Parked my car with a valet. Returned in an hour. It would not start. There was a smell as if something had burned. They jump started my car. As I began to drive the power steering was out. Immediately drove it to my car repair shop. By the time that I had traveled the 2 miles, the engine was heavily smoking. My car repair shop says that the power steering pump electrically malfunctioned - internal failure of the power steering pump.

- Chicago, IL, USA

Simply driving to the store on my day off the power steering abruptly stopped, making the vehicle extremely hard to control. I turned around and headed back home slowly. I parked it and researched the issue. First I found out how expensive a new pump was. Then I had to wait till I could afford to buy one. But even the new one does not work. I installed it yesterday 18 Apr 2015. I followed strict instructions and made sure everything was clean and secured. But when I lowered the car and started it the new pump did not operate at all, hence the car is still unusable.

- Sterling, CT, USA

The power steering on my 2006 MINICooper spontaneously combusted, melting the power steering harness and draining the battery. The incident went like this: When we returned from an extended vacation, the car wouldn't start because of a dead battery. We jumped started it using jumper cables. When I tried to drive away, there was no power steering. We had the car towed to the MINIdealership, where they discovered that the wiring harness had "melted into the pump." Because of the "known defect" in similar MINImodels and the car's low mileage, MINIusa and the dealership replaced the power steering kit and the battery for no charge.

- Kirkland, WA, USA

Steering became choppy, not smooth, it continues to deteriorate to a dangerous state of operation.

- Florham Park, NJ, USA

I was driving on the highway. My car swerved to the right. I pulled left to correct the car and it began to fishtail swerving left and right and I was unable to control the car. Suddenly it went off the road, hit the guardrail and down a small embankment and flipped over. The car came to a stop upside down with the rear window smashed and snow in the car. I was minorly injured with a small cut on my face and bruises on my right side.

- Natick , MA, USA

The passenger air bag sensor went on in my MINICooper. I noticed this seems to be a common issue. I also had to replace the steering components in the MINICooper, which again seems to be a common issue. I am concerned regarding all the air bag recalls, but at 1,7K to replace the entire seat; that is quite a burden upon a tight budget. I just wanted to use this website as a place where I have documented these issues, so that if there is a insurance claim down the road, because of these faulty issue, I have a documented complaint.

- Parker, CO, USA

The power steering drained the battery and vehicle was inoperable. Parts necessary to replace were: Power steering pump power steering pump fan power steering fluid pen I am filing this complaint because the above parts have been recalled up until 2005. My vehicle is 2006 but I suspect that the older pump has been used on my vehicle because the fan has been working in an odd way ever since I got the car. MINIrefused to pay for this part and I am asking you to extend the recall if there are enough people with issues with these parts.

- Pacific Palisades, CA, USA

February of 2014 driving my 2006 convertible on curvy highway at 50 mph. Loud shrieking noise and then steering became very difficult to turn. Towed to mechanic. Had steering pump & fan replaced. Total cost $1,038.54. 2005 MINIs have been recalled for this exact default. Called MINIand they will not reimburse me because mine is a 2006. However, my MINIwas made in 2005.

- Dawsonville, GA, USA

Backing out of my long residential driveway, the power steering failed. Since my mileage was out of standard warranty and since I didn't purchase extended warranty, I used the "bentley publisher's" comprehensive MINICooper service manual to investigate the trouble. I tested the power steering cooling fan and the pump for operation. The fan was ok, but the pump wasn't getting any power. I removed the 100-amp fuse from the fuse block aside the battery compartment, inspected it for failure, but it looked good, wiped it clean with alcohol, and re-installed it. After everything was reconnected, the power steering returned to full operation. Several times from 2008 to 2014, the power steering failed, usually at slow speeds or upon start up of the vehicle, but it was always intermittent and returned to full operation on its own within a few days or weeks. It failed once again about two months ago, and has not returned to operation on its own since then. Although the NHTSA website shows 122 complaints on 2006 MINIs, of which about 25% of the complaints are for failed power steering, and since I can't locate any official manufacturer's recall on the internet for repeated 2006 MINIpower steering failures, I guess I'll take it to my local repair guy for a fuse or pump replacement.

- Italy, TX, USA

I bought my daughter a 2006 MINICooper S a little over a year ago. Today I decided to drive it to work here at fort hood, Texas. A little over an hour after I got to work I decided to go get breakfast so when I walked out of my office I heard a car alarm going off and when I rounded the corner I saw my daughter's car billowing smoke! I ran inside to get help and was able to find tools to disconnect the battery. I raised the hood and was meet with a lot of heat, smoke and a strong odor of burnt plastic. The car wasn't running and like I stated, had been sitting for over an hour. After conducting research online I found out MINIusa had recalled several MINIcoopers for the power steering pump that had the same exact symptoms. After calling the closest dealership, an hour away, and MINIusa I was told that my car was not part of this recall and I am left to pay for this repair myself. The dealership quoted me a cost of $1000 to replace the power steering pump. During my online research I have found many other MINIowners with the same year model that had the same problem. It seems that MINIusa isn't wanting to fully cover the repairs. I am glad I wasn't driving down the highway when this happened!

- Kempner, TX, USA

Power steering completely quit working. Car was very difficult to steer. Stopped and turned off car for a while. Started car again and power steering was ok. Now power steering is very difficult until car has been running for a few minutes.

- Grand Prairie, TX, USA

The car began to make a high pitched whine which increased over the next couple of weeks, it continued to get worse and I noticed when I would move the steering wheel back and forth the noise became much much worse, leading to the failure of my power steering pump. MINIissued a recall on the power steering pumps for their 2001-2005 models (13 year, 150,000 miles.) mine is a 2006, I still don't think the problem has been resolved for this year of model as I am finding multiple accounts online of individuals with 2006 MINIpower steering pump failure.

- Berwyn, IL, USA

My power steering pump is failing. Very loud and whiny. Ready to fail at any second.

- Grantsville, UT, USA

Power steering failed while driving. The power steering returned after parking the car and starting on the next trip. Over the next few days, the power steering failed several more times. It could easily cause an accident if it happens at the wrong time. The problem was fixed by replacing the power steering pump.

- San Francisco, CA, USA

Power steering pump stopped working while driving a 35mph. Stopped and restarted vehicle no change, an hour later pump worked again.

- Waterford, MI, USA

Exiting the highway, the power steering on my 2006 MINICooper stopped working. I was unable to keep the car on the pavement. The car left the roadway, narrowly missing a highway sign (wooden post), and stopped in a grassy area off the shoulder of the road. My wife and I were shaken but unhurt. The vehicle body does not appear to be damaged. However, there is now a loud rattle coming from the rear or undercarriage of the vehicle. The power steering is also completely gone. The car can be driven but it is very difficult to do so.

- Roanoke, VA, USA

Power steering failure while driving. Steering became very difficult. Persisted until car was turned off for several minutes. Happened sporadically afterward, then disappeared for a couple months. Issue returned and now affects the car most of the time while driving. Will happen upon starting the car, or while driving.

- Palo Alto, CA, USA

I heard a loud humming/squealing type sound--unable to turn the car's steering without great effort while driving down a side street and pulling into a parking spot. I had wondered where the sound was coming from and having to make it home I struggled to keep the car in my lane and make left turns at intersections--making it home I noticed a dark stain where my car was parked and checked the steering fluid which was bone-dry. I have children--after reading these posts I am afraid to drive them and am afraid to be on the road even after putting more fluid in the receptacle am finding it on my driveway. I just purchased the car in November with 50,000 miles on it.

- Warren, OH, USA

I had issue with the steering wheel pump a year ago, and I replaced it. But last night when I was driving home, the steering wheel wouldn't turn and I almost got into a car accident. Luckily traffic was slow and I was close to my house. Unfortunately, it was extremely hard for me to make any turn. I had to call a towing company and my car is now at the MINIdealer in Chicago. I already spent over 2 thousand dollars a year ago and I don't understand why my car is having these issues again.

- Chicago, IL, USA

In April 2013 I was merging onto highway I20 with my children in the back of my MINICooper S 2006. As I was speeding up to merge onto the highway the car completely cut off. I veered over into a median in the middle of six lanes of high-speed traffic. The car had completely shut off, even the hazard lights. I was very lucky that the median was there and that I had not yet entered the main stream of traffic. The police came, then a friend. After about a half hour it restarted without power steering and he was able to slowly drive it, and he fixed a belt that he said had looked like it had blown out. About four times in the year prior to this the car had cut off, but not while I was driving; it shut down as I was pulling out of a parking spot but then immediately restarted. No one could explain it. After the April incident I went to the MINIcooper dealer and spent close to $3000 to ensure that the car was safe for my children. However, yesterday, 11/5/13, I was backing out of a parking spot and the car completely shut down. I called the dealership for assistance and they said they had never heard of this kind of problem and couldn't help; fortunately the car restarted about ten minutes later. However, I am extremely concerned that this car is unsafe and I have heard from an acquaintance who also has a MINICooper S 2006 who said this has happened to her, that something random happened with her car and it completely shut down while she was driving. She told me that there was a recall, but I called MINIcorporate today, and was told there was no recall and referred me to NHTSA.

- Grand Prairie, TX, USA