NHTSA Complaint #10454920 — 2003 MINI COOPER

MY 2003 MINI COOPER (R50), WITH MANUAL SHIFT AND 83,567 MILES, WAS PARKED ON A CITY STREET WHEN A PASSERBY NOTICED SMOKE AND FIRE COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE AREA. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE TIME FROM THE CAR BEING PARKED UNTIL THE FLAMES WERE EXTINGUISHED IS ESTIMATED AT 10 TO 20 MINUTES. THE CAR WAS TOWED THE FOLLOWING MORNING TO A MINI DEALER SERVICE CENTER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE AUXILIARY POWER STEERING COOLING FAN HAD FAILED. THE OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE ESTIMATED TO NEED REPLACEMENT ARE THE POWER STEERING PUMP, ENGINE WIRING HARNESS, AUXILIARY WIRING HARNESS, POWER STEERING PUMP RESERVOIR HOSE AND POWER STEERING RETURN HOSE. AT THE TIME I WAS ON A TRIP OUT-OF-TOWN 600 MILES AWAY FROM HOME AND THE CAR IS STILL AT THE OUT-OF-TOWN DEALER. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT NO SIGNS OF ANYTHING SUSPECT WITH THE CAR WERE NOTICED. APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT THE BONNET OF THE CAR WAS OPENED AT A MILITARY ENTRANCE GATE VEHICLE INSPECTION AND NO SIGNS OF ANY ISSUES WERE NOTICED AT THAT TIME. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THERE IS NO AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT IN THE AFFECTED AREA. I AM THE 2ND OWNER OF THE CAR HAVING PURCHASED IT AT 35,086 MILES MID-2007 FROM A LONG-TIME FRIEND WHO WAS THE FIRST OWNER. I MAINTAIN THE CAR AND KEEP ALL MAINTENANCE RECORDS. I BELIEVE THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL REPAIRS AND THE RETURN OF THE CAR TO MY HOME. I HAVE READ ABOUT RECALLS BY TRANSPORT CANADA FOR 2002-2005 MINI STEERING PUMPS WHICH WOULD INDICATE THIS ISSUE IS WORTHY OF INVESTIGATION FOR RECALL. THIS IS A DANGEROUS VEHICLE DEFECT. PLEASE FORMALLY INVESTIGATE THIS INCIDENT. *TR