2003 MINI COOPER Exterior Lighting Problems

NIGHT DRIVING IN COLORADO MTNS. LIGHTS BEGAN TO FLICKER AND POWER STEERING FAILED. FOUND SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER AND TURNED OFF LIGHTS AND ENGINE. RESTARTED AND TURNED LIGHTS BACK ON TO RESUME DRIVING WITHIN A FEW MINUETS LIGHTS FLICKERED AND POWER STEERING FAILED AGAIN. HAD TO CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL MILES UNTIL IT WAS SAFE TO PULL OVER AGAIN. ATTEMPTED TO TURN OFF HEAD LIGHTS AND USE FOG LIGHTS ON COUNTY DIRT ROAD, STILL LIGHTS FLICKERED/DIMMED AND POWER STEERING FAILED. CURRENTLY VEHICLE IS PARKED AND WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO RESEARCH RECALL MATTERS WITH THIS MALFUNCTION. SUPERIOR DRIVING SKILL IS REQUIRED TO OPERATE THIS VEHICLE WITH NONFUNCTIONAL POWER STEERING. AVERAGE OPERATORS WILL HAVE GREAT DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING SAFE OPERATION OF THE AUTOMOBILE. THIS ISSUE WILL LEAD TO LOSS OF LIFE IF NOT ADDRESSED. NEAREST DEALER FOR MINI IS 130 MILES DISTANT. *TR

THE XENON IGNITER COMPONENT IN THE LEFT HEADLAMP HAS INTERMITTENT FUNCTION, FREQUENTLY CAUSING THE BULB NOT TO LIGHT. THE QUOTED REPAIR COST BY THE DEALER IS IN EXCESS OF $800 BECAUSE THE IGNITER PART IS NOT A REPLACEABLE COMPONENT (THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSY IS REPLACED). THE ORIGINAL OEM BULB IN THE AFFECTED LEFT HEADLAMP WAS REPLACED BY MINI DURING ITS WARRANTY PERIOD AND THIS WAS NOT REPORTED TO ME (THE LEFT AND RIGHT BULBS DID NOT MATCH UPON MY EXAMINATION OF THEM WHEN FIRST OBSERVING THIS PROBLEM). $800 TO FIX A LIGHT BULB IS RIDICULOUS, AND I'VE BEEN LIVING WITH THIS SAFETY HAZARD SINCE I OBSERVED IT IN SEPTEMBER 2010. BMW USA SHOULD BE COMPELLED TO RECALL THIS DEFECTIVE COMPONENT. *TR