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Power Steering Problem Mini Cooper 02 Plate, and Lost Car Keys

46K views 22 replies 14 participants last post by  Jessapple 
#1 ·
Hi Everyone,

I have an 02 Mini Cooper with Chilli pack.

I went into town and everything was fine, I got in my car to come back from town and the steering was so heavy I could hardly move the car! Managed to get it home and have driven it since, but the power steering has obviously gone :confused: Is it likely to be the pump or could it be something minor like fluid or something electrical?

I'll have to take it to the garage because its getting unbearable but just wanted a heads up really.

I also recently lost my car keys... (I know) I have the spare but it doesnt have the central locking device so the alarm goes off often when I get in the car! Is the only place to get a replacement from a BMW garage? Costing £150!


Thanks in advance. :)

xx
 
#3 ·
WAIT!!

I just got my power steering pump replaced by a Mini Dealer (HR OWEN Holland Park). It's a common problem with Mini's and you're entitled to get the part and labour for free as a goodwill gesture!
Honest! paste the following into your browser and watch!
BBC - Watchdog: Mini power steering failures

Then ring this number: The Mini UK Customer Service line on 0800 777129.
I rung them and they told me to contact my nearest dealer. I then took the car in and they said that I'd have to pay for only the diagnostics (£80 incl VAT). When I collected it the next day he said that as a goodwill gesture, I didn't have to pay for anything. They even washed my car! Let me know how you get on!
 
#6 ·
Power steering gone this afternoon, first thing I do is look here

I'm really hopeful after reading the other stories on here. I just left Westfield, Stratford City car park and as I was driving out my steering wheel went stiff and it initially felt like I couldn't turn it at all. After realising it must be the steering, I slowly, carefully and difficultly drove home. Just had a look on here and seeing it's this, I am now hopeful it won't cost an arm and a leg to rectify. I have a 53 plate mini cooper with only 32,000 miles. I really hope this isn't a money spinner for Sytner, they charge me an arm and a leg as it is... :frown:

The BBC Watchdog article was very useful, as was the last comment written recently. Thank you
 
#7 ·
Power steering problem

QUOTE=Feebzy;3787092]Hi Everyone,

I have an 02 Mini Cooper with Chilli pack.

I went into town and everything was fine, I got in my car to come back from town and the steering was so heavy I could hardly move the car! Managed to get it home and have driven it since, but the power steering has obviously gone :confused: Is it likely to be the pump or could it be something minor like fluid or something electrical?

I'll have to take it to the garage because its getting unbearable but just wanted a heads up really.

I also recently lost my car keys... (I know) I have the spare but it doesnt have the central locking device so the alarm goes off often when I get in the car! Is the only place to get a replacement from a BMW garage? Costing £150!


Thanks in advance. :)

xx
 
#11 ·
Hi I'm new so please excuse me bit slow. So last night I went to my 52 plate 1.6 petrol mini one to go up the road and get some fuel before work the next day, got in the car and WOW! I thought I was in the gym I could not turn that wheel for love nor money.

No noise no warning light the fluid is full up to correct amount so I did the Google search an here I am I have got my car booked in for tomorrow morning at a cost of £90 but am very anxious about this good will gesture being applied to me on a car that's nearly 15 years old.

Just wondering if anyone has any tips for me to be aware of them trying to fob me off with the bmw/mini spiel

Thanks in advance
 
#14 ·
I will be interested in hearing your results as my 04 plate Cooper has an intermittent fault code with the power steering pump and if they are still fixing these then I will probably talk to my local mini dealer especially if it saves me the time and effort in swapping the pump out
 
#16 ·
Hi guys just had the phone call from mini and I'm slightly shocked I was expecting them to say that they had found the fault but I'm going to have to pay top wak for all of it.

Without any fuss from me the lady had got the diagnosis sent it straight off to mini uk for good will, had a reply, ordered the part and got it booked in for me to pick up tomorrow afternoon without me mentioning a thing.

So mini paid for part 100% I only got to pay for diagnosis test £90 and £77 for fitting so £167 all in and considering you can't get the part brand new mini genuine approved for anything close to that figure I'll take that as a small victory for me

2015 July and they seem to be still accepting good will so I advise any one who is worried about it give your local dealer a call and see if you can get it done. Thanks for all the members who are on this forum very helpful people I will be sticking around for any problems I come across in the future Thanks :)
 
#21 ·
You are lucky. I have just had the same problem, have a Mini Cooper S 52 reg. Although Mini UK offered to pay for the part, they are categorically refusing to pay for labour, which will be £395 to replace it, despite my argument that surely if Mini have accepted liability for a faulty part, why should I be liable for the cost of replacing it, which I wouldn't have to do if the part hadn't been faulty in the first place? They are also basically suggesting that I should have had a warranty in place to cover the costs of replacing MINI’s manufacturing faulty parts! Mini UK customer service also told me it was not a known issue, whilst everyone knows this has been well documented over the internet and newspapers and has been the subject of the BBC Watchdog programme. They are saying that this decision is final and cannot be further negotiated or discussed and they will be ready to revoke their "goodwill" for the cost of the part if I am not satisfied, which sounds like a threat to me. What I find unacceptable is that this is not age-related, my car has only reached 50,000 miles (it is also known that this issue occurs around the 45,000-50,000 mile mark), it is not an item that needs servicing or subject to wear and tear, so how can the argument of age/service/warranty come into it when it is a recognised FAULTY item?
 
#22 ·
I have just taken my Mini Cooper 52 plate to the local Mini garage only to be told that there is NO extended warranty on Power Steering pump, when I said it was all over the internet her reply was, "don't believe the internet", they want £50 to confirm, but when I said it had already been diagnosed on the MOT she was almost abusive saying we do not take what is on the MOT, I just laughed and contacted MINI Customer Services to see what they say.
 
#24 ·
So I bought my 2003 mini a few weeks ago and a few days later my power steering went. So I took it to a local garage and they stated that my power steering pump had problem broken (correct) and that it was going to cost between £500-£700 (CRIKEY ARE YOU JOKING!?)
Anyway in a panic I looked it up and came across this thread and I am so glad I did! I went into the closest mini garage to me and they at first said they were going to look at it and run diagnosis which would cost £90, then it could possibly cost me up to £750 to fix it. I mentioned I had seen this thread and that mini offer a goodwill deal sometimes but the advisor said he could ask about it but couldn't guarantee it. So i left it there overnight and the next day I am called up and told that mini will pay for the part but we will have to pay for the labour (£120 or so) which was not bad compared to what they previously said!!! Later when they called to say I could pick it up they said that mini have decided to pay for the whole thing, on my 12 year old mini!!! I was completely amazed and didn't even have to pay £90 for diagnosis, just £17 for the fluid going in the power steering pump. I was overwhelmed by minis service and am writing this to give people in 2015 hope that it can be fixed on older minis!
Thanks mini for your fantastic, fast and efficient service - I am chuffed!
 
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