BMW MOT pass rates and reliability
We have 1,787,199 MOT tests on BMW cars from 2023, covering 25 models with enough tests to compare. Choose a model to see what it fails on most often, how its pass rate changes with age and how far it is typically driven.
Across 1,787,199 MOT tests on BMW cars in 2023, 78% passed first time, above the national average of 71% for all cars. Of the BMW models with enough tests, the I8 did best at 90% and the Z3 did least well at 68%. Newer models pass more often whatever the make, so compare cars of a similar age.
BMW models
| Model | Tests | First-time pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Series | 497,043 | 74% |
| 1 Series | 394,581 | 76% |
| 5 Series | 212,914 | 78% |
| X1 | 100,681 | 83% |
| 4 Series | 99,850 | 85% |
| X3 | 97,781 | 80% |
| 2 Series | 90,848 | 84% |
| X5 | 90,495 | 78% |
| Z4 | 35,539 | 77% |
| 6 Series | 23,739 | 80% |
| I3 | 20,145 | 88% |
| 7 Series | 19,412 | 82% |
| X2 | 16,039 | 84% |
| X4 | 15,920 | 85% |
| M3 | 15,787 | 85% |
| X6 | 15,265 | 83% |
| Z3 | 12,574 | 68% |
| M4 | 11,779 | 87% |
| M5 | 4,056 | 86% |
| M2 | 3,783 | 89% |
| 8 Series | 2,561 | 83% |
| I8 | 2,292 | 90% |
| Alpina | 1,483 | 81% |
| M6 | 1,370 | 87% |
| X7 | 1,262 | 85% |
What BMW cars fail on
Share of tests with at least one failure in each area, across all models, against the figure for all cars.
- Lights and electrics7.2% (all cars 11.3%)
- Tyres7.2% (all cars 6.4%)
- Suspension5.0% (all cars 9.0%)
- Brakes4.7% (all cars 6.8%)
- Visibility3.5% (all cars 4.8%)
- Exhaust and emissions1.9% (all cars 3.1%)
- Body and structure1.1% (all cars 3.5%)
- Seat belts and airbags0.9% (all cars 1.0%)
Most common BMW failure items
Share of tests on which each item was recorded.
- Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 2.4%
- Position lamp: not working 1.5%
- Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid 1.4%
- Tyres, condition: has ply or cords exposed 1.4%
- Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak 1.2%
- Tyres, condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords 1.2%
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick 1.1%
- Headlamp aim: too low 0.9%
Check a particular BMW
Model figures tell you what to look out for. To see one car's own MOT history, mileage and tax, enter its registration.
Source: Department for Transport, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023, cars and light vans, normal tests only. Pass rates are first-time passes; a pass after repair at the test station counts as a fail. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.