MINI bulletin M310115
What it saysFront Axle Noise when Turning at Low Ambient Temperatures. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
MINI filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jun 1, 2021, received Nov 5, 2018, about the suspension — 7 documents under this number. It names 12 model years (2016–2021). 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 communicationFront Axle Noise when Turning at Low Ambient Temperatures. A groaning and/or squeaking noise from the front axle occurs when turning at low speeds or idle. The noise is most noticeable at low temperatures (approx. 32 degrees F), but not at higher temperatures and after driving.
Documents filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M310115 | Service bulletin | Jun 1, 2021 | 10200252 | not found |
| M310115 | Service bulletin | Mar 1, 2019 | 10159155 | not found |
| M310115 | Service bulletin | Dec 1, 2018 | 10153718 | not found |
| M310115 | Service bulletin | Nov 1, 2016 | 10146976 | not found |
| M310115 | Service bulletin | Aug 1, 2016 | 10147578 | not found |
| M310115 | Service bulletin | Oct 1, 2015 | 10147796 | not found |
| M310115 | Service bulletin | Mar 1, 2015 | 10147702 | 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.
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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 12 model years this bulletin names have filed 163 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 11 of them name Steering — 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.
Loss of power steering on startup or at stop light. A message pops up indicating that the Dynamic Stability Control is re-initializing and that steering may become difficult: Drive carefully. The warning message usually appears shortly after the failure. In fact, the steering gets so stiff, that my wife can barely turn corners.
2019 MINI Cooper · Steering · filed with NHTSA May 27, 2025 · ODI 11663212
The contact owns a 2020 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the power steering feature malfunctioned, causing the steering wheel to become difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the steering pump had failed and needed to be replaced.
2020 MINI Cooper · Steering · filed with NHTSA Mar 13, 2025 · ODI 11648130
The car completely lost steering in traffic. I brought it back to the Mini dealership, they informed me this is a known issue for Mini Coopers equipped with the click-and-play system, and they needed to re-wire the click-and-play to fix it. However Mini decided this should not be a recall.
2021 MINI Cooper · Steering · filed with NHTSA Apr 27, 2023 · ODI 11519216
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 suspension
Source: same model, same component group3 other manufacturer communications filed against these MINI models under the same component group (suspension), newest first.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| M310126 | Service bulletin | Feb 4, 2026 | When driving over an uneven road surface, a “thumping” noise can be heard from the front axle. Seeattached video V 31 02 26. Under certain w… |
| 24M31011 | Service bulletin | Jan 3, 2026 | During inspection and/or diagnosis there is noticeable dirt/grease buildup on the axles near the inner and/orouter CV boots. |
| M310424 | Service bulletin | Mar 4, 2024 | During inspection and/or diagnosis there is noticeable dirt/grease buildup on the axles near the inner and/or outer CV boots. |
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 M310115 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 M310115 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 M310115 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 12 model years: 2017 MINI Clubman, 2021 MINI Cooper, 2020 MINI Cooper, 2019 MINI Cooper, 2018 MINI Cooper, 2017 MINI Cooper and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.