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MOT History from tests of petrol BMW 3-SERIESs year 2008

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:77.87%
(The average a petrol BMW 3-SERIES year 2008 passes without issue)
Based on:197,729 MOT Tests
Most common failuresNo# failures
Headlamp aim out of alignment7443
Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits |7.3.D.3|3366
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive |7.3.D.3|2303
Registration plate issues2012
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively1762
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))1491
Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak1216
Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak1083
Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))1069
Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))949
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements |3.7.B.7|923
Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle excessive |7.3.D.3|907
Nearside Rear Road wheel cracked |4.2.A.1a|905
Offside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak |2.7.3|832
Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault796
Offside Rear Road wheel cracked |4.2.A.1a|720
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive |7.3.D.4|693
Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak |2.7.3|626
Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak609
Offside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak597
Registration plate lamp issues582
Nearside Front position lamp|s| not working |1.1.A.3b|548
Brakes imbalanced across an axle544
Windscreen washer not working 526
Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))518
Brake hose excessively deteriorated510
Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))496
Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))491
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction |8.2.1.2 |h||471
Offside Front position lamp|s| not working |1.1.A.3b|460
Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault |5.4.2|454
Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits |8.2.1.2 |c||435
Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))434
Nearside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak |2.7.3|402
Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturers specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))393
Rear parking brake recording little or no effort392
Parking brake lever has no reserve travel |3.1.6b|389
Parking brake efficiency below requirements |1.4.2 |a| |i||353
Windscreen has damage286
Offside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak |2.7.3|281
Brake fluid warning lamp illuminated |3.6.G.2|281
Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened280
Exhaust hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))270
Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam |1.7.5a|266
Electronic stability system warning lamp indicates a fault |3.4.1c|262
Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam |1.7.5a|254
Nearside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect |1.8.A.1b|251
Rear brake binding248
Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits |8.2.1.2 |b||242
Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))225
Nearside Front Front position lamp|s| not working |1.1.A.3b|221
Offside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect |1.8.A.1b|217
Exhaust hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturers specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))210
Electronic stability control warning lamp indicates a fault (7.12 (e))200
Nearside Stop lamp not working |1.2.1b|192
Offside Front Front position lamp|s| not working |1.1.A.3b|190
Rear brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened179
Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))177
Nearside Headlamp cleaning device inoperative |1.7.2|176
Brake pipe excessively corroded175
Offside Front Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))175
Nearside Rear Road wheel fractured (5.2.2 (a))174
Offside Stop lamp not working |1.2.1b|172
Offside Headlamp cleaning device inoperative |1.7.2|172
Nearside Rear Wheel bolt|s| missing |4.2.A.1e|171
Nearside Front Wheel bolt|s| missing |4.2.A.1e|165
Nearside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))158
Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))158
Offside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))157
Nearside Front Position lamp not working |4.2.1 |a||157
Emissions not tested (8.2.1.2 (d))156
Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone `A` |8.3.1e|156
Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam |1.7.5a|153
Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault |7.1.6 |a||150
Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))149
Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))148
Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii))144
Offside Front Position lamp not working |4.2.1 |a||138
Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds manufacturers specified limits (8.2.1.2 (b))138
Offside Rear Road wheel fractured (5.2.2 (a))135
Offside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))135
Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))133

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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