Ok, so I bought an 07 MCS on Wednesday. Day after I pick it up, it doesn't start. Dealer I bought it from sent it down to Mini Peabody for me. Turns out it was the high pressure fuel pump. Got it fixed, no problem. I just took it out to go grocery shopping, as I'm leaving the power steering stops working. I shut off the car, and started it back up and the power steering was working. Is this a know issue with this year? I had an 02 MC and I know the pump was an issue. Is this another BIG issue I should look forward to? I still have some of the factory warrunty left, any idea if this would be covered?

 

No doubt this will be covered by the warranty, it's not a wear item.

I've heard of some issues regarding the Gen2 steering pump, but it's difficult to tell how frequent a problem it is. It's not nearly as talked about as the cold start rattle, but there has been discussion about it.

 

gen 2 doesn't have a steering pump. motor yes, pump no.

 

Since the steering is electric, if your engine dies while driving, can you still steer the car? Does it run off batt power with a dead engine?

 

if the electric motor died it would get really hard to turn same as if you lost a belt to a hydraulic power steering unit. not sure about if the engine dies.

 

Ive had on occasion where I would accidentally stall our my car's engine at a light and the electric power steering was still working with the engine stopped for a few seconds.

 

Actually, anything electric should continue to work as long as the battery has a charge. Good for safety; if the engine quits when you're moving, the steering should stay active until you turn the car off. The problem with lots of electrical devices is the battery usually doesn't last very long.

I wonder if the power steering is driven directly by the electric motor, or if it's an electrically driven hydraulic pump?

 

There are no hydraulics involved.

 

Pretty amazing to have the feel it has and be all electric!

 

On the off chance that you don't know--the steering is electrically assisted, with a physical connection between the steering wheel and wheels. No drive-by-wire steering, yet...

Still, the MINI's electrically assisted steering has way more feel than, say, the Civic's electrically assisted steering!

 

OMG, i felt what you mean, i have the voltmeter in my car, after my few ride these few days, when i park my car back into garage, i start lossing power and steering wheel is shaking and showed under 10V on the meter..... definitely, no juicy, steeling wheel is very very difficult to turn....

not sure what's wrong with my car, i started to have this issue few days ago....not sure if my electric stuff is killing something there.......

still under warranty, will take it for a check.....

 

We've had a similar problem with ours. It's an '09 with 6500 miles on it. While parallel parking we've had the power assist totally fail twice. The first time we had it taken to the dealer at which point they said nothing was wrong. Then it happened again a few months later and just like the first time, one night's rest and it was back to normal. I wonder if in a high load situation the electronics are overheating and going into some sort of safety mode and shutting down? But no faults are being thrown.

 

I'm guessing that this is the best thread about power steering issues for me to add on to.

Everything has been great with my '09 Clubman and then suddenly today while daughter and my husband were practicing for daughter's road test tomorrow - the steering has become almost impossibly stiff to even turn the wheel. The weird thing is that it is intermittent. I went out after they both came in and then they tried both keys. First try at steering fine, first 3 point turn fine but that second one - not good at all. I wouldn't want to even drive the car on the road.

I've placed a call into my dealership but I guess they're closed due to the 4th of July being on a Sunday and all...

I suppose it's some electrical malfunction. Sure hope it shows up in the computer...

Any thoughts?

 

Just a guess but perhaps the power steering motor is overheating.

 

So an electric pump can overheat in 5 or 10 minutes?

I've been driving this since about October 30th, 2008 and never had any problems. As I said, I hope it shows a fault code. I did not try to scroll through to look for it...I am not sure that I remember how to do this from my early '06 MC.

 

No pump...just a jumbo servo motor

 

Thanks for that - do these jumbo servo motors normally overheat?

 

To the best of my knowledge power steering issues with the 2nd generation MINI's are uncommon.

 

Thank you, Oxybluecoop. Whatever it is, I hope it can be recognized and addressed. I'll report in when I get some service feedback, for sure.

I appreciate the responses here. I used to be very active on NAM and have become sidelined by photography...but I still love MINIs.

 

One time I started my Mini and the power steering did not work. I was parked by a curb and went to turn out to pull away and the steering was not working. I turned the car off for a minute or two and when I restarted it was OK; it's worked fine ever since. I called the dealer and told them about it and they said to let them know the next time it doesn't work. It was over a year ago and it's been fine ever since. I was wondering if the steering power was tied to the computer or something that didn't function properly?

 

Thanks Greg and I'm glad yours never had another incident!

We'll see how it goes. I would much prefer it to be a fault that they can find on the computer. The idea of having it happen again in the middle of nowheresville where no MINI dealership is around - or on the middle of the New Jersey Turnpike doesn't sound like too much fun.

Fingers crossed!

 

Well, the good news is that MINI of Fairfield County, in Stamford, CT, fit me in because their first appointment, when I called on 7/7/10, was for July 15th...so I drove the car up on Tuesday and I got it back today.

Unfortunately, as I had feared, they could not recreate the issue nor did the computer pick up any faults. They did, thanks to Peter Bernaki, fix a few minor things and do some required maintenance now, as opposed to September - so that was a nice plus.

Here's hoping it was "gremlins" and that the steering weirdness will never raise its ugly head again - as it has not for you, Greg. Fingers crossed!

 

+1