Power Steering Failure

[N16SHP]

As per title, suffered this driving home just now. The steering kept on becoming heavy and almost impossible to turn the wheel, then as I got into my car park, the steering pretty much conked out, and when I start the car, I get a yellow warning light with a steering wheel and an exclamation mark!!

Any ideas? After all of my moans and groans, its going to have to be a call to my favourite local dealer! Then once that's done, a call to Audi to see if they have an A3's they want to sell me, had enough of my Mini!!!!

[AndyP & Lenore]

You're not having any luck with that car are you?

You've got an R56 right? Never heard of power steering going on the R56's. Fairly common on older model R53's though.

A.

[Craig]

Yeah as Andy says, very rare for the R56 to have power steering problems.... Hope it works out for you neil

[N16SHP]

Luck...no chance!

Yeah it's an R56, and after searching and searching, have yet to come across any evidence that this is a common fault. All I know is it's going to cost a packet to get fixed...just what I need!

[AndyP & Lenore]

If you are not too far out of warranty and it's a huge cost mini should contribute to the cost as a goodwill gesture. But what they should do and what they actually do could be two different things.

Sucks dude. Sucks.

A.

[GCA3N]

No words required Neil.

[weemark]

may seem like a silly question but is there enough oil in it? might be a pipe that is seeping oil out slowly.

[Stewart]

Sorry to read that Neil, Thats poor considering irs an R56.........

[N16SHP]

Well took the car out twice for two drives, and nothing, nada, no power steering issues...so confused! Even tried setting off and dropping the revs to almost stalling as you normally see the steering dip at that point...still no problems! Really dunno what's going on now!

Think a'l take it to a local garage and see if they can see anything. Could this be a small problem like low PS fluid? I cannot see where the reservoir is for the PS!