BMW MINI - Power Steering Pump - Danger?

doughnutmachine

I used to drive a Land Rover Defender with no power steering, if I could drive that I don't see how a mini with no power steering is that difficult....

doughnutmachine

dacouch wrote: »

I'm really glad Watchdog did not over dramaticise Richard E Grant's daughter's incident

I have to admit I had a bit of a chortle when he went on how "it's every parents worst nightmare that a child is driving a car that breaks down". I'd type of imagine that a child actually dying would be a worse nightmare....

fred7777

willispv wrote: »

In closing, I would ask....... have you ever had a power steering failure in your vehicle, whatever the make? I have not in 20 years + driving. To see so many PSP failures for just one model of car must be worth further investigation.

I had a power steering pump fail on a 307 about a month ago.

These seem to be more common these days with electric pumps being less reliable than a belt drive mechanical system. In this case what made it especially annoying is:

1. Peugeot say it's a "sealed unit" when it isn't and there is at least one business making good money sending out reconditioned pumps with new seals in return for £200+ your old pump.

2. Garages want £800 for replacements as the pump alone costs £450 then there is 2 hours to fit and "it has to be programmed to suit the car". It doesn't if you get a pump from the same model, wheel size and engine size no programming is required.

In the end I managed to change mine for a £40 second hand one from ebay.

pleasurebear

Last Saturday, my daughter was manoeuvring the car when it suddenly lost power steering and she was unable to turn the steering wheel. The car was stranded in the road outside her home, blocking the road to traffic. Fortunately, her car was returned to her driveway. The power steering pump continued to run until the battery went flat.

She telephoned the Service Department of BMW dealer, Bowkers of Preston on Monday and explained the problem with the car and that she was unable to drive it and the battery was flat. Bowkers were most unhelpful. She was told to bring the car in for a diagnostic check, the fault could not be fixed at her home and that Bowkers did not offer a recovery service, so she would have to sort it out herself. Therefore, she contacted a local garage; Chapel Lane Garage, Longton, who provided the prompt and helpful service she had expected to receive from Bowkers.

Chapel Lane Garage diagnosed that the electric power steering pump had failed and replaced it with a new pump. She collected the repaired car on Tuesday at the cost of £437.

She has made a claim to BMW. Does anyone have experience of taking a similar issue to the County Court?

Retrogamer

pleasurebear wrote: »

Last Saturday, my daughter was manoeuvring the car when it suddenly lost power steering and she was unable to turn the steering wheel. The car was stranded in the road outside her home, blocking the road to traffic. Fortunately, her car was returned to her driveway. The power steering pump continued to run until the battery went flat.

She telephoned the Service Department of BMW dealer, Bowkers of Preston on Monday and explained the problem with the car and that she was unable to drive it and the battery was flat. Bowkers were most unhelpful. She was told to bring the car in for a diagnostic check, the fault could not be fixed at her home and that Bowkers did not offer a recovery service, so she would have to sort it out herself. Therefore, she contacted a local garage; Chapel Lane Garage, Longton, who provided the prompt and helpful service she had expected to receive from Bowkers.

Chapel Lane Garage diagnosed that the electric power steering pump had failed and replaced it with a new pump. She collected the repaired car on Tuesday at the cost of £437.

She has made a claim to BMW. Does anyone have experience of taking a similar issue to the County Court?

What year and mileage is the Mini?

Shambler

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/twitter/10193345/Richard-E.-Grant-given-replacement-for-daughters-car-after-Twitter-rant.html

flashg67

pleasurebear wrote: »

Last Saturday, my daughter was manoeuvring the car when it suddenly lost power steering and she was unable to turn the steering wheel. The car was stranded in the road outside her home, blocking the road to traffic. Fortunately, her car was returned to her driveway. The power steering pump continued to run until the battery went flat.

She telephoned the Service Department of BMW dealer, Bowkers of Preston on Monday and explained the problem with the car and that she was unable to drive it and the battery was flat. Bowkers were most unhelpful. She was told to bring the car in for a diagnostic check, the fault could not be fixed at her home and that Bowkers did not offer a recovery service, so she would have to sort it out herself. Therefore, she contacted a local garage; Chapel Lane Garage, Longton, who provided the prompt and helpful service she had expected to receive from Bowkers.

Chapel Lane Garage diagnosed that the electric power steering pump had failed and replaced it with a new pump. She collected the repaired car on Tuesday at the cost of £437.

She has made a claim to BMW. Does anyone have experience of taking a similar issue to the County Court?

Not sure it's the dealer's responsibility to get the car to them - that's what breakdown cover is for?

Now that you've had the pump done elsewhere, you might struggle to get anything out of BMW, but no harm in trying.Do you have the old part, and is it obvious, or provable that it's defective?

sooty101

Same problem with my 2004 mini cooper. 67,000 on the clock. Battery flat two days later. Changed the battery. Just read that it keeps working when the engine is turned off and could be a fire hazard . This is scary stuff. Taking it to Synter leicester asap. Will see what they say and keep you posted

Monkey28

Today I have contacted BMW in doncaster about my mini which has become victim to this known fault. The power steering failed yesterday and I could barely move the steering wheel. I called the AA who said it was the power steering pump.

Having looked at peoples experiences on here and the item on watchdog I contacted BMW U.K about any help with the cost and they said the local BMW garage would have to request this. I contacted the garage who contacted BMW U.K. to see if they would offer any 'goodwill' to help repair this. The quoted cost is £545 and given the low mileage of my mini I don't see why the pump should have failed aside this 'known fault'

BMW came back and said they wouldn't offer any help because of the age of the vehicle. It as an 04 plate but regardless it has only done 56000 miles!! I cannot afford to pay the cost but I need a car to get to work.

I love my mini but I won't be buying another one and shall be going to watchdog and vosa about this and anyone else I can!!

If anyone has any suggestions they would be greatly appreciated. :mad::mad:

Cin_gb

Monkey 28. If you really cant get anywhere with BMW than you can pick up refurbished or new pumps for a lot cheaper than BMW prices and having replaced one pump already on my girlfriends car they are quite easy to change. Realistically id say 1-2 hrs labour max in a friendly car garage if tools are not your forte. You will need a ramp to get the car in the air.


The bit that really amazes me about all this as a reliability engineer is that BMW have not identified the cause of the problem and put at least a service fix in place for these pumps.