2004 MINI COOPER Steeringhydraulic Power Assist System Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH, THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR ASSISTANCE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ENTIRE POWER STEERING SYSTEM BECAUSE THE ELECTRONIC POWER ASSIST PUMP COULD NOT BE REPLACED BY ITSELF. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,995 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,000. UPDATED 03/14/12*LJ ALSO, THE AUXILIARY COOLING FAN WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 04/18/12

WHILE DRIVING IN A 35MPH ZONE, SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD (BONNET). DRIVER NOTICED ODD STEERING RESPONSE SHORTLY BEFORE SMOKE APPEARED. REPAIR SHOP NOTED POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE CAUSING WIRING LOOM FIRE. RESEARCH HAS FOUND NUMEROUS POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURES ON MINI COOPERS. WHEN POWER STEERING FAILS, DRIVING IS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE GIVEN SIZE OF STEERING WHEEL AND POWER ASSIST DESIGN. *KB

I WAS JUST DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND THE POWER STEERING JUST WENT OUT, I DID SAFELY MAKE IT HOME AND GOT THE CAR IN THE GARAGE. IT HAS BEEN PARKED SINCE IT SEEMS THE POWER STEERING COMES AND GOES. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM MAY BE FOR SURE, BUT I HAVE ALREADY HAD THE FAN ASSEMBLY REPLACED DUE TO IT WOULD NOT CUT OFF, AND KILLED MY BATTERY, SO OF COURSE I HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY. I AM TAKING THE CAR IN FOR A ESTIMATE FOR THE STEERING, BUT IT SEEMS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. IT CAUSE SOMEONE TO GET HURT OR EVEN KILLED. *KB

2004 MINI COOPER. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH POWER STEERING *TGW THE CONSUMER HAS SPENT OVER $4800 IN REPAIRS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS. *JB

2004 MINI COOPER. CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED. *TGW