MINI Complaints

MY 2003 MINI COOPER S HAD A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AT APROX 60 MPH ON AN EXPRESSWAY NEAR BUFFALO, NY. THE PUMP WAS REPLACED BY ME AT A COST OF APROX $800.00. *TR

ELECTRIC/HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AFTER ONLY 43,000 MILES ON THE CAR. IT STUCK IN THE "ON" POSITION EVEN WHEN KEY REMOVED FROM THE CAR, DRAINING MY BATTERY AND CAUSING A HEAT BUILDUP UNDER THE BONNET. 2004 MINI COOPER S. *TR

I OWN A 2004 MINI COOPER. I STARTED THE CAR LAST WEEK AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS MAKING A VERY HIGH PITCHED SQUEALING NOISE. I DECIDED TO DRIVE ANOTHER CAR THAT DAY BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO BRING IT TO A MECHANIC. THE NEXT DAY I STARTED THE CAR AND THE PUMP CAME UP TO SPEED VERY SLOWLY AND THEN STOPPED MAKING NOISE ALTOGETHER. THE POWER STEERING NO LONGER WORKS. I DON'T THINK I CAN SAFELY DRIVE IT TO THE MECHANIC AND THE CAR HAS SAT IN THE DRIVEWAY SINCE. THE CAR IS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY PERIOD SO I WOULD BE LOOKING AT THE EXPENSE OF TOWING AND PARTS AND LABOR BEFORE I CAN USE IT AGAIN. I JUST SAW THE REPORT ON CNBC AND WAS WONDERING IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM BEFORE I CONTACT A GARAGE. THANK YOU. *TR

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE. COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER ASSIST. JUST HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN DURING NORMAL DRIVING. *TR

MY 2004 MINI COOPER S, OF WHICH I AM THE SECOND OWNER HAS DEVELOPED PROGRESSIVELY WORSENING STEERING CHARACTERISTICS. MOST TIMES THE STEERING IS HARD AND TYPICALLY ITS HARDEST AT LOW SPEED. THE STEERING UNDER ACCELERATION IS NOTABLY OF GREAT CONCERN AS I HAVE EXPERIENCED ERRATIC AND UNPREDICTABLE SUDDEN PULLS TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT WITHOUT ANY DRIVER INPUT. THE SERVICE HISTORY FOR THIS VEHICLE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE SUGGESTED SERVICE INTERVALS. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WOULD MALFUNCTION WHICH ALMOST LED TO A CRASH. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING MOTOR AND THE COOLING FAN REPLACED. SINCE THE REPAIRS, THE CONTACT HAD NOT NOTICED ANY POWER STEERING ISSUES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

2005 MINI COOPER - SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH. DEALER STATED POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE & NOT UNCOMMON IN 5 YEAR OLD CAR. NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER TYPE S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED, THE POWER STEERING WOULD SUDDENLY STOP FUNCTIONING WITHOUT WARNING; THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE FAILURE WAS 8,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS APPROXIMATELY 143,000. UPDATED 01/04/11*LJ UPDATED 01/10/11*JB

DRIVING VEHICLE NORMALLY, POWER ASSIST FOR THE STEERING FAILS CAUSING GREATLY INCREASED EFFORT TO STEER. THIS IS ADDRESSED IN PE10038 BUT THE MODEL YEARS AFFECTED SHOULD INCLUDE 2002 AND 2003 AS THE ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEMS WERE THE SAME. I HAVE NOT YET ATTEMPTED TO REPLACE ANY PARTS, ONLY HAVE CONFIRMED FLUID IS FULL AND BOTH COOLING FANS OPERATE. CYCLING THE IGNITION KEY BRIEFLY TO THE OFF POSITION WILL CAUSE POWER ASSIST TO RESUME. *TR

2002 MINI COOPER S POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED LEAVING CAR WITH VERY HEAVY STEERING. CAR TRAVELED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC BUT NO DAMAGE OR INJURY OCCURRED. I HAVE OLD PS PUMP AVAILABLE. *TR