MOT History from tests of diesel BMW 3-SERIESs year 1996

Review the list of common BMW 3-SERIES failures below or to perform a specific mot history check on your BMW then use our popular KnowYourCar service

mot history

Pass percent:46.38%

(The average a diesel BMW 3-SERIES year 1996 passes without issue)

Based on:9,619 MOT Tests

Most common failures	No# failures
Brake pipe excessively corroded	1792
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements \|3.7.B.7\|	911
Brake hose excessively deteriorated	772
Headlamp aim out of alignment	726
Rear parking brake recording little or no effort	656
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively	506
Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault	422
Registration plate lamp issues	362
Nearside Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	315
Offside Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	293
Registration plate issues	267
Brakes imbalanced across an axle	263
Nearside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	242
Parking brake lever has no reserve travel \|3.1.6b\|	238
Offside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	233
Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases \|7.1.2\|	207
Offside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint \|2.5.B.1a\|	182
Nearside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint \|2.5.B.1a\|	177
Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	169
Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine \|7.4.B.3b\|	163
Offside Rear Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	162
Nearside Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	155
Offside Rear coil spring incomplete \|2.4.C.1a\|	152
Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	139
Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	129
Offside Rear coil spring fractured \|2.4.C.1a\|	129
Nearside Rear coil spring fractured \|2.4.C.1a\|	125
Offside Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	124
Nearside Rear coil spring incomplete \|2.4.C.1a\|	118
Front Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases \|7.1.2\|	117
Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases \|7.1.2\|	112
Rear brake binding	112
Offside Rear fog lamp not working \|1.3.2b\|	108
Offside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak \|2.7.3\|	103
Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam \|1.7.5a\|	99
Nearside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak \|2.7.3\|	95
Offside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak \|2.7.3\|	93
Horn not working \|1.6.2a\|	88
Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	87
Nearside Front Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint \|2.5.B.1a\|	84
Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	81
Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded \|2.4.A.3\|	79
Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	78
Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam \|1.7.5a\|	76
Service brake: efficiency below requirements \|3.7.B.7\|	73
Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported \|7.1.1\|	73
Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	73
Offside Front Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint \|2.5.B.1a\|	73
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	72
Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened	72
Windscreen has damage	72
Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	71
Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak \|2.7.3\|	70
Emissions not tested \|7.0\|	70
Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	69
Brake hose damaged	69
Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded \|2.4.A.3\|	67
Fuel system component leaking \|7.2.3\|	67
Exhaust system not adequately supported \|7.1.1\|	63
Rear Exhaust has part of the system excessively deteriorated \|7.1.1a\|	62
Nearside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	62
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	61
Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	59
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	57
Nearside Rear position lamp\|s\| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance \|1.1.A.3d\|	57
Front brake application uneven	52
Offside Rear position lamp\|s\| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance \|1.1.A.3d\|	51
Offside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	50
Offside Front Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	49
Front Exhaust system not adequately supported \|7.1.1\|	48
Centre Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	47
Centre Exhaust system not adequately supported \|7.1.1\|	47
Offside rear brake recording little or no effort \|3.7.B.5a\|	45
Nearside Front Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	45
Offside Front coil spring fractured \|2.4.C.1a\|	43
Offside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	43
Nearside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	41
Rear brake application uneven	41
Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam \|1.7.5a\|	40
Nearside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	39
Offside Rear Shock absorber has negligible damping effect \|2.7.5\|	39
Anti-lock braking system warning lamp does not illuminate \|3.4.1b\|	37
Offside Front Anti-roll bar has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	37
Nearside Front Lower Ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	36
Centre Exhaust mounting missing \|7.1.1b\|	36
Nearside Front Ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	36
Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam \|1.7.5a\|	34
Offside Front Shock absorber has negligible damping effect \|2.7.5\|	34
Nearside rear brake recording little or no effort \|3.7.B.5a\|	34
Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working \|1.3.2b\|	34
Offside Front Lower Ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	33
Offside Front coil spring incomplete \|2.4.C.1a\|	33
Offside Front Anti-roll bar rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	33
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	32
Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	32
Offside Headlamp not working on main beam \|1.7.5a\|	31
Exhaust has part of the system excessively deteriorated \|7.1.1a\|	31
Nearside Rear position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	31
Nearside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	31
Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	30
Nearside Front Shock absorber has negligible damping effect \|2.7.5\|	30
Offside Rear position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	30
Nearside Rear Shock absorber has negligible damping effect \|2.7.5\|	30
Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam \|1.7.5a\|	29
Offside Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated \|2.6.1\|	29
Offside Front Ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	29
Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone `A` \|8.3.1e\|	28
Offside Front brake disc excessively pitted \|3.5.1h\|	28
Offside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	27
Offside Steering rack gaiter split \|2.2.D.2d\|	27
Nearside Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated \|2.6.1\|	27
Nearside Front brake disc excessively pitted \|3.5.1h\|	27
Nearside Steering rack gaiter split \|2.2.D.2d\|	27
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	26
Rear Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	26
Offside Rear Rear position lamp\|s\| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance \|1.1.A.3d\|	25
Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault \|5.4.2\|	25
Offside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	24
Windscreen wiper blade insecure	24
Offside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	24
Rear fog lamp not working \|1.3.2b\|	23
Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded \|5.2.6\|	22
Nearside Rear rear brake recording little or no effort \|3.7.B.5a\|	22
Offside front brake binding \|3.7.B.1\|	22
Rear Exhaust mounting missing \|7.1.1b\|	22
Battery insecure \|1.9.1\|	21
Nearside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play \|2.6.2\|	21
Fuel cap/sealing device does not fasten securely maintaining the sealing arrangement \|7.2.4b\|	21
Brake pedal spongy \|3.3.B.1b\|	20
Exhaust emits excessive smoke or vapour of any colour \|7.4.B.4\|	20
Centre Rear Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	20
Centre Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases \|7.1.2\|	20
Offside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play \|2.6.2\|	20
Offside Front Brake hose excessively damaged \|3.6.B.4d\|	20
Offside Rear Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	20
Nearside Rear Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings \|6.1.B.2\|	19
Nearside Rear Rear position lamp\|s\| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance \|1.1.A.3d\|	19
Offside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image \|1.2.4a\|	19
Offside Rear rear brake recording little or no effort \|3.7.B.5a\|	18
Offside Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated \|8.2.2\|	18
Offside Rear coil spring cracked \|2.4.C.1a\|	18
Nearside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image \|1.2.4a\|	18
Front Exhaust has part of the system excessively deteriorated \|7.1.1a\|	18
Nearside Rear coil spring broken \|2.4.C.1a\|	18
Nearside Rear Braking system leaking \|3.6.A.1\|	17
Exhaust mounting missing \|7.1.1b\|	17
Rear Mechanical brake component has restricted free movement	17
Nearside Rear Brake pipe inadequately clipped \|3.6.B.1\|	17
Offside Front Wheel bolt\|s\| missing \|4.2.A.1e\|	17
Offside Rear Wheel bolt\|s\| missing \|4.2.A.1e\|	17
Nearside front brake binding \|3.7.B.1\|	17
Offside Rear brake disc excessively pitted \|3.5.1h\|	17
Rear Rear fog lamp not working \|1.3.2b\|	17
Nearside Rear Wheel bolt\|s\| missing \|4.2.A.1e\|	17
Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded \|5.2.6\|	16
Nearside Rear brake disc excessively pitted \|3.5.1h\|	16
Offside Rear coil spring broken \|2.4.C.1a\|	16
Rear brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened	16
Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	16

We get to these numbers by trawling through over 1 billion MOT test results since 2004 and crunched the numbers. We remove anything to do with Tyres, as they are model independent and group together common non-model specific issues. We are trying to get to a picture of what models have what issues.

Please note: We take the data from the DVSA. This data is raw and can contain typos and spelling mistakes that garages may have entered while recording a MOT result. Specifically miss-match on names of models and makes. We are constantly cleaning the data so bear with the odd issue.

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MOT History from tests of diesel BMW 3-SERIESs year 1996

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