2006 MINI Cooper

Electronic power steering pump issue/failure. The steering wheel was so stiff when I tried to go right that I physically could not turn the wheel. This is extremely dangerous & it happens without warning. No lights come on. You are left in a moving vehicle, without much of a way to control the direction you need it to travel in. From what I have learned, it seems an extended warranty was initially offered, & then a forced recall was issued on the, 1st Gen, 2002-2005 Mini Coopers. Only part of the vehicles with these issues were included in the recall. I have the same size 1.6 engine, & the exact same electronic power steering pump that comes with the issues & failures that I have in my 06. I have seen it on vehicles up to 08. This is absolutely unacceptable. This is a documented manufacturing defect & design flaw that has been continually allowed to endanger people’s lives. I am unsure how BMW managed to only recall part of the vehicles with these electronic power steering pump issues. I contacted BMW who told me there were no extended warranties or recalls on my vehicle.

Power steering pump grinding. This was a recall on the 2002-2005 model but not the 2006. The same issue is happening with this car that happened with the recall vehicles and I would expect bmw to fix this problem. Thanks

The contact owns a 2006 Mini Cooper. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel was significantly difficult to turn. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 139,000.

BMW issued a Recall 15V-205 Safety Recall, to cover the Airbag sensor in the passenger seat of my vehicle, a 2006 Mini Cooper S. The failure error was in the airbag sensor in the passenger seat, and the system warned of potential hazard with the passenger airbag. My car had a recall fix in 2018 for this fault. Now some 4 years later the same fault has arisen in the same sensor and system. I returned to BMW Mini who carried out the previous recall to have this fixed again. They said that while their repairs and parts generally carry an 8-year warranty, they do not warrant Recall repairs. They wanted over $2,000 to fix this issue. As this is a repeat of the original fault, and the car has under 100,000 miles I believe it should be covered, as their repair and or part has again failed. The date below is when I took it for the recall and was refused the warrenty repair.

Power steering pump went out while driving the car. Car was extremely hard to steer. Almost hit a guard rail. Had the car towed home and then to a garage. This is a known problem with Mini Coopers from year 2002 to 2006. Websites and Mini Cooper Forums are loaded with Power Steering Pumps failing. No warning. Pump was confirmed to be the problem by an independent garage that only services high end german cars. Power Steering Pump was diagnosed to be bad on 8/04/2022. Car has a little over 60,000 miles on it.

The contact owns a 2006 Mini Coop S. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the passenger’s side seat occupancy mat had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist since the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V205000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 90,350.

The contact owns a 2006 Mini Cooper Convertible. The contact stated that the front passenger’s seat occupant detection mat was replaced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V205000 (Air Bags) three years ago; however, the front passenger's side air bag warning light had been illuminating intermittently. The contact stated that the front passenger's side air bag warning light would illuminate whenever a lightweight passenger or a heavier passenger would sit in the front passenger’s seat. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

The electro-hydraulic power steering system stopped working on my 2005 Mini Cooper. The was a recall for 2002 to 2005 mini power steering pump failures but the problem continued thru 2011 because the fix that mini Cooper came up with was inadequate. The essentially put a band-aid on the problem and left car owners holding the bag. I, in fact, had the auxiliary pump that mini came up with replaced and the power steering problem continued because their fix was no good. I have an appointment with the Mini Cooper dealership to look at my car in about 2 weeks. They've told me that I'm not covered by the recall even though they ordered a recall of 86,000 cars for the problem in 2015. Not having power steering in any vehicle is very dangerous. The problem first occurred and remains after 2 years. The problem was reproduced by an independent repair service that I have used for years.

I DROVE THE CAR EARLIER AND IT WAS FINE. I RETURNED HOME AND THEN HOURS LATER TRIED TO PULL OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY TO FIND I COULDN'T TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THANK GOODNESS I WASN'T DRIVING WHEN IT WENT OR I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL. APPARENTLY AFTER READING ONLINE QUITE A BIT THIS IS A PROBLEM AND THERE IS NO RECALL OR EVEN A CAMPAIGN OR BULLETIN. THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. DUE TO THE SAFETY ISSUE ALONE I'M FRANKLY SHOCKED. APPARENTLY BMW DEALERS ARE CLEANING UP DUE TO THE EXPENSE OF THE REPAIR. I'M LOOKING AT A MINIMUM OF $1500. APPORX 60% OF VEHICLES HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE BILLOWING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AFTER OPENING THE HOOD, FLAMES WERE PRESENT COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE NEIGHBOR ASSISTED IN EXTINGUISHING THE FLAMES. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,000.

It is very difficult to turn my steering wheel. It takes more energy than any other car I have ever driven

THE AIR CONDITIONING HAD STOPPED BLOWING COOL AIR. THEN WHEN I WAS PARKED, AND IDLED, MY POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING WHILE TRYING TO BACK OUT. AFTER WRESTLING WITH THE WHEEL FOR A MINUTE TO GET OUT OF A PARKING LOT AREA, THE POWER STEERING CAME BACK ON. THE MECHANIC SAID ONE OF MY COOLANT FANS DOES NOT WORK. THIS MAY BE PART OF A RECALL THAT AFFECT 2005 MINIS WITH COOLANT FAN/POWER STEERING, HOWEVER MY CAR WAS MADE JUST A FEW MONTHS PAST THE RECALL.

Passenger air bag light went on and i took it to Mini dealer who diagnosed that ht passenger seat matt sensor failed and recommendedreplacement of seatmatt sensor I called Mini about safetyrecall NHTSA15V20500 of 4/6/2015, and they informed me my VIN/vehicle was not part of thatrecall

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SOUTH BAY MINI LOCATED AT (18800 HAWTHORNE BLVD, TORRANCE CA) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

AIR BAG SERVICE LIGHT ON. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING FUNCTIONALITY. THE SEAT BELT AND CHECK-ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE BROWN MOTOR WORKS (803-551-0991, LOCATED AT 4041 BROAD RIVER RD, COLUMBIA, SC 29210) AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING NEEDED TO BE SERVICES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SUBJECTED TO A RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160.000.

POWER STEERING IS MALFUNCTIONING. IT COME AND GOES FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS WHILE IN A WINDING ROAD. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACE SOME LINES. A FEW MOTHS LATER IT STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DRIVING AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN IDLE FOR MORE THAN 2 HOURS. NOW THE POWER STEERING IS TOTALLY NOT WORKING AT ALL.

INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILIURE DURING DRIVING, STIFF STEERING WHEEL CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT

THE SEAT SENSOR FOR THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WAS REPLACED ONCE UNDER A RECALL. AFTER 2 YEARS, IT HAS FAILED AGAIN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE IS ONLY A TWO YEAR WARRANTY ON TEH PART. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT MAKES THE CARE UNSAFE AND UNUSABLE.

THERE IS A CONSTANT FUEL / GASOLINE SMELL IN MY CAR AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. NO VISIBLE LEAKS. THE SMELL IS CONSTANT.