Full lock noise

[JOHNDALY]

I have taken my Mini Cooper S into Coopers today as I have been experiencing a straining noise when I turn the car with full lock on the steering wheel.
They have told me that this is a common noise and there is nothing to worry about. Seems a bit weird to me

Does anyone else experience this noise???

Thanks
JD

[Big Ashy]

As with all power steering, be it hydraulic or like The Mini electric, when put on full lock and held there, the pump/motor is still trying to increase the lock whilst held on the lock stops. It is normal for a change in audible tone but no mechanical noise should be heard

[< FORZA WEST]

If its an S with limited slip and the noise is a loud rub or growl on slow moving parking,then yes its a common noise.
The gear oil needs to be replaced with the early mini oil MTF94,then driven with lots of cornering and so on,then afte about 500 miles of driving the noise will have gone.

If the noise is more of a squelch then the tyres on the rims are rubbing each other-the tyre needs removing,rim cleaning and refitting.that stops that one.

If its a loud clunk from inside thge cockpit then the upper steering column needs replacing.

The early pumps upto 04 were quite noisy but that was quite normal.

Edited by < FORZA WEST on Thursday 10th January 23:36

[mgv8dave]

more than likely the power steering motor ..... small motor big fat tyres ...... they all do it
nothing to worry about. it sound a lot worse than it is.

[b2tus]

My wife's 2005 Cooper had exactly the same symptoms......sounded like a wheel bearing on its way out.

Turned out to be the run flat tyres. A quarter turn on the rim cured the problem. For some reason, the bead was graunching on the rim and was more pronounced on full lock.

There was a thread on here a year or so about it and a BMW main dealer came on the thread to agree with our findings......seems there were some tyres around that were more prone to the problem.

Just a thought......hope your problem is as easy to solve.