NHTSA Complaint #10496449 — 2005 MINI COOPER S

WAS DRIVING ALONG THE ROAD AND CAME UP ON A TURN WHEN THE STEERING LOCKED UP. PUT ALL OF MY WEIGHT INTO THE STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP FROM JUMPING THE MEDIAN. SCARED THE LIFE OUT OF ME. IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED. TURNED THE CAR OFF, THEN BACK ON AND IT SEEMED FINE. THEN GETTING ON THE FREEWAY, I WAS ON THE CLOVER-LEAF AND IT LOCKED UP AGAIN SO I PUT ALL OF MY WEIGHT INTO IT AGAIN, THEN IT SUDDENLY RELEASED. WITH THE SUDDEN JERK/MOVEMENT (AND IT HAS DONE THIS A FEW TIMES) SOMEDAY I KNOW IT WILL CAUSE THE CAR TO FLIP. THE POWER STEERING SEEMS TO WORK IN PHASES: IT WILL BE FINE FOR A COUPLE DAYS, THEN ITS INTERMITTENT/GONE FOR A WEEK OR 2. THE PAST FEW DAYS, IT HAS SOUNDED LIKE THE ENGINE FAN WAS ENGAGED EVEN THOUGH I HAD NOT BEEN FOR A STRENUOUS DRIVE. I THINK IT WAS ACTUALLY THE PUMP NOT TURNING OFF WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF. THIS MORNING I GOT TO MY CAR TO FIND THE BATTERY COMPLETELY DRAINED... AN APPARENT SHORT IN THE POWER STEERING PUMP (AND/OR FAN) KILLED IT. *TR