Power Steering Pump Problems of Mini Cooper - part 2

Heard click while turning wheel was advised steering hose needed replacement last July 12 2012 had repair made. Now with only 78k on car hearing click again - took to mechanic advising whole power steering pump needs replacement.

See all problems of the 2004 Mini Cooper 🔎.

After driving the car under normal circumstances a short distance and parking the car, a fire ignited in the engine bay. The fire extinguished itself prior to the fire truck arriving. Vehicle was towed to local dealer who, upon inspection, indicated the power steering pump and/or associated hardware had failed and caused the fire.

See all problems of the 2003 Mini Cooper 🔎.

Was driving on nys thruway when I thought I'd gotten a flat tire due to sluggish steering now hours later and a little internet investigation I think it to be the power steering pump. This should be recalled ASAP before someone is killed.

See all problems of the 2005 Mini Cooper 🔎.

After a short trip, I had just parked the Mini. Fortunately, it was outdoors and within 50ft of my tool chest. On turning off the ignition and removing the key, I noticed an unusual noise; the [electric] power steering pump continued to run. A few seconds later, smoke appeared. I raced to my tool drawer, grabbing the first suitable tool, channel lock pliers, and proceeded to hastily disconnect one of the battery terminals. Smoke was heavy at that point. Disconnecting power prevented further damage, and was fortunately done in time, before the wiring harness was incinerated, or the situation became a self-sustaining conflagration. Apparently, although there is a 100a fuse present, the fault protection on the power steering pump circuit is inadequate. I removed the power wire to the pump, to allow the vehicle to be driven, with heavy [non-assisted] steering, pending service. Since the outcome is not so bad, why should I complain? consider if the vehicle were parked indoors, and/or if the same event were to happen to someone with less electrical aptitude. I don't expect accessories to last forever; the vehicle is 11 years old with 123k miles. I do object to the failure mode, in which the power steering pump circuit becomes an incendiary device. . .

See all problems of the 2002 Mini Cooper 🔎.

Intermittently on cold start the power steering is inoperative. Turning the car off and then back on again will usually result in the power steering becoming operative again. Dealership says pump needs to be replaced.

Tl- the contact owns a 2005 Mini Cooper. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 mph, the steering became extremely difficult to maneuver. The failure recurred as the contact was driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis. The technician stated that the power steering pump would need to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 64,000. Kmj.

The power steering pump fan then pump failed resulting in a complete loss of power assisted steering. While the vehicle was steerable, the loss was surprise at slow speeds when turning off a road. It took a very significant force to control the vehicle and I almost hit a concrete abutment. I doubt that a young teen or any person who was not that strong, would have been able to control the vehicle. The dealer when presented with the repair knew of the issue and of many reports of a near accident like mine.

While driving the power steering pump stopped working .

The power steering has been going in and out for the last three weeks. When it first happened I was driving on the highway at 50 mph and the steering became very difficult. Turning took a large amount of effort. After arriving at home and taking it out the next day it worked fine and then went out again while going 35 mph and trying to make a curve in the road. We took the car in for repairs and was told the power steering pump and fan worked fine but the power steering was intermittent when driven. A power connector for the pump was repaired and the next day the car starting losing the power steering again. If this happened at highway speed it could easily cause an accident and/or injuries. I've read too many stories online for this to be a fault with the design.

Loss of power steering on my 2004 Mini Cooper. This problem comes an dgoes and my local service station said the pump has a crack.

I parked my car in a parking garage after driving approximately 20 miles. I walked to a dentist down the street for an appointment. While at the dentist I get a call that went to my voicemail that my car (while parked with the engine off) was on fire and was filling the parking garage with smoke. Upon receiving the message I rushed home to find that the fire was already out, but the smell of smoke was still very strong. I noticed that the inside indicating lights of the car were on as if the key was in the ignition of the car. I immediately disconnected the battery and inspected the car to find the source of the fire. Upon inspection I found that the flames had come from behind and slightly below the motor. There was a metal shield that was blackened by the flames that I could not see around so I jacked up the car and removed the driver side wheel to further inspect the source of the fire. After doing so I could then clearly see that the source of the fire was the power steering pump due to the surrounding burn marks. The total amount of damage has yet to be assessed by my insurance company. They towed the car and are inspecting the car on Dec 13, 2012.

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.

In September 2012 I noticed a loud fan noise that wouldn't turn off. The car was also overheating. I noticed that it was very hard to steer the car, but I thought that was due to the overheating. Mechanic determined failed cylinder head gasket in 11/2012. The radiator was replaced and the thermostat was replaced. In 11/2012 the water pump was also replaced. In 12/2012 the battery had to be replaced. In 06/2013 the heater core was replaced. I believe that these issues are directly related to the loss of power steering and the associated fan failing, which caused the car to overheat and the battery to fail. Please see nhsta complaints 10453158, 10444328, 10379750, 10442431,10379459 for similar cases of these same issues related to the failure of power steering and the associated pump.

My power steering fan continues to run even after the care is turned off. It completely drained my battery so I replaced the battery. Two weeks later the same thing happened and I learned that my power steering pump and fan are defective. Also intermittent loss of power steering while driving and needless to say this can be very dangerous.

The power steering pump stops operating while the vehicle is in motion. It has happened three times to date: the first incident was at low speed in a parking structure; the second incident happened at freeway speed; the most recent incident occurred on a surface street while decelerating to a stop. In each case, control of the car was maintained but was very difficult. The pump function was restored by stopping and cycling the vehicle ignition to off and then restarting the engine.

Parked the car to go in a store, in the store for 10 minutes. Came out to start the car and the steering wheel was stiff and did not want to move. Cut the car off and was looking into ways to get the car towed. I tried to start the car back up maybe 15-20 minutes later and it was working just fine. Ever sense then, the car's power steering would stop functioning and then reset itself once the car was stopped and idle. You can never predict when this will happen or when it won't. The power steering issues have gotten progressively worse with longer intervals of wait time before the power steering starts functioning again. The wheel when the power steering stops functioning is virtually immovable it is almost impossible to make turns unless they are wide ones. This is a tremendous safety hazard and the power steering pump is clearly defective.

Tl-the contact owns a 2005 Mini Cooper. While driving approximately 20 mph, there was a complete loss of power steering without any warning. The contact was able to continue driving with extreme difficulty in turning the steering wheel. The steering malfunction occurred three times. The vehicle was taken to an independent auto shop where the power steering pump, fan and other related components were replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the defect. An open investigation remains open under NHTSA action number ea11005 (steering:hydraulic power assist:pump). The approximate failure mileage was 50,000. Js.

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.

Faulty power steering pump causing a loss of complete control of the vehicle. 80,000+ incidents reported with this make/model of vehicle with the knowledge of vehicle manufacturer. The pump has since been re-manufactured to fix the issues but Mini of north America refuses to issue a recall for the serious safety aspect of their failing part.

As I was pulling into my driveway I noticed that smoke was coming from my hood. I immediately stopped the car and popped the hood to find smoke and fire coming from my engine compartment. I was able to disconnect the battery and extinguish the fire before it did extensive damage. Cause of fire was failed power steering pump.

The contact owns a 2003 Mini Cooper. While driving approximately 30 mph, the contact noticed a chattering noise and suddenly the vehicle would not accelerate. The contact also stated that he was a mechanic. After inspecting the vehicle, he noticed that the transmission would have to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Prior to the transmission failure, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. After inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the power steering pump and cooling fan would have to also be replaced. The approximate failure mileage was 106,000.

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.

While I was driving Mini 2003 (odo: 74k) on I-90 highway at 70mph, suddenly the power steering wheel stopped working on June 28, 2012. I barely made to exit from the highway, and got home. Next day, the car was sent to the BMW-Mini dealership, and assessed the failure of power steering pump. They know this happens frequently with Mini, but it was not covered by manufacturers. The only option was to replace the part. The part was replaced and the cost was $1,200.

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

At approximately 35mph the power steering of my 2003 Mini Cooper erratically engaged and disengaged several times. I responded by slowing down and trying to maintain control of the vehicle. Once stopped, I turned the car off completely. Once out of the vehicle I heard an electric motor running. I opened the hood to investigate and noted a small amount of smoke rising from the aft portion of the engine compartment. I went back to the ignition switch to confirm it was off and removed the keys. The electric motor continued to run and as I went back to the open hood the smoke volume had increased dramatically. The smoke had a very clear electrical smell and color. I immediately began trying to disconnect the battery. While obtaining tools from the hatch of the car, the electric power steering pump assembly erupted in flames. I obtained my fire extinguisher and directed it at the aft portion of the engine compartment. This produced no results and the flames returned quickly. I then got the tools from the hatch of the car and cut the battery cables. This caused the fire to subside immediately. At the repair facility the power steering pump assembly (electric) was removed and determined to be the cause of the fire. The fact that I had tools and 25 years mechanical experience prevented this car from burning to the ground. In my opinion this is a major safety issue on two levels. First: loss of directional control. Second: fire hazard, electrical component that cannot be turned off with the ignition switch. This must be investigated and the manufacture directed to apply a fix to all affected vehicles.

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.

On the morning of Sunday may 13th 2012 (mothers day), I drove the vehicle approx 11 miles to my mother-in-law's home. During this 11 mile ride all seemed normal with the vehicle. After visiting for a few hours I drove it approx 5 more miles to a stop & shop, again all seemed fine with the vehicle. Within the 10-15minutes I was inside purchasing mothers day flowers, stop and shop employees had noticed a fire in the parking lot. I walked into the parking lot to find the police and fire fighters approaching my car. When I got to it there was no more fire but still plenty of smoke coming from under the hood and driver side wheel well. I took a look under the car to see that there was no more fire, so the fire department left. I was not able to start the car so I jacked up the front of the vehicle to see what had caught fire. The fire had originated from the electric/hydraulic power steering pump. The socket on the pump was still smoking a lot and very melted. The plug connector on the 12v/grounding cables feeding the pump was also very melted. Since this fire occurred on a 12v line it also shorted out the battery completely. I was able to jump the car started in order to drive it about 15-16 miles home. Since then the pump has been disassembled to find that the entire circuit board was compromised (burned/ashes). I decided to file this complaint after I had researched this issue extensively. Apparently this is a common problem. Most simply fail, either causing accidents or merely making it extremely hard do drive. Few other unlucky owners have there pumps burst into flames. Mini is aware of the issue but offers Minimal to no compensation. In canada a recall has already been issued for these defective pumps. I can only hope and pray that NHTSA along with Mini USA choose to issue a recall before this causes a very serious accident (if it hasn't already).

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.

The contact owns a 2005 Mini Cooper s. While driving approximately 55 mph, the steering became difficult to maneuver. The contact stopped on the shoulder of the road and shut off the vehicle. Once restarted, the vehicle regained power steering function. The failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostics where the technician advised the contact that the power steering pump would have to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 120,774.

While driving the vehicle the power steering intermittently goes out. It is very unpredictable, where I will be driving for several miles with the power steering intact, then all of a sudden it goes out making the vehicle difficult to turn and control. Later the power steering returns. I had the vehicle examined by the Mini dealer, the insurance company mechanic, and my personal mechanic. None of them were able to notice any damage to the power steering. The fluid level is intact as well as the pump. The Mini dealer stated that they've "seen a lot of this" issue, but there are no recalls or open campaigns. The dealer believes the issue is due to an internal electronics failure and will not agree to fix it in good faith. In calling Mini USA, there are no open campaigns or recalls for the issue either, despite over ~50,000 cars of the same model year reportedly having the same issue. This is a very dangerous and frustrating situation with the potential to cause accidents due to an unpredictable loss of control while driving.

Power steering pump stopped functioning making car unsafe to drive.

While driving at high way speed car lost steering assist, intermittently came bad then failed, I then slowed down steering did not came back, once stopped large amount of smoke coming from under hood the smell of electrical burning, even with key off I could hear electric power steering pump still trying to run, the fire was from the heavy battery feed wires into the power steering pump the composite end of pump melted, once I disconnected the battery the source of fire was removed, I have spent the last 4 years working in a gm dealer ship, master ase tech, I feel if I was a typical consumer and had not known to pull battery power the out come could had been worse.

I was driving the car in lacey wa. Smoke started issuing from the car. I immediately pulled into a parking lot. I opened the hood and smoke was issuing forth. After 5 minutes, I spotted flames. I had a small fire extinguisher but it was insufficient to put out the flames. A passing motorist arrived with a larger extinguisher and put out the flames. An insurance adjuster informed me that the fire was due to a faulty power steering pump.

The contact owns a 2003 Mini copper. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in a residential garage, smoke emitted from under the hood of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a private mechanic where the mechanic confirmed that the power steering pump caught fire and melted the wiring harness. The manufacturer was contacted. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 80,100 and the current mileage was 80,600.

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.