MINI bulletin M511616
What it saysCavity protection WAX leaking out of hood. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
MINI filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jul 16, 2025, received Nov 5, 2018, about the structure — 5 documents under this number. It names 27 model years (2016–2024). 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 communicationCAVITY PROTECTION WAX LEAKING OUT OF HOOD. Cavity protection applied to underside of hood is leaking out onto wheel arch trim and grille. Improper application of Cavity Protection Wax.
Documents filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M511616 | Service bulletin | Jul 16, 2025 | 11020920 | PDF, 193 KB |
| M511616 | Service bulletin | Nov 2, 2023 | 10245428 | PDF, 3,374 KB |
| M511616 | Service bulletin | May 1, 2019 | 10161584 | not found |
| M511616 | Service bulletin | Sep 1, 2017 | 10146774 | not found |
| M511616 | Service bulletin | May 1, 2017 | 10149270 | not found |
What the document itself lists
Labour operations and the time the manufacturer allows
| Operation | Description | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 51 00 001 | Localizing body complaint(s): Work time to confirm the issue described in this… | 2 FRU |
| 51 99 000 | Work time for removing excess cavity wax, and reapplying correct amount of cavity… | 8 FRU |
Read by machine from the document NHTSA serves (4 pages), read Sep 30, 2026. A part number is shown only where it matches MINI’s own catalogue shape, an operation only with its code and time, and a description only where the reader got it whole; anything it could not settle is left out, and the PDF is the record. Times are the manufacturer’s warranty allowances, not a quote. Listings and prices on eBay Motors are the seller’s.
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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.
Doing the repair yourself, or pricing it before the shop does? Search the part by fitment on eBay Motors — the listing and the price are the seller’s.
Find the hood for the 2024 Clubman →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
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 27 model years this bulletin names have filed 262 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 7 of them name Structure, Wheels — 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.
Trunk/rear hatch power lift will enage if key fob has hatch button pressed while car is in drive or in motion. Hatch will raise creating situation where objects can fall out of the vehicle. Discussion with dealer revealed others have same issue only on the Countryman models and dealer does not have access to fix the software
2020 MINI Countryman · Structure · filed with NHTSA Feb 24, 2022 · ODI 11453831
I was approaching a red light on a road that is 35mph. As I was coming to a stop my passenger side window shattered out of nowhere. There were no people around outside the vehicle and as I mentioned I was going so slow, I can't imagine any rock kicked up would have done this. There was glass everywhere in my car.
2022 MINI Cooper · Structure · filed with NHTSA Aug 27, 2026 · ODI 11760003
The problem/issue is with THE GLASS ON MY CAR ROOF/THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF. No insulation to protect me/others from heat or cold. The temp of roof gets 2-3 times the temp of the day. 200-300F. This can lead to discomfort/use of EXTRA energy/pollution etc. A child left in such car wd be in deadly danger.
2023 MINI Cooper · Structure · filed with NHTSA Sep 8, 2024 · ODI 11613353
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 structure
Source: same model, same component group20 other manufacturer communications filed against these MINI models under the same component group (structure), newest first. The eight newest are listed; the rest are on the MINI list.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| M510126 | Service bulletin | Mar 18, 2026 | While driving on rough roads, a “cracking” sound is heard coming from the headliner area. |
| M510525 | Service bulletin | Jan 23, 2026 | The tailgate locks only on one side or has difficulty closing, which may cause a check control message stating "Tailgate Open." Additionally… |
| M540125 | Service bulletin | Nov 11, 2025 | Contamination on the outer track(s) of the sunroof cassette. This can occur on either one or both side of the sunroof cassette. |
| 0051180600 | Service campaign | Nov 6, 2025 | Due to changes in the opening mechanism of the tailgate’s latch, it is possible that the tailgate may not completely lock after closing. |
| M510425 | Service bulletin | Oct 15, 2025 | Front door power windows (left and/or right side) do not function. If the window(s) do operate, a grinding sound can be heard while opening… |
| M540325 | Service bulletin | Sep 4, 2025 | The sunshade for the panoramic sunroof is sticking, discolored, and/or damaged. |
| M510224 | Service bulletin | Aug 20, 2025 | While opening the door, a “groaning” sound is heard from the door brake. Doors open and close stiffly. |
| M610725 | Service bulletin | Jul 22, 2025 | The washer fluid reservoir (filler neck circled)may be leaking, and drains out through the wheel well liner. When the vehicle is parked, a p… |
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 M511616 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 M511616 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 M511616 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 27 model years: 2024 MINI Clubman, 2023 MINI Clubman, 2022 MINI Clubman, 2021 MINI Clubman, 2020 MINI Clubman, 2019 MINI Clubman and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.