Problems with 2004 MINI Cooper S STEERING

Complete and instantaneous power steering failure. there is plenty of fluid in the reservoir and there are no blown fuses. *tr

2004 mini cooper s power steering pump failure three times while driving vehicle not yet replaced no consequences yet beyond frightening. *tr

Driving down road started to make a left turn and the power steering assist fails. i barely managed to keep car on the road. unbelievable difficult to steer and crucial turn. have yet to replace part and upon research find mini knows of this problem and put out a duct work and improved pump. they however have not voluntarily recalled vehicles to retrofit. *tr

1) no significant event leading up to failure 2) power steering pump failure, no steering ability in vehicle 3) no correction known for sudden loss of steering. parts to be repaired believed to be steering pump and potential steering rack. *tr

Power steering failure while driving vehicle. failure occurs without warning, requiring an extreme effort to turn steering wheel or maintain wheel position if failure occurs while maneuvering on a curved section of highway. failures began as warranty expired, and is now permanent. bmw service representatives were familiar with problem, stating that the cause was failure of the electro-hydraulic power steering pump, a non-repairable part. bmw had the part in stock, and with installation, gave an estimate exceeding $600.00 to replace pump. due to the cost, i have not had the repair done. *tr

The steering failed on my 2004 mini cooper s with 84k mile. the power steering fan failed causing the power steering pump to burn out. this problem occurred without warning. the vehicle was nto drivable as a result of the failure fortunately the failure occured after the vehicle reached it destination and was parked. *nm

Sudden total loss of power steering on a 2004 mini cooper s in a parking at low speed. car was extremely hard to drive back to dealer due to high grip the car has. dealer replaced power steering pump for power assisted gear. could have been dangerous in a corner. mileage 20,257. *tr

(1) on thursday, july 3rd, i attempted to manipulate a 90 degree righthand turn in my 2004 mini cooper s during my very short commute to work and did so only with great difficultly. from that point forward my car turns neither left nor right properly and only with great difficulty. there was no warning or noises of any kind to alert me to the problem. my significant other, who is a trained mechanic, inspected the vehicle and identified the power steering pump as the problem. i also spoke with several individuals herb chambers bmw mini of boston who acknowledged that the power steering pump was either a known and/or common problem. the parts department explained that the pump manufacturer who made the pump in my mini is no longer making pumps for mini. (2) the power steering pump has failed therefore my mini is relying on the rack and pinion to turn. the mini turns only with great difficulty and requires two hands on the wheel at all times; this is exceedingly difficult to do while navigating corners as i have a standard transmission. the mini is unsafe to drive, so i am forced to borrow another vehicle. (3) my car has approximately 57,000 miles on it and mini's warranty only covers problems up through 50,000 miles despite the fact that the pump is a known problem and safety hazard. nothing has been done by the dealership to correct the problem. my mini remains parked while i await the new power steering pump that i ordered and paid for. the new pump is manufactured by a different company than the defective pump that has failed. *tr