NHTSA Complaint #10458619 — 2003 MINI COOPER S

I DROVE MY 2003 MINI COOPER S TO MY LOCAL DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO RENEW MY DRIVER'S LICENSE. NOTHING ABNORMAL OCCURRED ON THE TRIP TO THE DMV. WHEN I GOT IN AND BEGAN TO DRIVE HOME, THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. LATER THAT EVENING, I STARTED THE CAR WHEN IT WAS COOL AND THE POWER STEERING WAS BACK UNTIL THE CAR WARMED UP. THE RADIATOR FAN AND THE POWER STEERING FAN DO NOT FUNCTION UPON DOING RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURS EXTREMELY OFTEN IN 2002-2007 MINIS. I ALSO FOUND, POSTED ON A MINI FORUM BY SOMEONE CLAIMING TO BE AN ENGINEER, A DIAGNOSIS OF THE PROBLEM. CARBON DUST FROM THE ELECTRIC MOTOR THAT OPERATES THE POWER STEERING PUMP GETS INTO THE CONTROL UNIT ATTACHED TO IT. SINCE THE CHIP WAS NOT PROPERLY SEALED WITH A LACQUER, IT CAUSEES A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE CHIP. THIS CAUSES THE PUMP TO FAIL. ANOTHER POSSIBLE CAUSE IS THE FAILURE OF THE COOLING FAN FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE FAN CAN SEIZE, STOP COOLING THE PUMP, AND EVENTUALLY IT WILL OVERHEAT. THIS ALSO TRIPS A FUSE THAT STOPS THE RADIATOR FAN. AS A RESULT, THE ENGINE CAN ALSO OVERHEAT. I HAVE DETERMINED THAT THE FAN HAS STOPPED WORKING. SINCE I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR SINCE THE MIDDLE OF WINTER AND THE HAS BEEN THE ONLY WARM DAY I HAVE DRIVEN IT, THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I NOTICED IT. I PLAN TO AVOID THE $1000 CHARGE TO HAVE IT REPLACED AT THE DEALER BY REPAIRING IT MYSELF BUT MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT THIS FORTUNATE. I BELIEVE THIS DESIGN FLAW CAN AND WILL CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS TO OCCUR. IF MY MOTHER, SISTER, OR GIRLFRIEND HAD BEEN DRIVING MY CAR ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN IT FAILED, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STEER RESULTING IN A SERIOUS CRASH. WHILE PERUSING VARIOUS MINI FORUMS, I HAVE READ STORIES OF SEVERAL SERIOUS CRASHES. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A RECALL ON ALL 2002-2007 MINI COOPERS SO THAT THIS PROBLEM CAN NOT HARM SOMEONE.