Investigations

NHTSA IDManufacturerDate openDate closeSubjectRecall campaign
STEERING
PE10038BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC09/24/201005/10/2011Loss of Power Steering Assist
 Odi has received 339 complaints alleging an unexpected loss of power steering assist while driving the vehicle.when the power steering assist stops working, drivers experienced difficulty in steering and/or controlling the vehicle.according to bmw drivers may experience either a temporary or permanent loss of power steering assist.bmw further advised that a temporary loss of power steering assist may be due to a malfunctioning cooling fan or an under-voltage condition in the power steering system.a permanent loss of power steering assist may be due to an error in the internal electronics, and may also result in the continuous running of the power steering pump.the voq complaints allege 5 minor crashes and 3 fires.the crashes are described as hit the curb.the fires are described as melted wires. there were no property damage claims.odi has received similar complaints for other model year mini.additional information is required to evaluate the frequency, consequence, and scope of this issue.accordingly the investigation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis (see ea11-005).
EA11005BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC05/04/2011Loss of Power Steering Assist
 Odi has received 339 complaints alleging an unexpected loss of power steering assist while driving the vehicle.when the power steering assist stops working, drivers experienced difficulty in steering and/or controlling the vehicle.according to bmw drivers may experience either a temporary or permanent loss of power steering assist.bmw further advised that a temporary loss of power steering assist may be due to a malfunctioning cooling fan or an under-voltage condition in the power steering system.a permanent loss of power steering assist may be due to an error in the internal electronics, and may also result in the continuous running of the power steering pump.the voq complaints allege 5 minor crashes and 3 fires.the crashes are described as hit the curb.the fires are described as melted wires. there were no property damage claims.odi has received similar complaints for other model year mini cooper vehicles.additional information is required to evaluate the frequency, consequence, and scope of this issue.accordingly, the investigation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis.
PE10038BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC09/24/2010Loss of power steering assist
 The office of defect investigations has received 54 complaints and a confidential number of field reports alleging an unexpected loss of power steering assist while driving the vehicle. when the power steering assist stops working it requires increased force to steer the vehicle.some drivers reported experiencing difficulty while trying to steer or control the vehicle.the reports indicate that the loss of power steering assist may be related to a power steering pump failure.
STEERING - ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
PE10038BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC09/24/201005/10/2011Loss of Power Steering Assist
 Odi has received 339 complaints alleging an unexpected loss of power steering assist while driving the vehicle.when the power steering assist stops working, drivers experienced difficulty in steering and/or controlling the vehicle.according to bmw drivers may experience either a temporary or permanent loss of power steering assist.bmw further advised that a temporary loss of power steering assist may be due to a malfunctioning cooling fan or an under-voltage condition in the power steering system.a permanent loss of power steering assist may be due to an error in the internal electronics, and may also result in the continuous running of the power steering pump.the voq complaints allege 5 minor crashes and 3 fires.the crashes are described as hit the curb.the fires are described as melted wires. there were no property damage claims.odi has received similar complaints for other model year mini.additional information is required to evaluate the frequency, consequence, and scope of this issue.accordingly the investigation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis (see ea11-005).
EA11005BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC05/04/2011Loss of Power Steering Assist
 Odi has received 339 complaints alleging an unexpected loss of power steering assist while driving the vehicle.when the power steering assist stops working, drivers experienced difficulty in steering and/or controlling the vehicle.according to bmw drivers may experience either a temporary or permanent loss of power steering assist.bmw further advised that a temporary loss of power steering assist may be due to a malfunctioning cooling fan or an under-voltage condition in the power steering system.a permanent loss of power steering assist may be due to an error in the internal electronics, and may also result in the continuous running of the power steering pump.the voq complaints allege 5 minor crashes and 3 fires.the crashes are described as hit the curb.the fires are described as melted wires. there were no property damage claims.odi has received similar complaints for other model year mini cooper vehicles.additional information is required to evaluate the frequency, consequence, and scope of this issue.accordingly, the investigation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis.
PE10038BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC09/24/2010Loss of power steering assist
 The office of defect investigations has received 54 complaints and a confidential number of field reports alleging an unexpected loss of power steering assist while driving the vehicle. when the power steering assist stops working it requires increased force to steer the vehicle.some drivers reported experiencing difficulty while trying to steer or control the vehicle.the reports indicate that the loss of power steering assist may be related to a power steering pump failure.
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - PUMP
PE10038BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC09/24/201005/10/2011Loss of Power Steering Assist
 Odi has received 339 complaints alleging an unexpected loss of power steering assist while driving the vehicle.when the power steering assist stops working, drivers experienced difficulty in steering and/or controlling the vehicle.according to bmw drivers may experience either a temporary or permanent loss of power steering assist.bmw further advised that a temporary loss of power steering assist may be due to a malfunctioning cooling fan or an under-voltage condition in the power steering system.a permanent loss of power steering assist may be due to an error in the internal electronics, and may also result in the continuous running of the power steering pump.the voq complaints allege 5 minor crashes and 3 fires.the crashes are described as hit the curb.the fires are described as melted wires. there were no property damage claims.odi has received similar complaints for other model year mini.additional information is required to evaluate the frequency, consequence, and scope of this issue.accordingly the investigation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis (see ea11-005).
EA11005BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC05/04/2011Loss of Power Steering Assist
 Odi has received 339 complaints alleging an unexpected loss of power steering assist while driving the vehicle.when the power steering assist stops working, drivers experienced difficulty in steering and/or controlling the vehicle.according to bmw drivers may experience either a temporary or permanent loss of power steering assist.bmw further advised that a temporary loss of power steering assist may be due to a malfunctioning cooling fan or an under-voltage condition in the power steering system.a permanent loss of power steering assist may be due to an error in the internal electronics, and may also result in the continuous running of the power steering pump.the voq complaints allege 5 minor crashes and 3 fires.the crashes are described as hit the curb.the fires are described as melted wires. there were no property damage claims.odi has received similar complaints for other model year mini cooper vehicles.additional information is required to evaluate the frequency, consequence, and scope of this issue.accordingly, the investigation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis.
PE10038BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC09/24/2010Loss of power steering assist
 The office of defect investigations has received 54 complaints and a confidential number of field reports alleging an unexpected loss of power steering assist while driving the vehicle. when the power steering assist stops working it requires increased force to steer the vehicle.some drivers reported experiencing difficulty while trying to steer or control the vehicle.the reports indicate that the loss of power steering assist may be related to a power steering pump failure.
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
PE10038BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC09/24/201005/10/2011Loss of Power Steering Assist
 Odi has received 339 complaints alleging an unexpected loss of power steering assist while driving the vehicle.when the power steering assist stops working, drivers experienced difficulty in steering and/or controlling the vehicle.according to bmw drivers may experience either a temporary or permanent loss of power steering assist.bmw further advised that a temporary loss of power steering assist may be due to a malfunctioning cooling fan or an under-voltage condition in the power steering system.a permanent loss of power steering assist may be due to an error in the internal electronics, and may also result in the continuous running of the power steering pump.the voq complaints allege 5 minor crashes and 3 fires.the crashes are described as hit the curb.the fires are described as melted wires. there were no property damage claims.odi has received similar complaints for other model year mini.additional information is required to evaluate the frequency, consequence, and scope of this issue.accordingly the investigation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis (see ea11-005).
EA11005BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC05/04/2011Loss of Power Steering Assist
 Odi has received 339 complaints alleging an unexpected loss of power steering assist while driving the vehicle.when the power steering assist stops working, drivers experienced difficulty in steering and/or controlling the vehicle.according to bmw drivers may experience either a temporary or permanent loss of power steering assist.bmw further advised that a temporary loss of power steering assist may be due to a malfunctioning cooling fan or an under-voltage condition in the power steering system.a permanent loss of power steering assist may be due to an error in the internal electronics, and may also result in the continuous running of the power steering pump.the voq complaints allege 5 minor crashes and 3 fires.the crashes are described as hit the curb.the fires are described as melted wires. there were no property damage claims.odi has received similar complaints for other model year mini cooper vehicles.additional information is required to evaluate the frequency, consequence, and scope of this issue.accordingly, the investigation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis.
PE10038BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC09/24/2010Loss of power steering assist
 The office of defect investigations has received 54 complaints and a confidential number of field reports alleging an unexpected loss of power steering assist while driving the vehicle. when the power steering assist stops working it requires increased force to steer the vehicle.some drivers reported experiencing difficulty while trying to steer or control the vehicle.the reports indicate that the loss of power steering assist may be related to a power steering pump failure.

Consumer Complaints

Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
STEERING
02/01/201371000
 Loss of power steering on my 2004 mini cooper. this problem comes an dgoes and my local service station said the pump has a crack.
03/04/201377000
 Power steering failure. unknown cause.
02/01/201371000
 Loss of power steering on my 2004 mini cooper. this problem comes an dgoes and my local service station said the pump has a crack.
03/04/201377000
 Power steering failure. unknown cause.
02/01/201371000
 Loss of power steering on my 2004 mini cooper. this problem comes an dgoes and my local service station said the pump has a crack.
03/04/201377000
 Power steering failure. unknown cause.
02/01/2012580001
 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
02/01/201258000
 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 reoccurring. 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.
02/13/2013102000
 Power steering went out as we were driving down the road. almost caused an accident. power steering still out. i just read up and it seems everyone's waiting for the recall. this is dangerous!!
02/12/2013550001
 Driving off-ramp at 35 mph power steering stopped functioning and steering became really hard, lights went off, ac stopped working, and lots of engine lights came up, almost crashed when turning a corner and engine started failing.....got home and shut off car, when tried to turn on again, it failed to start....... *tr
02/13/2013102000
 Power steering went out as we were driving down the road. almost caused an accident. power steering still out. i just read up and it seems everyone's waiting for the recall. this is dangerous!!
02/12/201355000
 Driving off-ramp at 35 mph power steering stopped functioning and steering became really hard, lights went off, ac stopped working, and lots of engine lights came up, almost crashed when turning a corner and engine started failing.....got home and shut off car, when tried to turn on again, it failed to start.......
01/26/2013810001
 2004 mini cooper occasionally would lose power steering once every couple months after a few years of owning it. turning off car and starting it back up would always resolve it. while driving down highway at 60mph, lost power steering. could not pull over immediately. took exit ramp with a sharp curve, could barely make it around the curve, ended up on the shoulder. easily could have been an accident, or worse. *tr
01/26/201381000
 2004 mini cooper occasionally would lose power steering once every couple months after a few years of owning it. turning off car and starting it back up would always resolve it. while driving down highway at 60mph, lost power steering. could not pull over immediately. took exit ramp with a sharp curve, could barely make it around the curve, ended up on the shoulder. easily could have been an accident, or worse.
01/09/201391000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the power steering failed. the vehicle was shutdown and restarted and after a few minutes, operated as designed. the vehicle had not been diagnosed by a mechanic but the contact was sure that the power steering pump was the cause of the failure. the manufacturer was notified but offered no assistance. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure and current mileage was 91,000.
01/09/201391000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated while driving 35 mph the power steering failed. the vehicle was stopped and after a few minutes the power steering returned and the vehicle operated as designed. the manufacturer was notified but offered no assistance. the vehicle had not been diagnosed by a mechanic but the contact was sure that the power steering pump was the cause of the failure. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure and current mileage was 91,000. dt
12/28/20121199871
 I was driving home on the high way from my friends house , when all of the sudden my steering got hard and i was going about 65mph, i pulled over and shut my car off wondering what had happened, turned it back on and it worked fine but it felt like it was getting hard, again like it would get hard and let go real quick , started driving really slow until my nearest exit and it got really hard before i got off the highway, and it stayed that way until i got home and its been happening since. *tr
01/09/201391000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated while driving 35 mph the power steering failed. the vehicle was stopped and after a few minutes the power steering returned and the vehicle operated as designed. the manufacturer was notified but offered no assistance. the vehicle had not been diagnosed by a mechanic but the contact was sure that the power steering pump was the cause of the failure. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure and current mileage was 91,000. dt
12/28/2012119987
 I was driving home on the high way from my friends house , when all of the sudden my steering got hard and i was going about 65mph, i pulled over and shut my car off wondering what had happened, turned it back on and it worked fine but it felt like it was getting hard, again like it would get hard and let go real quick , started driving really slow until my nearest exit and it got really hard before i got off the highway, and it stayed that way until i got home and its been happening since.
12/30/2012889861
 Power steering pump failed at speed. was very difficult to control the vehicle and presented a hazard to me and the vehicles around me. this is a common and known issue on many minis of similar year, should not occur to due the safety hazards. *tr
12/17/201288416
 Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated that the power steering assist failed intermittently and the steering wheel became hard to turn. the failure occurred for a brief moment and the steering returned to normal function. however, the failure became permanent over time. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and a diagnostic was performed. the failure was located at the power steering pump. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 88,416 and the current mileage was 88,570.
12/30/201288986
 Power steering pump failed at speed. was very difficult to control the vehicle and presented a hazard to me and the vehicles around me. this is a common and known issue on many minis of similar year, should not occur to due the safety hazards.
12/17/201288416
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated that the power steering assist failed intermittently and the steering wheel became hard to turn. the failure occurred for a brief moment and the steering returned to normal function. however, the failure became permanent over time. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and a diagnostic was performed. the failure was located at the power steering pump. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 88,416 and the current mileage was 88,570. kmj
12/30/201288986
 Power steering pump failed at speed. was very difficult to control the vehicle and presented a hazard to me and the vehicles around me. this is a common and known issue on many minis of similar year, should not occur to due the safety hazards.
12/17/201288416
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated that the vehicle steering failed intermittently and became hard to turn, but the failure occurred for a brief moment and the steering returned to normal function. however, the failure became permanent the steering was hard to turn and did not return to normal function. the vehicle was taken to the dealer a diagnostic was performed. the failure was located at the power steering pump. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 88,416 and the current mileage was 88,570. li
01/03/2011900001
 Power steering has failed on 2004 mini copper twice. this is the second occurrence in 1.75 years. this is a safety concern especially as a city driver where the need exists to parallel park, park in parking decks, and driving and turning on narrow streets with traffic. there is not always the option to make a wide turn. model years 04 and 05 have this issue and mini has not addressed. in addition they have not made it an affordable repair. *tr
12/03/2012770001
 Backing out of parking space and upon shifting from reverse to drive and starting forward power steering went out. very difficult to operate car due to difficulty steering. *tr
01/03/201190000
 Power steering has failed on 2004 mini copper twice. this is the second occurence in 1.75 years. this is a safety concern especially as a city driver where the need exists to parallel park, park in parking decks, and driving and turning on narrow streets with traffic. there is not always the option to make a wide turn. model years 04 and 05 have this issue and mini has not addressed. in addition they have not made it an affordable repair.
12/03/2012770001
 Backing out of parking space and upon shifting from reverse to drive and starting forward power steering went out. very difficult to operate car due to difficulty steering. *tr
12/03/201277000
 Backing out of parking space and upon shifting from reverse to drive and starting forward power steering went out. very difficult to operate car due to difficulty steering.
11/19/20121
 My 2004 mini cooper has had multiple incidents where the power steering pump fails. it has failed numerous times, some even while driving. the problem starts if the steering wheel is cranked all the way for a tight turn, gradual turn or does not turn on when the car starts. sometime the pump will reset if the car if shut off then on again or the pump regains pressure. i have checked the pump itself, there are no leaks, fluid is filled to the appropriate level and no other issues have come up. this is a very dangerous thing to have happen while driving and needs to be resolved. it is a costly repair that i find bmw should assist with being that the pump appears to be faulty. *tr
12/03/201277000
 Backing out of parking space and upon shifting from reverse to drive and starting forward power steering went out. very difficult to operate car due to difficulty steering.
11/19/20121
 My 2004 mini cooper has had multiple incidents where the power steering pump fails. it has failed numerous times, some even while driving. the problem starts if the steering wheel is cranked all the way for a tight turn, gradual turn or does not turn on when the car starts. sometime the pump will reset if the car if shut off then on again or the pump regains pressure. i have checked the pump itself, there are no leaks, fluid is filled to the appropriate level and no other issues have come up. this is a very dangerous thing to have happen while driving and needs to be resolved. it is a costly repair that i find bmw should assist with being that the pump appears to be faulty. *tr
11/19/2012
 My 2004 mini cooper has had multiple incidents where the power steering pump fails. it has failed numerous times, some even while driving. the problem starts if the steering wheel is cranked all the way for a tight turn, gradual turn or does not turn on when the car starts. sometime the pump will reset if the car if shut off then on again or the pump regains pressure. i have checked the pump itself, there are no leaks, fluid is filled to the appropriate level and no other issues have come up. this is a very dangerous thing to have happen while driving and needs to be resolved. it is a costly repair that i find bmw should assist with being that the pump appears to be faulty.
11/08/2012874201
 While driving home as i turned into my street the steering power suddenly went out causing me to drive into the incoming traffic lane, luckily there were no vehicles but if there would have been any vehicles i could have been in a front collision. *tr the fact that this happens while driving makes this issue extremely dangerous.
11/08/201287420
 While driving home as i turned into my street the steering power suddenly went out causing me to drive into the incoming traffic lane, luckily there were no vehicles but if there would have been any vehicles i could have been in a front collision. the fact that this happens while driving makes this issue extremely dangerous.
10/18/2012550001
 The power steering cut out while driving around town. after driving further about 20 minutes, power steering returned. power steering now acts erratically, operating sometimes and not others. power steering periodically does not operate. *tr
10/18/201255000
 The power steering cut out while driving around town. after driving further about 20 minutes, power steering returned. power steering now acts erratically, operating sometimes and not others. power steering periodically does not operate.
10/12/201290000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while driving approximately 40 mph, the power steering failed without warning. the contact was able to continue driving. on a separate occasion the contact noticed the electric power steering pump continuously operated even though the engine was turned off. the vehicle was taken to an independent auto shop who stated the power steering pump would need to be replaced which was a fire hazard. the power steering pump was disconnected. there was currently an open investigation under nhtsa action number ea11005 (steering:electric power assist system). the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 90,000. js
10/18/201255000
 The power steering cut out while driving around town. after driving further about 20 minutes, power steering returned. power steering now acts erratically, operating sometimes and not others. power steering periodically does not operate.
10/12/201290000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while driving approximately 40 mph, the power steering failed without warning. the contact was able to continue driving. on a separate occasion the contact noticed the electric power steering pump continuously operated even though the engine was turned off. the vehicle was taken to an independent auto shop who stated the power steering pump would need to be replaced which was a fire hazard. the power steering pump was disconnected. there was currently an open investigation under nhtsa action number ea11005 (steering:electric power assist system). the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 90,000. js
10/21/201296000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while driving approximately 65 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. the contact shut off the engine and after restarting, the vehicle regained power steering capabilities. the power steering continued to fail intermittently. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 96,000. kmj
12/04/2010380001
 12-4-10: the power steering pump kept running after the car was off and drained the battery in 2 hours. sept., 2012: two incidents of power steering loss while driving. first time i had no power steering when i started the car. i drove a short distance, stopped and restarted the car and the power steering worked. second time i lost power steering briefly while driving at low speed. my mechanic found that the power steering fan had seized and replaced it. when he took it for a test drive, the power steering pump was making a loud noise. he replaced the pump as well and the problems were corrected. *tr
10/21/201296000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while driving approximately 65 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. the contact shut off the engine and after restarting, the vehicle regained power steering capabilities. the power steering continued to fail intermittently. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 96,000. kmj
12/04/2010380001
 12-4-10: the power steering pump kept running after the car was off and drained the battery in 2 hours. sept., 2012: two incidents of power steering loss while driving. first time i had no power steering when i started the car. i drove a short distance, stopped and restarted the car and the power steering worked. second time i lost power steering briefly while driving at low speed. my mechanic found that the power steering fan had seized and replaced it. when he took it for a test drive, the power steering pump was making a loud noise. he replaced the pump as well and the problems were corrected. *tr
12/04/201038000
 12-4-10: the power steering pump kept running after the car was off and drained the battery in 2 hours. sept., 2012: two incidents of power steering loss while driving. first time i had no power steering when i started the car. i drove a short distance, stopped and restarted the car and the power steering worked. second time i lost power steering briefly while driving at low speed. my mechanic found that the power steering fan had seized and replaced it. when he took it for a test drive, the power steering pump was making a loud noise. he replaced the pump as well and the problems were corrected.
10/16/2012905003
 Power steering goes out suddenly and unexpectedly making the vehicle extremely hard to turn and steer. has happened 3x in two days. happened one time a year or more ago and i thought it was a fluke. this is now no fluke. when i restart the vehicle (so far) it has come back, but i cannot reliably drive this vehicle this way. canada ordered a recall on this same issue and mini is fixing and extending the warranty to 200,000km. seems only fair that us drivers get the same treatment. it is a dangerous situation and not one we can afford to let go unsolved. *tr
12/04/201038000
 12-4-10: the power steering pump kept running after the car was off and drained the battery in 2 hours. sept., 2012: two incidents of power steering loss while driving. first time i had no power steering when i started the car. i drove a short distance, stopped and restarted the car and the power steering worked. second time i lost power steering briefly while driving at low speed. my mechanic found that the power steering fan had seized and replaced it. when he took it for a test drive, the power steering pump was making a loud noise. he replaced the pump as well and the problems were corrected.
10/16/201290500
 Power steering goes out suddenly and unexpectedly making the vehicle extremely hard to turn and steer. has happened 3x in two days. happened one time a year or more ago and i thought it was a fluke. this is now no fluke. when i restart the vehicle (so far) it has come back, but i cannot reliably drive this vehicle this way. canada ordered a recall on this same issue and mini is fixing and extending the warranty to 200,000km. seems only fair that us drivers get the same treatment. it is a dangerous situation and not one we can afford to let go unsolved.
10/06/2012920001
 As i was driving 40 mph on my local 2-lane road, my power steering suddenly failed with no warning whatsoever. i returned carefully home and left the car parked in my driveway until i could contact my local mini dealer (prestige mini in mahwah, nj). when i got into the car to take it to the dealer, the power steering was suddenly working again. prestige mini claims that my strut towers ($645) and lower control arm bushings (also $645) were shot and needed replacing. the advisor told me verbally that it had nothing to do with the power steering pump and/or the power steering pump fan, but so far i cannot get prestige to reply via email (in writing) that this is true. *tr
10/06/201292000
 As i was driving 40 mph on my local 2-lane road, my power steering suddenly failed with no warning whatsoever. i returned carefully home and left the car parked in my driveway until i could contact my local mini dealer (prestige mini in mahwah, nj). when i got into the car to take it to the dealer, the power steering was suddenly working again. prestige mini claims that my strut towers ($645) and lower control arm bushings (also $645) were shot and needed replacing. the advisor told me verbally that it had nothing to do with the power steering pump and/or the power steering pump fan, but so far i cannot get prestige to reply via email (in writing) that this is true.
09/21/20127000401
 My power steering failed. cause unconfirmed as yet, but this apparently is a known problem. power steering started again when i restarted the car, but now the pump motor (or perhaps the fan) won't shut off and there is no fuse to disable. must disconnect the battery to shut it off and avoid draining the battery. steering did not lock up, but very difficult to overcome the rack-and-pinion steering linkage resistance. *tr
09/21/2012700040
 My power steering failed. cause unconfirmed as yet, but this apparently is a known problem. power steering started again when i restarted the car, but now the pump motor (or perhaps the fan) won't shut off and there is no fuse to disable. must disconnect the battery to shut it off and avoid draining the battery. steering did not lock up, but very difficult to overcome the rack-and-pinion steering linkage resistance.
09/03/2012620001
 Power steering failed as i was returning from taking my child to the airport. the car power steering cooling fan stayed on after i turned off the car and drained the battery. the problem was diagnosed as a failed power steering pump. the car was towed to a mechanic and the power steering pump was replaced as was the dead battery. the total cost was over $1700. *tr
08/22/2012400001
 Intermittent problem with the power steering going out after the engine warms up. this has happened now 4 times with very difficult steering. no loss of fluid on the pavement or squealing noises. after engine cools down, power steering again works. *tr
09/03/201262000
 Power steering failed as i was returning from taking my child to the airport. the car power steering cooling fan stayed on after i turned off the car and drained the battery. the problem was diagnosed as a failed power steering pump. the car was towed to a mechanic and the power steering pump was replaced as was the dead battery. the total cost was over $1700.
08/22/201240000
 Intermittant problem with the power steering going out after the engine warms up. this has happened now 4 times with very difficult steering. no loss of fluid on the pavement or squealling noises. after engine cools down, power steering again works.
09/03/201262000
 Power steering failed as i was returning from taking my child to the airport. the car power steering cooling fan stayed on after i turned off the car and drained the battery. the problem was diagnosed as a failed power steering pump. the car was towed to a mechanic and the power steering pump was replaced as was the dead battery. the total cost was over $1700.
08/22/201240000
 Intermittant problem with the power steering going out after the engine warms up. this has happened now 4 times with very difficult steering. no loss of fluid on the pavement or squealling noises. after engine cools down, power steering again works.
08/24/20121400001
 The power steering failed, common problem in 2004 mini cooper. canada has issued a recall in january 2012. *tr
08/24/2012140000
 The power steering failed, common problem in 2004 mini cooper. canada has issued a recall in january 2012.
06/04/2012500001
 Power steering/steering pump showing signs of failing, first noticed in a crowded parking lot. *tr
06/04/201250000
 Power steering/steering pump showiing signs of failing, first noticed in a crowded parking lot.
06/18/2011760201
 I was yielding to make a left turn on green. the car was in neutral. it was a relatively hot day. when i went to go i shifted into gear and immediately found it difficult to turn. as i furthered down the road to my event and was ushered into the parking lot by traffic control, the power steering diminished more and more as i drove on. by time i got to a parking space, i could just barely turn into my spot. a few hours after the event i turned on my car and it drove as normal again. after this powersteering failure i had a power steering fluid flush done. it has been a bit over a year since the first time it happened, but in the past two weeks i've lost my power steering about ten times. it's always when i'm at a slow speed or stopped. usually shutting the engine on and off again will solve the problem but once it did not. i left the car alone for a few hours and when i went to drive it again it was like normal. it has not always been hot when my power steering fails. i keep my car in a garage so it is seldom baking in the sun. when the power steering goes, it feels as if the car is gripping back and gets progressively worse as i continue to drive. i am not an aggressive driver and i live in a flat area where driving is a simple task. *tr
08/05/20121775001
 Power steering pump fan got lower in tone, harder to turn but hasn't failed yet. looking up the issue on several sites, this is a common issue with this part failing. i contacted the local dealer which i originally bought it from and no recalls were shown for it - for the us. canada however got a recall and they are fixing the problem there free of charge. *tr
06/18/2011760201
 I was yielding to make a left turn on green. the car was in neutral. it was a relatively hot day. when i went to go i shifted into gear and immediately found it difficult to turn. as i furthered down the road to my event and was ushered into the parking lot by traffic control, the power steering diminished more and more as i drove on. by time i got to a parking space, i could just barely turn into my spot. a few hours after the event i turned on my car and it drove as normal again. after this powersteering failure i had a power steering fluid flush done. it has been a bit over a year since the first time it happened, but in the past two weeks i've lost my power steering about ten times. it's always when i'm at a slow speed or stopped. usually shutting the engine on and off again will solve the problem but once it did not. i left the car alone for a few hours and when i went to drive it again it was like normal. it has not always been hot when my power steering fails. i keep my car in a garage so it is seldom baking in the sun. when the power steering goes, it feels as if the car is gripping back and gets progressively worse as i continue to drive. i am not an aggressive driver and i live in a flat area where driving is a simple task. *tr
08/05/20121775001
 Power steering pump fan got lower in tone, harder to turn but hasn't failed yet. looking up the issue on several sites, this is a common issue with this part failing. i contacted the local dealer which i originally bought it from and no recalls were shown for it - for the us. canada however got a recall and they are fixing the problem there free of charge. *tr
07/25/2012111000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini copper. the contact stated while driving 35 mph, the power steering assist failed. the contact shut off the vehicle and upon restarting, the power steering assist had independently reset. the vehicle was taken to the dealer but the dealer was unable to locate the failure. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 111,000 and the current mileage was 112,005. kmj
06/18/2011760201
 I was yielding to make a left turn on green. the car was in neutral. it was a relatively hot day. when i went to go i shifted into gear and immediately found it difficult to turn. as i furthered down the road to my event and was ushered into the parking lot by traffic control, the power steering diminished more and more as i drove on. by time i got to a parking space, i could just barely turn into my spot. a few hours after the event i turned on my car and it drove as normal again. after this powersteering failure i had a power steering fluid flush done. it has been a bit over a year since the first time it happened, but in the past two weeks i've lost my power steering about ten times. it's always when i'm at a slow speed or stopped. usually shutting the engine on and off again will solve the problem but once it did not. i left the car alone for a few hours and when i went to drive it again it was like normal. it has not always been hot when my power steering fails. i keep my car in a garage so it is seldom baking in the sun. when the power steering goes, it feels as if the car is gripping back and gets progressively worse as i continue to drive. i am not an aggressive driver and i live in a flat area where driving is a simple task. *tr
08/05/20121775001
 Power steering pump fan got lower in tone, harder to turn but hasn't failed yet. looking up the issue on several sites, this is a common issue with this part failing. i contacted the local dealer which i originally bought it from and no recalls were shown for it - for the us. canada however got a recall and they are fixing the problem there free of charge. *tr
07/25/2012111000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini copper. the contact stated while driving 35 mph, the power steering assist failed. the contact shut off the vehicle and upon restarting, the power steering assist had independently reset. the vehicle was taken to the dealer but the dealer was unable to locate the failure. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 111,000 and the current mileage was 112,005. kmj
06/18/201176020
 I was yielding to make a left turn on green. the car was in neutral. it was a relatively hot day. when i went to go i shifted into gear and immediately found it difficult to turn. as i furthered down the road to my event and was ushered into the parking lot by traffic control, the power steering diminished more and more as i drove on. by time i got to a parking space, i could just barely turn into my spot. a few hours after the event i turned on my car and it drove as normal again. after this powersteering failure i had a power steering fluid flush done. it has been a bit over a year since the first time it happened, but in the past two weeks i've lost my power steering about ten times. it's always when i'm at a slow speed or stopped. usually shutting the engine on and off again will solve the problem but once it did not. i left the car alone for a few hours and when i went to drive it again it was like normal. it has not always been hot when my power steering fails. i keep my car in a garage so it is seldom baking in the sun. when the power steering goes, it feels as if the car is gripping back and gets progressively worse as i continue to drive. i am not an aggressive driver and i live in a flat area where driving is a simple task.
08/05/2012177500
 Power steering pump fan got lower in tone, harder to turn but hasn't failed yet. looking up the issue on several sites, this is a common issue with this part failing. i contacted the local dealer which i originally bought it from and no recalls were shown for it - for the us. canada however got a recall and they are fixing the problem there free of charge.
06/18/201176020
 I was yielding to make a left turn on green. the car was in neutral. it was a relatively hot day. when i went to go i shifted into gear and immediately found it difficult to turn. as i furthered down the road to my event and was ushered into the parking lot by traffic control, the power steering diminished more and more as i drove on. by time i got to a parking space, i could just barely turn into my spot. a few hours after the event i turned on my car and it drove as normal again. after this powersteering failure i had a power steering fluid flush done. it has been a bit over a year since the first time it happened, but in the past two weeks i've lost my power steering about ten times. it's always when i'm at a slow speed or stopped. usually shutting the engine on and off again will solve the problem but once it did not. i left the car alone for a few hours and when i went to drive it again it was like normal. it has not always been hot when my power steering fails. i keep my car in a garage so it is seldom baking in the sun. when the power steering goes, it feels as if the car is gripping back and gets progressively worse as i continue to drive. i am not an aggressive driver and i live in a flat area where driving is a simple task.
08/05/2012177500
 Power steering pump fan got lower in tone, harder to turn but hasn't failed yet. looking up the issue on several sites, this is a common issue with this part failing. i contacted the local dealer which i originally bought it from and no recalls were shown for it - for the us. canada however got a recall and they are fixing the problem there free of charge.
07/25/2012111000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini copper. the contact stated while driving 35 mph when he notice that he had lost the power steering of his vehicle. he was able to pull over and turn off and on the vehicle to reset it. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the dealer stated they could not find the failure. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 111,000 and the current mileage was 112,005.jp
05/01/20121241311
 While driving on the interstate the power steering stopped working. the steering became very uncomfortable and the first exit we approached we stopped and checked fluid levels, everything was fine. restarted the car and power steering was working again after a few miles power steering stopped working again. car is much harder to steer when the pump goes out than if equipped with manual steering. very dangerous when vehicle is at slower speeds because of the amount of effort it requires to turn. *tr
05/01/2012124131
 While driving on the interstate the power steering stopped working.the steering became very uncomfortable and the first exit we approached we stopped and checked fluid levels,everything was fine.restarted the car and power steering was working again after a few miles power steering stopped working again. car is much harder to steer when the pump goes out than if equiped with manual steering. very dangerous when vehicle is at slower speeds because of the amount of effort it requires to turn
04/01/2012650001
 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
01/16/2012100000
 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.
04/01/201265000
 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.
01/16/2012100000
 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.
07/27/2012580001
 My 2004 mini cooper intermittently loses it's power steering and is extremely difficult to control. this usually happens when the engine is not yet warmed but sometimes happens randomly. it is very difficult to maintain control when turning and today i just missed a pedestrian turning a corner in a crowded downtown area. *tr
01/16/2012100000
 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. sm.
07/27/2012580001
 My 2004 mini cooper intermittently loses it's power steering and is extremely difficult to control. this usually happens when the engine is not yet warmed but sometimes happens randomly. it is very difficult to maintain control when turning and today i just missed a pedestrian turning a corner in a crowded downtown area. *tr
01/16/2012100000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini mini copper. the contact was traveling 35 mph when the power steering failed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the dealer confirmed the power steering pump needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was was 100,000 and the current mileage was 105,000. rds
07/27/2012580001
 My 2004 mini cooper intermittently loses it's power steering and is extremely difficult to control. this usually happens when the engine is not yet warmed but sometimes happens randomly. it is very difficult to maintain control when turning and today i just missed a pedestrian turning a corner in a crowded downtown area. *tr
07/27/201258000
 My 2004 mini cooper intermittently loses it's power steering and is extremely difficult to control. this usually happens when the engine is not yet warmed but sometimes happens randomly. it is very difficult to maintain control when turning and today i just missed a pedestrian turning a corner in a crowded downtown area.
07/12/20121090001
 I was attempting to merge on to a major highway when my power steering failed, causing my vehicle to be temporarily out of my control. due to the loss of steering, i was unable to safely maneuver the car into traffic and was forced to use both my parking brake and my regular foot brake to stop the vehicle before i collided with a traffic light. the vehicle stopped approximately 5-10 feet from a traffic light pole and placed me in the center of the intersection where other motorists were attempting to gain access to the on ramp. after several seconds, the powersteering reengaged and i was able to continue, without incident. i am lucky to be alive, and thankful that it was not my death the prompted some concrete action by both your agency and bmw. this is the third time my power steering unit has failed. the first two times were less than one second each and occurred when the car was stationary making it difficult to diagnose. some how canada has forced bmw to issue at the very least an extended warranty on this specific part, how is it that the us is so far behind? ## vin passed ## mini cooper 2004 ##. *tr
07/11/20121105001
 I experienced a failure where the steering wheel became very difficult to turn and would not return to center after turning. fortunately this occurred first at a very low speed. i drove straight to the dealer which had replaced the electric power steering pump 1,300 miles earlier. this failure was determined by the dealer to be binding of the lower steering shaft and it was replaced. *tr
07/11/2012110500
 I experienced a failure where the steering wheel became very difficult to turn and would not return to center after turning. fortunately this occurred first at a very low speed. i drove straight to the dealer which had replaced the electric power steering pump 1,300 miles earlier. this failure was determined by the dealer to be binding of the lower steering shaft and it was replaced.
07/07/2010496421
 Power steering has been going in and out for 3 years, getting worse. *tr
07/07/201049642
 Power steering has been going in and out for 3 years, getting worse.
06/01/201283000
 The vehicle had been acting strange for the last couple of months, the steering would become heavy at times, and on the other occasions would work just fine. a trip to the dealership revealed that the power steering pump had failed. this seems like a known issue with most of the 2004 mini coopers, a defective part was put into the car while manufacting. mini is not taking any responsibility of it, and the dealership is asking for $1200 to replace it. due to the power pump failure, the temparature rises and may have caused damage to a few hoses around that area.
06/13/201250000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper cv. the contact was driving 40 mph when the power steering failed, without warning, while making a turn. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 50,000.
06/13/201250000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper cv. the contact was driving 40 mph when the power steering failed, without warning, while making a turn. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 50,000. sm.
05/31/201292800
 Sudden loss of all steering assist at speed, resulting in alarming loss of control of vehicle.
05/22/201217550
 I was on my way home from making some errands, went to turn left and i thought the car had cut off or something. because it did't want to turn right, but to my surprise it was running. so i manage to turn it before i hit the curb. when i got home i was able to see what was wrong. th e power steering quit working. i let the car cool a little and got back in it and the power steering was working again. come to find out the power steering works for about 10 minutes and goes out, until it cools off. i started looking on the internet and found out i'm not the only one with this problem. this is very dangerous and i mean dangerous. i called my mini dealer to see if there were a recall on this problem and they said there wasn't. but i did see they had an mini dealer notice for them to look out for this problem, but not fix for free. so we need a recall before someone gets killed or hurt, if it hasn't already happened. thank you, melissa bourdier
05/30/201286000
 I was driving to a friend's house approx. 20 miles away. on a turn, the car steering was almost non responsive. i managed the turn and turned my car off. when i restarted it, the power steering was back but only for a short time. i had to stop and start my car a few more times to get to my destination. the problem occurred closer to my destination then my home so it was safer to go there. it easily could have been the cause of an accident, especially on that first turn off of a 65 mph road. i'm not that strong. it took everything i had not to go in the ditch. luckily nothing was coming. i took my car in for service today. they replaced the power steering pump. there was no lead up to this incident. i had power steering and in a second, i didn't.
04/28/201250144
 Lost power steering at highway speed due to power steering pump failure. short circuit or fire melted power steering pump wiring harness. damage was caused to other portions of electrical wiring harness by fire, resulting in blown fuses. upon removing key from ignition at roadside, engine kept running until battery was disconnected.
05/18/2012128400
 The power steering is not working. i am a 280 pound man and i can barely turn . also while driving at times it feels harder to turn, once again like power steering not working.
04/28/201250144
 Lost power steering at highway speed due to power steering pump failure. short circuit or fire melted power steering pump wiring harness. damage was caused to other portions of electrical wiring harness by fire, resulting in blown fuses. upon removing key from ignition at roadside, engine kept running until battery was disconnected.
05/18/2012128400
 The power steering is not working. i am a 280 pound man and i can barely turn . also while driving at times it feels harder to turn, once again like power steering not working.
05/07/2012127000
 Power steering pump failure at 127,000 miles.
04/25/201256590
 While driving my 04 mini cooper at freeway speed, i suddenly lost power steering assist. i can still drive the vehicle, but it is very difficult to turn. i took the vehicle to a local repair shop and was told the new power steering pump alone will cost me over 600 dollars. this does not include the labor and other miscellaneous costs associated with replacing the unit. the repair will cost me in excess of 1000 dollars, which i can not afford at this moment. i understand that multiple complaints relating to the power steering system in the 04 mini cooper have been filed. however, i have not seen a recall regarding this issue. i would like to know if you foresee a recall for this issue, and would appreciate any help you can offer. thank you for your time and consideration.
04/19/201245773
 At 35 mph i noticed intermittent loss of power steering (ps). i was diving on 2 lane winding country road with no shoulders and ended up in the oncoming lane before i regained control. luckily was no traffic at the time. the most terrifying thing is when ps it's dead for a while and then suddenly comes back on. if you are in a corner, because you've just been muscling the steering wheel, and ps comes back you will be suddenly over-steer and veer out of your lane.
04/25/201256590
 While driving my 04 mini cooper at freeway speed, i suddenly lost power steering assist. i can still drive the vehicle, but it is very difficult to turn. i took the vehicle to a local repair shop and was told the new power steering pump alone will cost me over 600 dollars. this does not include the labor and other miscellaneous costs associated with replacing the unit. the repair will cost me in excess of 1000 dollars, which i can not afford at this moment. i understand that multiple complaints relating to the power steering system in the 04 mini cooper have been filed. however, i have not seen a recall regarding this issue. i would like to know if you foresee a recall for this issue, and would appreciate any help you can offer. thank you for your time and consideration.
04/19/201245773
 At 35 mph i noticed intermittent loss of power steering (ps). i was diving on 2 lane winding country road with no shoulders and ended up in the oncoming lane before i regained control. luckily was no traffic at the time. the most terrifying thing is when ps it's dead for a while and then suddenly comes back on. if you are in a corner, because you've just been muscling the steering wheel, and ps comes back you will be suddenly over-steer and veer out of your lane.
04/25/201256590
 While driving my 04 mini cooper at freeway speed, i suddenly lost power steering assist. i can still drive the vehicle, but it is very difficult to turn. i took the vehicle to a local repair shop and was told the new power steering pump alone will cost me over 600 dollars. this does not include the labor and other miscellaneous costs associated with replacing the unit. the repair will cost me in excess of 1000 dollars, which i can not afford at this moment. i understand that multiple complaints relating to the power steering system in the 04 mini cooper have been filed. however, i have not seen a recall regarding this issue. i would like to know if you foresee a recall for this issue, and would appreciate any help you can offer. thank you for your time and consideration.
04/19/201245773
 At 35 mph i noticed intermittent loss of power steering (ps). i was diving on 2 lane winding country road with no shoulders and ended up in the oncoming lane before i regained control. luckily was no traffic at the time. the most terrifying thing is when ps it's dead for a while and then suddenly comes back on. if you are in a corner, because you've just been muscling the steering wheel, and ps comes back you will be suddenly over-steer and veer out of your lane.
04/25/201256590
 While driving my 04 mini cooper at freeway speed, i suddenly lost power steering assist. i can still drive the vehicle, but it is very difficult to turn. i took the vehicle to a local repair shop and was told the new power steering pump alone will cost me over 600 dollars. this does not include the labor and other miscellaneous costs associated with replacing the unit. the repair will cost me in excess of 1000 dollars, which i can not afford at this moment. i understand that multiple complaints relating to the power steering system in the 04 mini cooper have been filed. however, i have not seen a recall regarding this issue. i would like to know if you foresee a recall for this issue, and would appreciate any help you can offer. thank you for your time and consideration.
04/19/201245773
 At 35 mph i noticed intermittent loss of power steering (ps). i was diving on 2 lane winding country road with no shoulders and ended up in the oncoming lane before i regained control. luckily was no traffic at the time. the most terrifying thing is when ps it's dead for a while and then suddenly comes back on. if you are in a corner, because you've just been muscling the steering wheel, and ps comes back you will be suddenly over-steer and veer out of your lane.
04/19/201262000
 My power steering failed as i was driving during rush hour on a major highway into washington, dc. the wheel was not locked, but it became extremely difficult to turn the wheel in any direction, which was very dangerous as traffic was going 70mph. i was able to pull the car off at an exit, and stop it on the shoulder. i turned off the engine and re-started the car, at which time the power steering appeared to work normally again. this was the most recent incident of this type, but there have been at least ten. in other instances, the power steering fails during parallel parking in the tight spaces on city streets. this is unpredictable, however -- months can pass with no problem, and then it starts again.
04/13/201286500
 Lost power steering when driving on the freeway. feels like the steering locks up but can still steer when using a lot of strength. since first incident, this has happened again several times. usually after driving for about five minutes.
04/19/201262000
 My power steering failed as i was driving during rush hour on a major highway into washington, dc. the wheel was not locked, but it became extremely difficult to turn the wheel in any direction, which was very dangerous as traffic was going 70mph. i was able to pull the car off at an exit, and stop it on the shoulder. i turned off the engine and re-started the car, at which time the power steering appeared to work normally again. this was the most recent incident of this type, but there have been at least ten. in other instances, the power steering fails during parallel parking in the tight spaces on city streets. this is unpredictable, however -- months can pass with no problem, and then it starts again.
04/13/201286500
 Lost power steering when driving on the freeway. feels like the steering locks up but can still steer when using a lot of strength. since first incident, this has happened again several times. usually after driving for about five minutes.
04/19/201262000
 My power steering failed as i was driving during rush hour on a major highway into washington, dc. the wheel was not locked, but it became extremely difficult to turn the wheel in any direction, which was very dangerous as traffic was going 70mph. i was able to pull the car off at an exit, and stop it on the shoulder. i turned off the engine and re-started the car, at which time the power steering appeared to work normally again. this was the most recent incident of this type, but there have been at least ten. in other instances, the power steering fails during parallel parking in the tight spaces on city streets. this is unpredictable, however -- months can pass with no problem, and then it starts again.
04/13/201286500
 Lost power steering when driving on the freeway. feels like the steering locks up but can still steer when using a lot of strength. since first incident, this has happened again several times. usually after driving for about five minutes.
04/19/201262000
 My power steering failed as i was driving during rush hour on a major highway into washington, dc. the wheel was not locked, but it became extremely difficult to turn the wheel in any direction, which was very dangerous as traffic was going 70mph. i was able to pull the car off at an exit, and stop it on the shoulder. i turned off the engine and re-started the car, at which time the power steering appeared to work normally again. this was the most recent incident of this type, but there have been at least ten. in other instances, the power steering fails during parallel parking in the tight spaces on city streets. this is unpredictable, however -- months can pass with no problem, and then it starts again.
04/13/201286500
 Lost power steering when driving on the freeway. feels like the steering locks up but can still steer when using a lot of strength. since first incident, this has happened again several times. usually after driving for about five minutes.
04/10/2012120760
 While driving approx 35 mph my mini suddenly felt as if i had several flat tires. i pulled over and checked all my tires. i had no power steering, it was extremely difficult to steer the mini. (i have driven cars in the past without power steering) it took all my strength to drive the mini to my destination. i turned off the mini and called my husband. when i restarted the mini i had power steering. it concerns me that the power steering when out while driving without any warning.
03/27/201249939
 Driving car on highway rounding curve, power steering failed completely
02/18/201290000
 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.
03/21/2012
 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!
03/25/201296804
 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?
03/27/201249939
 Driving car on highway rounding curve, power steering failed completely
02/18/201290000
 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.
03/21/2012
 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!
03/25/201296804
 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?
03/23/2012112987
 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.
03/27/201249939
 Driving car on highway rounding curve, power steering failed completely
02/18/201290000
 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.
03/21/2012
 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!
03/25/201296804
 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?
03/23/2012112987
 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.
03/27/201249939
 Driving car on highway rounding curve, power steering failed completely
02/18/201290000
 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.
03/21/2012
 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!
03/25/201296804
 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?
03/23/2012112987
 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.
06/02/2011144000
 Steering became difficult while driving requiring full arm strength to turn wheel. an accident could easily have occurred if other vehicles were in the area where i was turning. vehicle now requires wide radius to turn. a very dangerous situation. i have a strong upper body but anyone driving 2004/05 minis with this steering problem should take care and have dealership fix and pay for the repair.
03/21/2012
 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!
03/25/201296804
 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?
03/23/2012112987
 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.
06/02/2011144000
 Steering became difficult while driving requiring full arm strength to turn wheel. an accident could easily have occurred if other vehicles were in the area where i was turning. vehicle now requires wide radius to turn. a very dangerous situation. i have a strong upper body but anyone driving 2004/05 minis with this steering problem should take care and have dealership fix and pay for the repair.
03/25/201296804
 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?
03/23/2012112987
 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.
06/02/2011144000
 Steering became difficult while driving requiring full arm strength to turn wheel. an accident could easily have occurred if other vehicles were in the area where i was turning. vehicle now requires wide radius to turn. a very dangerous situation. i have a strong upper body but anyone driving 2004/05 minis with this steering problem should take care and have dealership fix and pay for the repair.
01/07/20058300
 I bought this vehicle new in 2004, and have had consistent problems with the steering, most recently on friday, march 9, 2012. i have taken it to the mini cooper dealer at least four times for this problem. the power steering pump has been replaced, so has the steering column, as well as the lower steering shaft spindle. still, the power steering function goes out without warning. it is exceedingly dangerous and i have to drive this car to do my job, and i'm spooked by it.
03/07/201273682
 Intermittent power steering failure. power steering pump remains on after shutting off the car and drains the battery.
01/07/20058300
 I bought this vehicle new in 2004, and have had consistent problems with the steering, most recently on friday, march 9, 2012. i have taken it to the mini cooper dealer at least four times for this problem. the power steering pump has been replaced, so has the steering column, as well as the lower steering shaft spindle. still, the power steering function goes out without warning. it is exceedingly dangerous and i have to drive this car to do my job, and i'm spooked by it.
03/07/201273682
 Intermittent power steering failure. power steering pump remains on after shutting off the car and drains the battery.
01/07/20058300
 I bought this vehicle new in 2004, and have had consistent problems with the steering, most recently on friday, march 9, 2012. i have taken it to the mini cooper dealer at least four times for this problem. the power steering pump has been replaced, so has the steering column, as well as the lower steering shaft spindle. still, the power steering function goes out without warning. it is exceedingly dangerous and i have to drive this car to do my job, and i'm spooked by it.
03/07/201273682
 Intermittent power steering failure. power steering pump remains on after shutting off the car and drains the battery.
01/07/20058300
 I bought this vehicle new in 2004, and have had consistent problems with the steering, most recently on friday, march 9, 2012. i have taken it to the mini cooper dealer at least four times for this problem. the power steering pump has been replaced, so has the steering column, as well as the lower steering shaft spindle. still, the power steering function goes out without warning. it is exceedingly dangerous and i have to drive this car to do my job, and i'm spooked by it.
03/07/201273682
 Intermittent power steering failure. power steering pump remains on after shutting off the car and drains the battery.
01/07/20058300
 I bought this vehicle new in 2004, and have had consistent problems with the steering, most recently on friday, march 9, 2012. i have taken it to the mini cooper dealer at least four times for this problem. the power steering pump has been replaced, so has the steering column, as well as the lower steering shaft spindle. still, the power steering function goes out without warning. it is exceedingly dangerous and i have to drive this car to do my job, and i'm spooked by it.
03/07/201273682
 Intermittent power steering failure. power steering pump remains on after shutting off the car and drains the battery.
12/08/201152000
 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.
02/29/201260000
 With out any advice, the steering turns rigid and hard to manipulate,i checked the fluid and it looks fine and clean.
01/23/201250700
 Power steering failed while on a highway.
01/07/201284500
 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).
04/12/201198000
 Power steering froze up as we turned a corner and then died out completley. it has never returned. very close to causing a collision because of the loss of power steering.
09/15/201090000
 While driving the power steering cut out creating an unsafe driving condition. over the next 20,000 miles the power steering would intermittently come back and go out more than a dozen times until eventually failing completely.
12/08/200925000
 The cars power steering started failing for a few seconds while driving at slow speed. this has happened at least 20 or more times over the last 2 years. the steering of the vehicle becomes extremely hard. there is no warning that this will occur, so clearly it could result in an accident. in the last 12 months, the power steering has started to fail when the car is started, but started working again if the car was restarted or after a short period of time. this week, after 3 hours of driving, the car was parked for 15 minutes, when the car was restarted there was no power steering at all during another 5 minutes of dirving. the care was stopped for another 20 minutes and when restarted power steering was restored. i am very concerned that this failure could occur during high speed manouvering and could result in a major accident. i feel that i have been lucky to date that i haven't been in a situation that resulted in an accident, precise control of the vehicle is impossible without the power steering.
12/09/2011120000
 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.
12/08/200925000
 The cars power steering started failing for a few seconds while driving at slow speed. this has happened at least 20 or more times over the last 2 years. the steering of the vehicle becomes extremely hard. there is no warning that this will occur, so clearly it could result in an accident. in the last 12 months, the power steering has started to fail when the car is started, but started working again if the car was restarted or after a short period of time. this week, after 3 hours of driving, the car was parked for 15 minutes, when the car was restarted there was no power steering at all during another 5 minutes of dirving. the care was stopped for another 20 minutes and when restarted power steering was restored. i am very concerned that this failure could occur during high speed manouvering and could result in a major accident. i feel that i have been lucky to date that i haven't been in a situation that resulted in an accident, precise control of the vehicle is impossible without the power steering.
12/09/2011120000
 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. kmj
12/09/2011120000
 Tl-the complaint owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated while driving the steering failed. there was not warning before the failure occurred. the steering was very hard to turn. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer to have a diagnostic performed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vin information was not available. the failure and the current mileage was 120,000. li
11/11/2011120000
 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.
12/09/2011120000
 Tl-the complaint owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated while driving the steering failed. there was not warning before the failure occurred. the steering was very hard to turn. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer to have a diagnostic performed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vin information was not available. the failure and the current mileage was 120,000. li
11/11/2011120000
 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.
10/24/201167200
 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.
11/11/2011120000
 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.
10/24/201167200
 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.
05/02/201180000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated that immediately after starting the vehicle, the power steering failed. the contact mentioned that the failure occurred on three occasions. during the most recent failure, the power steering pump continued to run after the vehicle was turned off. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer and the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 80,000 and the current mileage was 89,000.
10/24/201167200
 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.
05/02/201180000
 Tl - the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated that immediately after starting the vehicle, the power steering failed. the contact mentioned that the failure occurred on three occasions. during the most recent failure, the power steering pump continued to run after the vehicle was turned off. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer and the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 80,000 and the current mileage was 89,000. kmj
11/25/2011
 While driving in a 35mph zone, smoke started coming out from under the hood (bonnet). driver noticed odd steering responce 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.
11/10/201163000
 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.
10/24/201167200
 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.
05/02/201180000
 Tl - the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated that immediately after starting the vehicle, the power steering failed. the contact mentioned that the failure occurred on three occasions. during the most recent failure, the power steering pump continued to run after the vehicle was turned off. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer and the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 80,000 and the current mileage was 89,000. kmj
11/25/2011
 While driving in a 35mph zone, smoke started coming out from under the hood (bonnet). driver noticed odd steering responce 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.
11/10/201163000
 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.
05/02/201180000
 Tl - the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated that immediately after starting the vehicle the power steering failed. the contact mentioned that the failure occurred on three different occasions, the last time the power steering pump continue to run after the vehicle was turn off. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 80,000 and the current mileage was 89,000. pm
11/25/2011
 While driving in a 35mph zone, smoke started coming out from under the hood (bonnet). driver noticed odd steering responce 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.
11/10/201163000
 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.
11/25/2011
 While driving in a 35mph zone, smoke started coming out from under the hood (bonnet). driver noticed odd steering responce 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.
11/10/201163000
 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.
11/04/201145000
 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.
10/16/2011
 Pulled into a parking lot. was making a right turn into a spot and lost all steering. i turned off the car and restarted and it worked again, but it was impossible to steer without the power assist. i see this morning that this problem is now common and i hesitate to go into mini to have it fixed right away since it will cost more than $1000 to fix! why isn't this a recall?
07/08/201090000
 Power steering failure while driving; had new steering rack/pump installed at 90,000, worked fine for a year and now the power steering has failed for the second time; a new steering pump/rack needs to be installed...
10/01/201150000
 Failure of power steering.
07/21/201152206
 Driving to work and tried to make a right hand turn. the power steering failed making the wheel very hard to turn. i pulled over to the side and shut the car off, and when i restarted it, the power steering worked again. it does this intermediately a few times a week since then... mini says its an internal fault in the power steering pump.
10/01/201150000
 Failure of power steering.
07/21/201152206
 Driving to work and tried to make a right hand turn. the power steering failed making the wheel very hard to turn. i pulled over to the side and shut the car off, and when i restarted it, the power steering worked again. it does this intermediately a few times a week since then... mini says its an internal fault in the power steering pump.
10/01/201150000
 Failure of power steering.
07/21/201152206
 Driving to work and tried to make a right hand turn. the power steering failed making the wheel very hard to turn. i pulled over to the side and shut the car off, and when i restarted it, the power steering worked again. it does this intermediately a few times a week since then... mini says its an internal fault in the power steering pump.
10/01/201150000
 Failure of power steering.
07/21/201152206
 Driving to work and tried to make a right hand turn. the power steering failed making the wheel very hard to turn. i pulled over to the side and shut the car off, and when i restarted it, the power steering worked again. it does this intermediately a few times a week since then... mini says its an internal fault in the power steering pump.
10/01/201150000
 Failure of power steering.
07/21/201152206
 Driving to work and tried to make a right hand turn. the power steering failed making the wheel very hard to turn. i pulled over to the side and shut the car off, and when i restarted it, the power steering worked again. it does this intermediately a few times a week since then... mini says its an internal fault in the power steering pump.
08/21/201151377
 Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated while driving 10 mph the power of steering would stop working intermittently. the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic who was unable to duplicate the failure. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 50,000 and the current mileage was 51,377.
08/21/201151377
 Tl - the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated while driving 10 mph the power of steering would stop working intermittently. the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic who was unable to duplicate the failure. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 50,000 and the current mileage was 51,377. rvk
06/12/2011110000
 The first time the power steering failed was when i was exiting off a highway rest stop. when leaving the stop, the power steering worked again. for a couple of months, incidents of stiffness became more frequent especially at the end of my commute home from work. three months later it lacks power steering full time. after all i've read about this online, my concern is that the cost of the repair may be around $1300.
08/21/201151377
 Tl - the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated while driving 10 mph the power of steering would stop working intermittently. the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic who was unable to duplicate the failure. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 50,000 and the current mileage was 51,377. rvk
06/12/2011110000
 The first time the power steering failed was when i was exiting off a highway rest stop. when leaving the stop, the power steering worked again. for a couple of months, incidents of stiffness became more frequent especially at the end of my commute home from work. three months later it lacks power steering full time. after all i've read about this online, my concern is that the cost of the repair may be around $1300.
09/16/201190120
 Driving how on highway entering turn, and car was hard to steer, had to jerk wheel to avoid hitting another car. when will something be done with mine and this issue does it take a death for car dealers to be held accountable.
08/21/201151377
 Tl - the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated while driving 10 mph the power of steering would stop working intermittently. the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic who was unable to duplicate the failure. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 50,000 and the current mileage was 51,377. rvk
06/12/2011110000
 The first time the power steering failed was when i was exiting off a highway rest stop. when leaving the stop, the power steering worked again. for a couple of months, incidents of stiffness became more frequent especially at the end of my commute home from work. three months later it lacks power steering full time. after all i've read about this online, my concern is that the cost of the repair may be around $1300.
08/21/201151377
 Tl - the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated that while driving 10 mph the power of steering would stop working intermittently. the vehicle was towed to a local shop who was unable to duplicate the failure. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 50,000 and the current mileage was 51,377. pm
06/12/2011110000
 The first time the power steering failed was when i was exiting off a highway rest stop. when leaving the stop, the power steering worked again. for a couple of months, incidents of stiffness became more frequent especially at the end of my commute home from work. three months later it lacks power steering full time. after all i've read about this online, my concern is that the cost of the repair may be around $1300.
09/16/201190120
 Driving how on highway entering turn, and car was hard to steer, had to jerk wheel to avoid hitting another car. when will something be done with mine and this issue does it take a death for car dealers to be held accountable.
06/12/2011110000
 The first time the power steering failed was when i was exiting off a highway rest stop. when leaving the stop, the power steering worked again. for a couple of months, incidents of stiffness became more frequent especially at the end of my commute home from work. three months later it lacks power steering full time. after all i've read about this online, my concern is that the cost of the repair may be around $1300.
09/16/201190120
 Driving how on highway entering turn, and car was hard to steer, had to jerk wheel to avoid hitting another car. when will something be done with mine and this issue does it take a death for car dealers to be held accountable.
08/27/201189000
 I was just driving home from work and the power steering just went out, i did safely make it home and got the car in the garage. it has been parked since it seems the power steering comes and goes. i dont know what the problem may be for sure, but i have already had the fan assembly replaced due to it would not cut off, and killed my battery, so of course i had to replace the battery. i am taking the car in for a estimate for the steering, but it seems this is a common problem and it needs to be recalled. it cause someone to get hurt or even killed.
08/01/2011140150
 The power steering system failed as the vehicle approached and entered a roundabout circle. the system not only stopped providing steering assist, but the steering wheel stayed in the right turn position (did not return to center) which caused the vehicle to veer off the road surface. the power steering system has completed failed in the vehicle, which makes the car very difficult to drive (especially my for wife who was operating the vehicle when the initial failure occurred). do to the non-functional power steering system, when making either left or right hand turns, the steering wheel stays in the turned position which requires the driver to quickly maneuver the car to prevent it from continuing to veer off of the road surface ~ this condition is present at all speeds with all degrees of steering input. in simple terms: if the steering wheel is fully turned hard to the left, it will stay in that position causing the vehicle to continue turning and will not start its return to the center straight position without input from the driver. aside from the complete loss of steering assist (which makes normal steering very difficult at all speeds), the steering wheel positional issue (as noted above) introduces a very unsafe operating condition for the driver and vehicle.
07/20/201195300
 The power steering failed on my 2004 mini cooper with no notice in city traffic. i was driving all all of a sudden lost power steering which nearly caused an accident in heavy traffic. i had to have the power steering pump replaced for $1144.11 and found it was a very common problem.
08/10/2011103000
 Backing out of parking place, car is difficult to steer. this the third time it has occurred. i have not replaced the power steering yet due to cost.
08/09/201174600
 It was so scary to not be able to make turns on freeway! on my way back from work san francisco, i started experiencing very stiff power steering half way and the situation got worse and worse. to the end i almost couldn't make turns. i barely can finally park the car in front of my garage and i was horrified by the experience for the whole night. brought the car to get checked and it turned out the power steering pump needed to be replaced. it was way more expensive than i can afford but can i not to get that repaired? i needed the car to go to work etc. mini cooper should recall this power steering pump. it's a serious safety issue.
07/20/201195300
 The power steering failed on my 2004 mini cooper with no notice in city traffic. i was driving all all of a sudden lost power steering which nearly caused an accident in heavy traffic. i had to have the power steering pump replaced for $1144.11 and found it was a very common problem.
08/10/2011103000
 Backing out of parking place, car is difficult to steer. this the third time it has occurred. i have not replaced the power steering yet due to cost.
08/09/201174600
 It was so scary to not be able to make turns on freeway! on my way back from work san francisco, i started experiencing very stiff power steering half way and the situation got worse and worse. to the end i almost couldn't make turns. i barely can finally park the car in front of my garage and i was horrified by the experience for the whole night. brought the car to get checked and it turned out the power steering pump needed to be replaced. it was way more expensive than i can afford but can i not to get that repaired? i needed the car to go to work etc. mini cooper should recall this power steering pump. it's a serious safety issue.
08/10/2011103000
 Backing out of parking place, car is difficult to steer. this the third time it has occurred. i have not replaced the power steering yet due to cost.
08/09/201174600
 It was so scary to not be able to make turns on freeway! on my way back from work san francisco, i started experiencing very stiff power steering half way and the situation got worse and worse. to the end i almost couldn't make turns. i barely can finally park the car in front of my garage and i was horrified by the experience for the whole night. brought the car to get checked and it turned out the power steering pump needed to be replaced. it was way more expensive than i can afford but can i not to get that repaired? i needed the car to go to work etc. mini cooper should recall this power steering pump. it's a serious safety issue.
07/30/201176000
 On multiple incidents, there is no indication leading up to the sudden loss of power steering. intermittent loss of power steering to the point where the steering wheel is nearly impossible to turn or maneuver. problem would occur during initial startup of the car, or after 15 mins of driving, or after 2-3 hours of driving. so far, on all occurrences, once the car is shut off and turned back on then power steering resumes. took my car to mini of stevens creek on 8/8/11 and was quoted $180 for diagnostics, $848 for parts, $253 for labor. mini has declined to honor a no-cost replacement. i need to find more reasonable price for repair as i cannot afford the quoted $1300 at the moment. i have yet to have this power steering problem fixed.
08/07/201178000
 Power-assisted steering fails on 2004 cooper mini. vehicle not driven aggressively. shutting vehicle off, then restarting, will occasionally restore power steering but only for a brief period. power-assisted steering works when first started for the day, but quits entirely within 30 - 45 min. later. driving without power-assisted steering is possible but extremely difficult to turn.
08/10/2011103000
 Backing out of parking place, car is difficult to steer. this the third time it has occurred. i have not replaced the power steering yet due to cost.
08/09/201174600
 It was so scary to not be able to make turns on freeway! on my way back from work san francisco, i started experiencing very stiff power steering half way and the situation got worse and worse. to the end i almost couldn't make turns. i barely can finally park the car in front of my garage and i was horrified by the experience for the whole night. brought the car to get checked and it turned out the power steering pump needed to be replaced. it was way more expensive than i can afford but can i not to get that repaired? i needed the car to go to work etc. mini cooper should recall this power steering pump. it's a serious safety issue.
07/30/201176000
 On multiple incidents, there is no indication leading up to the sudden loss of power steering. intermittent loss of power steering to the point where the steering wheel is nearly impossible to turn or maneuver. problem would occur during initial startup of the car, or after 15 mins of driving, or after 2-3 hours of driving. so far, on all occurrences, once the car is shut off and turned back on then power steering resumes. took my car to mini of stevens creek on 8/8/11 and was quoted $180 for diagnostics, $848 for parts, $253 for labor. mini has declined to honor a no-cost replacement. i need to find more reasonable price for repair as i cannot afford the quoted $1300 at the moment. i have yet to have this power steering problem fixed.
08/07/201178000
 Power-assisted steering fails on 2004 cooper mini. vehicle not driven aggressively. shutting vehicle off, then restarting, will occasionally restore power steering but only for a brief period. power-assisted steering works when first started for the day, but quits entirely within 30 - 45 min. later. driving without power-assisted steering is possible but extremely difficult to turn.
08/09/201174600
 It was so scary to not be able to make turns on freeway! on my way back from work san francisco, i started experiencing very stiff power steering half way and the situation got worse and worse. to the end i almost couldn't make turns. i barely can finally park the car in front of my garage and i was horrified by the experience for the whole night. brought the car to get checked and it turned out the power steering pump needed to be replaced. it was way more expensive than i can afford but can i not to get that repaired? i needed the car to go to work etc. mini cooper should recall this power steering pump. it's a serious safety issue.
07/30/201176000
 On multiple incidents, there is no indication leading up to the sudden loss of power steering. intermittent loss of power steering to the point where the steering wheel is nearly impossible to turn or maneuver. problem would occur during initial startup of the car, or after 15 mins of driving, or after 2-3 hours of driving. so far, on all occurrences, once the car is shut off and turned back on then power steering resumes. took my car to mini of stevens creek on 8/8/11 and was quoted $180 for diagnostics, $848 for parts, $253 for labor. mini has declined to honor a no-cost replacement. i need to find more reasonable price for repair as i cannot afford the quoted $1300 at the moment. i have yet to have this power steering problem fixed.
08/07/201178000
 Power-assisted steering fails on 2004 cooper mini. vehicle not driven aggressively. shutting vehicle off, then restarting, will occasionally restore power steering but only for a brief period. power-assisted steering works when first started for the day, but quits entirely within 30 - 45 min. later. driving without power-assisted steering is possible but extremely difficult to turn.
07/30/201176000
 On multiple incidents, there is no indication leading up to the sudden loss of power steering. intermittent loss of power steering to the point where the steering wheel is nearly impossible to turn or maneuver. problem would occur during initial startup of the car, or after 15 mins of driving, or after 2-3 hours of driving. so far, on all occurrences, once the car is shut off and turned back on then power steering resumes. took my car to mini of stevens creek on 8/8/11 and was quoted $180 for diagnostics, $848 for parts, $253 for labor. mini has declined to honor a no-cost replacement. i need to find more reasonable price for repair as i cannot afford the quoted $1300 at the moment. i have yet to have this power steering problem fixed.
08/07/201178000
 Power-assisted steering fails on 2004 cooper mini. vehicle not driven aggressively. shutting vehicle off, then restarting, will occasionally restore power steering but only for a brief period. power-assisted steering works when first started for the day, but quits entirely within 30 - 45 min. later. driving without power-assisted steering is possible but extremely difficult to turn.
11/09/200945000
 Continuous relapsing/remitting problem. power steering has been going out nearly once a week for the last year and a half. 90% of the time the power steering comes back on after restarting the car.
08/07/201178000
 Power-assisted steering fails on 2004 cooper mini. vehicle not driven aggressively. shutting vehicle off, then restarting, will occasionally restore power steering but only for a brief period. power-assisted steering works when first started for the day, but quits entirely within 30 - 45 min. later. driving without power-assisted steering is possible but extremely difficult to turn.
11/09/200945000
 Continuous relapsing/remitting problem. power steering has been going out nearly once a week for the last year and a half. 90% of the time the power steering comes back on after restarting the car.
07/22/201155000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated the power steering failed while driving at approximately 45mph additional force had to be applied to the steering to be able to turn. the failure occurred intermittently. the vehicle was taken to the locate mechanic who diagnosed located the failure at the power steering pump and cooling fan. the local mechanic replaced the power steering pump, and the cooling fan. the failure was not corrected the steering continued to fail intermittently. the failure and current mileage was 55,000. li
07/05/2011
 I own a 2004 mini cooper, the power steering pump completely stopped working without prior warning. we were on our way to eureka springs arkansas when this happened, luckily my husband was the one driving, i don't even want to imagine what could have happened if it had been me. i don't think i would have been able to handle the car through those curves.
06/15/201155000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated while driving 25 mph the power steering fail. turning the steering the vehicle becomes very difficult to drive. the dealer was not contacted. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 55,000
07/05/2011
 I own a 2004 mini cooper, the power steering pump completely stopped working without prior warning. we were on our way to eureka springs arkansas when this happened, luckily my husband was the one driving, i don't even want to imagine what could have happened if it had been me. i don't think i would have been able to handle the car through those curves.
06/15/201155000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated while driving 25 mph the power steering fail. turning the steering the vehicle becomes very difficult to drive. the dealer was not contacted. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 55,000
07/05/2011
 I own a 2004 mini cooper, the power steering pump completely stopped working without prior warning. we were on our way to eureka springs arkansas when this happened, luckily my husband was the one driving, i don't even want to imagine what could have happened if it had been me. i don't think i would have been able to handle the car through those curves.
06/15/201155000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated while driving 25 mph the power steering fail. turning the steering the vehicle becomes very difficult to drive. the dealer was not contacted. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 55,000
07/05/2011
 I own a 2004 mini cooper, the power steering pump completely stopped working without prior warning. we were on our way to eureka springs arkansas when this happened, luckily my husband was the one driving, i don't even want to imagine what could have happened if it had been me. i don't think i would have been able to handle the car through those curves.
06/15/201155000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated while driving 25 mph the power steering fail. turning the steering the vehicle becomes very difficult to drive. the dealer was not contacted. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 55,000
07/05/2011
 I own a 2004 mini cooper, the power steering pump completely stopped working without prior warning. we were on our way to eureka springs arkansas when this happened, luckily my husband was the one driving, i don't even want to imagine what could have happened if it had been me. i don't think i would have been able to handle the car through those curves.
06/15/201155000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated while driving 25 mph the power steering fail. turning the steering the vehicle becomes very difficult to drive. the dealer was not contacted. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 55,000
06/30/201141000
 Power steering failure
06/29/2011103000
 Driving under normal daylight conditions when the power steering failed on my 2004 mini cooper.
06/11/201154729
 Unexpected loss of power steering on 2004 mini cooper without any warning. purchased the 2004 mini cooper being unaware of the power steering failures, and while i was driving in heavy traffic the power steering failed and i almost collided with another vehicle and almost got rear-ended while struggling to get the car off the road in heavy traffic. i hope they issue a recall because when i started researching how many people are having problems i find it extremely disturbing that mini hasn't been forced to issue one yet. the power steering failure happens daily so took vehicle to mechanic and was informed that the power steering pump needs to be replaced. i have never experienced anything like this before in all of the cars i have purchased through out my adult life. what a safety hazard! i am so thankful my grandchild wasn't with me that day.
06/29/2011103000
 Driving under normal daylight conditions when the power steering failed on my 2004 mini cooper.
06/11/201154729
 Unexpected loss of power steering on 2004 mini cooper without any warning. purchased the 2004 mini cooper being unaware of the power steering failures, and while i was driving in heavy traffic the power steering failed and i almost collided with another vehicle and almost got rear-ended while struggling to get the car off the road in heavy traffic. i hope they issue a recall because when i started researching how many people are having problems i find it extremely disturbing that mini hasn't been forced to issue one yet. the power steering failure happens daily so took vehicle to mechanic and was informed that the power steering pump needs to be replaced. i have never experienced anything like this before in all of the cars i have purchased through out my adult life. what a safety hazard! i am so thankful my grandchild wasn't with me that day.
06/29/2011103000
 Driving under normal daylight conditions when the power steering failed on my 2004 mini cooper.
06/11/201154729
 Unexpected loss of power steering on 2004 mini cooper without any warning. purchased the 2004 mini cooper being unaware of the power steering failures, and while i was driving in heavy traffic the power steering failed and i almost collided with another vehicle and almost got rear-ended while struggling to get the car off the road in heavy traffic. i hope they issue a recall because when i started researching how many people are having problems i find it extremely disturbing that mini hasn't been forced to issue one yet. the power steering failure happens daily so took vehicle to mechanic and was informed that the power steering pump needs to be replaced. i have never experienced anything like this before in all of the cars i have purchased through out my adult life. what a safety hazard! i am so thankful my grandchild wasn't with me that day.
06/01/201174500
 Powers steering pump failure, power steering pump cooling fan failure
06/11/201154729
 Unexpected loss of power steering on 2004 mini cooper without any warning. purchased the 2004 mini cooper being unaware of the power steering failures, and while i was driving in heavy traffic the power steering failed and i almost collided with another vehicle and almost got rear-ended while struggling to get the car off the road in heavy traffic. i hope they issue a recall because when i started researching how many people are having problems i find it extremely disturbing that mini hasn't been forced to issue one yet. the power steering failure happens daily so took vehicle to mechanic and was informed that the power steering pump needs to be replaced. i have never experienced anything like this before in all of the cars i have purchased through out my adult life. what a safety hazard! i am so thankful my grandchild wasn't with me that day.
06/01/201174500
 Powers steering pump failure, power steering pump cooling fan failure
06/11/201154729
 Unexpected loss of power steering on 2004 mini cooper without any warning. purchased the 2004 mini cooper being unaware of the power steering failures, and while i was driving in heavy traffic the power steering failed and i almost collided with another vehicle and almost got rear-ended while struggling to get the car off the road in heavy traffic. i hope they issue a recall because when i started researching how many people are having problems i find it extremely disturbing that mini hasn't been forced to issue one yet. the power steering failure happens daily so took vehicle to mechanic and was informed that the power steering pump needs to be replaced. i have never experienced anything like this before in all of the cars i have purchased through out my adult life. what a safety hazard! i am so thankful my grandchild wasn't with me that day.
06/01/201174500
 Powers steering pump failure, power steering pump cooling fan failure
06/11/201154729
 Unexpected loss of power steering on 2004 mini cooper without any warning. purchased the 2004 mini cooper being unaware of the power steering failures, and while i was driving in heavy traffic the power steering failed and i almost collided with another vehicle and almost got rear-ended while struggling to get the car off the road in heavy traffic. i hope they issue a recall because when i started researching how many people are having problems i find it extremely disturbing that mini hasn't been forced to issue one yet. the power steering failure happens daily so took vehicle to mechanic and was informed that the power steering pump needs to be replaced. i have never experienced anything like this before in all of the cars i have purchased through out my adult life. what a safety hazard! i am so thankful my grandchild wasn't with me that day.
06/01/201174500
 Powers steering pump failure, power steering pump cooling fan failure
05/28/2011117000
 The power steering failed while driving car. happens at different times with no warning.
06/07/201160550
 Power steering pump failure on 2004 mini cooper. hard to steer while driving at all speeds. ordered new part from dealership.
05/28/2011117000
 The power steering failed while driving car. happens at different times with no warning.
06/07/201160550
 Power steering pump failure on 2004 mini cooper. hard to steer while driving at all speeds. ordered new part from dealership.
05/28/2011117000
 The power steering failed while driving car. happens at different times with no warning.
06/07/201160550
 Power steering pump failure on 2004 mini cooper. hard to steer while driving at all speeds. ordered new part from dealership.
06/01/201174000
 My 2004 mini experienced intermittent steering problems in feb. of 2011. steering became difficult at times and then nearly all the time. got new power steering pump. mostly fixed but felt odd at times. steering became permanently difficult in june 2011 and had pump replaced but didn't fix the problem. advised to replace rack and pinion. plan to do so. steering bills at about $2,000.
05/28/201130000
 Intermittent power steering failure. power steering has gone out twice, both times this was noticeable shortly after starting the vehicle (backing out of driveway). in the first incident, power steering returned after driving about half a block. in the second incident (a couple months later), power steering did not return while driving (1 mile), but returned when car was started the following day. dealership service center is currently unable to pinpoint issue through car's computer, but power steering pump is suspected. car is under 30k miles.
05/09/201196000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact was driving 70 mph when the power steering malfunctioned and the vehicle became difficult to control. the contact stated that the power steering pump was replaced several years ago by a local mechanic. the vehicle was taken back to the local mechanic for the most recent failure for a replacement to the power steering pump and the rack and pinion. the contact stated the vehicle was unsafe to drive and was concerned with the possibility of the failure causing a crash. the failure mileage was 96,000. the vin was not available.
05/09/201196000
 Tl. the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated while driving 70 mph the power steering suddenly malfunctioned making the vehicle very difficult to control. the contact has had the power steering pump replaced and few years ago by a local mechanic and now the same issue has returned. the contact has taken the vehicle back to the local mechanic to have the power steering pump and rack and pinion replaced. the contact stated the vehicle is unsafe to drive and could possibly cause a crash. the failure mileage was 96,000. jo
05/05/2011102000
 Intermittent power steering failure causing unexpected loss of power steering while car is in motion.
05/09/201196000
 Tl. the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated while driving 70 mph the power steering suddenly malfunctioned making the vehicle very difficult to control. the contact has had the power steering pump replaced and few years ago by a local mechanic and now the same issue has returned. the contact has taken the vehicle back to the local mechanic to have the power steering pump and rack and pinion replaced. the contact stated the vehicle is unsafe to drive and could possibly cause a crash. the failure mileage was 96,000. jo
05/05/2011102000
 Intermittent power steering failure causing unexpected loss of power steering while car is in motion.
05/18/201166330
 1. no events led up to this failure. it occured spontaneously after turning off my car. 2. power steering pump stays on after car's engine is off, and the pump will not shut off. this occurs every time the car is turned off and persists until the car is restarted or the battery dies. the constantly on power steering pump is know to lead to fires or spontaneously killing power steering while driving around turns. 3. the only way to fix this issue is to replace the power steering pump or leave the battery unplugged in the car. i currently have ordered a new power steering pump.
05/05/2011102000
 Intermittent power steering failure causing unexpected loss of power steering while car is in motion.
05/18/201166330
 1. no events led up to this failure. it occured spontaneously after turning off my car. 2. power steering pump stays on after car's engine is off, and the pump will not shut off. this occurs every time the car is turned off and persists until the car is restarted or the battery dies. the constantly on power steering pump is know to lead to fires or spontaneously killing power steering while driving around turns. 3. the only way to fix this issue is to replace the power steering pump or leave the battery unplugged in the car. i currently have ordered a new power steering pump.
04/28/201171331
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 bmw mini cooper. while driving approximately 20 mph, the contact noticed that the steering wheel became hard to move. the contact did not inform the dealer or manufacturer nor was the vehicle diagnosed or repaired. the current and failure mileages were 71,331. bw
04/23/201185500
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph, he suddenly lost power steering. he was able to drive home, turned the vehicle off and restarted it. the failure continued. the vehicle was taken to a repair shop where the power steering pump and power steering cooling fan were replaced. the manufacturer had not been notified. the current and failure mileages were approximately 85,500-bk
04/28/201171331
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 bmw mini cooper. while driving approximately 20 mph, the contact noticed that the steering wheel became hard to move. the contact did not inform the dealer or manufacturer nor was the vehicle diagnosed or repaired. the current and failure mileages were 71,331. bw
04/23/201185500
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph, he suddenly lost power steering. he was able to drive home, turned the vehicle off and restarted it. the failure continued. the vehicle was taken to a repair shop where the power steering pump and power steering cooling fan were replaced. the manufacturer had not been notified. the current and failure mileages were approximately 85,500-bk
06/05/2010110000
 I had driven my car ~ 40 miles at speeds ranging from 45 mph to 70 mph. the last 20 or so miles had been on an interstate. shortly after i exited the freeway, my steering became very tight and hard to manipulate. this continued until i parked the car, about 5 miles later. when i re-started the car, the power steering had returned to normal. this has happened no less than 15 times since then. it occurs without warning and usually will correct itself if i turn the car off and restart it.
04/23/201185500
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph, he suddenly lost power steering. he was able to drive home, turned the vehicle off and restarted it. the failure continued. the vehicle was taken to a repair shop where the power steering pump and power steering cooling fan were replaced. the manufacturer had not been notified. the current and failure mileages were approximately 85,500-bk
06/05/2010110000
 I had driven my car ~ 40 miles at speeds ranging from 45 mph to 70 mph. the last 20 or so miles had been on an interstate. shortly after i exited the freeway, my steering became very tight and hard to manipulate. this continued until i parked the car, about 5 miles later. when i re-started the car, the power steering had returned to normal. this has happened no less than 15 times since then. it occurs without warning and usually will correct itself if i turn the car off and restart it.
09/15/2010
 Occasional difficulty in steering my 2004 mini cooper. the steering becomes difficult and i have to turn the car off and restart it for it to work again. this happens about once a week.
06/05/2010110000
 I had driven my car ~ 40 miles at speeds ranging from 45 mph to 70 mph. the last 20 or so miles had been on an interstate. shortly after i exited the freeway, my steering became very tight and hard to manipulate. this continued until i parked the car, about 5 miles later. when i re-started the car, the power steering had returned to normal. this has happened no less than 15 times since then. it occurs without warning and usually will correct itself if i turn the car off and restart it.
09/15/2010
 Occasional difficulty in steering my 2004 mini cooper. the steering becomes difficult and i have to turn the car off and restart it for it to work again. this happens about once a week.
06/05/2010110000
 I had driven my car ~ 40 miles at speeds ranging from 45 mph to 70 mph. the last 20 or so miles had been on an interstate. shortly after i exited the freeway, my steering became very tight and hard to manipulate. this continued until i parked the car, about 5 miles later. when i re-started the car, the power steering had returned to normal. this has happened no less than 15 times since then. it occurs without warning and usually will correct itself if i turn the car off and restart it.
09/15/2010
 Occasional difficulty in steering my 2004 mini cooper. the steering becomes difficult and i have to turn the car off and restart it for it to work again. this happens about once a week.
06/05/2010110000
 I had driven my car ~ 40 miles at speeds ranging from 45 mph to 70 mph. the last 20 or so miles had been on an interstate. shortly after i exited the freeway, my steering became very tight and hard to manipulate. this continued until i parked the car, about 5 miles later. when i re-started the car, the power steering had returned to normal. this has happened no less than 15 times since then. it occurs without warning and usually will correct itself if i turn the car off and restart it.
09/15/2010
 Occasional difficulty in steering my 2004 mini cooper. the steering becomes difficult and i have to turn the car off and restart it for it to work again. this happens about once a week.
03/29/201180000
 While driving my 2004 mini cooper home from work one afternoon, i began having difficulty turning the steering wheel. after the initial failure, the problem continues to remain a constant when turning at any speed. the power steering reservoir has been checked and is low, but not empty. i understand that a power steering pump failure is common in this year, make, and model of mini cooper vehicles. the vehicle currently has just over 80k miles. no replacement parts have been ordered and no repairs have been made.
03/23/2011110200
 2004 mini cooper 110k miles lost power steering wheel control, very dangerous.
02/05/201190000
 Power steering assist in my 2004 min cooper failed while driving on highway
03/23/2011110200
 2004 mini cooper 110k miles lost power steering wheel control, very dangerous.
02/05/201190000
 Power steering assist in my 2004 min cooper failed while driving on highway
03/21/201161000
 I was driving on the freeway and my power steering suddenly went out-hard to steer car. i own a 2004 mini cooper.
03/23/2011110200
 2004 mini cooper 110k miles lost power steering wheel control, very dangerous.
02/05/201190000
 Power steering assist in my 2004 min cooper failed while driving on highway
03/21/201161000
 I was driving on the freeway and my power steering suddenly went out-hard to steer car. i own a 2004 mini cooper.
02/05/201190000
 Power steering assist in my 2004 min cooper failed while driving on highway
03/21/201161000
 I was driving on the freeway and my power steering suddenly went out-hard to steer car. i own a 2004 mini cooper.
03/18/201145000
 The power steering unit in my 2004 mini cooper has been acting strange for several months. it would sporadically cut off making the car difficult to steer. this has happened several times while the car was in motion. luckily, all of the incidents happended when the car was moving slow. now the car has no power steering at all. it completely failed today. our mini cooper only has 43,000 miles on it. imagine if i was driving over 30 miles and hour and the power steering cut off! i feel like the car is very dangerous to drive. i am very nervous about parking the car since the power sterring is intermitent, i hope that it doesn't cut out when i turn into a parking space, which would increase the chance of hitting a parked car. i have contacted the dealership and got a quote for $1200 in parts alone. addind the labor will bring the grand total to $1400.
03/21/201161000
 I was driving on the freeway and my power steering suddenly went out-hard to steer car. i own a 2004 mini cooper.
03/18/201145000
 The power steering unit in my 2004 mini cooper has been acting strange for several months. it would sporadically cut off making the car difficult to steer. this has happened several times while the car was in motion. luckily, all of the incidents happended when the car was moving slow. now the car has no power steering at all. it completely failed today. our mini cooper only has 43,000 miles on it. imagine if i was driving over 30 miles and hour and the power steering cut off! i feel like the car is very dangerous to drive. i am very nervous about parking the car since the power sterring is intermitent, i hope that it doesn't cut out when i turn into a parking space, which would increase the chance of hitting a parked car. i have contacted the dealership and got a quote for $1200 in parts alone. addind the labor will bring the grand total to $1400.
03/05/201180000
 2004 mini cooper power steering randomly stops working making the vehicle extremely hard to steer. emergency maneuvers would be impossible. must shut the vehicle off and restart to get steering back, which is not easy to do in many situations. will work most of the time but fail once per day or so. my mechanic has ordered a new power steering pump and fan from bmw which he says is the fix for this well documented problem. if a light person was driving the car when this happens i seriously doubt they could keep the car on the road due to the arm strength required to continue steering the car. problem could happen at any speed.
03/21/201161000
 I was driving on the freeway and my power steering suddenly went out-hard to steer car. i own a 2004 mini cooper.
03/18/201145000
 The power steering unit in my 2004 mini cooper has been acting strange for several months. it would sporadically cut off making the car difficult to steer. this has happened several times while the car was in motion. luckily, all of the incidents happended when the car was moving slow. now the car has no power steering at all. it completely failed today. our mini cooper only has 43,000 miles on it. imagine if i was driving over 30 miles and hour and the power steering cut off! i feel like the car is very dangerous to drive. i am very nervous about parking the car since the power sterring is intermitent, i hope that it doesn't cut out when i turn into a parking space, which would increase the chance of hitting a parked car. i have contacted the dealership and got a quote for $1200 in parts alone. addind the labor will bring the grand total to $1400.
03/05/201180000
 2004 mini cooper power steering randomly stops working making the vehicle extremely hard to steer. emergency maneuvers would be impossible. must shut the vehicle off and restart to get steering back, which is not easy to do in many situations. will work most of the time but fail once per day or so. my mechanic has ordered a new power steering pump and fan from bmw which he says is the fix for this well documented problem. if a light person was driving the car when this happens i seriously doubt they could keep the car on the road due to the arm strength required to continue steering the car. problem could happen at any speed.
03/18/201145000
 The power steering unit in my 2004 mini cooper has been acting strange for several months. it would sporadically cut off making the car difficult to steer. this has happened several times while the car was in motion. luckily, all of the incidents happended when the car was moving slow. now the car has no power steering at all. it completely failed today. our mini cooper only has 43,000 miles on it. imagine if i was driving over 30 miles and hour and the power steering cut off! i feel like the car is very dangerous to drive. i am very nervous about parking the car since the power sterring is intermitent, i hope that it doesn't cut out when i turn into a parking space, which would increase the chance of hitting a parked car. i have contacted the dealership and got a quote for $1200 in parts alone. addind the labor will bring the grand total to $1400.
03/05/201180000
 2004 mini cooper power steering randomly stops working making the vehicle extremely hard to steer. emergency maneuvers would be impossible. must shut the vehicle off and restart to get steering back, which is not easy to do in many situations. will work most of the time but fail once per day or so. my mechanic has ordered a new power steering pump and fan from bmw which he says is the fix for this well documented problem. if a light person was driving the car when this happens i seriously doubt they could keep the car on the road due to the arm strength required to continue steering the car. problem could happen at any speed.
01/15/2011
 My car keeps having intermittent power steering failure. there have been no events leading up to the failure, it has been quite spontaneous, always while i am driving. i have had more than 10 instances, some extremely dangerous as i am in the middle of making a turn when the failure occurs. nothing has been done to correct the failure as of yet; i am planning to take my car to the dealership once i have the money to do so.
02/18/2010106000
 After starting the mini, which is parked in a parking garage, i noticed the steering wheel was very difficult to turn, as if the power steering wasn't working. this had happened once before, but that time the problem went away after a few minutes. it was approximately 70 outside, and the power steering fluid was full. i drove the car to do errands, approx 10 miles round trip, and the problem persisted even after turning off the car and letting it sit for a few minutes while i went to the store. the steering functioned when i used a lot of force to turn the wheel, but i was worried about safety if i had to swerve or turn the wheel quickly for any reason; i would be unable to do so.
02/10/2011
 Power steering in 2004 mini cooper almost completely locks up with no warning whatsoever. no warning lights or other visual indicators depict the status of the power steering fluid or overall steering system. ability to steer car changes instantaneously from full normal control to nearly impossible to parallel park (at extremely slow speed) or make a basic 90 degree turn (at any relevant speed). makes the car dangerous and stressful to drive.
02/18/2010106000
 After starting the mini, which is parked in a parking garage, i noticed the steering wheel was very difficult to turn, as if the power steering wasn't working. this had happened once before, but that time the problem went away after a few minutes. it was approximately 70 outside, and the power steering fluid was full. i drove the car to do errands, approx 10 miles round trip, and the problem persisted even after turning off the car and letting it sit for a few minutes while i went to the store. the steering functioned when i used a lot of force to turn the wheel, but i was worried about safety if i had to swerve or turn the wheel quickly for any reason; i would be unable to do so.
02/10/2011
 Power steering in 2004 mini cooper almost completely locks up with no warning whatsoever. no warning lights or other visual indicators depict the status of the power steering fluid or overall steering system. ability to steer car changes instantaneously from full normal control to nearly impossible to parallel park (at extremely slow speed) or make a basic 90 degree turn (at any relevant speed). makes the car dangerous and stressful to drive.
01/20/2011130000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated the power steering is going in and out on the vehicle. the failure occurs without warning. the contact took the vehicle to their mechanic and they were trying to find out what was causing the failure. the mechanic stated they could not find whether it was a leak or the pump. the vehicle was still being inspected at the time of the complaint. the failure mileage and current mileages were 130,000.rl
02/10/2011
 Power steering in 2004 mini cooper almost completely locks up with no warning whatsoever. no warning lights or other visual indicators depict the status of the power steering fluid or overall steering system. ability to steer car changes instantaneously from full normal control to nearly impossible to parallel park (at extremely slow speed) or make a basic 90 degree turn (at any relevant speed). makes the car dangerous and stressful to drive.
01/20/2011130000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated the power steering is going in and out on the vehicle. the failure occurs without warning. the contact took the vehicle to their mechanic and they were trying to find out what was causing the failure. the mechanic stated they could not find whether it was a leak or the pump. the vehicle was still being inspected at the time of the complaint. the failure mileage and current mileages were 130,000.rl
02/12/201167616
 Purchased a used 2004 mini cooper from a dealership. 7 weeks after purchase the steering became increasingly difficult at times in the last 24 hours. taking it on monday but the steering isn't covered under their 9 month, 9000 mile warranty. taking it in to the dealership on monday for their service dept to take a look at it. hoping it's covered but i doubt it.
01/20/2011130000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated the power steering is going in and out on the vehicle. the failure occurs without warning. the contact took the vehicle to their mechanic and they were trying to find out what was causing the failure. the mechanic stated they could not find whether it was a leak or the pump. the vehicle was still being inspected at the time of the complaint. the failure mileage and current mileages were 130,000.rl
02/12/201167616
 Purchased a used 2004 mini cooper from a dealership. 7 weeks after purchase the steering became increasingly difficult at times in the last 24 hours. taking it on monday but the steering isn't covered under their 9 month, 9000 mile warranty. taking it in to the dealership on monday for their service dept to take a look at it. hoping it's covered but i doubt it.
02/07/2011115000
 Suddenly lost power steering while driving and had substantial difficulty turning to get out of traffic. it happened a few times, then ti ook it for repairs. was told that the pump and fan were bad and that this was a known problem with 2004 minis.
01/20/2011130000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated the power steering is going in and out on the vehicle. the failure occurs without warning. the contact took the vehicle to their mechanic and they were trying to find out what was causing the failure. the mechanic stated they could not find whether it was a leak or the pump. the vehicle was still being inspected at the time of the complaint. the failure mileage and current mileages were 130,000.rl
02/12/201167616
 Purchased a used 2004 mini cooper from a dealership. 7 weeks after purchase the steering became increasingly difficult at times in the last 24 hours. taking it on monday but the steering isn't covered under their 9 month, 9000 mile warranty. taking it in to the dealership on monday for their service dept to take a look at it. hoping it's covered but i doubt it.
02/07/2011115000
 Suddenly lost power steering while driving and had substantial difficulty turning to get out of traffic. it happened a few times, then ti ook it for repairs. was told that the pump and fan were bad and that this was a known problem with 2004 minis.
02/12/201167616
 Purchased a used 2004 mini cooper from a dealership. 7 weeks after purchase the steering became increasingly difficult at times in the last 24 hours. taking it on monday but the steering isn't covered under their 9 month, 9000 mile warranty. taking it in to the dealership on monday for their service dept to take a look at it. hoping it's covered but i doubt it.
02/07/2011115000
 Suddenly lost power steering while driving and had substantial difficulty turning to get out of traffic. it happened a few times, then ti ook it for repairs. was told that the pump and fan were bad and that this was a known problem with 2004 minis.
02/05/2011680001
 Last night while driving on a busy street in one of the largest cities in the u.s., i experienced complete power steering failure - which became evident to me only when i attempted to make a right turn and found that the steering wheel was nearly impossible to turn. before this happened, no warning lights became illuminated on the dash & nothing about the car's performance suggested a problem with the vehicle - there was simply no warning of any kind. at the time this occurred i had been driving for less than 15 minutes @ approx. 35 mph & i had made several turns (right & left) during the course of this trip without any problems - the last of which had been only 2 or 3 minutes prior to this event. though i was ultimately able to complete the turn without leaving the road by using all of my strength to slowly turn the wheel, my car traveled for approx. 1/2 block in the opposing lane of traffic before i was able to steer the car back into my lane. if there had been oncoming traffic on the street i turned onto i would have been completely unable to avoid a collision. despite being restarted several times since this event, the vehicle's power steering has not returned or improved. at this time it appears that the power steering pump is the cause of the problem. this experience was extremely terrifying & could have easily resulted in the serious injury or death of myself and/or others. *tr
02/07/2011115000
 Suddenly lost power steering while driving and had substantial difficulty turning to get out of traffic. it happened a few times, then ti ook it for repairs. was told that the pump and fan were bad and that this was a known problem with 2004 minis.
02/05/2011680001
 Last night while driving on a busy street in one of the largest cities in the u.s., i experienced complete power steering failure - which became evident to me only when i attempted to make a right turn and found that the steering wheel was nearly impossible to turn. before this happened, no warning lights became illuminated on the dash & nothing about the car's performance suggested a problem with the vehicle - there was simply no warning of any kind. at the time this occurred i had been driving for less than 15 minutes @ approx. 35 mph & i had made several turns (right & left) during the course of this trip without any problems - the last of which had been only 2 or 3 minutes prior to this event. though i was ultimately able to complete the turn without leaving the road by using all of my strength to slowly turn the wheel, my car traveled for approx. 1/2 block in the opposing lane of traffic before i was able to steer the car back into my lane. if there had been oncoming traffic on the street i turned onto i would have been completely unable to avoid a collision. despite being restarted several times since this event, the vehicle's power steering has not returned or improved. at this time it appears that the power steering pump is the cause of the problem. this experience was extremely terrifying & could have easily resulted in the serious injury or death of myself and/or others. *tr
02/05/201168000
 Last night while driving on a busy street in one of the largest cities in the u.s., i experienced complete power steering failure - which became evident to me only when i attempted to make a right turn and found that the steering wheel was nearly impossible to turn. before this happened, no warning lights became illuminated on the dash & nothing about the car's performance suggested a problem with the vehicle - there was simply no warning of any kind. at the time this occurred i had been driving for less than 15 minutes @ approx. 35 mph & i had made several turns (right & left) during the course of this trip without any problems - the last of which had been only 2 or 3 minutes prior to this event. though i was ultimately able to complete the turn without leaving the road by using all of my strength to slowly turn the wheel, my car traveled for approx. 1/2 block in the opposing lane of traffic before i was able to steer the car back into my lane. if there had been oncoming traffic on the street i turned onto i would have been completely unable to avoid a collision. despite being restarted several times since this event, the vehicle's power steering has not returned or improved. at this time it appears that the power steering pump is the cause of the problem. this experience was extremely terrifying & could have easily resulted in the serious injury or death of myself and/or others.
01/20/201155000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while driving less than 20 mph, the contact loss power steering with no prior warning. the steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn. the vehicle was driven to the side of the road. the engine was turned off; and after restarting the power steering began to function normally. the similar failure reoccured on a different occasion. the dealer was notified and an appointment was scheduled for the vehicle to be diagnosed. the failure mileage was 55,000. js
12/10/2010130000
 Intermittent power steering failure. continues to occur almost daily. to date, i have not had trouble driving the car, but the power steering goes on and off with no apparent reason.
01/11/201156000
 My power steering failed in the middle left turn causing me to wreck right into a signal light. i have a 2004 mini cooper 5spd transmission non-s.
01/03/201190000
 Power steering in my 2004 mini cooper went out while going around a turn and caused me to swerve off the road.
01/09/201143600
 I own a 2004 mini cooper. i've had a couple incidents with the power steering system. while driving the vehicle, the power steering will cease to operate. the result is a steering system that is extremely difficult to maneuver. this is a safety hazzard that needs to be addressed by bmw. i've read a few online articles on this matter and now realize that my power steering pump is going bad. it needs to be replaced and i plan to do so. i was surprised however by the number of online articles i found on this topic. operating a vehicle with a randomly faulty power steering system is extremely dangerous. i can only imagine the worst should the power steering fail on my mini cooper on a winding road with oncoming traffic. it is a completely random failure of the power steering system under all driving conditions. the problem first occured a couple months ago and went away. recently it happened multiple times on the same day. so far my solution has been to turn the car off and restart it. based on internet research i know now that i need to replace the power steering pump.
01/11/201156000
 My power steering failed in the middle left turn causing me to wreck right into a signal light. i have a 2004 mini cooper 5spd transmission non-s.
01/03/201190000
 Power steering in my 2004 mini cooper went out while going around a turn and caused me to swerve off the road.
01/09/201143600
 I own a 2004 mini cooper. i've had a couple incidents with the power steering system. while driving the vehicle, the power steering will cease to operate. the result is a steering system that is extremely difficult to maneuver. this is a safety hazzard that needs to be addressed by bmw. i've read a few online articles on this matter and now realize that my power steering pump is going bad. it needs to be replaced and i plan to do so. i was surprised however by the number of online articles i found on this topic. operating a vehicle with a randomly faulty power steering system is extremely dangerous. i can only imagine the worst should the power steering fail on my mini cooper on a winding road with oncoming traffic. it is a completely random failure of the power steering system under all driving conditions. the problem first occured a couple months ago and went away. recently it happened multiple times on the same day. so far my solution has been to turn the car off and restart it. based on internet research i know now that i need to replace the power steering pump.
01/11/201156000
 My power steering failed in the middle left turn causing me to wreck right into a signal light. i have a 2004 mini cooper 5spd transmission non-s.
01/03/201190000
 Power steering in my 2004 mini cooper went out while going around a turn and caused me to swerve off the road.
01/09/201143600
 I own a 2004 mini cooper. i've had a couple incidents with the power steering system. while driving the vehicle, the power steering will cease to operate. the result is a steering system that is extremely difficult to maneuver. this is a safety hazzard that needs to be addressed by bmw. i've read a few online articles on this matter and now realize that my power steering pump is going bad. it needs to be replaced and i plan to do so. i was surprised however by the number of online articles i found on this topic. operating a vehicle with a randomly faulty power steering system is extremely dangerous. i can only imagine the worst should the power steering fail on my mini cooper on a winding road with oncoming traffic. it is a completely random failure of the power steering system under all driving conditions. the problem first occured a couple months ago and went away. recently it happened multiple times on the same day. so far my solution has been to turn the car off and restart it. based on internet research i know now that i need to replace the power steering pump.
01/06/201160000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the driver was driving at an unknown speed when the steering wheel became very stiff and difficult to turn. the vehicle was parked and shut off. upon restart the steering wheel remained difficult to turn. the vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed. the failure and current mileages were 60,000. sm.
01/03/201190000
 Power steering in my 2004 mini cooper went out while going around a turn and caused me to swerve off the road.
01/09/201143600
 I own a 2004 mini cooper. i've had a couple incidents with the power steering system. while driving the vehicle, the power steering will cease to operate. the result is a steering system that is extremely difficult to maneuver. this is a safety hazzard that needs to be addressed by bmw. i've read a few online articles on this matter and now realize that my power steering pump is going bad. it needs to be replaced and i plan to do so. i was surprised however by the number of online articles i found on this topic. operating a vehicle with a randomly faulty power steering system is extremely dangerous. i can only imagine the worst should the power steering fail on my mini cooper on a winding road with oncoming traffic. it is a completely random failure of the power steering system under all driving conditions. the problem first occured a couple months ago and went away. recently it happened multiple times on the same day. so far my solution has been to turn the car off and restart it. based on internet research i know now that i need to replace the power steering pump.
01/06/201160000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the driver was driving at an unknown speed when the steering wheel became very stiff and difficult to turn. the vehicle was parked and shut off. upon restart the steering wheel remained difficult to turn. the vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed. the failure and current mileages were 60,000. sm.
01/09/201143600
 I own a 2004 mini cooper. i've had a couple incidents with the power steering system. while driving the vehicle, the power steering will cease to operate. the result is a steering system that is extremely difficult to maneuver. this is a safety hazzard that needs to be addressed by bmw. i've read a few online articles on this matter and now realize that my power steering pump is going bad. it needs to be replaced and i plan to do so. i was surprised however by the number of online articles i found on this topic. operating a vehicle with a randomly faulty power steering system is extremely dangerous. i can only imagine the worst should the power steering fail on my mini cooper on a winding road with oncoming traffic. it is a completely random failure of the power steering system under all driving conditions. the problem first occured a couple months ago and went away. recently it happened multiple times on the same day. so far my solution has been to turn the car off and restart it. based on internet research i know now that i need to replace the power steering pump.
01/06/201160000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the driver was driving at an unknown speed when the steering wheel became very stiff and difficult to turn. the vehicle was parked and shut off. upon restart the steering wheel remained difficult to turn. the vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed. the failure and current mileages were 60,000. sm.
06/05/201060000
 The power steering pump failed on my mini cooper at high speed, curvey road at night without warning. i had to replace the pump and the cooling fan to the tune of $900. this happened just outside of warrantee at 60k miles. mechanic sdaid that he replaces about 10 a month...all mini's pmps fail under 80k miles.
11/01/201018250
 Power steering intermittently loses power making it difficult to control the car.
12/03/201097000
 The power steering on my 2004 mini cooper intermittently fails. to date, 5 failures have happened lasting from 10 to 30 minutes in duration. last failure was december 3, 2010.
11/01/201018250
 Power steering intermittently loses power making it difficult to control the car.
12/03/201097000
 The power steering on my 2004 mini cooper intermittently fails. to date, 5 failures have happened lasting from 10 to 30 minutes in duration. last failure was december 3, 2010.
11/01/201018250
 Power steering intermittently loses power making it difficult to control the car.
12/03/201097000
 The power steering on my 2004 mini cooper intermittently fails. to date, 5 failures have happened lasting from 10 to 30 minutes in duration. last failure was december 3, 2010.
11/01/201018250
 Power steering intermittently loses power making it difficult to control the car.
12/03/201097000
 The power steering on my 2004 mini cooper intermittently fails. to date, 5 failures have happened lasting from 10 to 30 minutes in duration. last failure was december 3, 2010.
12/20/201058900
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 bmw mini cooper. while driving approximately 35 mph, the contact noticed that the power steering pump went out, making it difficult to steer the vehicle. 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. bw
12/18/201044600
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini copper. while traveling 25 mph the power steering went out on the vehicle. the steering went out with no warning and did not start working again. the failure mileage and current mileages was 44600.rl
01/15/201085000
 Started to have intermittent power steering failure in january 2010, then it finally stopped working in july 2010, haven't had power steering since.
12/20/201058900
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 bmw mini cooper. while driving approximately 35 mph, the contact noticed that the power steering pump went out, making it difficult to steer the vehicle. 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. bw
12/18/201044600
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini copper. while traveling 25 mph the power steering went out on the vehicle. the steering went out with no warning and did not start working again. the failure mileage and current mileages was 44600.rl
01/15/201085000
 Started to have intermittent power steering failure in january 2010, then it finally stopped working in july 2010, haven't had power steering since.
12/18/201044600
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini copper. while traveling 25 mph the power steering went out on the vehicle. the steering went out with no warning and did not start working again. the failure mileage and current mileages was 44600.rl
01/15/201085000
 Started to have intermittent power steering failure in january 2010, then it finally stopped working in july 2010, haven't had power steering since.
09/01/201068
 The steering is so hard and it is difficult to move while driving, i had this problem for last few month but every time when i turn off/on, the problem goes away for a day or two. since last week, it become permenant. i surf on internet and call mini customer services, they told me that this issue is under investigation and if i fixed the problem and if there will be a recall, they will cover only parts not labor. this is very serious and unsafe while driving.
11/19/201080000
 While parking and while driving, steering function has been lost. the steering wheel gets heavy, seeming to be stuck and unable to turn. this happened twice, and i was able to stop the car or pull off to the side and stop without injury. the steering fluid was fine, an although the steering pump doesn't make noise or continue to run after the car is shut off, it is assumed the steering pump needs to be replaced (a common faulty part in mini coopers). there is concern for safety over when and where i might lose steering again and whether this will cause an incident alone or with another car. i have read that my car might start on fire in connection with the steering pump, even with a replacement of the pump.
10/01/2009
 The power steering assist on my 2004 mini cooper started failing very sporadically over one year ago becoming more and more frequent until finally i experienced complete failure of the power assist. sometimes this would occur when i was first starting the car but then as the frequency increase, it would also just stop working while i was driving, sometimes going as fast as 50-60 miles per hour, making the vehicle very difficult to steer. i had the power steering pump replaced with a brand new one, which seems to have corrected the problem. the car only had 83,000 miles on it at the time the power steering pump had to be replaced, which, i believe, is unacceptable.
11/16/201080000
 Normal driving conditions. 2004 mini cooper power steering failed. no leaking fluids, no warning lights or abnormal sounds to hint that this was an impending issue. car was very difficult to maneuver. we are concerned that this is a safety issue in parking lots, with pedestrians or at speed around other vehicles.
11/14/201072000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while driving 35 mph the power steering fails. he steered the vehicle to a parking lot turn the engine off and then on and the steering resets itself. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 72,000.....mw
10/01/2009
 The power steering assist on my 2004 mini cooper started failing very sporadically over one year ago becoming more and more frequent until finally i experienced complete failure of the power assist. sometimes this would occur when i was first starting the car but then as the frequency increase, it would also just stop working while i was driving, sometimes going as fast as 50-60 miles per hour, making the vehicle very difficult to steer. i had the power steering pump replaced with a brand new one, which seems to have corrected the problem. the car only had 83,000 miles on it at the time the power steering pump had to be replaced, which, i believe, is unacceptable.
11/16/201080000
 Normal driving conditions. 2004 mini cooper power steering failed. no leaking fluids, no warning lights or abnormal sounds to hint that this was an impending issue. car was very difficult to maneuver. we are concerned that this is a safety issue in parking lots, with pedestrians or at speed around other vehicles.
11/14/201072000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while driving 35 mph the power steering fails. he steered the vehicle to a parking lot turn the engine off and then on and the steering resets itself. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 72,000.....mw
10/01/2009
 The power steering assist on my 2004 mini cooper started failing very sporadically over one year ago becoming more and more frequent until finally i experienced complete failure of the power assist. sometimes this would occur when i was first starting the car but then as the frequency increase, it would also just stop working while i was driving, sometimes going as fast as 50-60 miles per hour, making the vehicle very difficult to steer. i had the power steering pump replaced with a brand new one, which seems to have corrected the problem. the car only had 83,000 miles on it at the time the power steering pump had to be replaced, which, i believe, is unacceptable.
11/16/201080000
 Normal driving conditions. 2004 mini cooper power steering failed. no leaking fluids, no warning lights or abnormal sounds to hint that this was an impending issue. car was very difficult to maneuver. we are concerned that this is a safety issue in parking lots, with pedestrians or at speed around other vehicles.
11/14/201072000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while driving 35 mph the power steering fails. he steered the vehicle to a parking lot turn the engine off and then on and the steering resets itself. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 72,000.....mw
10/01/2009
 The power steering assist on my 2004 mini cooper started failing very sporadically over one year ago becoming more and more frequent until finally i experienced complete failure of the power assist. sometimes this would occur when i was first starting the car but then as the frequency increase, it would also just stop working while i was driving, sometimes going as fast as 50-60 miles per hour, making the vehicle very difficult to steer. i had the power steering pump replaced with a brand new one, which seems to have corrected the problem. the car only had 83,000 miles on it at the time the power steering pump had to be replaced, which, i believe, is unacceptable.
11/16/201080000
 Normal driving conditions. 2004 mini cooper power steering failed. no leaking fluids, no warning lights or abnormal sounds to hint that this was an impending issue. car was very difficult to maneuver. we are concerned that this is a safety issue in parking lots, with pedestrians or at speed around other vehicles.
11/14/201072000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while driving 35 mph the power steering fails. he steered the vehicle to a parking lot turn the engine off and then on and the steering resets itself. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 72,000.....mw
09/16/201072000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while driving approximately 35 mph the power steering went out. she stated the steering went out for a second and came back. the failure was intermittent over the course of 6 weeks and has occurred 6 times. the vehicle has been taken to an authorized dealer several times. the dealer has replaced parts to the steering but she was not sure of the parts. the failure happen again briefly after the dealer repairs. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the failure happen with the mechanic. the dealer was unable to find a cause to the failure. the vehicle has not been repair. the failure mileage was 72,000 and the current mileage was 74,000. vwb
10/16/201058000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated that the power steering intermittently malfunctioned; there was a loss of power steering capabilities. on one occasion, the power steering cooling fan stayed on after the vehicle was shut off which drained the battery. the vehicle was towed to a repair shop where it was located at the time of the complaint. the manufacturer had not been notified. the current mileage was approximately 58,325. the failure mileage was approximately 58,000-bk
09/16/201072000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while driving approximately 35 mph the power steering went out. she stated the steering went out for a second and came back. the failure was intermittent over the course of 6 weeks and has occurred 6 times. the vehicle has been taken to an authorized dealer several times. the dealer has replaced parts to the steering but she was not sure of the parts. the failure happen again briefly after the dealer repairs. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the failure happen with the mechanic. the dealer was unable to find a cause to the failure. the vehicle has not been repair. the failure mileage was 72,000 and the current mileage was 74,000. vwb
10/16/201058000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated that the power steering intermittently malfunctioned; there was a loss of power steering capabilities. on one occasion, the power steering cooling fan stayed on after the vehicle was shut off which drained the battery. the vehicle was towed to a repair shop where it was located at the time of the complaint. the manufacturer had not been notified. the current mileage was approximately 58,325. the failure mileage was approximately 58,000-bk
10/24/201085000
 1. power steering started failing 2. occurs randomly throughout my driving ~ daily 3. repair/replace power steering pump
10/16/201058000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated that the power steering intermittently malfunctioned; there was a loss of power steering capabilities. on one occasion, the power steering cooling fan stayed on after the vehicle was shut off which drained the battery. the vehicle was towed to a repair shop where it was located at the time of the complaint. the manufacturer had not been notified. the current mileage was approximately 58,325. the failure mileage was approximately 58,000-bk
10/24/201085000
 1. power steering started failing 2. occurs randomly throughout my driving ~ daily 3. repair/replace power steering pump
10/10/201063140
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while driving 5 mph when he attempted to make a right turn the steering failed. he was able to keep the vehicle under control pulled on the side of the road turned the vehicle off for a few minutes the steering returned to normal only for few seconds. the contact stated the steering failure occurred when the engine was hot. the dealer advised the failure was a common problem the power steering pump will need to be replaced. the vehicle wasn't repaired. the failure and the current mileage were 63,140. li
03/27/201063100
 Pwer steering pump stopped working
10/24/201085000
 1. power steering started failing 2. occurs randomly throughout my driving ~ daily 3. repair/replace power steering pump
10/10/201063140
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while driving 5 mph when he attempted to make a right turn the steering failed. he was able to keep the vehicle under control pulled on the side of the road turned the vehicle off for a few minutes the steering returned to normal only for few seconds. the contact stated the steering failure occurred when the engine was hot. the dealer advised the failure was a common problem the power steering pump will need to be replaced. the vehicle wasn't repaired. the failure and the current mileage were 63,140. li
03/27/201063100
 Pwer steering pump stopped working
11/10/200954000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while the vehicle was parked in the drive way the contact noticed oil on the ground, he inspected the vehicle and found the power steering was leaking fluid. the vehicle was taken to the garage replaced the power steering pump, steering hose, pressure hose, return hose and the suction hose. the manufacturer wasn't contacted. the failure was 54,000 and the current mileage was 61,400. li
10/24/201085000
 1. power steering started failing 2. occurs randomly throughout my driving ~ daily 3. repair/replace power steering pump
10/10/201063140
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while driving 5 mph when he attempted to make a right turn the steering failed. he was able to keep the vehicle under control pulled on the side of the road turned the vehicle off for a few minutes the steering returned to normal only for few seconds. the contact stated the steering failure occurred when the engine was hot. the dealer advised the failure was a common problem the power steering pump will need to be replaced. the vehicle wasn't repaired. the failure and the current mileage were 63,140. li
03/27/201063100
 Pwer steering pump stopped working
11/10/200954000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while the vehicle was parked in the drive way the contact noticed oil on the ground, he inspected the vehicle and found the power steering was leaking fluid. the vehicle was taken to the garage replaced the power steering pump, steering hose, pressure hose, return hose and the suction hose. the manufacturer wasn't contacted. the failure was 54,000 and the current mileage was 61,400. li
10/24/201077000
 My wife's 2004 mini cooper (non-s) has been having power steering failures for the past month. i experienced it for the first time today driving down a busy dallas highway. while trying to steer to the side of the road i immediately thought as i was yanking on the wheel, what if the power steering kicks back in all of the sudden, we would end up in an accident. thankfully, that did not happen and after turning the car off, checking the fluid reservoir, and starting the car again, the power steering was back. i immediately called the local mini dealership and set up an appointment, but after researching this i think we may just park it until an official recall is issued. this is a huge safety issue that needs to be addressed.
10/10/201063140
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while driving 5 mph when he attempted to make a right turn the steering failed. he was able to keep the vehicle under control pulled on the side of the road turned the vehicle off for a few minutes the steering returned to normal only for few seconds. the contact stated the steering failure occurred when the engine was hot. the dealer advised the failure was a common problem the power steering pump will need to be replaced. the vehicle wasn't repaired. the failure and the current mileage were 63,140. li
03/27/201063100
 Pwer steering pump stopped working
11/10/200954000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while the vehicle was parked in the drive way the contact noticed oil on the ground, he inspected the vehicle and found the power steering was leaking fluid. the vehicle was taken to the garage replaced the power steering pump, steering hose, pressure hose, return hose and the suction hose. the manufacturer wasn't contacted. the failure was 54,000 and the current mileage was 61,400. li
10/24/201077000
 My wife's 2004 mini cooper (non-s) has been having power steering failures for the past month. i experienced it for the first time today driving down a busy dallas highway. while trying to steer to the side of the road i immediately thought as i was yanking on the wheel, what if the power steering kicks back in all of the sudden, we would end up in an accident. thankfully, that did not happen and after turning the car off, checking the fluid reservoir, and starting the car again, the power steering was back. i immediately called the local mini dealership and set up an appointment, but after researching this i think we may just park it until an official recall is issued. this is a huge safety issue that needs to be addressed.
11/10/200954000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while the vehicle was parked in the drive way the contact noticed oil on the ground, he inspected the vehicle and found the power steering was leaking fluid. the vehicle was taken to the garage replaced the power steering pump, steering hose, pressure hose, return hose and the suction hose. the manufacturer wasn't contacted. the failure was 54,000 and the current mileage was 61,400. li
10/24/201077000
 My wife's 2004 mini cooper (non-s) has been having power steering failures for the past month. i experienced it for the first time today driving down a busy dallas highway. while trying to steer to the side of the road i immediately thought as i was yanking on the wheel, what if the power steering kicks back in all of the sudden, we would end up in an accident. thankfully, that did not happen and after turning the car off, checking the fluid reservoir, and starting the car again, the power steering was back. i immediately called the local mini dealership and set up an appointment, but after researching this i think we may just park it until an official recall is issued. this is a huge safety issue that needs to be addressed.
10/20/201036000
 My 2004 mini cooper has had the power steering fail intermittently, always after 20-30 minutes of driving on the road. the car has 37,000 miles.
10/24/201077000
 My wife's 2004 mini cooper (non-s) has been having power steering failures for the past month. i experienced it for the first time today driving down a busy dallas highway. while trying to steer to the side of the road i immediately thought as i was yanking on the wheel, what if the power steering kicks back in all of the sudden, we would end up in an accident. thankfully, that did not happen and after turning the car off, checking the fluid reservoir, and starting the car again, the power steering was back. i immediately called the local mini dealership and set up an appointment, but after researching this i think we may just park it until an official recall is issued. this is a huge safety issue that needs to be addressed.
10/20/201036000
 My 2004 mini cooper has had the power steering fail intermittently, always after 20-30 minutes of driving on the road. the car has 37,000 miles.
10/24/201077000
 My wife's 2004 mini cooper (non-s) has been having power steering failures for the past month. i experienced it for the first time today driving down a busy dallas highway. while trying to steer to the side of the road i immediately thought as i was yanking on the wheel, what if the power steering kicks back in all of the sudden, we would end up in an accident. thankfully, that did not happen and after turning the car off, checking the fluid reservoir, and starting the car again, the power steering was back. i immediately called the local mini dealership and set up an appointment, but after researching this i think we may just park it until an official recall is issued. this is a huge safety issue that needs to be addressed.
10/20/201036000
 My 2004 mini cooper has had the power steering fail intermittently, always after 20-30 minutes of driving on the road. the car has 37,000 miles.
10/16/2010152000
 2004 mini cooper. intermittent power steering failures. happens on a hot day or in stop and go traffic.
10/20/201036000
 My 2004 mini cooper has had the power steering fail intermittently, always after 20-30 minutes of driving on the road. the car has 37,000 miles.
10/16/2010152000
 2004 mini cooper. intermittent power steering failures. happens on a hot day or in stop and go traffic.
08/07/201059500
 Daily driving my 04 mini cooper loses power steering intermittently. sometimes it is just for a minute or two and other times it lasts hours. when i'm dirving the car in town i have to pull over immediately as it becomes difficult to steer around sharp corners. if on the freeway it's alarming how difficult it is to steer. i took it to the mini cooper dealership and they diagnosed that it needed a new power steering pump. i had it replaces 10/14/2010
10/16/2010152000
 2004 mini cooper. intermittent power steering failures. happens on a hot day or in stop and go traffic.
08/07/201059500
 Daily driving my 04 mini cooper loses power steering intermittently. sometimes it is just for a minute or two and other times it lasts hours. when i'm dirving the car in town i have to pull over immediately as it becomes difficult to steer around sharp corners. if on the freeway it's alarming how difficult it is to steer. i took it to the mini cooper dealership and they diagnosed that it needed a new power steering pump. i had it replaces 10/14/2010
10/16/2010152000
 2004 mini cooper. intermittent power steering failures. happens on a hot day or in stop and go traffic.
08/07/201059500
 Daily driving my 04 mini cooper loses power steering intermittently. sometimes it is just for a minute or two and other times it lasts hours. when i'm dirving the car in town i have to pull over immediately as it becomes difficult to steer around sharp corners. if on the freeway it's alarming how difficult it is to steer. i took it to the mini cooper dealership and they diagnosed that it needed a new power steering pump. i had it replaces 10/14/2010
06/04/201069000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while traveling at any speed the contact noticed that the steering wheel had become difficult to turn. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where the contact was informed that the power steering pump needed to be replaced. the vehicle has not been repaired and there were no prior warnings. the failure mileage was 69000 and the current mileage was 72000. bml
06/22/201085000
 I was driving down a side streets when all of a sudden i couldn't steer the car after stopping at an intersection. i later found out that the power steering pump had suddenly gone back on my 2004 minicooper. ii was at a 4-way intersection at the time and was nearly crushed by two other cars. after getting the car home i wrote to mini's corporate to see if it would be covered since there had been a lot of online complaints about the pump, but they wouldn't cover it. instead i was forced to shell out over $700 for it (exact price i will have to look up). i just read about an investigation that the nhtsa was doing and wanted to make sure you heard by story. i purchased the car new in 2004 from mini of peabody, ma. and will try to get my money back, but so far i haven't had any luck. ron risman 603.601.0974 2004 minicooper (non s model) here is the email that i sent to minicooper ------------------------- i am writing to see if mini will cover the cost of the power steering pump that died yesterday without any advance warning in my 2004 mini. the car was fine all day and then as i went to take a turn at a busy intersection i coulldn't turn the wheel and almost got crushed by other cars heading toward me. from the research i have done this is a known failure and one that mini seems to avoid absorbing the cost to fix / replace. from what i read a recall was done in britian, but not here in the u.s. please let me know how mini will help me in this situation. i surely don't have the money for a new or refurbished powre steering pump and with the huge risk of injury / and or death that this problem could cause i would hope that mini cares less about profits and more about their customers - and covers the cost to fix this problem. please respond back as soon as possible. ron risman, 603-601-0974
06/04/201069000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while traveling at any speed the contact noticed that the steering wheel had become difficult to turn. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where the contact was informed that the power steering pump needed to be replaced. the vehicle has not been repaired and there were no prior warnings. the failure mileage was 69000 and the current mileage was 72000. bml
06/22/201085000
 I was driving down a side streets when all of a sudden i couldn't steer the car after stopping at an intersection. i later found out that the power steering pump had suddenly gone back on my 2004 minicooper. ii was at a 4-way intersection at the time and was nearly crushed by two other cars. after getting the car home i wrote to mini's corporate to see if it would be covered since there had been a lot of online complaints about the pump, but they wouldn't cover it. instead i was forced to shell out over $700 for it (exact price i will have to look up). i just read about an investigation that the nhtsa was doing and wanted to make sure you heard by story. i purchased the car new in 2004 from mini of peabody, ma. and will try to get my money back, but so far i haven't had any luck. ron risman 603.601.0974 2004 minicooper (non s model) here is the email that i sent to minicooper ------------------------- i am writing to see if mini will cover the cost of the power steering pump that died yesterday without any advance warning in my 2004 mini. the car was fine all day and then as i went to take a turn at a busy intersection i coulldn't turn the wheel and almost got crushed by other cars heading toward me. from the research i have done this is a known failure and one that mini seems to avoid absorbing the cost to fix / replace. from what i read a recall was done in britian, but not here in the u.s. please let me know how mini will help me in this situation. i surely don't have the money for a new or refurbished powre steering pump and with the huge risk of injury / and or death that this problem could cause i would hope that mini cares less about profits and more about their customers - and covers the cost to fix this problem. please respond back as soon as possible. ron risman, 603-601-0974
10/02/201050000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini coopers. while driving 25 mph and trying to make a right hand turn the power steering freeze and would not make the turn. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer she call and informed them of the failure and was told there was no recall or warranty and the repairs would cost $1000 to replaced the power steering pump. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and a claim was file. they offered no other assistance. the failure mileage was 50,000....mw
04/15/200885000
 After several months of intermittent power steering problems, the power steering pump on my car failed completely while trying to enter a rest stop on the new york state thruway. upon bringing the car to a mechanic, it was determined that the power steering cooling fan had been jammed, causing the pump to overheat. i then researched the issue online and found that several mini cooper models from 2002 to 2006 had been suffering from this issue, and that the only way to prevent it from happening a second time was to install an expensive fan guard on the new cooling fan. more recently, i found out about nhtsa research concerning the problem, and wanted to submit the experience i had with the problem.
06/22/201085000
 I was driving down a side streets when all of a sudden i couldn't steer the car after stopping at an intersection. i later found out that the power steering pump had suddenly gone back on my 2004 minicooper. ii was at a 4-way intersection at the time and was nearly crushed by two other cars. after getting the car home i wrote to mini's corporate to see if it would be covered since there had been a lot of online complaints about the pump, but they wouldn't cover it. instead i was forced to shell out over $700 for it (exact price i will have to look up). i just read about an investigation that the nhtsa was doing and wanted to make sure you heard by story. i purchased the car new in 2004 from mini of peabody, ma. and will try to get my money back, but so far i haven't had any luck. ron risman 603.601.0974 2004 minicooper (non s model) here is the email that i sent to minicooper ------------------------- i am writing to see if mini will cover the cost of the power steering pump that died yesterday without any advance warning in my 2004 mini. the car was fine all day and then as i went to take a turn at a busy intersection i coulldn't turn the wheel and almost got crushed by other cars heading toward me. from the research i have done this is a known failure and one that mini seems to avoid absorbing the cost to fix / replace. from what i read a recall was done in britian, but not here in the u.s. please let me know how mini will help me in this situation. i surely don't have the money for a new or refurbished powre steering pump and with the huge risk of injury / and or death that this problem could cause i would hope that mini cares less about profits and more about their customers - and covers the cost to fix this problem. please respond back as soon as possible. ron risman, 603-601-0974
10/02/201050000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini coopers. while driving 25 mph and trying to make a right hand turn the power steering freeze and would not make the turn. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer she call and informed them of the failure and was told there was no recall or warranty and the repairs would cost $1000 to replaced the power steering pump. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and a claim was file. they offered no other assistance. the failure mileage was 50,000....mw
04/15/200885000
 After several months of intermittent power steering problems, the power steering pump on my car failed completely while trying to enter a rest stop on the new york state thruway. upon bringing the car to a mechanic, it was determined that the power steering cooling fan had been jammed, causing the pump to overheat. i then researched the issue online and found that several mini cooper models from 2002 to 2006 had been suffering from this issue, and that the only way to prevent it from happening a second time was to install an expensive fan guard on the new cooling fan. more recently, i found out about nhtsa research concerning the problem, and wanted to submit the experience i had with the problem.
06/23/200973768
 Mini cooper (2004 with ~74k miles) with intermittent power steering problems. steering wheel would randomly become very stiff when turning and then free up unexpectedly. when this would occur, the car would understeer (not turning as far as intended) and i would find myself reacting by turning harder, usually resulting in oversteering and erratic turns. it felt like something was binding and then letting go but it wasn
10/02/201050000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini coopers. while driving 25 mph and trying to make a right hand turn the power steering freeze and would not make the turn. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer she call and informed them of the failure and was told there was no recall or warranty and the repairs would cost $1000 to replaced the power steering pump. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and a claim was file. they offered no other assistance. the failure mileage was 50,000....mw
04/15/200885000
 After several months of intermittent power steering problems, the power steering pump on my car failed completely while trying to enter a rest stop on the new york state thruway. upon bringing the car to a mechanic, it was determined that the power steering cooling fan had been jammed, causing the pump to overheat. i then researched the issue online and found that several mini cooper models from 2002 to 2006 had been suffering from this issue, and that the only way to prevent it from happening a second time was to install an expensive fan guard on the new cooling fan. more recently, i found out about nhtsa research concerning the problem, and wanted to submit the experience i had with the problem.
06/23/200973768
 Mini cooper (2004 with ~74k miles) with intermittent power steering problems. steering wheel would randomly become very stiff when turning and then free up unexpectedly. when this would occur, the car would understeer (not turning as far as intended) and i would find myself reacting by turning harder, usually resulting in oversteering and erratic turns. it felt like something was binding and then letting go but it wasn
02/16/201075000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while traveling 15 mph and making a turn in either direction the contact noticed that the steering wheel will intermittently be extremely difficult to turn. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where the contact was informed that the power steering pump needed to be replaced. there were no prior warnings and the vehicle has not been serviced. the current mileage was 80000 and the failure mileage was 75000. bml
06/20/201035500
 My car started to make a whirring sound, i wasn't sure what it was so my dad had a look and wasn't sure. the next day i was driving along a 60mph road and as i went to turn a sharp corner my power steering failed. i had to manually pull the car round the corner with all my strength so as not to hit the oncoming traffic. it then kept failing intermitently for the rest of the drive home. i typed mini power steering into google when i got home and found page after page of people having problems just like mine. i rang mini and they told me to take the car into the dealership in cheltenham which i did. i left the car with them and the next day they got back to me to say it definitely was the power steering pump. i asked it they would fix this as it was a dangerous fault with the car. they said they would speak to mini one and get back to me. i eventually heard back from them and the answer was no, they wouldn't fix it as i didn't buy the car from a mini dealership. i was unhappy with this decision as it was clearly a dangerous manufacturing fault so went into the dealership in cheltenham to speak to someone face to face. i spoke to the manager there and was told the same things, that i didn't buy it from a mini dealership, it was over 5 years old and over 30000 miles on the clock. it was a pristine 2004 mini cooper convertible with 35000 miles on the clock. had always been serviced with mini and i had only owned the car 3 months. they told me it would cost me
08/06/201030000
 1.power steering failed and steering became excessively hard to turn the wheel especially in low speed turns sometimes couldn't make the turns in time. 2. several times. parked the car 3.waitng for consumer affairs to help with replacing defective parts.
10/02/201050000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini coopers. while driving 25 mph and trying to make a right hand turn the power steering freeze and would not make the turn. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer she call and informed them of the failure and was told there was no recall or warranty and the repairs would cost $1000 to replaced the power steering pump. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and a claim was file. they offered no other assistance. the failure mileage was 50,000....mw
04/15/200885000
 After several months of intermittent power steering problems, the power steering pump on my car failed completely while trying to enter a rest stop on the new york state thruway. upon bringing the car to a mechanic, it was determined that the power steering cooling fan had been jammed, causing the pump to overheat. i then researched the issue online and found that several mini cooper models from 2002 to 2006 had been suffering from this issue, and that the only way to prevent it from happening a second time was to install an expensive fan guard on the new cooling fan. more recently, i found out about nhtsa research concerning the problem, and wanted to submit the experience i had with the problem.
06/23/200973768
 Mini cooper (2004 with ~74k miles) with intermittent power steering problems. steering wheel would randomly become very stiff when turning and then free up unexpectedly. when this would occur, the car would understeer (not turning as far as intended) and i would find myself reacting by turning harder, usually resulting in oversteering and erratic turns. it felt like something was binding and then letting go but it wasn
02/16/201075000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while traveling 15 mph and making a turn in either direction the contact noticed that the steering wheel will intermittently be extremely difficult to turn. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where the contact was informed that the power steering pump needed to be replaced. there were no prior warnings and the vehicle has not been serviced. the current mileage was 80000 and the failure mileage was 75000. bml
06/20/201035500
 My car started to make a whirring sound, i wasn't sure what it was so my dad had a look and wasn't sure. the next day i was driving along a 60mph road and as i went to turn a sharp corner my power steering failed. i had to manually pull the car round the corner with all my strength so as not to hit the oncoming traffic. it then kept failing intermitently for the rest of the drive home. i typed mini power steering into google when i got home and found page after page of people having problems just like mine. i rang mini and they told me to take the car into the dealership in cheltenham which i did. i left the car with them and the next day they got back to me to say it definitely was the power steering pump. i asked it they would fix this as it was a dangerous fault with the car. they said they would speak to mini one and get back to me. i eventually heard back from them and the answer was no, they wouldn't fix it as i didn't buy the car from a mini dealership. i was unhappy with this decision as it was clearly a dangerous manufacturing fault so went into the dealership in cheltenham to speak to someone face to face. i spoke to the manager there and was told the same things, that i didn't buy it from a mini dealership, it was over 5 years old and over 30000 miles on the clock. it was a pristine 2004 mini cooper convertible with 35000 miles on the clock. had always been serviced with mini and i had only owned the car 3 months. they told me it would cost me
08/06/201030000
 1.power steering failed and steering became excessively hard to turn the wheel especially in low speed turns sometimes couldn't make the turns in time. 2. several times. parked the car 3.waitng for consumer affairs to help with replacing defective parts.
04/01/200940000
 The power steering in my 2004 mini cooper began malfunctioning last year. this makes it difficult to steer and control the vehicle. it malfunctions every time i drive the car, the pump stops working a few minutes or immediately after i start the engine. i have not had an accident due to the malfunction, but one could be possible, if i were to have to make a sharp turn at a moment's notice. since this part is a dealer only part, it is extremely expensive and i have not been able to afford it since i was laid off last year. help!
07/09/200960000
 Tl-the contact owns 2004 mini cooper. while the contact was driving approximately between 25 to 30 mph, there was a slight loss of power steering without warning. the failure was a continuous occurrence. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 60,000. js
06/01/2010105000
 2004 mini cooper, coupe has intermittent power steering, which began suddenly on a circular freeway on ramp at about 40mph, during which i nearly lost control of the car. the failure seems to be triggered by u turns (round-abouts, spiral ramps, maneuvering out of a small parking space.) i have had the power steering pump investigated as the cause and it is working normally. i believe it is a problem with either the computer or steering assembly. it is possible to drive the car with the failed power steering, but quite disconcerting when it fails in the middle of a turn. i am still driving the car - but carefully. update - while driving the car this morning, the power steering suddenly failed on a curve at 50 mph. i momentarily lost control, but regained it without accident. the power steering became functional again within about 100 yards of driving.
09/30/201045000
 Power steering wheel goes on and off. when i turn the wheel i can feel it go from heavy resistance to regular in seconds, which has been more than once in a day. if there is a car coming from the opposite direction, it could easily crashed into my side. due to this suddenly wheel malfunction, i had to slow down because i was at the corner of the road, trying to turn. this is so dangerous, and it will only take seconds to kill people in this situation. i did research online and found out this is a pretty common issue for the mini cooper.
05/24/2010106663
 After driving 5 miles and stopped at a traffic light, when the light turned green i began a left turn and had no power steering, i had to pull the steering wheel with all my strength to keep from causing a wreck. i drove 5 more miles to work and parked. 2 hours later i went outside and heard a motor running in my car. the running motor had drained my battery, i had to jump start the car to get home. the mini dealer in charleston sc said i had to bring the car to them to replace a rmfd power steering part which was a dealer only part. i live 100 miles from the dealer, i had to take car to my local mechanic so he could unhook the motor so the battery would not be drained while i parked until i could get a day off work to drive the mini to charleston. parts needed for the fix: intake maifold; hose clamp; rmfd power steering; core return. the total repair costs 969.00 and a day off work. i have a 2 year guarantee on this fix.
08/23/2010100000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated that when she got in her vehicle and started it there was no power steering at all. she pulled out of the parking space and turned the vehicle off and restarted it but it was still not working. she finally got it to the dealer and they stated it was the power steering pump. the vehicle was repaired at the owners expense. the failure and current mileages were 100,000. rd
10/02/201050000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2004 mini coopers. while driving 25 mph and trying to make a right hand turn the power steering freeze and would not make the turn. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer she call and informed them of the failure and was told there was no recall or warranty and the repairs would cost $1000 to replaced the power steering pump. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and a claim was file. they offered no other assistance. the failure mileage was 50,000....mw
04/15/200885000
 After several months of intermittent power steering problems, the power steering pump on my car failed completely while trying to enter a rest stop on the new york state thruway. upon bringing the car to a mechanic, it was determined that the power steering cooling fan had been jammed, causing the pump to overheat. i then researched the issue online and found that several mini cooper models from 2002 to 2006 had been suffering from this issue, and that the only way to prevent it from happening a second time was to install an expensive fan guard on the new cooling fan. more recently, i found out about nhtsa research concerning the problem, and wanted to submit the experience i had with the problem.
06/23/200973768
 Mini cooper (2004 with ~74k miles) with intermittent power steering problems. steering wheel would randomly become very stiff when turning and then free up unexpectedly. when this would occur, the car would understeer (not turning as far as intended) and i would find myself reacting by turning harder, usually resulting in oversteering and erratic turns. it felt like something was binding and then letting go but it wasn
02/16/201075000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while traveling 15 mph and making a turn in either direction the contact noticed that the steering wheel will intermittently be extremely difficult to turn. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where the contact was informed that the power steering pump needed to be replaced. there were no prior warnings and the vehicle has not been serviced. the current mileage was 80000 and the failure mileage was 75000. bml
06/20/201035500
 My car started to make a whirring sound, i wasn't sure what it was so my dad had a look and wasn't sure. the next day i was driving along a 60mph road and as i went to turn a sharp corner my power steering failed. i had to manually pull the car round the corner with all my strength so as not to hit the oncoming traffic. it then kept failing intermitently for the rest of the drive home. i typed mini power steering into google when i got home and found page after page of people having problems just like mine. i rang mini and they told me to take the car into the dealership in cheltenham which i did. i left the car with them and the next day they got back to me to say it definitely was the power steering pump. i asked it they would fix this as it was a dangerous fault with the car. they said they would speak to mini one and get back to me. i eventually heard back from them and the answer was no, they wouldn't fix it as i didn't buy the car from a mini dealership. i was unhappy with this decision as it was clearly a dangerous manufacturing fault so went into the dealership in cheltenham to speak to someone face to face. i spoke to the manager there and was told the same things, that i didn't buy it from a mini dealership, it was over 5 years old and over 30000 miles on the clock. it was a pristine 2004 mini cooper convertible with 35000 miles on the clock. had always been serviced with mini and i had only owned the car 3 months. they told me it would cost me
08/06/201030000
 1.power steering failed and steering became excessively hard to turn the wheel especially in low speed turns sometimes couldn't make the turns in time. 2. several times. parked the car 3.waitng for consumer affairs to help with replacing defective parts.
04/01/200940000
 The power steering in my 2004 mini cooper began malfunctioning last year. this makes it difficult to steer and control the vehicle. it malfunctions every time i drive the car, the pump stops working a few minutes or immediately after i start the engine. i have not had an accident due to the malfunction, but one could be possible, if i were to have to make a sharp turn at a moment's notice. since this part is a dealer only part, it is extremely expensive and i have not been able to afford it since i was laid off last year. help!
07/09/200960000
 Tl-the contact owns 2004 mini cooper. while the contact was driving approximately between 25 to 30 mph, there was a slight loss of power steering without warning. the failure was a continuous occurrence. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 60,000. js
06/01/2010105000
 2004 mini cooper, coupe has intermittent power steering, which began suddenly on a circular freeway on ramp at about 40mph, during which i nearly lost control of the car. the failure seems to be triggered by u turns (round-abouts, spiral ramps, maneuvering out of a small parking space.) i have had the power steering pump investigated as the cause and it is working normally. i believe it is a problem with either the computer or steering assembly. it is possible to drive the car with the failed power steering, but quite disconcerting when it fails in the middle of a turn. i am still driving the car - but carefully. update - while driving the car this morning, the power steering suddenly failed on a curve at 50 mph. i momentarily lost control, but regained it without accident. the power steering became functional again within about 100 yards of driving.
09/30/201045000
 Power steering wheel goes on and off. when i turn the wheel i can feel it go from heavy resistance to regular in seconds, which has been more than once in a day. if there is a car coming from the opposite direction, it could easily crashed into my side. due to this suddenly wheel malfunction, i had to slow down because i was at the corner of the road, trying to turn. this is so dangerous, and it will only take seconds to kill people in this situation. i did research online and found out this is a pretty common issue for the mini cooper.
05/24/2010106663
 After driving 5 miles and stopped at a traffic light, when the light turned green i began a left turn and had no power steering, i had to pull the steering wheel with all my strength to keep from causing a wreck. i drove 5 more miles to work and parked. 2 hours later i went outside and heard a motor running in my car. the running motor had drained my battery, i had to jump start the car to get home. the mini dealer in charleston sc said i had to bring the car to them to replace a rmfd power steering part which was a dealer only part. i live 100 miles from the dealer, i had to take car to my local mechanic so he could unhook the motor so the battery would not be drained while i parked until i could get a day off work to drive the mini to charleston. parts needed for the fix: intake maifold; hose clamp; rmfd power steering; core return. the total repair costs 969.00 and a day off work. i have a 2 year guarantee on this fix.
08/23/2010100000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated that when she got in her vehicle and started it there was no power steering at all. she pulled out of the parking space and turned the vehicle off and restarted it but it was still not working. she finally got it to the dealer and they stated it was the power steering pump. the vehicle was repaired at the owners expense. the failure and current mileages were 100,000. rd
09/26/2010106000
 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 iam unemployed at the moment and cannot afford this cost.
08/31/201059000
 Temporary loss of steering
09/10/2004
 While driving my 2004 mini cooper, the power steering assistance suddenly disappeared. the loss of power steering made the vehicle difficult to steer/control at slow speeds. the problem was solved by replacing the power steering pump.
01/15/201050000
 Temporary loss of power steering. happens probably once or twice a month. i have been told by the dealer that i have a power steering leak - but not bad enough to cause a problem. i have never lost a quantity of fluid that required refilling. car has approximately 70k miles - seems odd to have a power steering leak at that mileage. leak first showed up at about 50k miles.
04/15/200885000
 After several months of intermittent power steering problems, the power steering pump on my car failed completely while trying to enter a rest stop on the new york state thruway. upon bringing the car to a mechanic, it was determined that the power steering cooling fan had been jammed, causing the pump to overheat. i then researched the issue online and found that several mini cooper models from 2002 to 2006 had been suffering from this issue, and that the only way to prevent it from happening a second time was to install an expensive fan guard on the new cooling fan. more recently, i found out about nhtsa research concerning the problem, and wanted to submit the experience i had with the problem.
06/23/200973768
 Mini cooper (2004 with ~74k miles) with intermittent power steering problems. steering wheel would randomly become very stiff when turning and then free up unexpectedly. when this would occur, the car would understeer (not turning as far as intended) and i would find myself reacting by turning harder, usually resulting in oversteering and erratic turns. it felt like something was binding and then letting go but it wasn
02/16/201075000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while traveling 15 mph and making a turn in either direction the contact noticed that the steering wheel will intermittently be extremely difficult to turn. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where the contact was informed that the power steering pump needed to be replaced. there were no prior warnings and the vehicle has not been serviced. the current mileage was 80000 and the failure mileage was 75000. bml
06/20/201035500
 My car started to make a whirring sound, i wasn't sure what it was so my dad had a look and wasn't sure. the next day i was driving along a 60mph road and as i went to turn a sharp corner my power steering failed. i had to manually pull the car round the corner with all my strength so as not to hit the oncoming traffic. it then kept failing intermitently for the rest of the drive home. i typed mini power steering into google when i got home and found page after page of people having problems just like mine. i rang mini and they told me to take the car into the dealership in cheltenham which i did. i left the car with them and the next day they got back to me to say it definitely was the power steering pump. i asked it they would fix this as it was a dangerous fault with the car. they said they would speak to mini one and get back to me. i eventually heard back from them and the answer was no, they wouldn't fix it as i didn't buy the car from a mini dealership. i was unhappy with this decision as it was clearly a dangerous manufacturing fault so went into the dealership in cheltenham to speak to someone face to face. i spoke to the manager there and was told the same things, that i didn't buy it from a mini dealership, it was over 5 years old and over 30000 miles on the clock. it was a pristine 2004 mini cooper convertible with 35000 miles on the clock. had always been serviced with mini and i had only owned the car 3 months. they told me it would cost me
08/06/201030000
 1.power steering failed and steering became excessively hard to turn the wheel especially in low speed turns sometimes couldn't make the turns in time. 2. several times. parked the car 3.waitng for consumer affairs to help with replacing defective parts.
04/01/200940000
 The power steering in my 2004 mini cooper began malfunctioning last year. this makes it difficult to steer and control the vehicle. it malfunctions every time i drive the car, the pump stops working a few minutes or immediately after i start the engine. i have not had an accident due to the malfunction, but one could be possible, if i were to have to make a sharp turn at a moment's notice. since this part is a dealer only part, it is extremely expensive and i have not been able to afford it since i was laid off last year. help!
07/09/200960000
 Tl-the contact owns 2004 mini cooper. while the contact was driving approximately between 25 to 30 mph, there was a slight loss of power steering without warning. the failure was a continuous occurrence. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 60,000. js
06/01/2010105000
 2004 mini cooper, coupe has intermittent power steering, which began suddenly on a circular freeway on ramp at about 40mph, during which i nearly lost control of the car. the failure seems to be triggered by u turns (round-abouts, spiral ramps, maneuvering out of a small parking space.) i have had the power steering pump investigated as the cause and it is working normally. i believe it is a problem with either the computer or steering assembly. it is possible to drive the car with the failed power steering, but quite disconcerting when it fails in the middle of a turn. i am still driving the car - but carefully. update - while driving the car this morning, the power steering suddenly failed on a curve at 50 mph. i momentarily lost control, but regained it without accident. the power steering became functional again within about 100 yards of driving.
09/30/201045000
 Power steering wheel goes on and off. when i turn the wheel i can feel it go from heavy resistance to regular in seconds, which has been more than once in a day. if there is a car coming from the opposite direction, it could easily crashed into my side. due to this suddenly wheel malfunction, i had to slow down because i was at the corner of the road, trying to turn. this is so dangerous, and it will only take seconds to kill people in this situation. i did research online and found out this is a pretty common issue for the mini cooper.
05/24/2010106663
 After driving 5 miles and stopped at a traffic light, when the light turned green i began a left turn and had no power steering, i had to pull the steering wheel with all my strength to keep from causing a wreck. i drove 5 more miles to work and parked. 2 hours later i went outside and heard a motor running in my car. the running motor had drained my battery, i had to jump start the car to get home. the mini dealer in charleston sc said i had to bring the car to them to replace a rmfd power steering part which was a dealer only part. i live 100 miles from the dealer, i had to take car to my local mechanic so he could unhook the motor so the battery would not be drained while i parked until i could get a day off work to drive the mini to charleston. parts needed for the fix: intake maifold; hose clamp; rmfd power steering; core return. the total repair costs 969.00 and a day off work. i have a 2 year guarantee on this fix.
08/23/2010100000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated that when she got in her vehicle and started it there was no power steering at all. she pulled out of the parking space and turned the vehicle off and restarted it but it was still not working. she finally got it to the dealer and they stated it was the power steering pump. the vehicle was repaired at the owners expense. the failure and current mileages were 100,000. rd
09/26/2010106000
 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 iam unemployed at the moment and cannot afford this cost.
08/31/201059000
 Temporary loss of steering
09/10/2004
 While driving my 2004 mini cooper, the power steering assistance suddenly disappeared. the loss of power steering made the vehicle difficult to steer/control at slow speeds. the problem was solved by replacing the power steering pump.
01/15/201050000
 Temporary loss of power steering. happens probably once or twice a month. i have been told by the dealer that i have a power steering leak - but not bad enough to cause a problem. i have never lost a quantity of fluid that required refilling. car has approximately 70k miles - seems odd to have a power steering leak at that mileage. leak first showed up at about 50k miles.
09/22/2010100630
 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.
02/01/201085330
 Dear nhtsa, our complaint matches the nhtsa investigation being conducted regarding the intermittent power-loss of the power steering pump of the 2004-5 mini cooper we own a 2004 mini cooper. our power steering loss began feb '10 and described as unexpected and intermittently-occurring total loss-of-assist to steering. this was rectified by a purchase of a new power steering pump from mini cooper (elmsford, ny) and purchase of labor (installation) from straub auto repair (hastings on hudson, ny) during that month.
08/06/201030000
 1.power steering failed and steering became excessively hard to turn the wheel especially in low speed turns sometimes couldn't make the turns in time. 2. several times. parked the car 3.waitng for consumer affairs to help with replacing defective parts.
04/01/200940000
 The power steering in my 2004 mini cooper began malfunctioning last year. this makes it difficult to steer and control the vehicle. it malfunctions every time i drive the car, the pump stops working a few minutes or immediately after i start the engine. i have not had an accident due to the malfunction, but one could be possible, if i were to have to make a sharp turn at a moment's notice. since this part is a dealer only part, it is extremely expensive and i have not been able to afford it since i was laid off last year. help!
07/09/200960000
 Tl-the contact owns 2004 mini cooper. while the contact was driving approximately between 25 to 30 mph, there was a slight loss of power steering without warning. the failure was a continuous occurrence. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 60,000. js
06/01/2010105000
 2004 mini cooper, coupe has intermittent power steering, which began suddenly on a circular freeway on ramp at about 40mph, during which i nearly lost control of the car. the failure seems to be triggered by u turns (round-abouts, spiral ramps, maneuvering out of a small parking space.) i have had the power steering pump investigated as the cause and it is working normally. i believe it is a problem with either the computer or steering assembly. it is possible to drive the car with the failed power steering, but quite disconcerting when it fails in the middle of a turn. i am still driving the car - but carefully. update - while driving the car this morning, the power steering suddenly failed on a curve at 50 mph. i momentarily lost control, but regained it without accident. the power steering became functional again within about 100 yards of driving.
09/30/201045000
 Power steering wheel goes on and off. when i turn the wheel i can feel it go from heavy resistance to regular in seconds, which has been more than once in a day. if there is a car coming from the opposite direction, it could easily crashed into my side. due to this suddenly wheel malfunction, i had to slow down because i was at the corner of the road, trying to turn. this is so dangerous, and it will only take seconds to kill people in this situation. i did research online and found out this is a pretty common issue for the mini cooper.
05/24/2010106663
 After driving 5 miles and stopped at a traffic light, when the light turned green i began a left turn and had no power steering, i had to pull the steering wheel with all my strength to keep from causing a wreck. i drove 5 more miles to work and parked. 2 hours later i went outside and heard a motor running in my car. the running motor had drained my battery, i had to jump start the car to get home. the mini dealer in charleston sc said i had to bring the car to them to replace a rmfd power steering part which was a dealer only part. i live 100 miles from the dealer, i had to take car to my local mechanic so he could unhook the motor so the battery would not be drained while i parked until i could get a day off work to drive the mini to charleston. parts needed for the fix: intake maifold; hose clamp; rmfd power steering; core return. the total repair costs 969.00 and a day off work. i have a 2 year guarantee on this fix.
08/23/2010100000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated that when she got in her vehicle and started it there was no power steering at all. she pulled out of the parking space and turned the vehicle off and restarted it but it was still not working. she finally got it to the dealer and they stated it was the power steering pump. the vehicle was repaired at the owners expense. the failure and current mileages were 100,000. rd
09/26/2010106000
 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 iam unemployed at the moment and cannot afford this cost.
08/31/201059000
 Temporary loss of steering
09/10/2004
 While driving my 2004 mini cooper, the power steering assistance suddenly disappeared. the loss of power steering made the vehicle difficult to steer/control at slow speeds. the problem was solved by replacing the power steering pump.
01/15/201050000
 Temporary loss of power steering. happens probably once or twice a month. i have been told by the dealer that i have a power steering leak - but not bad enough to cause a problem. i have never lost a quantity of fluid that required refilling. car has approximately 70k miles - seems odd to have a power steering leak at that mileage. leak first showed up at about 50k miles.
09/22/2010100630
 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.
02/01/201085330
 Dear nhtsa, our complaint matches the nhtsa investigation being conducted regarding the intermittent power-loss of the power steering pump of the 2004-5 mini cooper we own a 2004 mini cooper. our power steering loss began feb '10 and described as unexpected and intermittently-occurring total loss-of-assist to steering. this was rectified by a purchase of a new power steering pump from mini cooper (elmsford, ny) and purchase of labor (installation) from straub auto repair (hastings on hudson, ny) during that month.
09/26/2010106000
 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 iam unemployed at the moment and cannot afford this cost.
08/31/201059000
 Temporary loss of steering
09/10/2004
 While driving my 2004 mini cooper, the power steering assistance suddenly disappeared. the loss of power steering made the vehicle difficult to steer/control at slow speeds. the problem was solved by replacing the power steering pump.
01/15/201050000
 Temporary loss of power steering. happens probably once or twice a month. i have been told by the dealer that i have a power steering leak - but not bad enough to cause a problem. i have never lost a quantity of fluid that required refilling. car has approximately 70k miles - seems odd to have a power steering leak at that mileage. leak first showed up at about 50k miles.
09/22/2010100630
 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.
02/01/201085330
 Dear nhtsa, our complaint matches the nhtsa investigation being conducted regarding the intermittent power-loss of the power steering pump of the 2004-5 mini cooper we own a 2004 mini cooper. our power steering loss began feb '10 and described as unexpected and intermittently-occurring total loss-of-assist to steering. this was rectified by a purchase of a new power steering pump from mini cooper (elmsford, ny) and purchase of labor (installation) from straub auto repair (hastings on hudson, ny) during that month.
09/22/2010100630
 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.
02/01/201085330
 Dear nhtsa, our complaint matches the nhtsa investigation being conducted regarding the intermittent power-loss of the power steering pump of the 2004-5 mini cooper we own a 2004 mini cooper. our power steering loss began feb '10 and described as unexpected and intermittently-occurring total loss-of-assist to steering. this was rectified by a purchase of a new power steering pump from mini cooper (elmsford, ny) and purchase of labor (installation) from straub auto repair (hastings on hudson, ny) during that month.
09/10/201066000
 2004 mini cooper. power steering pump failed at high speed while driving on windy road at night. was able to over correct and slow vehicle safely. had it been my daughter driving she may have crashed. pump failed without warning and no engine lights. after looking into this issue it seems that a lot of similar incidents have occured with new model cars with less than 50k miles. should be a recall to bmw for this!!!!
08/01/201049000
 Tl. the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated when starting the vehicle there is no power steering function. the contact stated in order for the power steering to function properly the vehicle has to cool down and that can take hours. the vehicle also becomes very difficult to drive. the contact has not taken the vehicle to the dealer for a diagnostic test. the contact notice a lot of compliant regarding this year make and model and the power steering system and stated the and the manufacturer should do something about it. the failure mileage was 48,000. jo
05/28/201071421
 Driving on the highway and the power steering failed for no apparent reason. car had just been inspected and there were no other mechanical or road hazard issues but i almost collided with a vehicle because the steering wheel froze. in actuality, it required a great deal of strength--unexpectedly so it frelt frozen.
02/19/201037000
 1. an hour into a highway drive, all the electrical failed. all lights, gauges, radio, etc. all but the power steering returned in a moment, less than a second. 2. the power steering does not work. 3. power steering pump internal electronics area shows significant scorching and melting. pump was replaced but power steering system still inoperable. the old pump is available.
01/01/19011
 2004 mini cooper. consumer states while driving power steering malfunctioned. *tgw
08/15/200965000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while driving at approximately 35 mph, the contact noticed steering became extremely difficult. after the initial failure, the steering problems became intermittent. the vehicle identification number was unavailable at the time of the complaint. the current mileage was approximately 78,000. the failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
10/15/200958000
 Power steering suddenly cut out during normal driving conditions in downtown san francisco, making it very difficult to steer. driver was able to bring the car to a stop safely, but this failure could have caused an accident had it occurred on a curving road. the power steering pump was determined to have failed, and was replaced by the consumer, for a repair cost of close to $700. the power steering pump is not supposed to fail this early in the lifetime of a vehicle.
01/24/2010500031
 2004 mini cooper- 50k miles- power steering fan / motor failure leading to electrical system malfunction, heat/fire damage resulting in inability to turn off engine. *tr
05/02/200937640
 Tl*the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while driving 15-20 mph, the power steering suddenly failed. the contact had to pull the vehicle over. a diagnostic has not been performed to determine the cause of the failure. the failure mileage was 37,640.
01/20/20091
 Power steering failed soon after starting. the car had been outside on a cold day, but not unusual (~20 degrees f). it functioned again when re-started. *tr
11/30/20081
 While driving on the freeway my power steering pump died i could hardly change lanes on the freeway, it felt like my steering wheel had locked, turning in any angle was very hard worst than driving a truck, i kept a firm grip with one hand while trying to control the gears, my arms, back, and hand is still hurting, had no warning signals, it wheel just locked up and was very hard to managed i wasnt able to handle the car did not feel safe, did not have full control of handling the steering this is serious protential accident waiting to happen i called the dealer and was told that there were recalls but not for my vin 2004. my mini is now in the repair shop to have the pump replace and the fan. this is a deadly issue and mini should recall and pay for this problem for those of us who had to pay out of pocket we should get refunds, so far out of pocket is over $1100.00, i hope this send a message to the manaufacture that lives are at stake here, great car but not safe to drive without full control. i'm so thankful i didnt have to move quickly out of the way or i would not be here to report this bad experience i lost a day of work trying to get this resolved and the cost of a rental car. *tr
11/26/20081
 Approximately one month ago i was on ortega highway in southern california with my child in the back seat. as i was maneuvering the mini along the curvy road the power steering went out. fortunately i had gotten through the worst of the hair pins and was going slower than the speed limit etc. suddenly the steering began to work again. my husband was informed by a mechanic that it was the power steering fan. we had it replaced and it seemed okay. on november 26th i had my children in the car going to my sisters i went to make a left hand turn and the car didn't want to turn. the power steering failed again. i was fortunate once again as there was no on coming traffic because if there was i would have had a head-on collision. there are no warning lights for this issue and i had never been informed of power steering issues being so sudden on this vehicle. i believe a massive recall for the 02-04 years would be an extremely good idea. i goggled the issue and have found many others with these years that are having the same problem. my vehicle is only 4 years old. i have a truck older than it that has never had to have the power steering replaced. i can not afford to replace it now due to financial issues. the pump alone is between 400-500 dollars. please, please, please get them to recall this before someone dies! or is that what everyone is waiting for?!? *tr
08/30/2007200001
 I bought a used 2004 mini cooper last year. under certain conditions on a curvy road the power steering pump would get very hard to turn the wheel, especially in a sharp curve. with no dealerships within 150 miles i put up with it. now it stays on all the time and cannot be disconnected without taking the battery cable off the battery. it ruined 2 batteries before i realized it was staying on 24 hours a day. i bought the repair book and wiring diagram cd's to find it is straight wired from battery to inside the pump which glows bright red after running a few hours. if i had any type of oil leak, it would catch on fire. i contacted a repair center in atlanta ga and they can change it out for about $1000+ for the power steering pump and the open faced fan that caused the failure in the pump. it failed the exact month my warranty was over and they said sorry charlie. cannot currently pay to have it repaired so it has been sitting in my yard for almost a year. *tr
04/23/2008420001
 Power steering went out in early 2008. luckily the car was parked when that happened or else it would have been a disaster since mini steering wheel is already heavier than other cars. had it fixed (replaced) at the dealership and had to pay around $1000 since the warranty expired. it's unacceptable that the steering power pump died this early only after 4 years. it's a ripoff for the consumers. something must be done about this. a few months later, the steering column and the lower shaft started to have issues as well. they started to make creaking noises. took the car to the dealership and they quoted at almost $1000 to replace the parts. the steering column and power pump should not have to be replaced after only four years! *tr
08/17/2008543201
 Power window on passenger side comes down only sometimes and sometimes it doesn't work for weeks. steering is making noises. *tr
08/01/2008450001
 At first my battery died after i came out of work. i couldn't understand why since i didn't leave anything on. so i got the battery replaced for $200. recently the steering has been cutting out while driving. if you pull off into a parking lot and turn off the car you can still hear the cooling fan going. after approx 30 min the power steering will return to normal until it overheats again. so my battery was being drained by the power steering cooling fan. *tr
06/01/2008435001
 The power steering pump on my 2004 mini cooper has failed. i believe that this failure made the car dangerous to drive. the car is a low-mileage vehicle (43,000 miles at 4 years) and i believe this component has failed prematurely. i am a member of several mini enthusiast communities and am aware that this is a common problem with the mini. www.mini2.com has reports of around 1 in 4 vehicles having this pump fail prematurely. i believe an investigation is important due to member reports of fires starting under the hood. the part was replace at a mini dealership. *tr
04/18/2008650001
 I had driven 2004 mini for about 30 minute, then parked it in driveway. within 15 minutes i looked over to see smoke coming from the engine. i opened the compartment and got help. we pushed it into a nearby field and called the fire dept. if it had stayed in the drive, it would have also ignited 2 cars, the house and a boat. who know about people and animals. i almost got run over trying to stop the mini as it was pushed. after the car was out, we had it towed to inskip auto in warwick ri. jeof said at first it was a power steering hose that burst and got on the hot exhaust...igniting. after looking at it further and with metlife insurance agent, they thought it was the power steering fan and pump failure. this overheated the electrical harness, to start the electrical fire. neither the insurance nor inskip felt it was covered by them. i am to pay $2,600. today when it pick it up. this covers labor, a power steering pump, fan and harness. i googled the problem on the internet to upsetting to me and find at least 250 posted mini's with the same problem. i don't understand how mini does not have to recall it. are they waiting for just as many deaths? *tr
04/05/200861000104/01/2004
 I have a 2004 mini cooper with about 61000 miles, and have recently experienced problems with the power steering. it was a very scary situation as the steering locked as i was driving on a los angeles freeway at a high speed. there is no warning indication, and there is definitely a potential danger. *tr
STEERING - ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
09/10/2007605151
 Driving to work and power steering system failed without warning. this failure created a dangerous situation. i was able to control the car, but it took a tremendous amount of effort. had my wife been driving, it is likely that she would lost control. *jb
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - PUMP
06/15/200960000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the power steering would fail without prior warning. when this would occur, the contact could not control the steering wheel in either direction. the dealer stated that the failure was common in his year, make and model and recommended replacing the power steering pump. the contact confirmed that the failure occurred intermittently. the failure mileage was 60,000 and the current mileage was 67,000.
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
06/01/20113
 2004 mini cooper. consumer states problem with power steering *tgw the consumer has spent over $4800 in repairs over the last two years. *jb
01/01/19011
 2004 mini cooper. consumer states while driving power steering malfunctioned. *tgw

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