MINI bulletin M180126
What it saysTarnishing of the metal (1) on the rear silencer is caused by the heating and cooling of the exhaust. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
MINI filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated May 11, 2026, received May 19, 2026, about the engine. It names 3 model years (2025–2026). 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 communicationTarnishing of the metal (1) on the rear silencer is caused by the heating and cooling of the exhaust.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M180126 | Service bulletin | May 11, 2026 | 11032773 | PDF, 2,793 KB |
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 themA 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 3 model years this bulletin names have filed 21 complaints with NHTSA since 2015.
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 engine
Source: same model, same component group10 other manufacturer communications filed against these MINI models under the same component group (engine), newest first. The eight newest are listed; the rest are on the MINI list.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| M280123 | Service bulletin | May 8, 2026 | A Check Control message displays for “Transmission oil service required” (ID 2120). This warning can be triggered: From 60,000 miles… |
| B061726 | Other | Feb 6, 2026 | Turbocharger Return |
| 6412900100 | Warranty extension | Aug 1, 2025 | The electric auxiliary heater assembly limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been extended to 10 years / 120,00… |
| 6450900300 | Warranty extension | May 19, 2025 | The high-voltage battery assemblys expansion valve limited warranty for defects in materials and/or workmanship has been extended to 15 year… |
| 1165900700 | Warranty extension | May 19, 2025 | The engines turbocharger wastegate valve controller limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been extended to 15 y… |
| 6127900700 | Warranty extension | Nov 27, 2024 | The High-Voltage (HV) Battery Assembly Cell Modules Temperature Sensors (Internal NTC repair kit-specific) limited warranty for defects in m… |
| M120124 | Service bulletin | Jun 19, 2024 | Check Control message: Drive. Check as soon as possible. The emissions warning lamp (MIL) may light up and the following fault has been stor… |
| M110423 | Service bulletin | Sep 18, 2023 | The left charge air line can fail and cause an induction leak. In some cases the “Engine Malfunction”warning may illuminate. Note: This Ser… |
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 M180126 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 M180126 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 M180126 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 3 model years: 2026 MINI Countryman, 2025 MINI Countryman, 2025 MINI John Cooper Works. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.