BMW X5 common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 92,166 initial MOT tests on the BMW X5 in Great Britain, and 80.3% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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BMW X5 at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 92,166
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 80.3%
Failed at firstIncluding 2.9% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 19.7%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 6.4%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 15,380 off the road (SORN): 105,554

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

Failure areas

Where the X5 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
7.2%
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
5.7%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
3Suspension
5.2%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
4Brakes
3.8%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
5Visibility
2.8%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
6Body, chassis and structure
2.2%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
7Noise, emissions and leaks
1.5%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
8Seat belts and airbags
0.9%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
9Road wheels
0.7%
Damaged or loose wheels, wheel nuts and hubsAll cars and vans: 0.4%
10Registration plates and VIN
0.6%
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.

ConditionTyres5.9%
Suspension armsSuspension2.9%
Brake performanceBrakes2.2%
WashersVisibility1.7%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics1.7%
TransmissionBody and structure1.5%
Tread depthTyres1.5%
Anti-roll barsSuspension1.4%

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
2022	7,581	84.8%	5.4%
2021	6,074	85.8%	5.4%
2020	4,708	88.1%	4.0%
2019	8,397	87.2%	4.3%
2018	6,871	85.4%	5.2%
2017	5,970	86.6%	4.9%
2016	6,253	86.9%	5.4%
2015	6,727	84.7%	5.8%
2014	5,151	84.5%	5.1%
2013	3,239	78.2%	5.7%
2012	3,726	76.5%	7.1%
2011	3,541	76.6%	6.8%
2010	3,296	75.8%	6.3%
2009	3,514	71.5%	7.4%
2008	2,832	72.0%	7.7%
2007	2,759	69.2%	8.3%
2006	2,446	62.0%	13.2%
2005	4,042	62.8%	11.6%
2004	2,207	63.3%	11.1%
2003	1,421	62.8%	11.3%
2002	771	60.4%	12.1%
2001	399	65.2%	9.0%

Mileage

X5 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	30,000 miles	5,838
3 years	37,200 miles	5,807
4 years	43,800 miles	5,573
5 years	50,300 miles	6,714
6 years	59,400 miles	6,674
7 years	67,700 miles	6,430
8 years	77,500 miles	6,231
9 years	86,600 miles	6,645
10 years	95,400 miles	5,573
11 years	103,000 miles	4,143
12 years	111,500 miles	3,511
13 years	116,400 miles	3,733
14 years	122,700 miles	3,353
15 years	130,300 miles	3,343
16 years	135,100 miles	3,077
17 years	141,500 miles	3,196
18 years	147,200 miles	2,217
19 years	149,700 miles	3,508
20 years	147,600 miles	2,842
21 years	146,100 miles	1,632
22 years	141,900 miles	908
23 years	143,300 miles	534

Checking a particular X5?

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 X5: common questions

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

What is the most common MOT failure on the BMW X5?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the BMW X5 was tyres: 7.2% 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 (5.7%) and suspension (5.2%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the BMW X5?

80.3% of 92,166 initial MOT tests on the BMW X5 in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 2.9% 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 X5 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. 6.4% of initial tests on the BMW X5 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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