NHTSA Complaint #10362686 — 2005 MINI COOPER

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 65 MPH AND ATTEMPTING A TURN WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME ABNORMALLY STIFF MAKING CAUSING LIMITED CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF. AFTER RESTARTING, THE STEERING RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING YET NO FAILURE CODES WERE GENERATED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE MODULE WOULD POSSIBLY NEED REPLACING. THE STEERING MODULE WAS REPLACED YET WITHIN SIX MONTHS, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT CALLED BOTH THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER REGARDING THE STEERING FAILURE AND WAS ADVISED BY BOTH PARTIES THAT THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS REGARDING STEERING FAILURES WITHIN HIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE STEERING FAILURE COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A CRASH. THE CONTACT WAS NO LONGER DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000.