Problems with 2004 MINI Cooper S STEERING

The power steering is very stiff to drive and cannot drive my cooper because i can no longer steer the vehicle.

When you turn wheel left or right it makes a noise and it's very hard to turn. so i think it's the steering: electric power assist system. recall id # 240625.

The vehicle was hard to steer and smoke was coming from the engine. took the car home, did not see flames, parked car in the driveway switched cars and left. received a call from the fire department that my mini was on fire and i needed to return to my house.

The power steering in my 2004 mini cooper s failed last month, prompting me to research ways to fix the vehicle online. i found that mini usa had issued a recall on my car, but was informed by the dealership and then mini that my vin number did not fall among those vehicles recalled. i'm wondering whether mini appropriately limited their recall considering my vehicle has the same problem that prompted the recall, and falls within the same model and year range. i think the department should investigate whether to expanding the recall.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper s. the contact stated that there was a progressing condition in which the steering wheel made an abnormal noise and was difficult to turn left or right. the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 15v660000 (steering). the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 130,000. vin tool confirms parts not available.

I was driving my daughter to school when it first happened, the wheel got so tight and i hit the curb. thank god i was in a school zone and therefore i was driving slow. after that, i noticed that same day that my battery was drained when i was leaving from work. i got a jump but then it happened again when i stopped for groceries. i figured something must be wrong with the battery (which is fairly new) or the alternator. i took my car to a shop and they diagnosed the battery and the alternator was fine. but they also said there was a strange noise coming from my power steering pump. i bought power steering fluid thinking that was the reason, but after i poured some its still the same. i started researching and i found out a lot of people are having this same issue and its a defective issue for this mini generation. *tr

I experienced a sudden loss of power steering on my vehicle. fortunately this did not result in a crash but it sure scared me. i am concerned about my safety driving this vehicle and may consider getting rid of it. i am disappointed in mini's unresponsiveness to this issue. *tr

Was about to park my car and all of sudden the steering began feeling tight. it seems that all assistance with the power steering was lost. upon investigation over the internet it seems that the power steering pump is blown. fortunately, i was not driving fast,but this can cause a potential fatal injury. *tr

3 months ago i became aware of a fault in my mini cooper 2004 regarding the power steering cooling fan. steering had become overly difficult, and after taking the vehicle to my usual mechanic and then bmw, this was found to be defective. i then discovered the issue had been the subject of an unofficial recall by mini usa (bmw), and took the car to the nearest dealership, in beverly, ma, a round trip of 200 miles, to have the item fixed. after this, the car became hard to control on curves. it appears the failure of the power steering cooling fan put undue strain on the steering knuckle, and at 80,000 this has become prematurely worn. consequently, the vehicle is very hard to handle properly on turns, and is becoming a safety issue. for three months my mechanic has been trying to secure this part from mini usa to no avail. meanwhile my car is becoming more undrivable by the day. this part is an essential component of the safety of the vehicle. i have petitioned bmw for an answer, and after two weeks of people avoiding the issue, it seems the part remains ...

The steering knuckle on my car has become prematurely worn following a steering pump failure, and consequently, the steering has become imprecise and the car hard to control around curves. i was not made aware of the design defect (documented by dot) of the steering pump until i researched the steering issue and discovered there was an 'unofficial' recall to fix the pump. my complaint is that for two months, bmw usa still has the steering knuckle on back order. meanwhile my vehicle is becoming harder to drive and will soon be a safety concern. it is imperative that dot force bmw usa to make this part available immediately because it is a crucial component in the safety of the vehicle. *tr

While driving around town the power steering quit working making the car very hard to turn. it was not noticeable driving straight, but when taking a left or right turn you almost cannot make the turn unless you really crank on the steering wheel. this problem has been happening intermittently without no warning. in order to get the power steering back, the ignition has to be completely shut off, and then restarted. *tr

Steering failure whilst on highway, headed to the grass curb, smoke in cabin (smelt of burning wire insulation). did manage to release the hood and open to see if i could extinguish, fire was focused directly behind the engine under exhaust manifold. nothing to due but wait for the fire truck, car completely burned front to back, nothing left to salvage. *tr

The power steering system failed. it appears to be an electrical issue because once i restarted the vehicle the power steering system returned to normal. i almost ran into a parked car because i could not turn without a lot of effort. *tr

I was on an exit ramp from the highway and around the curve i felt the steering stiffen. when i had to turn right i had to swing very wide into the other lane because i had no power steering. thank god no one was there! it returned after i shut my car off after pulling into a parking lot. then the next day it did it again. today it went out and hasn't returned yet. my husband checked to make sure the fan worked and it does. this is a known to bmw problem and no recall in the usa. canada has a recall. tell me please, why we do not? *tr

I bought my used mini cooper s (64,686 miles) from honda dealership - serramonte (daly city, ca) on march 13, 2012. i'm the second owner of this vehicle. the steering problem first occurred on june 2012, but it was temporary. while driving the steering wheel became hard to maneuver from left to right. i had to pull over and stopped the car to see what's wrong. it came back to normal after i turned on the engine. the steering problem would happen occasionally, i would do the same procedures and the steering would go back to normal again. today (3/27/13), while i was driving at 35 mph in the residential area, i noticed my steering wheel stiffen like last time. i stopped and turned off the engine and fired it back up. this time, it stayed stiff permanently. i had to drive the car back home during rush hours. luckily i managed to get home without getting involved in an accident. i checked the steering fluid level under the hood and found out that it was full. i googled the steering problem on the 2004 mini cooper s, i came to find out the same problems were experienced by many ...