Here's an odd one - every couple of weeks when I first apply the brakes there is no assist - peddle is very difficult to push. I hit it a couple of times and the assist comes on.

1 month ago as I was backing out of a parking spot, the assist to my steering stopped and it felt like manual steering. Once I made a couple of turns the assist came back.

Of note is my crank pulley failed 2 weeks ago and I replaced with ATI dampener. Brakes have failed once since then but have not had another steering issue since the first time.

Related? Coincidence? Any ideas on where to start looking?

 

Not sure if both are related, but for the steering issue it could be that your power steering pump is going out intermittently. If so, it may finally just stop working all together. The power steering pump on the MINI is one of those items that seems to have a bad reputation. In talking to many MINI owners, it seems that this is one of the more common items to fail on the car. Lots of information about the pump issue in this NAM thread HERE. Check the fan too to make sure it's working properly. As for the pedal, I ran across this thread HERE with some good information. Such as you could be losing vacuum assist, which gives you the stiff pedal you're describing.

 

+1 on the power steering pump, that's pretty much how mine started to fail.

What do you mean when you say the brakes failed? that's alot more worrying to me.

 

Steering pump sounds right - gunna call the dealer about the recall - I am 2005 with 104K miles. Should qualify.

Brakes happening every week or two - only after being parked for a while and only happens with initial first few pumps. Feels like it goes to manual braking without any power assist. After a couple of pumps the assist comes back. I am thinking either brake booster or vacuum leak.

 

Bet the pump might be OK...the shaft that goes from the steering wheel has a u-joint that fails...leads to a very stiff steering wheel in some turns...
Try to spray it with lube..see if it helps..if it does, time for a new u-joint...
Very few 2005 cars get the recall on the pump...it HAD TO BE BUILT IN 2004, AS A 2005 MODEL YEAR car...look at the PRODUCTION DATE on the data plate on the drivers side door jamb...

As for brakes...don't mess with them...sounds like you need to get them looked at...
Any pedal travel or just hard pedal?

 

Production date 1/2005 so sounds like no go on pump.

Brakes - can a brake shop handle it or do I have to go the the dreaded ripoff mini shop?

 

Problem solved. So I had another thread going about OBD code P 1242 (excessive boost upstream from manifold). Had to take off the throttle body and BPV to track it down but the vacuum tube broke free from the MAP sensor. Turns out this tube attached to the air intake 1 inch from the brake booster vacuum tube. Now that I fixed the MAP sensor tube no more brake issue. Seems the brake booster was getting some of the vacuum leak from the MAP sensor.

Easy and cheap fix - imagine that!