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2005 MINI Cooper S: clunking or noise when steering

5 of the 314 complaints about the 2005 MINI Cooper S describe clunking or noise when steering.

owner complaints
5
of this car's complaints
2%
typical mileage
94,253
recalls
1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 4 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below

Clunking or noise when steering by model year

  • 2006
    3
  • 2005
    5
  • 2004
    3
  • 2003
    4

What owners say

Filed Oct 29, 2014 · Steering · 94,253 miles · MI · crash

Power steering abruptly stopped working while cornering causing driver to use heavy manual force to corner the vehicle thru a tricky viaduct train bridge passageway. While midway into the turn, the power steering abruptly "kicked back on" causing the steering wheel to turn violently across lane and nearly into corner of cement wall holding up overhead train bridge. Other cars were missed, and driver stopped car with front bumper slightly touching viaduct cement wall. Wife and 7 year old child were on the impact side of vehicle. Vehicle was checked by an independent mechanic which noted the ehps power steering pump is failing. He cleaned the power steering pump and installed a new cooling fan on the power steering pump. The pump was overheated and packed with metal debris. Independent mechanic advised me to return to mini as potential recall issue which has been widely reported but refuted by mini. Power steering pump still has significant noise and is scheduled for review by a mini dealer.

Filed Sep 5, 2014 · Steering · 114,000 miles · IN

At the beginning, the steering pump makes some noises and a few weeks later, my power steering completely went out, really heard to steer especially at the lower speed and at the corner.

Filed May 9, 2014 · Steering · 115,405 miles · NC

Power steering pump making noise when car is off, draining battery. Eminent failure.

Filed Feb 14, 2012 · Steering · 60,000 miles · CA

At highway speed, the power steering suddenly lost power (no noise or other indications). The wheel became extraordinarily difficult to turn. I managed to get the car off the road, but the steering would not have responded to a smaller/weaker driver.

Filed Jan 28, 2012 · Steering · 68,000 miles · TX

When turning into our neighborhood at 10-15mph, there was a sudden loss in power and the steering became stiff. I did not think anything of till I pulled the vehicle into our garage and turned it off. At this time the cooling fan and power steering remained active, creating loud whining noises. I let it run for 30 minutes but the issue remained. Only thing that resolved the issue was disconnecting the battery. Even reconnecting the battery the powersteering fan re-engaged.

Service bulletins that may apply

Related recalls

Steering: electric power assist systemReported October 15, 2015 · 86,018 vehicles affected
What is wrong
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 MINI Cooper and Cooper S vehicles and 2005 Cooper and Cooper S Convertible vehicles. The affected vehicles may experience temporary or permanent loss of the electro-hydraulic steering assistance.
Risk
If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required at lower speeds, potentially increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy
MINI will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the electro-hydraulic power steering system, replacing the components and wiring, as necessary, free of charge. Interim notices were mailed to owners on December 10, 2015. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1‑866‑825‑1525.

Recall number 15V660000 · Recall details

Questions about the 2005 MINI Cooper S steering noise

Is clunking or noise when steering a common problem on the 2005 MINI Cooper S?

5 of 314 owner complaints about the 2005 MINI Cooper S (2%) mention clunking or noise when steering. The model year with the most reports is 2005.

Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2005 MINI Cooper S?

There is 1 recall and 4 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

Other symptoms on the 2005 MINI Cooper S

Power steering loss 75Airbag light 36Loss of power 18Fire or smoke 15Overheating 11CVT failure 5Engine failure 5Jerking 5Transmission failure 5

All model years of the MINI Cooper S

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