NHTSA Complaint #10376777 — 2005 MINI COOPER

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING, MY WIFE HAD TO EXERT STRENGTH TO DRIVE VEHICLE TO SAFE PLACE WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT (REPORTING THIS AS WE ARE NOT SURE IF IT IS RELATED) OUR 2005 MINI REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAN (AT COST OF $245.60) ON 8/21/2009, TO FIX A LOUD NOISE. ON 1/12/2011 WE HAD TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP DUE TO POWER STEERING FAILURE. MINI AGREED TO CHARGE ME ONLY 1/2 THE WARRANTY PART COST AND REDUCED LABOR (TOTAL JOB COST ME $443 VERSUS ALMOST $1200 UNTIL I COMPLAINED). GIVEN THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS (AND I READ OF SIMILAR CONCERNS IN BRITAIN), THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL OF THIS SYSTEM AND I SHOULD GET A REFUND OF WHAT I PAID FOR THE PUMP AND THE FAN I HAD REPLACED IN 2009. I ALSO HAD TO HAVE REPLACED FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS AT A LABOR AND PARTS COST OF $767.24. AGAIN, NOT SURE IF THIS IS RELATED TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE. OUR CAR ONLY HAS 46,500 MILES, SO THESE FAILURES SEEM UNUSUAL FOR A CAR WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. WE ARE ORIGINAL OWNERS. *TR