NHTSA Complaint #10735123 — 2005 MINI COOPER

THE POWER STEERING ON MY 2005 MINI COOPER FAILED SUDDENLY AS I WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. IT TOOK ALL MY EFFORT TO KEEP THE CAR IN THE LANE. THE MINI DEALER INITIALLY TOLD ME THAT THE POWER STEERING MOTOR WAS COVERED DUE TO THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ON 2002 ? 2005 MINI COOPERS WHICH EXTENDS THE WARRANTY ON THE POWER STEERING MOTOR TO 13 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES. I WAS CALLED BACK LATER TO BE INFORMED THAT MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED AS IT WAS MANUFACTURED AFTER THE FEB. 2005 CUTOFF DATE. MY MINI COOPER WAS MANUFACTORED IN JUNE 2005. GLOBAL MINI IN CHAMBLEE, GA CHARGED ME $899.78 FOR REPLACING THE POWER STEERING MOTOR. MY SUDDEN POWER STEERING FAILURE AT 83,025 MILES WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE POWER STEERING EXTENDED WARRANTY ISSUED BY MINI USA FOR THE SUDDEN FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING MOTOR. THE WARRANTY, IN EFFECT, IS SAYING THAT THE POWER STEERING MOTOR OF THESE VEHICLES SHOULD LAST FOR 150,000 MILES. WHILE MINI USA HAS EXTENDED THE COVERAGE TO SOME 2005 MINIS, COVERAGE TO MY MINI COOPER HAS BEEN DENIED FAILING AT ONLY 83,000 MILES EVEN THOUGH IT EXHIBITED THE SAME SYMPTOMS OF FAILURE.UPDATE 9/15/15*CW UPDATED 11/28/2017*CN