIS HAPPENS WITH NO WARNING AND HAS CAUSED ME TO ALMOST BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. AS I WAS CHANGING LANES ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS I COULDN'T TURN THE WHEEL AND ALMOST WENT INTO A CONCRETE WALL. IT ALSO WENT OUT WHILE ON A TRIP IN THE MOUNTAINS, I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT GOING OFF THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN ROAD. THIS POWER STEERING PUMP ALSO HAS STAYED RUNNING AND KILLED MY BATTERY LEAVING ME TO FIND A JUMP. THE ISSUE IS THAT IT TURNS OFF AND ON AT RANDOM TIMES AND WITH NO WARNING. *TR

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

2005 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE AT FIRST INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE AND NOW COMPLETE POWER STEERING FAILURE. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED VERY SUDDENLY WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, I ALMOST RAN INTO ANOTHER CAR. NOW I AM NOT DRIVING THE CAR UNTIL I CAN AFFORD TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 MINI COOPER AND I TOO HAVE HAD MY POWER STEERING FAIL ON CURVES WHILE DRIVING THIS HAPPENS A LOT WHEN I TURN THE WHEEL ON SHARP CURVES AND PARK. IT COSTS ABOUT 850 DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP AT THE DEALER AND I AM UNEMPLOYED AT THE MOMENT AND CANNOT AFFORD THIS COST. *TR

WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED I WAS APPROACHING A CORNER FOR A TURN AND WITHOUT WARNING THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. ANOTHER CAR WAS AT THE CORNER AND I ALMOST HIT IT BECAUSE I WASN'T EXPECTING TO HAVE TO MANUALLY FORCE THE STEERING WHEEL TO TURN THE CAR. THERE IS NO SET TIME OR LENGTH OF DRIVE FOR THE POWER STEERING TO JUST QUIT. NOW EVEN GOING STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROAD I CAN SOMETIMES FEEL THE STEERING STIFFEN UP SO I WILL MAKE A TURN TO CHECK AND SURE ENOUGH NO POWER STEERING. SOMETIMES WHILE IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN THE CAR WILL FEEL LIKE IT JUMPS A LITTLE SIDEWAYS AND I'M NOT SURE IF ITS THE POWER STEERING TRYING TO ENGAGE OR WHAT. I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO REPLACE THE PUMP YET BUT I TRY NOT TO DRIVE IT AS OFTEN TO DECREASE THE CHANCES OF HITTING SOMETHING OR THE POWER STEERING PUMP GOING OUT ALL OF THE WAY. *TR

2005 MINI COOPER INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING STARTED AT 55,000 MILES. DURING RIGHT HAND TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 30MI/HR HAD NEAR HEAD ON COLLISION WITH THE CAR IN THE LEFT HAND LANE DO TO THE UNEXPECTED POWER STEERING OUTAGE. REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY (5,000 MILES OVER) COST ESTIMATE AT $1,200. CAR IS SAFER WITHOUT POWER STEERING. PREDICTABLE, BUT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. *TR