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P418 AYJ

1997 BMW 540

Blue Petrol 4398cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires8 Apr 2026
Tests27 (19 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate70.4%

Mileage

Typical for 1997 BMW 540117,944 mi
4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationP418 AYJ
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1997
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine4,398cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

19 pass 8 fail
Pass 9 Apr 2025

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint has slight play rear (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint has slight play rear (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 28 Mar 2024

Nearside Outer sill corroded

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement rear (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Outer Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Fail 20 Mar 2024

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn rear (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Outer Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Nearside Outer sill corroded

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement rear (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Outer Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Pass 28 Mar 2023

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Nearside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 24 Mar 2022 238,314 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension arm ball joint has slight play rear (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced front to rear sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced front to rear sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 30 Mar 2021 234,151 miles

Central Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside Outer Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (front and rear) (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Outer Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (front and rear) (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Fail 22 Feb 2021

Bonnet cannot be secured in the closed position (3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper not working (3.4 (a))

Offside Front Driver's door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Offside Front Driver's door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front jacking point

Nearside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Front jacking point

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Pass 17 Feb 2020 233,439 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 28 Jan 2020 233,425 miles

Nearside Windscreen wiper not working (3.4 (a))

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 15 Feb 2019 228,292 miles

oil leak

Fail 30 Jan 2019 228,202 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 2 Jan 2018 223,443 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Fail 2 Jan 2018 223,443 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 3 Jan 2017 213,536 miles
Pass 4 Jan 2016 204,019 miles
Pass 2 Jan 2015 195,298 miles

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Pass 6 Nov 2013 188,437 miles
Pass 8 Nov 2012 184,127 miles

Offside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Pass 3 Nov 2011 177,464 miles

Airbag light on.

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak

Sill under covers fitted.

Pass 9 Nov 2010 169,862 miles

front shocks slightly weak

front suspension arm bushes worn

Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

offside front and nearside front drop links poor

Fail 6 Nov 2010 169,836 miles

Ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

front shocks slightly weak

front suspension arm bushes worn

offside front and nearside front drop links poor

Pass 7 Nov 2009 162,240 miles

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

both front shockabsorbers slightly weak

front anti roll bar drop link boots split

front to rear metal brake pipes staring to rust

Fail 8 Nov 2008 152,327 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

Pass 8 Nov 2008 152,327 miles
Fail 3 Oct 2008 153,709 miles

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Pass 19 Sep 2007 143,774 miles
Pass 27 Sep 2006 137,422 miles

How Reliable is the BMW 540?

Based on 50,016 MOT tests across 4,152 vehicles.

71.9%
Pass Rate
4,801
Miles/Year
33
Year Lifespan
4,152
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 2,881
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 2,341
Brake pipe excessively corroded 1,599
parking brake recording little or no effort 1,360
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 1,334
Full BMW 540 reliability report

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P418 AYJ is a 1997 BMW 540 in Blue with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.4%.

Across all 1997 BMW 540 models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.9% with a typical mileage of 117,944 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a BMW 540 fails its MOT is parking brake: efficiency below requirements, accounting for 2,881 recorded failures. If you're considering buying P418 AYJ, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 540 typically stays on UK roads for around 33 years. At 29 years old, this BMW 540 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of P418 AYJ?

You can check the full history of P418 AYJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P418 AYJ registered?

P418 AYJ is a 1997 BMW 540, first registered on 17 April 1997.

Is P418 AYJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for P418 AYJ shows 27 tests with a 70.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P418 AYJ have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on P418 AYJ. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.