PARKED VEHICLE OUTSIDE GROCERY STORE. RETURNED AFTER <5 MINUTES TO FIND SMOKE POURING FROM THE HOOD. OPENED HOOD TO DETERMINE CAUSE AND SMELT ELECTRICAL SMOKE, AND SAW FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE. DOUSED FLAMES USING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER FROM STORE, AND DISCONNECTED BATTERY. INITIAL DEALER INVESTIGATION INDICATES THAT THE DAMAGE WAS TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND WIRING HARNESS. HAD I NOT STOPPED FOR GROCERIES, I WOULD HAVE BEEN UNLIKELY TO NOTICE THE SMOKE/FIRE EARLY ENOUGH TO PREVENT THE LOSS OF THE VEHICLE. INSURANCE AND DEALER ROOT CAUSE INVESTIGATION IS STILL PENDING, BUT AFTER SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET (MOSTLY HTTP://WWW.NORTHAMERICANMOTORING.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=73527) I FOUND AT LEAST 10 OTHER INSTANCES OF A FAULT IN THE POWER STEERING PUMP CAUSING FIRES. BMW IS OBVIOUSLY AWARE OF SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS, AS THEY MADE CHANGES TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND POWER STEERING FAN WIRING HARNESS IN 04 MODELS ON. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE IS A SYSTEMATIC PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP ON MINIS. NO FUSE BLEW, AND TO HAVE AN ELECTRICAL COMPONENT RUN TO THE POINT WHERE IS COMBUSTS, WITHOUT ANY FUSE OR THERMAL FUSE PROTECTION SEEMS A GROSS DESIGN DEFICIENCY TO ME. *NM