Remember those tales a while back of the possibility that something could get up into your power steering fan/motor from up underneath while you were motoring? Well check out my tale of sadness:

Drove to work one day and noticed nothing out of the ordinary. Came out of work and started the car up as usual. Put the 2003 MC in reverse and pulled out of the parking spot. As I started to turn the wheel I noticed it was difficult requiring me to break out my impressive hulk-like muscles. "Crap, another flat tire!" I thought since I had one a week earlier. Got out of the car to find that all 4 tires were ok. Must be the power steering motor then. Drove home and called the dealer to make an appointment for service. On the drive home the car drove fine with the exception of hard to steer from a stop/slow speed.

Took the car to a local dealership here in PA and tell the Service Advisor that I am going to wait for it knowing full well that it may take a few hours to replace the motor. About an hour later the service advisor calls me down and tells me "Got some bad news for you".

As it turns out "somehow" my power steering motor overheated to the point that it ignited on fire. The "combustion fiesta" as I like to call it burned out the power steering motor, power steering motor wiring harness, high pressure power steering fluid hose and (drum roll please...) 3-5 inches of the engine wiring harness . Cause..... unknown.

Order the parts and come back at the end of the month. Drop the car off and pick up a loaner. 3 days later the car is ready. Running theory is that something got up into the fan and caused the motor to freeze, overheat and therefore explore the 3 sides of the fire triangle.

When I droped the car off for service I asked that the removed parts be kept for my inspection since it's not everyday that this happens to your MINI. If there was a safety issue I (and I think the MINI community) would like to know about it. Well of course when I go to pick up the car the parts are no where to be found . Oh, but here's a bill for $2098.00. Please come again! The dealership was very pleasent and I can only find fault in them not honoring my request to retain the extruded parts of my car.

I don't recall taking a rock, can, bag, etc to the under carriage while driving but know knows. After I get home today I did however order a power steering cover from Mini Mania so this does not happen again.

So watch what you drive over while motoring!

 

I think im gonna get one of those, lol only cause of this though

 

It's a known problem. Have a look at this thread:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=73527

Please post in the thread and include information on mileage, model year, etc.

 

So what did they say happened to the parts?

 

If I recall correctly, wasn't a power steering fan shield added for the '04 model year due to this exact sort of problems?

 

I am not sure exactly when, but they did seperate the powersteering fan from the rest of the cooling circuits and gave it a seperate fuse. There was even an official notice to the service types about this.

I will try to find the bulletin number. I used it to have a seperate circuit installed in my 2002 MCS under warranty.

All of the newer cars have seperate circuits for for the engine cooling fans and the power steering cooling fans to prevent just this sort of thing.

On my 2006 MCS I have installed an aluminium skid plate from Moss Mini.

I am really suprised that this was not covered under warranty.

 

I believe if your MINI doesn't have the factory power steering fan shield, the dealer will install one for free...if you ask. I had already bought a heavy-duty Cobalt one from Moss MINI so I didn't get the factory plastic one when I was recently at the dealer.

 

I found it.

SI M320104 Fuse for fan circuit, 0054887 1.2

Part #61-11-6-945-303 Wiring set for power steering fan.

DC3241947900 Retrofit power supply harness.

 

Unfortunently my vehicle has surpased the 50k miles allowed on the waranty. Currently riding with 76k miles.

I also posted my information in the running tally of vehicle fires thread

 

I had a similar situation. my engine overheated due to the radiator fan not spinning. (the early models had the radiator and P/S fan on the same circuit) I got a new overflow tank since that one cracked. (it was the new tank after the recall) The next day my engine blew. ring went threw the #4 piston. I got a new engine a few days later. Also got the new circuit that splits the two fans and a new P/S fan that has the shield. When that happened i had less than 200 miles on my warranty. two weeks ago my P/S started coming and going. it would go out in heavy slow driving or on the track but it would fade back in after a min or two. Not so safe on the track. I also cracked my catalytic converter that day too, what a bummer. I dropped my car off at the dealer and was as nice as i could be. I'm hopping for the good faith warranty since the P/S pump going bad is obviously from when the engine blew.

Wish me luck

 

From my own personal experience I know it doesn't always have anything to do with the power steering fan not being shielded. I'm #5 on the list, and the author of the spontaneous fires thread, and when Peanut caught fire I'd had the Moss shield on for over two years. When they replaced the power steering fan they used the new part that has a shield included. You might want to check under your car to see that your dealer did the same before ordering a shield.

Oh yeah, my total bill came to over $2K too, but insurance covered all but the cost of the faulty part. That came to a hefty $495 out of my own pocket, plus my comprehensive deductible of $100. It seems that it's industry standard for insurers not to cover the cost of the faulty part replacement. Go figure...

Glad your MINI's okay. Sorry to hear about yet another one... and thanks for adding your info to the list.

 

In Ohio it is a state law that the old parts be returned to you. Don't know about PA but I'd check it out. Seems fishy to me that your old parts disappeared.

 

Funny, the bastards at Classic never gave me my old parts.

 

Hammy! Horror!!! That sucks bigtime: sorry to hear it!

 

parts to the car owner if the work done is non-warranty and you ask them for the parts. They could be held accountable/at fault for disposing of the parts. I'm not sure how this could be litigated, but the idea is to protect the consumer from being screwed by an unscrupulous dealer charging for parts that are either not changed or don't need changing.

 

Jeez ..I just ordered a Moss shield thinking this was the answer

 

Wow that's terrible! Thanks for sharing your experience. I can't believe how expensive the repair was! Ouch!

Hopefully they installed the separate fan circuit after this along with the replacement part with at least the plastic fan shield.

 

Oh my goodness...this is sad to read once again...

I'm glad your car didn't burn to the ground like ours (ours was the ABS issue)...but it still stinks big time!!! I hope the repairs went well and the MINI is good as new...

Donna

 

Tell us how you really feel.

If you don't ask you aren't going to get them back. If it's warranty repair they keep them, although it really doesn't matter if MINI's paying.

 

BBaggins,

Is the first one the service notice to the techs about this problem?
I took my car into the dealer yesterday because PS pump is going...
and I want them to split the wiring.

50,400miles when it started to go and dealer says its my dime...

Shouldn't the wiring retrofit be covered by MINI, since it is to prevent catastrophy (fire) or engine failure?

 

I really hope this doesnt happen to me anytime soon, or at all for that matter

 

OK, I got a little side tracked with the burst appendix but my car is home. The P/S pump has been replaced and a new header/downpipe/catalytic converter. All to the grand total of $0. I love my dealer and i make sure they know it.

current milage: 55,320

 

good that you survived the appendectomy, too

 

CA Law also that your old parts be given to you upon request. If not, it's free work.

Now, did they put a rebuilt unit in your car, requiring them to trade in your old unit?

 

Congratulations bluesmini! Your dealer sounds like a gem.

I had 50,800 when I took mine into the dealer. Charged me $925 to replace the PS pump, but they added the harness to split the wiring for goodwill.

I'm glad to be back on the road!