MINI Cooper 2009–2013 — technical service bulletin
Bulletin SIM-11-04-13 · NHTSA communication 10054635 · issued Jan 1, 2014
Technical service bulletin
communication type
Engine
component
2009–2013
model years
3
vehicle entries
Official summary
Mini: tensioner spring force could be too low and severity of wear can cause rattling noise when idling or starting cold engine, and timing chain internal tolerances is not consistent. Model r55, r56, r57. No years listed. *pe updated 3/14/14. *pe
What a TSB means. Technical service bulletins are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls, and repairs are not automatically free (warranty extensions are an exception worth checking). The full document is available via NHTSA’s vehicle lookup.