BMW 3 Series common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 478,905 initial MOT tests on the BMW 3 Series in Great Britain, and 76.0% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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BMW 3 Series at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 478,905
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 76.0%
Failed at firstIncluding 4.4% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 24.0%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 7.9%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 120,718 off the road (SORN): 474,574

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

Failure areas

Where the 3 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
8.4%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
2Tyres
7.2%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
3Suspension
6.8%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
4Brakes
5.7%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
5Visibility
3.3%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
6Noise, emissions and leaks
2.7%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
7Body, chassis and structure
1.2%
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
1.1%
Damaged or loose wheels, wheel nuts and hubsAll cars and vans: 0.4%
9Seat belts and airbags
1.0%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
10Steering
0.6%
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.

ConditionTyres4.8%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics3.3%
Brake performanceBrakes2.9%
Shock absorbersSuspension2.8%
Tread depthTyres2.5%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks2.5%
Position lampsLamps and electrics2.3%
WashersVisibility2.2%

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	591	88.7%	5.4%
2022	13,357	85.7%	6.6%
2021	25,375	87.2%	5.8%
2020	21,301	87.3%	6.0%
2019	25,399	87.0%	6.6%
2018	24,316	85.7%	6.6%
2017	30,410	84.4%	6.3%
2016	31,252	83.2%	6.2%
2015	31,204	79.7%	7.1%
2014	31,340	75.7%	7.5%
2013	33,256	73.0%	8.1%
2012	31,106	68.1%	8.7%
2011	25,229	69.2%	9.8%
2010	23,054	67.9%	9.9%
2009	20,396	66.8%	10.6%
2008	19,194	67.8%	10.7%
2007	21,781	68.1%	10.2%
2006	15,799	67.4%	9.8%
2005	9,946	66.1%	9.7%
2004	8,387	66.9%	8.9%
2003	9,032	67.2%	8.2%
2002	6,893	66.7%	8.6%
2001	4,496	65.5%	8.7%
2000	2,410	66.5%	8.1%

Mileage

3 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	33,000 miles	10,736
3 years	40,200 miles	20,100
4 years	45,700 miles	22,311
5 years	51,300 miles	24,178
6 years	60,100 miles	23,375
7 years	71,300 miles	26,685
8 years	80,200 miles	30,749
9 years	88,900 miles	31,492
10 years	98,500 miles	30,189
11 years	106,700 miles	32,881
12 years	112,000 miles	31,902
13 years	118,000 miles	27,521
14 years	122,700 miles	24,176
15 years	122,900 miles	22,266
16 years	123,000 miles	18,450
17 years	124,400 miles	21,408
18 years	131,400 miles	19,026
19 years	132,200 miles	12,514
20 years	119,300 miles	8,313
21 years	117,600 miles	8,668
22 years	115,600 miles	8,239
23 years	115,100 miles	5,618
24 years	112,300 miles	3,358
25 years	110,900 miles	2,426

Checking a particular 3 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 3 Series: common questions

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

What is the most common MOT failure on the BMW 3 Series?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the BMW 3 Series was lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 8.4% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 10.8% for all cars and vans. Next came tyres (7.2%) and suspension (6.8%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the BMW 3 Series?

76.0% of 478,905 initial MOT tests on the BMW 3 Series in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 4.4% 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 3 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. 7.9% of initial tests on the BMW 3 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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