2006 MINIS R53 POWER STEERING UNIT'S ELECTRIC DRIVE MOTOR CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO BASIC ENGINEERING DESIGN FLAWS. SEALED DRIVE MOTOR WITHOUT COOLING VENTS/HOLES OR INTERNAL SHAFT MOUNTED COOLING FAN CAUSES HIGH POWER DC MOTOR TO OVERHEAT. A SHOCKING LOW-COST SOLUTION ADDED EXTERNAL MUFFIN FAN WHICH BLOWS AIR ON THE EXTERIOR OF THIS NON-VENTED MOTOR. AS THE MASSIVE INTERNAL BUSHES WEAR OVER NORMAL USE, THE CONDUCTIVE METAL BRUSH DUST ACCUMULATES WITHIN ROTATING CONTACT AREAS CREATING ACCELERATING DAMAGE AND EXCESSIVE CURRENTS RESULTING IN EVENTUAL HIGH CURRENT INTERNAL MELTING OF COPPER CABLE CONNECTORS AND BRUSH/CONTACT SURFACES WHICH IGNITES THE RUBBER CABLE BOOT AND INSULATION AT ENTRANCE TO THE DRIVE MOTOR. IF YOUR MUFFIN FAN IS STILL OPERABLE AFTER SO MANY MILES OF GRAVEL INGESTION, 94,000 MILES IN MY CASE, THE FAN HELPS ACCELERATE THE RUBBER BOOT AND 12 VOLT HIGH CURRENT FEED CABLE INSULATION COMBUSTION AT THE DRIVE MOTOR CONNECTOR INTERFACE. THE FIRE'S FLAME IS PUSHED UPWARD TO OTHER AREAS UNDERNEATH YOUR EXHAUST MANIFOLD, HOSES AND COMPONENTS ON THE REAR SIDE BETWEEN YOUR ENGINE AND FIREWALL. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE PARKER HEATING FUEL COMPANY EMPLOYEE WHO OBSERVED THE BLACK SMOKE EMANATING FROM MY PARKED MINI WHILE I WAS INSIDE GETTING COFFEE, AND UPON RETURNING TO MY VEHICLE PUT OUT MY ELECTRICAL FIRE BEFORE IT COULD EXPAND TO TAKE OUT THE WHOLE VEHICLE. IT IS SATISFYING TO KNOW THAT EUROPEAN CIVIL AGENCY ADMINISTRATORS APPLIED THEIR RECALL TO ALL MINIS INCLUDING 2006 WHICH HAVE A NON-FUSED FIRE CREATING POWER SOURCE DRIVING THE TIME BOMB FIRE HAZARD POWER STEERING PUMP DRIVE MOTOR. I WONDER IF THE ZF FREIDRICKSCHAFFEN REPLACEMENT UNIT DESIGN IS IMPROVED OR INHERITED FROM THE UK WHEN BMW PURCHASED MINI? I ASSUME OUR SPACE STATION DOES NOT HAVE MANY UN-FUSED HIGH CURRENT FIRE CREATING WIRES LIKE THE ONE THAT RUNS FROM MY MINI'S BATTERY DIRECTLY TO MY SHORTING POWER STEERING PUMP/MOTOR ASSEMBLY WITHOUT A FUSE!!!!!. HAS ANYONE YET RETRO-FITTED A LOW-COST AFTERMARKET INTERNAL FAN COOLED WITH VENTS POWER STEERING PUMP/MOTOR COMBINATION? Like I observed on Barrett-Jackson installed in a 1964 custom Chevy truck this past weekend. I guess I will start my modification kit design tonight using all US based parts sources, to include TRW automotive, which is being purchased soon by ZF Freidrickshaffen.

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This post was auto-generated based upon a question asked on our tech article page here:

There are three fuses. a 100 amp, a 30 amp and a 15 amp. This is on 2002 - 2006 models.

- Nick