BMW 6 Series common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 21,675 initial MOT tests on the BMW 6 Series in Great Britain, and 79.6% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

Looking at a particular 6 Series? Check its own record.

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BMW 6 Series at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 21,675
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 79.6%
Failed at firstIncluding 2.7% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 20.4%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 6.9%

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

Failure areas

Where the 6 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.

1Tyres
6.8%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
2Suspension
6.2%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
3Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
4.5%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
4Brakes
3.2%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
5Visibility
2.9%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
6Noise, emissions and leaks
1.9%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
7Road wheels
1.3%
Damaged or loose wheels, wheel nuts and hubsAll cars and vans: 0.4%
8Steering
1.1%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
9Seat belts and airbags
0.9%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
10Body, chassis and structure
0.8%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%

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.

ConditionTyres5.6%
SpringsSuspension2.9%
Suspension armsSuspension1.9%
WashersVisibility1.8%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks1.7%
Brake performanceBrakes1.7%
HeadlampsLamps and electrics1.4%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics1.4%

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
2019	1,049	88.4%	4.0%
2018	2,274	86.5%	5.8%
2017	1,310	84.3%	7.4%
2016	1,804	85.3%	7.2%
2015	1,897	82.2%	9.0%
2014	1,916	78.4%	8.6%
2013	1,889	79.1%	7.9%
2012	1,414	78.0%	7.8%
2011	598	77.4%	8.5%
2010	520	80.0%	6.9%
2009	547	75.3%	5.7%
2008	1,021	75.9%	5.4%
2007	1,127	74.0%	6.4%
2006	1,352	70.9%	8.1%
2005	1,185	69.5%	6.4%
2004	983	70.7%	5.9%

Mileage

6 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
5 years	53,500 miles	686
6 years	58,300 miles	1,683
7 years	62,200 miles	1,811
8 years	67,300 miles	1,464
9 years	77,700 miles	1,816
10 years	84,200 miles	1,886
11 years	91,100 miles	1,974
12 years	96,600 miles	1,534
13 years	96,000 miles	1,057
14 years	95,800 miles	505
15 years	116,000 miles	572
16 years	113,200 miles	666
17 years	115,600 miles	1,269
18 years	111,600 miles	1,251
19 years	112,900 miles	1,205
20 years	106,800 miles	1,127
21 years	108,800 miles	417

Checking a particular 6 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 6 Series: common questions

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

What is the most common MOT failure on the BMW 6 Series?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the BMW 6 Series was tyres: 6.8% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 6.2% for all cars and vans. Next came suspension (6.2%) and lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (4.5%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the BMW 6 Series?

79.6% of 21,675 initial MOT tests on the BMW 6 Series in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 2.7% 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 6 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. 6.9% of initial tests on the BMW 6 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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