BMW Z4 common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 35,179 initial MOT tests on the BMW Z4 in Great Britain, and 77.7% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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BMW Z4 at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 35,179
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 77.7%
Failed at firstIncluding 3.3% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 22.3%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 7.0%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 5,671 off the road (SORN): 31,382

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

Failure areas

Where the Z4 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
6.1%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
2Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
6.0%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
3Tyres
5.9%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
4Brakes
4.9%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
5Visibility
3.6%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
6Noise, emissions and leaks
3.0%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
7Seat belts and airbags
1.6%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
8Road wheels
1.5%
Damaged or loose wheels, wheel nuts and hubsAll cars and vans: 0.4%
9Body, chassis and structure
1.0%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
10Steering
0.5%
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.

ConditionTyres4.5%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks2.9%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics2.5%
Suspension armsSuspension2.0%
Brake performanceBrakes1.9%
HeadlampsLamps and electrics1.8%
WashersVisibility1.8%
WipersVisibility1.7%

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	936	92.3%	3.3%
2021	1,072	91.2%	4.6%
2020	1,528	90.5%	4.6%
2019	2,013	88.8%	6.3%
2016	1,230	82.5%	9.3%
2015	1,587	81.9%	9.3%
2014	1,916	82.0%	8.8%
2013	1,575	80.3%	9.0%
2012	1,833	80.0%	8.7%
2011	1,965	81.2%	8.5%
2010	1,956	80.1%	7.2%
2009	2,426	79.6%	6.1%
2008	1,749	69.7%	7.0%
2007	3,099	73.1%	6.0%
2006	2,876	71.2%	6.3%
2005	1,948	64.6%	7.0%
2004	2,895	69.6%	6.5%
2003	2,362	69.0%	7.1%

Mileage

Z4 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	14,700 miles	733
3 years	19,400 miles	932
4 years	24,500 miles	1,418
5 years	27,600 miles	1,795
6 years	31,000 miles	736
8 years	39,400 miles	820
9 years	45,400 miles	1,329
10 years	50,900 miles	1,854
11 years	56,700 miles	1,658
12 years	61,700 miles	1,766
13 years	65,300 miles	1,944
14 years	68,900 miles	1,856
15 years	73,100 miles	2,368
16 years	79,500 miles	1,881
17 years	83,700 miles	2,405
18 years	87,000 miles	3,475
19 years	91,400 miles	1,972
20 years	93,000 miles	2,295
21 years	96,500 miles	3,190
22 years	98,800 miles	667

Checking a particular Z4?

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 Z4: common questions

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

What is the most common MOT failure on the BMW Z4?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the BMW Z4 was suspension: 6.1% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 9.0% for all cars and vans. Next came lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (6.0%) and tyres (5.9%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the BMW Z4?

77.7% of 35,179 initial MOT tests on the BMW Z4 in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 3.3% 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 Z4 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. 7.0% of initial tests on the BMW Z4 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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