BMW 118 MOT Check

MOT pass rates, common failures, and reliability data for the BMW 118. Check any 118 by registration number below.

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81.5%

Avg Pass Rate

-8.4%

vs BMW Avg

Year Ranges

Good

Reliability

BMW 118 — MOT Reliability Overview

The BMW 118 has an average MOT pass rate of 81.5%, which is 8.4 percentage points below the BMW brand average of 89.9%. This is a strong result, indicating that the 118 is well-engineered and tends to age well mechanically. Owners can expect fewer surprises at MOT time.

The most common reasons a BMW 118 fails its MOT are a flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage. If you are preparing your 118 for its MOT, checking these areas first could save you a retest fee. Our detailed fault analysis includes estimated repair costs for each failure type.

Before buying a used BMW 118, we recommend checking the full MOT history, write-off status, outstanding finance, and stolen vehicle status. These checks can be done for free using the registration number.

MOT Pass Rate by Year

How the BMW 118 performs at MOT across different model years.

2023

Based on 31 vehicles

96.8%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

0.0%

Retest Rate

3.1%

2022

Based on 1,499 vehicles

97.4%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

0.9%

Retest Rate

2.3%

Mileage at 3yr

35k mi

2021

Based on 26,144 vehicles

93.4%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

2.0%

Retest Rate

8.0%

Mileage at 3yr

41k mi

2020

Based on 53,880 vehicles

92.1%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

2.2%

Retest Rate

8.5%

Mileage at 3yr

40k mi

Mileage at 5yr

62k mi

2019

Based on 28,314 vehicles

90.0%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

3.3%

Retest Rate

10.6%

Mileage at 3yr

40k mi

Mileage at 5yr

62k mi

2018

Based on 28,877 vehicles

87.6%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

4.3%

Retest Rate

13.2%

Mileage at 5yr

64k mi

2017

Based on 38,442 vehicles

87.4%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

4.6%

Retest Rate

13.3%

Mileage at 5yr

72k mi

2016

Based on 36,486 vehicles

86.4%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

4.3%

Retest Rate

14.2%

2015

Based on 29,496 vehicles

86.2%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

4.4%

Retest Rate

13.7%

Mileage at 10yr

138k mi

2014

Based on 12,056 vehicles

82.2%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

5.3%

Retest Rate

19.5%

Mileage at 10yr

146k mi

2013

Based on 15,388 vehicles

80.5%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

5.5%

Retest Rate

20.4%

Mileage at 10yr

138k mi

2012

Based on 16,110 vehicles

75.3%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

5.4%

Retest Rate

24.8%

Mileage at 10yr

145k mi

2011

Based on 25,156 vehicles

75.5%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

6.1%

Retest Rate

24.8%

2010

Based on 27,698 vehicles

74.3%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

6.3%

Retest Rate

24.7%

2009

Based on 20,609 vehicles

72.7%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

6.9%

Retest Rate

26.2%

2008

Based on 15,631 vehicles

72.6%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

7.2%

Retest Rate

25.2%

2007

Based on 9,481 vehicles

72.3%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

7.1%

Retest Rate

23.9%

2006

Based on 7,701 vehicles

69.5%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

7.8%

Retest Rate

26.7%

2005

Based on 4,841 vehicles

69.2%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

6.1%

Retest Rate

26.5%

2004

Based on 809 vehicles

65.3%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

8.4%

Retest Rate

31.4%

0

Based on 167,079 vehicles

84.0%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Mileage at 5yr

73k mi

Top MOT Failures — BMW 118

The most common reasons a BMW 118 fails its MOT, aggregated across all year ranges.

A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched

3.5%

Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements

2.7%

A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage

2.6%

An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction

2.5%

A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

2.3%

BMW 118 Common Faults & Repair Costs

Where Failures Occur

The areas of the vehicle most commonly flagged during MOT inspections.

Rear Offside

3.2%

Other BMW Models

Compare MOT reliability across BMW models.

BMW 420d Xdrive M Sport Mhev Auto

90.4% pass rate

BMW X2 Sdrive18d Sport

87.3% pass rate

BMW X2 Sdrive18d M Sport X Auto

87.0% pass rate

BMW 550

82.4% pass rate

BMW 316 I

89.0% pass rate

BMW 540i Xdrive M Sport Mhev Auto

75.6% pass rate

Useful MOT Guides

Common MOT Failures

The most common reasons UK vehicles fail their MOT — and how to prepare.

MOT Checklist

Pre-MOT checklist to improve your chances of passing first time.

Advisory vs Failure

Understanding the difference between MOT advisories and failures.

See detailed fault analysis for BMW 118

BMW 118 — Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about the BMW 118 MOT and reliability.

What is the MOT pass rate for the BMW 118?

The average MOT pass rate for the BMW 118 is 81.5% compared to the BMW average of 89.9%. Pass rates vary by year — check the year-by-year breakdown on this page for details.

What are the most common MOT failures on a BMW 118?

The most common MOT failures on the BMW 118 are: A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched (3.5%), Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements (2.7%), A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage (2.6%). These are the components most likely to cause an MOT failure.

Is the BMW 118 reliable?

With an average MOT pass rate of 81.5%, the BMW 118 is rated as "Good" for reliability. This is a strong result suggesting good build quality and fewer common defects.

How do I check the MOT history of a BMW 118?

Enter the vehicle's registration number in the search box at the top of this page. You will instantly see the complete MOT history including every test result, mileage readings, advisories, and dangerous defects — completely free.

What mileage should I expect on a BMW 118?

Typical mileage for the BMW 118: 35,309 miles at 3 years. Use these benchmarks when evaluating a used 118 to spot vehicles with unusually high or low mileage.

Check Your BMW 118's MOT History

Enter the registration number for the full MOT history — free and instant.