What could a whirring sound be as I turn the steering wheel. This car has 400 miles. Someone said it could be the fluid for the power steering. And there is a squeek noise coming from the engine which sounds like a belt. The MC is new. Has this happened to anyone else?

 

There has been lots of talk about power steering issues,
the other noise could be belt related,sorry but this may be your first trip for service

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03 MC BRG/W,15" 7 hole white...
Black Lab navigator

 

The robotic-like whirring sound is your normal powersteering. It's my favorite MINI sound!

 

Yeah that noise is your power steering. It is really loud and noticable at slow speeds, it is perfectly normal

 

The power steering system of all MINIs is electrically driven. The noise you hear is the hydraulic pump. The pump runs at a reduced speed when there is little of no effort put into the steering wheel, and will accelerate to full power when the wheel is turned harder. If you spin the wheel hard against the stops, the pump will growl and decrease in pitch.

Those with manual transmissions can fascinate their friends by 'stalling' the engine and showing them that the steering is still being provided with the whirring power assist while the engine is no longer running. You have to 'stall' the engine rather than shut it off, and the engine has to be started prior for the power steering pump to start.

I had someone convinced that my MCS was electrically powered by doing this.

 

Thank You, so much!!!!!

 

Well, that a relief..DVL 2 making that noise but I don't recall DVL1 ('02) doing it.

Strange.

 

DVL 2...Hmm, Does that name indicate you car has been repossessed?

 

No , more like Born Again...there's a thread around here that shows what happened to the first one. search for "pity party"

 

Like said, yes this is NORMAL! The power steering is run by its own electic motor that is activated only when turning the wheel. So at slow speeds when a lot of power steering is needed, you're gonna hear the motor working. Enjoy!

 

I remember...so sad. Now you have the "Devil Incarnate." That has to be the ultimate "Bad" Car.

Oh yeah, remember to "Honk if you are horny"

 

IF anyone has taken it for granted that a noisy PS pump is normal, please take a minute to check your fluid (see manual--they don't even label the resevoir). And read this thread https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...steering+fluid

My fluid is nearly gone and apparently this problem was prevalent on 2002 and some 2003s. This either happened in a day or was missed by 2 dealerships during my cross -country adventure--one doing a 10k service and the other replacing a coolant expansion tank at 15K RIGHT NEXT to the PS fluid resevoir.

Do your homework...looks like we're on our own in many cases .