power steering!!??
 

This might seem silly and I am probably just going to answer my own question but the other day I was pulling out of a drive thru and my wheel wouldn't turn it was super heavy and difficult to turn. I turned my car off and restarted and the problem was gone!?? Then this morning the same thing happened as I was parking!! Could this be a huge problem or do I just need power steering fluid?

Did you check the level?

The power steering pump is electrical/ you could have a bad connection or the cooling fan is failing and it's overheating. Or the pump itself is failing

I checked the levels and it looks full but it also looks muddy!?? How do i know whether its an electrical problem or just the fluid levels? Do I just change the levels and just wait and see?

Is it bubble muddy or dirty muddy. Muddy is not good. Change it and see what happens.

it's dirty muddy, almost black!! Im waiting on the power steering fluid because i ordered the Pentosin CHF online. Also, is there a filter?? And where exactly is the electrical pump and cooling fan?

under the car center

so if i raise the car i'll be able to see it? Sorry if this seems stupid to you im a 21 yr old female and I just started learning all this stuff. I like to work on my car myself but i want to make sure im doing it right so thanks for all the help!!

yes jack up and secure it with jackstands dead center there is a round grate

Similar issue
 

I've encountered this same problem twice now, with the power steering failing in a parking lot or driveway restart. The issue with our car began about a month ago with an intermittent chiming noise -- kind of a cross between a ringing in your ears and the old department store elevator dings. The chiming kicks in soon after engine start, then it's off and on depending on whether we're going straight or turning. It's intermittent going straight and solid going round most corners. And sometimes it just plain goes away. I'm gathering from forums that this could be a full-on pump failure about to happen?

We have a 2006 R50 with 28K on it, bought it just over a year ago, and as I say, the steering-related noise didn't start until a month or so ago.

Any ideas, suggestions appreciated.

check fans and connectors for power

My car has been ringing for a while too!! My friends say my car sounds like a mouse squeaking. The noise is every time I move my steering wheel! I talked to one of my friends that works on cars (not minis) but he said it was normal!??? So if you're saying its a pump failure thing im screwed!?

no they sell new power steering pumps , or rebuilt ones I picked up a rebuild with a lifetime warranty for $250

ooooh!! where did you find those? and how would i know that-that in FACT is the problem?

As mentioned before climb under the car and look at the fan , is it running?
not running then check for voltage?
no voltage check fuse ?
voltage cooling fan not running bad fan? fan is replacable

Ebay has the reman units you have to be sure of the unit you need.

Bottom line if this is above your ability to troubleshoot you might want to take it to the dealer or a mechanic

Power Steering failure
 

Folks:

I just had my Power Steering in my 2004 Cooper S fail at 42000 miles also. After some research it has become obvious that this is a significant issue with a lot of owners. It seems that at as few as 20000 miles and characteristically at 40000 miles the fans quit overheating the pumps which subsequently fail. In my case, I had installed early a metal pan under the car to protect the fan as it had been advised to protect the fan from debris. It is not only an expensive repair that Mini will not give relief unless under the period of the warranty but most importantly it is definitely a safety issue. The steering goes absolutely hard when the pumps quit and though they may return function, at some point they die completely. If it unexpectantly goes out while you are driving you have a severe control problem.

I have lodged a report with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) through their online Technical Information Service (TIS). I urge you to do the same in order to get Mini to recognize they have a serious problem. Here is the website: http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/problems/trd/

This is such a significant issue that a number of enterprising companys are overhauling the pumps and want the cores in return. There has also been an upgraded pump made available OEM as there has been some recognition of a problem.

Please report your experiences here as well as to the NHTSA.

Best regards.

Thanks very much for the nhtsa link. This is something that really ought to be addressed. My car is going into the dealer next week, and I'm hoping this will be covered by warranty.

I called our local dealer first to see if there was any Mini program to replace the pumps and secondly to find out how much they charge. Just for the pump, not including the fan which should be replaced as well, it would be about $800 part and labor, probably close to $1000 all totaled. I bought the parts online: pump $420, fan $110, and two liters of Pentosin power steering fluid (which is a requirement of this system) $45. As I have been a mechanic for 45 years, it should not be too much a stretch for me to do it myself. But I will document it all and try to get Mini to accept some of the responsibility even though I am out of manufacturers warranty as it is truly a safety of driving issue and it is becoming apparent that this is a widespread problem. Just Google "Mini power steering problem" and you will see many write-ups including a movement in England to force a recall.

Maybe we can get NHTSA to do the same here.

Let us know how you do.

my fan works fine and there is good voltage, I;m guessing i just need to change the fluid...where's the drain for that??

Good news for me. It turns out my '06 was still under warranty, so the power steering pump replacement was covered (and the annoying chiming sound went away). My fault for not knowing when my warranty runs out (we bought this car 15 months ago), but many kudos to Tillman's German Auto in Santa Rosa, CA for alerting me to that fact. I'd taken it to them because I didn't want to drive the 70 miles to Mini of Concord, but for saving $1,000 it's not a bad drive.

Same but I was driving threw an exit!
 

Yeah I just picked up my 02 Mini and today the power steering went out on me and almost stuck me to the guard rail! it got really hard to turn the wheel,it almost felt like something got pined between my wheel and body..

I had to drive awhile before I could even get off the road so I had to tuff it out about 5 miles and no change it didn't come back on..

I got to work and parked went in then came back out and turned the car on problem gone!

I drove over 60 plus miles home at night with no issue on the way back.

What's up with that?

Power Steering failure
 

Mine went intermittent as well before it lost it entirely. This is becoming a real common story and people do not believe how difficult the steering becomes without the power assist.

I urge you to report your experience to the NHTSA so they can compile this information. This is really dangerous. You need to get the power steering pump and the cooling fan replaced ASAP. Also check for fluid leaks as the hoses go bad probably due to overheating. I suspect your system is out or really low on fluid. It requires PENTOSIN fluid, not ATF. But don't be fooled if you fill it up and it works. The system has been severely compromised.

I have lodged a report with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) through their online Technical Information Service (TIS). I urge you to do the same in order to get Mini to recognize they have a serious problem. Here is the website: http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/problems/trd/

Ok yup the power steering keeps going out when I drive longer distances,most of the time the other day I went to Burger King and it cut out on me in the drive threw,then again leaving for work.

I took it to the dealer I bought it from and he had it checked out.
Power steering fluid is clear,the pump they said was fine,he then said they replaced a switch that looked gummed up..He also mentioned the switch cost them 180. and they replaced the power steering fluid witch cost them 60. bucks

I drive home no issues the next day rite when I got the other side of town,there it went again so I pull over turn the car off then back on again,still gone so I drive a ways pull over into a service station turn off the car then on then I had power steering no problem.

So when should the power steering fan be running? I've looked under there at least 15 times and it's not been running,I had the air conditioning on and the car running after an hour drive and it's not going?

Yet the dealer says everything is working normally..

My dealer drove my car down to Winston Salem and they looked over the power steering and said the car is running fine,
My dealer asked if he should go ahead and replace the pump and Mini said No.

I needed to wait till it goes completely out so they can diagnose the problem,Thats write but what if they can't diagnose the problem cause the car has been turned into scrap metal if I end up recking it!

Fleazilla:

I had the same issue on my 04 Mini S and reported my experience in an earlier reply on this thread. The dealer, in my humble opinion, is being negligent. They have to know there is a power steering problem which starts with the fan quitting and overheating the pump as it has occurred frequently particularly in pre 2006 models. Just Google "Mini Power Steering Problem". Once the pump quits you can not steer the car without super human effort. This is indeed a safety issue when the pumps quit.

I suggest you do the following:
I have lodged a report with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) through their online Technical Information Service (TIS). I urge you to do the same in order to get Mini to recognize they have a serious problem. Here is the website: http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/problems/trd/

This is such a significant issue that a number of enterprising companys are overhauling the pumps and want the cores in return. There has also been an upgraded pump and caged fan made available OEM as there has been some recognition of a problem.

Please report your experiences here as well as to the NHTSA.

Best regards.

FYI:

FYI:

U.S. examining Mini Cooper steering


By BRAD CONSTANT

The government says there have been 54
consumer complaints about the steering in
the Mini Cooper.

　　
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration is investigating
Mini Coopers for unexpected loss of power steering.
NHTSA has launched an investigation of 2004-model Coopers after receiving
54 consumer complaints and a confidential number of field reports, the
administration stated on its Web site. The reports state that it is hard to
control the vehicle when the power steering fails.
The reports also say that the loss of power steering may be linked to the
failure of the power steering pump.
The company will provide information sought by the safety agency, a
spokesman for BMW, Mini's parent company, said.

NHSTA Opens Investigation on 80,000 2004-2005 Minis
 

An investigation ha been opened into potential power steering problems in Mini Coopers built by German automaker BMW AG.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Tuesday on its website that it had received 54 complaints about the loss of power steering in Mini Coopers from the 2004-2005 model years.

When the power steering stops working, it becomes more difficult for the driver to steer or control the vehicle.

The preliminary investigation covers about 80,000 Mini Coopers.

BMW did not immediately comment on the investigation.
I have had this problem and paid almost $900 for the repair. I have filed a complaint today with NHTSA. They said the more compaints files the beter chance of a recall and reimbursement for reapirs alreay completed.
Here is the link to the article. http://www.clickondetroit.com/automo...81/detail.html

Here is the NHTSA hotline phone number to file a complaint. Have your vehicle VIN available. Toll-Free: 1-888-327-423

Wrong Phone Number
 

Here is the correct NHTSA Hotline phone number to file a compalint.
Toll-Free: 1-888-327-4236

power steering fixed!
 

My dealer decided to go ahead and replace the pump, Turned out from what they said that the power couplink had broken off.

So they went ahead and replaced the hole pump,didn't cost me anything they went ahead and did it under warranty,So I have my Perma-grin back!

Mini power steering failure
 

Greetings. Well you can chalk up another unhappy mini owner with power steering issues.
I just purchased a used 2005 mini s about 2 months ago. (90 k) The 60 day warranty just expired.......go figure. Anyway, I live in Pa. (USA) where you must have your vehicle inspected once a year. Just recently I was introduced to a new semi high Pitched whirring noise from underneath the hood. Low and behold its the ps unit. My mechanic verified this today. Now ofcourse I asked hiïm how long do I have til complete failure ? Who knows. But so far I haven't had any hard steering ..yet. So here I go looking for a new pump. A pump that is already known to fail on minis with less than 10000 miles. Should I be a little leary? You bet your a s s! Let's look at this unit from a design standpoint. Most ps units that I'm familiar with are belt driven. Why on earth would a car maker especially BMW design such a thing as an electrical pump. Especially hydraulic where fluid pressures get extremmely high. I would think that the engine supplies plenty of power for a belt drive. Secondly, why mount the thing close to the ground where your most likely to collect dust and dirt? Probably one of the reasons the units are failing maybe due. To dust dirt and foreign matter getting into seals. I dunno. But as a starter Im going to try to find out what particular parts of the units are failing. Any links or info as always would be awesome thanks, Tom

Anyone in the US who wants the direct link to the On Line Form for filling out your power steering complaint , it's right here:


https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

I've gone to the dealer and there saying on my 02 R53 S that
The fan is only a stage 2 fan,meaning it only comes on if the car over heats

turned out the power coupling had failed in some way and was disconnecting while I was driving.

The dealer made good and paid to have a new Steering Pump put in.
Made me happy anyway..till the next 40-50,000

I was contacted by NHTSA today they are looking for a mini with power steering out for testing / prefer central ohio
pm me for details if you have a car that is defective at this time

I am aware of at least one law office preparing a class action lawsuit against BMW for the powersteering issues. They contacted me from a post I had made on a thread at North American Motoring forum. They wanted my story on the problems I had and the cost of the replacement of my 2004 PSP with only 45k on it. Hope it triggers a recall I would like to recover the approx. $900.00 I spent replacing mine.

I just spent $900 on my replacement parts...
The NHTSA is looking into this as well and might impose a recall /safety advisory

PS Unit whirring louder....
 

.... but I haven't lost the ease of steering yet. Sorry if Im in the wrong forum, but I posted here earlier about my mini's PS starting to make noise and after about 2000 miles, its gotten alot louder. Anyone have an idea as to what's going to happen next? Fluid level is fine, no leaks, etc. Gys, Tom

Is it the cooling fan or the power steering pump itself ???

man check your car properly if its need fluid then provide otherwise visit workshop

Bombsickles....dumb question. Did you check the P S fluid level?
My email notifications are what bring me back hereby the way. The only concern I have with my mini is this obvious problem with their neglect to manufacture a decent power steering unit. Shame on them. It so happens that the loud whirring noise that my unit has been making, suddenly stopped. Wtf? I still have power steering, the fluid is circulating properly and I haven't any leaks. I'm glad that the sound is gone, but what in the hell is up ? I wish mini would just come forward about this and make good with their screw up. If Air could afford to replace the unit I would have a long time ago. Okay, I'm done venting. And I'm certain a complaint Colombia such as this isn't going to do any good. Ill just wait til I can afford to replace mine and hopefully ill. Get lucky and see a recall before I spend my $. Peace, fellow Cooper hounds.

I'm betting that your cooling fan FAILED thats why the noise went away. Unfortunately this can overheat the pump and burn it out

Thanks for the heads up. I'll have to look into it as soon as possible. The funny thing is that the noise was related to when I turn the steering wheel to the right and left. The frequency of the humming would change. It was has if you could hear the fluid racing in slowing down through the pump
and the lines!