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BMW 5 Series years to avoid? MOT pass rate by year

200,566 initial MOT tests in 2025 on cars first used 2001–2022 · DVSA data · For guidance only · How we count

BMW 5 Series years with MOT pass rates below the average for vehicles first used in the same year: 2022. Above it: 2001–2020. The other year can't be told apart from average.

The MOT pass rate is one signal, not the whole story. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't record gearbox or engine faults, and a pass rate also reflects mileage and upkeep, so the table shows median mileage too. Whatever the year, the car in front of you matters more than its model's average.

79.9%passed first time

First-time pass rate, all years together: initial tests passed with no repairs. 95% range 79.8% to 80.1%.

In 2025, 79.9% of the 200,566 initial MOT tests on BMW 5 Series cars were passed with no repairs. The same-age average, for all vehicles first used in the same years, was 71.2%. That is 8.7 points above the same-age average.

In our tables of the highest MOT pass rates by age: joint 9th of 167 cars first used in 2015; joint 1st of 116 cars first used in 2010.

Check a specific 5 Series

Its own MOT history, free.

BMW 5 Series MOT pass rate by year

Year is when the car was first used. Older vehicles fail more often, so each year is compared with all vehicles first used that year.

YearChartTestsmedian milesPassed first timeAgainst all vehicles that year
2022age 37,07732,30086.7%±0.9−1.8 ptsall: 88.5%
2021age 46,02541,30087.8%±0.9+0.6 ptsall: 87.2%
2020age 58,66247,90087.8%±0.8+1.8 ptsall: 86.0%
2019age 615,96758,70087.5%±0.6+4.0 ptsall: 83.5%
2018age 718,76569,10086.5%±0.5+5.6 ptsall: 80.9%
2017age 814,96178,30084.5%±0.6+6.3 ptsall: 78.2%
2016age 915,34289,00084.8%±0.6+9.9 ptsall: 74.9%
2015age 1016,563100,90083.5%±0.6+11.6 ptsall: 71.9%
2014age 1115,627112,90081.0%±0.7+12.4 ptsall: 68.6%
2013age 1213,871120,10076.0%±0.8+10.2 ptsall: 65.8%
2012age 1313,202127,10073.3%±0.8+9.8 ptsall: 63.5%
2011age 1410,818135,30074.6%±0.9+13.4 ptsall: 61.2%
2010age 157,628134,40073.5%±1.1+14.2 ptsall: 59.3%
2009age 166,403145,30071.1%±1.2+12.8 ptsall: 58.3%
2008age 175,879151,30072.2%±1.2+15.0 ptsall: 57.2%
2007age 186,769157,80069.4%±1.2+12.0 ptsall: 57.4%
2006age 195,415160,10068.5%±1.3+11.5 ptsall: 57.0%
2005age 203,738158,90068.5%±1.6+10.9 ptsall: 57.6%
2004age 212,310145,90068.1%±2.0+10.3 ptsall: 57.8%
2003age 222,100136,50065.9%±2.1+7.2 ptsall: 58.7%
2002age 232,017139,80067.3%±2.1+7.8 ptsall: 59.5%
2001age 241,427134,80066.6%±2.5+5.5 ptsall: 61.1%

Tests are initial MOT tests in 2025, not retests. Median miles is the middle odometer reading at the test: half had more, half had less. ± is the 95% margin of error in points (Wilson interval): a difference smaller than that could be chance. Years without a link have fewer than 10,000 tests, so they are listed here but don't have their own page.

When a car's mileage doesn't add up

Common 5 Series problems at the MOT

Share of the 40,257 failed tests with a fault in each area, all years together. A test can count in more than one area, so these add up to more than 100%.

MOT records show roadworthiness faults, not engine or gearbox problems. Each year page compares that year's failure areas with all vehicles first used in the same year.

What to check when viewing a 5 Series

Based on the areas where BMW 5 Series MOT tests fail most often. These are general checks anyone can do, not a mechanical inspection.

  1. Tyres

    In 33.9% of failed 5 Series tests

    • Check the tread on every tyre. The legal minimum for cars is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread.
    • Look for cuts, bulges, and wear on only the inner or outer edge, which can point to an alignment problem.
    • Check that the spare wheel or the tyre repair kit is there.

  2. Suspension

    In 29.1% of failed 5 Series tests

    • Push down hard on each corner. The car should rise once and settle, not keep bouncing.
    • On the test drive, listen for knocks or clunks over speed bumps and potholes.
    • The car should sit level when parked on flat ground.

  3. Lights and electrics

    In 27.1% of failed 5 Series tests

    • Ask the seller to help you check every light: dipped and main beam, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp.
    • Look for cracked, misted or yellowed headlight lenses.
    • Warning lights on the dashboard should come on with the ignition and go out once the engine starts.

  4. Brakes

    In 15.2% of failed 5 Series tests

    • On a clear road, brake firmly. The car should stop in a straight line without juddering or pulling to one side.
    • Check the handbrake holds the car on a slope.
    • Look through the wheels at the brake discs for deep grooves or a raised lip at the edge.

Then read the car's own MOT history. Advisories in the same area at several tests are worth asking about.

Check a 5 Series's MOT history

After an MOT advisory

BMW 5 Series cars that passed their 2024 MOT first time with an advisory, and what their next MOT found, against similar cars that passed with nothing noted in that area. All first-use years together.

Tyres

Of BMW 5 Series cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a tyre advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 9.1% failed on tyres, against 5.6% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 21,876 and 87,764 cars.

  • With a tyre advisory9.1%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted5.6%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 18.1% of those with a tyre advisory and 16.2% of the others.

Brakes

Of BMW 5 Series cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a brake advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 6.1% failed on brakes, against 3.1% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 14,318 and 95,084 cars.

  • With a brake advisory6.1%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted3.1%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 19.7% of those with a brake advisory and 16.1% of the others.

Suspension

Of BMW 5 Series cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a suspension advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 12.0% failed on suspension, against 6.8% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 10,366 and 97,928 cars.

  • With a suspension advisory12.0%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted6.8%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 23.1% of those with a suspension advisory and 15.8% of the others.

Similar cars are the same model, first-use year and mileage band. Areas are the DVSA's top-level groups, so the later fail may not be the fault that was advised. These figures describe what happened to these cars. They don't show what a repair would have changed.

How we worked this out

BMW 5 Series questions

Which BMW 5 Series years have lower MOT pass rates?

Compared with all vehicles first used in the same year, these model years have below-average MOT pass rates: 2022. Above average: 2001–2020. The rest can't be told apart from average. A pass rate is one signal: it also reflects mileage and upkeep, and doesn't record engine or gearbox faults.

Is the BMW 5 Series reliable?

MOT results show only part of the picture. In 2025, 79.9% of initial MOT tests on BMW 5 Series cars were passed with no repairs, against a same-age average of 71.2%. That is 8.7 points above average. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't measure breakdowns, engine or gearbox faults, or repair costs.

What are the most common BMW 5 Series problems at the MOT?

The most common failure areas are tyres (in 33.9% of failed tests), suspension (in 29.1% of failed tests) and lights and electrics (in 27.1% of failed tests). A failed test can count in more than one area.

What mileage is normal for a 10-year-old BMW 5 Series?

At their 2025 MOT tests, BMW 5 Series cars first used in 2015, about 10 years old, had a median of 100,900 miles. Half had more and half had less.

How do I check a specific 5 Series's MOT history?

Enter its registration in our free check. It lists that car's own MOT results, the faults and advisories recorded and the mileage at each test, and flags repeated advisories and mileage that goes down.

Check a car's MOT history for free

What MOT data can't tell you about any BMW 5 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 models

Points above (+) or below (−) the same-age average for all vehicles.

All 22 BMW modelsCars ranked by MOT pass rate, by age

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests, 2025. For guidance only: these figures describe all BMW 5 Series cars tested, not the one you're looking at. How we count