Used car guide

2017 BMW 5 Series: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2017 BMW 5 Seriess, from 13,069 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

13,069MOT tests in 2025
84%pass first time (all 2017 cars: 78%)
9,800typical miles a year
4.5×the usual rate for shock absorbers

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2017 BMW 5 Seriess than on all cars registered in 2017.

  • Shock absorbers4.5× usual
    BMW 5 Series
    16.7% All 2017 cars
    3.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.2%, against 0.7% of all 2017 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints3.1× usual
    BMW 5 Series
    4.6% All 2017 cars
    1.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2%, against 0.8% of all 2017 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: Drive slowly on full steering lock in both directions and listen for clicking. Look for split rubber boots behind the front wheels.

  • Flexible couplings28× usual
    BMW 5 Series
    2.8% All 2017 cars
    0.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.2%, against 0% of all 2017 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £150–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the sills, wheel arches and underneath for rust, and look along the panels for uneven gaps or paint.

  • Wheels2× usual
    BMW 5 Series
    2% All 2017 cars
    1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.3%, against 0.3% of all 2017 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £70–£150 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

Better than most

Brake discs: 5.2% here, against 11.5% of all 2017 cars. Suspension arm bushes and joints: 0.9% here, against 4.8% of all 2017 cars.

By area

The share of 2017 BMW 5 Series MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    24% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Suspension
    18% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Brakes
    10% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Lights and electrics
    6% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Driveshafts and joints
    5% of testsRough price £60–£350

    At the viewing: On full steering lock, drive slowly and listen for clicking from the front wheels.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    5% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

Looking at a BMW 5 Series?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20222,222Tyres 24%
20211,817Tyres 21%
20204,064Tyres 23%
201915,159Tyres 24%
201818,470Tyres 25%
20135,675Tyres 30%
20125,661Tyres 30%
20111,011Tyres 30%
2010591Suspension 30%
2009619Suspension 39%
2008685Suspension 38%
2007736Suspension 45%
2006623Suspension 46%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2017 BMW 5 Seriess registered in 2017. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score