MOT History from tests of diesel BMW 5-SERIESs year 1998

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:54.97%

(The average a diesel BMW 5-SERIES year 1998 passes without issue)

Based on:7,583 MOT Tests

Most common failures	No# failures
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements \|3.7.B.7\|	1068
Brake pipe excessively corroded	737
Rear parking brake recording little or no effort	679
Headlamp aim out of alignment	578
Registration plate lamp issues	449
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively	228
Brake hose excessively deteriorated	214
Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault \|5.4.2\|	175
Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault	171
Registration plate issues	170
Offside Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	124
Nearside Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	122
Fuel system component leaking \|7.2.3\|	103
Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	94
Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine \|7.4.B.3b\|	94
Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	91
Offside Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	89
Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	73
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	72
Front Exhaust system not adequately supported \|7.1.1\|	68
Offside Rear coil spring fractured \|2.4.C.1a\|	68
Nearside Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	66
Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	63
Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	62
Offside Rear fog lamp not working \|1.3.2b\|	59
Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened	58
Offside Front Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	51
Nearside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak \|2.7.3\|	51
Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	50
Parking brake lever has no reserve travel \|3.1.6b\|	48
Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	48
Offside Rear coil spring incomplete \|2.4.C.1a\|	47
Brakes imbalanced across an axle	46
Centre Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	45
Nearside Front Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	41
Offside Headlamp not working on main beam \|1.7.5a\|	40
Offside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak \|2.7.3\|	40
Nearside Rear coil spring fractured \|2.4.C.1a\|	39
Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	36
Offside Rear Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	36
Nearside Rear position lamp\|s\| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance \|1.1.A.3d\|	35
Rear brake binding	35
Offside Rear coil spring broken \|2.4.C.1a\|	33
Nearside Rear coil spring incomplete \|2.4.C.1a\|	32
Offside Rear Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	30
Offside Rear position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	30
Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt \|2.4.G.2\|	30
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt \|2.4.G.2\|	29
Service brake: efficiency below requirements \|3.7.B.7\|	28
Driver`s door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle \|6.2.B.1b\|	28
Nearside 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\|	28
Nearside Rear Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	27
Offside Rear position lamp\|s\| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance \|1.1.A.3d\|	27
Offside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect \|1.8.A.1b\|	27
Rear brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened	27
Nearside Rear position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	26
Windscreen has damage	26
Nearside Rear coil spring broken \|2.4.C.1a\|	23
Exhaust system not adequately supported \|7.1.1\|	23
Front passenger door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle \|6.2.B.1b\|	23
Nearside Rear Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	23
Nearside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	23
Offside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	23
Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter split \|2.2.D.2d\|	22
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\|	22
Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	22
Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded \|5.2.6\|	22
Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	21
Front Fuel system component leaking \|7.2.3\|	21
Nearside Rear Seat belt locking mechanism does not secure or release \|5.2.5a\|	20
Offside Rear Anti-roll bar has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	20
Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone `A` \|8.3.1e\|	20
Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded \|2.4.A.3\|	20
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	20
Nearside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	20
Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	19
Offside Rear Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	19
Brake hose damaged	19
Offside Front Anti-roll bar has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	19
Centre Exhaust system not adequately supported \|7.1.1\|	19
Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam \|1.7.5a\|	19
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive \|7.3.D.3\|	18
Nearside Rear brake disc excessively pitted \|3.5.1h\|	18
Horn not working \|1.6.2a\|	18
Offside Rear Seat belt locking mechanism does not secure or release \|5.2.5a\|	18
Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	18
Anti-lock braking system warning lamp does not illuminate \|3.4.1b\|	17
Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working \|1.3.2b\|	17
Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded \|5.2.6\|	17
Offside Front Headlamp not working on main beam \|1.7.5a\|	16
Offside Rear brake disc excessively pitted \|3.5.1h\|	16
Offside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	16
Nearside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect \|1.8.A.1b\|	16
Nearside Front Shock absorber has negligible damping effect \|2.7.5\|	16
Fuel pipe leaking \|7.2.3\|	16
Front Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases \|7.1.2\|	16
Offside Side repeater incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	15
Exhaust emits excessive smoke or vapour of any colour \|7.4.B.4\|	15
Nearside Headlamp insecure \|1.7.3\|	15
Emissions not tested \|7.0\|	15
Nearside rear brake recording little or no effort \|3.7.B.5a\|	15
Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded \|2.4.A.3\|	15
Offside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt \|2.4.G.2\|	14
Offside Rear passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle \|6.2.B.1c\|	14
Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam \|1.7.5a\|	14
Offside Rear Rear position lamp\|s\| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance \|1.1.A.3d\|	14
Nearside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image \|1.2.4a\|	14
Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	14
Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	14
Offside Headlamp excessively deteriorated so that the light output is severely reduced \|1.7.5a\|	14
Offside Front Steering rack gaiter split \|2.2.D.2d\|	13
Fuel cap/sealing device does not fasten securely maintaining the sealing arrangement \|7.2.4b\|	13
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage insecure \|2.4.G.1\|	13
Centre Rear Statutory seat belt missing \|5.1.1\|	13
Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam \|1.7.5a\|	13
Nearside Rear Rear position lamp\|s\| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance \|1.1.A.3d\|	13
Nearside Steering rack gaiter split \|2.2.D.2d\|	13
Offside Steering rack gaiter split \|2.2.D.2d\|	13
Offside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image \|1.2.4a\|	13
Nearside Rear Upper Tie bar/rod has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	12
Offside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded \|2.4.A.3\|	12
Nearside Headlamp excessively deteriorated so that the light output is severely reduced \|1.7.5a\|	12
Offside Obligatory mirror seriously damaged, affecting the rear view \|8.1.2a\|	12
Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	11
Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	11
Offside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint \|2.5.B.1a\|	11
Offside Rear Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings \|6.1.B.2\|	11
Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	11
Nearside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	11
Nearside Rear Tie bar/rod has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	11
Offside Front wheel bearing rough when rotated \|2.5.A.2\|	11
Offside Rear Tie bar/rod has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	11
Nearside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	11
Electronic stability system warning lamp indicates a fault \|3.4.1c\|	11

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 5-SERIESs year 1998

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