NHTSA Complaint #10520946 — 2003 MINI COOPER S

POWER STEERING ISSUE WHICH MINI USA REACHED AN AGREEMENT WITH NTSB TO AVOID A RECALL BY PROVIDING AN "EXTENDED WARRANTY." SPOKE WITH MINI SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND INFORMED THEM MY STEERING PUMP WAS MAKING NOISE AND HAD GONE OUT INTERMITTENTLY TWICE. THEY INFORMED ME THAT DUE TO THE FACT THIS WAS NOT AN OFFICIAL "RECALL" BUT RATHER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, THE STEERING UNIT WOULD HAVE TO CATASTROPHICALLY FAIL BEFORE THEY WERE PERMITTED TO REPLACE IT. WHAT KIND OF A SAFETY BOARD IS THE NTSB THAT WOULD ALLOW SUCH AN AGREEMENT TO BE REACHED WHEREIN SOMEONE HAS TO BE PUT AT RISK TO DRIVE A VEHICLE TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF A STEERING UNIT, POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN ACCIDENT, BODILY INJURY OR EVEN DEATH, BEFORE THEY WOULD COMPEL THE AUTOMAKER TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE TO MAKE IT SAFE? THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!!! I AM SUPPOSED TO CONTINUE DRIVING A VEHICLE WITH A KNOWN PROBLEM IN THE STEERING, PUTTING MYSELF, FAMILY AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD AT RISK AWAITING "CATASTROPHIC FAILURE" ....... NOT KNOWING WHEN, WHERE OR UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES THAT IS GOING TO OCCUR? MINI USA & BMW YOU WILL NEVER GET ANOTHER PENNY FROM ME AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO ACTIVELY BOYCOTT THEIR PRODUCTS & DEALERSHIPS! *TR