NHTSA Complaint #10555751 — 2005 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE

POWER STEERING PUMP ON MY DAUGHTER'S CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE ABOUT THREE (3) WEEKS AGO WHILE SHE WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, LUCKILY SHE THOUGHT ENOUGH AND TURNED THE CAR OFF SO THE DAMAGE WAS ONLY TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND WIRING HARNESS . ONCE WE DISCOVERED WHAT HAD CAUGHT FIRE WE DID RESEARCH ON HOW TO MAKE THE REPAIR(S) AND CAME ACROSS THE RECALL FOR 2005 MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLES POWER STEERING PUMPS, THEY ARE RECALLING THEM BECAUSE THEY FAIL AND SOMETIMES CATCH FIRE. THE RECALL IS FOR CARS PRODUCED UNTIL FEBRUARY 2005 AND MINE, ACCORDING TO THE DOOR STICKER, WAS PRODUCED IN MARCH 2005 SO MINI WILL NOT MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS BECAUSE THEY SAY THEY 'FIXED' THE ISSUE. ONCE WE GOT UNDER THE CAR AND PULLED THE POWER STEERING PUMP OFF YOU COULD CLEARLY SEE IT WAS BURNED, THE LARGER POWER STEERING PUMP CONNECTOR WAS COMPLETELY BURNED AND MELTED TOGETHER, WE COULDN'T EVEN REMOVE THE PUMP WITHOUT CUTTING THE WIRING HARNESS. WHEN WE GOT THE PUMP OFF YOU COULD SEE THE PUMP WAS BURNED ON THE INSIDE AS WELL SO APPARENTLY THERE IS STILL AN ISSUE WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMPS FAILING AND CATCHING FIRE. I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH MINI NORTH AMERICA AGAIN AND AGAIN THEY REFUSE TO FIX THE ISSUED BECAUSE WELL, THERE'S NOT AN ISSUE, AGAIN ACCORDING TO THEM. THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT REGARDING THIS ISSUE SO I WILL RESEARCHING THAT AVENUE. *TR