NHTSA Complaint #10473282 — 2005 MINI COOPER

GENERALLY, I LOVE THE MINI COOPER HAVING PURCHASED IT IN THE AFTER MARKET. HOWEVER, NOT LONG AFTER THE WARRANTY RAN OUT, I HAD PROBLEMS FOR SEVERAL WEEKS WITH MY STEERING WHEEL SEIZING UP BUT AN INCIDENT IN FEBRUARY 2012 STICKS OUT MOST IN MY MIND SINCE I WAS ON I-95 IN THE RAIN AND COULD NOT ADEQUATELY STEER THE CAR TO TAKE AN EXIT. MY 11 YR OLD DAUGHTER WAS WITH ME AT THE TIME. I PULLED TO THE SHOULDER AND SHUT THE CAR OFF AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND RESUME DRIVING. FINANCIALLY, I COULD NOT AFFORD TO TAKE THE CAR INTO THE DEALER BUT THE CONDITION AND WORK AROUND CONTINUED INTERMITTENTLY FOR A FEW WEEKS WHEN I COULD AFFORD THE REPAIR. IN EARLY MAY 2012, I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR AND IT COST OVER $1300 TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP. AT THE TIME OF THE REPAIR, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE COOLING FAN ALSO NEEDED REPAIR FOR ANOTHER $720 -- I JUST DIDN'T HAVE IT. TODAY, MY 2-YR OLD BATTERY FAILED APPARENTLY DUE TO DRAINING FROM THE FAN. FOR NOW, I REPLACED THE BATTERY FOR $249. I WILL BE INCREMENTALLY GETTING REPAIRS DONE, HOWEVER, IN READING SOME PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCE WITH THE STEERING PUMP, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE MAY BE SOME RELEVANCE BETWEEN THE PUMP GOING BAD AND AN IMPACT ON THE FAN. I'D APPRECIATE ANY INSIGHTS YOU MAY HAVE ON THAT POSSIBILITY. I AM REPORTING THIS NOT ONLY FOR MYSELF BUT FOR OTHERS WHO ALSO MAY BE IMPACTED BY THE PUMP DEFECT THAT I AM LEARNING IS SOMEWHAT COMMON. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE OUTCOME OF YOUR ENGINEERING ANALYSIS. THANK YOU. *TR