Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,245,377 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA, including 140,173 crashes, 56,794 fires, and 8,580 deaths.
What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?
A consumer complaint is a free-form report filed by a vehicle owner directly to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) describing a safety concern about their vehicle. NHTSA collects these reports through its Vehicle Owner Defect Report (VOQ) system and publishes them publicly. Each complaint includes the affected component, the date and circumstances of the incident, whether the failure caused a crash or fire, and any reported injuries or deaths. The owner's full narrative description is included verbatim, NHTSA does not edit or moderate the descriptions.
The database below contains over 2,245,377 individual complaints. NHTSA's investigators monitor it for clusters of similar reports, when enough owners describe the same failure mode on the same vehicle, NHTSA may open a Preliminary Evaluation that can lead to a recall. Many of the largest recalls in U.S. history, including the Takata airbag recall and the Hyundai/Kia engine fire recalls, started as patterns visible in this complaint database years before they became formal recalls.
How to interpret what you read
A few principles for reading consumer complaints usefully:
- One complaint is anecdote; a hundred similar complaints is data. NHTSA does not investigate the truthfulness of any individual report, that's the job of the Office of Defects Investigation, which looks at the full pattern. When evaluating a vehicle, look for whether multiple owners describe the same chain of events.
- Crash, fire, injury, and death flags are owner-set. They are not verified by NHTSA. They are still useful as a filter, because owners who tick those boxes are typically reporting more serious incidents than those who don't.
- Component categories are NHTSA-assigned, not owner-assigned. NHTSA standardizes the component field so that complaints can be aggregated. The owner narrative often goes into more detail than the component category captures.
- Complaint volume scales with sales volume. A best-selling model will accumulate more raw complaints than a niche model even at the same defect rate. To compare across vehicles, look at complaints per 100,000 units sold, not raw counts.
If you've experienced a defect
File a complaint. NHTSA's investigators rely on this database to detect emerging defects, and useful complaints, specific, concrete, with dates and mileage and clear descriptions of what happened, feed directly into the agency's pattern detection. The form takes about 10 minutes and is at nhtsa.gov/recalls under "Report a Safety Problem." Your complaint becomes part of the same public record that this page is built from. Owners filing detailed VOQs are how recalls get triggered.
Read more from our blog
Showing 6,381 complaints for MINI
Incident date: Oct 2, 2010
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY STIFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED, BUT IT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,304. UPDATED 01/20/11 *BF THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2010
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH AND ATTEMPTING A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO MANEUVER THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND SHE WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL AND ANY REPAIRS WOULD BE AT HER EXPENSE. THE DEALER ALSO ADVISED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WOULD LIKELY NED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WA... Read more
Incident date: May 26, 2010
ON 5/26/10 LOST POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING ON THE LONG ISLAND EXPRESSWAY. 141,000 MILES ON CAR. POWER STEERING ELECTRONIC PUMP REPLACEMENT COST $ 1005.00. *TR
Incident date: Oct 15, 2009
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING WOULD FAIL SPORADICALLY AND MORE EFFORT HAD TO BE EXERTED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND FAN WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEA... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2010
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WHEN PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL YET THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL IT CRASHED INTO A CURB. THE POLICE ARRIVED ON SCENE TO ASSIST, HOWEVER A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOT BY THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY BUT WAS NOT EXAMINED FOR THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE W... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Apr 1, 2010
MY 2002 MINI COOPER S HAD AN INCIDENT APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS AGO WHEN I COMPLETELY LOST POWER STEERING WHILE GOING A LOW RATE OF SPEED. I WAS ABLE TO MUSCLE THE STEERING FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES UNTIL THE POWER STEERING RETURNED. THIS OCCURRED ONCE MORE BUT VERY BRIEFLY IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE SOME TIME LATER. I DID NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM EITHER TIME BUT I SAW A STORY IN USA TODAY ON... Read more
Incident date: Apr 15, 2008
AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING PROBLEMS, THE POWER STEERING PUMP ON MY CAR FAILED COMPLETELY WHILE TRYING TO ENTER A REST STOP ON THE NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY. UPON BRINGING THE CAR TO A MECHANIC, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE POWER STEERING COOLING FAN HAD BEEN JAMMED, CAUSING THE PUMP TO OVERHEAT. I THEN RESEARCHED THE ISSUE ONLINE AND FOUND THAT SEVERAL MINI COOPER MODELS FROM... Read more
Incident date: Dec 10, 2009
POWER STEERING FAILURE CAUSED HARD STEERING AND SUPREME SCARE. PRIOR INTERMITTENT ON/OFF OF POWER STEERING PUMP PREVIOUS WEEK. HAD TO REPLACE PUMP AND FAN MOTOR. OLD PUMP IS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR
Incident date: Nov 1, 2008
RECENT NEWS REPORTS ALERTED ME ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION INTO MINI POWER STEERING FAILURES IN 2004-05 MINI COOPERS. I AM WRITING TO REPORT THAT A FEW YEARS AGO, I EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE IN MY 2002 MINI COOPER (AT ABOUT 70K) MAKING STEERING VERY DIFFICULT. BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WOULD COME AND GO, IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR MY REPAIR SHOP TO FIND THE ROOT CAUSE. EVENTUALLY, THE POWER ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 24, 2010
POWER STEERING IN MY 2002 MINI COOPER FAILED. STEERING VEHICLE BECAME VERY DIFFICULT WITH LITTLE ABILITY TO TURN VEHICLE. REPAIR REQUIRED A NEW ELEC. STG PUMP AND COOLING FAN ($602) PLUS LABOR OF $384 FOR A TOTAL OF $986. *TR
Incident date: Jun 23, 2009
MINI COOPER (2004 WITH ~74K MILES) WITH INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING PROBLEMS. STEERING WHEEL WOULD RANDOMLY BECOME VERY STIFF WHEN TURNING AND THEN FREE UP UNEXPECTEDLY. WHEN THIS WOULD OCCUR, THE CAR WOULD UNDERSTEER (NOT TURNING AS FAR AS INTENDED) AND I WOULD FIND MYSELF REACTING BY TURNING HARDER, USUALLY RESULTING IN OVERSTEERING AND ERRATIC TURNS. IT FELT LIKE SOMETHING WAS BINDING AND TH... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2010
UNEXPECTED AND INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE. INTERMITTENT FAILURES FIRST STARTED AROUND 2008, THE FAILURES WOULD LAST FOR MINUTES TO HOURS LONG, DAYS, WEEKS, AND MONTHS WOULD GO BY BETWEEN FAILURES. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THE CAUSE WAS THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND SINCE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THE REPAIR WOULD COST ~$700 TO REPLACE. WHEN THE PUMP FAILS THE CAR IS *VERY* DIFFICULT TO ST... Read more
MINI
COOPER S CONVERTIBLE
(2010) - STEERING
Oct 1, 2010
Incident date: Sep 15, 2010
MINI COOPER S CONVERTIBLE 2006, LESS THAN 40K MILES. I WAS DRIVING FOR MAYBE 6 MILES AND WHILE I WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN I FELT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY AND THE CAR WAS MOVING VERY ODDLY SO I PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY TO CHECK WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE CAR. NOTICING THE SMOKE FORM THE HOOD BEFORE I GOT OUT THE CAR AND THOUGHT MY CAR WAS OVER HEATED. I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST CALL ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Aug 6, 2010
1. POWER STEERING FAILED AND STEERING BECAME EXCESSIVELY HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL ESPECIALLY IN LOW SPEED TURNS SOMETIMES COULDN'T MAKE THE TURNS IN TIME. 2. SEVERAL TIMES. PARKED THE CAR 3. WAITING FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO HELP WITH REPLACING DEFECTIVE PARTS. *TR
Incident date: Sep 1, 2005
SUDDEN TOTAL LOSS OF POWER STEERING ON A 2004 MINI COOPER S IN A PARKING AT LOW SPEED. CAR WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO DRIVE BACK TO DEALER DUE TO HIGH GRIP THE CAR HAS. DEALER REPLACED POWER STEERING PUMP FOR POWER ASSISTED GEAR. COULD HAVE BEEN DANGEROUS IN A CORNER. MILEAGE 20,257. *TR
Incident date: Jul 16, 2010
POWER STEERING LOCK ON IT. *TR
MINI
COOPER CONVERTIBLE
(2005) - STEERING
Oct 1, 2010
Incident date: Sep 17, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED IT BECAME EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY THE DEALER WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 15000.
Incident date: Jun 20, 2010
MY CAR STARTED TO MAKE A WHIRRING SOUND, I WASN'T SURE WHAT IT WAS SO MY DAD HAD A LOOK AND WASN'T SURE. THE NEXT DAY I WAS DRIVING ALONG A 60MPH ROAD AND AS I WENT TO TURN A SHARP CORNER MY POWER STEERING FAILED. I HAD TO MANUALLY PULL THE CAR ROUND THE CORNER WITH ALL MY STRENGTH SO AS NOT TO HIT THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC. IT THEN KEPT FAILING INTERMITTENTLY FOR THE REST OF THE DRIVE HOME. I TYPED ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 30, 2010
MINI COOPER POWER STEERING PROBLEMS (2007 AND 2008 MODELS) - I NOTICED THE REPORTS ON POWER STEERING. I HAVE LEASED 2 MINIS AND FOUND THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM WHEN TRYING TO PARALLEL PARK IN NEW YORK CITY. WHEN TRYING TO FIT INTO A SMALL SPACE--WHICH REQUIRES LOTS OF TWISTS, TURNS OF THE STEERING WHEEL REPEATEDLY UNTIL CAR IS SQUEEZED IN--THE POWER STEERING ON BOTH YEARS OF BOTH CARS THAT I HAD--A... Read more
Incident date: May 17, 2009
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND TRYING TO MAKE A TURN, THE POWER STEERING WOULD FAIL OCCASIONALLY. HE WOULD CONTINUE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL WITH MUCH DIFFICULTY. THE FAILURE BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE UNTIL THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP N... Read more
Incident date: Sep 15, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH HE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND TURNED OFF. UPON RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL REMAINED VERY STIFF. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND SHUT OFF. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE CON... Read more
Incident date: Sep 28, 2010
I HAVE A 2005 MINI COOPER S. LAST YEAR THE POWER STEERING PUMP RANDOMLY STOPPED WORKING ON MY WAY TO SCHOOL. I DID NOT CRASH OR ANYTHING BUT IT WAS VERY HARD TO STEER MY CAR. I HAVE NOT REPLACED THE PUMP BECAUSE HONESTLY I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO AND I BELIEVE THE PUMP COSTS NEARLY $1000. THE PUMP ON MY CAR STILL WORKS FINE MOST OF THE TIME. NOW EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE ON SHARP CORNERS THE PUMP WILL ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 16, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. WHILE TRAVELING 15 MPH AND MAKING A TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD INTERMITTENTLY BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MI... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2010
STEERING ON MY MINI COOPER 2005 FAILED THIS MORNING, RESULTING IN A NEAR ACCIDENT IN A PARKING GARAGE. IT FELT LIKE THE POWER STEERING WAS FAILING. IT CAME BACK BRIEFLY ON THE WAY TO THE REPAIR SHOP, BUT THE TECH CONFIRMED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. IT IS CURRENTLY BEING DIAGNOSED, BUT IT IS LIKELY THE POWER STEERING PUMP. *TR
Incident date: Sep 8, 2010
ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2010 2004 MINI COOPER S POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING ON SAN FRANCISCO/OAKLAND BAY BRIDGE. ABLE TO SAFELY EXIT BRIDGE AND HAD CAR TOWED TO AUTO SHOP IN BERKELEY, CA WHERE THEY "PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TIME CHECK FOR NO POWER STEERING. FOUND PUMP COMING ON, NO PRESSURE TO SYSTEM". THEY REMOVED AND REPLACED POWER STEERING PUMP INCLUDING BLEEDING THE SYSTEM. *TR
MINI
COOPER CONVERTIBLE
(2005) - STEERING
Sep 30, 2010
Incident date: Sep 20, 2010
2005 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE AT FIRST INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE AND NOW COMPLETE POWER STEERING FAILURE. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED VERY SUDDENLY WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, I ALMOST RAN INTO ANOTHER CAR. NOW I AM NOT DRIVING THE CAR UNTIL I CAN AFFORD TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. *TR
Incident date: Jul 20, 2010
I WANT TO REPORT PROBLEM WITH STEERING COMPONENTS IN MY 2004 MINI COOPER S (BASED ON ARTICLE IN USA TODAY). IN JULY OF THIS YEAR, 2010, MY STEERING SUDDENLY BECAME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN. I STOPPED, CALLED MY DEALERSHIP, HAD THE CAR TOWED IN. THEY REPLACED THE POWER STEERING MOTOR. THIS WEEK, SEPT. 2010, I HEARD A STRANGE SOUND. TOOK IT BACK IN, THEY REPLACED THE POWER STEERING FAN. *TR
Incident date: May 3, 2010
MY 2005 MINI COOPER S HAS HAD THE POWER STEERING GO OUT SEVERAL TIMES. THIS HAPPENS WITH NO WARNING AND HAS CAUSED ME TO ALMOST BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. AS I WAS CHANGING LANES ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS I COULDN'T TURN THE WHEEL AND ALMOST WENT INTO A CONCRETE WALL. IT ALSO WENT OUT WHILE ON A TRIP IN THE MOUNTAINS, I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT GOING OFF THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN ROAD. THIS POWER STEERING P... Read more
Incident date: Aug 16, 2009
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRYING TO MOVE OUT A PARKING LOT, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED UP. THE REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000. TH... Read more
Incident date: Aug 23, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE GOT IN THE VEHICLE AND STARTED IT, THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. SHE PULLED OUT OF THE PARKING SPOT AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED IT. HOWEVER, THE POWER STEERING WAS STILL NON-FUNCTIONAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CURR... Read more
Incident date: Sep 24, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING WAS ABSENT. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS BEFORE THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 102,000. UPDATED 01/03/11
Incident date: Aug 2, 2010
INTERMITTENT AND UNEXPECTED POWER STEERING FAILURE ON MY 2004 MINI COOPER S (R53). WE PURCHASED THE CAR WITH 69,000 MILES AND WITHIN A WEEK HAD OUR FIRST POWER STEERING PROBLEM. WE GOT THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED THE CAR OFF AND WHEN WE TURNED IT BACK ON THE STEERING WAS FINE. THIS OCCURRED RANDOMLY FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. POWER STEERING WOULD QUIT WITHOUT WARNING AT SLOW AND H... Read more
Incident date: May 24, 2010
AFTER DRIVING 5 MILES AND STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I BEGAN A LEFT TURN AND HAD NO POWER STEERING, I HAD TO PULL THE STEERING WHEEL WITH ALL MY STRENGTH TO KEEP FROM CAUSING A WRECK. I DROVE 5 MORE MILES TO WORK AND PARKED. 2 HOURS LATER I WENT OUTSIDE AND HEARD A MOTOR RUNNING IN MY CAR. THE RUNNING MOTOR HAD DRAINED MY BATTERY, I HAD TO JUMP START THE CAR TO GET H... Read more
Incident date: Sep 30, 2010
POWER STEERING WHEEL GOES ON AND OFF. WHEN I TURN THE WHEEL I CAN FEEL IT GO FROM HEAVY RESISTANCE TO REGULAR IN SECONDS, WHICH HAS BEEN MORE THAN ONCE IN A DAY. IF THERE IS A CAR COMING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, IT COULD EASILY CRASHED INTO MY SIDE. DUE TO THIS SUDDENLY WHEEL MALFUNCTION, I HAD TO SLOW DOWN BECAUSE I WAS AT THE CORNER OF THE ROAD, TRYING TO TURN. THIS IS SO DANGEROUS, AN... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2010
2004 MINI COOPER, COUPE HAS INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING, WHICH BEGAN SUDDENLY ON A CIRCULAR FREEWAY ON RAMP AT ABOUT 40MPH, DURING WHICH I NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR. THE FAILURE SEEMS TO BE TRIGGERED BY U TURNS (ROUND-ABOUT, SPIRAL RAMPS, MANEUVERING OUT OF A SMALL PARKING SPACE.) I HAVE HAD THE POWER STEERING PUMP INVESTIGATED AS THE CAUSE AND IT IS WORKING NORMALLY. I BELIEVE IT IS A PR... Read more
Incident date: Mar 24, 2010
PER THE MINI COOPER POWER STEERING PUMP INVESTIGATION - ON MARCH 24, 2010 I PAID TO HAVE MY POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED AFTER HAVING MY BATTERY DIE FOR A SECOND TIME. THE MINI DEALERSHIP FAILED THE FIRST TIME TO FIND THE PROBLEM BUT UPON THE SECOND BATTERY DYING THEY REPORTED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REMAINING ON AND DRAWING POWER FROM THE BATTERY EVEN WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF. THIS ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2004 MINI COOPER. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 25 TO 30 MPH, THERE WAS A SLIGHT LOSS OF POWER STEERING WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE WAS A CONTINUOUS OCCURRENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,441 UPDATED 02/01/11*LJ THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAD TO BE REP... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2004 MINI COOPER. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 25 TO 30 MPH, THERE WAS A SLIGHT LOSS OF POWER STEERING WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE WAS A CONTINUOUS OCCURRENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,441 UPDATED 02/01/11*LJ THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAD TO BE REP... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2009
THE POWER STEERING IN MY 2004 MINI COOPER BEGAN MALFUNCTIONING LAST YEAR. THIS MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO STEER AND CONTROL THE VEHICLE. IT MALFUNCTIONS EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE CAR, THE PUMP STOPS WORKING A FEW MINUTES OR IMMEDIATELY AFTER I START THE ENGINE. I HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE MALFUNCTION, BUT ONE COULD BE POSSIBLE, IF I WERE TO HAVE TO MAKE A SHARP TURN AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE. SINCE T... Read more
Incident date: Sep 2, 2008
WHILE DRIVING A 2003 MINI COOPER VEHICLE STEERING MALFUNCTIONED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. AUTO BARELY MADE IT TO DEALERSHIP. DETERMINED TO BE A FAULTY POWER STEERING PUMP WITH ADJOINING PARTS. VEHICLE HAD 46,594 MILES AND MINI WOULD NOT COVER DEFECT EVEN THOUGH OTHER OWNERS COMPLAINED OF PROBLEM. REPAIR TO ME WAS $979.01 + 6% CONNECTICUT SALES TAX! *TR
Incident date: Dec 15, 2009
2006 MINI COOPER S JCW GP FIRST TIME IN 2008 JUST NOTICED FAN WOULD COME ON MORE OFTEN AND POWER STEERING WHINED LOUDER. DEALER AT MAIN LINE MINI REPLACED. SECOND TIME IN 2010 STEERING WHEEL FELT LIKE IT LOST POWER BUT REGAINED DURING OCCASIONAL TURNS. DEALER CLAIMED IT WAS DUE TO AFTERMARKET PARTS (CAMBER PLATES) BUT THEN REPLACED IT ANYWAYS CAUSE MAIN MECHANIC DROVE IT AND NOTICED PLAY IN STE... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2010
MY POWER STEERING IS GOING OUT. UPON MY OWN INVESTIGATION I HAVE LEARNED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. SHOULD SUCH A VITAL PIECE TO HAVING CONTROL OF THE CAR BE A PROBLEM? NO. COST OF REPAIR IS $1,070 AS QUOTED FROM MY DEALER. *TR
Incident date: Sep 15, 2010
MY 2005 MINI COOPER LOST POWERSTEERING FUNCTIONALITY DURING A SHORT INTERSTATE DRIVE (INDIANA INTERSTATE 65 FROM EXIT 64 TO EXIT 68) ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2010 AT 11:20AM. PARKING LOT MANEUVERING AND INTERSTATE ON-RAMP DRIVING WAS NORMAL, INTERSTATE OFF-RAMP AND SUBSEQUENT IN-TOWN DRIVING WAS WITH NO POWERSTEERING ASSIST, AND THEREFORE REQUIRED A GREAT DEAL OF FORCE TO TURN. THE POWER STEERING PUMP... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2010
2005 MINI COOPER POWER STEERING GOES OUT TYPICALLY WITHIN THE 1ST HOUR OF DRIVING. THE POWER STEERING FAILURE IS NOT CONSISTENT, BUT I FIND IT HAPPENS MORE OFTEN IN HOT WEATHER WHEN I HAVE THE A/C ON "AUTO" OR FULL BLAST. (???) THE A/C ALSO AFFECTS THE RADIO RECEPTION, SO PERHAPS IT DRAINS TOO MUCH POWER. AT TIMES I NEED TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND DRIVE AS IF I HAVE MANUAL STEERING. I... Read more
Incident date: Sep 17, 2010
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. *TR
Incident date: Sep 25, 2010
2004 MINI COOPER: POWER STEERING JUST WENT OUT ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK. MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN AND THAN IT WAS JUST GONE. ON SUNDAY 9-26-10 STARTED THE CAR AND THE POWER STEERING WORKED FINE, UNTIL I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 70MPH AND IT WENT OUT AGAIN FOR GOOD.. DONE NOTHING YET TO FIX IT. *TR
Incident date: Sep 19, 2010
ON SEPT. 19, 2010, MY 2005 MINI COOPER S HAD BEEN PARKED IN A GARAGE FOR ABOUT 10 HOURS. WHEN I WENT TO LEAVE, I FOUND THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS NOT WORKING AT ALL AND I HAD TO REALLY MUSCLE IT TO DRIVE IT. I'D NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT BEFORE. BECAUSE I HAD TO GET TO WHERE I WAS GOING, I DROVE IT VERY CAREFULLY. AFTER ABOUT FORTY MINUTES, I STOPPED AT A SERVICE AREA TO USE THE RESTROOM. WHEN ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 18, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE MOVED OFF THE ROAD AND CRASHED INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THERE WAS NO POLICE REPORT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMA... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Aug 30, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED SUDDENLY. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN. THE POWER STEERING RACK WAS THEN REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 108,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000.
Incident date: Feb 1, 2010
LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST WHILE DRIVING. *TR