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RecallGazette

Vehicle problems, recalls & safety intelligence

MINI Cooper 2002–2007technical service bulletin

Bulletin M120213 · NHTSA communication 10150204 · issued Nov 1, 2013

Technical service bulletin
communication type
Engine and Engine Cooling
component
2002–2007
model years
16
vehicle entries

Official summary

State Inspection and Emission (I/M) Test Fails Due to an Invalid VIN Number. The affected vehicle may fail to pass a State Inspection and Emission (I/M) test due to a noncompliant 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN) stored in the DME (Digital Motor Electronic). The VIN read-out displayed on the state test printout does not match the actual VIN of the vehicle. If the DME was reprogrammed using the previously available BMW service equipment (e.g., Progman, GT1), it was possible that only the last 7 of the VIN were entered into the DME, and positions 4 through 10 may only contain default

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.