Hi I'm new and this is my first Mini Cooper, I bought it with 25,000 miles and I have recently put 2,000 on it. Over time there has been an increasingly louder whining of the power steering and when I touch the fluid container there is a sort of vibrating/grinding feeling. Could it be the pump? I'm not sure. All I know is that I need to get this problem solved ASAP because I know it could turn very bad if I don't see to it.

It's a 2003 Mini Cooper base model.

 

The powers steering pumps do make a whine noise, its normal when you turn the wheel.

Check the fluid in the container near the firewall and its up half way ( its CHF 11s fluid only).

Also make sure you don't have a P/S leaks under the car. There is a Fan on the bottom that turn one sometimes when its hot or the a/c is on.

Here some issues and info if you believe there is something wrong beyond the normal whine noise.

Power Steering problems - North American Motoring



thanks