NHTSA Complaint #10651252 — 2005 MINI COOPER S

POWER STEERING ABRUPTLY STOPPED WORKING WHILE CORNERING CAUSING DRIVER TO USE HEAVY MANUAL FORCE TO CORNER THE VEHICLE THRU A TRICKY VIADUCT TRAIN BRIDGE PASSAGEWAY. WHILE MIDWAY INTO THE TURN, THE POWER STEERING ABRUPTLY "KICKED BACK ON" CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO TURN VIOLENTLY ACROSS LANE AND NEARLY INTO CORNER OF CEMENT WALL HOLDING UP OVERHEAD TRAIN BRIDGE. OTHER CARS WERE MISSED, AND DRIVER STOPPED CAR WITH FRONT BUMPER SLIGHTLY TOUCHING VIADUCT CEMENT WALL. WIFE AND 7 YEAR OLD CHILD WERE ON THE IMPACT SIDE OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHICH NOTED THE EHPS POWER STEERING PUMP IS FAILING. HE CLEANED THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND INSTALLED A NEW COOLING FAN ON THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE PUMP WAS OVERHEATED AND PACKED WITH METAL DEBRIS. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ADVISED ME TO RETURN TO MINI AS POTENTIAL RECALL ISSUE WHICH HAS BEEN WIDELY REPORTED BUT REFUTED BY MINI. POWER STEERING PUMP STILL HAS SIGNIFICANT NOISE AND IS SCHEDULED FOR REVIEW BY A MINI DEALER. *TR