Used car guide

2018 BMW 5 Series: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2018 BMW 5 Seriess, from 18,470 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

18,470MOT tests in 2025
87%pass first time (all 2018 cars: 81%)
10,000typical miles a year
4×the usual rate for shock absorbers

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2018 BMW 5 Seriess than on all cars registered in 2018.

  • Shock absorbers4× usual
    BMW 5 Series
    11.6% All 2018 cars
    2.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.8%, against 0.5% of all 2018 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.

  • Flexible couplings28× usual
    BMW 5 Series
    2.8% All 2018 cars
    0.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.2%, against 0% of all 2018 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.

Better than most

Brake discs: 4.6% here, against 10.8% of all 2018 cars. Brake pads: 5.1% here, against 11% of all 2018 cars.

By area

The share of 2018 BMW 5 Series MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    25% 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
    12% 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
    9% 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.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    4% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

  • Seats and seatbelts
    2% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

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%
201713,069Tyres 24%
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 2018 BMW 5 Seriess registered in 2018. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score