NHTSA Complaint #10361584 — 2005 MINI COOPER S

THE POWER STEERING ON MY 2005 MINI COOPER S BEGAN MALFUNCTIONING ON 8-9-2010. WHILE GOING LEFT ON A MIXMASTER, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO HIT THE SIDE OF THE BRIDGE AND PERHAPS DRIVE OFF OF THE SIDE OF THE BRIDGE. THE PASSENGER IN MY CAR HELPED ME STEER (WITH FORCE) TO THE LEFT AND DRIVE TO THE STRAIGHTAWAY. THE POWER STEERING IS INTERMITTENT, WORKING FIVE PERCENT OF THE TIME. MY CAR WAS SERVICED IN JUNE OF 2010 DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE TENSION BELT, WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO HAVE A BURNING SMELL AND NO AIR CONDITIONING. THE "SERVICE ENGINE" LIGHT IS ON TEN PERCENT OF THE TIME AND THE "CHECK TIRE PRESSURE" LIGHT IS ON OFTEN, THOUGH I NO LONGER HAVE RUN-FLAT TIRES. MY CAR IS DIFFICULT TO DRIVE DUE TO THE LACK OF POWER STEERING. AT THE TIME OF THE FIRST INCIDENT, MY CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 75,000 MILES. *TR