CarVerify

Free Car Check

S916 AWU

1998 BMW 540

Green Petrol 4398cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires19 May 2026
Tests23 (15 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate65.2%

Mileage

142,623 mi
Last recorded142,623 miles
Recorded on20 May 2025
Typical for 1998 BMW 540116,079 mi

Above 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

RegistrationS916 AWU
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1998
ColourGreen
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

15 pass 8 fail
Pass 20 May 2025 142,623 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 23 Oct 2020 136,077 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 27 Sep 2019 128,529 miles

Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources lamp off (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Sub-frame pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Sub-frame pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view front lower centre screen (3.2 (a) (i))

Fail 25 Sep 2019 128,529 miles

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

Front Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

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

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

Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources lamp off (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Sub-frame pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Sub-frame pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view front lower centre screen (3.2 (a) (i))

Pass 24 Aug 2018 107,713 miles

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

sill covers fitted offside and nearside

under trays and engine covers fitted obscuring view of certain components

Pass 19 Jun 2017

Oil leak ()

Oil leak ()

Pass 12 Apr 2016 80,428 miles

oil leak

under trays

Pass 11 Mar 2015 70,929 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Oil leak

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 14 Feb 2014 56,030 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 8 Nov 2012 46,613 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

high level stop light not working

Fail 31 Oct 2012 46,580 miles

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

high level stop light not working

Pass 24 Oct 2011 45,835 miles

slight leak on steering box

Fail 17 Oct 2011 45,834 miles

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

rear brake discs corroded

slight leak on steering box

Pass 7 Oct 2010 44,843 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

both front brake discs slightly corroded

both rear brake discs corroded on inside face

offside door mirrir glass detiorated

Fail 5 Oct 2010 44,826 miles

Nearside Brake pipe inadequately supported (3.6.B.1)

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

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

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

both front brake discs slightly corroded

both rear brake discs corroded on inside face

offside door mirrir glass detiorated

Pass 8 Oct 2009 42,013 miles

Engine oil leak

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Nearside Front Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

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

Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Rear exhaust heatshield insecure

Fail 7 Oct 2009 42,013 miles

Nearside Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

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

Engine oil leak

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Nearside Front Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

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

Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Rear exhaust heatshield insecure

Pass 3 Oct 2008 40,311 miles

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

Pass 8 Oct 2007 36,737 miles
Fail 5 Oct 2007 36,600 miles

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

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a) DANGEROUS

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Fail 4 Oct 2007 36,596 miles

Nearside Rear brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Rear brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Pass 13 Oct 2006 31,975 miles
Fail 9 Oct 2006 31,960 miles

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Front Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

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

S916 AWU is a 1998 BMW 540 in Green with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 65.2%.

Across all 1998 BMW 540 models, the average MOT pass rate is 70.2% with a typical mileage of 116,079 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 S916 AWU, 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 28 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 S916 AWU?

You can check the full history of S916 AWU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S916 AWU registered?

S916 AWU is a 1998 BMW 540, first registered on 11 August 1998.

Is S916 AWU safe to buy?

The MOT history for S916 AWU shows 23 tests with a 65.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S916 AWU 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 S916 AWU. 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.