Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING - ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | ||||||
| EA07011 | BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC | 08/14/2007 | 08/13/2008 | ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE | ||
| The office of defects investigation (odi) analyzed consumer complaints to bmw of north america, llc (bmw)and to odi that alleged failures of the electrohydraulic power steering (ehps) used in model year 2002 through 2003 mini cooper vehicles.the analysis determined that 43 of the 52 (83%) reports were related to allegations of power steering loss and 9 (17%) were related to allegations of engine compartment fires. although some of the reports alleging fires note small flames were visible in the engine compartment, analysis of the damage caused by these failures indicates that even the most severe incidents were limited to localized thermal damage to the ehps electrical connections and wiring insulation.none of the complaints alleging loss of power assisted steering indicated that the increased effort resulted in a crash or loss of vehicle control. a safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted. accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist. the agency will monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by circumstances.see document file for additional information regarding this resume. | ||||||
| PE07022 | BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC | 04/19/2007 | 08/15/2007 | ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE | ||
| In response to an information request (ir) letter sent by the office of defects investigation (odi), bmw stated that the cause of the alleged defect is an insufficient seal of the ground cable of the power steering pump at its attachment to the chassis.water ingress can occur and the water can travel along the power steering pump power cable and come in contact with the power steering pump power cable connector.the connector can then corrode and a high thermal load condition can occur.according to bmw, this ultimately could result in a localized smoldering condition that does not propagate. to correct the water ingress issue, bmw implemented changes to the wire routing, the power steeringpump connector and the ground eyelet connection between february and july of 2002. in a review of warranty claim data sent by bmw, 67 percent of the vehicles noted in warranty claims had production dates after august 1, 2002. additionally, odi noted eight reports of consumers witnessing flames coming from the engine compartment.this preliminary evaluation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea07-011) to further assess the scope, frequency andpotential safety consequences associated with the alleged defect. | ||||||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS | ||||||
| EA07011 | BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC | 08/14/2007 | 08/13/2008 | ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE | ||
| The office of defects investigation (odi) analyzed consumer complaints to bmw of north america, llc (bmw)and to odi that alleged failures of the electrohydraulic power steering (ehps) used in model year 2002 through 2003 mini cooper vehicles.the analysis determined that 43 of the 52 (83%) reports were related to allegations of power steering loss and 9 (17%) were related to allegations of engine compartment fires. although some of the reports alleging fires note small flames were visible in the engine compartment, analysis of the damage caused by these failures indicates that even the most severe incidents were limited to localized thermal damage to the ehps electrical connections and wiring insulation.none of the complaints alleging loss of power assisted steering indicated that the increased effort resulted in a crash or loss of vehicle control. a safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted. accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist. the agency will monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by circumstances.see document file for additional information regarding this resume. | ||||||
| PE07022 | BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC | 04/19/2007 | 08/15/2007 | ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE | ||
| In response to an information request (ir) letter sent by the office of defects investigation (odi), bmw stated that the cause of the alleged defect is an insufficient seal of the ground cable of the power steering pump at its attachment to the chassis.water ingress can occur and the water can travel along the power steering pump power cable and come in contact with the power steering pump power cable connector.the connector can then corrode and a high thermal load condition can occur.according to bmw, this ultimately could result in a localized smoldering condition that does not propagate. to correct the water ingress issue, bmw implemented changes to the wire routing, the power steeringpump connector and the ground eyelet connection between february and july of 2002. in a review of warranty claim data sent by bmw, 67 percent of the vehicles noted in warranty claims had production dates after august 1, 2002. additionally, odi noted eight reports of consumers witnessing flames coming from the engine compartment.this preliminary evaluation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea07-011) to further assess the scope, frequency andpotential safety consequences associated with the alleged defect. | ||||||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - PUMP | ||||||
| EA07011 | BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC | 08/14/2007 | 08/13/2008 | ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE | ||
| The office of defects investigation (odi) analyzed consumer complaints to bmw of north america, llc (bmw)and to odi that alleged failures of the electrohydraulic power steering (ehps) used in model year 2002 through 2003 mini cooper vehicles.the analysis determined that 43 of the 52 (83%) reports were related to allegations of power steering loss and 9 (17%) were related to allegations of engine compartment fires. although some of the reports alleging fires note small flames were visible in the engine compartment, analysis of the damage caused by these failures indicates that even the most severe incidents were limited to localized thermal damage to the ehps electrical connections and wiring insulation.none of the complaints alleging loss of power assisted steering indicated that the increased effort resulted in a crash or loss of vehicle control. a safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted. accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist. the agency will monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by circumstances.see document file for additional information regarding this resume. | ||||||
| PE07022 | BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC | 04/19/2007 | 08/15/2007 | ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE | ||
| In response to an information request (ir) letter sent by the office of defects investigation (odi), bmw stated that the cause of the alleged defect is an insufficient seal of the ground cable of the power steering pump at its attachment to the chassis.water ingress can occur and the water can travel along the power steering pump power cable and come in contact with the power steering pump power cable connector.the connector can then corrode and a high thermal load condition can occur.according to bmw, this ultimately could result in a localized smoldering condition that does not propagate. to correct the water ingress issue, bmw implemented changes to the wire routing, the power steeringpump connector and the ground eyelet connection between february and july of 2002. in a review of warranty claim data sent by bmw, 67 percent of the vehicles noted in warranty claims had production dates after august 1, 2002. additionally, odi noted eight reports of consumers witnessing flames coming from the engine compartment.this preliminary evaluation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea07-011) to further assess the scope, frequency andpotential safety consequences associated with the alleged defect. | ||||||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | ||||||
| PE07022 | BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC | 04/19/2007 | 08/15/2007 | ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE | ||
| In response to an information request (ir) letter sent by the office of defects investigation (odi), bmw stated that the cause of the alleged defect is an insufficient seal of the ground cable of the power steering pump at its attachment to the chassis.water ingress can occur and the water can travel along the power steering pump power cable and come in contact with the power steering pump power cable connector.the connector can then corrode and a high thermal load condition can occur.according to bmw, this ultimately could result in a localized smoldering condition that does not propagate. to correct the water ingress issue, bmw implemented changes to the wire routing, the power steeringpump connector and the ground eyelet connection between february and july of 2002. in a review of warranty claim data sent by bmw, 67 percent of the vehicles noted in warranty claims had production dates after august 1, 2002. additionally, odi noted eight reports of consumers witnessing flames coming from the engine compartment.this preliminary evaluation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea07-011) to further assess the scope, frequency andpotential safety consequences associated with the alleged defect. | ||||||
| EA07011 | BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC | 08/14/2007 | 08/13/2008 | ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE | ||
| The office of defects investigation (odi) analyzed consumer complaints to bmw of north america, llc (bmw)and to odi that alleged failures of the electrohydraulic power steering (ehps) used in model year 2002 through 2003 mini cooper vehicles.the analysis determined that 43 of the 52 (83%) reports were related to allegations of power steering loss and 9 (17%) were related to allegations of engine compartment fires. although some of the reports alleging fires note small flames were visible in the engine compartment, analysis of the damage caused by these failures indicates that even the most severe incidents were limited to localized thermal damage to the ehps electrical connections and wiring insulation.none of the complaints alleging loss of power assisted steering indicated that the increased effort resulted in a crash or loss of vehicle control. a safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted. accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist. the agency will monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by circumstances.see document file for additional information regarding this resume. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||
| 02/19/2013 | 102000 | ||
| Power steering pump failure and drained battery (recently replaced). car will not start, and can not access passenger or trunk door due to electrical failure. | |||
| 04/18/2012 | 72000 | ||
| Power steering failed as i was driving, unable to steer car. after some time, power resumed intermittently. | |||
| 02/19/2013 | 102000 | ||
| Power steering pump failure and drained battery (recently replaced). car will not start, and can not access passenger or trunk door due to electrical failure. | |||
| 04/18/2012 | 72000 | ||
| Power steering failed as i was driving, unable to steer car. after some time, power resumed intermittently. | |||
| 02/19/2013 | 102000 | ||
| Power steering pump failure and drained battery (recently replaced). car will not start, and can not access passenger or trunk door due to electrical failure. | |||
| 04/18/2012 | 72000 | ||
| Power steering failed as i was driving, unable to steer car. after some time, power resumed intermittently. | |||
| 02/19/2013 | 102000 | ||
| Power steering pump failure and drained battery (recently replaced). car will not start, and can not access passenger or trunk door due to electrical failure. | |||
| 04/18/2012 | 72000 | ||
| Power steering failed as i was driving, unable to steer car. after some time, power resumed intermittently. | |||
| 02/26/2013 | 135000 | ||
| Power steering failed in the middle of driving nearly hit the outer barrier because of the amount of force required to move the steering wheel. i feel if my wife had been driving it would have been a major wreck. i did some research and found that this is a very prevalent problem with the mini cooper. from my unerstanding canada has issued a recall on the power steering pumps. would like to log a complaint to see if we can get mini usa to take some action. | |||
| 07/06/2012 | 93000 | 1 | |
| Power steering went out at highways speeds, after 3+ hours of driving. after cooling down for an hour, power steering came back, but only lasted 5 min., and was out for another day. comes and goes, depending on how hot the weather/engine is, but stays out longer and only works for short periods of time now. please issue a recall/extended warranty as canada has soon! *tr | |||
| 07/06/2012 | 93000 | ||
| Power steering went out at highways speeds, after 3+ hours of driving. after cooling down for an hour, power steering came back, but only lasted 5 min., and was out for another day. comes and goes, depending on how hot the weather/engine is, but stays out longer and only works for short periods of time now. please issue a recall/extended warranty as canada has soon! | |||
| 06/22/2012 | 94316 | ||
| Power assist pump failure | |||
| 12/30/2011 | 82000 | ||
| While on a short vacation out of town, close to 230 miles from my home, my cooper s' power steering failed and almost cause me an accident. i immediately checked the fluid and saw that there were no visible leaks present. after making arrangements for a rental vehicle, i noticed that the power steering started working correctly again. because of that i proceeded to return home and the steering did not fail for the remainder of the trip. during march of 2012, the power steering failed again, during a commute home from work on friday, may 3rd. to this day, i have no been able to afford additional repairs or diagnostics, because of the monthly payments, insurance, fuel and previous issues of repairs under 75,000 miles including the head gasket, and heater core. regardless of the policies that bmw/mini and the nhtsa have concerning used vehicles, and warranties, absolutely no vehicle produced by an internationally known company or business should be producing such unreliable, unsafe and potentially dangerous motor vehicles and not take immediate responsibility to isolate and terminate the issue rather than ignore and deny responsibility for poorly manufactured products. | |||
| 10/15/2011 | 86000 | ||
| I bought a 2002 mini cooper s almost a month ago and lost the power to steer my car in a turn at almost 50 mph. if toyota would have had this problem i'm sure some one would be in jail or maybe you would here it on the news. this is my third mini in 6 years and i never heard a peep about this scarey problem. i would like to thank are government for making the roads so safe. at least they are taking the effort to stop those pesky kids and there texting. thanks again! | |||
| 09/28/2011 | 82000 | ||
| I was exiting the freeway when my battery indicator light went on; i lost power steering and saw a large amount of smoke coming from under the hood. the mini dealership has determined that the power steering module failed, and subsequently burned the wiring harness. there have been several reports of faulty manufacturing in regard to this part from bbc in uk, as well as on many forums, in particular north american motoring. | |||
| 10/15/2011 | 86000 | ||
| I bought a 2002 mini cooper s almost a month ago and lost the power to steer my car in a turn at almost 50 mph. if toyota would have had this problem i'm sure some one would be in jail or maybe you would here it on the news. this is my third mini in 6 years and i never heard a peep about this scarey problem. i would like to thank are government for making the roads so safe. at least they are taking the effort to stop those pesky kids and there texting. thanks again! | |||
| 09/28/2011 | 82000 | ||
| I was exiting the freeway when my battery indicator light went on; i lost power steering and saw a large amount of smoke coming from under the hood. the mini dealership has determined that the power steering module failed, and subsequently burned the wiring harness. there have been several reports of faulty manufacturing in regard to this part from bbc in uk, as well as on many forums, in particular north american motoring. | |||
| 09/03/2007 | 60000 | ||
| The power steering fails with no warning. the car becomes extremely difficult to control. it happens without warning and at various speeds. it may last just a few minutes or much longer - hour or so. usually does not occur when just starting the car but no other known pattern. it happens 1 to 2 times a month or more. | |||
| 09/27/2011 | 76000 | ||
| Heard of powersteering issue but still purchased car. driving to work smelled burning and lost powersteering, if this happens to a woman driving around a rotary and kills someone will you wait for 50 people to get killed before something is done. this is complete inadequate research on your part ford recalls due to electricalshort of the idle air control valve and cruise control cut pressure switch had to burn down houses when they had the cruise control issue which no recall till months after they knew it was a fault. by the way i am a mechanic ase certified own a shop in wakefield jeff 617-957-1039 your | |||
| 08/13/2011 | 64982 | ||
| There have been three instances when my power steering went out on me...i could have had an accident had i not been in a residential area during those times. | |||
| 06/15/2011 | 114000 | ||
| Driving to work 4 mile trip power steering randomly stops working almost locking up the steering wheel. tried to pull over to the side of the road a full grown man struggles to be able to turn the wheel about a quarter of a turn. shut off car wait to start back up. power steering still dead call tow truck and have it hauled to repair shop. told power steering pump has died and needs replaced along with power steering pump fan. | |||
| 05/20/2011 | 50008 | ||
| Driving approximately 25 mph and vehicle lost power steering....made it home...checked all fluid levels...all okay....got back in the vehicle the next morning to take to service station and power steering was working again...garage could not find problem...scared to drive it now for fear of loss of steering again! | |||
| 12/01/2010 | 60000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 mini cooper. the contact stated that when traveling at various speeds, he would lose power steering intermittent without warning. he noticed that the power steering cooling fan would remain active without power to the vehicle. the dealer or manufacturer was not notified nor was the failure diagnosed or the vehicle repaired. the current mileage was 65,096. the approximate failure mileage was approximately 60,000. | |||
| 12/01/2010 | 60000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2002 mini cooper. the contact stated that when traveling at various speeds, he would lose power steering intermittely without warning. he noticed that the power steering cooling fan would remain active without power to the vehicle. the dealer or manufacturer had not been notified nor was the vehicle diagnosed or repaired. the current mileage was 65,096. the approximate failure mileage was approximately 60,000. bw | |||
| 05/03/2011 | 132000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 mini cooper s. the contact stated while driving approximately 45 mph a sudden loss of power steering occurred without prior warning. the vehicle was driven to the side of the road with difficulty in turning the steering wheel. the contact restarted the engine and was able to resume normally. the failure recurred intermittently. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the power steering pump would be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 132,000. | |||
| 05/03/2011 | 132000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2002 mini cooper s. while driving approximately 45 mph, a sudden loss of power steering occurred without prior warning. the vehicle was driven to the side of the road with difficulty in turning the steering wheel. the contact restarted the engine and was able to resume normally. the failure occurred intermittently. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the power steering pump would be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the defect. the failure mileage was approximately 132,000. js | |||
| 04/22/2011 | 90000 | ||
| Power steering pump in 2002 mini cooper failed while making a right hand run, caused me to drift into the oncoming lane, almost hitting the oncoming traffic | |||
| 03/30/2011 | 45000 | ||
| A fire was caused by the failure of the power steering cooling fan. at some point the day of the incident the fan seized and the resulting electrical resistance in the main wiring harness caused the wiring harness to heat to a point of melting some of the plastic wire insulation allowing for direct wire to wire contact and resulted in an electrical fire between the engine and the passenger compartment. the resulting fire completely disabled the vehicle's electrical system and requires at minimum the replacement of the entire main wiring harness. event description after a short drive (less than 2 miles on a cold engine) the vehicle was parked. after the engine was turned off smoke was seen rising from the vehicle engine compartment. upon raising the hood, flames were seen between the engine and the passenger compartment reflecting off both fire walls. 2 fire extinguishers were required to put out the flames after the battery was disconnected. total loss of the vehicle to fire was prevented by the owners actions. | |||
| 04/04/2010 | 92345 | ||
| Probelms with the electroni power steering, it work interminent, almost got to a accident. | |||
| 03/30/2011 | 45000 | ||
| A fire was caused by the failure of the power steering cooling fan. at some point the day of the incident the fan seized and the resulting electrical resistance in the main wiring harness caused the wiring harness to heat to a point of melting some of the plastic wire insulation allowing for direct wire to wire contact and resulted in an electrical fire between the engine and the passenger compartment. the resulting fire completely disabled the vehicle's electrical system and requires at minimum the replacement of the entire main wiring harness. event description after a short drive (less than 2 miles on a cold engine) the vehicle was parked. after the engine was turned off smoke was seen rising from the vehicle engine compartment. upon raising the hood, flames were seen between the engine and the passenger compartment reflecting off both fire walls. 2 fire extinguishers were required to put out the flames after the battery was disconnected. total loss of the vehicle to fire was prevented by the owners actions. | |||
| 04/04/2010 | 92345 | ||
| Probelms with the electroni power steering, it work interminent, almost got to a accident. | |||
| 03/30/2011 | 45000 | ||
| A fire was caused by the failure of the power steering cooling fan. at some point the day of the incident the fan seized and the resulting electrical resistance in the main wiring harness caused the wiring harness to heat to a point of melting some of the plastic wire insulation allowing for direct wire to wire contact and resulted in an electrical fire between the engine and the passenger compartment. the resulting fire completely disabled the vehicle's electrical system and requires at minimum the replacement of the entire main wiring harness. event description after a short drive (less than 2 miles on a cold engine) the vehicle was parked. after the engine was turned off smoke was seen rising from the vehicle engine compartment. upon raising the hood, flames were seen between the engine and the passenger compartment reflecting off both fire walls. 2 fire extinguishers were required to put out the flames after the battery was disconnected. total loss of the vehicle to fire was prevented by the owners actions. | |||
| 04/04/2010 | 92345 | ||
| Probelms with the electroni power steering, it work interminent, almost got to a accident. | |||
| 03/30/2011 | 45000 | ||
| A fire was caused by the failure of the power steering cooling fan. at some point the day of the incident the fan seized and the resulting electrical resistance in the main wiring harness caused the wiring harness to heat to a point of melting some of the plastic wire insulation allowing for direct wire to wire contact and resulted in an electrical fire between the engine and the passenger compartment. the resulting fire completely disabled the vehicle's electrical system and requires at minimum the replacement of the entire main wiring harness. event description after a short drive (less than 2 miles on a cold engine) the vehicle was parked. after the engine was turned off smoke was seen rising from the vehicle engine compartment. upon raising the hood, flames were seen between the engine and the passenger compartment reflecting off both fire walls. 2 fire extinguishers were required to put out the flames after the battery was disconnected. total loss of the vehicle to fire was prevented by the owners actions. | |||
| 04/04/2010 | 92345 | ||
| Probelms with the electroni power steering, it work interminent, almost got to a accident. | |||
| 03/17/2011 | 100500 | ||
| After picking my sister up from the train station i noticed a loss of power steering. steering is now very difficult around corners and in city driving. no repairs made yet. | |||
| 11/15/2009 | 89000 | ||
| The second power steering pump on my 2002 mini cooper s has failed. the first time when it happened i had loss of steering while doing a low speed turn and hit a curb. | |||
| 02/13/2011 | 55000 | ||
| 2002 mini cooper s. power steering pump failure with 55k miles on the highway. caused loss of powersteering making the car difficult to control. upon stopping the power steering pump wouldn't go off and drained the cars battery. this is a well publicized problem on the web, yet mini denies andy fault. | |||
| 02/08/2011 | 51000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2002 mini cooper s. the contact stated the power steering pump fail while pulling into his garage. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced the pump at a cost to him. there are no recalls or warranty on the vehicle. the manufacturer was contacted who file a complaint and offered no other assistance. the failure mileage was 51,000...mw | |||
| 02/13/2011 | 55000 | ||
| 2002 mini cooper s. power steering pump failure with 55k miles on the highway. caused loss of powersteering making the car difficult to control. upon stopping the power steering pump wouldn't go off and drained the cars battery. this is a well publicized problem on the web, yet mini denies andy fault. | |||
| 02/08/2011 | 51000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2002 mini cooper s. the contact stated the power steering pump fail while pulling into his garage. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced the pump at a cost to him. there are no recalls or warranty on the vehicle. the manufacturer was contacted who file a complaint and offered no other assistance. the failure mileage was 51,000...mw | |||
| 02/13/2011 | 55000 | ||
| 2002 mini cooper s. power steering pump failure with 55k miles on the highway. caused loss of powersteering making the car difficult to control. upon stopping the power steering pump wouldn't go off and drained the cars battery. this is a well publicized problem on the web, yet mini denies andy fault. | |||
| 02/08/2011 | 51000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2002 mini cooper s. the contact stated the power steering pump fail while pulling into his garage. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced the pump at a cost to him. there are no recalls or warranty on the vehicle. the manufacturer was contacted who file a complaint and offered no other assistance. the failure mileage was 51,000...mw | |||
| 11/29/2010 | 75415 | ||
| Power steering failed in the middle of a curve in the road, resulting in a loss of control and nearly causing the car to go into a ditch. #20 the car is nearly impossible to steer without the power-assisted steering. #20 mini usa denies any knowledge of this problem, yet there are in excess of 1,600 reports on one internet forum alone. #20 the british government has officially acknowledged this issue, and in europe bmw/mini has acted, but in the usa the company denies any awareness. #20 this failure could have cost me and my wife our lives if i were a less skilled driver who managed to force the car back onto the road. | |||
| 12/09/2010 | 90000 | ||
| Loss of power steering 2002 mini cooper s. | |||
| 07/10/2005 | |||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2002 mini cooper s. the contact was driving approximately 60 mph, there was a complete loss of power steering without warning. the contact pulled over to the side of the road with difficulty in the steering. the engine was turned off and restarted. the power steering became functional. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis. the technician was unable to duplicate the problem. the failure continued. the failure mileage and vin were unavailable. js | |||
| 08/10/2010 | 29800 | ||
| Intermediate power steering failure on 2002 mini cooper s. at first power steering would cut in and out when driving until it went dead completely but sometimes will resume function when you shut off car and restart. steering is very hard when this occurs. weeks passed with same symtoms then power steering pump will run constantly even with car shut off. to stop the pump from draining my battery i had to disconnect battery or remove the fuse that is connected to the powersteering pump. now the car is operable without power steering but steering is rather hard. | |||
| 10/10/2010 | 60000 | ||
| I read last week about possible sudden loss of power steering associated with 04-05 mini models. i have an 02 mini cooper s and have had the same problem approx 6 times in the last 4 years. with no warning, the power steering will suddenly disappear. i can steer the car, but only with significant effort. my mechanic cannot find any problem. i have not had any accidents as a result of this. i'm not certain, but it appears this might happen more frequently when the road is wet. | |||
| 08/10/2010 | 29800 | ||
| Intermediate power steering failure on 2002 mini cooper s. at first power steering would cut in and out when driving until it went dead completely but sometimes will resume function when you shut off car and restart. steering is very hard when this occurs. weeks passed with same symtoms then power steering pump will run constantly even with car shut off. to stop the pump from draining my battery i had to disconnect battery or remove the fuse that is connected to the powersteering pump. now the car is operable without power steering but steering is rather hard. | |||
| 10/10/2010 | 60000 | ||
| I read last week about possible sudden loss of power steering associated with 04-05 mini models. i have an 02 mini cooper s and have had the same problem approx 6 times in the last 4 years. with no warning, the power steering will suddenly disappear. i can steer the car, but only with significant effort. my mechanic cannot find any problem. i have not had any accidents as a result of this. i'm not certain, but it appears this might happen more frequently when the road is wet. | |||
| 08/10/2010 | 29800 | ||
| Intermediate power steering failure on 2002 mini cooper s. at first power steering would cut in and out when driving until it went dead completely but sometimes will resume function when you shut off car and restart. steering is very hard when this occurs. weeks passed with same symtoms then power steering pump will run constantly even with car shut off. to stop the pump from draining my battery i had to disconnect battery or remove the fuse that is connected to the powersteering pump. now the car is operable without power steering but steering is rather hard. | |||
| 10/10/2010 | 60000 | ||
| I read last week about possible sudden loss of power steering associated with 04-05 mini models. i have an 02 mini cooper s and have had the same problem approx 6 times in the last 4 years. with no warning, the power steering will suddenly disappear. i can steer the car, but only with significant effort. my mechanic cannot find any problem. i have not had any accidents as a result of this. i'm not certain, but it appears this might happen more frequently when the road is wet. | |||
| 08/10/2010 | 29800 | ||
| Intermediate power steering failure on 2002 mini cooper s. at first power steering would cut in and out when driving until it went dead completely but sometimes will resume function when you shut off car and restart. steering is very hard when this occurs. weeks passed with same symtoms then power steering pump will run constantly even with car shut off. to stop the pump from draining my battery i had to disconnect battery or remove the fuse that is connected to the powersteering pump. now the car is operable without power steering but steering is rather hard. | |||
| 10/10/2010 | 60000 | ||
| I read last week about possible sudden loss of power steering associated with 04-05 mini models. i have an 02 mini cooper s and have had the same problem approx 6 times in the last 4 years. with no warning, the power steering will suddenly disappear. i can steer the car, but only with significant effort. my mechanic cannot find any problem. i have not had any accidents as a result of this. i'm not certain, but it appears this might happen more frequently when the road is wet. | |||
| 08/10/2010 | 29800 | ||
| Intermediate power steering failure on 2002 mini cooper s. at first power steering would cut in and out when driving until it went dead completely but sometimes will resume function when you shut off car and restart. steering is very hard when this occurs. weeks passed with same symtoms then power steering pump will run constantly even with car shut off. to stop the pump from draining my battery i had to disconnect battery or remove the fuse that is connected to the powersteering pump. now the car is operable without power steering but steering is rather hard. | |||
| 10/10/2010 | 60000 | ||
| I read last week about possible sudden loss of power steering associated with 04-05 mini models. i have an 02 mini cooper s and have had the same problem approx 6 times in the last 4 years. with no warning, the power steering will suddenly disappear. i can steer the car, but only with significant effort. my mechanic cannot find any problem. i have not had any accidents as a result of this. i'm not certain, but it appears this might happen more frequently when the road is wet. | |||
| 12/10/2009 | 100000 | ||
| Power steering failure caused hard steering and supreme scare. prior intermittent on/off of power steering pump previous week. had to replace pump and fan motor. old pump is not available | |||
| 04/01/2010 | 90000 | ||
| My 2002 mini cooper s had an incident approximately six months ago when i completely lost power steering while going a a low rate of speed. i was able to muscle the steering for a couple of minutes until the power steering returned. this occurred once more but very briefly in front of my house some time later. i did not do anything about this problem either time but i saw a story in usa today on mini steering problems (29 sept) and instantly recalled my problem. i am certain it is related to the mini steering issue now being investigated by the nhtsa. | |||
| 12/10/2009 | 100000 | ||
| Power steering failure caused hard steering and supreme scare. prior intermittent on/off of power steering pump previous week. had to replace pump and fan motor. old pump is not available | |||
| 04/01/2010 | 90000 | ||
| My 2002 mini cooper s had an incident approximately six months ago when i completely lost power steering while going a a low rate of speed. i was able to muscle the steering for a couple of minutes until the power steering returned. this occurred once more but very briefly in front of my house some time later. i did not do anything about this problem either time but i saw a story in usa today on mini steering problems (29 sept) and instantly recalled my problem. i am certain it is related to the mini steering issue now being investigated by the nhtsa. | |||
| 12/10/2009 | 100000 | ||
| Power steering failure caused hard steering and supreme scare. prior intermittent on/off of power steering pump previous week. had to replace pump and fan motor. old pump is not available | |||
| 04/01/2010 | 90000 | ||
| My 2002 mini cooper s had an incident approximately six months ago when i completely lost power steering while going a a low rate of speed. i was able to muscle the steering for a couple of minutes until the power steering returned. this occurred once more but very briefly in front of my house some time later. i did not do anything about this problem either time but i saw a story in usa today on mini steering problems (29 sept) and instantly recalled my problem. i am certain it is related to the mini steering issue now being investigated by the nhtsa. | |||
| 12/10/2009 | 100000 | ||
| Power steering failure caused hard steering and supreme scare. prior intermittent on/off of power steering pump previous week. had to replace pump and fan motor. old pump is not available | |||
| 04/01/2010 | 90000 | ||
| My 2002 mini cooper s had an incident approximately six months ago when i completely lost power steering while going a a low rate of speed. i was able to muscle the steering for a couple of minutes until the power steering returned. this occurred once more but very briefly in front of my house some time later. i did not do anything about this problem either time but i saw a story in usa today on mini steering problems (29 sept) and instantly recalled my problem. i am certain it is related to the mini steering issue now being investigated by the nhtsa. | |||
| 12/10/2009 | 100000 | ||
| Power steering failure caused hard steering and supreme scare. prior intermittent on/off of power steering pump previous week. had to replace pump and fan motor. old pump is not available | |||
| 04/01/2010 | 90000 | ||
| My 2002 mini cooper s had an incident approximately six months ago when i completely lost power steering while going a a low rate of speed. i was able to muscle the steering for a couple of minutes until the power steering returned. this occurred once more but very briefly in front of my house some time later. i did not do anything about this problem either time but i saw a story in usa today on mini steering problems (29 sept) and instantly recalled my problem. i am certain it is related to the mini steering issue now being investigated by the nhtsa. | |||
| 06/01/2009 | 65000 | ||
| 1. driving in normal conditions, car starts over heating. 2. constant power steering failure. has happened 2 times since i have owned the vehicle. (3 year span) and also 2 times for the original owner. 3. the car was taken to the dealership for repairs. old parts are not avialable. | |||
| 12/10/2009 | 100000 | ||
| Power steering failure caused hard steering and supreme scare. prior intermittent on/off of power steering pump previous week. had to replace pump and fan motor. old pump is not available | |||
| 04/01/2010 | 90000 | ||
| My 2002 mini cooper s had an incident approximately six months ago when i completely lost power steering while going a a low rate of speed. i was able to muscle the steering for a couple of minutes until the power steering returned. this occurred once more but very briefly in front of my house some time later. i did not do anything about this problem either time but i saw a story in usa today on mini steering problems (29 sept) and instantly recalled my problem. i am certain it is related to the mini steering issue now being investigated by the nhtsa. | |||
| 06/01/2009 | 65000 | ||
| 1. driving in normal conditions, car starts over heating. 2. constant power steering failure. has happened 2 times since i have owned the vehicle. (3 year span) and also 2 times for the original owner. 3. the car was taken to the dealership for repairs. old parts are not avialable. | |||
| 08/04/2010 | 107000 | ||
| Power steering pump failure. complete loss of power assist. just happened in the middle of a turn during normal driving. | |||
| 10/15/2009 | 150000 | ||
| 2002 mini cooper s power steering pump failed leaving car with very heavy steering. car travelled into oncoming traffic but no damage or injury occured. i have old ps pump available | |||
| 06/01/2009 | 65000 | ||
| 1. driving in normal conditions, car starts over heating. 2. constant power steering failure. has happened 2 times since i have owned the vehicle. (3 year span) and also 2 times for the original owner. 3. the car was taken to the dealership for repairs. old parts are not avialable. | |||
| 08/04/2010 | 107000 | ||
| Power steering pump failure. complete loss of power assist. just happened in the middle of a turn during normal driving. | |||
| 10/15/2009 | 150000 | ||
| 2002 mini cooper s power steering pump failed leaving car with very heavy steering. car travelled into oncoming traffic but no damage or injury occured. i have old ps pump available | |||
| 06/01/2009 | 65000 | ||
| 1. driving in normal conditions, car starts over heating. 2. constant power steering failure. has happened 2 times since i have owned the vehicle. (3 year span) and also 2 times for the original owner. 3. the car was taken to the dealership for repairs. old parts are not avialable. | |||
| 08/04/2010 | 107000 | ||
| Power steering pump failure. complete loss of power assist. just happened in the middle of a turn during normal driving. | |||
| 10/15/2009 | 150000 | ||
| 2002 mini cooper s power steering pump failed leaving car with very heavy steering. car travelled into oncoming traffic but no damage or injury occured. i have old ps pump available | |||
| 08/04/2010 | 107000 | ||
| Power steering pump failure. complete loss of power assist. just happened in the middle of a turn during normal driving. | |||
| 10/15/2009 | 150000 | ||
| 2002 mini cooper s power steering pump failed leaving car with very heavy steering. car travelled into oncoming traffic but no damage or injury occured. i have old ps pump available | |||
| 08/25/2010 | 70100 | ||
| 2002 mini cooper s power steering pump failure. pump had stopped while driving the car previously. now, pump continues to run after turning off the engine. | |||
| 08/13/2010 | 74000 | ||
| The power steering pump on 2002 mini cooper s has repeatedly seized up when driving over a course of a few months and now it wont turn off when the car is off so the battery drains out. | |||
| 06/13/2010 | 42392 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2002 mini cooper s. while driving 50 miles per hour, the vehicle lost power steering. the contact spoke with the dealer who advised that the failure is in regards to the steering column and would cost $750 to repair. the vehicle had not been repaired. the current and failure miles 42392. the vin was not available. aa | |||
| 05/13/2010 | 9000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2002 mini cooper s. while traveling 45 mph the contact noticed that the steering wheel had suddenly become very difficult turn. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where the contact was informed that the power steering needed to be replaced. there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages was 9000. bml | |||
| 01/15/2010 | 8400 | 1 | |
| The new minis from bmw, ranging from 2002 - 2005, have chronic problems with the power steering failing while driving, making the cars suddenly impossible to steer. this is not an isolated problem. i've searched the web and found hundreds of people complaining about this very same thing. here's a link to a bbc story about it. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2009/02/mini_steering_system_failures.html. *tr | |||
| 03/10/2009 | 50000 | 1 | |
| 2002 mini cooper c power steering pump failure with only 50k miles. *tr | |||
| 08/09/2002 | 35000 | 1 | |
| My mini cooper s 2002. my power steering locked up making it almost impossible to steer. very dangerous and the fan kept running when off which drained the battery. it is not drivable now. *tr | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - PUMP | |||
| 09/20/2007 | 85000 | 1 | 02/21/2004 |
| Took my car in for winding sound coming from motor. diagnosed as the alternator...they replaced it and sound was still present ...misdiagnosed and was actually the supercharger, but while they were checking it out initially the power steering pump stayed on...which didn't happen to me until they had it. after changing the alternator power steering pump no longer stayed on per the dealer. had it home 3 days to wake up one morning hearing the pump on and i go to start my car and in drained my battery. had to jump the car and then disconnect the cable to keep from the ps pump continuously running. the car is at the dealer getting a new pump $975 plus tax, researched mini owner website and found several complaints of the same issue also that some cars actually caught fire from a failure of the pump. researched more on north american motoring . there was a long list of people who had the exact experience. sure would be awful for the pump to go out while driving on expressway and not able to steer correctly. surprised it hasn't caused an accident/death yet. *tr | |||
| 04/16/2007 | 14 | 07/01/2001 | |
| Several, the air bag warning light has illuminated more then ten different times, each time it was repaired by the dealer (westchester bmw/westchester mini) the last fix was after the normal warranty had expired and required much fuss to get it repaired for free. the power steering pump suddenly stopped working while driving on the highway. the radiator fan was replaced two times by me (car out of warranty) even though i complained to the dealer when the car was still quite new about the frequency of the fan motor's starting and stopping which will severely shorten the life of any electric motor. the windshield stress cracked while under warranty and was repaired. the windshield wiped motor has just failed during an incredible rainstorm. *jb | |||
| 10/11/2006 | 0 | 3 | 07/01/2002 |
| Power steering pump failed. replacement was required at 48,000 miles. viewing the mini owners website revealed many similar situations where the pump required replacement on many 2002-2004 models. this could lead to serious safety issues. *nm | |||