Bmw mini drivers read this

gambitt

As you may have seen on bbc watch dog, there is a problem with the power steering on minis .

A petition has been started on the number 10 site to get vosa the goverment agency to recall the minis and have the fualt fixed for free.

the link is below

petitions.number10.gov.uk/bmwmini/

lets show bmw we wont take no for an answer.

also please post the link where you can.

gambitt

you need to type the h t t p part as wont let me put full link

oldagetraveller

Good luck with that, you'll need it! Vauxhall Merivas and Corsas have an all electric power steering system which is prone to failure. My own Meriva failed today (14 months old, 8000 miles!). Many owners have reported the same problem, if still within warranty it's fine and dealers will replace the whole steering column, control etc. Otherwise it's a £900 bill. It's been reported to VOSA as a potentially dangerous fault by many people but having just spoken to them myself they are not taking it any further after consultation with Vauxhall. No doubt the same will happen with BMW. Vauxhall, like all manufacturers trying to wriggle out will not admit to a problem
No doubt it will take a fatality when the failure has occured on a bend (for example) and the driver has not reacted fast enough or be strong enough to correct and the car doesn't negotiate the bend. VOSA state that there are many power steering failures and when it happens the car can still be steered without assistance. Well, modern cars which rely on and designed with power steering are much harder to steer than older counterparts without. I've now developed the biceps to prove it.
I'm lucky and mine will be done under warranty but what if a few days after the warranty expirs it happens again - a £900+ bill!

gambitt

blimey yeh, it costs alot.

yeh the steering is soo very heavy when the pump or motor goes, its a shock to those drivers that have only ever know power steering.

and its not easy any way. very heavy, like driving with 2 flats.

goldspanners

why not just fix it yourself? you bought an expensive car,so you pay expensive prices to repair it. they all break eventually.just some more expensive than others.
like anything else that breaks on it if its not under warranty then its up to you.

and a petition based on the facts that some guy in some garage somewhere says so is hardly going to make bmw sahke in thier boots is it?

hewhoisnotintheknow

another quality german car

tomstickland

You can still steer a car when the PAS fails. I disconnected my PAS pump belt and drove the car like that for months. The steering still works, just a bit heavier.

intranix

oldagetraveller wrote: »

VOSA state that there are many power steering failures and when it happens the car can still be steered without assistance. Well, modern cars which rely on and designed with power steering are much harder to steer than older counterparts without. I've now developed the biceps to prove it.

Sorry but you're kidding, right?

I really would not say that they are "much harder to steer", just somewhat different. Parking is another matter, but over 10mph any car could be driven without PAS with little effort.

michaels

I had the same thing happen on my fiat although it was 5 years old - eventually got the eps part from a breakers and got it fitted for 200 cf the 700 the stealers wanted. Fiat would not contribute despite low miles and fiat SH and a known fault. Steering is very heavy for parking even on a small car and might be a problem if it happened while cornering for example at low speed near at school.

Keith

tomstickland wrote: »

You can still steer a car when the PAS fails. I disconnected my PAS pump belt and drove the car like that for months. The steering still works, just a bit heavier.

I'm about to buy a PAS rack to cut off the PAS pump, which will change my rack to a "quick" rack. Kids today they don't even know they are born. :beer:

oldagetraveller

intranix wrote: »

Sorry but you're kidding, right?

I really would not say that they are "much harder to steer", just somewhat different. Parking is another matter, but over 10mph any car could be driven without PAS with little effort.

No I'm not kidding - RIGHT! I'm not referring to over 10mph. Most left and right turns are negotiated at less than that so if you think it's acceptable to need biceps the size of footballs then fine. Have you driven a modern power assisted car without? It's also more than a "bit heavier" too on mine. This could depend on the particular vehicle but I can only state what mine is like. So to generalise is wrong - my particular car IS very heavy to steer without PAS and I'm no weakling. I'm not entitled to a personal vehicle related opinion opinion?.
Yes, German cars, don't you just love them and the self appointed smart alec "experts" on here?:rolleyes: