NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Engineering Analysis EA07-011: ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE

Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA07-011 on August 14, 2007 and closed it on August 13, 2008. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Mini Cooper and Cooper S for it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number: EA07-011 (also written EA07011)
Investigation type: Engineering Analysis A more detailed stage of a defect investigation, opened when NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation decides an issue merits further review, often after a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query; it can include vehicle testing, surveys and further information requests.
Status: Closed August 13, 2008
Opened: August 14, 2007
Closed: August 13, 2008
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Components: Steering — Electric Power Assist System; Steering — Hydraulic Power Assist System; Steering — Hydraulic Power Assist — Hose, Piping, and Connections; Steering — Hydraulic Power Assist — Pump
Vehicles and equipment: Mini Cooper and Cooper S

A recall appears here only when NHTSA's investigations file links one to the investigation; NHTSA's summary or record can name others.

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA07-011.

try.vin does not copy NHTSA's investigation documents; NHTSA's investigation record lists the ones NHTSA has published.

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) ANALYZED CONSUMER COMPLAINTS TO BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC (BMW)AND TO ODI THAT ALLEGED FAILURES OF THE ELECTROHYDRAULIC POWER STEERING (EHPS) USED IN MODEL YEAR 2002 THROUGH 2003 MINI COOPER VEHICLES.THE ANALYSIS DETERMINED THAT 43 OF THE 52 (83%) REPORTS WERE RELATED TO ALLEGATIONS OF POWER STEERING LOSS AND 9 (17%) WERE RELATED TO ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES. ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE REPORTS ALLEGING FIRES NOTE SMALL FLAMES WERE VISIBLE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, ANALYSIS OF THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THESE FAILURES INDICATES THAT EVEN THE MOST SEVERE INCIDENTS WERE LIMITED TO LOCALIZED THERMAL DAMAGE TO THE EHPS ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS AND WIRING INSULATION.NONE OF THE COMPLAINTS ALLEGING LOSS OF POWER ASSISTED STEERING INDICATED THAT THE INCREASED EFFORT RESULTED IN A CRASH OR LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED. ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST. THE AGENCY WILL MONITOR THIS ISSUE AND RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY CIRCUMSTANCES.SEE DOCUMENT FILE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS RESUME.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA07-011. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.

Mini

Mini Cooper
- 2002, 2003
Mini Cooper S
- 2002, 2003

All Mini recalls

What an NHTSA investigation is

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.

An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Mini VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for EA07-011

Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.