BMW 7 Series common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 18,602 initial MOT tests on the BMW 7 Series in Great Britain, and 84.5% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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BMW 7 Series at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 18,602
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 84.5%
Failed at firstIncluding 2.7% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 15.5%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 4.9%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 7,675 off the road (SORN): 16,606

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

Failure areas

Where the 7 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.

1Suspension
4.7%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
2Tyres
4.6%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
3Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
3.5%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
4Brakes
2.8%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
5Visibility
2.5%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
6Noise, emissions and leaks
1.7%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
7Road wheels
1.2%
Damaged or loose wheels, wheel nuts and hubsAll cars and vans: 0.4%
8Body, 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%
9Seat belts and airbags
1.1%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
10Steering
0.7%
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.

ConditionTyres3.2%
Suspension armsSuspension2.6%
WashersVisibility1.7%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks1.5%
Brake performanceBrakes1.4%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics1.3%
Tread depthTyres1.3%
SpringsSuspension1.3%

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
2022	771	93.1%	2.2%
2021	1,055	91.4%	3.9%
2020	980	92.2%	3.1%
2019	1,655	91.3%	2.9%
2018	1,553	90.0%	4.1%
2017	1,638	88.4%	4.4%
2016	1,476	89.4%	4.0%
2015	722	83.4%	7.3%
2014	867	84.4%	7.4%
2013	715	82.0%	7.7%
2012	779	83.8%	5.6%
2011	755	81.5%	4.9%
2010	546	85.0%	4.2%
2009	439	82.9%	5.5%
2008	534	75.1%	7.7%
2007	475	76.8%	5.9%
2006	708	73.3%	6.8%
2005	422	71.3%	6.4%
2001	284	71.5%	4.6%
2000	295	71.9%	6.8%

Mileage

7 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	31,000 miles	420
3 years	40,600 miles	986
4 years	45,400 miles	1,087
5 years	54,800 miles	1,244
6 years	65,400 miles	1,652
7 years	70,200 miles	1,457
8 years	79,500 miles	1,668
9 years	87,900 miles	983
10 years	97,500 miles	784
11 years	103,600 miles	795
12 years	112,500 miles	663
13 years	118,800 miles	869
14 years	128,900 miles	592
15 years	127,600 miles	528
16 years	131,000 miles	444
17 years	139,100 miles	547
18 years	137,200 miles	622
19 years	134,000 miles	553
20 years	132,500 miles	269
24 years	125,000 miles	270
25 years	125,100 miles	263

Checking a particular 7 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 7 Series: common questions

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

What is the most common MOT failure on the BMW 7 Series?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the BMW 7 Series was suspension: 4.7% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 9.0% for all cars and vans. Next came tyres (4.6%) and lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (3.5%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the BMW 7 Series?

84.5% of 18,602 initial MOT tests on the BMW 7 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 7 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. 4.9% of initial tests on the BMW 7 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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