NHTSA Complaint #10438691 — 2003 MINI COOPER

THE INCIDENT OCCURRED BACK IN JUNE 27, 2007. I PARKED MY CAR AND THEN NOTICED THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. OPENED THE BONNET AND THERE WERE FLAMES COMING FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF THE ENGINE. THE FIRST ATTEMPT AT USING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER TEMPORARILY PUT OUT THE FIRE, BUT IT RE-IGNITED AND AT THIS POINT CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO PUT IT OUT SAFELY. THE BMW DEALER KEPT SAYING THERE WAS NEVER A FIRE, JUST SMOLDERING. THE "SMOLDERING" WAS THE CAUSE OF A STEERING PUMP FAILURE WHICH OVERHEATS, WHICH IN TURN DAMAGED THE LOOM (HARNESS, OR MAIN WIRING FOR THE VEHICLE), WHICH ALSO RUINED THE BATTERY. THE COST WAS OVER $1000 TO REPAIR THE "SMOLDERING" DAMAGES. PRIOR TO THE STEERING PUMP FAILURE, THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THERE WERE STEERING PROBLEMS, NOR ANY POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. CAR MILEAGE WAS AT 65,525 AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. *TR