2006 MINI Cooper Steering Problems

Electronic power steering pump issue/failure. The steering wheel was so stiff when I tried to go right that I physically could not turn the wheel. This is extremely dangerous & it happens without warning. No lights come on. You are left in a moving vehicle, without much of a way to control the direction you need it to travel in. From what I have learned, it seems an extended warranty was initially offered, & then a forced recall was issued on the, 1st Gen, 2002-2005 Mini Coopers. Only part of the vehicles with these issues were included in the recall. I have the same size 1.6 engine, & the exact same electronic power steering pump that comes with the issues & failures that I have in my 06. I have seen it on vehicles up to 08. This is absolutely unacceptable. This is a documented manufacturing defect & design flaw that has been continually allowed to endanger people’s lives. I am unsure how BMW managed to only recall part of the vehicles with these electronic power steering pump issues. I contacted BMW who told me there were no extended warranties or recalls on my vehicle.

Power steering pump grinding. This was a recall on the 2002-2005 model but not the 2006. The same issue is happening with this car that happened with the recall vehicles and I would expect bmw to fix this problem. Thanks

The contact owns a 2006 Mini Cooper. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel was significantly difficult to turn. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 139,000.

Power steering pump went out while driving the car. Car was extremely hard to steer. Almost hit a guard rail. Had the car towed home and then to a garage. This is a known problem with Mini Coopers from year 2002 to 2006. Websites and Mini Cooper Forums are loaded with Power Steering Pumps failing. No warning. Pump was confirmed to be the problem by an independent garage that only services high end german cars. Power Steering Pump was diagnosed to be bad on 8/04/2022. Car has a little over 60,000 miles on it.

The electro-hydraulic power steering system stopped working on my 2005 Mini Cooper. The was a recall for 2002 to 2005 mini power steering pump failures but the problem continued thru 2011 because the fix that mini Cooper came up with was inadequate. The essentially put a band-aid on the problem and left car owners holding the bag. I, in fact, had the auxiliary pump that mini came up with replaced and the power steering problem continued because their fix was no good. I have an appointment with the Mini Cooper dealership to look at my car in about 2 weeks. They've told me that I'm not covered by the recall even though they ordered a recall of 86,000 cars for the problem in 2015. Not having power steering in any vehicle is very dangerous. The problem first occurred and remains after 2 years. The problem was reproduced by an independent repair service that I have used for years.

I DROVE THE CAR EARLIER AND IT WAS FINE. I RETURNED HOME AND THEN HOURS LATER TRIED TO PULL OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY TO FIND I COULDN'T TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THANK GOODNESS I WASN'T DRIVING WHEN IT WENT OR I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL. APPARENTLY AFTER READING ONLINE QUITE A BIT THIS IS A PROBLEM AND THERE IS NO RECALL OR EVEN A CAMPAIGN OR BULLETIN. THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. DUE TO THE SAFETY ISSUE ALONE I'M FRANKLY SHOCKED. APPARENTLY BMW DEALERS ARE CLEANING UP DUE TO THE EXPENSE OF THE REPAIR. I'M LOOKING AT A MINIMUM OF $1500. APPORX 60% OF VEHICLES HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE BILLOWING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AFTER OPENING THE HOOD, FLAMES WERE PRESENT COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE NEIGHBOR ASSISTED IN EXTINGUISHING THE FLAMES. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,000.

It is very difficult to turn my steering wheel. It takes more energy than any other car I have ever driven

THE AIR CONDITIONING HAD STOPPED BLOWING COOL AIR. THEN WHEN I WAS PARKED, AND IDLED, MY POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING WHILE TRYING TO BACK OUT. AFTER WRESTLING WITH THE WHEEL FOR A MINUTE TO GET OUT OF A PARKING LOT AREA, THE POWER STEERING CAME BACK ON. THE MECHANIC SAID ONE OF MY COOLANT FANS DOES NOT WORK. THIS MAY BE PART OF A RECALL THAT AFFECT 2005 MINIS WITH COOLANT FAN/POWER STEERING, HOWEVER MY CAR WAS MADE JUST A FEW MONTHS PAST THE RECALL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING FUNCTIONALITY. THE SEAT BELT AND CHECK-ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE BROWN MOTOR WORKS (803-551-0991, LOCATED AT 4041 BROAD RIVER RD, COLUMBIA, SC 29210) AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING NEEDED TO BE SERVICES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SUBJECTED TO A RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160.000.

POWER STEERING IS MALFUNCTIONING. IT COME AND GOES FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS WHILE IN A WINDING ROAD. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACE SOME LINES. A FEW MOTHS LATER IT STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DRIVING AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN IDLE FOR MORE THAN 2 HOURS. NOW THE POWER STEERING IS TOTALLY NOT WORKING AT ALL.

INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILIURE DURING DRIVING, STIFF STEERING WHEEL CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT

POWER STEERING PUMP PROBLEM FOR MINI COOPER R50 BOUGHT MY R50 PRE-OWNED 125000 KMS ON THE ODO FROM A DEALERSHIP(NOT A MINI DEALERSHIP) AS A PRESENT FOR MY DAUGHTER IN MARCH 2019. I ALREADY KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG. OBSERVED A LEAK IN THE POWER STEERING RESERVOIR. DEALER SUPPOSEDLY FIXED THE PROBLEM BY REPLACING SOME HOSES. AFTER A MONTH, I TRIED STARTING THE CAR UP AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I WAS LUCKY TO STILL BE AT HOME THAT TIME. RECHARGED THE BATTERY AND STARTED THE CAR. TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND NOTICED A SOUND. TRACED THE SOUND TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP NOT TURNING OFF EVEN IF THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF. DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY SO IT WILL NOT DO A FULL DISCHARGE. BOUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT I PURCHASED IT FROM AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE ISSUE WAS WITH THE PS PUMP. DID RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A COMMON ISSUE RELATED TO THIS PUMP ALREADY AND BMW HAS OFFERED EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE PUMP AND PERIPHERALS LIKE HOSES AND RESERVOIR COVERING 2003 TO 2005 MODELS DUE TO THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AND POTENTIAL CATASTROPHIC ISSUES A FAILED PUMP CAN BRING. I ASKED THE LOCAL BMW SERVICE CENTER IF I COULD AVAIL BUT THEY SAID MY VIN WAS NOT PART OF THE COVERAGE. I NEEDED THE CAR TO WORK AND I WANTED IT DONE RIGHT SO I HAD THEM REPLACE THE PUMP. THIS COSTED ME 1500 CAD++ I BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD STILL BE COVERED BY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY BECAUSE THE SYMPTOMS ARE THE SAME AND THAT THE PUMP IS CONFIRMED TO BE AN ORIGINAL BY THE MINI SERVICE AND MAY VERY WELL STILL BE THE SAME ONE FROM THE PREVIOUS MODELS AND BMW SHOULD OWN UP TO THIS.

STEERING PUMP TRANSMISSION WEENING NOT WANTING TO CHANGE GEARS RIGHT

THE STEERING FEELS VERY STIFF. THIS IS MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN I START IN THE MORNING. IT IS EXTREMELY STIFF TO TURN.

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILING, CREATING A LOUD WHINE WHEN RUNNING (MOVING, AND STATIONARY).

GOOD MORNING, I HAVE A 2006 MINI COOPER AND THE POWER STEERING UNIT FAILED. I WAS DRIVING AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY HEAVY (POWER STEERING FLUID WAS OK) THE UNIT JUST GAVE OUT. I READ THAT THE NHTSA ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE POWER STEERING UNIT FOR 2002 TO 2005 COOPERS RECALL 15V660000 (THE 2002 THRU 2006 ARE ALL FIRST GENERATION MODELS). MY QUESTION IS WHY WAS THE 2006 COOPER NOT INCLUDED SINCE IT IS ALSO FIRST GENERATION MODEL, AND IT IS THE SAME POWER STEERING UNIT USED FROM 2002 THRU 2006 ATLEAST ON THE BASE MODELS - NOT SURE ON THE COOPER S MODEL. COULD YOU PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE ADDED TO THE RECALL SINCE IT AFFECTS MY CAR ALSO,, IT HAPPENED AT 110K MILES FOR ME, I DONT DRIVE TOO MUCH THUS THE LOW MILEAGE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

MY ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP IS FAILING. IT WHINES WHEN YOU TURN THE WHEEL AND SOMETIMES IT DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. VERY SCARY TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR. THERE WAS AN OPEN RECALL THRU 2005, BUT BMW SAYS THEY WONT HELP US 2006 OWNERS.

POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE DRIVING BOTH SLOWLY PULLING OUT OF CARPORT AND AT NORMAL 35 MILES PER HOUR STREET SPEED. STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT. PERSISTED UNTIL CAR WAS TURNED OFF FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. HAPPENED SPORADICALLY AFTERWARD. ISSUE RETURNED AND NOW AFFECTS THE CAR MOST OF THE TIME WHILE DRIVING. WILL HAPPEN UPON STARTING THE CAR, OR WHILE DRIVING. CAR ONLY HAS 50,063 MILES ON IT! LOOKS LIKE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE IS CAUSING THE LOSS OF STEERING. EXTREAMLY DANGEROUS!

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED, THEY DID NOT RECALL THIS YEAR BUT THE PUMPS STILL FAIL