NHTSA Complaint #10505425 — 2005 MINI COOPER

PARKED THE CAR TO GO IN A STORE, IN THE STORE FOR 10 MINUTES. CAME OUT TO START THE CAR AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS STIFF AND DID NOT WANT TO MOVE. CUT THE CAR OFF AND WAS LOOKING INTO WAYS TO GET THE CAR TOWED. I TRIED TO START THE CAR BACK UP MAYBE 15-20 MINUTES LATER AND IT WAS WORKING JUST FINE. EVER SENSE THEN, THE CAR'S POWER STEERING WOULD STOP FUNCTIONING AND THEN RESET ITSELF ONCE THE CAR WAS STOPPED AND IDLE. YOU CAN NEVER PREDICT WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN OR WHEN IT WON'T. THE POWER STEERING ISSUES HAVE GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE WITH LONGER INTERVALS OF WAIT TIME BEFORE THE POWER STEERING STARTS FUNCTIONING AGAIN. THE WHEEL WHEN THE POWER STEERING STOPS FUNCTIONING IS VIRTUALLY IMMOVABLE IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO MAKE TURNS UNLESS THEY ARE WIDE ONES. THIS IS A TREMENDOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS CLEARLY DEFECTIVE. *TR