BMW 1 Series
From 147,739 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer 1 Seriess fare better: 2019 models pass at 90.3% vs 65.6% for 2005.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements and a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage. The top issue, a tyre seriously damaged, caused 2,791 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a tyre seriously damaged | 2,791 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 2,733 |
| a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage | 1,838 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 1,526 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 1,394 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 1,355 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 1,248 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 1,187 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 1,130 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 1,065 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 53.7% of failures are serious: 42.4% are safety issues (brakes, steering, tyre damage) and 11.3% could actually leave you stranded. That's close to the 44.4% average across all models. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £97.
Fuel type matters
Petrol versions pass at 88.2% while Diesel versions pass at 79.2%, a 9 percentage point gap.
BMW 1 Series on UK roads
The fleet is growing: 18,032 newly registered in the past year with 17,687 leaving, a net gain of 345. Currently at its highest numbers ever.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 392,432 | 21,623 | +5,480 | -5,377 | +103 |
| 2025 Q2 | 392,881 | 21,071 | +3,643 | -4,738 | -1,095 |
| 2025 Q1 | 394,144 | 20,903 | +5,372 | -3,479 | +1,893 |
| 2024 Q4 | 393,495 | 19,659 | +3,537 | -4,093 | -556 |
| 2024 Q3 | 395,489 | 18,221 | +2,468 | -4,182 | -1,714 |
| 2024 Q2 | 397,741 | 17,683 | +6,066 | -3,672 | +2,394 |
| 2024 Q1 | 395,675 | 17,355 | +9,254 | -4,736 | +4,518 |
| 2023 Q4 | 392,189 | 16,323 | +6,921 | -3,206 | +3,715 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 118I M Sport Auto | Petrol | 40,164 | 15% |
| 116D Sport | Diesel | 23,439 | 9% |
| 118I M Sport | Petrol | 22,617 | 8% |
| 118I Sport | Petrol | 21,186 | 8% |
| 118D M Sport | Petrol | 17,652 | 7% |
| 118D Sport | Diesel | 17,101 | 6% |
| 120 M Sport Mhev Auto | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 14,315 | 5% |
| 116I Sport | Petrol | 12,951 | 5% |
| 118D Se | Diesel | 10,859 | 4% |
| 118I Sport Auto | Petrol | 10,567 | 4% |
| 120D M Sport | Diesel | 9,698 | 4% |
| 116D M Sport | Diesel | 8,934 | 3% |
| 116D Ed Plus | Diesel | 8,622 | 3% |
| 116D Efficientdynamics | Diesel | 8,160 | 3% |
| 116D Se | Diesel | 7,779 | 3% |
| 118D M Sport Auto | Diesel | 7,711 | 3% |
| 128Ti Auto | Petrol | 7,487 | 3% |
| 120D M Sport Auto | Diesel | 6,670 | 2% |
| 118I Se | Petrol | 6,343 | 2% |
| 118I Se Auto | Petrol | 5,908 | 2% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 90.3% | a tyre seriously damaged, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2018 | 90.8% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2017 | 91.4% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2016 | 91.8% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
12 earlier years
| 2015 | 90% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2014 | 89.4% | a tyre seriously damaged, a tyre cords visible or damaged |
| 2013 | 79.6% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage |
| 2012 | 76.5% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage |
| 2011 | 77.4% | a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2010 | 73.5% | a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2009 | 74% | a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2008 | 75% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2007 | 72.8% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2006 | 69.5% | a flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage |
| 2005 | 65.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched |
| 2004 | 66% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, an srs malfunction indicator lamp (mil) indicates a system malfunction |
Typical mileage
Half of all 1 Seriess tested had between 57,852 and 92,713 miles on the clock.
At 80,533 median miles, the 1 Series has 0.019 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other BMW models
| BMW 3 Series | 79.2% |
| BMW 118 | 82.8% |
| BMW 116 | 78.9% |
| BMW X5 | 85.4% |
| BMW X3 | 83.9% |
Common questions
What is the BMW 1 Series MOT pass rate?
The BMW 1 Series has a 84.8% MOT pass rate based on 147,739 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a BMW 1 Series?
The most common MOT failure on the BMW 1 Series is a tyre seriously damaged, which caused 2,791 failures. Other common issues include tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements.
How many BMW 1 Seriess are on UK roads?
There are 392,432 BMW 1 Seriess currently licensed on UK roads, with 21,623 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a BMW 1 Series at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a BMW 1 Series is 80,533 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 57,852 and 92,713 miles.
Buying a used 1 Series?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 84.8% pass rate and an average repair bill of £97 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.