IllustrationPOWER STEERING FOR THE LAST YEAR OR SO ONLY WORKS A FRACTION OF THE TIME. THE FIRST TIME IT WENT OUT WAS WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. LAST WEEKEND IT STOPPED WORKING AND DIDN'T WORK AGAIN FOR A FULL WEEK. VERY HARD TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE WHEN IT GOES OUT UNEXPECTEDLY. *KB
2005 Mini Cooper S
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Cooper S years
Owner complaints for the 2005 Mini Cooper S are substantially higher than the model-year median of 23.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Cooper S years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
150–25K
4525–50K
12050–75K
7275–100K
39100–150K
10150K+
301 reports with mileage · 13 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Steering. Review the 212 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 71 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports17 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
314 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER THE ENGINE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR PAD WAS FAULT…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MINI COOPER S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER THE ENGINE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR PAD WAS FAULTY AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM IN WHICH THERE WAS NO RESOLUTION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.
IN THE EARLY FALL, SEPTEMBER 2011, I ENCOUNTERED ISSUES WITH MY CAR NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. IT'S AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SO I KNOW THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD BE DOING TO CAUSE THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AND DRIVEN WITH CARE WHILE IN MY POSSESSION(I'M THE SECOND OWNER. NO SIMILAR ISSUES ON CARFAX REPORT). W…
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IN THE EARLY FALL, SEPTEMBER 2011, I ENCOUNTERED ISSUES WITH MY CAR NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. IT'S AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SO I KNOW THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD BE DOING TO CAUSE THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AND DRIVEN WITH CARE WHILE IN MY POSSESSION(I'M THE SECOND OWNER. NO SIMILAR ISSUES ON CARFAX REPORT). WHILE THE ENGINE IS COOL AND NOT YET AT ITS OPTIMAL TEMPERATURE THE DRIVE IS FINE AND YOU MAY NOT EVEN NOTICE A PROBLEM; HOWEVER, EVERY RIDE, ONCE WARMED UP THE CAR BEGINS TO SHIFT INCREDIBLY VIOLENTLY AS IT IS OBVIOUSLY STRUGGLING TO SWITCH GEARS. THIS OCCURS ALSO WHILE SLOWING DOWN AND THE CAR IS DOWNSHIFTING CREATING AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE "SLUNG" INTO A CAR FROM BEHIND(THIS HAPPENED IN THE MID SUMMER OF 2011). AFTER DROPPING THIS CAR OFF SEPTEMBER 15TH TO THE LOCAL MINI DEALERSHIP, I DID NOT HEAR FROM THEM FOR ALMOST THREE WEEKS. IN THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER I WAS CONTACTED AND TOLD IT LOOKS LIKE MY CAR IS VERY EASILY FIXABLE AND SHOULD BE READY SHORTLY. IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME THAT A SEAL HAD BROKEN ON THE TRANSMISSION LEAKING FLUID ONTO IT CAUSING THIS SHIFTING MALFUNCTION. WHEN THEY FINALLY TOLD ME I CAN PICK UP MY CAR(APPROXIMATELY OCTOBER 18TH) THEY REGRETTED TO INFORM ME THE PROBLEM WAS NOT ABLE TO BE FIXED AND I WOULD HAVE TO BRING IT ELSEWHERE AS THEY DO NOT REBUILD TRANSMISSIONS. NOW IT IS BACK IN MY POSSESSION WHERE I AM FORCED TO COMMUTE IN IT DAILY, DRIVING WORSE THAN IT WAS BEFORE I DROPPED IT OFF. IT NOW DISPLAYS "PE" FOR ITS CURRENT GEAR FROM TIME TO TIME. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY COMPLAINT I HAVE FILED FOR THIS CAR MATCHING OTHER CONSUMER COMPLAINTS. I AM A VICTIM OF THEIR FAILED POWER STEERING AS WELL. *TR
I WAS DRIVING DOWN BROOKWOOD STREET AND WENT TO MAKE A CURVE WHEN I REALIZED THAT I COULDN'T TURN THE CAR. I WAS ABLE TO PULL HARDER ON THE WHEEL AND MAKE THE CURVE. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE CAR OFF TO LOOK THINGS OVER,CHECKED THE POWER STEERING FLUID WHICH WAS FULL. I RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE STEERING WORKED AGAIN.I FINISH…
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I WAS DRIVING DOWN BROOKWOOD STREET AND WENT TO MAKE A CURVE WHEN I REALIZED THAT I COULDN'T TURN THE CAR. I WAS ABLE TO PULL HARDER ON THE WHEEL AND MAKE THE CURVE. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE CAR OFF TO LOOK THINGS OVER,CHECKED THE POWER STEERING FLUID WHICH WAS FULL. I RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE STEERING WORKED AGAIN.I FINISHED DRIVING TO WORK WITH NO PROBLEMS. WHEN I CAME OUT OF WORK I AGAIN HAD NO POWER STEERING AND HAD THE CAR TOWED INTO A SHOP WHERE THEY TOLD ME THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAD FAILED AND IT WAS GOING TO COST OVER $1300 TO FIX. I HAD THE REPAIR DONE BUT AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR AS THEY TOLD ME IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN EVEN WITH THE NEW PART. *TR
TEMPORARY LOSS OF POWER STEERING. AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS, I STOPPED TO FILL UP AT A GAS STATION. I THEN STARTED THE CAR AND BEGAN TO DRIVE OUT OF THE GAS STATION. I SOON NOTICED THE POWER STEERING WAS NOT WORKING. I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE, OPENED THE HOOD, AND PROCEEDED TO CHECK THE POWER STEERING FLUID. THE P…
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TEMPORARY LOSS OF POWER STEERING. AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS, I STOPPED TO FILL UP AT A GAS STATION. I THEN STARTED THE CAR AND BEGAN TO DRIVE OUT OF THE GAS STATION. I SOON NOTICED THE POWER STEERING WAS NOT WORKING. I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE, OPENED THE HOOD, AND PROCEEDED TO CHECK THE POWER STEERING FLUID. THE POWER STEERING FLUID RESERVOIR WAS FULL. I RESTARTED THE CAR AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES AND THE POWER STEERING WAS WORKING AGAIN. THIS TEMPORARY POWER STEERING LOSS HAS OCCURRED 3 MORE TIMES OVER THE LAST MONTH SINCE THE INITIAL INCIDENT DESCRIBED ABOVE. DURING THE LAST OCCURRENCE, I DROVE A SHORT DISTANCE BACK TO MY HOME WITH NO POWER STEERING. I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT STEERING WAS VERY DIFFICULT, NEARLY UNDRIVEABLE AROUND SLOW SPEED TURNS. THE STEERING EFFORT WAS MUCH MORE THAN MANUAL STEERING CARS I'VE OWNED IN THE PAST. *TR
POWER STEERING COMPLETELY FAILS. *TR
ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND AT RANDOM TIMES, THE POWER STEERING ON MY 2005 MINI COOPER S WILL STOP WORKING. AFTER RESEARCHING THE ISSUE, THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT PLAGUES ALMOST EVERY MINI SOLD SINCE 2002. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REFERENCE NHTSA ACTION NUMBER :EA11005, AS IT APPLIES TO MY PARTICU…
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ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND AT RANDOM TIMES, THE POWER STEERING ON MY 2005 MINI COOPER S WILL STOP WORKING. AFTER RESEARCHING THE ISSUE, THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT PLAGUES ALMOST EVERY MINI SOLD SINCE 2002. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REFERENCE NHTSA ACTION NUMBER :EA11005, AS IT APPLIES TO MY PARTICULAR ISSUE. *TR
NOTICED LEVEL OF POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LOW. NO APPARENT LEAK ON GROUND. NOTICED THE BOOTS ON RACK AND PINION ARE PRESSURIZED AND REALIZED THAT IS WHERE THE FLUID IS LEAKING INTO. *TT
THE POWER ASSIST FOR THE STEERING FAILS INTERMITTENTLY. OFTEN THIS OCCURS MIDWAY THROUGH A TURN. SOMETIMES TURNING THE CAR OFF AND RE-STARTING WILL RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, OTHER TIMES IT DOES NOT. REPORTED THE ISSUE TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND BEFORE I COULD FINISH THE SENTENCE THE TWO SERVICE WRITERS SAID THERE WAS NOT IS…
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THE POWER ASSIST FOR THE STEERING FAILS INTERMITTENTLY. OFTEN THIS OCCURS MIDWAY THROUGH A TURN. SOMETIMES TURNING THE CAR OFF AND RE-STARTING WILL RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, OTHER TIMES IT DOES NOT. REPORTED THE ISSUE TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND BEFORE I COULD FINISH THE SENTENCE THE TWO SERVICE WRITERS SAID THERE WAS NOT ISSUE WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP! WITHOUT THE POWER ASSIST THE STEERING IS VERY HEAVY. AS A STRONG, EXPERIENCED DRIVER I KNEW WHAT TO DO WHEN THE POWER ASSIST FAILED, BUT THIS WOULD BE VERY DANGEROUS FOR AN OLDER OR LESS PHYSICAL DRIVER SINCE THE ASSIST FAILURE IS SUDDEN AND WITHOUT WARNING. AS A DRIVER YOU GO FROM BEING ABLE TO CASUALLY STEER WITH MINIMAL INPUT TO INSTANTLY NEEDING TO FORCEFULLY TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR!!!! THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS 40,011 MILES AND CONTINUES TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM INTERMITTENTLY. *TR
I STARTED TO HEAR THIS WINDING OR LOUD HUMMING SOUND, DID NOT KNOW WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM..IT WAS EXAMINED BY A MECHANIC,,AND IT WAS THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILING, AND THE ELECTRIC COOLING FAN FAILING. READ ABOUT MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS STEERING PUMP ON 2005 MINI'S. THE COST WAS $1226.00 TO REPLACE. EVEN THOUGH I DID NO…
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I STARTED TO HEAR THIS WINDING OR LOUD HUMMING SOUND, DID NOT KNOW WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM..IT WAS EXAMINED BY A MECHANIC,,AND IT WAS THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILING, AND THE ELECTRIC COOLING FAN FAILING. READ ABOUT MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS STEERING PUMP ON 2005 MINI'S. THE COST WAS $1226.00 TO REPLACE. EVEN THOUGH I DID NOT LOST POWER STEERING, IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED AT ANYTIME. *TR
Official recalls
215V660000 · Steering:electric Power Assist System
Oct 15, 2015
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 MINI Cooper and Cooper S vehicles and 2005 Cooper and Cooper S Convertible vehicles. The affected vehicles may experience temporary or permanent loss of the electro-hydraulic steering assistance.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required at lower speeds, potentially increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: MINI will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the electro-hydraulic power steering system, replacing the components and wiring, as necessary, free of charge. Interim notices were mailed to owners on December 10, 2015. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.
15V205000 · Air Bags:frontal
Apr 6, 2015
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2005-2006 MINI Cooper and Cooper S vehicles manufactured January 5, 2005, to November 28, 2006, and 2005-2008 MINI Cooper Convertible and Cooper S Convertible vehicles manufactured January 5, 2005, to July 31, 2008. Due to manufacturing, installation, and exposure issues, the front passenger seat occupant detection mat may not function properly and, as a result, the front passenger air bag may not deploy in a crash.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An improperly functioning mat may cause the passenger frontal air bag to be inactive when the seat is occupied, and in the event of a crash, the air bag will not deploy, increasing the passenger's risk of injury.
Remedy: MINI will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger seat occupant detection mat, free of charge. The recall began on October 12, 2015. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2EA11005 · Loss Of Power Steering Assist
Opened May 4, 2011 · Closed Jan 5, 2016
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering; Steering:electric Power Assist System; Steering:hydraulic Power Assist System; Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:pump
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) originally opened the investigation of loss of power steering assist in model year (MY) 2004 and 2005 Mini Cooper as Preliminary Evaluation PE10-038.The investigation was upgraded to Engineering Analysis EA11-005 in May, 2011.During EA11-005 the scope was expanded to include MY 2002 and 2003 vehicles that use the same steering system.The subject vehicles now include MY 2002, the first year BMW sold MINI in the U.S., through mid-MY 2005 covering approximately 109,000 vehicles.The subject vehicles use an electrically driven pump to provide hydraulic pressure to a conventional rack-and-pinion steering gear.A pump, the electric motor, and an electronic control unit (ECU) are housed in a single component BMW calls a Power Pack.The investigation focused on contaminant-induced failure of the ECU resulting in a loss of assist without warning.When assist is lost mechanical steering is retained however increased steering effort is required to keep the vehicle on an intended path.Some consumers reported that restarting the vehicle (cycling the ignition switch) would often reinstate the steering assist.Additionally, and by design, assist can also reinstate during the drive cycle in limited circumstances.The unexpected loss of assist, and/or possibly the reinstatement of assist while driving, may contribute to a loss of vehicle control in certain driving situations.During MY 2005 production BMW introduced a revised Power Pack design (the ECU incorporated a conformal coating of the circuit board) which resulted in a significant reduction in failures.ODI identified 20 reports describing crashes consistent with a loss of power assist event possibly caused by a failure of the Power Pack.Two reports alleged an injury however both were minor in nature and did not require emergency treatment (a subsequent doctor's visit occurred in one case).Ten of these reports described low speed crashes with minimal, or in most cases no property or vehicle damage (e.g., striking a movable barrier in a parking lot).Additionally 27 other reports alleged or indicated that a crash occurred due to a Power Pack failure however in reviewing these reports, ODI either 1) was unable to confirm that a crash actually occurred (8 reports), or 2) determined that the crash circumstances (e.g., adverse road/weather conditions) or cause (e.g., the crash was caused by steering linkage failure) were not attributable to a Power Pack failure (19 reports).Throughout the investigation BMW maintained that loss of assist in the subject vehicles did not constitute a safety related defect, noting that the subject vehicles are smaller, light weight vehicles that can be reasonably controlled when assist is lost.In May 2013 BMW launched a 13 year/150,000 mile extended warranty coverage utilizing the redesigned Power Pack as a replacement part.ODI continued its investigation.In July 2014 BMW provided ODI a status of the ongoing extended warranty program, and in May 2015 ODI requested an update of complaint data.Following a review of the provided data, ODI informed BMW of its assessment that loss of steering assist failures were not adequately resolved by an extended warranty program.On October 12, 2015 BMW notified NHTSA that it would conduct a safety recall (15V-660) on approximately 86,000 subject vehicles not previously remedied with the new design Power Pack through regular or extended warranty programs.The recall covers MY 2002-2005 MINI Cooper, MY 2002-2005 MINI Cooper S, and MY 2005 MINI Cooper/Cooper S convertibles manufactured through Feb 9, 2005.Vehicles produced after this date are not included si
Additional source detail variants (4)
Steering
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) originally opened the investigation of loss of power steering assist in model year (MY) 2004 and 2005 Mini Cooper as Preliminary Evaluation PE10-038.The investigation was upgraded to Engineering Analysis EA11-005 in May, 2011.During EA11-005 the scope was expanded to include MY 2002 and 2003 vehicles that use the same steering system.The subject vehicles now include MY 2002, the first year BMW sold MINI in the U.S., through mid-MY 2005 covering approximately 109,000 vehicles.The subject vehicles use an electrically driven pump to provide hydraulic pressure to a conventional rack-and-pinion steering gear.A pump, the electric motor, and an electronic control unit (ECU) are housed in a single component BMW calls a Power Pack.The investigation focused on contaminant-induced failure of the ECU resulting in a loss of assist without warning.When assist is lost mechanical steering is retained however increased steering effort is required to keep the vehicle on an intended path.Some consumers reported that restarting the vehicle (cycling the ignition switch) would often reinstate the steering assist.Additionally, and by design, assist can also reinstate during the drive cycle in limited circumstances.The unexpected loss of assist, and/or possibly the reinstatement of assist while driving, may contribute to a loss of vehicle control in certain driving situations.During MY 2005 production BMW introduced a revised Power Pack design (the ECU incorporated a conformal coating of the circuit board) which resulted in a significant reduction in failures.ODI identified 20 reports describing crashes consistent with a loss of power assist event possibly caused by a failure of the Power Pack.Two reports alleged an injury however both were minor in nature and did not require emergency treatment (a subsequent doctor's visit occurred in one case).Ten of these reports described low speed crashes with minimal, or in most cases no property or vehicle damage (e.g., striking a movable barrier in a parking lot).Additionally 27 other reports alleged or indicated that a crash occurred due to a Power Pack failure however in reviewing these reports, ODI either 1) was unable to confirm that a crash actually occurred (8 reports), or 2) determined that the crash circumstances (e.g., adverse road/weather conditions) or cause (e.g., the crash was caused by steering linkage failure) were not attributable to a Power Pack failure (19 reports).Throughout the investigation BMW maintained that loss of assist in the subject vehicles did not constitute a safety related defect, noting that the subject vehicles are smaller, light weight vehicles that can be reasonably controlled when assist is lost.In May 2013 BMW launched a 13 year/150,000 mile extended warranty coverage utilizing the redesigned Power Pack as a replacement part.ODI continued its investigation.In July 2014 BMW provided ODI a status of the ongoing extended warranty program, and in May 2015 ODI requested an update of complaint data.Following a review of the provided data, ODI informed BMW of its assessment that loss of steering assist failures were not adequately resolved by an extended warranty program.On October 12, 2015 BMW notified NHTSA that it would conduct a safety recall (15V-660) on approximately 86,000 subject vehicles not previously remedied with the new design Power Pack through regular or extended warranty programs.The recall covers MY 2002-2005 MINI Cooper, MY 2002-2005 MINI Cooper S, and MY 2005 MINI Cooper/Cooper S convertibles manufactured through Feb 9, 2005.Vehicles produced after this date are not included si
Steering:electric Power Assist System
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) originally opened the investigation of loss of power steering assist in model year (MY) 2004 and 2005 Mini Cooper as Preliminary Evaluation PE10-038.The investigation was upgraded to Engineering Analysis EA11-005 in May, 2011.During EA11-005 the scope was expanded to include MY 2002 and 2003 vehicles that use the same steering system.The subject vehicles now include MY 2002, the first year BMW sold MINI in the U.S., through mid-MY 2005 covering approximately 109,000 vehicles.The subject vehicles use an electrically driven pump to provide hydraulic pressure to a conventional rack-and-pinion steering gear.A pump, the electric motor, and an electronic control unit (ECU) are housed in a single component BMW calls a Power Pack.The investigation focused on contaminant-induced failure of the ECU resulting in a loss of assist without warning.When assist is lost mechanical steering is retained however increased steering effort is required to keep the vehicle on an intended path.Some consumers reported that restarting the vehicle (cycling the ignition switch) would often reinstate the steering assist.Additionally, and by design, assist can also reinstate during the drive cycle in limited circumstances.The unexpected loss of assist, and/or possibly the reinstatement of assist while driving, may contribute to a loss of vehicle control in certain driving situations.During MY 2005 production BMW introduced a revised Power Pack design (the ECU incorporated a conformal coating of the circuit board) which resulted in a significant reduction in failures.ODI identified 20 reports describing crashes consistent with a loss of power assist event possibly caused by a failure of the Power Pack.Two reports alleged an injury however both were minor in nature and did not require emergency treatment (a subsequent doctor's visit occurred in one case).Ten of these reports described low speed crashes with minimal, or in most cases no property or vehicle damage (e.g., striking a movable barrier in a parking lot).Additionally 27 other reports alleged or indicated that a crash occurred due to a Power Pack failure however in reviewing these reports, ODI either 1) was unable to confirm that a crash actually occurred (8 reports), or 2) determined that the crash circumstances (e.g., adverse road/weather conditions) or cause (e.g., the crash was caused by steering linkage failure) were not attributable to a Power Pack failure (19 reports).Throughout the investigation BMW maintained that loss of assist in the subject vehicles did not constitute a safety related defect, noting that the subject vehicles are smaller, light weight vehicles that can be reasonably controlled when assist is lost.In May 2013 BMW launched a 13 year/150,000 mile extended warranty coverage utilizing the redesigned Power Pack as a replacement part.ODI continued its investigation.In July 2014 BMW provided ODI a status of the ongoing extended warranty program, and in May 2015 ODI requested an update of complaint data.Following a review of the provided data, ODI informed BMW of its assessment that loss of steering assist failures were not adequately resolved by an extended warranty program.On October 12, 2015 BMW notified NHTSA that it would conduct a safety recall (15V-660) on approximately 86,000 subject vehicles not previously remedied with the new design Power Pack through regular or extended warranty programs.The recall covers MY 2002-2005 MINI Cooper, MY 2002-2005 MINI Cooper S, and MY 2005 MINI Cooper/Cooper S convertibles manufactured through Feb 9, 2005.Vehicles produced after this date are not included si
Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:pump
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) originally opened the investigation of loss of power steering assist in model year (MY) 2004 and 2005 Mini Cooper as Preliminary Evaluation PE10-038.The investigation was upgraded to Engineering Analysis EA11-005 in May, 2011.During EA11-005 the scope was expanded to include MY 2002 and 2003 vehicles that use the same steering system.The subject vehicles now include MY 2002, the first year BMW sold MINI in the U.S., through mid-MY 2005 covering approximately 109,000 vehicles.The subject vehicles use an electrically driven pump to provide hydraulic pressure to a conventional rack-and-pinion steering gear.A pump, the electric motor, and an electronic control unit (ECU) are housed in a single component BMW calls a Power Pack.The investigation focused on contaminant-induced failure of the ECU resulting in a loss of assist without warning.When assist is lost mechanical steering is retained however increased steering effort is required to keep the vehicle on an intended path.Some consumers reported that restarting the vehicle (cycling the ignition switch) would often reinstate the steering assist.Additionally, and by design, assist can also reinstate during the drive cycle in limited circumstances.The unexpected loss of assist, and/or possibly the reinstatement of assist while driving, may contribute to a loss of vehicle control in certain driving situations.During MY 2005 production BMW introduced a revised Power Pack design (the ECU incorporated a conformal coating of the circuit board) which resulted in a significant reduction in failures.ODI identified 20 reports describing crashes consistent with a loss of power assist event possibly caused by a failure of the Power Pack.Two reports alleged an injury however both were minor in nature and did not require emergency treatment (a subsequent doctor's visit occurred in one case).Ten of these reports described low speed crashes with minimal, or in most cases no property or vehicle damage (e.g., striking a movable barrier in a parking lot).Additionally 27 other reports alleged or indicated that a crash occurred due to a Power Pack failure however in reviewing these reports, ODI either 1) was unable to confirm that a crash actually occurred (8 reports), or 2) determined that the crash circumstances (e.g., adverse road/weather conditions) or cause (e.g., the crash was caused by steering linkage failure) were not attributable to a Power Pack failure (19 reports).Throughout the investigation BMW maintained that loss of assist in the subject vehicles did not constitute a safety related defect, noting that the subject vehicles are smaller, light weight vehicles that can be reasonably controlled when assist is lost.In May 2013 BMW launched a 13 year/150,000 mile extended warranty coverage utilizing the redesigned Power Pack as a replacement part.ODI continued its investigation.In July 2014 BMW provided ODI a status of the ongoing extended warranty program, and in May 2015 ODI requested an update of complaint data.Following a review of the provided data, ODI informed BMW of its assessment that loss of steering assist failures were not adequately resolved by an extended warranty program.On October 12, 2015 BMW notified NHTSA that it would conduct a safety recall (15V-660) on approximately 86,000 subject vehicles not previously remedied with the new design Power Pack through regular or extended warranty programs.The recall covers MY 2002-2005 MINI Cooper, MY 2002-2005 MINI Cooper S, and MY 2005 MINI Cooper/Cooper S convertibles manufactured through Feb 9, 2005.Vehicles produced after this date are not included si
Steering:hydraulic Power Assist System
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) originally opened the investigation of loss of power steering assist in model year (MY) 2004 and 2005 Mini Cooper as Preliminary Evaluation PE10-038.The investigation was upgraded to Engineering Analysis EA11-005 in May, 2011.During EA11-005 the scope was expanded to include MY 2002 and 2003 vehicles that use the same steering system.The subject vehicles now include MY 2002, the first year BMW sold MINI in the U.S., through mid-MY 2005 covering approximately 109,000 vehicles.The subject vehicles use an electrically driven pump to provide hydraulic pressure to a conventional rack-and-pinion steering gear.A pump, the electric motor, and an electronic control unit (ECU) are housed in a single component BMW calls a Power Pack.The investigation focused on contaminant-induced failure of the ECU resulting in a loss of assist without warning.When assist is lost mechanical steering is retained however increased steering effort is required to keep the vehicle on an intended path.Some consumers reported that restarting the vehicle (cycling the ignition switch) would often reinstate the steering assist.Additionally, and by design, assist can also reinstate during the drive cycle in limited circumstances.The unexpected loss of assist, and/or possibly the reinstatement of assist while driving, may contribute to a loss of vehicle control in certain driving situations.During MY 2005 production BMW introduced a revised Power Pack design (the ECU incorporated a conformal coating of the circuit board) which resulted in a significant reduction in failures.ODI identified 20 reports describing crashes consistent with a loss of power assist event possibly caused by a failure of the Power Pack.Two reports alleged an injury however both were minor in nature and did not require emergency treatment (a subsequent doctor's visit occurred in one case).Ten of these reports described low speed crashes with minimal, or in most cases no property or vehicle damage (e.g., striking a movable barrier in a parking lot).Additionally 27 other reports alleged or indicated that a crash occurred due to a Power Pack failure however in reviewing these reports, ODI either 1) was unable to confirm that a crash actually occurred (8 reports), or 2) determined that the crash circumstances (e.g., adverse road/weather conditions) or cause (e.g., the crash was caused by steering linkage failure) were not attributable to a Power Pack failure (19 reports).Throughout the investigation BMW maintained that loss of assist in the subject vehicles did not constitute a safety related defect, noting that the subject vehicles are smaller, light weight vehicles that can be reasonably controlled when assist is lost.In May 2013 BMW launched a 13 year/150,000 mile extended warranty coverage utilizing the redesigned Power Pack as a replacement part.ODI continued its investigation.In July 2014 BMW provided ODI a status of the ongoing extended warranty program, and in May 2015 ODI requested an update of complaint data.Following a review of the provided data, ODI informed BMW of its assessment that loss of steering assist failures were not adequately resolved by an extended warranty program.On October 12, 2015 BMW notified NHTSA that it would conduct a safety recall (15V-660) on approximately 86,000 subject vehicles not previously remedied with the new design Power Pack through regular or extended warranty programs.The recall covers MY 2002-2005 MINI Cooper, MY 2002-2005 MINI Cooper S, and MY 2005 MINI Cooper/Cooper S convertibles manufactured through Feb 9, 2005.Vehicles produced after this date are not included si
PE10038 · Loss Of Power Steering Assist
Opened Sep 24, 2010 · Closed May 10, 2011
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering; Steering:electric Power Assist System; Steering:hydraulic Power Assist System; Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:pump
ODI has received 339 complaints alleging an unexpected loss of power steering assist while driving the vehicle.When the power steering assist stops working, drivers experienced difficulty in steering and/or controlling the vehicle.According to BMW drivers may experience either a temporary or permanent loss of power steering assist.BMW further advised that a temporary loss of power steering assist may be due to a malfunctioning cooling fan or an under-voltage condition in the power steering system.A permanent loss of power steering assist may be due to an error in the internal electronics, and may also result in the continuous running of the power steering pump.The VOQ complaints allege 5 minor crashes and 3 fires.The crashes are described as hit the curb.The fires are described as melted wires. There were no property damage claims.ODI has received similar complaints for other model year Mini.Additional information is required to evaluate the frequency, consequence, and scope of this issue.Accordingly the investigation has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (see EA11-005).
Additional source detail variants (4)
Steering
ODI has received 339 complaints alleging an unexpected loss of power steering assist while driving the vehicle.When the power steering assist stops working, drivers experienced difficulty in steering and/or controlling the vehicle.According to BMW drivers may experience either a temporary or permanent loss of power steering assist.BMW further advised that a temporary loss of power steering assist may be due to a malfunctioning cooling fan or an under-voltage condition in the power steering system.A permanent loss of power steering assist may be due to an error in the internal electronics, and may also result in the continuous running of the power steering pump.The VOQ complaints allege 5 minor crashes and 3 fires.The crashes are described as hit the curb.The fires are described as melted wires. There were no property damage claims.ODI has received similar complaints for other model year Mini.Additional information is required to evaluate the frequency, consequence, and scope of this issue.Accordingly the investigation has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (see EA11-005).
Steering:electric Power Assist System
ODI has received 339 complaints alleging an unexpected loss of power steering assist while driving the vehicle.When the power steering assist stops working, drivers experienced difficulty in steering and/or controlling the vehicle.According to BMW drivers may experience either a temporary or permanent loss of power steering assist.BMW further advised that a temporary loss of power steering assist may be due to a malfunctioning cooling fan or an under-voltage condition in the power steering system.A permanent loss of power steering assist may be due to an error in the internal electronics, and may also result in the continuous running of the power steering pump.The VOQ complaints allege 5 minor crashes and 3 fires.The crashes are described as hit the curb.The fires are described as melted wires. There were no property damage claims.ODI has received similar complaints for other model year Mini.Additional information is required to evaluate the frequency, consequence, and scope of this issue.Accordingly the investigation has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (see EA11-005).
Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:pump
ODI has received 339 complaints alleging an unexpected loss of power steering assist while driving the vehicle.When the power steering assist stops working, drivers experienced difficulty in steering and/or controlling the vehicle.According to BMW drivers may experience either a temporary or permanent loss of power steering assist.BMW further advised that a temporary loss of power steering assist may be due to a malfunctioning cooling fan or an under-voltage condition in the power steering system.A permanent loss of power steering assist may be due to an error in the internal electronics, and may also result in the continuous running of the power steering pump.The VOQ complaints allege 5 minor crashes and 3 fires.The crashes are described as hit the curb.The fires are described as melted wires. There were no property damage claims.ODI has received similar complaints for other model year Mini.Additional information is required to evaluate the frequency, consequence, and scope of this issue.Accordingly the investigation has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (see EA11-005).
Steering:hydraulic Power Assist System
ODI has received 339 complaints alleging an unexpected loss of power steering assist while driving the vehicle.When the power steering assist stops working, drivers experienced difficulty in steering and/or controlling the vehicle.According to BMW drivers may experience either a temporary or permanent loss of power steering assist.BMW further advised that a temporary loss of power steering assist may be due to a malfunctioning cooling fan or an under-voltage condition in the power steering system.A permanent loss of power steering assist may be due to an error in the internal electronics, and may also result in the continuous running of the power steering pump.The VOQ complaints allege 5 minor crashes and 3 fires.The crashes are described as hit the curb.The fires are described as melted wires. There were no property damage claims.ODI has received similar complaints for other model year Mini.Additional information is required to evaluate the frequency, consequence, and scope of this issue.Accordingly the investigation has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (see EA11-005).