1991 BMW 5 Series — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1991 BMW 5 Series passed 80.5% of its 431 recorded MOT tests. Executive cars of a similar age fail at 19.2%, so the 1991 5 Series sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (10.2%) and lighting & signalling (9.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, flexible brake hoses and rigid brake pipes — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 30 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 30-60k one: 23.6% versus 12.2%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 33.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 27.3% in 2021 to 14.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 10.2% | 44 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 9.3% | 40 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.7% | 33 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.1% | 22 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.1% | 22 |
| 6 | Tyres | 2.5% | 11 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 30 |
| 2 | Flexible brake hoses | 21 |
| 3 | Rigid brake pipes | 20 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 20 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 17 |
| 6 | Wipers | 16 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 33.6% | 145 |
| 2 | Brakes | 27.4% | 118 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 20.4% | 88 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 20.2% | 87 |
| 5 | Tyres | 15.8% | 68 |
| 6 | Other defects | 14.6% | 63 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 49 | 12.2% |
| 60-90k | 67 | 16.4% |
| 90-120k | 103 | 18.4% |
| 120-150k | 66 | 16.7% |
| 150k+ | 123 | 23.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 110 | 27.3% |
| 2022 | 95 | 18.9% |
| 2023 | 85 | 15.3% |
| 2024 | 73 | 17.8% |
| 2025 | 68 | 14.7% |
What to check before buying a 1991 5 Series
On a 1991 5 Series, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (10.2% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (9.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.7% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 1991 BMW 5 Seriess pass their MOT?
80.5% of the 431 1991 BMW 5 Series MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1991 BMW 5 Series?
Suspension, recorded in 10.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (9.3%).
Does the 1991 5 Series get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.2% in the 30-60k band to 23.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 431 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.