Anyone have pics for this. I need to order a new p/s pump too, I will be changing it myself, and just wondering if there were pics out there.

Also, can one use a p/s pump from a 2006 in put it in a 2004? If its the 03's and 04's that are failing, couldnt you use a pump from and 05 or 06?

 

anyone?

 

No pics, but to answer your second question, the pumps from 2002 to 2006 are all interchangeable. I think you're hearing about 02-04 failures more just because they're older and generally have the miles on them (my 02 had 103k miles on it when the pump failed).

The only helpful picture I can think of would be to help locate the two 13mm bolts located behind the subframe crossmember. Just remember they are oriented horizontally and look for them from behind the cross member looking forward and you'll find them.

If I ever get time to take off the skid plate to drain the coolant I'll try to take some pictures. But it doesn't look promising, I still owe some pictures on another thread and I won't have a day off until the 16th at the earliest.

Good luck!

 

Awesome. Thanks very much

 

I have read several threads, so it seems to be a common issue, but out of all the ones I've read, no one's problem matches exactly what mine is doing.

A few weeks ago, I park the MINI, get out and begin walking into a store, I found a parking spot right out front (not wanting to leave the mini in the dark alley) I got back in the car and started it up. Right away noticed the power steering was out, so I turn the car off and restart it, still nothing. I tried a couple more times and gave up. I went in the store for a while, came out and started the car. By this point the Power steering came back. Since that day I have had it go out about once or twice a week(maybe 7 or 8 times total). It only seems to come back after the car sits for a few minutes. It has never gone out while driving. And I cannot remember a time that it has not worked from a cold start. It seems to always go out after I drive for a while, stop for a few mins(to run into a store or whatever) and try to start it back up again.

Does this sound like a pump issue, am I overheating? Are there any simple troubleshooting methods? Please help, I need to have an idea what could be wrong so I can start saving funds to have it repaired. I am still under warranty for another month, but i know MINI will not fix it since it is on/off, and they will claim they can't "replicate the problem"

 

Take it to the dealership... as soon as possible. Make sure they have a record of you saying the power steering goes out occasionally while you are still under warranty. The pump will fail soon. It's just a matter of time. What you are describing does sound a bit like how mine acted before it died, but mine only was off and on for a couple of days, then it was gone for good.

It should be a common enough problem by now that a good dealership will recognize the symptoms and be able to determine how close the pump is to death even if it doesn't act up while they have it.

 

Yup, pump going. What you're experiencing is "heat soak". As the car sits for a while after driving, the fan isn't running and the temperature of the pump goes up. If it's nearing failure (bearings usually), that extra temp is enough to sieze it up until it can cool down. It is FUBAR, gonna need a new one.

 

thanks, i'll be making an appt before my warranty is up. and cross my fingers i can get it to go out on my way there!

 

Just wanted to say thanks again. I am able to replicate the power steering failure...so im pretty confident I can get that fixed. I have an appointment for next saturday, and they will have a loaner MINI waiting for me...hopefully theyre dumb enough to give me a new clubman lol

 

good luck!

 

With the pump or with the Clubman?

 

I just picked mine up from the dealer for the same thing. The problem was off and on, and when I dropped it off, the power steering was fine.

They replaced the pump under warranty, and my receipt indicates that they ran a "diagnostic short test and found fault 05 to be stored but not present...ran midtronics test on battery and charging system found both to be working properly at this time...replaced EHPS pump and rechecked, no fault found."

So it appears that even if the pump has not failed completely, it will store a code that the dealer can check.

Makes you wonder what else they can track...

 

My power steering pump went bad in a normal way cutting out when sitting in traffic and coming back on when I restarted car. The dealer said It had a code: bad pump. I brought car home. before I got new (used) pump ,the steering got very heavy(not as heavy as with dead pump). I figured old pump was just almost dead. I installed new (used) pump.Surprise the steering is still very heavy. Could this be the rack failed or is there some other thing. also the new pump whines and the original pump whined from day one until the steering got heavy and then it became much quieter. 02 cooper.

 

Any updates?

 

I have an '03 MCS and within the first 6,000 miles went through two defective failed steering racks under warranty. The symptoms are as you have described. BTW the pump is supposed to whine.

 

It seems that as luck would have it I have the pleasure of having two steering problems at once. I did not detail that the steering is not only heavy it is not consistent in how heavy it feels .kind of notchy feel .Thanks

 

notchy would indicate pump effectiveness , yes? pumping good then not so good . when mine went the first time it whined even with no demand or load on the pump . the rack went simply due to a leak and loss of fluid. the pump is now whining again . it's been two years . so i can only assume the design is a p.o.s. . one of the bmw mechanics could not fathom why they didn't route more line into the system possibly to the front to cool the fluid . might be something to look into , a power steering fluid cooler .

 

I had the rack replaced($1200). This made the notchy feel go away. The car feels safe now. The steering still feels heavier than it should ,must be the new used pump does not work as well as original pump. Thanks for the help.

 

$1200 bucks? Ouch. Is that parts and labor?

 

That is a new rack $815, $225 labor, 22.50 power steering fluid, $50 alignment. +tax. If you search the net you can find rebuilt racks for $300 to $400 +core. I found new racks for more than this but not less than this.

 

I have that "heavy" steering problem now and then. Do you know if I will damage anything if I keep driving until it fails completely? The non-MINI mechanic says he can't do anything unless it is acting up when I bring it in.

 

If the steering gets heavy, then normal ,that sounds like the powersteering pump is shutting off at times ,which is the way they die. I would be concerned that if this happens a lot that the steering column is not heavy duty enough to handle the stresses. The bottom bearing seems to be a problem already. This is just a guess,not a sure fact.

 

Thanks very much, mimini1. I'm wondering if I should just tell the mechanic to put in a new pump.

 

I would search the threads using ,powersteering pump, to satisfy myself about the pump being bad first ,as a bad pump cooling fan ,low fluid , and other things can cause problems. Also my pump stored a code in the computer,If your mechanic can retrieve codes,it may help confirm the pump .

 

my rack was $1361 p/l inc a 4 wheel alignment, under warranty of course

this E-H PS system is a Rover holdover and now I can understand why BMW dropped it for the new cars.