This morning I started up my car and drove to a 7/11 with no problems. Upon returning to the car, my power steering was completely dead. I had the rack replaced a few weeks ago due to a leak and everything has been working fine, but today things aren't so good. The fluid level is correct and the replacement fluid used was the rare and difficult to find beads of sweat from a female brontosaurus so it isn't that either. I probably have about 500 miles on the car once the work. The rack was a reman unit but before I pursue that as the trouble source should I be looking anywhere else?

 

If it us just a dead pump (very likely) you MIGHT be covered with an extended warranty IF you have an early 2005.....if the production date is much beyond mid model year, you are out of luck...
For future reference, mini. BMW, VW, and most Mercedes dealers stock the right PS fluid....and most big box auto stores keep it behind the counter or stock as does many NAPA locations, or will get it in about 4 hrs on the next parts drop...

I would suggest looking for ant loose wires/grounds since all the wires were disturbed when installing the new rack....but A pump that runs on or fails to turn on seems to be a pretty common failure mode....
If you diy it...there is a wide range of prices...from inexpensive rockauto rebuilds to NAPA units with a lifetime warrenty (dealer units are more $$ and have a 2 year wwarrenty).

 

Thanks for the advice. I will agree with you about the pump failure. The fact that the car only had 37K on the clock when I bought it doesn't seem to make any difference when it comes to failing things.

 

I think rockauto also offers lifetime warranty.

 

From my experience, getting one part of the power-steering system fixed doesn't mean another part won't break soon thereafter. For me it was the pump first (after intermittent steering issues) and then 1,300 miles later I had the same thing happen as you--started the car and the power steering was binding--and the lower steering shaft assembly was replaced.

 

Here is the info on the recall to see if you are in it based off production , with a 05' you will be close. Its up to Feb 2005 production.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-problems.html



Has the links to the parts above if you are out of that time frame.

Thanks

 

Thanks. I don't have the car nearby but IIRC it was an '04 build date.

 

Just like mine...you get the warrenty!! And no issue like passenger seat weight sensors (they installed them on Jan+ production on the hardtop, guessing your is the same)!! Guess we both got lucky!!

 

Great from the cost standpoint, but the frequency of things breaking is getting on my nerves. A car that I've owned for under 12 months with under 35K on the clock with a verifiable ownership of two previous owners has already needed two window motors, a steering rack, a door lock motor, and I am not sure what else make die before the year is up! Not to mention that the original window motor was a warranty deal but tied the car up for over 3 weeks. (I did allow the repair guy the time since he is a small place and the Mini is an extra car, but it still would have taken a week I'm sure since he didn't have all the necessary software to find the trouble). If all this stuff were out of pocket I'm certain I would be seeing a total in repairs of $2K++, maybe more like $3K++. Not good. I bought a Mini not a BMW (I know who makes them!) When the car runs well I love it, but it's been breaking too often and I'm seriously thinking that next spring might be time to pass it along to another owner. The only good thing, )so far!) is that nothing that breaks is stranding me, although muscling the steering without the power is a bear and I wouldn't want to think about what could happen if I were in a highway situation with a sweeping turn. I could see the car going off in a tangent into the bushes or worse.

 

And this morning when I started the car the PS was working! I'm going to assume the pump will fail again and may even do so before I get it to the mechanic.

 

That is how mine acted just before it failed totally, I had a few days with it cutting out while driving, I could get it working again by switching the key to off and then back on, that worked for a day or two then, nothing... not even on a cold start. It was toast, well in this case more of a brick.

Mine was still covered by the 13 year, 150000 mile warranty so it sits now 100 miles away at my favorite MINI dealer where they are replacing the it. Bad thing is I have the interior of the car all stripped out to do the Headliner... I got some funny looks from the service folks.

Best of luck.

On the frustration side, I'm not new to the idea of buying a used MINI, but I knew from the start I had to expect everything was going to go wrong with it the first couple of months. I spent the first few months going over the cars with a fine tooth comb looking for all the issues and fixing them correctly. Granted I do a lot of work myself, but there are some things I just don't have the time nor the inclination to do now, so I take it to my local guy who does the work as if I was doing it myself. But yes those first few months working out all those niggly bits is frustrating. The reward has always been a fantastic car that is a hoot to drive and leaves a smile on your soul.

Motor on!

 

I used to do all my own work until I hit the age of not being quite so limber and realizing that I need to pay someone. My mechanic is excellent and works with me on stuff. It's just frustrating that the problems surfacing are mostly falling within a 2 month window on time and that is almost a year after purchase. Nothing would have been discovered with a fine toothed comb with the possible exception of the steering rack/hose troubles.

The PS seems to be something that they will cover after the fact. I'll see what happens. It's just the disillusion of the car that annoys me. It DOES put a smile on my face when it works well to be certain. I just don't like the reaming it is making me go through to get it that way!

 

I had the pump replaced by my mechanic. He got a unit from the local NAPA and it came with a lifetime warranty. Installed and including my New York State inspection that came due at the same time, and I was out the door for under $850. Drove the car home, a long drive of 6/10 of a mile (!!) but she seemed great, and even though I was VERY down in the mouth about the car that short drive swept most of my negative thoughts away!

Now all I need to do when I get home after this weekend is change the drivers side window motor!!

GRRRR~~~~