MINI bulletin M130120
What it saysTANK VENTILATION AND MIXTURE CONTROL FAULTS STORED IN THE DME: The Engine Malfunction Warning is illuminated and one or more of the following faults are stored in the DME. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
MINI filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated May 1, 2020, received Jun 15, 2020, about the fuel/propulsion system. It names 11 model years (2016–2020). A service bulletin is not a safety recall: it is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a condition, and whether the work is paid for depends on the warranty in force. Quoting the number at a service desk can save a diagnosis.
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What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationTANK VENTILATION AND MIXTURE CONTROL FAULTS STORED IN THE DME: The Engine Malfunction Warning is illuminated and one or more of the following faults are stored in the DME. All models: FC 191C02 - Fuel tank ventilation system 2nd discharge point: malfunction FC 195014 - Differential pressure sensor tank vent valve signal: fixed FC 118001 - Mixture control: mixture too lean FC 118401 - Mixture control: mixture too lean large deviation CAUSE Internal mechanical defect in the tank ventilation valve. The defect can also result in a very loud clicking noise when the valve is cycling.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M130120 | Service bulletin | May 1, 2020 | 10176383 | not found |
The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5. One communication is usually filed as several documents — the bulletin, a dealer notice, an owner letter — and the number on any of them finds this page. A PDF link is shown only once NHTSA’s own server has been seen to serve that document; the rest are checked over the following nights. Quote the number at a service desk; it is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themAlso filed against model years this site has no page for: 2016 MINI JCW Convertible; 2017 MINI JCW Convertible.
A vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
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What owners reported
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseOwners of the 9 model years this bulletin names have filed 156 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 53 of them name Engine, Power Train — the same broad component group this bulletin is filed under. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so that means the same area of the vehicle, not necessarily the same fault.
Fuel sensor failed and due to tank pressure that would not release properly, according to repair shop. Among other safety issues, this caused me to not be able to open the gas tank to refill the gas tank. This has been ongoing. At first the gas flap was repaired (2x) and ultimately the fuel sensor was entirely replaced at my cost.
2018 MINI Countryman · Fuel/Propulsion System · filed with NHTSA Jan 12, 2023 · ODI 11501422
The contact owns a 2017 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine was vibrating abnormally. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the passenger’s side engine mount needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.
2017 MINI Cooper · Engine · filed with NHTSA Mar 9, 2026 · ODI 11723036
My engine malfunctioned after the module under the back seat was wet from an unknown water leak in the vehicle. My vehicle lost power without warning until I came to a complete stop on the side of a very busy highway. I'm not sure if the repair center kept the faulty module or not I would have to check.
2018 MINI Countryman · Engine · filed with NHTSA May 21, 2024 · ODI 11589841
A complaint is one owner’s account, not a defect finding, and a bulletin is not a recall. Nothing here says this bulletin was issued because of these complaints, or that the repair it describes fixed them. Complaint files on this site begin in 2015.
More bulletins about the fuel/propulsion system
Source: same model, same component group1 other manufacturer communication filed against these MINI models under the same component group (fuel/propulsion system), newest first.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1390900300 | Warranty extension | Apr 27, 2026 | EVAP PURGE (VENT) VALVE EXT LTD WTY (ELW) 15 YEARS/150,000 MILES |
Quote the number at the service desk. It is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Every manufacturer communication NHTSA holds for MINI, by the number printed on the letter.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is MINI M130120 a recall?
No. A service bulletin is a manufacturer communication filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR 579.5; a safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number (two digits, a letter, six digits) and a federal duty to repair for free. Check the vehicle’s recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or on its page here.
Is the M130120 repair free?
Not automatically. A service bulletin describes how to diagnose or repair a condition; who pays depends on the warranty in force, any extension, and the dealer. Quoting the number can save a diagnosis either way. Every BMW warranty extension on file lists the ones BMW has filed.
Which vehicles does M130120 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 11 model years: 2017 MINI Clubman, 2020 MINI Cooper, 2019 MINI Cooper, 2018 MINI Cooper, 2017 MINI Cooper, 2016 MINI Cooper and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.