MOT History from tests of petrol BMW 3-SERIESs year 1998

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:53.49%

(The average a petrol BMW 3-SERIES year 1998 passes without issue)

Based on:271,617 MOT Tests

Most common failures	No# failures
Brake pipe excessively corroded	31386
Headlamp aim out of alignment	19097
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements \|3.7.B.7\|	13243
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively	12534
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive \|7.3.D.3\|	10057
Rear parking brake recording little or no effort	9626
Brake hose excessively deteriorated	7964
Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault	7626
Registration plate lamp issues	7375
Nearside Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	6175
Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits \|7.3.D.3\|	5988
Offside Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	5616
Offside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	5184
Nearside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	5158
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive \|7.3.D.4\|	4894
Registration plate issues	4826
Brakes imbalanced across an axle	4785
Nearside Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	4674
Nearside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint \|2.5.B.1a\|	3908
Offside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint \|2.5.B.1a\|	3852
Offside Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	3845
Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	3624
Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	3543
Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault \|5.4.2\|	3067
Offside Rear coil spring incomplete \|2.4.C.1a\|	2750
Parking brake lever has no reserve travel \|3.1.6b\|	2553
Nearside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak \|2.7.3\|	2501
Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	2478
Offside Rear coil spring fractured \|2.4.C.1a\|	2461
Offside Rear Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	2305
Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam \|1.7.5a\|	2250
Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases \|7.1.2\|	2149
Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle excessive \|7.3.D.3\|	1958
Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam \|1.7.5a\|	1922
Nearside Rear coil spring incomplete \|2.4.C.1a\|	1709
Front Exhaust system not adequately supported \|7.1.1\|	1677
Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	1660
Nearside Front Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint \|2.5.B.1a\|	1583
Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	1561
Offside Front Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint \|2.5.B.1a\|	1557
Centre Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	1549
Nearside Rear coil spring fractured \|2.4.C.1a\|	1519
Nearside Front Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	1425
Offside Rear fog lamp not working \|1.3.2b\|	1362
Nearside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	1349
Offside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak \|2.7.3\|	1334
Nearside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	1316
Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	1315
Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases \|7.1.2\|	1315
Offside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	1300
Service brake: efficiency below requirements \|3.7.B.7\|	1276
Windscreen has damage	1264
Offside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak \|2.7.3\|	1263
Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened	1254
Front brake application uneven	1214
Offside Front Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	1197
Rear brake binding	1143
Exhaust system not adequately supported \|7.1.1\|	1086
Emissions not tested \|7.0\|	1079
Offside Steering rack gaiter split \|2.2.D.2d\|	1076
Offside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	1018
Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak \|2.7.3\|	1002
Nearside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	967
Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam \|1.7.5a\|	938
Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam \|1.7.5a\|	896
Horn not working \|1.6.2a\|	873
Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	848
Rear brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened	810
Nearside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	804
Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam \|1.7.5a\|	803
Offside Rear coil spring broken \|2.4.C.1a\|	796
Offside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	790
Offside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	788
Offside Headlamp not working on main beam \|1.7.5a\|	774
Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	763
Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	747
Nearside Rear position lamp\|s\| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance \|1.1.A.3d\|	741
Brake hose damaged	713
Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	706
Offside Side repeater incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	702
Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	700
Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone `A` \|8.3.1e\|	685
Nearside Rear position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	683
Centre Exhaust system not adequately supported \|7.1.1\|	681
Offside Rear position lamp\|s\| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance \|1.1.A.3d\|	663
Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported \|7.1.1\|	663
Nearside Side repeater incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	650
Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	647
Offside Rear position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	636
Nearside front brake binding \|3.7.B.1\|	623
Offside Front Ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	595
Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	584
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	582
Offside front brake binding \|3.7.B.1\|	555
Offside Front Lower Ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	555
Nearside Rear coil spring broken \|2.4.C.1a\|	549
Offside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect \|1.8.A.1b\|	546
Nearside Front Ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	535
Nearside Front Lower Ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	529
Anti-lock braking system warning lamp does not illuminate \|3.4.1b\|	525
Nearside Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated \|2.6.1\|	525
Offside Front Steering rack gaiter split \|2.2.D.2d\|	499
Offside Front coil spring fractured \|2.4.C.1a\|	491
Nearside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect \|1.8.A.1b\|	482
Windscreen wiper blade insecure	478
Rear Exhaust has part of the system excessively deteriorated \|7.1.1a\|	469
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	464
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	459
Rear Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	458
Battery insecure \|1.9.1\|	439
Fuel cap/sealing device does not fasten securely maintaining the sealing arrangement \|7.2.4b\|	436
Electronic stability system warning lamp indicates a fault \|3.4.1c\|	434
Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded \|2.4.A.3\|	433
Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))	432
Offside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image \|1.2.4a\|	432
Rear fog lamp not working \|1.3.2b\|	428
Nearside Rear Wheel bolt\|s\| missing \|4.2.A.1e\|	428
Nearside Steering rack gaiter split \|2.2.D.2d\|	426
Nearside Front Wheel bolt\|s\| missing \|4.2.A.1e\|	424
Offside Front Direction indicators incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	423
Offside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	411
Nearside Rear brake disc excessively pitted \|3.5.1h\|	411
Nearside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	409
Nearside Front Shock absorber has negligible damping effect \|2.7.5\|	406
Rear brake application uneven	406
Nearside Front Direction indicators incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	406
Centre Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases \|7.1.2\|	403
Offside Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated \|2.6.1\|	401
Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	398
Nearside Rear Direction indicators incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	397
Nearside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image \|1.2.4a\|	391
Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working \|1.3.2b\|	386
Offside Rear Direction indicators incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	383
Offside rear brake recording little or no effort \|3.7.B.5a\|	382
Offside Rear brake disc excessively pitted \|3.5.1h\|	381

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.

Got suggestions? We’re improving this section all the time. If you have any suggestions, please let us know.

MOT History from tests of petrol BMW 3-SERIESs year 1998

Find us on Facebook