BMW 520
From 131,208 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer 520s fare better: 2020 models pass at 90.9% vs 71.2% for 2002.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn and a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened. The top issue, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, caused 3,349 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.
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 3,349 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 2,541 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 2,398 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 1,948 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 1,928 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 1,722 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 1,370 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 1,272 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 1,110 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 1,061 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 53.1% of failures are serious: 40.3% are safety issues (brakes, steering, tyre damage) and 12.8% 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 £103.
Fuel type matters
Diesel versions pass at 82.4% while Petrol versions pass at 74.7%, a 8 percentage point gap.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 90.9% | windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2019 | 89.5% | a tyre seriously damaged, engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction |
| 2018 | 87.9% | a tyre cords visible or damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2017 | 88.2% | a tyre cords visible or damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
24 earlier years
| 2016 | 87.6% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2015 | 87% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2014 | 85.5% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2013 | 83.3% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2012 | 80.2% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2011 | 78.4% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2010 | 78.6% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2009 | 77.2% | 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 | 76.4% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2007 | 74.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2006 | 72.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2005 | 68.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched |
| 2004 | 72.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2003 | 71.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2002 | 71.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2001 | 69.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2000 | 73.4% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 1999 | 74% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 1998 | 65.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 1997 | 65.1% | emissions levels exceed default limits, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 1996 | 58.7% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer |
| 1995 | 70.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 1994 | 73.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, emissions levels exceed default limits |
| 1993 | 72.3% | vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer |
Typical mileage
Half of all 520s tested had between 76,751 and 141,035 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 104,582 median miles, the 520 has 0.017 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 520 MOT pass rate?
The BMW 520 has a 82% MOT pass rate based on 131,208 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a BMW 520?
The most common MOT failure on the BMW 520 is tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, which caused 3,349 failures. Other common issues include a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn.
What is the typical mileage of a BMW 520 at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a BMW 520 is 104,582 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 76,751 and 141,035 miles.
Buying a used 520?
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 82% pass rate and an average repair bill of £103 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.