NHTSA Complaint #10410800 — 2003 MINI COOPER

SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, THE POWER STEERING FAILED ON MY 2003 MINI COOPER AT THE BEGINNING OF A 40 MINUTE DRIVE HOME. THE NEXT DAY, ALL WAS FINE AND CONTINUED TO BE SO UNTIL THIS AFTERNOON. BRIEFLY THIS AFTERNOON, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AGAIN, BUT RETURNED WHEN THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF AND TURNED BACK ON. HOWEVER, ONCE THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AGAIN, THE FAN IN THE POWER STEERING COLUMN CONTINUED TO RUN FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS. THE CAR STARTED AND DROVE FINE, AND AGAIN UPON RETURNING HOME, THE FAN CONTINUED TO RUN. WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED BACK ON, THE POWER STEERING AGAIN DID NOT WORK, AND NOW THE FAN IS NOT RUNNING. I HAVE READ MESSAGE BOARDS DETAILING ALMOST THE SAME PHENOMENON AND DESCRIBING UPWARDS OF $1000 TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THE MINI WAS JUST IN FOR IT'S 100,000 MILE SERVICE THREE WEEKS AGO AT THE COST OF $1700 AND NO MENTION WAS MADE OF ANY ISSUE WITH THE POWER STEERING. *TR