BMW i3 common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 26,186 initial MOT tests on the BMW i3 in Great Britain, and 86.9% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

Looking at a particular i3? Check its own record.

Free MOT history, mileage and tax. No sign-up.

BMW i3 at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 26,186
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 86.9%
Failed at firstIncluding 2.8% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 13.1%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 3.7%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 503 off the road (SORN): 25,229

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

Failure areas

Where the i3 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
5.3%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
2Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
3.4%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
3Visibility
2.7%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
4Suspension
1.6%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
5Brakes
1.0%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
6Seat belts and airbags
0.5%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
7Road wheels
0.4%
Damaged or loose wheels, wheel nuts and hubsAll cars and vans: 0.4%
8Noise, emissions and leaks
0.2%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
9Body, chassis and structure
0.2%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
10Registration plates and VIN
0.2%
Number plates and the vehicle identification numberAll cars and vans: 0.3%

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.

ConditionTyres3.6%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics2.2%
Tread depthTyres1.7%
WashersVisibility1.6%
WipersVisibility1.1%
SpringsSuspension1.0%
Direction indicatorsLamps and electrics0.8%
Mechanical brake componentsBrakes0.6%

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	2,924	88.2%	2.8%
2021	3,507	91.0%	2.1%
2020	4,097	88.7%	3.3%
2019	4,050	88.5%	3.9%
2018	3,106	88.7%	4.0%
2017	3,164	84.2%	4.5%
2016	2,159	81.8%	4.7%
2015	1,887	82.1%	5.2%
2014	1,173	79.4%	4.9%

Mileage

i3 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	16,700 miles	2,017
3 years	21,100 miles	3,303
4 years	26,700 miles	4,017
5 years	33,300 miles	3,902
6 years	40,100 miles	3,426
7 years	50,300 miles	2,835
8 years	56,500 miles	2,580
9 years	58,300 miles	1,952
10 years	63,100 miles	1,520
11 years	67,700 miles	617

Checking a particular i3?

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 i3: common questions

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

What is the most common MOT failure on the BMW i3?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the BMW i3 was tyres: 5.3% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 6.2% for all cars and vans. Next came lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (3.4%) and visibility (2.7%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the BMW i3?

86.9% of 26,186 initial MOT tests on the BMW i3 in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 2.8% 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 i3 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. 3.7% of initial tests on the BMW i3 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.

More BMW models

All makes and models