Please help me with this!!!
I have a 2005 Mini Cooper Convertible which I bought brand new...no issues at all ever, except the occasional repair on minor things here and there. I DRIVE MY CAR...everyday!!!! I LOVE THIS CAR!!!!!

Right before Christmas, I hit a deer at about 45mph. It damaged the hood, broke the radiator (all the fluid leaked out), and in total did about $5,300 in damages. I have always carried full coverage on it, even though the car has been paid off for quite some time because I never wanted to take a chance on losing my favorite car of all time!!!!!!

Well...I finally got the car back from being "fixed" a month after the accident. It was only worked on by a body shop...never seen by a mechanic, but I didn't realize this was an issue until later. A couple of days after I got the car back, it was making a squeeling noise from under the hood that I had not heard before. I told my husband about the sound, and he diagnosed it to be the powersteering fluid. We replaced the powersteering fluid with the correct stuff that should have been in it before (come to find out, the body shop had put a different fluid in) and anyway, the noise didn't stop. It not only got worse, but the steering went out completely! A few days after the sounds, the steering wheel would NOT TURN AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!! I parked the car, and my husband again started trying to fix the car even though I insisted it had to be related to hitting the deer.

He then decided the power steering pump was going out--the noise was coming from the pump. We arranged to purchase a pump to replace the one that is bad...in the meantime more ps fluid and about a 5 minute resting period for the car would result in the steering wheel turning again. This happened again on Wednesday, Feb. 8th 2012--powersteering gone...NO TURNING THE WHEEL!!! I sat in the parking lot for a few minutes so it could come back. Then went on my way. The next day I ran an errand from work and got back to my car...it would NOT START!!!!!!!!!
The engine turns over and over, but never fires off. It appeared to have gas (according to the range indicator) but after thinking about it for a little bit, it had been displaying the SAME NUMBER FOR THE ENTIRE DAY!!!! So, I don't know how much gas it actually had! We put gas in it, and tried to start the car...AND STILL NO GO!

My big question here is this...IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE WHO KNOWS HOW IN THE WORLD THIS COULD BE RELATED TO MY HAVING HIT THE DEER AND/OR THE REPAIRS THAT WERE MADE TO MY MINI!?!?!?!?

If the problems are related, the insurance company will issue a supplement to the original claim.

Important note to remember:
I NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES AT ALL WITH MY LITTLE CAR UNTIL THIS!!!!!!

Please help me!!!!! I don't know what to do! Is it just an unfortunate coincidence? I really find that hard to believe...but if that's the way it is, then I guess I'll just have to face it, and pay for all these crazy things myself.
Please help with any advice!

BTW...by banging on the gas tank we can now get the car to start, but it just stops running randomly. AND, the powersteering...idk...haven't been able to keep it running long enough to even know if the ps is still having issues.
Sounds crazy, I know...but it's all true! I NEED HELP FROM FELLOW MINI PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!

Not that it matters or anything, but the insurance company I have had ALL MY LIFE...is Farm Bureau. I used to be really happy with them!

Not so much anymore.

Thanks guys! I'm sorry this is so long...but I need advice!!!!!!!!

 

I would have it towed to a Mini Dealer and have them fix it. But first I would call my insurance company and try to reopen the accident case if it has been closed. The problem you are having now could be related but without expert advice it's going to be difficult to prove it.

 

Wow sorry about the wreck...

I'd get the car to either a dealer or a well trusted MINI shop to see if where there may be some electrical shorts.

Nothing against any body shop, but often they aren't up to date when it come to all the new electronics in cars.

 

Sounds like the P/S problem may be related- maybe not directly but, because of the procedures the shop took while doing the collision work. If there was P/S fluid missing, it had to have leaked out ether because something was damaged in the accident or durring the repair process. Call the insurance co, tell them about the problems and that you suspect the issues are loss related. Tell them you are taking the car to a mechanic (not a body man) to have it checked out. Most insurance co's have what is known as a "tear down policy". You autherize a mechanic to diagnose by doing the "tear down". If the problem can be determined it is loss related, they will pay the "tear down" cost and what it will take to fix it. If it's not loss related, you are responsible for the "tear down" cost and the repair. That's fair for everyone. By the way, your insurance co did not do the repairs on your car, the shop you chose did. All your insurance co did was pay the bill.

 

Power steering issues could be a bubble in the line, but could also be not enough power getting to the motor (broken power cable somewhere? fuse blown but not completely?)

The fuel issue could be debris in the line or fouled pumps. This could have been contaminated from the collision with the deer.

Both cases, you most likely will have to prove it was directly related to the accident (the fuel you can probably get there, but the power steering, most likely not). Even if you can prove it, you'll most likely have to fill out forms for reimbursement for the fixes, and you won't be covered on all you've done (and still have to take it to an approved shop to have inspected).

 

Just wondering how something could get into a sealed system and contaminate your fuel from hitting a deer? Dont forget this P/S system also has an external cooling system that could be damaged (fan, cooler, lines, etc)

 

Every time you open the gas tank to add fuel you introduce the possibility of adding a contaminant into the fuel system. If the car has a filter and it is missing, damaged, or otherwise not up to snuff that contaminant can get into your car's fuel system. It could have been introduced before or after the crash by either a person or by the fuel pump at the station. Some stations have a dredge at the bottom of their tanks that have contaminant from every station refill and eventually will get into the cars they fill. That dredge can be caused by improperly cleaned tankers, intentional malcontents, or by accidental kick into (underground) or by wind.

When you get "bad gas," this is what causes it. Gummed fuel pumps/lines from some contaminant in the fuel. It also doesn't have to happen immediately. Some pieces will just float to the bottom and not budge until next refill or until something causes a sudden jarring motion.

 

Check all fuses first, then bring to dealership.

 

Wow- if you have run flats, I guess your car stops running with every jarring bump in the road. Or if you push hard in a spirited turn and slosh all that contaminated gas to the side of the tank will stop you dead in your tracks too. As ridicules as your argument is, it still would have absolutely nothing to do with hitting a deer even if it was true...

 

Wow, do you like to just say stuff or would you rather provide an alternative scenario to what I know is true because I've seen it and I've replaced fuel pumps because of debris and other various contaminants ... and I've also had it happen from when I hit a deer with the exception it would not stay running after it turned over.

If a contaminant large enough, no, simple less than 1G turns, accelerations, and braking won't cause it to float lose enough to get into the pump -- besides, side-to-side maneuvers will only shift the contaminate in those directions, not forward toward the pump. Point of impact with an object will cause a large force against the vehicle to cause sufficient movement forward to have most anything in the tank move. Have you ever had contaminated fuel?

There is another possibility where the inertia switch in the fuel pump has tripped, but there's a short in the circuit that keeps partial contact which would cause intermittent starts since it's designed to shut off the fuel on impacts. The fuel fill sensor could also have had a problem with it so the sending units think the tank too low and is not starting the pump to send fuel to the system. The contaminant could have gotten past the filter and has now clogged the four injectors.

 

Well, I think this thread has taken a wrong turn. In my original response, I was simply trying to give Ms. Ginger some friendly advice on how to approach her problem from an insurance claim perspective. Sorry if I offended you but, chasing a fuel contamination problem for hitting a deer is not likely going to get you anywhere in this scenario.
You asked if I have any experience with fuel contamination problems. Well I’ll tell you yes, and a lot of it. I have never given mine and I hate when someone in an on line forum gives their “experience” resume but, you asked so here goes: I have been in the automotive repair business for over 32 years. I am an ASC Master Certified Technician, I-CAR Platinum and Gold Class Professional, Hunter Alignment Certified, Chief EZ Liner Certified, CAR-O-Liner Certified and about 15 other Engineering and Automotive Certifications. I have testified in over 30 court proceedings on automotive repairs and I am considered an expert witness in most automotive court proceedings in auto accident reconstruction.
As for you, where does your experience come from? Clogging all 4 of the fuel injectors now, really? Do you know anything about micron filtering capacity in relation to automotive filters? Inertia as it relates to collision repair? Anything about the physics of structural or mechanical related repairs following a collision? If you did, you would know your argument is based on inertia. In terms of a collision, inertia is when objects in motion want to stay in motion. It’s also the principal on how air bags deploy.
Deer losses very rarely deploy air bags because there is very little inertia which also refutes your argument. It’s just not the same as hitting a solid object like another car, pole, brick wall etc. I am guessing you have seen the offset crash tests performed at the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety on Date-Line Television? Well, I am one of the guys they often ask to take apart and evaluate the cars after they are crashed. So when I say I speak from experience, I do. Again, I am sorry if I offended you but I stand by my comment, fuel contamination has absolutely nothing to do with hitting a deer. I’ll try and keep my comments to myself next time and let experts like you diagnose people’s problems. But before I do, I’ll ask you what’s YOUR day job? No more comments here, you win.

 

Why don't we all just chill out... The OP hasn't even returned to NAM since the 13th.

Lets be honest nobody here can diagnose this car without getting it in their shop. It doesn't matter if you've got a dozen certificates, or you've replaced fuel pumps. This is an obvious case where somebody (preferably not the original body shop) needs to examine what is happening. Considering this should fall under the obligations of the poster's insurance company, the best thing they can do is get them to reopen the claim.

I recommended a dealer or other "MINI" shop only because this is a case where having advanced diagnostics may come in handy.

 

Sounds to me like post #2 had the best advice. Maybe the OP took it thus the reason for not being back?