NHTSA Complaint #10472621 — 2005 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE

WAS DRIVING ON AN OVERPASS BETWEEN FREEWAYS WHEN MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING. I WAS BEGINNING MY TURN, AND COULD NOT CONTROL OR MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL AND HIT THE RAILING. CARS HAD TO DODGE QUICKLY TO NOT HIT ME. TURNED OFF IGNITION AND TURNED BACK ON AND IT WAS FINE - BUT WAS REALLY SHOOK UP. CONTINUED DRIVING TO WORK 3 MILES LATER AND IT DID IT AGAIN PULLING INTO THE PARKING LOT. LATER THAT DAY, STARTED THE CAR AND ONCE AGAIN NO POWER STEERING. HAD IT TOWED HOME, AND CHECKED IT THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND, WITHOUT SUCCESS (TO GET IT TO A GARAGE) THEN THIS MORNING IT STARTED WORKING. DROVE 1/2 MILE TO GARAGE, AND IT DID IT AGAIN. CALLED BMW SERVICE AND THE MANAGER ACTED LIKE THIS WAS UNUSUAL AND SAID TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. CALLED ANOTHER BMW AND THE SAME STORY. CHECKED WITH MY GERMAN MECHANIC DOWN THE STREET AND HE SAID THAT IS THE #1 REASON HE SEES MINI'S 2005 IN THE STOP. 2ND WAS MY CONVERTIBLE TOP, WHICH QUITE IRONICALLY BROKE THE SAME DAY AS MY POWER STEERING. THE PASSENGER SIDE WON'T DISENGAGE. I'M LOOKING AT OVER $3000 TO FIX A CAR WITH ONLY 42K MILES ON IT. SHOULDN'T THESE PARTS BE RECALLED? I WAS SCARED FOR MY LIFE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND ALMOST CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT! *TR