2012 BMW 5 Series: MOT pass rate and common faults

13,202 initial MOT tests in 2025 on cars first used in 2012 · DVSA data · For guidance only · How we count

73.3%passed first time

Share of initial MOT tests passed with no repairs. Repairs made at the test centre count as a fail. 95% range 72.5% to 74.0% (±0.8 points).

2012 BMW 5 Series73.3%
All vehicles first used in 201263.5%

That is 9.8 points above the average for all vehicles first used in 2012 (63.5%). These cars were about 13 years old at the test.

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Failure areas compared with all 2012 vehicles

Compared with all vehicles first used in 2012, less common in lights and electrics (0.7×), suspension (0.7×), windscreen, wipers, mirrors (0.6×), brakes (0.4×), steering (0.6×), noise, emissions, leaks (0.4×) and body, chassis, structure (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 2012.

Lights and electrics11.1 in 100 tests0.7× compared with 15.8 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2012
Suspension9.9 in 100 tests0.7× compared with 14.4 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2012
Tyres6.9 in 100 tests1.0× compared with 7.0 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2012
Windscreen, wipers, mirrors3.1 in 100 tests0.6× compared with 4.9 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2012
Brakes2.9 in 100 tests0.4× compared with 8.1 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2012
Steering1.6 in 100 tests0.6× compared with 2.8 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2012
Noise, emissions, leaks1.5 in 100 tests0.4× compared with 3.8 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2012
Wheels1.3 in 100 tests– no reliable figure for all vehicles first used in 2012
Seat belts and airbags0.7 in 100 tests– no reliable figure for all vehicles first used in 2012
Body, chassis, structure0.5 in 100 tests0.1× compared with 4.6 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2012

All vehicles first used in 2012: the 197 models in our data, 1,653,623 tests (96.5% of all 1,714,195 tests on vehicles first used in 2012). 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 test127,100

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 2012 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 checks What MOT history doesn't show

Other BMW 5 Series years

BMW 5 Series: every year, common faults and what to check

Other cars first used in 2012

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