Power Steering Pump problems of the 2003 Mini Cooper S

My power steering pump had been losing fluid, randomly continuing to run after shutting the car off and finally gave out two or three times while driving. I received a letter in the mail and that stated the pump had an extended warranty on the item. When I contacted the dealer to have work performed, I was told to continue adding fluid since this was not a formal recall item. I advised them the pump had failed twice (at that time) and they still insisted I refill the fluid and I would be fine. This seems like a cheap way to avoid a recall and they're not actually fixing the issue. This needs to be reviewed again and BMW/Mini needs to fix these issues before a catastrophic event happens that costs more than a stressful situation.

5/18/13 - after parking the car, the power steering pump continued to operate when the key was removed from the ignition. The key was inserted back into the ignition switch and turned to the "on" position. The power steering pump stopped running. 5/28/13 - when returning to work after lunch the car started perfectly and no problems were apparent. I pulled up to a stop light and sat waiting on the light to turn green. When the light changed I started accelerating in 1st gear and noticed that the steering was very heavy. I immediately pulled over to make sure that the pump was not overheating. The pump has completely failed at this point and the car is able to drive, albeit dangerously.

The power steering pump doesn't shut off when the car does. The pump ran until the battery died.

Parked vehicle in home garage and the power steering pump continued to run even when key is removed. I was familiar with this issue as many other owners have experienced it and reported. Refer to NHTSA action number : ea11005. The pump will continue to run until battery depletes or fire occurs. There is no cooling provided by dedicated cooling fan when vehicle is off. I disconnected the battery to stop pump from overheating.

Power steering pump is beginning to fail. From reports I have read I am worried that the car will catch on fire and in turn catch my house on fire.

As I was pulling away from a stop sign, I realized that I couldn't turn the steering wheel. I put the car in reverse and went back and forth trying to see if something was stuck. I did this a couple times, then realized my power steering was out. I checked the fluids and they were fine. Took the car to a mechanic and they ran diagnostic tests and determined the power steering pump was faulty.

For the second time in the life of this car (first in 2011), the steering pump stopped working while I was driving. The first time I was lucky and at low speed hit a concrete piling in a parking garage. The second time I was actually in traffic in an intersection. I was lucky not to hit the college students in the cross walk, again because I was not going very fast, but it's a huge safety issue. And had I not known what was going on due to the first time the steering pump blew out, I would not have known to break and re-start the car to resolve the issue. Honestly, the car cannot be steered when the pump stops functioning. And Mini has known for years that this is an issue. I had to wait 8 weeks for the fan to come in and they didn't want to do any work until they had both parts. The pumps need to be re-designed.

Was stopped in parking lot, fire started in engine bay. Power steering has been intermittent for awhile. Shop indicated that the fan failed and caused the pump/wiring to completely melt. This issue is widely known and found on Mini cooper forums.

Power steering pump is whining and according to dealer is going to fail at anytime. Unfortunately this unit does not fail in the driveway it fails while driving the vehicle. Hopefully I will be driving when this happens as my wife will not have the strength to get the car under control. There has been a recall in canada for this same problem and all of us Mini drivers in the us are wondering why we don't have a recall here.

Driving highway speeds, steering got really heavy hard to turn, then the battery light came on, starting smelling something electrical burning, pulled over off the road shut car off, smoke coming from the hood, open it, smoke was coming from the back of engine. Smoke subsided in a few minutes, called tow truck, tow back to work, over the next couple of days found that the power steering pump locked up and fried it, it also draw a lot of amperage that it blow 100 amp main fuse under fuse block, burnt main power wire to power steering pump. Replaced pump, wiring and fuse.

I drove my 2003 Mini Cooper S to my local department of transportation to renew my driver's license. Nothing abnormal occurred on the trip to the dmv. When I got in and began to drive home, there was no power steering. Later that evening, I started the car when it was cool and the power steering was back until the car warmed up. The radiator fan and the power steering fan do not function upon doing research on the internet, I have found that this problem occurs extremely often in 2002-2007 Minis. I also found, posted on a Mini forum by someone claiming to be an engineer, a diagnosis of the problem. Carbon dust from the electric motor that operates the power steering pump gets into the control unit attached to it. Since the chip was not properly sealed with a lacquer, it causees a short circuit in the chip. This causes the pump to fail. Another possible cause is the failure of the cooling fan for the power steering pump. The fan can seize, stop cooling the pump, and eventually it will overheat. This also trips a fuse that stops the radiator fan. As a result, the engine can also overheat. I have determined that the fan has stopped working. Since I have only had this car since the middle of winter and the has been the only warm day I have driven it, this was the first time I noticed it. I plan to avoid the $1000 charge to have it replaced at the dealer by repairing it myself but many people are not this fortunate. I believe this design flaw can and will cause serious accidents to occur. If my mother, sister, or girlfriend had been driving my car on the highway when it failed, they would not have been able to steer resulting in a serious crash. While perusing various Mini forums, I have read stories of several serious crashes. I would like to see a recall on all 2002-2007 Mini coopers so that this problem can not harm someone.

The power steering quit while driving on interstate (i85) on March 3, 2012. We had just purchased the car so we took it back to dealer and he had the pump and reservoir replaced (took 2 weeks). Power steering just went out again (09/26/12) with same symptoms (sporadic operation - mainly not working) while driving to work.

Power steering went out while driving making it hazardous to maneuver turning left. I reported this in December 14 2011 and the dealership couldn't find problem. Replaced the power steering fan in December. Replaced the entire power steering pump January 30, because power steering would go out intermittently. I feel this is a dangerous problem and the power steering shouldn't fail. There should be a recall of this problem.

The contact owns a 2003 Mini Cooper S. While driving at approximately 25 mph the steering wheel became stiff and difficult to maneuver. The contact restarted the vehicle and regained power steering. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic. The mechanic stated the electric power steering pump would have to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 72,000.

Electric power steering pump went out without any warning. I noticed it when I was going around a bend and the steering effort had greatly increased. If I had to make a emergency maneuver, I probably would not have been able to complete it successfully.

Power steering pump started to become louder around 83k miles. When I was driving around a turn, the steering wheel tightened up and it became almost impossible to turn the wheel. I almost wrecked because of this. After research, it is concluded that my power steering gave out. Nothing has been done yet to correct the failure.

The contact owns a 2003 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated while driving 65 mph the power steering failed. The vehicle was driven onto the emergency lane because the steering wheel was very hard to maneuver. The dealer was contacted in regards to a recall and stated only a class action law suit was in progress. The contact was told to bring the vehicle into the dealer to be repaired at her own expense. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 58,000. Updated 08/31/ the power steering pump was replaced. Updated 09/12/11.

Power steering pump, noise, binding, and eventual failure.

Complete failure of power steering pump while driving resulting in almost complete loss of steering. Power steering pump was replaced only to have the remanufactured unit fail 12 months later. Upon investigation it became apparent that this is a known problem for 2002-2006 Mini coopers. Have been informed that this pump design is poor and prone to failure.

Complete loss of power steering when warm car is started. Not a problem when car is cold. Requires approximately 1. 5 hours for car to cool before car can be started and safely driven with power steering restored. Will be replacing with oem power steering pump. New pump is approx $600 and labor is approx $150 at independent mechanic. Dealer estimate is approx $1300. Other family members will not drive car due to fear that power steering will be lost while driving though this has not actually happened.

The contact owns a 2003 Mini Cooper S. The vehicle was parked and shut off for approximately 30 minutes when the contact was advised that the vehicle was on fire. The contact stated that fire was coming from under the hood. The fire extinguished independently and the vehicle was towed to an independent repair facility. The contact was informed that the power steering remained on while the vehicle was shut off and caused the fire. The power steering pump, wiring harness and battery were all replaced. The failure did not recur. The failure mileage was 50,000 and the current mileage was 92,000.

The contact owns a 2003 Mini Cooper S purchased new. He stated while traveling at speeds of less than 65 mph, the vehicle began pulling to the right. Shortly after that the battery charging warning light illuminated and the contact immediatley smelled a burning odor. He pulled over and found there was a fire coming from under the hood. The fire department arrived shortly after however he had already extinguished the fire. The insurance company and mechanic determined the fire was a result of a faulty power steering pump cooling fan. The vehicle was repaired under his insurance company. The failure and current mileages were under 88,000. The VIN was not available.

Failed powering steering assist pump.

Took 2003 Mini Cooper S to performance driving school and had power steering pump catch on fire.

Ironically, I first looked at this complaint site two days ago as I first learned about its existence from the April 2009 issue of consumer reports. I felt good that the two most frequently named complaints for my model and year had not occurred. So, today that good feeling ended, as one of the common occurrences happened to me - a coincidence? or the Mini gods revenge? to continue: I noticed that after I shut off the car, something was still running for a long time afterwards. Opening the hood, I realized that it was probably the power steering pump that was not turning off, and knew from reading this site, that it would lead to battery failure at a Minimum, and a fire at worst case. So, I immediately drove to the dealer - herb chambers Mini of boston - and left it for repair. The call I received this afternoon that it was in fact the power steering pump which would not turn off and that it would cost $1100 to replace was devastating. The Mini has about 46,000 miles on it and this is the first real repair necessary following the warranty period. Given that there already are 8 others with the same issue just on this complaint forum, I would expect that Mini would do more about what is obviously a defective part.

Failure of 2003 Mini cooper manual transmission. My car has been under regular maintenance. I first noticed the car losing power going uphill, then it became difficult to put the car in gear. Next morning I was unable to get into reverse, was extremely difficult to shift and some gears could not be engaged. At a stop light I began hearing a very loud grinding noise, like metal in a blender, the car would not engage in gear, I had to be pushed out of the intersection. The dealer offered nothing. My private mechanic found metal shreds throughout the transmission. Said a bearing had come loose and destroyed the interior of the transmission, all at 65k miles. He also said the engine could have failed while on the freeway at high speeds and this could have been life endangering. Also the power steering pump went at 30k miles. Both very costly repairs and the transmission locking up a very serious life threat. The replacement costs for the transmission were $3k and that was from a private mechanic. Online research shows a plethora of consumer complaints and information that Mini cooper knows about this. Neither the local dealer nor corporate office would offer any help in replacement costs.

I purchased my '03 Mini copper s with 49k from a Honda in mechanicsburg, PA dealer in August. In December, I purchased tires and then went to a self-service carwash afterward. When I got home and before I put it in the garage, I took out the hose and washed off the wheels and under the car. During the process there was white smoke, which I thought was steam from the water hitting the manifold. I put the car in the garage and later when my wife came home she commented on the smoke and mist in the garage (it was quite cold that night. ) the next day when I pulled the car out, the steering was very stiff and I only drove it out the driveway and on the road before I realized the power steering was completely out. I drove it about 15 miles to the dealer after checking fuses and determining that the problem was beyond my mechanical skills. The power steering pump, fan and harness were replaced along with the battery (shorted out). Insurance adjusters from hondacare (extended warranty), state farm insurance company (my comprehensive insurance) and the dealership determined that the power steering pump had caught fire. Their conjecture was that I had put out the fire with the hose when I sprayed under the car. Honda care paid $1999 from extended warranty for the power steering pump, battery, power steering harness and fan. A total of $2700 additional from state farm comprehensive insurance (hondacare extended warranty would not cover harness, towing and diagnostic work from the Mini dealer in maryland, etc because they were the result of damage caused by the power steering pump fire); state farm insurance was exceptional and covered the difference with comprehensive covered. The parts are not available at this time but I was told that there are reports including pictures from adjusters at hondacare and from state farm insurance.

The only events leading to this problem were normal, everyday driving and routine, factory recommended service. The failure appears to have initiated at the cooling fan for the electric power steering pump. When the fan seizes, the pump overheats causing an electrical short in the pump electronics. This condition causes the pump to run nonstop even with the ignition turned off and the key out. This in turn runs the battery down and can possibly lead to a fire. The dealer replaced the power steering pump, the power steering pump cooling fan as well as the battery since it's usable life was diminished from the excessive draw. Old part is not available and none of this was offered as a warranty item.

I've been following blogs about Mini coopers going on fire since I owned one, and I never thought it would happen to me. Well, I had just gotten back home from school when I smell something like wiring burning in my car, so I killed the engine and opened the hood. Power steering still running and smoking, so I called my dad to help me. He disconnected the battery and stopped the eps pump from being consumed on fire. This should not be happening, the BMW-Mini firm should take responsibility and not let their clients suffer the aftermath. This is surely a recall, no one has died yet, thanks god, but let¿s be serious folks. Since new pump at dealer is $650. 00 called junk yards and part is not readily available and if available junk yards charge very close to a new one for a used one. I was not able to acquire one on my student status, so I don¿t have a vehicle to get to school; dad has to drop me off for now.

The power steering suddenly went out on Friday, June 27, 2008 causing difficulty in steering and nearly causing an accident. As I turned into my home driveway. Upon towing the vehicle to crevier auto in santa ana, California on Friday afternoon/evening, crevier was unable to locate the vehicle. On Monday, June 30, after much consternation, crevier finally located the vehicle as they had it on their premises since the previous Friday. Tuesday, July 1, a service technician notified me that the power steering pump had gone out on the 2003 Mini Cooper S. The vehicle has less than 50,000 miles on it and has been driven gently throughout its lifetime.

My 2003 Mini Cooper S had a total failure of the power steering pump. The failure occurred while driving the car at aprox 60 mph on an expressway near buffalo, NY. The pump was replaced by me at a cost of aprox $800. 00.

The power steering pump failed suddenly and unexpectedly (no warning) while driving, making the steering wheel significantly more difficult to turn and driving the vehicle significantly more dangerous.

Parked vehicle outside grocery store. Returned after <5 minutes to find smoke pouring from the hood. Opened hood to determine cause and smelt electrical smoke, and saw flames coming from under the engine. Doused flames using a fire extinguisher from store, and disconnected battery. Initial dealer investigation indicates that the damage was to the power steering pump and wiring harness. Had I not stopped for groceries, I would have been unlikely to notice the smoke/fire early enough to prevent the loss of the vehicle. . Read more...

Parking the vehicle after a 35 mi commute to work with the ignition was turned off the electro hydraulic steering pump continued to run. The only way to turn the pump off and avoid overheating was to disconnect the battery. The failure was corrected by replacement of the electo hydrolic steering pump. Old part is not available.

Was driving down a 2-lane curvy road at night, dry weather, 75 f at 30 mph when car began to whine whenever steering wheel was turned. As I decelerated to 10-15 mph to make a 90 degree right turn around a curve, the steering wheel became suddenly extremely difficult to turn. Almost t-boned a car traveling in the opposite direction around same curve. Was able to get the car back in my lane, and get it home, but not without a lot of effort. Called BMW service, they acknowledged they've serviced a few Minis with the same problem, and was most likely a power steering pump failure. Car will be towed today.