2005 MINI Cooper

The contact owns a 2005 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The contact stated that the vehicle had lost power steering assist. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that a software update was performed on the back over prevention camera. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V660000 (STEERING); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 175,830.

The contact owns a 2005 Mini Cooper. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V660000 (Steering). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the power steering pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 117,300.

The contact owns a 2005 Mini Coop S Hardtop. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and unoccupied, the vehicle alarm activated inadvertently and the contact noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood. The contact stated that he lifted the hood open and noticed fire coming from underneath the engine. The contact extinguished the fire with a fire extinguisher. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

The contact owns a 2005 Mini Cooper Convertible. The contact stated that she noticed a leak coming from the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a power of steering hose leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V660000 (Steering). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

The vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The dealer informed me that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure is NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V660000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included in the recall.

The contact owns a 2005 Mini Cooper. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The dealer informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V660000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 167,000.

The contact owns a 2005 Mini Cooper S. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V660000 (Steering) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact also stated that he was advised by the dealer that he had to pay out of pocket for a diagnostic test. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2005 Mini Cooper. The contact stated that there was water accumulated on the passenger's side front floorboard. The contact stated that the heater was causing some undisclosed issues. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V337000 (Electrical System). The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the sunroof drain tubes were clogged, the drain tubes were cleared, and an undisclosed reprogramming was completed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 172,843.

The contact owns a 2005 Mini Cooper Convertible. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V660000 (Steering). The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering assist failed. The dealer was made aware of the recall but informed the contact that they do not service recall repairs. The nearest dealer that was able to service the recall repair was located 177 miles away. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unavailable.

My son drives this car and the power steering went out twice on him while driving. I need to get the pump replaced via the recall, but the nearest location is 200 miles from me. It is not safe to drive this car that far and I would have to drop it off and make another trip to pick it up. Towing that far would cost a small fortune. I called every number and was transferred to several people to help with this issue. They say they can not and won't help me till I get the car to a dealership to fix it. One person from Mini told me I might be able to go to a certified mechanic but when I asked the next person they said it had to be a dealership. I spent two days on the phone with several people from Mini and no one was willing to offer a solution. I drive this car to get the recall fixed and something happens and the car wrecks, or worse someone is killed, who would it be on then? No happy about this at all.

2005 Mini Cooper S has power steering whine, hard to steer the wheel. Very unsafe.

The transmission will cycle first through third and when it tries to go into 4th it slips and will not operate higher gears it caused me to lose my forward drive momentum as I was switching lanes and the car I was getting in front of almost ran into me.

Driving at approximately 10-15 miles an hour entering a parking lot when I noticed flames coming out of the hood scoop of my 2005 Mini Cooper S. After brief inspection from my mechanic, it is believed to have been caused by the wiring harness for ABS or possibly the power steering unit since the fire originated from the rear/right hand side of the engine and those two components. I have a claim opened with USAA but during simple research, I have found tens, if not close to a hundred issues with similar characteristics. I know I am not the first R53 Mini Cooper (2002-2006 run) with this problem and this should be considered a hazard and public safety issue. I have included the link to many of the cases captured by the North American Motoring Association (a primarily North American Mini car association) which details 24 pages of these issues. https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/stock-problems-issues/73527-spontaneous-engine-bay-fires.html?ispreloading=1

POWER STEERING PUMP STOP WORKING WHILE DRIVING TURNING IN A CITY STREET

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE TRANSMISSION SLIPS CAUSING A JERK REACTION IN THE VEHICLE AND THEN IT WILL RENEGADE CAUSING ANOTHER JERK REACTION IN THE VEHICLE AND MAKES GOING AND OR STOPPING UNPREDICTABLE. TURNING LEFT IS DANGEROUS AS THE CAR MAY NOT MOVE FORWARD AT A SPEED THAT IT SHOULD OR MAY JERK IN THE MIDDLE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I HAVE HAD A MACHANIC CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION AND IT STILL DOES THE SAME THING. I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURERS WHO INFORMED ME THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND NOTHING THEY WOULD DO.

BATTERY LIGHT FLASHING, POWER STEERING CUTTING OUT INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. ALTERNATOR AND SERPINTINE BELT REPLACED BUT PROBLEM CONTINUES. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SEEMS TO BE DRAINING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

THE POWER STEERING ASSIST HAS ALL BUT STOPPED WORKING, WITH STEERING NOW DIFFICULT AT LOWER SPEED--ESPECIALLY WHEN I FIRST START THE ENGINE IN THE MORNING. THE CLUTCH DOESN'T RESPOND WELL AND THE VEHICLE NO LONGER GOES INTO SECOND GEAR. THE REAR LEFT BRAKE CALIPER SEIZED IN PLACE, NOT ALLOWING THE BRAKE PAD TO RETRACT COMPLETELY AND THEREFORE THE BRAKE PAD CONTINUOUSLY RUBBED AGAINST THE DISC, BUT WITHOUT NOISE. NOT UNTIL THE LEFT REAR BRAKE MADE NOISE BECAUSE OF THE METAL ON METAL BRAKING WAS THE SEIZED OEM CALIPER IDENTIFIED, WHEN I PUT ON A SET OF NEW BRAKE PADS. NONE OF THE OTHER THREE BRAKES HAD THE SEIZED OEM CALIPER.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. ONCE RESTARTED, THE STEERING OPERATED NORMALLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY ONE AND A HALF MONTHS AND WAS GETTING WORSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC. TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,500.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND SMOKE BEGAN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE POWER STEERING CEASED WITHOUT WARNING UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V660000 (STEERING) AS POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. MINI OF DES MOINES LOCATED AT (9900 HICKMAN RD, DES MOINES, IA 50325) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

THE CAR WAS IN MOTION WHEN SUDDENLY THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY HARD AND THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL FOR MINI COOPER S VEHICLES (15V-XXX SAFETY RECALL) INVOLVING THE ELECTRIC-HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM. THE RECALL INCLUDES 2002-2005 MODELS, AND EXTENDS THE WARRANTY UP TO 13 YEARS OR UP TO 150,000 MILES. OUR VEHICLE FALLS UNDER THOSE REQUIREMENTS, AND IS A 2005 MODEL AND HAS 69,751 MILES, YET WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE ARE NO EXISTING RECALLS FOR OUR VEHICLE, EVEN THOUGH WE SUSPECT THAT THE INCIDENT WE HAD INVOLVES THE HYDRAULIC STEERING SYSTEM.