Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mini cooper. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized and an abnormal noise was heard while driving approximately 65 MPH. The failure occurred without warning. The vehicle was taken to mini of san diego (5202 kearny mesa rd, san diego, ca) where it was diagnosed that the vehicle was operating as intended. The dealer also stated that the vehicle was previously repaired per the federal safety agency campaign number: 15v660000 (steering). The vehicle was not repaired and the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and it was determined that the power steering pump was the original manufactured part, which meant that no parts were replaced as the dealer originally stated. The manufacturer was notified and informed the contact that they had no records of the vehicle being serviced per the recall. The dealer was contacted again and stated that the recall was serviced in march of 2017. The failure mileage was approximately 164,000.
2003 MINI Cooper: steering wheel locks up
5 of the 320 complaints about the 2003 MINI Cooper describe steering wheel locks up.
- owner complaints
- 5
- of this car's complaints
- 2%
- typical mileage
- 136,000
- recalls
- 1
Steering wheel locks up by model year
What owners say
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mini cooper. While driving approximately 15 MPH, the power steering seized. The battery and temperature gauge warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 15v660000 (steering); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 168,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mini cooper. While driving approximately 55 MPH, the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who stated that the power steering pump failed. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.
I was driving my car home from work on friday night, 2/22, when the steering wheel locked up on me and I had a hard time turning it. It then started working fine again after a few minutes. Then it locked up again while I was driving. Since it was on a highway I was doing over 60 m.p.h. It was terrifying not having complete control of my vehicle at that speed.
Mini cooper power steering failure. Need to maneuver vehicle to avoid a collision with another and on coming vehicle. Steering wheel locked-up and driver was distracted. This power steering failure was a result of failed power steering pump. This failure was corrected by a repair. Costing 850.00 us dollars. Old part is available
Service bulletins that may apply
- This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI 32 02 14 dated August 2014
- Electro-Hydraulic Power-Assist Steering Pump (EHPS) and Cooling Fan: Limited Warranty Extension to 13...
- Mini: a warranty extension for certain vehicles with potential problem with cooling fan and the durability...
- Electro-Hydraulic Power-Assist Steering Pump (EHPS) and Cooling Fan: Warranty Extension to 13...
Related recalls
Steering: electric power assist system
- 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 2003 MINI Cooper steering lock-up
Is steering wheel locks up a common problem on the 2003 MINI Cooper?
5 of 320 owner complaints about the 2003 MINI Cooper (2%) mention steering wheel locks up. The model year with the most reports is 2005.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2003 MINI Cooper?
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 2003 MINI Cooper
Power steering loss 65CVT failure 42Transmission failure 38Fire or smoke 24Loss of power 21Stalling 15Windshield crack 11Airbag light 7Jerking 7Check engine light 6Door locks 6Overheating 6Engine failure 5
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