well I have encountered my first problems. about a month ago my power stearing went out while pulling into the dealer to get tough up paint. I left it there and they told me a fuze blew. well they replaced the fuze. but knowing that fuzes don't blow unless there is a problem I was skeptical. ezpecially since they told me I must have been driving on a tqisty road which caused the pump to be overworked. well I knew that was BS as it blew as I pulled into the dealer parking lot. Today it went out again while making a lane chane on the freeway. so now I need to take it in again. anybody else have these problems.

I looked at all the 30 amp fuzes and they are fine this time. I don't have my owners manual with me. anybody have a link to the online owners manual so I can confirm the location of the power stearing fuze? or if you have it close by can you tell me the location.

thanks

pat

 

the bentley manual shows a 100A power streering fuse buried under the battery box. i'm at work away from the book, so i can't give you a page ref.

 

Beware! I was having PS problems also. MCS had about 11000 miles on it at the time. The PS would work poorly, then work fine, then not work at all then fine and so on, until it finally completely went out. All of this in about 100 miles of driving.

Well I took it in to Peabody and they showed me the problem. For some reason the wires shorted out at the pump. They were fried and the had gotten so hot that a small fire had developed and damaged several other components. When asking them "Why?" they had no explanation.

I do know the PS on MCSs are one of common problems, but all seem to fail in different ways.

Good luck, and let us know how it comes out please.

 

I have also had PS problems, but mine involved the disappearance of all the PS fluid. I checked the owners manual and there is not a hint of information about PS. I looked at the pic of all the important under the bonnet locations and there wasn't anything labeled as the PS reservoir. I check this site and the "under the bonnet" forum and found a pic of the reservoir and someone else had had the same problem as mine. There was on evidence of fluid on the garage floor so where did the fluid go? Into the CV boots. I cannot explain how, but MINI of Nashville replaced the whole front steering rack along with the PS motor(pump). The MA told me that they did not want anyone to do anything with the PS since they may put in the wrong fluid. Come on, I'm not going to give my baby boy something that may hurt him. Everything is better now and we are on the road again.

 

Check MINI2 forum under faults. There is a BIG thread on the problem with the Power steering pump.

 

Took it in to the dealer on monday. will see what they find. so far they havn't looked at it. I am going to hit them up for a loaner.

well there were 2 interesting things that are in line with the problem. I noticed that the cooling fans are not comming on and the car was overheating. so I had to turn on the heater to drop the temp. well with any load on the car the battery light came on. turn off the heater and the batery light goes off. if I pushed the brakes the batery light would come on. seems as I must have an electrical problem. what ever blew this time is preventing the fans from comming on. or that blew first and the power steering pump over heated. I checked all the fuzes and none were blown. but something is obviously amiss.

I am about to call the dealer and find out what is going on.

 

well just talked to the dealer. it seems the cooling fans both the stering fan and the radiator fans anre on the same circuit and it is blowing fuzes. they are going to rewire the circuit to install 2 circuits to lessen the load. I thought my build was after that. well guess not. my car is a july build.

 

My April 03 has the 2 circuits,I think the change was made in Febuary 03

 

I to thought they had fixed that before mine was built. Did the dealer say or is there an update bulletin on that repair. I would like to get that fixed before I have any troubles. Does anyone know how to tell if you have the updated wire harness for separate fuses, cooling fan and power steering???

 

well I got my car back on friday. no problems yet. My car is a July 03 build. I too had thought that the problem was fixed before our build but apparently it was not. They did install a new fuze box and split all the fans into different circuits. when the cooling fan fuze blows the car senses it and shuts off the power steering pump. I thought if it was the cooling fan the pump would run until it got hot. then the pump would come back on after it coolded down. but that was not the case. Also the car will overheat without the cooling fan runing if you are not driving to the dealer fast enough to move air through the radiator. If I had known that the cooling fans were on 5A circuits I would have replaced the fuze to get me there but when I called the dealer they told me it was a 30 amp fuze.

so my recomendation to all. buy a box of spair fuzes and keem them in the car. ther is a bank of spair fuzes in the fuze box but the first time my fuze blew and I took it in the dealer took my fuze out of there to replace my blown fuse. If I had been driving on a long trip and it was hot when this blew it could have been a big deal. luckily I found it while just driving straight on the freeway. Had it blown while I was on a twisty road. the differece in stearing could have caused an accident.

 

DAMN


my power stearing went out again. this is the 3rd time. taking it in today and this time they said they would get me a rental car. well that sucks. I don't want a rental car I want my mini to work. and not have the power stearing pump to go out when the traffic gets slow. or when I am waiting at a light.

lets see first time they replaced the fuze and sent me on my way.

second time they rewired the circuit so when it does blow the car won't overheat and the 2 fans are on seperate circuits.

I wounder what they will replace this time.

If it happens again. I am going to push lemon law and get a new car. but I don't like all the features in the 05. I like my 03 just fine.

 

I’m with MINI USA. I’m so sorry to read about this problem with your power steering pump. We are here to work with you and your Dealer, and we'd really like to help. If you would like our assistance, please phone us at (866)ASK.MINI and mention Reference # 200431700305 so that we can help you more efficiently.

 

well it blew again. for a 4th time. I took it in again one week after I had it in the last time and they finally replaced the pump. I am keeping my fingers crossed. I really like my car and feel no reason to replace it as this is the only problem I have had with it. I just got it back yesterday. so now I have new wiring, new fuzes, and a new PS pump. I hope it lasts. for now I am happy. I am glad they got me a rental. If I was without a car for 3 days I would have been upset. My service advisor is a polite guy. It just bugs me that I am a mechanic by hobby I would have checked that PS pump at fuze blow #2 after the upgraded wiring. I just bringing the car in for service for the same problem 4 times was starting to get on my nerves. I probably would have given them 2 more chances to fix it. but Lets see if it lasts this time. For now I am happy.

 

F*-k

it went out again. It drove just fine last night. I get in the car today and start it and I can't steer. what the F. thsis is the 5th time I have had this problem. I will be calling mini division and get this fixed. it is still under warrenty but not much longer only like 15K or so miles left. I won't be able to afford replacing power steering pumpes every 6 months. This has got to be fixed or I will have to replace the car. This pisses me off as I really like my car.

 

Sorry to hear about the problems you're having. I have an 02 MC and have not had any PS problems.

I have however, had a car company buy a car back under lemon laws against their wishes. It went to arbitration and the judge sided with me. I'm in CT and not sure the laws are the same where you live.

I suspect however, that you've met the requirements to make them just pay you for the car and be done with it.

 

I had the EXACT same problem . Fluid gone , nothing showing and the CV boots balooned out and ready to pop. Mini replaced the steering rack. I've also had the PS pump sieze twice while driving in a " spirited " manner .

Randy
M7 Tuning

 

First time user and I need help with a power steering motor problem. I have a 2004 MINI and it recently developed a problem where the PS motor runs all the time, even with the key sw. off. I have to disconnect the battery everytime I stop for awhile, otherwise the battey will go dead. The problem started somewhere around the 35,000 mile mark whereby my battery would be dead periodically when I would get ready to go to or leave work. After several dead battery experiences, my PS started to go on and off while driving. Then the PS motor decided to stay on all the time and this is when I figured out why my battery was dying.
I recently got a manual and it is of not help for this problem.
Is there a relay somewhere (hidden) which may be stuck or bad? Does anybody understand how this circuit works? Maybe PS module controls on or off. I would assume normally the PS motor starts when the key is turned on somehow.
I sure hope warranty covers these problems, since I have reported them to dealer prior to expiration which just happened 3 weeks ago.The dealer says bring it in for a look see, but I am about 100 miles away and very busy at work. I am also waiting on a part to come in for catalytic converter problem. Then I can get catalytic converter changed, power window motor replaced (been broken since July 5th), and PS fixed with one trip hopefully.
I love my MINI "S" but these types of problems sure do bug me, especially when the car is only 15 months old. I do a lot of straight road interstate driving, about 175 miles per day, which should not be hard on the PS motor. I will hit 55,000 miles this week.

 

Mine is in the shop right now getting the power steering fixed. Yay.

Apparently it's pretty common since the part was really hard to find....

oh well