MINI and BMW preliminary evaluation PE10038
Loss of Power Steering Assist. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this preliminary evaluation about the steering on 6 model years (2004–2005). Opened Sep 24, 2010, closed May 10, 2011 after 8 months without a recall. closed
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedODI has received 339 complaints alleging an unexpected loss of power steering assist while driving the vehicle. When the power steering assist stops working, drivers experienced difficulty in steering and/or controlling the vehicle. According to BMW drivers may experience either a temporary or permanent loss of power steering assist. BMW further advised that a temporary loss of power steering assist may be due to a malfunctioning cooling fan or an under-voltage condition in the power steering system. A permanent loss of power steering assist may be due to an error in the internal electronics, and may also result in the continuous running of the power steering pump. The VOQ complaints allege 5 minor crashes and 3 fires. The crashes are described as hit the curb. The fires are described as melted wires. There were no property damage claims. ODI has received similar complaints for other model year Mini. Additional information is required to evaluate the frequency, consequence, and scope of this issue. Accordingly the investigation has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (see EA11-005).
A Preliminary Evaluation is the first formal stage: NHTSA has decided the complaints and other information it screened are worth a closer look, and asks the manufacturer for its own data on the condition. The summary is the agency’s own text from its investigation file, unedited; the opening and closing resumes with the full reasoning are on NHTSA’s site under this number.
What this means for an owner
Source: and what happens nextAn investigation is not a finding that a defect exists, and it puts no duty on anyone. NHTSA opens a Preliminary Evaluation when complaints and other reports suggest a condition worth asking the manufacturer about; it upgrades to an Engineering Analysis when the answers warrant testing; it closes either when it recommends a recall, when the manufacturer recalls on its own, or when no defect trend is found. The agency’s own goals are about four months for a petition, eight for a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query and eighteen for an Engineering Analysis; many run longer.
This one closed without a recall. That means NHTSA found no defect trend it chose to act on at the time, or the manufacturer addressed the condition another way (a service campaign or a bulletin, which have their own pages). A closed file can be reopened if new reports arrive.
Model years it names
Source: as NHTSA filed themAlso named: 2004 BMW Mini Cooper; 2004 MINI Cooper; 2005 MINI Cooper; 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible; 2004 MINI Cooper S; 2005 MINI Cooper S.
A vehicle page’s investigation list carries the same action; a name here is the scope NHTSA opened, not a list of affected VINs.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationIs PE10038 a recall?
No. A preliminary evaluation is NHTSA asking questions, not a recall. A safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number and a duty to repair for free; this one closed without one. Whether one particular vehicle has an open recall is a VIN question at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Is PE10038 still open?
No. It closed on May 10, 2011 without a recall.
Which vehicles does PE10038 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 6 model years: 2004 BMW Mini Cooper, 2004 MINI Cooper, 2005 MINI Cooper, 2005 MINI Cooper Convertible, 2004 MINI Cooper S, 2005 MINI Cooper S. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.