2006 Mini Cooper S

MY 2006 R53 ONLY HAS 40,000 MILES AND OUT OF NOWHERE THE STEERING BECAME PERIODICALLY STIFF. AFTER PERSISTING FOR 2 WEEKS, IT HAS BECOME INCREDIBLY HARD TO MOVE THE WHEEL AND THE PUMP SEEMS TO HAVE CUT OUT COMPLETELY. IT IS MUCH STIFFER THEN ANY CAR WITH MANUAL STEERING THAT I HAVE EVER TRIED, RENDERING MY MINI TOTALLY UNDRIVEABLE. SOMEHOW THE COOPER S IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL FROM TRANSPORT CANADA? ( HTTP://WWWAPPS.TC.GC.CA/SAF-SEC-SUR/7/VRDB-BDRV/SEARCH/RECALLDETAIL.ASPX?LANG=ENG&RN=2012029 ) *JS

BRAND NEW VEHICLE WAS TOWED IN FOR REPAIR AT 7,308 MILES 1/27/10 VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN FOR SERVICE DUE TO MISFIRES 1/27/810. MINI SERVICE CLEANED FUEL SYSTEM AND PROVIDED "COURTESY" FIRST TIME INJECTOR SERVICE. VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ME AND BROUGHT BACK THE NEXT DAY FOR THE SAME MISFIRE FAULTS 2/2/10, HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED AND FUEL RAIL WAS REMOVED. 7,318 MILES, 10 MILES LATER... THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED IN AGAIN FOR COMBUSTION MISFIRES 24,491 MILES 8/12/11 BROUGHT VEHICLE IN FOR STRANGE NOISE, MINI SAID IT WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. 24,783 MILES 8/18/11 VEHICLE WAS TOWED IN DUE TO ENGINE SEIZING...TURBO CARBON BUILD UP, TURBO FEED LINE ISSUES 33,124 MILES 01/31/12 VEHICLE WAS MAKING NOISES, BROUGHT IN TO SERVICE, MINI SAID THEY WOULD NEED TO INSPECT THE CAR CLOSER TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. I SCHEDULED A SERVICE AND LOANER FOR 2/1/12 (REPORT SAID THAT THERE WERE MISFIRE ISSUES, I WAS NOT INFORMED...UNTIL I NOTICED IT ON THE REPORT A WEEK LATER) 33,250 MILES 2/1/12 VEHICLE WAS TOWED IN ENGINE SEIZED, ENGINE COMPLETELY REPLACED. MINI CLAIMS THAT THIS IS NOT A LEMON IN ANY WAY AND THAT I WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO PAY FOR MY LEASE UNTIL THE CONTRACT END. I FEEL UNSAFE DRIVING A CAR, WITH A TRACK RECORD OF SEIZING OR MISFIRING AT ANY TIME ON A HIGHWAY OR ROAD, PUTTING ME IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH. UPON RESTART, THE VEHICLE WOULD OPERATE AS NORMAL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD INTERMITTENTLY SEIZE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,650. UPDATED 03/05/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS ULTIMATELY TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE STALLING. UPDATED 03/06/12

MY POWER STEERING IS GOING IN AND OUT. I MIGHT HAVE IT, AND DRIVE ANOTHER MINUTE ITS NOT WORKING. THE CAR ONLY HAS 58740 MILES ON IT I HAVE HAD IT CHECKED OUT AND THE PUMP SEEMS TO BE THE PROBLEM. MINI SAYS THERE IS NOT PROBLEM WITH THEIR STEERING PUMPS BUT WHEN I GO ON LINE AND CHECK THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AT THE SAME APPROXIMATE MILEAGE MARK GIVE OR TAKE A FEW. THIS IS OVER A THOUSAND DOLLAR FIX. IS MINI GOING TO WAIT UNTIL THERE ARE ENOUGH ACCIDENTS BEFORE THEY ADMIT THERE IN PROBLEM? I HAVE CHECKED THE FLUID AND THE FAN ALL IS WORKING AND FINE. IT'S JUST THE MALFUNCTIONING PUMP. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MINI COOPER S. THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL GRINDING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING AT ANY SPEED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT TO REPLACE THE SUPER CHARGER ASSEMBLY, WATER PUMP ASSEMBLY, BYPASS VALVE, AND THE ANTI FREEZE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 92,000.

THE PAX AIRBAG LIGHT BOTH ON DASHBOARD AND ABOVE REAR VIEW MIRROR ARE LIT AND STAY THAT WAY AFTER A PERIOD OF ON AND OFF WITH SOMEONE STATING IN THAT SEAT. ON THE BLOG OF MINI COOPERS A LOT OF COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS HAPPENING IN BMW THE MAKER OF MINI COOPERS AND THE 05, 06 MINI COOPER MODEL. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE! A VERY EXPENSIVE FIX AT $1500.00 WHEN IS THERE GOING TO BE A RECALL? *TT