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2010 BMW 3 Series: MOT pass rate and common faults

23,054 initial MOT tests in 2025 on cars first used in 2010 · DVSA data · For guidance only · How we count

67.9%passed first time

Share of initial MOT tests passed with no repairs. Repairs made at the test centre count as a fail. 95% range 67.3% to 68.5% (±0.7 points).

That is 8.6 points above the average for all vehicles first used in 2010 (59.3%). These cars were about 15 years old at the test.

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Failure areas compared with all 2010 vehicles

Compared with all vehicles first used in 2010, failures are more common in tyres (1.1×), and less common in lights and electrics (0.6×), suspension (0.7×), brakes (0.9×), windscreen, wipers, mirrors (0.7×), noise, emissions, leaks (0.8×), body, chassis, structure (0.4×) and steering (0.1×). Other differences are within the margin of error.

Failed tests with a fault in each area, per 100 tests. The right-hand column shows how many times as often as all vehicles first used in 2010.

  1. Lights and electrics12.3 in 100 tests0.6× compared with 19.2 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2010
  2. Suspension11.1 in 100 tests0.7× compared with 16.9 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2010
  3. Brakes8.9 in 100 tests0.9× compared with 9.9 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2010
  4. Tyres7.9 in 100 tests1.1× compared with 7.4 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2010
  5. Windscreen, wipers, mirrors4.5 in 100 tests0.7× compared with 6.0 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2010
  6. Noise, emissions, leaks4.1 in 100 tests0.8× compared with 5.0 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2010
  7. Body, chassis, structure2.1 in 100 tests0.4× compared with 5.9 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2010
  8. Wheels1.5 in 100 tests– no reliable figure for all vehicles first used in 2010
  9. Seat belts and airbags1.0 in 100 tests– no reliable figure for all vehicles first used in 2010
  10. Number plates and VIN0.5 in 100 tests– no reliable figure for all vehicles first used in 2010
  11. Steering0.5 in 100 tests0.1× compared with 3.4 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2010

All vehicles first used in 2010: the 175 models in our data, 1,341,682 tests (95.4% of all 1,406,407 tests on vehicles first used in 2010). Areas with fewer than 50 failures in a model aren't published, so an area is only compared when that leaves the all-vehicles figure at most 10% short; otherwise it shows –.

Typical mileage at test123,700

Median odometer reading at the 2025 MOT test, in miles. Half had more and half had less.

What MOT data can't tell you about any 2010 BMW 3 Series

Outstanding finance, write-offs, theft and plate changes aren't in MOT records. For a particular car, you need a history check.

Compare history checksWhat MOT history doesn't show

Other BMW 3 Series years

BMW 3 Series: every year, common faults and what to check

Other cars first used in 2010

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