2004 MINI Cooper Complaint Log

POWER STEERING PUMP WONT SHUT OFF AFTER VEHICLE IS DISABLED, CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DIE. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WILL DISABLE WHILE DRIVING. *TR

OUR 2004 MINI COOPER HAS BEGUN TO EXHIBIT INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURES USUALLY AFTER BEING AT REST OR AT VERY LOW SPEEDS. IF THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED, THE POWER STEERING STARTS UP AGAIN BUT THE PROBLEM HAS BEGUN OCCURRING MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY. *TR

DRIVING CAR ON HIGHWAY ROUNDING CURVE, POWER STEERING FAILED COMPLETELY. *TR

MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT TODAY WHILE DRIVING. IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST SCARY EXPERIENCES I HAVE EVER HAD. I ADORE MY LITTLE CAR, BUT TODAY IT MADE ME SO SCARED I AM NOT SURE I AM OK DRIVING HER ANY MORE. WHILE DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD, I NOTICED THAN MY STEERING WHEEL WAS VERY STIFF. I STARTED TO TURN INTO THE LEFT-TURN LANE AND COULD BARELY DO IT, THEN TRIED TO TURN LEFT AND ALMOST HIT THE CARS AROUND ME BECAUSE I HAD TO USE ALL OF MY STRENGTH TO MAKE THE TURN. MY POWER STEERING WENT WITHOUT ANY WARNING, NONE. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE, I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS HAPPENING. I IMMEDIATELY LOOKED ONLINE WHEN I GOT HOME TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AND HOW MUCH THIS REPAIR WILL COST AND WAS AMAZED AND VERY DISAPPOINTED TO SEE SO MANY SIMILAR ACCOUNTS BY OTHER 2004 COOPER OWNERS. I FEEL LUCKY AFTER READING OTHERS STORIES THAT IT HAPPENED TO ME ON A LOCAL ROAD CLOSE TO HOME. I ALSO JUST LOOKED IN MY FILE AND SEE THAT MY POWER STEERING COOLING FAN WAS REPLACED 9 MONTHS AGO WHEN MY CAR WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR OTHER REPAIRS. MINI / BMW, HOW CAN YOU IGNORE THIS INCREDIBLE ISSUE AND DANGER? *TR

WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING INEXPLICABLY WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING MAKING STEERING AND CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT. THE PROBLEM WAS POTENTIALLY QUITE DANGEROUS DUE TO ITS UNEXPECTED NATURE. IF I WAS NOT TRAVELING STRAIGHT AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE WHICH SHOWED ITSELF AS I BEGAN MY NEXT TURN AND HAD BEGUN A TURN WHEN THE SYSTEM FAILED IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL THE CAR. SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS ISSUE. *TR

POWER STEERING PUMP FAIL. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR ANY WARNING LIGHT. FOUND OUT THAT ITS NOT WORKING WHILE DRIVING!!! I COULDN'T TURN MY STEERING WHEEL IT BECAME VERY STIFF. ITS VERY DANGEROUS AND VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE. ABOUT $900 FOR THE PART ONLY! *TR

EXITING ON AN OFF-RAMP FROM THE FREEWAY THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AND STEERING BECAME ROCK HARD AND IT TOOK CONSIDERABLE STRENGTH TO KEEP THE CAR FROM GOING STRAIGHT AND RUNNING INTO THE GUARD RAIL AROUND THE TURN. VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE AND IF I HAD DECREASED MUSCLE STRENGTH THE CAR WOULD HAVE VEERED STRAIGHT FOR THE GUARD RAIL AND AT HIGH FREEWAY EXIT SPEEDS. *JS

FAILURE OF POWER STEERING PUMP MADE VEHICLE VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER IN TRAFFIC AND WHEN PARKING. *JS

WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED, RESULTING IN A NEAR-LOSS OF CONTROL AND CRASH DUE TO THE SUDDEN DRAMATIC INCREASE IN PHYSICAL EFFORT REQUIRED TO CONTROL THE CAR. THE FAILURE WAS DETERMINED TO BE RELATED TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP NO LONGER FUNCTIONING. THERE WAS NO LOSS OF FLUID OR BREACH IN THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM. THIS IS APPARENTLY A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THIS MODEL OF CAR. *TR

BMW INSTALLED PLASTIC POWER STEERING PUMP THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED BECAUSE THE PART IS FAULTY AND LEAKS POWER STEERING FLUID. I HAD TO REPLACE PUMP WITH METAL POWER STEERING PUMP. *TR

INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE. POWER STEERING PUMP REMAINS ON AFTER SHUTTING OFF THE CAR AND DRAINS THE BATTERY. *TR

I WAS UNABLE TO GET MY VEHICLE SMOGGED. THE OBD WAS NOT COMMUNICATING WITH SMOG MACHINE. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND FOUND THE POWER STEERING ELECTRICAL WAS CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE SYSTEM. *TR

WITH OUT ANY ADVICE, THE STEERING TURNS RIGID AND HARD TO MANIPULATE,I CHECKED THE FLUID AND IT LOOKS FINE AND CLEAN. *TR

WHILE EXITING THE FREEWAY THE STEERING SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING BECAME EXTREMELY HEAVY TAKING SIGNIFICANTLY MORE EFFORT THEN NORMAL TO JUST MOVE THE WHEEL SLIGHTLY. THE NEXT DAY THE POWER STEERING WORKED NORMALLY BUT THE FAN ON THE POWER STEERING PUMP CONTINUED TO RUN AFTER THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. AFTER 5 MINUTES IN A PARKING LOT IT HAD DRAINED THE BATTERY TO THE POINT WHERE IT STRUGGLED TO START THE ENGINE. WHEN I RETURNED HOME I WAS FORCED TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY UNTIL I CAN GET IT SERVICED. *TR

OCCASIONAL POWER STEERING FAILURE. AT FIRST IT OCCURRED MOSTLY AT START UP FOR LESS THAN A MINUTE. AFTER CALLING THE DEALER FOR INFO, I ADDED FLUID, TURNED THE WHEEL TO LOCK IN BOTH DIRECTIONS AND THAT SEEMED TO HELP FOR A COUPLE WEEKS. THE ISSUE HAS SINCE RETURNED, ABOUT 1 OCCURRENCE PER WEEK. MOST RECENTLY I HAD NO POWER STEERING FOR THE ENTIRETY OF A ~30 MINUTE DRIVE. I'M CONCERNED THAT THE STEERING WILL FAIL MID-TURN, PARTICULARLY WHILE DRIVING DANGEROUS MOUNTAIN ROADS. DOES THE PUMP NEED TO BE REPLACED OR IS THIS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE AS DESCRIBED IN EXISTING COMPLAINTS? *TR

WHILE DRIVING, I NOTICED IT BECAME MARKEDLY MORE DIFFICULT TO TURN THE WHEEL. I WAS ABLE, WITH EFFORT, TO DRIVE SAFELY TO MY DESTINATION. WHEN IT WAS TIME TO RETURN HOME, THE POWER STEERING WAS WORKING FOR THE FIRST 4 OR SO MILES, THEN IT GAVE OUT AGAIN. *TR

POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE IN TRAFFIC JAM. VEHICLE EXTREMELY HARD TO STEER. FOURTH INCIDENT OF THIS HAPPENING. THIS IS THE SECOND COMPLAINT FILED WITH NHTSA. OWNER WAS CONTACTED BY BMW IN AUGUST 2011 FOR COMPLAINT REVIEW, BUT OWNER HAS NOT HEARD BACK FROM THEM AND CANNOT GET THROUGH TO TELEPHONE NUMBER GIVEN BY BMW. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING AND WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 98,000.

HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING ASSIST SYSTEM FAILED WHILE ON THE ROAD 3 TIMES CAUSING A CRASH HAZARD. THE POWER STEERING WOULD RETURN INTERMITTENTLY UNTIL IT COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING. *TR

TOOK CAR INTO DEALER AND THEY SAID THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDS TO REPLACED, WHICH WOULD COST $1050.00 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. PRIOR TO TAKING IT INTO DEALER, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHICH CAUSED ME TO USE ALL MY STRENGTH TO GET THE CAR TO STEER. ON FEBRUARY 5, 2012, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, I PARKED THE CAR, AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAN RAN CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL IT DRAINED THE BATTERY. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT MINI COOPER OWNERS ARE TRYING TO GET BMW TO RECALL THIS DEFECT, BUT THEY WILL NOT. I ALSO READ THAT NHTSA CHECKED INTO THIS, BUT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME WAS. *TR

POWER STEERING PUMP WENT OUT COMPLETELY WITHOUT WARNING AS I WAS DIVING AT A LOW SPEED. STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN, MAKING THE CAR VERY DANGEROUS TO MANEUVER OUT OF TRAFFIC AND PARK SAFELY. NARROWLY AVOIDED HITTING PEDESTRIANS DUE TO MY INABILITY TO TURN STEERING WHEEL. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON I95 GOING AROUND A CURVE, MY STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER. IT HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES BUT I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND WASN'T SURE WHAT TO TELL MY MECHANIC SINCE IT WAS SO RANDOM. THIS WEEKEND AS I DROVE THROUGH AN INTERSECTION MAKING A LEFT TURN, WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR, IT LOCKED UP AFTER MONTHS OF NOT RECURRING. I WAS ABLE TO STOP IN TIME BEFORE COLLIDING WITH ONCOMING CARS AT THE RED LIGHT BUT IT WAS VERY SCARY FOR ALL OF US. I AM APPALLED MINI HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL CONSIDERING THE PRECIOUS LIVES THAT ARE AT STAKE. I SUPPOSE IT WILL TAKE A FATALITY FOR SOMEONE TO RECALL THIS DEFECTIVE PART. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER .THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED MOMENTARILY BEFORE RESUMING NORMAL OPERATION INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT HAD EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE AT LEAST TWICE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE ON A HIGHWAY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COPPER. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 35 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

LENT CAR TO BOYFRIEND TO DRIVE ME TO BOSTON (100 MILE ONE WAY). ON THE WAY HOME HE STOPPED AT A STORE APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES FROM THE HOUSE. WHEN HE CAME BACK OUT OF THE STORE ( WAS IN STORE APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES) THE POWER STEERING NO LONGER WORKED. IT WAS LIKE TRYING TO STEER THROUGH CONCRETE FOR HIM. A FEW DAYS LATER HE TRIED THE CAR AND IT ALL WORKED FINE AGAIN. BASED ON PRIOR COMPLAINTS FILED, I AM CONCERNED THAT THE ISSUE WILL REOCCUR WHEN I AM DRIVING CAUSING OBVIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS, OR THAT IT MAY CATCH FIRE (BASED ON OTHER COMPLAINTS FILED FOR SIMILAR ISSUES) AND THAT I WILL BE FACING THE COST OF REPLACING THE POWER STEERING UNIT (WHICH DOES NOT SOUND LIKE IT HAS BEEN REENGINEERED SINCE THIS ISSUE BECAME KNOWN).

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER STEERING. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AND TO REPLACE THE PUMP AS WELL AS THE BATTERY TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,900.

I HAD DRIVEN THE VEHICLE TO WORK WITHOUT INCIDENT. STARTED VEHICLE AFTER WORK AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS NOT WORKING. DROVE THE VEHICLE 34 MILES AND PARKED IT FOR 30 MINUTES. WHEN I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE THE POWER STEERING WAS AGAIN WORKING. *TR

SUDDEN POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. *TR

BEGINNING EARLY 2012 (APPROX), THERE WAS INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE; THE FREQUENCY INCREASED THROUGH 2012. TOTAL POWER STEERING FAILURE AS OF JANUARY 19, 2013. MECHANIC ADVISES THIS IS A FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP - A WELL KNOWN ISSUE WITH 2004 MINI COOPERS. *TR

POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING---WHILE DRIVING ON CURVE---IMPACTED CAR CONTROL. REGAINED POWER STEERING. THIS HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES. VERY DANGEROUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AS I WAS EXITING I-80 @ EXIT 56 RETURNING HOME FROM WORK. AS I STARTED ONTO THE EXIT RAMP AND BEGAN TO CURVE TO THE RIGHT, THE STEERING WAS VERY HARD IN THE CAR WHICH RESULTED IN MY HAVING TO FORCE THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT. I ALSO WAS BRAKING AT THIS POINT GIVEN THE SURPRISE OF THE TIGHT WHEEL. I ENDED UP ON THE SHOULDER OF THE RAMP BEFORE GAINING CONTROL OF THE CAR AND REDUCING THE SPEED. WHEN I GOT TO THE TOP OF THE RAMP AND STOPPED, THE PUMP BEGAN TO WORK AGAIN. ON 12/27 THE PUMP FAILED AGAIN AS I BACKED OUT OF MY GARAGE. I PULLED THE CAR BACK INTO THE GARAGE AND PARKED IT UNTIL I CAN RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. I PURCHASED THE CAR USED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO WITH 67K MILES. I SEARCHED THE FORUMS TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD THIS ISSUE AND FOUND MANY REPORTS OF PUMP/FAN FAILURES. THIS IS A SAFETY RISK TO ANYONE WHO OWNS ONE OF THESE CARS. I CANNOT IMAGINE WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED HAD MY WIFE BEEN DRIVING MY CAR WHEN THE PUMP FAILED, IT WAS ALL I COULD DO TO KEEP FROM WRECKING INTO THE MEDIAN AREA. *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH AND MAKING A TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING EXTREME DIFFICULTY IN STEERING CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

TECHNICALLY THERE WERE 3 INCIDENTS WITH MY 04 MINI COOPER. OUT OF NOWHERE, WHILE DRIVING DOWN A BUSY STREET, THE POWER STEERING JUST STOPPED WORKING. LUCKILY I WAS IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE, AND SLOWED ENOUGH TO VEER TO THE ROADSIDE AND CALL FOR ASSISTANCE. WHEN THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, I WAS TOLD THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, I WAS TOLD THAT IT HAPPENS FREQUENTLY WITH MINI'S. HOWEVER, I DID NOT ASK THEM TO REPLACE MY PUMP, I WANTED A SECOND OPINION. OUT OF NOWHERE MY CAR STARTED TO DRIVE WITHOUT ANY ISSUE WHATSOEVER. I GOT A SECOND OPINION AND WAS TOLD IN ABOUT A YEAR, IT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED, BUT THEY TOO MENTIONED THIS ISSUE WITH MINI'S. I WAS SHOCKED. WEEKS LATER, I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I BARELY MISSED A BUS STOP ON THE CORNER, FULL OF PEOPLE. SHAKEN, I AGAIN CALLED MINI AND ASKED ABOUT A RECALL OR ANY PROCEDURES TOWARD HAVING ONE MADE. OBVIOUSLY, THEY WERE UNHELPFUL, BUT THEY TOO DIVULGED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. MY CAR STARTED TO DRIVE NORMALLY ONCE MORE, BUT I DROVE AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE WHILE I CONTINUED MY RESEARCH. A THIRD TIME, I COULDN'T EVEN GET MY CAR OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND I DECIDED THAT WAS IT. I WAS JUST GOING TO TAKE IT TO A MINI DEALERSHIP AND HAVE THE PUMP REPLACED. WHEN I CALLED WITH MY SITUATION AND THEN TOLD THEM I BELIEVED MY POWER-STEERING PUMP WAS NEEDING TO BE REPLACED, THEY DIDN'T ARGUE OR SAY THEY'D LOOK INTO IT, THEY BASICALLY AGREED, AND GAVE AN ESTIMATE. I TOOK IT IN AND THEY AGAIN ASKED NO QUESTIONS, THEY DIDN'T LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM. $1200 LATER, I LEFT WITH NO QUESTIONS ANSWERED, WITH A HOLE IN MY POCKET. IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED ASAP. WHAT IF I HAD HIT THAT BUSTOP FULL OF PEOPLE, OR WORSE? I CAN STILL TELL THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY STEERING. MINI NEEDS TO DO A RECALL. YESTERDAY. *TR

PARKING ASSIST ALARM STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY THEN THE NEXT TIME AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE THE ALARM SOUNDED AS THOUGH IMPACT WERE IMMINENT THOUGH NOTHING WAS BEHIND THE VEHICLE. ALARM CONTINUES TO SOUND WHENEVER THE MINI IS IN REVERSE. *TR

POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY WORKING CAUSING SEVERE OVERSTEER WHILE ENTERING HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. HAD NO INDICATION OF PROBLEM WHILE ON INTERSTATE. UPON EXITING INTERSTATE ON A 30 MPH LOOP STEERING FAILED . PRESENTLY POWER STEERING IS INTERMITTENT SO THE WIFE NO LONGER GETS TO DRIVE THE COOPER. GOOD FORTUNE WAS WITH ME AND I HAVE DRIVEN CARS WITHOUT POWERSTEERING. EVEN SO I WAS CAUGHT OFF GUARD AND I AM HOPEFUL THIS REPORT WILL PREVENT OTHERS WHICH MAY BE LESS FORTUNATE OR EXPERIENCED. THE MINI DEALERSHIP DIDN'T SEEM TO CARE. *KB

WHILE DRIVING IN A 35MPH ZONE, SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD (BONNET). DRIVER NOTICED ODD STEERING RESPONSE SHORTLY BEFORE SMOKE APPEARED. REPAIR SHOP NOTED POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE CAUSING WIRING LOOM FIRE. RESEARCH HAS FOUND NUMEROUS POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURES ON MINI COOPERS. WHEN POWER STEERING FAILS, DRIVING IS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE GIVEN SIZE OF STEERING WHEEL AND POWER ASSIST DESIGN. *KB

POWER STEERING FAILED. RE-ENGAGED WHEN CAR COOLED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE STARTED THE VEHICLE THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME ABNORMALLY STIFF. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000...UPDATED 01/04/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $866.67 . THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE TRADED THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 01/09/12

STEERING FLUID PUMP WAS JUST REPLACED A FEW WEEKS AGO, PROBLEM HAS RETURNED AND WILL NOT GO AWAY... STEERING WHEEL VERY RIGID HARD TO TURN. VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE TURNS, ALOT OF EFFORT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. TRYING TO MAKE A SHARP OR QUICK TURN IF NEEDED, WOULD BE DANGEROUS & ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. I RECENTLY RESEARCHED AND FOUND THAT THOUSANDS OF 04 MINI COOPERS HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. *TR

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2004 MINI COOPER S, NOW WITH A POWER STEERING PROBLEM. THE POWER STEERING REPEATEDLY FAILS FOR NO DETECTABLE REASON--THIS ACCORDING TO MY MINI/BMW MECHANIC. I DRIVE THE CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES AND THE POWER STEERING FAILS. I SHUT THE CAR OFF, LET IT COOL AND RESTART IT. IT RETURNS TO NORMAL AND THEN AGAIN FAILS AFTER A FEW MILES. THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER RECORDS THE FAILURE, BUT DOES NOT EXPLAIN IT IN A WAY THAT WOULD SUGGEST A SOLUTION. THE CAR'S COMPUTER READS: "FAULT STORED: SHORT CIRCUIT/OPEN CIRCUIT AT CONTROL UNIT." HENCE, MY MECHANIC HAS NO IDEA OF HOW TO FIX IT SHORT OF REPLACING THE ENTIRE SYSTEM WHICH, AS HE SAYS, IS NO GUARANTEE THAT THE PROBLEM WILL STOP. AS IT IS, THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE, AND I WILL NO LONGER PERMIT MY WIFE TO DRIVE IT. I DO HOPE THE NHTSA WILL LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE. I READ ONLINE THAT ALLEGEDLY IS INVESTIGATING THE ISSUE, AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE MY MECHANIC'S WRITTEN EVALUATION IF IT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR RESEARCH. THE STEERING NOW FAILS EACH TIME I DRIVE THE AUTOMOBILE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. *KB

ABOUT A YEAR AND HALF AGO THE CAR WAS LEAKING STEERING FLUID, THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE COOLING FAN ON THE STEERING PUMP WAS A BAD DESIGN, HE ADJUSTED IT AND IT LASTED UNTIL NOVEMBER OF 2011 AGAIN THE LEAKING STARTED, GRINDING NOISE FROM THE FRONT LEFT,STEERING WAS DIFFICULT ON TURNS. I HAD ALL THE STEERING COMPONENTS REPLACED AT A COST OF @ $1,100. MECHANIC STILL BELIEVED IT IS A DESIGN FLAW, SHOULD HAVE A RECALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH, THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR ASSISTANCE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ENTIRE POWER STEERING SYSTEM BECAUSE THE ELECTRONIC POWER ASSIST PUMP COULD NOT BE REPLACED BY ITSELF. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,995 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,000. UPDATED 03/14/12*LJ ALSO, THE AUXILIARY COOLING FAN WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 04/18/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ONLY FUNCTIONED INTERMITTENTLY. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

LOST POWER STEERING ON FREEWAY AT 70 MILE AN HOUR. NEXT DAY IT WORK FOR 40 MILES THEN FAILED AGAIN ON FREEWAY AT 70 MILES AN HOUR, THERE IS NO WARNING OR FLUID LOSS,JUST COMPLETE STEERING LOSS . THEN IT IS VERY HARD TO CONTROL. *TR

THE STEERING WHEEL WENT ALMOST COMPLETELY RIGID AND THE WHEEL REQUIRED A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT TO TURN. TURNING THE WHEEL WAS FAR MORE DIFFICULT THAN IN ANY VEHICLE I HAVE DRIVEN WITHOUT POWER STEERING, AND THERE WAS A PULSE OF DIFFERING PRESSURE AGAINST THE TURNS AT TIMES. AFTER SHUTTING OFF THE CAR AND STARTING AGAIN, THE STEERING WAS BACK TO NORMAL. *TR

AS I WAS DRIVING ON LOCAL ROAD I NOTICED A CAR DOUBLE PARKED I TRIED TO PASS THE VEHICLE WHEN I NOTICED MY STEERING WHEEL WAS STIFF IT WAS VERY HARD TO TURN IT AT ALL I ALMOST SLAMMED INTO DOUBLE PARKED CAR THAT I COULD NOT PASS AND HAD NO CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. ITS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE TO DRIVE A VEHICLE THAT WAY SO ITS PARKED FOR NOW IF I KNEW THAT IT WOULD BE THAT DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE I WOULD NEVER BOUGHT IT. *TR

AFTER STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT, WHEN I ACCELERATED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, LOST POWER STEERING. DROVE TO WORK NEXT DAY WITH NO POWER STEERING, BUT ON THE WAY HOME, IT CAME BACK ON. HOWEVER, WHEN I TURN OFF THE ENGINE, THE ELECTRIC MOTOR KEPT ON RUNNING. HAD TO DISCONNECT BATTERY TO KEEP IT FROM DRAINING AND/OR CAUSE A FIRE. *TT

POWER ASSISTED STEERING WILL CEASE WORKING WHILE DRIVING, MAKING THE CAR VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER/CONTROL. THIS PROBLEM IS CURRENTLY INTERMITTENT, BUT WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN IT IS VERY SCARY. CURRENTLY, I WILL NOT ALLOW MY WIFE OR GRANDCHILDREN IN THE CAR UNTIL I FIX THIS PROBLEM. MINI USA THRU MAIN LINE MINI, BALA CYNWYD, PA STATED NO RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE VIA EMAIL. RESEARCH OF NHTSA ONLINE DATA BASE SHOWS 113 REPORTED COMPLAINTS FOR YEAR 2004 MINI'S AND 120 FOR YEAR 2005 FOR STEERING PROBLEMS AND NO FIX BY BMW. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM AND SUGGEST READERS FILE COMPLAINTS AND HOPE IT DOES NOT TAKE A DEATH TO GET SOMEONE'S ATTENTION. *TR