2001 BMW X5 2.9L Diesel · KL52 KMA

The most recent MOT, dated 12 June 2025, was a PASS. The test highlighted that the near‑side rear upper suspension arm ball joint and the off‑side rear upper suspension arm ball joint each have “slight play”. Those same items were also flagged in the 6 June 2025 failure, together with a failure on the near‑side front lower suspension arm pin/bush and ball joint for being “excessively worn”. The pattern that emerges is a recurring issue with the front lower suspension arm and the rear upper suspension arm ball joints. The 2024 MOT only noted a worn off‑side front suspension arm pin/bush (not excessive), and the 2023 MOT recorded slight play on the near‑side front lower suspension arm ball joint. Over the last three years the same areas have been repeatedly flagged, moving from “slight play” to an outright failure in 2025 before being cleared again. This suggests the wear is progressing rather than stabilising, and the components may be approaching the end of their service life. Tyre condition was a concern in 2023, with the near‑side front tyre close to the legal tread limit and the off‑side front tyre showing cracking. No later MOT mentions tyre condition, so either the tyres were replaced or the issue was not re‑tested. The 2022 MOT noted corrosion on both front brake pipes and an insecure rear heat shield – items that should be inspected for rust and proper mounting, but they have not re‑appeared in later reports, which may indicate they were remedied.