Problems with 2004 MINI Cooper STEERING

The power steering pump on my 2004 mini cooper has gone out now four times. it becomes very hard to steer and impossible to make a u-turn or parallel park. it happens intermittently and without warning and is very dangerous.i have contacted mini of san francisco and they refuse to make the repair because the car is not under warranty. this is despite acknowledgement from bmw/mini that the part is faulty. *tr

The power steering cut out while driving around town. after driving further about 20 minutes, power steering returned. power steering now acts erratically, operating sometimes and not others. power steering periodically does not operate. *tr

Power steering goes out suddenly and unexpectedly making the vehicle extremely hard to turn and steer. has happened 3x in two days. happened one time a year or more ago and i thought it was a fluke. this is now no fluke. when i restart the vehicle (so far) it has come back, but i cannot reliably drive this vehicle this way. canada ordered a recall on this same issue and mini is fixing and extending the warranty to 200,000km. seems only fair that us drivers get the same treatment. it is a dangerous situation and not one we can afford to let go unsolved. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. while driving approximately 40 mph, the power steering failed without warning. the contact was able to continue driving. on a separate occasion the contact noticed that the electric power steering pump remained in continuous operated although the engine was turned off. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who advised that the power steering pump would need to be replaced, which posed a fire hazard. the power steering pump was disconnected. there was a concurrent investigation under nhtsa action number: ea11005 (steering:electric power assist system) that could have been related to the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 90,000.

As i was driving 40 mph on my local 2-lane road, my power steering suddenly failed with no warning whatsoever. i returned carefully home and left the car parked in my driveway until i could contact my local mini dealer (prestige mini in mahwah, nj). when i got into the car to take it to the dealer, the power steering was suddenly working again. prestige mini claims that my strut towers ($645) and lower control arm bushings (also $645) were shot and needed replacing. the advisor told me verbally that it had nothing to do with the power steering pump and/or the power steering pump fan, but so far i cannot get prestige to reply via email (in writing) that this is true. *tr

I was driving to work my steering all of a sudden became hard to turn i hit the curb and blew two tires. *tr

My power steering failed. cause unconfirmed as yet, but this apparently is a known problem. power steering started again when i restarted the car, but now the pump motor (or perhaps the fan) won't shut off and there is no fuse to disable. must disconnect the battery to shut it off and avoid draining the battery. steering did not lock up, but very difficult to overcome the rack-and-pinion steering linkage resistance. *tr

Power steering failed as i was returning from taking my child to the airport. the car power steering cooling fan stayed on after i turned off the car and drained the battery. the problem was diagnosed as a failed power steering pump. the car was towed to a mechanic and the power steering pump was replaced as was the dead battery. the total cost was over $1700. *tr

The power steering failed, common problem in 2004 mini cooper. canada has issued a recall in january 2012. *tr

Intermittent problem with the power steering going out after the engine warms up. this has happened now 4 times with very difficult steering. no loss of fluid on the pavement or squealing noises. after engine cools down, power steering again works. *tr

Power steering pump fan got lower in tone, harder to turn but hasn't failed yet. looking up the issue on several sites, this is a common issue with this part failing. i contacted the local dealer which i originally bought it from and no recalls were shown for it - for the us. canada however got a recall and they are fixing the problem there free of charge. *tr

My 2004 mini cooper intermittently loses it's power steering and is extremely difficult to control. this usually happens when the engine is not yet warmed but sometimes happens randomly. it is very difficult to maintain control when turning and today i just missed a pedestrian turning a corner in a crowded downtown area. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mini copper. the contact stated while driving 35 mph, the power steering assist failed. the contact shut off the vehicle and upon restarting, the power steering assist had independently reset. the vehicle was taken to the dealer but the dealer was unable to locate the failure. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 111,000 and the current mileage was 112,005.

I was attempting to merge on to a major highway when my power steering failed, causing my vehicle to be temporarily out of my control. due to the loss of steering, i was unable to safely maneuver the car into traffic and was forced to use both my parking brake and my regular foot brake to stop the vehicle before i collided with a traffic light. the vehicle stopped approximately 5-10 feet from a traffic light pole and placed me in the center of the intersection where other motorists were attempting to gain access to the on ramp. after several seconds, the powersteering reengaged and i was able to continue, without incident. i am lucky to be alive, and thankful that it was not my death the prompted some concrete action by both your agency and bmw. this is the third time my power steering unit has failed. the first two times were less than one second each and occurred when the car was stationary making it difficult to diagnose. some how canada has forced bmw to issue at the very least an extended warranty on this specific part, how is it that the us is so far behind? *tr

I experienced a failure where the steering wheel became very difficult to turn and would not return to center after turning. fortunately this occurred first at a very low speed. i drove straight to the dealer which had replaced the electric power steering pump 1,300 miles earlier. this failure was determined by the dealer to be binding of the lower steering shaft and it was replaced. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper cv. the contact was driving 40 mph when the power steering failed, without warning, while making a turn. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 50,000.

Was driving home from work, went to turn a corner and the steering got very hard. *tr

Power steering/steering pump showing signs of failing, first noticed in a crowded parking lot. *tr

The vehicle had been acting strange for the last couple of months, the steering would become heavy at times, and on the other occasions would work just fine. a trip to the dealership revealed that the power steering pump had failed. this seems like a known issue with most of the 2004 mini coopers, a defective part was put into the car while manufacting. mini is not taking any responsibility of it, and the dealership is asking for $1200 to replace it. due to the power pump failure, the temparature rises and may have caused damage to a few hoses around that area. *tt

i drove my sister's 2004 mini cooper sometime in spring of 2012 to check on work done from the dealership. as i yielded into a roundabout and entered it, the power steering cut off which steering effort became very heavy and very nearly had a collision with another vehicle. i sister informed me afterwards that the issue just happen recently occurred to her too, as she exited a highway exit ramp at nearly 55mph, and power steering had failed. luckily, she was able to react quickly with the power steering loss. pulled to the side, shut the vehicle, and turned on the vehicle again, and power steering came back on. it has intermittently going off/on w power since then which the dealer recognizes, but warranty has been expired since it's 9 years and over 100,000 mi. and we are left with a bill at around $1,400 average. $800 in parts alone. there are many mini customers known to have this issue of power steering loss in their early models too, same as my sister's year model. so far fortunately, there are no injuries nor fatalities directly from this power steering loss from what i know of. but many are faced with this large repair with we're facing, and some may forego/ delay repairing it. transport canada, recognizes this as a safety issue, and recalled about 9,000 mini's last year. and the power steering pump part is no different than theirs. when are we going to act like our neighbors? until we get someone horribly injured or killed?! or have mini customers such my sister facing this large repair order on this defective part that's known to fail prematurely? this is a serious gamble with lives. *tr

Sudden loss of all steering assist at speed, resulting in alarming loss of control of vehicle. *tr

I was driving to a friend's house approx. 20 miles away. on a turn, the car steering was almost non responsive. i managed the turn and turned my car off. when i restarted it, the power steering was back but only for a short time. i had to stop and start my car a few more times to get to my destination. the problem occurred closer to my destination then my home so it was safer to go there. it easily could have been the cause of an accident, especially on that first turn off of a 65 mph road. i'm not that strong. it took everything i had not to go in the ditch. luckily nothing was coming. i took my car in for service today. they replaced the power steering pump. there was no lead up to this incident. i had power steering and in a second, i didn't. *tr

I was on my way home from making some errands, went to turn left and i thought the car had cut off or something. because it didn't want to turn right, but to my surprise it was running. so i manage to turn it before i hit the curb. when i got home i was able to see what was wrong. the power steering quit working. i let the car cool a little and got back in it and the power steering was working again. come to find out the power steering works for about 10 minutes and goes out, until it cools off. i started looking on the internet and found out i'm not the only one with this problem. this is very dangerous and i mean dangerous. i called my mini dealer to see if there were a recall on this problem and they said there wasn't. but i did see they had a mini dealer notice for them to look out for this problem, but not fix for free. so we need a recall before someone gets killed or hurt, if it hasn't already happened. thank you, [xxx] *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

The power steering is not working. i am a 280 pound man and i can barely turn . also while driving at times it feels harder to turn, once again like power steering not working. *tr

Power steering pump failure at 127,000 miles. *tr

While driving on the interstate the power steering stopped working. the steering became very uncomfortable and the first exit we approached we stopped and checked fluid levels, everything was fine. restarted the car and power steering was working again after a few miles power steering stopped working again. car is much harder to steer when the pump goes out than if equipped with manual steering. very dangerous when vehicle is at slower speeds because of the amount of effort it requires to turn. *tr

Lost power steering at highway speed due to power steering pump failure. short circuit or fire melted power steering pump wiring harness. damage was caused to other portions of electrical wiring harness by fire, resulting in blown fuses. upon removing key from ignition at roadside, engine kept running until battery was disconnected. *tt

While driving my 04 mini cooper at freeway speed, i suddenly lost power steering assist. i can still drive the vehicle, but it is very difficult to turn. i took the vehicle to a local repair shop and was told the new power steering pump alone will cost me over 600 dollars. this does not include the labor and other miscellaneous costs associated with replacing the unit. the repair will cost me in excess of 1000 dollars, which i can not afford at this moment. i understand that multiple complaints relating to the power steering system in the 04 mini cooper have been filed. however, i have not seen a recall regarding this issue. i would like to know if you foresee a recall for this issue, and would appreciate any help you can offer. thank you for your time and consideration. *tr

My power steering failed as i was driving during rush hour on a major highway into washington, dc. the wheel was not locked, but it became extremely difficult to turn the wheel in any direction, which was very dangerous as traffic was going 70mph. i was able to pull the car off at an exit, and stop it on the shoulder. i turned off the engine and re-started the car, at which time the power steering appeared to work normally again. this was the most recent incident of this type, but there have been at least ten. in other instances, the power steering fails during parallel parking in the tight spaces on city streets. this is unpredictable, however -- months can pass with no problem, and then it starts again. *tr

At 35 mph i noticed intermittent loss of power steering (ps). i was diving on 2 lane winding country road with no shoulders and ended up in the oncoming lane before i regained control. luckily was no traffic at the time. the most terrifying thing is when ps it's dead for a while and then suddenly comes back on. if you are in a corner, because you've just been muscling the steering wheel, and ps comes back you will be suddenly over-steer and veer out of your lane. *tr

Lost power steering when driving on the freeway. feels like the steering locks up but can still steer when using a lot of strength. since first incident, this has happened again several times. usually after driving for about five minutes. *tr

While driving approx 35 mph my mini suddenly felt as if i had several flat tires. i pulled over and checked all my tires. i had no power steering, it was extremely difficult to steer the mini. (i have driven cars in the past without power steering) it took all my strength to drive the mini to my destination. i turned off the mini and called my husband. when i restarted the mini i had power steering. it concerns me that the power steering when out while driving without any warning. *tr

Our 2004 mini cooper has begun to exhibit intermittent power steering failures usually after being at rest or at very low speeds. if the car is turned off and restarted, the power steering starts up again but the problem has begun occurring more and more frequently. *tr

Driving car on highway rounding curve, power steering failed completely. *tr

My power steering went out today while driving. it was one of the most scary experiences i have ever had. i adore my little car, but today it made me so scared i am not sure i am ok driving her any more. while driving on a local road, i noticed than my steering wheel was very stiff. i started to turn into the left-turn lane and could barely do it, then tried to turn left and almost hit the cars around me because i had to use all of my strength to make the turn. my power steering went without any warning, none. i have never experienced something like this before, i had no idea what was happening. i immediately looked online when i got home to learn more about what happened and how much this repair will cost and was amazed and very disappointed to see so many similar accounts by other 2004 cooper owners. i feel lucky after reading others stories that it happened to me on a local road close to home. i also just looked in my file and see that my power steering cooling fan was replaced 9 months ago when my car was at the dealership for other repairs. mini / bmw, how can you ignore this incredible issue and danger? *tr

While driving the power steering inexplicably went out without warning making steering and controlling the vehicle difficult. the problem was potentially quite dangerous due to its unexpected nature. if i was not traveling straight at the time of the failure which showed itself as i began my next turn and had begun a turn when the system failed it would have been almost impossible to control the car. serious and dangerous issue. *tr

Power steering pump fail. no check engine light or any warning light. found out that its not working while driving!!! i couldn't turn my steering wheel it became very stiff. its very dangerous and very expensive to replace. about $900 for the part only! *tr

Intermittent power steering failure. power steering pump remains on after shutting off the car and drains the battery. *tr

With out any advice, the steering turns rigid and hard to manipulate,i checked the fluid and it looks fine and clean. *tr

While driving, i noticed it became markedly more difficult to turn the wheel. i was able, with effort, to drive safely to my destination. when it was time to return home, the power steering was working for the first 4 or so miles, then it gave out again. *tr

Power steering failed while in traffic jam. vehicle extremely hard to steer. fourth incident of this happening. this is the second complaint filed with nhtsa. owner was contacted by bmw in august 2011 for complaint review, but owner has not heard back from them and cannot get through to telephone number given by bmw. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated that while driving 55 mph, the steering wheel seized without warning and was difficult to control. the contact inspected the vehicle and the failure was located at the power steering pump. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 98,000.

Took car into dealer and they said the power steering pump needs to replaced, which would cost $1050.00 for parts and labor. prior to taking it into dealer, the steering wheel locked up on several occasions, which caused me to use all my strength to get the car to steer. on february 5, 2012, the steering wheel locked up, i parked the car, and the power steering pump fan ran continuously until it drained the battery. i have read online that mini cooper owners are trying to get bmw to recall this defect, but they will not. i also read that nhtsa checked into this, but i do not know what the outcome was. *tr

Power steering pump went out completely without warning as i was diving at a low speed. steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn, making the car very dangerous to maneuver out of traffic and park safely. narrowly avoided hitting pedestrians due to my inability to turn steering wheel. *tr

While driving on i95 going around a curve, my steering column locked up. i was able to pull over to the shoulder. it has happened a few times but i was able to pull over and wasn't sure what to tell my mechanic since it was so random. this weekend as i drove through an intersection making a left turn, with my children in the car, it locked up after months of not recurring. i was able to stop in time before colliding with oncoming cars at the red light but it was very scary for all of us. i am appalled mini has not issued a recall considering the precious lives that are at stake. i suppose it will take a fatality for someone to recall this defective part. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper .the contact stated that while driving in reverse, the power steering seized momentarily before resuming normal operation independently. the contact had experienced the failure at least twice. the dealer was not contacted and the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the failure mileage was 75,000 and the current mileage was 84,000. the vin was not available.

Power steering failed while on a highway. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mini copper. the contact was traveling 35 mph when the power steering failed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the dealer stated that the power steering pump needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was 100,000 and the current mileage was 105,000.

Lent car to boyfriend to drive me to boston (100 mile one way). on the way home he stopped at a store approximately 10 miles from the house. when he came back out of the store ( was in store approximately 10 minutes) the power steering no longer worked. it was like trying to steer through concrete for him. a few days later he tried the car and it all worked fine again. based on prior complaints filed, i am concerned that the issue will reoccur when i am driving causing obvious safety concerns, or that it may catch fire (based on other complaints filed for similar issues) and that i will be facing the cost of replacing the power steering unit (which does not sound like it has been reengineered since this issue became known).

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 mini cooper. the contact stated that the power steering assist failed without warning, causing extreme difficulty in steering control. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing or repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vin was not available. the failure and the current mileage was 120,000.