BMW M340i common MOT failures and failure rate
What a BMW M340i fails its MOT on, and the part that fixes each.
About 10.4% of BMW M340is fail their MOT, and the same handful of items account for most of it.
The most common failure is tyres, which makes up 68.5% of the BMW M340i's failures, followed by tyres, suspension, other, brakes. 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
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.
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.
This covers a range of smaller items, from a non-working horn to a warning light left on.
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.
Visibility failures include torn or smearing wiper blades, a washer jet that does not reach the screen, and chips or cracks in the driver's swept area. Blades and washer fluid are quick, cheap fixes.
A missing, damaged, dirty or incorrectly-spaced number plate, or one using the wrong font, will fail. A replacement plate is inexpensive.
Failure rate by year
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. Confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying.
Other models
Sources: DVSA MOT History API: MOT test results and defect data · DVSA MOT testing data for Great Britain