Lincolnshire MINI Club

Olly · Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 11 Location: Mablethorpe

Hi Im new to all this so bear with me?!!

Im hoping someone out there can put my mind at rest.

Bought a used Mini Cooper in Jan and its been absolutely brill, but have just had some very disturbing news from a mate of mine in Nottingham. She has (or..HAD!) the exact same mini as me (hers is '52, mine is '02) and hers caught fire due to the power steering pump failing and p.s. fluid dripping onto the exhaust. Her local garage have said that 'in the trade its a well known mini failing, and can be put right before anything happens for a mere £50.' I spoke to the service manager at Astells, (someone called John) and he sez hes never heard of any such failing on minis. My mate is now stuck with a huge bill to put the damage right, can anyone tell me if this really IS a fault with mini s as I LURV mine to bits and couldnt bear anything like that to happen to it...plus I do a fair bit of mileage and dont want to end up on shanks's pony!!!!

Cheers, Olly Confused

MINT · LMC Team Joined: 18 Nov 2006 Posts: 842 Location: Lincoln

hi olly and Welcom to LMC

I am on my 4th mini 2 R50's, one R56 and a R53 and my sister has an R50 (r50 is what youve got just incase you dnt know) all the R50's have had failures with the power steering but thats because the were within the years 04-05 but thats because there was a failure with the steering column, to be exact its the part of the steering column that is ment to collapse when in a crash they had a dodgey batch of these and most minis around 54-55 have had to have power steering pump and column replaced.

But i have never heard of any setting on fire because of this! maybe some of the others have.

thanks

Mint
_________________

Matty · Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 10:01 pm Post subject:

Hi and welcome to LMC Very Happy

I've heard of several common problems with R50 MINIs but I've not heard of that one you mention either
_________________

lammy · Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 749

I have heard something like this before but it is extremly rare. Don't worry about it. You'll know if the steering pump goes wrong an get it fixed before anything like that happens. Welcome to LMC too Cool

_________________

Olly · Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 11 Location: Mablethorpe

Hey thanks a lot for all that feedback, feel a lot better about it now.

By the way the website is great, well impressed! Think I will probably be a regular from now on, happy motoring y'all!!

Olly Very Happy

lammy · Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 749

Put some pic's up of your MINI when you get a chance Cool

_________________

Matty · Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 8:58 pm Post subject: Re: feedback on ps pump query