Know Your MOT
20.3%fail rate

BMW 325d common MOT failures and failure rate

What a BMW 325d fails its MOT on, from real DVSA test data, and the part that resolves each item.

Based on 1,555 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 20.3% of MOT tests recorded on the BMW 325d in DVSA data end in a failure. The same handful of items account for most of them.

Its most common failure is lamps & electrical, which makes up 1.3% of the BMW 325d's failures, followed by lamps & electrical, other, tyres. Each item below links to the part that resolves it. Confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying, and have safety-critical work done by a competent mechanic.

What it fails on, and why

Lamps & electrical1.3% of failures

Lighting is the single most common MOT failure and the cheapest to put right. A blown headlight, brake-light or number-plate bulb, a cracked lens, or a headlamp beam that points too high or low will all fail. Most are a two-minute bulb swap.

Other0.6% of failures

This covers a range of smaller items, from a non-working horn to a warning light left on.

Tyres0.3% of failures

Tyres fail for tread below the 1.6mm legal limit across the central three-quarters, uneven or exposed-cord wear, or sidewall damage. The tester inspects all four; a single illegal tyre is a fail.

The parts that fix each

If your car has just failed, you have 10 working days to fix the items and get a free partial retest. These are the usual parts; confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying.

For the lamps & electrical failure: BMW 325d headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for BMW 325d headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind BMW 325d headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: BMW 325d tyresSearch Amazon for BMW 325d tyresaffiliate searchFind BMW 325d tyres on eBayaffiliate

Other models

BMW 3 Series MOT failures24.9% failure rateBMW 118 Series MOT failures18.5% failure rateBMW X5 MOT failures22.7% failure rateFord Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rate

Sources: DVSA MOT History API: MOT test results and defect data ยท DVSA MOT testing data for Great Britain