April 22, 2013 - There’s been a lot of complaining and lawsuits going around in Mini land when it comes to steering pump failures.
Just imagine you’re chugging down the highway cranking along at 60 or 70 miles per hour headed around a curve when suddenly….you can hardly move your steering wheel. As ice pours down your spine and sweat from your forehead. Then you are able to muscle the wheel and maneuver your mini around the curve where you then manage to skid to sickening halt.
Once you’re mind and heart begin to function again, you ask yourself what caused this loss of steering?
You’re power steering has just failed.
This is such a common feature in modern cars that drivers are almost totally dependent on it. Gone are the days when it took muscle to steer a vehicle.
Pre 2006 Mini Coopers are known to have power steering issues, especially the steering pumps. BMW, the owner of the Mini brand, has urged for dismissal of class action suits against them which allege they knew of defective equipment and continued to manufacture the same unit without blinking an eye. The Feds at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have been investigating these allegations.
With over 500 complaints related to the power steering issues and almost 3000 warranty claims related on just 2004 and 2005 models, the NHTSA figures there might be something to investigate. BMW seems to be sticking to their guns that the failure did not pose a safety risk because all the owners in these instances of failure were able to still control their vehicle.
So what do you think? BMW at fault or just a manufacturing misdemeanor? No harm, no foul? Leave us your opinion in the comment box below.
