NHTSA Complaint #10452903 — 2005 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE

WHILE DRIVING DOWN STRAIGHT ROAD STEERING BEGAN TO INTERMITTENTLY "TIGHTEN UP" AND BECOME DIFFICULT TO MANAGE. ROAD AND WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR AND DRY. NEXT MORNING POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED COMPLETELY WHILE BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ALMOST HIT A FENCE. VEHICLE HAD BEEN GARAGED ALL NIGHT AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. POWER STEERING UNEXPECTEDLY RETURNED TWO MILES LATER, CAUSING DRIVER TO OVER-CORRECT BECAUSE OF THE SUDDEN RETURN OF POWER STEERING ASSIST. THE INTERMITTENT NATURE OF THIS FAILURE IS THE MOST CONCERNING SAFETY ISSUE, AS THE DRIVER IS UNAWARE THAT EFFORT REQUIRED TO CHANGE LANES OR NAVIGATE A TURN MAY CHANGE DRASTICALLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY. OVER-CORRECTION IN TRAFFIC IS FRIGHTENING. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SUBJECTED TO UNUSUAL OR EXTREME DRIVING CONDITIONS. *TR