Yep, this recall is pure fluff from MINI. Good for some, but not for those of us who may also have potentially defective units. Kind of a no-brainier, but if my car catches fire it'll give me good reason to get a new GP.
Geez. When I bought my MINI in 2002 there wasn't just no local dealer close to me -- there wasn't even a MINI dealer in the entire state of Texas. The nearest dealer to me was in New Orleans, 8 hours away.
It seems that this was previously only a warranty extension (they only cover the repair after it fails), and now it has been converted into an official safety recall.
The difference is the Original extended warranty had time and Miles limits....so many cars were over the miles/time limit...
with a recall....it JUST fits within the production date range...
and the "new" pumps they install are not really new...just re-manufactured units, not redesigned....doubt they are TRULY "improved", just newer.....
Guessing the number of complaints from failures passed some threshold, resulting in a recall, regardless of the extended warranty already in place...
I'll take a remanufactured part any day if it's free. Gotta see when my car was built, but I think it was in late 2004 as a 05 model. It has been rather noisy and I was going to replace it anyway.
Oh I was reimbursed for the new p/s pump you and I installed in my MINI at the end of 2012 - just about exactly 3 years ago.
As I remember it, I submitted a claim with MINIUSA in March 2013 and they finally reimbursed me some 8 months later (!) after I hounded them for 6 months about them dragging their corporate feet. Not a pleasant experience. Apparently my claim was on the end of their little list as my p/s pump was owner-installed rather than dealer-installed.
Yes, I know more than few people took many months to get reimbursed - in fact most had forgotten about it or figured they weren't going to get the money, and when the check came it was a pleasant surprise!
But this will be different, since the dealer will be doing the work.....I'll bet those guys have figured out some short cuts and will be making good money replacing these.....
There have actually been at least three or four changes in the part number for the EHPS Pump since 2005. One might deduce that ZF/MINI have quietly introduced minor improvements in the design over the years in an attempt to improve the pump/motor reliability. At one time you could track the lineage of part numbers on the RealOEM site but now that page shows only the part number for the remanufactured replacement pump. Perhaps they think a change made to the '06+ part mitigated the earlier issues.
I think the only change they could make that would really mitigate the problem is to go to a brushless DC motor, cause that's what usually cause the problem, dust from the wear on the brushes. I've had enough of them apart to see this......
I've had one apart too (on my old '05) and I agree with you 100 percent. In my case the pump motor controller circuit card had that highly conductive brush dust all over it, presumably getting in via the connections from the card to the motor. It's not hard to see how that card can short out in different and interesting ways.
Like many folks have observed during their own DIYs, my pump motor housing was packed full of that crap.
I've also seen so much brush dust inside the motor that it locked the armature, keeping it from moving. I also saw deep commutator wear..... both those issues would be removed with a brushless motor - like the electric steering cars use.
Notice you have no power steering issues with the 2007 and up cars that use the electric steering racks.....brushless DC motors is why......that and no fluid.
OF COURSE!! Now they want to make this an official recall!! Just last week, I FINALLY got my 3rd power steering unit to work on my 2005 R52. Ordered a Dorman re-manufactured unit. First one was DOA, second one had issues with electronics and wouldn't shut off, and the third one finally works (for the most part. Still seems a little noisy). I checked with Mini re: the covered replacement/repair that came out out a few years ago and my car was apparently out by a freaking month. Mini claimed that I had the new "fixed" PS unit. My "fixed" unit was filled with a load of reddish dust from the brushes.
I will be anxious to see what actually gets published for the recall. Perhaps I will get lucky for a change!!
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