Know Your MOT
10.3%fail rate

BMW F800r common MOT failures and failure rate

What a BMW F800r fails its MOT on, from real DVSA test data, and the part that resolves each item.

Based on 1,122 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 10.3% of MOT tests recorded on the BMW F800r 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 19.0% of the BMW F800r's failures, followed by lamps & electrical, brakes, steering, 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 & electrical19.0% 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.

Brakes18.1% of failures

Brake failures cover worn pads and discs, an imbalance between wheels, corroded or scored discs, or a binding caliper. Braking efficiency is measured on a rolling road, so a spongy or pulling brake shows up as a low reading.

Steering12.9% of failures

Steering faults are typically worn track-rod ends or ball joints, play in the rack, or a split gaiter letting grease out and dirt in. Excessive free play at the wheel fails.

Tyres12.1% 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.

Other10.3% of failures

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

Suspension8.6% of failures

Suspension failures usually mean a worn or snapped coil spring, a leaking shock absorber, or play in a lower arm ball joint or bush. The tester checks for corrosion, fractures and excessive movement. A broken front spring is one of the most common failures on higher-mileage cars and is a straightforward replacement.

Failure rate by year

How the MOT failure rate varies by the car's year of first registration (older examples generally fail more as wear sets in).

200910.5% fail · 439 tests
201010.9% fail · 469 tests
20119.5% fail · 147 tests

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 F800r headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for BMW F800r headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind BMW F800r headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: BMW F800r brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for BMW F800r brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind BMW F800r brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the steering failure: BMW F800r steering track rod endsSearch Amazon for BMW F800r steering track rod endsaffiliate searchFind BMW F800r steering track rod ends on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: BMW F800r tyresSearch Amazon for BMW F800r tyresaffiliate searchFind BMW F800r tyres on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: BMW F800r suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for BMW F800r suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind BMW F800r suspension springs and shock absorbers 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 · DVSA MOT testing data for Great Britain