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: Jun 12, 2011
MINI COOPER 05 POWER STEERING FAILURE. *TR
Incident date: Jun 14, 2011
WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 MINI COOPER S THROUGH A CROWDED PARKING LOT, MY POWER STEERING JUST SUDDENLY WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF THE SUDDEN FAILURE AND I WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET MY MINI INTO A PARKING SPOT AWAY FROM PEDESTRIANS. *TR
Incident date: Jun 11, 2011
LOSS OF POWER STEERING IN 2005 MINI COOPER. 1. ON 06 APRIL 2011 AT 11:00, I HAD AN APPOINTMENT AT THE GRAND RAPIDS, MI MINI COOPER DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE. DURING THE ROUTINE INSPECTION CONDUCTED ALONG WITH THE OIL CHANGE, IT WAS REPORTED TO ME THAT MY POWER STEERING FAN HAD FAILED. FORTUNATELY, AS REPORTED AT THAT POINT, MY POWER STEERING PUMP LOOKED FINE. I PAID TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jun 8, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START IN COLD WEATHER UNTIL AFTER THREE TO FOUR ATTEMPTS. THERE WERE ALSO NOTICED RATTLING NOISES COMING FROM THE ENGINE WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN INSPECTED BY A DEALER AND THEY ADVISED HER THAT SHE ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2010
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CLUTCH WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH AND FLY WHEEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO OFFERED TO PAY FOR HALF OF THE COSTS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47, 000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNA... Read more
Incident date: May 26, 2011
I HAVE A 2005 MINI COOPER S. THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT ON ME AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE BAY BRIDGE. ALMOST KILLED ME AND GOD ONLY KNOWS WHO ELSE WAS ON THE BRIDGE! HOW CAN THE PEOPLE AT BMW SLEEP AT NIGHT KNOWING THERE ARE MINIS OUT THERE WITH THIS PROBLEM! DO THE RESEARCH AND YOU WILL SEE HOW MANY TERRIFIED MINI OWNERS ARE OUT THERE! THANK GOD I WAS IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE SO I COULD PULL THE CAR OV... Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2011
POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE ON 2004 MINI COOPER. HARD TO STEER WHILE DRIVING AT ALL SPEEDS. ORDERED NEW PART FROM DEALERSHIP. *TR
Incident date: Jun 12, 2011
I WAS DRIVING 50 MPH, OUTSIDE AIR TEMP APPROX 65F. WITHOUT WARNING THE POWER STEERING FAILED. I PULLED OVER AND CHECKED THE TIRES AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO CHECK FOR LEAKS OR BELT FAULTS. NOTHING, SO I CONTINUED 20 MILES TO MY DESTINATION WITHOUT THE STEERING ASSIST. AFTER I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, I RESTARTED IT AND THE POWER STEERING WAS BACK. IT HAPPENED DURING A SLOW TURN, FORTUNATELY. IF I... Read more
Incident date: Jun 9, 2011
POWER STEERING FAILURE, UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE, SINGLE OCCURRENCE. BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR AT THE LOCAL DEALER, WAITING FOR DIAGNOSIS OF PROBLEM. *TR
Incident date: Jun 2, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED AND HAD TO BE HELD WITH FORCE WITH BOTH HANDS IN ORDER TO TURN IT, OR KEEP THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS BEFORE OR AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST THAT LOCATED THE FAILURE IN THE POWER STEERIN... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED AND HAD TO BE HELD WITH FORCE WITH BOTH HANDS IN ORDER TO TURN IT, OR KEEP THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS BEFORE OR AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST THAT LOCATED THE FAILURE IN THE POWER STEERIN... Read more
Incident date: Jun 6, 2011
I WAS DRIVING ON A HOUSTON, TX FREEWAY GOING 60 MPH WHEN THE CAR TO THE LEFT OF ME SUDDENLY SWERVED DIRECTLY INTO MY DRIVER SIDE. THE OTHER CAR, WHICH WAS A HONDA PASSPORT SUV, HIT MY ENTIRE DRIVER SIDE FROM REAR BUMPER TO MY DOOR TO THE FRONT BUMPER. I WAS DRIVING A 2007 MINI COOPER. AT 60 MPH, MY SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY! THE IMPACT WAS DIRECT AND AT 60 MPH. SURELY THERE MUST BE SOME DEFE... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jun 7, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 65,000.
Incident date: Jun 5, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF. UPON RESTART, THE VEHICLE MOMENTARILY OPERATED AS NORMAL BEFORE THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN HOME AND PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAG... Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2011
FAILURE OF POWER STEERING SYSTEM IN 2004 MINI COOPER S. VEHICLE PERFORMED FINE THE NIGHT BEFORE, THEN THE POWER STEERING WASN'T WORKING THE NEXT MORNING. THIS IS THE THIRD INSTANCE OF THE PROBLEM I HAVE ENCOUNTERED. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, AND THE BEST THING TO DO WAS RESTART THE CAR AND MAYBE THE COMPUTER WOULD RESET ITSELF. THAT WORKED THE PREVIOUS 2 TIMES, BUT NOT THIS TIM... Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2011
POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING AND CONTINUES TO RUN WHILE THE CAR HAS TURNED OFF. HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO CRASH SEVERAL TIMES WHEN IT HAS GONE OUT ON THE EXPRESS WAY. *TR
Incident date: Jun 2, 2011
WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 35-40, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED COMPLETELY. THE CAR BECAME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER AND CREATED A VERY UNSAFE MOMENT AS I MADE A 90 DEGREE TURN. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR HOME WITH GREAT PHYSICAL EFFORT INVOLVED. THE PROBLEM SEEMS EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN ON-LINE DESCRIPTIONS FROM OTHER MINI OWNERS. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION .... IT IS ALS... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2011
MY 2004 MINI EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT STEERING PROBLEMS IN FEB. OF 2011. STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT AT TIMES AND THEN NEARLY ALL THE TIME. GOT NEW POWER STEERING PUMP. MOSTLY FIXED BUT FELT ODD AT TIMES. STEERING BECAME PERMANENTLY DIFFICULT IN JUNE 2011 AND HAD PUMP REPLACED BUT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. ADVISED TO REPLACE RACK AND PINION. PLAN TO DO SO. STEERING BILLS AT ABOUT $2,000. *TR
Incident date: Jun 2, 2011
AIR BAG FAILURE LAMP LIGHT ON. 2006 JCW MINI COOPER. ON STARTUP, LAMPS ALL GO THROUGH STARTUP ILLUMINATION THEN GO DARK. AIRBAG FAILURE LAMP RELIGHTS 1 SECOND LATER AND REMAINS ON. NO INTERIOR WIRING DONE, CAR IS AS WAS RECEIVED NEW FROM DEALER. *TR
Incident date: Jun 1, 2011
2004 MINI COOPER. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH POWER STEERING *TGW THE CONSUMER HAS SPENT OVER $4800 IN REPAIRS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS. *JB
Incident date: May 27, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MINI COOPER S. WHILE PARKED THE CONTACT NOTICED THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION REPORTED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOT WHERE THE INSURANCE COMPANY WOULD INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE CAUSE OF FIRE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE ... Read more
Fire
MINI
COOPER CONVERTIBLE
(2005) - STEERING
Jun 1, 2011
Incident date: May 31, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THERE WAS A FAILURE WITH THE STEERING ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST. THE COST WOULD BE $1000 FOR THE REPAIRS. THE DEALER STATED THEY WOULD GIVE HER A RETURN CALL IF THEY REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ... Read more
MINI
COOPER CONVERTIBLE
(2005) - STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
Jun 1, 2011
Incident date: May 31, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THERE WAS A FAILURE WITH THE STEERING ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST. THE COST WOULD BE $1000 FOR THE REPAIRS. THE DEALER STATED THEY WOULD GIVE HER A RETURN CALL IF THEY REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55-60 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 82,500. UPDATED 06/13/11 *BF UPDATED 2/15/2012 *LN *TR
Incident date: Mar 1, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG MODULE WAS FAULTY. THE AIR BAG MODULE WAS REPLACED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,000. UPDATED 07/08/11*LJ
Incident date: Mar 1, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG MODULE WAS FAULTY. THE AIR BAG MODULE WAS REPLACED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,000. UPDATED 07/08/11*LJ
Incident date: Apr 15, 2011
THE AIRBAG LIGHT FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. ALSO, THE LIGHT WHICH INDICATES THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IS OFF COMES ON WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. CERTAINLY, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND WE BELIEVE BMW/MINI SHOULD FIX THIS AT NO CHARGE. *TR
Incident date: May 28, 2011
INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE. POWER STEERING HAS GONE OUT TWICE, BOTH TIMES THIS WAS NOTICEABLE SHORTLY AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE (BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY). IN THE FIRST INCIDENT, POWER STEERING RETURNED AFTER DRIVING ABOUT HALF A BLOCK. IN THE SECOND INCIDENT (A COUPLE MONTHS LATER), POWER STEERING DID NOT RETURN WHILE DRIVING (1 MILE), BUT RETURNED WHEN CAR WAS STARTED THE FOLLOWING DAY.... Read more
Incident date: May 26, 2011
I OWN A 2005 MINI COOPER. MILEAGE IS 43,070. MY POWER STEERING PUMP RECENTLY MALFUNCTIONED. STEERING BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP EVENTUALLY WOULD NOT TURN OFF AND CONTINUED RUNNING AFTER I TURNED OFF MY CAR. PART HAD TO BE REPLACED. I UNDERSTAND THAT A CLASS ACTION WAS FILED IN OCTOBER 2010 REGARDING THIS SAME PROBLEM. I AM WRITING TO LET THE NHTSA KNOW THAT MY POWER ST... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2011
I WAS DRIVING FROM EAST LOS ANGELES TO WEST LOS ANGELES (PLAYA DEL RAY) ON THE 105 WEST HGWY WHEN THE CARS TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. THIS HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY IN LA DURING RUSH HOUR. I HAD TO SLOWLY MOVE OVER TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY UNTIL I COULD FIND AN AREA WITH A SHOULDER. I BARELY MADE IT TO THE SHOULDER AND COULD HAVE DIED FROM ONE OF THE CARS SPEEDING PAST ME. LUC... Read more
Incident date: May 7, 2011
SUDDEN COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING. SEVERAL DAYS AFTER THE ORIGINAL BATTERY FAILED AND WAS REPLACED, THERE WAS A CONTINUING SOUND LIKE A FAN OR ELECTRIC MOTOR RUNNING CONSTANTLY. THIS NOISE CONTINUED UNTIL THE POWER STEERING CEASED COMPLETELY DURING A PARKING MANEUVER. AFTER THE STEERING FAILED THE PREVIOUSLY NOTED NOISE STOPPED.
Incident date: May 7, 2011
SUDDEN COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING. SEVERAL DAYS AFTER THE ORIGINAL BATTERY FAILED AND WAS REPLACED, THERE WAS A CONTINUING SOUND LIKE A FAN OR ELECTRIC MOTOR RUNNING CONSTANTLY. THIS NOISE CONTINUED UNTIL THE POWER STEERING CEASED COMPLETELY DURING A PARKING MANEUVER. AFTER THE STEERING FAILED THE PREVIOUSLY NOTED NOISE STOPPED.
Incident date: May 20, 2011
DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING....MADE IT HOME...CHECKED ALL FLUID LEVELS...ALL OKAY....GOT BACK IN THE VEHICLE THE NEXT MORNING TO TAKE TO SERVICE STATION AND POWER STEERING WAS WORKING AGAIN...GARAGE COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM...SCARED TO DRIVE IT NOW FOR FEAR OF LOSS OF STEERING AGAIN! *TR
Incident date: Mar 8, 2011
POWER STEERING FAILS. ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS THE POWER STEERING HAS FAILED, BOTH WHILE DRIVING AS WELL AS AFTER JUST STARTING THE CAR. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND I SEE NO PATTERN TO IT'S OCCURRENCE. TYPICALLY IT IS REMEDIED BY TURNING OFF THE CAR AND RE-STARTING. THERE HAS BEEN A FEW OCCASIONS WHERE IT WILL SPUTTER IN AND OUT BEFORE IT GOES OUT COMPLETELY BUT THE MOST COMMON OCCURRENCE IS... Read more
Incident date: Mar 8, 2011
POWER STEERING FAILS. ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS THE POWER STEERING HAS FAILED, BOTH WHILE DRIVING AS WELL AS AFTER JUST STARTING THE CAR. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND I SEE NO PATTERN TO IT'S OCCURRENCE. TYPICALLY IT IS REMEDIED BY TURNING OFF THE CAR AND RE-STARTING. THERE HAS BEEN A FEW OCCASIONS WHERE IT WILL SPUTTER IN AND OUT BEFORE IT GOES OUT COMPLETELY BUT THE MOST COMMON OCCURRENCE IS... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 70 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED AND THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED SEVERAL YEARS AGO BY A LOCAL MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC FOR THE MOST RECENT FAILURE FOR A REPLACEMENT TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND THE RACK AND PINI... Read more
Incident date: Jan 25, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO ADVISED HIM THAT THE TIMING BELT TENSIONERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. A FEW DAYS LATER HE HEARD A NOISE COMING IN THE ENGINE AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2007
POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE. FAILURE OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING, REQUIRING AN EXTREME EFFORT TO TURN STEERING WHEEL OR MAINTAIN WHEEL POSITION IF FAILURE OCCURS WHILE MANEUVERING ON A CURVED SECTION OF HIGHWAY. FAILURES BEGAN AS WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND IS NOW PERMANENT. BMW SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES WERE FAMILIAR WITH PROBLEM, STATING THAT THE CAUSE WAS FAILURE OF THE ELECTRO-HYDRAULIC... Read more
Incident date: May 23, 2011
EXITING THE FREEWAY ENGINE LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING AND I IMMEDIATELY LOST STEERING. TOOK ALL MY STRENGTH TO STEER IT TO SAFETY. SOME SMOKE COMING UNDERNEATH. LOCAL MECHANIC REPORTED THAT THE COOLING FAN FOR THE HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING HAD STOPPED AND EVERYTHING HAD OVER HEATED. MULTIPLE WIRES AND COMPONENTS COMPLETED MELTED. LOCAL MECHANIC DECLINED TO FIX AND TOLD US TO TAKE IT TO BMW/MINI TO FIX... Read more
MINI
COOPER CONVERTIBLE
(2006) - STEERING
May 23, 2011
Incident date: May 23, 2011
I HAD MY CAR FOR A WEEK AFTER GETTING IT BACK AFTER A VERY EXPENSIVE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT WHEN I WAS DRIVING IT AND TRIED TO TURN ONTO THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MAKE THE TURN AND I NARROWLY AVOIDED ENDING UP IN THE BAR DITCH. UPON, GETTING MY VEHICLE TO TOWN I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC. MY POWER STEERING HAS FAILED AND I WILL PROBABLY BE REPLACING THE WHOLE SYSTEM AT ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 20, 2011
POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE. THE FAILURE HAPPENED ON A SNOW COVERED CURVY ROAD, LOST CONTROL AND WENT INTO THE DITCH. NO DAMAGE, WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR SLOWED ENOUGH BEFORE CRASHING. THANKFUL NO OTHER CARS WERE IN THE OTHER LANE. WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR OUT UNDER ITS OWN POWER. WILL NOT DRIVE THE CAR NOW. *TR
Crash
Incident date: May 5, 2011
INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE CAUSING UNEXPECTED LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE CAR IS IN MOTION. *TR
Incident date: May 21, 2011
POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING AND DOES NOT RETURN UNTIL CAR IS CYCLED OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN. *TR
Incident date: Sep 1, 2010
THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY LOOSES POWER STEERING, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE POWER ASSIST CUTS OUT INTERMITTENTLY, AND WILL OCCASIONALLY COME BACK WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, THOUGH MORE OFTEN IT BEGINS WORKING THE NEXT TIME THE CAR IS STARTED. THE FREQUENCY IS VARIABLE - IT GOES MONTHS WITHOUT A PROBLEM AND THEN MAY HAVE THE PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL CONSECUTIVE DAYS. *TR
MINI
COOPER CLUBMAN S
(2008) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
May 19, 2011
Incident date: May 5, 2011
SHORT FALL OF TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER CAUSING OIL TO BE PUMPED OUT OF THE ENGINE RESULTING IN CATASTROPHIC ENGINE PROBLEMS AND/OR TIMING CHAIN ISSUES. *TR
Incident date: May 17, 2011
MINI COOPER S 2004- POWER STEERING FAILURE, GOING IN AND OUT, EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE THE VEHICLE AROUND CORNERS AND DISTURBING TO SAY THE LEAST. HAVE NOT TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP YET, APPARENTLY THIS IS A 'COMMON' PROBLEM ON MINI COOPERS OF THIS MANUFACTURING PERIOD, ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVE AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. I'M AFRAID THAT IF THIS HAPPENS WHEN I'M DRIV... Read more
Incident date: May 17, 2011
MAY 17TH WHILE TURNING LEFT AT AN INTERSECTION WAS TAKEN BY SURPRISE AT THE EFFORT SUDDENLY NEEDED TO TURN MY VEHICLE, CAUSING ME TO GO WIDER THAN NEEDED. NEARLY HIT ANOTHER MOTORIST TURNING LEFT IN OTHER DIRECTION. STOPPED TO CHECK FOR LOW FLUID LEVEL AND FOUND NO DEFICIENCIES. WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME WHERE I WILL PARK THE CAR INDEFINITELY. *TR
Incident date: May 15, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND FAN FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD RESEARCH THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2011
MY POWER STEERING BEGAN TO STOP WORKING AS I RODE. I WOULD PARK THE CAR, SWITCH THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTART AND THE POWER STEERING WOULD COME BACK. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES BOTH IN BACK ROADS AND HIGHWAYS. FINALLY LAST MONTH IT STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY AND NOW IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE AND REALLY A DANGER TO BE ON THE ROAD WITH. *TR
Incident date: May 18, 2011
1. NO EVENTS LED UP TO THIS FAILURE. IT OCCURRED SPONTANEOUSLY AFTER TURNING OFF MY CAR. 2. POWER STEERING PUMP STAYS ON AFTER CAR'S ENGINE IS OFF, AND THE PUMP WILL NOT SHUT OFF. THIS OCCURS EVERY TIME THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND PERSISTS UNTIL THE CAR IS RESTARTED OR THE BATTERY DIES. THE CONSTANTLY ON POWER STEERING PUMP IS KNOW TO LEAD TO FIRES OR SPONTANEOUSLY KILLING POWER STEERING WHILE DRIV... Read more