My Mini Cooper’s power steering is making a weird whining noise, any advice?

[Niamh]

I’ve had my Mini Cooper for about three years now and it’s been a really fun car to drive, with that go-kart handling that makes every journey feel like an adventure . But recently I’ve started noticing this whining noise from the power steering that’s getting progressively louder, especially when I’m turning the wheel at low speeds. I’ve read online that Minis can have issues with the power steering pump or the fluid level, and I’m hoping it’s something simple like a top-up rather than a full pump replacement which I’ve heard can be pretty expensive. The thing is, I’m not really confident enough to diagnose it myself and I don’t want to just start adding fluid without knowing what I’m doing. I work over near the Mussafah Industrial Area, which is about 20 km south-east of the Abu Dhabi city centre , and I’m hoping to find a workshop there that I can drop the car off at before work and pick up after. I’ve been looking at a workshop that offers quality Mini Cooper service in Mussafah because they seem to specialize in European cars and have decent reviews. Has anyone here had a similar power steering issue with their Mini and managed to get it sorted without spending a fortune? I’d really appreciate some advice on what to expect and whether there’s a common fix for this kind of problem. I’m hoping it’s not too serious because I really love this car and I want to keep it on the road for years to come.