Took mine to Ralph Schomp (Denver), and of course they could not reproduce. The day was rainy and I had to drive a distance. I was unable to reproduce with the tech in the car. He did say there was a known steering rack issue on 02-04 and MINI corrected it for the 05's. I know am feeling it again, mostly left and it is very annoying. I own an 05 with NO mods, nothing. Obviously I need to get this corrected before any mods are done, or they will for sure point the finger.

Pete or anyone else anything specific I can point out to the dealer? Are you for sure this is under the car not in the steering cloumn? Man I want this resolved...only got about 2800 miles on the car also.

 

I think that's a lot better then a bad steering column. BTW, it's been 1k miles since the replacement and so far so good.

 

I have this same issue. My suspension mods are JCW shocks, Eibach springs and Ireland Engineering adjustable camber plates. I'm going to take my car to my mech tomorrow for checking on another noise and will have him take a look, hopefully it's not the steering column as I plan to get BC coilovers soon so if it's only the camber plates I can live with it for another couple of months.

 

From putting the rear top hats did you leave out the spacer sleeve. I hadn't done this and it made the craziest clanking noise. I took the spacer sleeve out and got the top nuts tightened all the way down and the whole thing is so much tighter now.

 

well...crapola. when i turn my wheel to the right when i am at a stop OR driving, this is...90 degrees, there is a big "CLUNK" i have a 03. My father is a mechanic, he's been at it since he was 17 so I'm going to ask him...

I have an 03'....

 

How many miles? I'll bet you have a bad half-shaft.

 

My '04 MCS with original and unmodified suspension has started doing this as I approach 75K. Most common scenario is after pulling into a parking spot with wheels cocked to the right; when I go to leave by putting car into reverse and turning wheel to opposite lock, within a few feet I sense a 'clunk' in the front suspension as if some bearing or bushing is either loose or worn out. Likely candidates would be top strut mount bearing, ball joint, or lower control arm bushing (aka the 'lollipop' bushing.) Any suggestions on how to isolate the precise culprit?

 

50,000

 

Hi!! i have the same problem, i hear a clunck at low speed, sometimes when i accelerate, and when i stop. When i turns right or left, in the driver's side, i think its something in the suspension near to the left wheel, But only in slow speeds.
I think its a suspension issue more than something with the steering column.
How could i know the difference?

 

bump

 

okay i'm sorry. what is a bump?

 

most likely the front lower control arm bushings. I had a clunk coming from the rear, turned out to be my top strut nuts. They were not tightened all the way down