MOT History from tests of petrol BMW M3s year 1996

Review the list of common BMW M3 failures below or to perform a specific mot history check on your BMW then use our popular KnowYourCar service

mot history

Pass percent:63.78%

(The average a petrol BMW M3 year 1996 passes without issue)

Based on:9,116 MOT Tests

Most common failures	No# failures
Brake pipe excessively corroded	989
Headlamp aim out of alignment	591
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively	282
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive \|7.3.D.3\|	239
Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits \|7.3.D.3\|	219
Registration plate issues	215
Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault	203
Nearside Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	147
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive \|7.3.D.4\|	143
Offside Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	131
Registration plate lamp issues	126
Nearside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	123
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements \|3.7.B.7\|	113
Brake hose excessively deteriorated	108
Brakes imbalanced across an axle	101
Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	99
Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle excessive \|7.3.D.3\|	94
Offside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	93
Nearside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	91
Rear parking brake recording little or no effort	83
Rear brake binding	77
Nearside Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	71
Offside Rear Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	61
Centre Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	60
Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	58
Horn not working \|1.6.2a\|	56
Offside Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	56
Nearside Rear Direction indicators incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	53
Offside Rear Direction indicators incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	46
Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened	46
Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	46
Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam \|1.7.5a\|	45
Nearside Front coil spring fractured \|2.4.C.1a\|	43
Offside Rear fog lamp not working \|1.3.2b\|	41
Windscreen has damage	41
Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam \|1.7.5a\|	41
Offside Front coil spring fractured \|2.4.C.1a\|	41
Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault \|5.4.2\|	40
Nearside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak \|2.7.3\|	39
Parking brake lever has no reserve travel \|3.1.6b\|	35
Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	35
Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	35
Offside Front coil spring incomplete \|2.4.C.1a\|	34
Nearside Front Direction indicators incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	33
Rear Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	32
Nearside Front coil spring incomplete \|2.4.C.1a\|	31
Nearside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	31
Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam \|1.7.5a\|	31
Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	29
Front Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases \|7.1.2\|	28
Offside Front Direction indicators incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	28
Direction indicators incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	28
Offside Headlamp not working on main beam \|1.7.5a\|	28
Emissions not tested \|7.0\|	28
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	26
Offside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play \|2.2.B.1f\|	26
Nearside Side repeater incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	26
Nearside Rear position lamp\|s\| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance \|1.1.A.3d\|	25
Nearside Front Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	24
Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))	24
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\|	24
Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	23
Front brake application uneven	23
Offside Front Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	22
Offside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak \|2.7.3\|	22
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\|	22
Offside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	21
Offside Front coil spring broken \|2.4.C.1a\|	21
Power steering component\|s\| leaking \|2.3.3b\|	21
Rear brake application uneven	21
Power steering pipe\|s\| or hose\|s\| leaking \|2.3.3b\|	21
Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	21
Rear fog lamp not working \|1.3.2b\|	21
Offside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	20
Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded \|2.4.A.3\|	20
Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam \|1.7.5a\|	20
Nearside Rear Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	19
Nearside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	19
Nearside front brake binding \|3.7.B.1\|	19
Windscreen washer not working	19
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\|	19
Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded \|2.4.A.3\|	19
Offside Front Side repeater incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	18
Nearside Front coil spring broken \|2.4.C.1a\|	18
Nearside Rear position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	18
Nearside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	17
Offside front brake binding \|3.7.B.1\|	17
Nearside Front Direction indicator not working \|1.4.A.2c\|	17
Offside Rear Rear position lamp\|s\| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance \|1.1.A.3d\|	16
Offside Rear Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	16
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\|	16
Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam \|1.7.5a\|	16
Stop lamp remains on when the brakes are released	16
Offside Side repeater incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	16
Offside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak \|2.7.3\|	16
Rear brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened	16
Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	15
Front Exhaust system not adequately supported \|7.1.1\|	15
Offside Rear Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush \|2.7.4\|	15
Nearside Steering rack gaiter split \|2.2.D.2d\|	15
Offside Front front brake binding \|3.7.B.1\|	15
Brake hose has insufficient room to move	15
Nearside Rear Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement \|2.4.G.2\|	15
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements \|3.7.C.1b\|	15
Offside Steering rack gaiter split \|2.2.D.2d\|	14
Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone `A` \|8.3.1e\|	14
Service brake: efficiency below requirements \|3.7.B.7\|	14
Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint \|2.4.G.2\|	14
Brake hose damaged	14
Offside Front Direction indicator not working \|1.4.A.2c\|	14
Power steering pipe\|s\| or hose\|s\| leaking from a joint \|2.3.3b\|	14
Nearside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint \|2.5.B.1a\|	14
Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturers specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))	14
Exhaust catalytic converter missing where one was fitted as standard \|7.1.3\|	13
Offside Rear Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	13
Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported \|7.1.1\|	13
Nearside Rear Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush \|2.7.4\|	13
Offside Front Headlamp not working on main beam \|1.7.5a\|	13
Rear Direction indicators incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	13
Exhaust system not adequately supported \|7.1.1\|	13
Offside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image \|1.2.4a\|	13
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\|	13
Front Direction indicator incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	13
Offside Rear Trailing arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	12
Rear fog lamp tell tale not working \|1.3.1b\|	12
Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush \|2.7.4\|	12
Nearside Front brake disc excessively pitted \|3.5.1h\|	12
Offside Rear position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	12
Brake performance not tested \|3.7.A.1\|	12
Front Direction indicators incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	12
Nearside Rear Trailing arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	11
Offside Front position lamp\|s\| incorrect colour \|1.1.A.3e\|	11
Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush \|2.7.4\|	11
Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working \|1.3.2b\|	11
Offside Rear position lamp\|s\| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance \|1.1.A.3d\|	11
Nearside Front Headlamp not working on main beam \|1.7.5a\|	11
Nearside Front Side repeater incorrect colour \|1.4.A.2f\|	11
Battery insecure \|1.9.1\|	10
Offside Rear coil spring fractured \|2.4.C.1a\|	10
Offside Side repeater not working \|1.4.A.2c\|	10
Offside Front Wheel bolt\|s\| missing \|4.2.A.1e\|	10
Nearside Headlamp aim beam image kick up to the offside \|1.8\|	10
Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded \|2.4.A.3\|	10
Nearside Front Shock absorber has negligible damping effect \|2.7.5\|	10
Anti-lock braking system warning lamp does not illuminate \|3.4.1b\|	10
Centre Exhaust system not adequately supported \|7.1.1\|	10
Nearside Rear coil spring incomplete \|2.4.C.1a\|	10
Nearside Rear coil spring fractured \|2.4.C.1a\|	10
Hazard warning switch faulty \|1.4.B.1d\|	10
Centre Rear Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	10
Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))	10

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 M3s year 1996

Find us on Facebook