BMW 5 Series
From 137,888 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer 5 Seriess fare better: 2023 models pass at 96.9% vs 70.9% 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 tyre cords visible or damaged. The top issue, a tyre seriously damaged, caused 2,969 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 | 2,969 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 2,041 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 1,686 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 1,097 |
| a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage | 1,047 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 834 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 726 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 688 |
| a direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 653 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 627 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 17.3% of 5 Series failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 43.5% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £100.
BMW 5 Series on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 11,466 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 4,200 newly registered, a net loss of 7,266. At this rate, roughly 31.7 years until none remain. Now at 87.6% of its peak (262,759 in 2019 Q3).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 192,855 | 37,438 | +885 | -2,506 | -1,621 |
| 2025 Q2 | 195,036 | 36,878 | +1,092 | -2,971 | -1,879 |
| 2025 Q1 | 197,189 | 36,604 | +1,233 | -2,508 | -1,275 |
| 2024 Q4 | 198,966 | 36,102 | +990 | -3,481 | -2,491 |
| 2024 Q3 | 202,084 | 35,475 | +457 | -3,065 | -2,608 |
| 2024 Q2 | 205,099 | 35,068 | +995 | -2,441 | -1,446 |
| 2024 Q1 | 206,739 | 34,874 | +1,359 | -3,128 | -1,769 |
| 2023 Q4 | 209,080 | 34,302 | +510 | -2,743 | -2,233 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 520D M Sport Auto | Diesel | 39,973 | 28% |
| 520D Se Auto | Diesel | 25,762 | 18% |
| 530E M Sport Auto | Plug-In Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 11,498 | 8% |
| 530D M Sport Auto | Diesel | 10,042 | 7% |
| 520D Se | Diesel | 7,690 | 5% |
| 520D M Sport Mhev Auto | Hybrid Electric (Diesel) | 7,458 | 5% |
| 520I M Sport Auto | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 5,514 | 4% |
| 530D Se Auto | Diesel | 4,252 | 3% |
| 535D M Sport Auto | Diesel | 4,248 | 3% |
| 520D Luxury Auto | Diesel | 3,432 | 2% |
| 520D M Sport | Diesel | 3,311 | 2% |
| 520D Xdrive M Sport Auto | Diesel | 3,265 | 2% |
| 530D Xdrive M Sport Auto | Diesel | 2,914 | 2% |
| 530E Se Auto | Plug-In Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 2,670 | 2% |
| 520D Efficientdynamics | Diesel | 2,576 | 2% |
| 540I Xdrive M Sport Auto | Petrol | 2,363 | 2% |
| 530D Xdrive M Sport Mhev Auto | Hybrid Electric (Diesel) | 1,949 | 1% |
| 525D M Sport Auto | Diesel | 1,851 | 1% |
| 525D Se Auto | Diesel | 1,719 | 1% |
| 530I M Sport Auto | Petrol | 1,638 | 1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 96.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2022 | 95.9% | a tyre seriously damaged, any fracture or welding defect on a wheel |
| 2021 | 93.2% | a tyre seriously damaged, a tyre cords visible or damaged |
| 2020 | 92.3% | a tyre seriously damaged, a tyre cords visible or damaged |
22 earlier years
| 2019 | 91.2% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2018 | 90.2% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2017 | 89.2% | a tyre seriously damaged, a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage |
| 2015 | 92.5% | a tyre not fitted in compliance with the manufacturers sidewall instruction, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2014 | 86.9% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud |
| 2013 | 80.4% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2012 | 79.6% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2011 | 79.8% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2010 | 79.2% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2009 | 77.7% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2008 | 78.6% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2007 | 76.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2006 | 73.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2005 | 70.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2004 | 75.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2003 | 75.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2002 | 72.4% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2001 | 77.4% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2000 | 75.2% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen |
| 1999 | 68.8% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 1998 | 75% | light source and lamp not compatible, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 1987 | 74.8% | significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, a suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated |
Typical mileage
Half of all 5 Seriess tested had between 31,606 and 61,815 miles on the clock.
At 45,303 median miles, the 5 Series has 0.028 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 5 Series MOT pass rate?
The BMW 5 Series has a 87.5% MOT pass rate based on 137,888 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a BMW 5 Series?
The most common MOT failure on the BMW 5 Series is a tyre seriously damaged, which caused 2,969 failures. Other common issues include tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements.
How many BMW 5 Seriess are on UK roads?
There are 192,855 BMW 5 Seriess currently licensed on UK roads, with 37,438 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a BMW 5 Series at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a BMW 5 Series is 45,303 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 31,606 and 61,815 miles.
Buying a used 5 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.
Some links are to services we may earn from. Disclosure.
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.