BMW 530
From 44,032 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer 530s fare better: 2019 models pass at 87.6% vs 74.5% for 2001.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements and a tyre cords visible or damaged. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 1,584 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 suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 1,584 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 793 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 711 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 705 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 676 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 672 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 628 |
| a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 411 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 384 |
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 376 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 54.1% of 530 failures are safety items (worn brakes, tyre damage, steering play). The car still drives, but you shouldn't. Only 9.7% are the kind that would actually strand you. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £122.
Fuel type matters
Hybrid versions pass at 92.8% while Petrol versions pass at 78.6%, a 14 percentage point gap.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 87.6% | a tyre cords visible or damaged, engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction |
| 2018 | 96.6% | a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, a tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative |
| 2017 | 86.5% | a tyre seriously damaged, a tyre cords visible or damaged |
| 2016 | 90% | a tyre seriously damaged, a tyre cords visible or damaged |
17 earlier years
| 2015 | 88% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre cords visible or damaged |
| 2014 | 88.1% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2013 | 87.3% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2012 | 83.1% | a tyre cords visible or damaged, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2011 | 83.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2010 | 81.8% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2009 | 83.5% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2008 | 82% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2007 | 80.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2006 | 76.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2005 | 77.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2004 | 74.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, an srs malfunction indicator lamp (mil) indicates a system malfunction |
| 2003 | 76.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2002 | 72.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2001 | 74.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2000 | 71.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 1999 | 76.2% | 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 |
Typical mileage
Half of all 530s tested had between 80,430 and 157,067 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 119,556 median miles, the 530 has 0.015 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 530 MOT pass rate?
The BMW 530 has a 81.7% MOT pass rate based on 44,032 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a BMW 530?
The most common MOT failure on the BMW 530 is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 1,584 failures. Other common issues include tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements.
What is the typical mileage of a BMW 530 at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a BMW 530 is 119,556 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 80,430 and 157,067 miles.
Buying a used 530?
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 81.7% pass rate and an average repair bill of £122 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.