NHTSA Complaint #10597910 — 2002 MINI COOPER

WHILE DRIVING EAST ON SHERIDAN DR. IN THE TOWN OF TONAWANDA, I EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING. I WRESTLED WITH THE CAR FOR THE REST OF THE DAY, AND WHEN I GOT HOME, I HEARD THAT THE POWER STEERING COOLING FAN WAS RUNNING CONTINUOUSLY, EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF IN THE DRIVEWAY. I ASSUMED IT WOULD STOP EVENTUALLY, BUT WAS WRONG AND RETURNED TO A TOTALLY DEAD BATTERY. I CALLED THE DEALER, TOWNE MINI IN WILLIAMSVILLE, NY, AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE BOOKED TO JUNE 17TH, BUT THAT I COULD BRING IT IN. MIDWAY BETWEEN MY HOME AND TOWNE, WHILE ON THE 290, MY POWER STEERING RETURNED. WHEN I GOT TO TOWNE, THEY AS MUCH AS CALLED ME A LIAR, AND REFUSED TO REPLACE THE PUMP AND FAN. THEY DID HOWEVER, FIND $1300 WORTH OF OTHER WORK THAT "NEEDED" TO BE DONE TO PASS NYS INSPECTION. *TR