63 of the 220 complaints about the 2002 Mini Cooper are about the steering — 29% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 76,500 miles.
63
Complaints
0
Crashes
4
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
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SO I BOUGHT A 2002 MINI COOPER LESS THAN A YEAR AGO AND IT CURRENTLY HAS 74K MILES AND ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO A PARKING SPOT AT THE GROCERY MY STEERING GOES COMPLETELY OUT WHILE I WAS TRYING TO TURN INTO MY SPOT AND RIPPED OFF A BLACK MOLDING THAT GOES OVER THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL AND A SIGNIFICANT DING AND SCRATCH.
NHTSA complaint #11222671 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT POWERED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. THE CONTACT, A CERTIFIED MECHANIC, DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT OFFER ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
NHTSA complaint #11078341 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING WOULD SUDDENLY MALFUNCTION CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAD OVER HEATED CAUSING THE POWER STEERING FLUID TO EVAPORATE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT SINCE 2012 THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAD BEEN REPLACED FIVE SEPARATE TIMES AND RECENTLY WITH THE NEW REDESIGN PUMP BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO HAVE THE SAME FAILURE OCCUR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
NHTSA complaint #10852727 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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DRIVING CAR NORMALLY WHEN POWER STEERING WENT OUT CAUSING A GREAT DEAL OF LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, MAKING TURNING VERY DIFFICULT. ENDED UP SWERVING INTO OTHER LANE, FORTUNATELY NO CARS WERE IN THE LANE AT THE TIME. HAD TO RE-START VEHICLE TO GAIN STEERING BACK. HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE THIS DATE. MINI USA KEEP DODGING THE ISSUE FOR A FULL ON RECALL, INSTEAD EXTENDING THE WARRANTY, BUT MY VEHICLE MISSED THE WARRANTY BY 3 MONTHS SO THEY WILL NOT REPLACE WITHOUT A HEFTY AMOUNT OF MONEY INVOLVED.
NHTSA complaint #10744346 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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POWER STEERING PUMP IS VERY LOUD WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE. CAN BE VERY HARD TO TURN WHEEL AT TIMES AND SOMETIMES THE POWER STEERING HAS CUT OUT WHILE DRIVING. MINI HAS A RECALL BUT WONT FIX FOR ME.
NHTSA complaint #10661487 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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WHILE DRIVING EAST ON SHERIDAN DR. IN THE TOWN OF TONAWANDA, I EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING. I WRESTLED WITH THE CAR FOR THE REST OF THE DAY, AND WHEN I GOT HOME, I HEARD THAT THE POWER STEERING COOLING FAN WAS RUNNING CONTINUOUSLY, EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF IN THE DRIVEWAY. I ASSUMED IT WOULD STOP EVENTUALLY, BUT WAS WRONG AND RETURNED TO A TOTALLY DEAD BATTERY. I CALLED THE DEALER, TOWNE MINI IN WILLIAMSVILLE, NY, AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE BOOKED TO JUNE 17TH, BUT THAT I COULD BRING IT IN. MIDWAY BETWEEN MY HOME AND TOWNE, WHILE ON THE 290, MY POWER STEERING RETURNED. WHEN I GOT TO TOWNE, THEY AS MUCH AS CALLED ME A LIAR, AND REFUSED TO REPLACE THE PUMP AND FAN. THEY DID HOWEVER, FIND $1300 WORTH OF OTHER WORK THAT "NEEDED" TO BE DONE TO PASS NYS INSPECTION.
NHTSA complaint #10597910 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BECOME DIFFICULT TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 107,000.
NHTSA complaint #10578344 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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I HAVE 2002 MINI COOPER ORIGINAL OWNER AND I HAD WINDSHELD, TRANSMISSION REPLACED. MAIN ISSUE I STILL HAVE IS STREERING LOOSE POWER. I GOT A LETTER FROM MINI SAID IT EXTENDED WARRANTY NOT A RECALL. MINI CO. NEVER RECALL ANY ISSUES. CALL DEALER FOR THIS STREERING PROBLEM BUT MY 2002 MINI IS NOT UNDER THIS CAMPAIGN. I HAVE THAT STREERING LOOSE POWER MIDDLE OF DRIVING BUT THIS IS NOT EVEN RECALL? I HAVE TO PAY FOR DIAGNOSE FEE FOR EXTENSION WARRANTY PER DEALER. MINI/BMW WILL NOT RECALL THIS ISSUE UNTIL DRIVERS GET SERIOUSLY HURT.
NHTSA complaint #10553076 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED IN MY 2002 MINI COOPER FOR THE SECOND TIME. FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS IN 2011 AND I GOT A NEW PUMP AND HAD IT PROFESSIONALLY INSTALLED. TODAY, 08/26/2013 MY SECOND POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL. I DO NOT HAVE THE TIME OR THE MONEY TO KEEP REPLACING A PART THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED YEARS AGO.
NHTSA complaint #10537376 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT NO CAUSE FOR THE FAILURE WAS IDENTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
NHTSA complaint #10515692 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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I WAS ON THE FREEWAY WHEN MY POWER STEERING FAILED AND I NEARLY CRASHED WHILE TRYING TO CHANGE LANES AND EXIT THE FREEWAY.
NHTSA complaint #10513682 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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POWER STEERING FROZE UP CAR COULD NOT BE STEERED IN ANY DIRECTION.
NHTSA complaint #10509002 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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I WAS TRYING TO GET ONTO AN OFF RAMP AND WHEN I WAS INTO THE TURN I ALMOST RAN INTO A CONCRETE BARRIER BECAUSE THE WHOLE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. THE STEERING WHEEL ALWAYS LOCKS UP SOMETIMES IT WITH A FEW MILES AND OTHERS IT IS GOOD UNTIL IT LOCKS UP. VERY DANGEROUS.
NHTSA complaint #10504874 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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AFTER A SHORT TRIP, I HAD JUST PARKED THE MINI. FORTUNATELY, IT WAS OUTDOORS AND WITHIN 50FT OF MY TOOL CHEST. ON TURNING OFF THE IGNITION AND REMOVING THE KEY, I NOTICED AN UNUSUAL NOISE; THE [ELECTRIC] POWER STEERING PUMP CONTINUED TO RUN. A FEW SECONDS LATER, SMOKE APPEARED. I RACED TO MY TOOL DRAWER, GRABBING THE FIRST SUITABLE TOOL, CHANNEL LOCK PLIERS, AND PROCEEDED TO HASTILY DISCONNECT ONE OF THE BATTERY TERMINALS. SMOKE WAS HEAVY AT THAT POINT. DISCONNECTING POWER PREVENTED FURTHER DAMAGE, AND WAS FORTUNATELY DONE IN TIME, BEFORE THE WIRING HARNESS WAS INCINERATED, OR THE SITUATION BECAME A SELF-SUSTAINING CONFLAGRATION. APPARENTLY, ALTHOUGH THERE IS A 100A FUSE PRESENT, THE FAULT PROTECTION ON THE POWER STEERING PUMP CIRCUIT IS INADEQUATE. I REMOVED THE POWER WIRE TO THE PUMP, TO ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO BE DRIVEN, WITH HEAVY [NON-ASSISTED] STEERING, PENDING SERVICE. SINCE THE OUTCOME IS NOT SO BAD, WHY SHOULD I COMPLAIN? CONSIDER IF THE VEHICLE WERE PARKED INDOORS, AND/OR IF THE SAME EVENT WERE TO HAPPEN TO SOMEONE WITH LESS ELECTRICAL APTITUDE. I DON'T EXPECT ACCESSORIES TO LAST FOREVER; THE VEHICLE IS 11 YEARS OLD WITH 123K MILES. I DO OBJECT TO THE FAILURE MODE, IN WHICH THE POWER STEERING PUMP CIRCUIT BECOMES AN INCENDIARY DEVICE...
NHTSA complaint #10504501 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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POWER STEERING FAILS- CAR LOSES ALL POWER ASSISTED STEERING PUPM CONTINUES TO RUN AFTER ENGINE SHUT OFF, POSSIBLE FIRE RESULT.
NHTSA complaint #10493763 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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MY POWER STEERING FAN CONTINUES TO RUN EVEN AFTER THE CARE IS TURNED OFF. IT COMPLETELY DRAINED MY BATTERY SO I REPLACED THE BATTERY. TWO WEEKS LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED AND I LEARNED THAT MY POWER STEERING PUMP AND FAN ARE DEFECTIVE. ALSO INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING AND NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS.
NHTSA complaint #10480715 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PARK THE VEHICLE BUT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING HAD BECOME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,065.
NHTSA complaint #10475799 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 20 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 66,000.
NHTSA complaint #10468449 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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FAULTY POWER STEERING PUMP CAUSING A LOSS OF COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. 80,000+ INCIDENTS REPORTED WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL OF VEHICLE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF VEHICLE MANUFACTURER. THE PUMP HAS SINCE BEEN RE-MANUFACTURED TO FIX THE ISSUES BUT MINI OF NORTH AMERICA REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THE SERIOUS SAFETY ASPECT OF THEIR FAILING PART.
NHTSA complaint #10467811 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 20 MPH WHEN THE STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE STEERING RACK, POWER STEERING PUMP AND THE FAN MIGHT HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 102,000.
NHTSA complaint #10467037 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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MY WIFE HAS BEEN COMPLAINING OF INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER ASSIST. I DRIVE HER CAR VERY LITTLE HOWEVER I RECENTLY HAD THE PROBLEM HAPPEN TO ME. ONE OF MY HOBBIES IS SPORT CAR RACING (MOST RECENTLY AT SUMMIT POINT RACEWAY IN WV) SO I DO EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED HOWEVER IT IS SO INTERMITTENT IT IS OFTEN FORGOTTEN. IT WILL BE FINE FOR WEEKS THEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN. THOUSANDS OF REPORTS IN THE UK AND CANADA ISSUED A RECALL. YOU DON'T LOSE YOUR STEERING JUST THE ASSIST. NEXT TIME YOU ARE ALONE ON A BACK ROAD WITH A CURVE TURN YOUR CAR OFF AND YOU WILL SEE WHAT THE DESCRIBED PROBLEM FEELS LIKE. LETS NOT HAVE A SERIOUS INCIDENT BEFORE BMW RESOLVES THIS ISSUE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS.
NHTSA complaint #10463906 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND LOST THE POWER STEERING. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. I GOT HOME PARKED THE CAR AND LET IT GO. THE NEXT MORNING IT WAS FINE. HOWEVER, THIS MORNING, 6/8/2012, IT HAPPENED AGAIN AS I WAS TURNING IN AN INTERSECTION. FORTUNATELY FOR ME THERE WEREN'T MANY CARS ON THE ROAD, AS IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED IN EVEN A SEMI-BUSY INTERSECTION, I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN TROUBLE.
NHTSA complaint #10461020 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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WHILE DRIVING STEERING BECAME STIFF. ALMOST UNABLE TO TURN WHEEL WHEN I SLOWED TO PARK. AFTER TURNING CAR OFF AND BACK ON, PROBLEM RESOLVED. STILL HAPPENS AT LEAST ONCE PER DAY USUALLY WHILE SLOWING OR DOWNSHIFTING. ALWAYS RESOLVES AFTER RESTARTING CAR.
NHTSA complaint #10459492 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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POWER STEERING PUMP STOPPED FUNCTIONING MAKING CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE.
NHTSA complaint #10451632 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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I WAS DRIVING THE CAR IN LACEY WA. SMOKE STARTED ISSUING FROM THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT. I OPENED THE HOOD AND SMOKE WAS ISSUING FORTH. AFTER 5 MINUTES, I SPOTTED FLAMES. I HAD A SMALL FIRE EXTINGUISHER BUT IT WAS INSUFFICIENT TO PUT OUT THE FLAMES. A PASSING MOTORIST ARRIVED WITH A LARGER EXTINGUISHER AND PUT OUT THE FLAMES. AN INSURANCE ADJUSTER INFORMED ME THAT THE FIRE WAS DUE TO A FAULTY POWER STEERING PUMP.
NHTSA complaint #10451307 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE DURING OVERTAKING ON TWO LANE ROAD. STEERING REQUIRED AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF EFFORT. BARELY MANAGED TO MOVE BACK TO RIGHT HAND LAND BEFORE GETTING DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. POWER STEERING DID NOT RECOVER FOR ANOTHER 2.5 MINS OF DRIVING. PULLED OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD, TURNED CAR OFF, ON AGAIN, POWER STEERING RETURNED. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP NOW RUNS CONTINUOUSLY EVEN WHEN KEY IS TURNED OFF. INDICATIVE OF ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP CONTROLLER FAILURE. I CONTINUE TO HAVE CONCERNS THAT POWER STEERING MAY CUT OUT AT ANY TIME AGAIN, AND THAT IF THE PUMP CONTINUES RUNNING CONSTANTLY EVEN WHEN THE KEY IS REMOVED IT MAY START A FIRE AT SOME POINT. I HAVE TO DISCONNECT THE NEGATIVE TERMINAL OF THE BATTERY TO PREVENT THE PUMP FROM RUNNING CONTINUOUSLY.
NHTSA complaint #10449527 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN. LUCKILY THE CAR WAS AT LOW SPEED AT THE TIME AND I WAS ABLE TO GET TO A SAFE STOP BY USING BRUTE FORCE TO STEER THE CAR. POWER STEERING THAN REAPPEARED INTERMITTENTLY OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, FINALLY FAILING COMPLETELY. MECHANIC SAYS POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AND THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MINIS. COST WILL BE OVER $1200 TO REPAIR. IT APPEARS THE ISSUE IS ALREADY BEING INVESTIGATED BY BMW, YET THEY HAVE TAKEN NO ACTION TO RECALL OR FIX.
NHTSA complaint #10445041 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT A POWER STEERING FAILURE ON MY PREGNANT WIFE'S 2002 MINI COOPER. THE CAR ONLY HAS 61K MILES ON IT. SHE WAS DRIVING LAST NIGHT, IN THE RAIN, AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP WENT OUR AS SHE WAS ON A FREEWAY TRANSITION RAMP AT A SPEED OF 40-50 MPH. SHE ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ALMOST HIT THE SIDE RAILS. FORTUNATELY SHE WAS ABLE TO AVOID CRASHING. THE POWER STEERING PUMP STARTED TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY AFTER THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY PROBLEM AND MINI/BMW NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS SERIOUSLY HURT OR DIES.
NHTSA complaint #10444877 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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POWER STEERING FAILURE--THE POWER STEERING IN MY MINI COOPER S 2002 BEGAN "CUTTING OUT" AND BECAME MORE FREQUENT OVER A FEW DAYS. THE "CUTTING OUT" HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING AND IS POTENTIALLY QUITE DANGEROUS AS THE VEHICLE BECOMES ALMOST UNMANAGEABLE WHEN MAKING A TURN. THIS MAKES DRIVING THE VEHICLE VERY UNSAFE. UPON RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY OCCUR WITH MOST MINI COOPERS EVEN THROUGH FAIRLY RECENT YEARS OF MANUFACTURE AND OFTEN AT FAIRLY LOW MILEAGE ACCUMULATION.
NHTSA complaint #10442053 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP CONTINUED TO RUN WHILE THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER NOR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 49,000.
NHTSA complaint #10439044 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.