BMW 1 Series common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 395,070 initial MOT tests on the BMW 1 Series in Great Britain, and 76.4% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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BMW 1 Series at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 395,070
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 76.4%
Failed at firstIncluding 4.8% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 23.6%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 7.6%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 25,066 off the road (SORN): 436,934

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

Failure areas

Where the 1 Series fails its MOT

The share of initial tests in 2025 with at least one fail or PRS item in each part of the MOT. A test can fail in more than one area, so these do not add up to the fail rate.

1Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
8.7%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
2Tyres
7.1%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
3Suspension
5.5%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
4Brakes
4.9%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
5Visibility
3.9%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
6Noise, emissions and leaks
2.3%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
7Body, chassis and structure
1.1%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
8Road wheels
1.0%
Damaged or loose wheels, wheel nuts and hubsAll cars and vans: 0.4%
9Seat belts and airbags
0.7%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
10Steering
0.4%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%

This modelAll cars and vans

Parts

The parts that fail most

Share of initial tests with a fail or PRS item on each part, 2025.

ConditionTyres4.3%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics3.7%
Tread depthTyres2.8%
WashersVisibility2.7%
Shock absorbersSuspension2.6%
Mechanical brake componentsBrakes2.4%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks2.2%
Position lampsLamps and electrics2.1%

By age

Pass rate by year first used

Older cars fail more often, so compare a car with others of its year. Cars up to 25 years old; years with fewer than 250 tests are left out.

First used	Tests	Passed first time	Dangerous defect
2023	1,275	94.7%	1.4%
2022	14,355	91.2%	3.4%
2021	19,173	90.6%	3.7%
2020	24,441	88.0%	5.0%
2019	28,330	85.5%	6.8%
2018	27,133	83.6%	6.3%
2017	33,039	82.0%	6.5%
2016	31,914	79.6%	7.1%
2015	31,409	77.8%	7.6%
2014	30,097	73.4%	8.1%
2013	35,340	70.1%	9.0%
2012	27,566	66.6%	8.9%
2011	20,480	67.5%	9.2%
2010	20,440	66.3%	10.0%
2009	17,008	65.2%	10.2%
2008	12,840	65.5%	10.1%
2007	7,972	64.6%	10.0%
2006	6,640	62.3%	9.8%
2005	4,457	61.6%	10.3%
2004	1,100	61.3%	10.2%

Mileage

1 Series mileage by age

The median reading at the test: half the cars of that age had covered more, half less. Estimated from 1,000-mile bands, for cars up to 25 years old.

A car well above or below the typical figure is not a problem in itself, but the readings should rise steadily from one MOT to the next. A fall, or a long gap, is worth asking about.

Check a car's mileage record

Age at test	Median mileage	Readings
2 years	22,000 miles	11,671
3 years	29,000 miles	15,916
4 years	36,000 miles	23,401
5 years	42,800 miles	25,050
6 years	50,900 miles	28,080
7 years	60,900 miles	29,004
8 years	69,800 miles	32,349
9 years	78,700 miles	31,556
10 years	87,200 miles	30,045
11 years	93,900 miles	33,301
12 years	99,400 miles	31,477
13 years	103,700 miles	22,853
14 years	108,700 miles	20,642
15 years	111,600 miles	19,364
16 years	114,800 miles	14,012
17 years	117,300 miles	10,719
18 years	123,400 miles	6,918
19 years	127,900 miles	5,478
20 years	126,600 miles	2,767

Checking a particular 1 Series?

Averages tell you what to look at. The registration tells you about this car: every MOT since 2005 with its failures and advisories, each mileage reading, and whether it is taxed.

Questions

BMW 1 Series: common questions

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

What is the most common MOT failure on the BMW 1 Series?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the BMW 1 Series was lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 8.7% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 10.8% for all cars and vans. Next came tyres (7.1%) and suspension (5.5%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the BMW 1 Series?

76.4% of 395,070 initial MOT tests on the BMW 1 Series in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 4.8% passed after small repairs made at the test station within the hour (PRS). Across all cars and vans, 72.1% passed first time.

Does a lower pass rate mean the BMW 1 Series is unreliable?

Not on its own. MOT results depend on age, mileage and upkeep as much as on design, so a model with many older cars on the road will usually fail more often. The table by year compares cars of a similar age. What matters most is the record of the car you are looking at, so check its MOT history before you buy.

What counts as a dangerous defect?

One the tester judges to be a direct and immediate risk to road safety, or to have a serious impact on the environment. The car fails and should not be driven until it is repaired. 7.6% of initial tests on the BMW 1 Series found at least one, against 7.3% for all cars and vans.

Where do these figures come from?

From DVSA's anonymised MOT test data for 2025, published under the Open Government Licence. We count initial tests on cars and light vans in Great Britain, as DVSA does in its own statistics: retests, appeals and abandoned tests are left out, and so are advisories and minor defects.

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