MOT History from tests of petrol BMW 7-SERIESs year 1997

Review the list of common BMW 7-SERIES failures below or to perform a specific mot history check on your BMW then use our popular KnowYourCar service

mot history

Pass percent:60.85%

(The average a petrol BMW 7-SERIES year 1997 passes without issue)

Based on:20,433 MOT Tests

Most common failures	No# failures
Brake pipe excessively corroded	1121
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements \|3.7.B.7\|	1105
Headlamp aim out of alignment	842
Brake hose excessively deteriorated	724
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively	675
Rear parking brake recording little or no effort	512
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive \|7.3.D.3\|	483
Parking brake lever has no reserve travel \|3.1.6b\|	424
Nearside Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	411
Offside Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	377
Registration plate issues	355
Registration plate lamp issues	353
Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits \|7.3.D.3\|	325
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive \|7.3.D.4\|	296
Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	254
Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	222
Offside Rear fog lamp not working \|1.3.2b\|	204
Fuel tank leaking \|7.2.3\|	192
Nearside Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	187
Offside Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	183
Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	178
Offside Rear Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	159
Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault \|5.4.2\|	148
Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened	141
Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle excessive \|7.3.D.3\|	138
Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	127
Nearside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	126
Centre Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	126
Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	124
Offside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	120
Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault	118
Brakes imbalanced across an axle	117
Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	113
Offside Rear coil spring fractured \|2.4.C.1a\|	112
Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	112
Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam \|1.7.5a\|	106
Windscreen has damage	100
Offside Rear Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	97
Nearside Rear Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	94
Horn not working \|1.6.2a\|	90
Offside Rear Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	88
Nearside Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported \|7.1.1\|	87
Nearside Rear Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	84
Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam \|1.7.5a\|	84
Nearside Steering pivot point has excessive play \|2.2.B.1g\|	81
Offside Rear coil spring incomplete \|2.4.C.1a\|	81
Offside Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported \|7.1.1\|	80
Offside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint \|2.5.B.1a\|	79
Brake hose has insufficient room to move	77
Nearside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint \|2.5.B.1a\|	75
Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	69
Nearside Front Steering arm has relative movement at its fixings \|2.2.B.1h\|	66
Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	65
Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	65
Anti-lock braking system warning lamp does not illuminate \|3.4.1b\|	63
Brake hose damaged	63
Nearside Front Steering pivot point has excessive play \|2.2.B.1g\|	59
Nearside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	57
Offside Front Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint \|2.5.B.1a\|	57
Nearside Steering arm has relative movement at its fixings \|2.2.B.1h\|	56
Offside Front Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	56
Nearside Front Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint \|2.5.B.1a\|	54
Nearside Front Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	54
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\|	54
Service brake: efficiency below requirements \|3.7.B.7\|	52
Offside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	50
Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	49
Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported \|7.1.1\|	48
Nearside Front Drag link end ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	47
Windscreen washer not working	46
Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working \|1.3.2b\|	46
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\|	45
Nearside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak \|2.7.3\|	44
Nearside Rear coil spring fractured \|2.4.C.1a\|	44
Nearside Rear position lamp\|s\| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance \|1.1.A.3d\|	44
Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam \|1.7.5a\|	43
Front passenger door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle \|6.2.B.1b\|	42
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	42
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\|	41
Offside Rear coil spring broken \|2.4.C.1a\|	41
Offside Rear position lamp\|s\| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance \|1.1.A.3d\|	41
Power steering pipe\|s\| or hose\|s\| leaking \|2.3.3b\|	40
Front brake application uneven	40
Rear brake binding	40
Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle \|6.2.B.1b\|	39
Emissions not tested \|7.0\|	39
Nearside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	39
Offside Obligatory mirror seriously deteriorated, affecting the rear view \|8.1.2a\|	38
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\|	37
Rear brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened	37
Driver`s door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle \|6.2.B.1b\|	36
Offside Side repeater incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	35
Offside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak \|2.7.3\|	34
Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam \|1.7.5a\|	34
Nearside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	34
Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	34
Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone `A` \|8.3.1e\|	34
Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	33
Nearside Rear position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	33
Offside Obligatory mirror seriously damaged, affecting the rear view \|8.1.2a\|	32
Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	32
Offside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak \|2.7.3\|	32
Offside Rear brake disc excessively pitted \|3.5.1h\|	31
Offside Rear coil spring cracked \|2.4.C.1a\|	31
Windscreen wiper blade insecure	31
Offside Rear position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	31
Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	31
Nearside Rear brake disc excessively pitted \|3.5.1h\|	30
Stop lamp remains on when the brakes are released	30
Nearside Rear Brake hose excessively damaged \|3.6.B.4d\|	30
Nearside Front coil spring fractured \|2.4.C.1a\|	30
Power steering component\|s\| leaking \|2.3.3b\|	29
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt \|2.4.G.2\|	29
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements \|3.7.D.4\|	29
Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	29
Offside Front coil spring fractured \|2.4.C.1a\|	28
Fuel cap/sealing device does not fasten securely maintaining the sealing arrangement \|7.2.4b\|	28
Offside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	28
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements \|3.7.C.1b\|	28
Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	27
Brake performance not tested \|3.7.A.1\|	27
Offside Rear Brake hose excessively damaged \|3.6.B.4d\|	27
Nearside Rear coil spring incomplete \|2.4.C.1a\|	27
Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))	27
Exhaust system not adequately supported \|7.1.1\|	27
Offside Rear Tie bar/rod has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	26
Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt \|2.4.G.2\|	26
Offside Rear Seat belt locking mechanism does not secure or release \|5.2.5a\|	26
Nearside Drag link end ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	26
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\|	26
Centre Rear Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	26
Nearside Side repeater incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	25
Parking brake lever defective so that it cannot be satisfactorily operated \|3.1.3c\|	25
Offside Rear Upper Tie bar/rod has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	25
Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))	25
Nearside Rear Upper Tie bar/rod has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	25
Offside Rear Direction indicator not working \|1.4.A.2c\|	24
Offside Front brake disc excessively pitted \|3.5.1h\|	24

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 petrol BMW 7-SERIESs year 1997

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