NHTSA Complaint #10209314 — 2003 MINI COOPER

WITHOUT NOTICE, THE BATTERY DIED. UPON INSTALL OF A NEW BATTERY, A FAN STARTED RUNNING BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE ELECTRICAL STEERING PUMP AND STEERING PUMP FAN HAD FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACING. THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT SAID I NEEDED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE I LAST HAD IT SERVICED. I CONTACTED CORPORATE SERVICES WHO INFORMED ME THAT I WAS ELIGIBLE FOR A GOODWILL WARRANTY EXTENSION PROVIDED I TOOK TO THE VEHICLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE DEALER WHERE I LAST HAD IT SERVICED. THE SERVICE DEALER, AND CORPORATE RELATIONS, WOULD NOT PROVIDE A GOODWILL EXTENSION BECAUSE THEY MAINTAINED THAT MY MECHANIC CAUSED THE STEERING PUMP TO FAIL. THE DEALER OFFERED TO REPAIR THE PARTS FOR ABOUT $1900 FOR A NEW PUMP AND $140 FOR A NEW FAN. AFTER SOME RESEARCH, INCLUDING INFORMATION THE DEALER TOLD MY MECHANIC, THIS FAILURE IS A REGULAR PROBLEM WITH THE EARLIER MINI MODELS AND THE DEALERS KEEP ADDITIONAL PARTS IN STOCK TO REPAIR VEHICLES AS THEY COME IN. ADDITIONALLY, I READ THAT MINI SUBSEQUENTLY CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THIS COMPONENT TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM BUT NEVER INFORMED PRIOR OWNERS OF THIS CHANGE. MOREOVER, I ALSO READ THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN HAPPENING WITH MINI DURING THE INITIAL 50,000 MILES OF OWNERSHIP, AND IN SOME CASES THE FAILURE OF THE PUMP FAN HAS CAUSED ENGINE FIRES WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION. *TR