2005 MINI COOPER Steering Problems

MY 2005 MINI COOPER LOST POWERSTEERING FUNCTIONALITY DURING A SHORT INTERSTATE DRIVE (INDIANA INTERSTATE 65 FROM EXIT 64 TO EXIT 68) ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2010 AT 11:20AM. PARKING LOT MANEUVERING AND INTERSTATE ON-RAMP DRIVING WAS NORMAL, INTERSTATE OFF-RAMP AND SUBSEQUENT IN-TOWN DRIVING WAS WITH NO POWERSTEERING ASSIST, AND THEREFORE REQUIRED A GREAT DEAL OF FORCE TO TURN. THE POWER STEERING PUMP COOLING FAN WAS LATER DETERMINED TO HAVE COMPLETELY SEIZED, PRESUMABLY CAUSING THERMAL SHUTDOWN OF THE POWERSTEERING PUMP. MY ANALYSIS OF THE FAILURE OF THE COOLING FAN LEADS ME TO CONCLUDE THAT THE SPAL BRAND FAN USED WAS IMPROPERLY APPLIED TO THE APPLICATION. THE DESIGN AND PLACEMENT OF THE FAN INTO THE MINI CAUSES WATER AND FOREIGN MATERIAL TO POOL INTO THE BLADE HOUSING AND CAUSE CORROSION OF THE STEEL FAN MOTOR HOUSING AND EVENTUAL SEAL DAMAGE RESULTING IN MOTOR FAILURE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES:...

2005 MINI COOPER POWER STEERING GOES OUT TYPICALLY WITHIN THE 1ST HOUR OF DRIVING. THE POWER STEERING FAILURE IS NOT CONSISTENT, BUT I FIND IT HAPPENS MORE OFTEN IN HOT WEATHER WHEN I HAVE THE A/C ON "AUTO" OR FULL BLAST. (???) THE A/C ALSO AFFECTS THE RADIO RECEPTION, SO PERHAPS IT DRAINS TOO MUCH POWER. AT TIMES I NEED TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND DRIVE AS IF I HAVE MANUAL STEERING. I TURN OFF THE ENGINE, LET IT REST FOR 30 SECONDS THEN START IT UP AGAIN. THE POWER STEERING GOES BACK TO NORMAL. WE HAVE NOT TAKEN THE MINI IN FOR SERVICE, AS IT IS NOT CONSISTENT AND WE DO NOT LIKE THE DEALERSHIP AS THEY SEEM TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR AUTOMOTIVE IGNORANCE AND CHARGE AN ARM AND A LEG. *TR UPDATED 08/17/11*BF UPDATED 1/27/2012 *LN *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, ALL STEERING FUNCTIONALITY WAS SUDDENLY LOST, MAKING THE STEERING WHEEL DIFFICULT TO TURN. SHE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT STATED THAT PROBLEM WAS COMMON AND WAS REPAIRED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 47,000. UPDATED 05/25/11 *BF UPDATED 05/31/11

ELECTRIC FAN THAT COOLS THE POWER STEERING PUMP ON OUR 2005 MINI COOPER FAILED. OUR MECHANIC SAYS HAD WE DRIVEN VERY FAR, OUR POWER STEERING PUMP WOULD HAVE FAILED. HE TELLS US THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MINIS, AND A FULL 50% OF HIS MINI CUSTOMERS HAVE EXPERIENCE FAN FAILURE, PUMP FAILURE, OR BOTH. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL AND APPLIED EXCESSIVE FORCE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE RESUMED WITH NORMAL FUNCTIONING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE INTERMITTENT FAILURE PROGRESSED TO WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION AT ANY SPEED BEING TRAVELED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE CONTACT SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT AT THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000.

MY POWER STEERING COMPLETELY WENT OUT IN MY 2005 MINI COOPER WHILE COMING AROUND A TURN ON A BUSY HIGHWAY IN A MAJOR CITY. I WAS AWAY FROM HOME AND SCARED TO DEATH. AFTER DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MINI MODELS 01-06. THIS PART NEEDS TO BE RECALLED ASAP BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. CURRENTLY I AM FIGHTING WITH THE MINI CUSTOMER RELATIONS DEPARTMENT BECAUSE MY "CASEWORKER" IS ALSO MYSTERIOUSLY UNAVAILABLE AND THEY WILL NOT LET ME SPEAK TO ANYONE ELSE BECAUSE MY "CASEWORKER" HAS ALL THE DETAILS ABOUT THE CAR'S DEFECT EVENTHOUGH THEY WORK OUT OF A CALL CENTER AND ALL THE NOTES ARE UPLOADED IN THE COMPUTER AND VISIBLE FOR ALL "CASEWORKERS". *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND WHEN RESTARTING, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST DID NOT RESET ITSELF. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO HER RESIDENCE HAVING TO UTILIZE EXTREME BODILY FORCE TO MANEUVER THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED HAVING THE POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 56,500. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING; THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING ASSEMBLY OVERHEATED WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 42,000. UPDATED 11/05/10. *LJ UPDATED 12/7/10 *CN

2005 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE WITH APPROX 78,000 MILES. ABOUT A WEEK AGO THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITH NO WARNING DURING COMMUTE. TOOK CAR TO REGULAR LOCAL FOREIGN CAR MECHANICS. POWER STEERING WAS WORKING WHEN THEY EXAMINED SO COULD FIND NO PROBLEM. DAY CAR WAS RETURNED POWER STEERING FAILED AGAIN ON AFTERNOON COMMUTE. CONSISTENTLY HAS FAILED ONCE CAR WARMS UP. TOOK TO MINI YESTERDAY WITH POWER STEERING IN FULL FAILURE MODE. DEALER SAYS IT IS FAN WHICH COOLS POWER STEERING PUMP. WHILE DEALER MAINTAINS THEY HAVE RARELY SEEN THIS PROBLEM ONLINE SEARCH OF MINI RELATED SITES AS WELL AS ARTICLE PRINTED IN UK DAILY MAIL SHOWS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR CAR. *TR

1. STEERING UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS 2. POWER STEERING ASSIST MOTOR CUTS IN AND OUT, MAKING CONTROL DIFFICULT AND UNPREDICTABLE: STEERING GETS HEAVY SO ADDITIONAL FORCE IS APPLIED BUT THEN THE POWER ASSIST 'REACTIVATES' CAUSING DRAMATIC OVERSTEER. FIRST OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 60000 MILES, TURNED CAR ON/OFF STEERING WAS FINE. RE-OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 100000 MILES AND HAS BECOME MORE FREQUENT. 3. MECHANIC HAS SUGGESTED REPLACING ASSIST MOTOR. *TW

SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED FAILING OF POWER STEERING FUNCTION WHILE ROUTINELY DRIVING THE CAR. CAR IS VERY HARD TO STEER AS A RESULT. TEN + INCIDENTS OF THIS. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER ARE AWARE OF DEFECTIVE POWER STEERING PUMP. PUMP WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF ABOUT $900.00. NO MORE PROBLEMS SINCE.*TR

ON MONDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 12, 2009, I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON THE FREEWAY (280 SOUTH, DALY CITY, CA). I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 MINI COOPER. I WAS IN THE FAST LANE ON A SLIGHT CURVE IN THE ROAD, AND SUDDENLY MY STEERING WHEEL COMPLETELY LOCKED UP. I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY APPLY THE BRAKES TO KEEP FROM VEERING INTO THE LEFT BARRIER, AND USE ALL MY STRENGTH REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ADJUST TO SPEED AND STEERING CONTROL TO GET SAFELY OFF OF THE FREEWAY. THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND FRIGHTENING SITUATION THAT COULD HAVE VERY EASILY ENDED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. ESPECIALLY SINCE I WAS TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED (65 MPH) IN THE FAST LANE OF A BUSY METROPOLITAN CITY WITH CARS ALSO TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED ALL AROUND ME. I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND HAVE FOUND THAT POWER STEERING FAILURE IS A DOCUMENTED ISSUE WITH THE...

WIFE WAS DRIVING HER 2005 MINI COOPER AND SAID THAT SEVERAL MINUTES AFTER STARTING HER DRIVE, THE POWER STEERING BEGAN ACTING ERRATICALLY. THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WOULD GO CEASE WHEN SHE WAS TURNING A CORNER, FORCING HER TO MUSCLE THE CAR IN UNASSISTED STEERING MODE. THEN, THE POWER STEERING WOULD KICK IN, RESULTING IN OVERSTEER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TURN, REQUIRING QUICK CORRECTION. I WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM WHEN SHE RETURNED HOME THAT DAY. HOWEVER, THE NEXT DAY, THE POWER STEERING WAS NO LONGER FUNCTIONING AT ALL. CONCERNED ABOUT DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN THAT CONDITION, WE TOOK IT TO BE REPAIRED. SINCE THE CAR WAS NO LONGER IN WARRANTY (ONLY 32,500 MILES, BUT >4 YEARS OLD) WE DID NOT TAKE IT TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE. OUR REPAIR SHOP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAN, WHICH IN TURN LED TO A...

INTERMITTENT (TWICE WITHIN 40 MINUTES) POWER STEERING FAILURE. FIRST OCCURRENCE WHILE TURNING A CORNER, CONTINUED UNTIL I PULLED IN TO MAKE A CALL TO THE DEALERSHIP. ONCE I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE POWER STEERING WAS APPARENTLY WORKING NORMALLY AGAIN. WHILE TELEPHONING THE DEALERSHIP THAT IT WAS WORKING AGAIN, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN AND REMAINED NONFUNCTIONAL UNTIL PARKING THE CAR. AN HOUR LATER, BACK IN THE CAR TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, POWER STEERING AGAIN APPEARED TO BE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY UNTIL ARRIVAL AT THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE SYSTEM FAILURE, WHERE IT REMAINS TO DATE. *TR

DRIVING HOME THE POWER STEERING LOCKED UP. GOT THE CAR PARKED. NEXT MORNING THE CAR WAS DEAD. NOTHING WORKED. TOWED CAR TO REPAIR SHOP. MECHANIC CALLED AND SAID CAR MUST GO TO THE DEALER. HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER. 1ST ESTIMATE FROM DEALER WAS 2350.00 FOR A NEW POWER STEERING PUMP, POWER STEERING HARNESS AND A NEW BATTERY. CAR REMAINED AT THE DEALER UNTIL TODAY 6/19/09. TOTAL FOR THE WORK PERFORMED WAS 1058.39 WHICH INCLUDED A 99.95 GREASE OIL AND FILTER. *TR

CAR POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE EXITING A FREEWAY. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND VERY SCARY. *TR

POWER STEERING WENT COMPLETELY OUT ON MY WIFE'S 2005 MINI COOPER. NO WARNING, INDICATIONS, OR EVENTS LED UP TO FAILURE. *TR

POWER STEERING PUMP ON 2005 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE STARTED MAKING NOISE (EVEN WITH ENGINE TURNED OFF, DRAINING THE BATTERY), THEN ULTIMATELY FAILED. AN INTERNET SEARCH INDICATES THAT THIS REPAIR COSTS APPROX $2000 TO FIX, AND THAT REPLACEMENT POWER STEERING PUMPS FAIL REGULARLY, SO WE'VE BEEN DRIVING WITHOUT POWER STEERING IN THE VEHICLE. *TR