21.2%fail rate
BMW MOT failure rates by model
BMW cars fail 21.2% of MOT tests. Here is every BMW model ranked by failure rate, and the item each loses most tests to.
What is the MOT failure rate for BMW cars?
Across 36,501,054 MOT tests in the DVSA record, 21.2% of BMW cars fail. That is 4.5 points below the 25.7% national average across all cars. The BMW models below are ranked worst to best by failure rate, each with the failure area it loses most tests to.
| Model | Failure rate | Tests | Top failure area |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMW 628 Series | 32.1% | 1,385 | Brakes |
| BMW 316 Series | 30.8% | 1,213,300 | Suspension |
| BMW 523 Series | 30.1% | 254,881 | Brakes |
| BMW 528 Series | 30.0% | 169,183 | Brakes |
| BMW MINI | 29.0% | 1,279 | Lamps & electrical |
| BMW 728 Series | 28.2% | 84,717 | Suspension |
| BMW 540 Series | 28.1% | 50,214 | Brakes |
| BMW 525d | 27.9% | 5,712 | Suspension |
| BMW Coupe | 27.9% | 1,093 | Brakes |
| BMW 735 Series | 26.9% | 51,345 | Suspension |
| BMW Z3 | 26.7% | 503,000 | Suspension |
| BMW 518 Series | 26.0% | 63,145 | Suspension |
| BMW 525 Series | 25.6% | 725,533 | Suspension |
| BMW 840 Series | 25.5% | 28,488 | Lamps & electrical |
| BMW 2002 Series | 25.1% | 6,793 | Lamps & electrical |
| BMW 3 Series | 24.9% | 12,876,176 | Suspension |
| BMW 850 Series | 24.8% | 7,628 | Lamps & electrical |
| BMW 2000 Series | 24.4% | 1,085 | Lamps & electrical |
| BMW 530 Series | 23.2% | 803,209 | Suspension |
| BMW 545 Series | 23.1% | 11,104 | Suspension |
| BMW 750 Series | 23.0% | 25,835 | Suspension |
| BMW BMW | 23.0% | 1,449 | Brakes |
| BMW X5 | 22.7% | 1,797,457 | Brakes |
| BMW 745 Series | 22.6% | 22,696 | Suspension |
| BMW 740 Series | 22.2% | 67,117 | Suspension |
| BMW 3000 Series | 22.1% | 1,427 | Lamps & electrical |
| BMW 328 Series | 22.1% | 1,210 | Lamps & electrical |
| BMW 645 Series | 21.7% | 67,779 | Suspension |
| BMW 325 Series | 21.7% | 5,829 | Lamps & electrical |
| BMW 520 Series | 21.5% | 1,670,711 | Suspension |
| BMW 535 Series | 21.4% | 215,544 | Suspension |
| BMW 635 Series | 21.4% | 51,207 | Suspension |
| BMW 535d | 20.8% | 2,341 | Tyres |
| BMW 630 Series | 20.6% | 75,499 | Tyres |
| BMW Z4 | 20.4% | 707,177 | Suspension |
| BMW 120 Series | 20.3% | 877,622 | Tyres |
| BMW 325d | 20.3% | 1,565 | Lamps & electrical |
| BMW 123 Series | 20.0% | 78,757 | Tyres |
| BMW 7 Series | 19.8% | 64,649 | Suspension |
| BMW 114 Series | 19.6% | 44,158 | Tyres |
| BMW 325i | 19.5% | 2,416 | Suspension |
| BMW 5 Series | 19.4% | 958,431 | Tyres |
| BMW 730 Series | 19.3% | 226,633 | Suspension |
| BMW 550 Series | 19.3% | 5,885 | Tyres |
| BMW 116 Series | 19.2% | 1,656,076 | Tyres |
| BMW 130 Series | 19.2% | 21,957 | Tyres |
| BMW 650 Series | 19.1% | 28,173 | Tyres |
| BMW M3 | 19.0% | 444,743 | Suspension |
| BMW C1 | 19.0% | 12,179 | Brakes |
| BMW 760 Series | 18.8% | 5,663 | Tyres |
| BMW 530d | 18.7% | 15,811 | Tyres |
| BMW 118 Series | 18.5% | 1,952,830 | Tyres |
| BMW X3 | 17.9% | 1,308,373 | Tyres |
| BMW Alpina | 17.8% | 29,673 | Suspension |
| BMW 118d | 17.8% | 9,955 | Tyres |
| BMW 320d | 17.6% | 64,757 | Tyres |
| BMW 1 Series | 17.5% | 994,111 | Tyres |
| BMW F650 | 17.5% | 24,480 | Brakes |
| BMW M | 17.3% | 1,864 | Lamps & electrical |
| BMW M5 | 16.8% | 94,583 | Suspension |
| BMW 318d | 16.8% | 13,708 | Tyres |
| BMW 6 Series | 16.2% | 58,046 | Tyres |
| BMW 125 Series | 15.7% | 59,274 | Tyres |
| BMW 640 Series | 15.5% | 113,975 | Tyres |
| BMW 330d | 15.5% | 11,171 | Tyres |
| BMW 216 Series | 15.4% | 41,525 | Tyres |
| BMW X6 | 14.9% | 178,478 | Tyres |
| BMW 135 Series | 14.9% | 20,590 | Tyres |
| BMW 318i | 14.9% | 12,334 | Tyres |
| BMW 425 Series | 14.9% | 2,376 | Tyres |
| BMW 418 Series | 14.8% | 10,189 | Tyres |
| BMW 316d | 14.7% | 2,034 | , |
| BMW 116i | 14.6% | 6,143 | Tyres |
| BMW Z1 | 14.6% | 2,963 | Lamps & electrical |
| BMW 8 Series | 14.5% | 10,036 | Tyres |
| BMW 120d | 14.5% | 6,285 | Tyres |
| BMW X1 | 14.2% | 981,113 | Tyres |
| BMW 220 Series | 14.0% | 138,364 | Tyres |
| BMW 318 Series | 13.9% | 67,648 | Tyres |
| BMW 4 Series | 13.8% | 14,908 | Tyres |
| BMW 420 Series | 13.6% | 527,813 | Tyres |
| BMW I4 | 13.6% | 15,006 | Tyres |
| BMW 730d | 13.6% | 3,706 | Tyres |
| BMW F800s | 13.6% | 1,456 | Brakes |
| BMW 218 Series | 13.5% | 382,066 | Tyres |
| BMW 330e | 13.4% | 66,840 | Tyres |
| BMW 520d | 13.4% | 60,962 | Tyres |
| BMW Unknown | 13.4% | 3,700 | Lamps & electrical |
| BMW 335d | 13.4% | 2,205 | Tyres |
| BMW K100 | 13.4% | 1,956 | Brakes |
| BMW 428 Series | 13.2% | 30,570 | Tyres |
| BMW 228 Series | 13.2% | 5,549 | Tyres |
| BMW Isetta | 13.2% | 1,029 | Brakes |
| BMW X7 | 13.1% | 9,696 | Tyres |
| BMW R65 | 13.1% | 9,574 | Brakes |
| BMW 216d | 12.9% | 5,423 | Tyres |
| BMW X4 | 12.8% | 124,211 | Tyres |
| BMW 435 Series | 12.8% | 116,238 | Tyres |
| BMW 430 Series | 12.8% | 107,946 | Tyres |
| BMW X2 | 12.8% | 103,281 | Tyres |
| BMW Ix3 | 12.8% | 22,436 | Tyres |
| BMW R45 | 12.8% | 2,328 | Brakes |
| BMW Ix1 | 12.7% | 1,886 | Tyres |
| BMW 330 Series | 12.6% | 136,274 | Tyres |
| BMW K75 | 12.6% | 20,314 | Brakes |
| BMW M6 | 12.5% | 20,536 | Tyres |
| BMW Z8 | 12.5% | 2,022 | Lamps & electrical |
| BMW R80 | 12.4% | 35,859 | Brakes |
| BMW 840i | 12.4% | 13,894 | Tyres |
| BMW Ix | 12.4% | 12,202 | Tyres |
| BMW 320 Series | 12.0% | 278,356 | Tyres |
| BMW 225 Series | 12.0% | 21,329 | Tyres |
| BMW R850 | 12.0% | 19,811 | Brakes |
| BMW R1100 | 11.8% | 54,200 | Brakes |
| BMW S1000rr | 11.8% | 2,612 | Lamps & electrical |
| BMW M440d | 11.7% | 1,697 | Tyres |
| BMW 2 Series | 11.6% | 148,135 | Tyres |
| BMW 220d | 11.6% | 19,288 | Tyres |
| BMW 225xe | 11.6% | 16,843 | Tyres |
| BMW 520i | 11.6% | 4,108 | Tyres |
| BMW R100 | 11.5% | 26,658 | Brakes |
| BMW 330i | 11.5% | 4,246 | Tyres |
| BMW M4 | 11.4% | 97,306 | Tyres |
| BMW M340d | 11.4% | 7,479 | Tyres |
| BMW 335 Series | 11.3% | 38,594 | Tyres |
| BMW 218i | 11.1% | 92,455 | Tyres |
| BMW 218d | 11.1% | 12,891 | Tyres |
| BMW 116d | 11.0% | 9,743 | Tyres |
| BMW 320i | 10.9% | 31,608 | Tyres |
| BMW I3 | 10.8% | 151,794 | Tyres |
| BMW F800 | 10.8% | 4,171 | Brakes |
| BMW F800st | 10.8% | 3,272 | Brakes |
| BMW G | 10.7% | 13,356 | Brakes |
| BMW 530e | 10.7% | 4,487 | Tyres |
| BMW 640d | 10.6% | 1,996 | , |
| BMW 440 Series | 10.4% | 33,776 | Tyres |
| BMW M340i | 10.4% | 17,218 | Tyres |
| BMW M440i | 10.3% | 7,062 | Tyres |
| BMW F800r | 10.3% | 1,124 | Lamps & electrical |
| BMW F | 10.2% | 138,401 | Brakes |
| BMW 220i | 10.2% | 26,734 | Tyres |
| BMW M235i | 10.1% | 9,911 | Tyres |
| BMW 430i | 10.0% | 3,857 | Tyres |
| BMW K | 9.9% | 169,032 | Brakes |
| BMW K1 | 9.9% | 1,976 | Brakes |
| BMW 420i | 9.6% | 20,101 | Tyres |
| BMW 430d | 9.6% | 3,227 | Tyres |
| BMW M2 | 9.5% | 27,566 | Tyres |
| BMW I8 | 9.4% | 18,416 | Tyres |
| BMW 420d | 9.3% | 17,851 | Tyres |
| BMW M135i | 9.2% | 35,566 | Tyres |
| BMW R75/5 | 9.2% | 1,002 | Lamps & electrical |
| BMW R1150 | 9.1% | 52,594 | Brakes |
| BMW R90s | 9.1% | 1,461 | Lamps & electrical |
| BMW R60 | 8.9% | 1,187 | Brakes |
| BMW G310 | 8.8% | 6,902 | Lamps & electrical |
| BMW F800gs | 8.7% | 2,402 | Other |
| BMW Gs | 8.6% | 2,668 | Brakes |
| BMW R1200gs | 8.5% | 1,582 | Brakes |
| BMW 340i | 8.3% | 6,776 | Tyres |
| BMW S | 8.1% | 85,046 | Lamps & electrical |
| BMW 128ti | 8.0% | 8,008 | Tyres |
| BMW Hp4 | 8.0% | 2,733 | Lamps & electrical |
| BMW 435d | 7.9% | 1,622 | Tyres |
| BMW R | 7.6% | 388,479 | Brakes |
| BMW M8 | 7.3% | 1,862 | Tyres |
| BMW 118i | 6.9% | 4,035 | Visibility/wipers |
| BMW C | 6.8% | 4,675 | Brakes |
| BMW M240i | 6.7% | 2,191 | Tyres |
| BMW R1200 | 6.5% | 137,913 | Brakes |
| BMW Hp2 | 5.3% | 1,916 | Brakes |
| BMW F850 | 5.1% | 3,880 | Other |
| BMW C400 | 4.8% | 1,548 | Tyres |
| BMW F750 | 4.5% | 3,477 | Brakes |
| BMW R1250 | 4.0% | 32,312 | Brakes |
Which BMW fails its MOT most, and which least?
The BMW 628 Series has the highest failure rate at 32.1%, and the BMW R1250 the lowest at 4.0%. A higher rate reflects how old and how hard a model tends to be used as much as how it was built, so the oldest models in the range usually sit near the top.
Compare another make
Failure rates for other makes with a large MOT sample.
| Make |
|---|
| Nissan MOT failure rates |
| Toyota MOT failure rates |
| Mercedes-Benz MOT failure rates |
| Renault MOT failure rates |
| Citroen MOT failure rates |
| Honda MOT failure rates |
Sources: DVSA MOT History API: MOT test results and defect data ยท DVSA MOT testing data for Great Britain