The Mini One of Woe - what do I do?

C1aire

I have a 54 plate Mini One which has developed an intermittent steering problem. Every so often, the PAS gives out, leaving the steering incredibly heavy and almost impossible to use. Google tells me this is a common fault with 1st gen Minis and it's the steering pump.

I bought the car 11 months ago from a non-BMW dealership. I also purchased a warranty through Warrantywise which expires in about a month.

The garage can't find a problem. I have explained that it's intermittent, I've explained that there's a known fault but no dice. They won't put a claim in to the warranty unless they can see the problem for themselves. They have however priced up replacing the pump and quoted me £700/£800. I cannot afford this. This is why I purchased the warranty.

I just don't know what to do. I'm terrified of driving it in case anything happens.

Very grateful for any advice any MSE-ers may have

atrixblue.-MFR-.

Mini's have a common issue of failing PAS pumps. what you describe is one failing or you've failed to keep it topped up with fluids.


If the pump is failing then you have three options. have yours removed and reconditioned (cheaper BUT longer down time), or buy a replacement already reconditioned pump the cheapest you can find and have it fitted, or have the garage supply and fit.

oscarward

have you spoken to warranty wise directly rather than the garage saying they won't talk to them.

C1aire

Fluid levels are topped up.

Have spoken to warrantywise - they won't do anything without an assessment by the garage. Garage won't submit an 'anecdotal' assessment - one of them had to be there and see it actually broken.

Spoke to BMW (well, you never know...) - they wouldn't extend a goodwill gesture as they have for other cars with this fault as the car doesn't have a full service history with a BMW garage. I feel like I've exhausted all avenues.

It is something that would be covered by the warranty, I just can't believe that I'm going to have to shell out for it myself because it hasn't happened when a mechanic has been driving it. I could understand if it was something like the electric mirrors, but dodgy steering could be fatal �� I'm worried that if something did happen, I might invalidate my insurance by driving a car I know is faulty - is this likely or am I overreacting?

I've half a mind to ask the garage for a written statement to the effect that they can find no fault with the steering, just in case...

Retrogamer

If the garage did indeed find it was defective, i wonder if the warranty company will cover it.

I don't mean to be pessimistic but they often like to cover themself with making statements like wear and tear isn't covered and a steering rack or powser steering pump is an item that does war with use - Although on most cars it will outlast the rest of the car.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

C1aire wrote: »

Fluid levels are topped up.

Have spoken to warrantywise - they won't do anything without an assessment by the garage. Garage won't submit an 'anecdotal' assessment - one of them had to be there and see it actually broken.

Spoke to BMW (well, you never know...) - they wouldn't extend a goodwill gesture as they have for other cars with this fault as the car doesn't have a full service history with a BMW garage. I feel like I've exhausted all avenues.

It is something that would be covered by the warranty, I just can't believe that I'm going to have to shell out for it myself because it hasn't happened when a mechanic has been driving it. I could understand if it was something like the electric mirrors, but dodgy steering could be fatal �� I'm worried that if something did happen, I might invalidate my insurance by driving a car I know is faulty - is this likely or am I overreacting?

I've half a mind to ask the garage for a written statement to the effect that they can find no fault with the steering, just in case...

having no PAS wont affect your ability to control the vehicle, ive driven cars with no PAS due to pump failure and although gives your arms a workout wont affect the ability to steer its just like driving an old vehicle with mechanical non hydraulic steering rack. once your going the steering becomes lighter once stationary heavier but workable.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR6.TRC1.A0.H0.Xmini+power+steering+pump.TRS0&_nkw=mini+power+steering+pump&ghostText=&_sacat=0


When I was working in a factors we sold recon pumps for these at £169.99 IN VAT. where a garage is coming from with a nearly £1000 to fit and supply I don't know but you really need to shop around and not be fobbed off with some jargon.

C1aire

atrixblue.-MFR-. wrote: »

When I was working in a factors we sold recon pumps for these at £169.99 IN VAT. where a garage is coming from with a nearly £1000 to fit and supply I don't know but you really need to shop around and not be fobbed off with some jargon.

Thanks for this - very good to know! Is it a difficult part to fit, do you know? I'm not about to do it myself, but it'd be helpful to have a rough idea of how many man hours are required.

I know that there is still steering, but the effort needed to turn the wheels is immense - clearly I need to get busy with the dumbbells because I can barely turn the wheel! Pretty scary when it happens on a tight bend down a narrow country lane..

captainawsome

I totally understand your concern with not driving the car, although you can still use the steering without assistance having PAS fail half way around a corner would need some seriously quick thinking and seriously big arms to correct quickly enough to avoid 'running on'.

The pump is easy to fit. Half an hour job give or take.

I would either give the garage the car for a few days and tell them to keep running it untill it fails or find another approved garage. How intermittent is the fault?

Richard53

captainawsome wrote: »

I totally understand your concern with not driving the car, although you can still use the steering without assistance having PAS fail half way around a corner would need some seriously quick thinking and seriously big arms to correct quickly enough to avoid 'running on'.

Personally, I wouldn't be driving the car until it's been fixed (possibly to the garage, with great caution). I had the PAS go when driving my wife's Cavalier round a tight bend on a country road, and it was all I could do not to put the thing in the hedge. The effort to turn the wheel seemed immense, although of course that could just be due to years of not heaving a heavy manual steering round. It was a right-hand bend, and I only just kept it on the road. If it had been a left-hander and something coming the other way, I might not have been so lucky.

C1aire

Richard53 wrote: »

I had the PAS go when driving my wife's Cavalier round a tight bend on a country road, and it was all I could do not to put the thing in the hedge.

This! I spend a lot of time on country roads and have already had one close shave with a ditch.

The garage have the car at the moment and have been told to keep driving it until one of them has a close shave with a ditch!

IamNotAllowedToUseMyName

C1aire wrote: »

This! I spend a lot of time on country roads and have already had one close shave with a ditch.

The garage have the car at the moment and have been told to keep driving it until one of them has a close shave with a ditch!

I knew someone with a Peugeot 206 who had power steering fail on the motorway and he collided with another car as he couldn't react in time.

It is not true that a modern car with failed power steering is like driving an old car without, the gearing of the steering is much higher and the design of the steering is much heavier and the steering wheel is much smaller so less leverage. An old car designed to work without power steering typically had quite light steering once moving, a modern car can still be extremely heavy at speed. Steering pump went on my Ford Explorer some years ago and wife had to abandon it in the middle of the road as it was physically impossible for her to turn the wheel and the rescue company had an extremely difficult job getting it on the low loader.

So I would say it was undrivable.