MINI Under Investigation for Steering Issues

The current year has already been one of the busiest for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with more than enough problems in cars produced by most of the manufacturers in the US falling under the spotlight at some point.

The latest news concerning a possible defect coming from the NHTSA concerns the MINI brand and the MINI Cooper models manufactured in 2004 and 2005. The authority has begun an investigation into the possible steering issues in the models after it has received 54 consumer complaints.

According to Inside Line, the problem, if proved to be as signaled, is not to be ignored. The ones who filed complaints did so because they have experienced loss of power steering in the MINI Cooper, Cooper Cabrio and Cooper S models.

The investigation is currently under way, but the NHTSA points to the power steering pump as the cause of the problem. So far however, word is that the engineers looking into the matter have not been able to replicate the conditions which led to the loss of steering reported by the consumers.

BMW, the owner of the MINI brand, did not make any comments, but said that it is cooperating with the investigation.

As for the number of vehicles which are potentially affected, figures point to around 80,000. If it turns into a recall, this one will be among the few which BMW was forced to make. Earlier this year, another steering problem caused the beginning of an investigation into the BMW Z4 manufactured in between 2003 and 2005.