BMW MINI - Power Steering Pump - Danger?

Unhappy_Custome

I totally understand everyone's anger and dismay here.

My powersteering failed once or twice previously but kicked back in again. Each time almost caused me to have an accident, one was on a very large and busy roundabout near my home, I took out three lanes as it just happened so suddenly, luckily I didn't hit anyone.

I called Mini for a quote to have it fixed and their quote at the time was quite expensive, then it started working again fine so I left it.

This weekend it went again and has gone for good. I was a few villages from home so tried to manouver it back (with assistance from a male friend) but whilst doing so have pulled muscles in my back and hurt my wrist.

I called Mini again for a requote and they quoted as follows:

- £141 just to look at the car, and report problem to Mini UK

- £130 PER HOUR to fit a new part if required, obviously it will be required (although how long will that take!!!!!???)

- Then up to £800 for the part

Also I willl have to wait at least two weeks for them to even look at it!

I asked whether there would be any part reimbursement seeing as it is a common fault and they said possibly up to 50% but cannot confirm anything! Still, £500 is a lot of money for me to cough up when I live on my own and have to pay all the normal household bills and rent.

I have emailed Mini UK directly now in the hope that someone will cut me some slack here and help out.

I am extremely upset with Mini, I loved the car and told everyone how good it was, but I take that back now! Seeing as it's a common fault why should we have to pay the full brunt of it.

Very upset customer, for what seemed a great little car. Let's hope people read the forums prior to purchasing a car, like I wished I had.

lee1157

" Hi - Can anybody help

We have had a steering pump failure on our 2001 mini cooper, my wife had been complaining of the steering failing and the car being intermitently undriveable when going around a roundabout. Luckilly the battery was flattened later that day after she parked up at sainsburys (A result of the failure means the pump carries on running?) so she didnt get chance to run anybody over that afternoon! When the Green Flag Rescue came they started the car but warned me that their maybe a fault with the electrics on the power steering pump and the car might not be safe to drive and made us aware of the watchdog problem. Green Flag followed me home in it and said they would transport it wherever the following day if needed.

Concerned for the safety of my kids, when I got home I logged onto the web to see if it was a common fault and up popped up your forum and the watchdog piece, I was livid that this had not been recalled, my children had been driven around in a death trap and over a 1000 people on this forum have experienced the same fault - what does it take for a recall - people to die!! this could be another Toyota/lexus...

On Watchdog somebody spoke of a fire and to not leave a car in the garage if the pump had failed as it would still run and maybe catch fire, I went into the garage and their was a burning smell and the pump was still running. As the car wouldnt start as the battery had flattend again I pushed it out of the garage, not only where BMW happy for a faulty part not be recalled, but they where going to burn my bloody house down as well!

I immediately rang BMW helpine from the number provided by watchdog as I was naturally worried for my wife and kids safety. A decent gent at BMW initimated it would be covered by goodwill, he commented that the pump should last the duration of the vehicle or at least 100,000 miles (Ours has done 81,000) and they are aware of the failures. I was told I needed to take it into local BMW MINI dealer (BLUE BELL WILMSLOW) which I did that afterrnoon and they said to me I needed to pay a £90 inspection fee, I stated that the Green Flag had said it was the pump, so why the £90? company policy was the response.

BLUE BELL rang me back this morning and confirmed following the inspection that it is the faulty steering pump, and said it was £600+ and they would put a goodwill request to BMW this afternoon.
To try and speed things along, I rang BMW head office this afternoon who have denied that anybody had said it would be covered by goodwill even after giving me a unqiue reference number to give to Blue Bell BMW for the goodwill claim.On the phone a very abrupt and not at all understanding member of BMW customer services team said that irrelevant of a goodwill request they are only covering vehicle of up to six years old !!! I am livid.

I have now received a call from BLUE BELL WILMSLOW this afternoon who have said the faulty part will not be replaced under a good will request.

I have sent this forum entry to the gent who I originally spoke to who efficiently gave me my individual reference number. I am going to give BMW them the opportunity to deal with this issue before I send it to my brief, our MP and notify the local and national press.

This is an absolute disgrace and shows complete negligence on BMW's part.

Yours very angry

Lee"

WillMac75

I just had the same problem with an 05 Cooper Convertible - steering failed on me and BMW take no responsibility and denied my dealership's request for goodwill contribution despite the car being under a month out of warranty - I am disgusted and will be cancelling an advance order for the Countryman that we just placed! My local dealership Sytner of Sheffield were great - BMW not so much!

sm2612

My girlfriends 51 reg Mini One steering failed on Saturday evening, resulting in her mounting a kerb on a busy London street, luckily it was past midnight and no one was walking otherwise it could have been tragic. AA rescued the car and released the steering so that we were able to drive it to our local Mini garage, Synter at Ascot. They have informed us that it is the Power Steering Pump and want to charge us upwards of £650. I quickly done a google search to be confronted with hundreds of forums such as this all with similar problems and the Watchdog programme. I have spoken to Mini told them I am now aware of this problem and that it should be covered like other people on these forums. They are saying because my car is over 6 years old it cannot be considered for good will. However, if the problem only exsists on 2001-2005 minis, most of these cars are over 6 years old now and this is their way out!! Even though the Watchdog programme was in 2009 this would still have affected over 3 years manufacture of cars.

I am appalled, at how Mini can continue to try to charge people for a problem which is so evident. The quality of BMW/Mini customer service also leaves a lot to be desired. Her answer to me was that we are going to have to agree to disagree on this, which is easy for her to say when she isnt being faced with a bill of over £650!!!!

As soon as this problem is resolved, I am selling this Mini ASAP............any takers?!!!!!!!!!!

mininotone

Hello

My powersteering failed on Thursday on my 54plate mini one, its still at BMW now. The dealer submitted the goodwill claim, and I was told by the dealer that mini won't pay a penny, because the car is over 6 years old (just!) and that it hasn't got a full bmw service history! I have rung mini direct after reading the watchdog webpage and the articles here, who have asked the dealer to re submitt the request "manually" apparently this will go to the highest customer service manager who will decide!, did you end up having to pay??? Have mentioned small claims court to mini...

hopester

I have a 54 mini cooper that has only done 40,000 miles. The other night while whizzing home round a bendy bit of road my steering suddenly went very heavy, luckily nothing was coming and i managed to get my car back on my side of the road! I limped it home and rang my brother who had a look and sure enough it is a major problem! After rining BMW they told me it would not be covered and it was not a common problem!!!! Which was clearly a lie!!! Luckily my local Nationwide garage where more than happy to have a look and my warrenty company where quite happy to pay for my replacement steering pump. The fact that BMW will not take responsible of this problem is a farce! The only good thing that has come out of this is my increased biceps and the fact I won't buy from BMW again!!!

keithuk

If your mini has not been serviced by a main dealer, was not bought from a main dealer or is more than 6 years old no chance of a contribution so I was told by Mini UK today. To add insult to injury I was told that AFTER they told me to have an expensive diagnostic at main dealer. The reason they told me is they want to reward loyal customers, what a laugh pay £16k for a car but you're only treated as loyal if you spend a couple of extra pounds on main dealer service, what about a reward for paying £1000's for the car in the first place!
Long and short is that in my opinion Sale of Goods Act applies as it is not reasonable for a steering pump not to last the life of a car or 100,000 miles.
We can either moan here or do something about it. I will be issuing proceedings tomorrow through the small claims court. If we all did that they'd soon take notice but if we don't guys and gals all of our moaning will fall on deaf ears. Anyone want to do a class action drop me message.
By the way mini 2 currently showing 1031 people who have had 1 or more steering pump faults - 43 have had more than 3, so don't think when it's replaced it's over. We really need to act on this.

billycove

has anyone had any information regarding taking bmw mini to court regarding the many problems with power steering danger/my daughter had a very close accident over the power steering actually stop while driving mini customer care NOT very accomidating :mad:

NoSatisfaction

BMW has no contract with you if you didn't buy the car from them.

If the car is over 6 years old there is no comeback at all on BMW.

Mileage is not relevant because it may have been 100,000 miles on good straight roads or 20,000 miles on horribly potholed twisty back streets. Parts wear out.

I was always taught to hold the steering wheel tightly because power steering can fail. The car is still drivable without power steering, it is just a luxury to make life easier for drivers and any accidents as a result of power steering failure are likely to be the fault of the driver not being in control of the vechicle!

Have a go at driving old front wheel drive iron engined diesels without power steering to get some practice!

TheSaint_2

I used to have a non-power steering car and yes it was harder to steer than normal power assisted cars of today - but it was still much much easier than driving any car that has had its power assist fail.

The problem is that new cars are designed to have the power steering all the time and not set up in the same way as the old. So the comparison isnt really fair. If my steering went on my car I would imagine I would probably get into trouble too!