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MOT History from tests of petrol BMW 5-SERIESs year 1991

Review the list of common BMW 5-SERIES failures below or to perform a specific mot history check on your BMW then use our popular KnowYourCar service

mot history
Pass percent:53.92%
(The average a petrol BMW 5-SERIES year 1991 passes without issue)
Based on:18,387 MOT Tests
Most common failuresNo# failures
Brake pipe excessively corroded2082
Headlamp aim out of alignment1888
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively1158
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements |3.7.B.7|867
Rear parking brake recording little or no effort624
Registration plate lamp issues499
Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases |7.1.2|455
Nearside Front position lamp|s| not working |1.1.A.3b|344
Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded |2.4.A.3|332
Registration plate issues326
Offside Front position lamp|s| not working |1.1.A.3b|289
Brakes imbalanced across an axle281
Windscreen has damage249
Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases |7.1.2|239
Centre Exhaust system not adequately supported |7.1.1|231
Offside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded |2.4.A.3|213
Offside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak |2.7.3|210
Nearside Stop lamp not working |1.2.1b|210
Nearside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak |2.7.3|208
Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded |2.4.A.3|206
Offside Stop lamp not working |1.2.1b|204
Offside Rear fog lamp not working |1.3.2b|192
Offside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement |2.4.G.2|185
Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded |5.2.6|180
Nearside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement |2.4.G.2|168
Offside Rear Seat belt locking mechanism does not secure or release |5.2.5a|168
Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam |1.7.5a|159
Centre Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases |7.1.2|159
Exhaust system not adequately supported |7.1.1|158
Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened155
Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam |1.7.5a|147
Brake hose excessively deteriorated142
Nearside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded |2.4.A.3|136
Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play |2.2.B.1f|133
Nearside Rear position lamp|s| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance |1.1.A.3d|131
Steering box has relative movement between sector shaft and the drop arm |2.2.B.1b|130
Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported |7.1.1|130
Centre Exhaust mounting missing |7.1.1b|130
Nearside Front Shock absorber has negligible damping effect |2.7.5|127
Nearside Front Brake hose bulging under pressure |3.6.B.3|119
Offside Front Shock absorber has negligible damping effect |2.7.5|118
Nearside Front Front position lamp|s| not working |1.1.A.3b|118
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint |2.4.G.2|116
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive |7.3.B.1a|115
Offside Rear position lamp|s| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance |1.1.A.3d|112
Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play |2.2.B.1f|110
Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint |2.4.G.2|110
Offside Front Front position lamp|s| not working |1.1.A.3b|109
Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint |2.4.G.2|108
Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working |1.2.1b|106
Offside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint |2.4.G.2|106
Steering system has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel |steering box fitted| |2.2.A.1a|105
Emissions not tested |7.0|104
Nearside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint |2.4.G.2|104
Offside Side repeater not working |1.4.A.2c|102
Fuel pipe leaking |7.2.3|100
Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint |2.4.G.2|99
Horn not working |1.6.2a|98
Nearside Side repeater not working |1.4.A.2c|97
Nearside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint |2.5.B.1a|96
Rear brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened95
Front Exhaust system not adequately supported |7.1.1|94
Rear Exhaust has part of the system excessively deteriorated |7.1.1a|90
Parking brake lever has no reserve travel |3.1.6b|88
Offside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint |2.5.B.1a|86
Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded |2.4.A.3|86
Rear Fuel pipe leaking |7.2.3|85
Nearside Headlamp insecure |1.7.3|85
Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded |5.2.6|84
Exhaust mounting missing |7.1.1b|84
Offside Rear brake disc excessively pitted |3.5.1h|83
Nearside Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated |8.2.2|82
Nearside Rear Seat belt locking mechanism does not secure or release |5.2.5a|82
Nearside Rear brake disc excessively pitted |3.5.1h|82
Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam |1.7.5a|81
Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded |2.4.A.3|80
Service brake: efficiency below requirements |3.7.B.7|79
Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working |1.3.2b|79
Nearside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play |2.2.B.1f|79
Offside Rear Stop lamp not working |1.2.1b|77
Offside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play |2.2.B.1f|72
Offside Rear Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings |6.1.B.2|70
Offside Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated |8.2.2|68
Offside Rear coil spring fractured |2.4.C.1a|64
Nearside Front Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated |8.2.2|63
Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam |1.7.5a|62
Offside Front Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated |8.2.2|61
Nearside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded |5.2.6|60
Rear brake binding59
Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam |1.7.5a|59
Offside Front Brake hose bulging under pressure |3.6.B.3|56
Nearside Front Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint |2.5.B.1a|56
Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive |7.3.B.1b|55
Windscreen wiper blade insecure54
Rear brake application uneven53
Nearside Rear Sub-frame has excessive play in a pin/bush |2.4.G.2|53
Front brake application uneven51
Hazard warning switch faulty |1.4.B.1d|51
Offside Headlamp insecure |1.7.3|50
Offside Front Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint |2.5.B.1a|49
Rear Exhaust mounting missing |7.1.1b|49
Offside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded |5.2.6|47
Offside Rear Sub-frame has excessive play in a pin/bush |2.4.G.2|47
Nearside Rear Rear position lamp|s| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance |1.1.A.3d|46
Nearside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded |5.2.6|46
Offside Headlamp not working on main beam |1.7.5a|46
Nearside Rear coil spring fractured |2.4.C.1a|45
Exhaust has part of the system excessively deteriorated |7.1.1a|44
Offside rear brake recording little or no effort |3.7.B.5a|43
Nearside Front Brake hose leaking |3.6.A.1|43
Offside Rear Rear position lamp|s| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance |1.1.A.3d|43
Offside Front brake disc excessively pitted |3.5.1h|43
Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush |2.4.G.2|42
Offside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak |2.7.3|41
Nearside Rear Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings |6.1.B.2|40
Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak |2.7.3|40
Offside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded |5.2.6|39
Nearside Front Headlamp insecure |1.7.3|38
Offside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings |6.1.B.2|38
Offside Front Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings |6.1.B.2|38
Offside Outer Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded |2.4.A.3|37
Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement |2.4.G.2|37
Nearside Indicator tell tale inoperative |1.4.A.2a|37
Nearside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour |1.4.A.2f|36
Fuel cap/sealing device does not fasten securely maintaining the sealing arrangement |7.2.4b|35
Offside Front coil spring fractured |2.4.C.1a|35
Fuel system component leaking |7.2.3|35
Nearside Front Ball joint has excessive play |2.2.B.1f|34
Offside Front Headlamp insecure |1.7.3|33
Nearside rear brake recording little or no effort |3.7.B.5a|33
Offside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour |1.4.A.2f|33
Nearside Rear Fuel pipe leaking |7.2.3|33
Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement |2.4.G.2|33
Nearside Front brake disc excessively pitted |3.5.1h|33
Centre Rear Statutory seat belt missing |5.1.1|33
Offside Front Side repeater not working |1.4.A.2c|32
Offside Rear Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush |2.4.G.2|32
Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone `A` |8.3.1e|31
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush |2.4.G.2|31
Nearside Steering pivot point has excessive play |2.2.B.1g|31
Nearside Front Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings |6.1.B.2|30
Offside Rear Shock absorber has negligible damping effect |2.7.5|30
Offside Rear coil spring incomplete |2.4.C.1a|30
Nearside Front Side repeater not working |1.4.A.2c|30
Nearside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image |1.2.4a|29
Nearside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded |2.4.A.3|28
Offside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded |2.4.A.3|28
Offside Front Direction indicator not working |1.4.A.2c|28
Nearside Rear Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush |2.4.G.2|28
Intermediate drop arm insecure |2.2.B.1a|27
Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded |2.4.A.3|27
Nearside Outer Track rod end ball joint has excessive play |2.2.B.1f|27
Offside Rear Upper Coil spring mounting corroded and seriously weakened |2.4.C.3c|27
Offside Rear Bonded suspension unit deteriorated and cannot function as intended |2.4.F.3|27
Offside Obligatory mirror seriously damaged, affecting the rear view |8.1.2a|26
Nearside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush |2.4.G.2|26
Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault26
Nearside Rear rear brake recording little or no effort |3.7.B.5a|26
Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt |2.4.G.2|26
Offside Rear rear brake recording little or no effort |3.7.B.5a|26
Nearside Front Steering pivot point has excessive play |2.2.B.1g|26
Offside Front coil spring incomplete |2.4.C.1a|26
Nearside Rear Upper Coil spring mounting corroded and seriously weakened |2.4.C.3c|26

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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