CarVerify

Free Car Check

R952 KMV

1997 BMW 540

Grey Petrol 4398cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires8 Jun 2023
Tests27 (16 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate59.3%

Mileage

109,447 mi
Last recorded109,447 miles
Recorded on9 Jun 2022
Typical for 1997 BMW 540117,944 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationR952 KMV
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1997
ColourGrey
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

16 pass 11 fail
Pass 9 Jun 2022 109,447 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Fail 6 Jun 2022 109,444 miles

Central Front Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 27 May 2021 101,678 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material by tank (1.1.11 (c))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

Pass 24 Feb 2020 100,613 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Fail 18 Feb 2020 100,613 miles

Nearside Front Steering box has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering box fitted) steering idler (2.3 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Pass 4 Mar 2019 96,909 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front steering box slight movement

oil leak but not excessive

Fail 14 Feb 2019 96,909 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

Electronic stability control warning lamp indicates a fault (7.12 (e))

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

Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Wheel bearing rough when rotated (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Brake fluid warning lamp illuminated (1.1.10 (f))

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Steering box slight movement (2.1.1 (d) (i))

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

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 20 Feb 2018 93,833 miles

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)

n/s/f steering idler

Pass 15 Feb 2017 88,552 miles
Pass 6 Feb 2016 85,379 miles
Pass 28 Jan 2015 80,426 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Pass 16 Jan 2014 14,185 miles
Fail 13 Jan 2014 74,181 miles

Centre Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

Pass 7 Feb 2013 68,680 miles
Fail 6 Feb 2013 68,675 miles

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

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 15 Feb 2012 61,176 miles
Fail 15 Feb 2012 61,176 miles

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Pass 13 Jan 2011 58,463 miles
Fail 13 Jan 2011 58,463 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 25 Jan 2010 54,730 miles
Fail 25 Jan 2010 54,730 miles

Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Fail 10 Feb 2009 49,904 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 10 Feb 2009 49,904 miles
Fail 5 Feb 2008 49,604 miles

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Pass 5 Feb 2008 49,604 miles
Fail 23 Nov 2006 68,473 miles

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Pass 23 Nov 2006 68,473 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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

R952 KMV is a 1997 BMW 540 in Grey with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 59.3%.

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 a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

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 R952 KMV, 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 R952 KMV?

You can check the full history of R952 KMV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R952 KMV registered?

R952 KMV is a 1997 BMW 540, first registered on 27 November 1997.

Is R952 KMV safe to buy?

The MOT history for R952 KMV shows 27 tests with a 59.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R952 KMV 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 R952 KMV. 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.