BMW 5 Series MOT Check

MOT pass rates, common failures, and reliability data for the BMW 5 Series. Check any 5 Series by registration number below.

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78.7%

Avg Pass Rate

-11.2%

vs BMW Avg

Year Ranges

Good

Reliability

BMW 5 Series — MOT Reliability Overview

The BMW 5 Series has an average MOT pass rate of 78.7%, which is 11.2 percentage points below the BMW brand average of 89.9%. This is a reasonable result that reflects typical UK reliability standards. Regular servicing and addressing advisories promptly will help keep your 5 Series on the road.

The most common reasons a BMW 5 Series fails its MOT are brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen. If you are preparing your 5 Series 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.

Typical mileage for the 5 Series is around 52,000 miles at 5 years. When evaluating a used 5 Series, compare the odometer reading against these benchmarks. Significantly lower mileage than expected could indicate a clocked vehicle — run a free mileage check to verify.

Before buying a used BMW 5 Series, 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 5 Series performs at MOT across different model years.

2023

Based on 185 vehicles

97.8%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

1.1%

Retest Rate

2.2%

2022

Based on 690 vehicles

96.8%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

1.2%

Retest Rate

2.6%

Mileage at 3yr

73k mi

2021

Based on 3,961 vehicles

93.5%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

2.3%

Retest Rate

7.2%

Mileage at 3yr

56k mi

2020

Based on 13,020 vehicles

91.4%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

2.7%

Retest Rate

8.7%

Mileage at 3yr

48k mi

Mileage at 5yr

83k mi

2019

Based on 47,040 vehicles

90.9%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

3.0%

Retest Rate

9.0%

Mileage at 3yr

60k mi

Mileage at 5yr

83k mi

2018

Based on 55,644 vehicles

90.2%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

3.2%

Retest Rate

10.4%

Mileage at 5yr

88k mi

2017

Based on 39,429 vehicles

88.9%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

3.0%

Retest Rate

11.4%

Mileage at 5yr

96k mi

2016

Based on 141 vehicles

89.4%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

0.0%

Retest Rate

4.0%

2015

Based on 186 vehicles

89.8%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

1.6%

Retest Rate

9.8%

Mileage at 10yr

221k mi

2014

Based on 622 vehicles

88.7%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

3.4%

Retest Rate

13.8%

Mileage at 10yr

153k mi

2013

Based on 16,265 vehicles

79.9%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

5.1%

Retest Rate

19.0%

Mileage at 10yr

175k mi

2012

Based on 16,411 vehicles

79.8%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

4.8%

Retest Rate

20.5%

Mileage at 10yr

188k mi

2011

Based on 3,041 vehicles

78.5%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

4.5%

Retest Rate

24.0%

2010

Based on 1,787 vehicles

79.2%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

5.5%

Retest Rate

22.3%

2009

Based on 1,910 vehicles

78.9%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

5.2%

Retest Rate

17.1%

2008

Based on 2,320 vehicles

78.4%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

4.0%

Retest Rate

20.4%

2007

Based on 2,556 vehicles

77.2%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

5.5%

Retest Rate

19.9%

2006

Based on 2,109 vehicles

73.1%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

7.3%

Retest Rate

21.0%

2005

Based on 1,147 vehicles

72.6%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

5.6%

Retest Rate

23.9%

2004

Based on 777 vehicles

72.1%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

6.2%

Retest Rate

28.2%

2003

Based on 580 vehicles

71.6%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

6.3%

Retest Rate

32.0%

2002

Based on 476 vehicles

75.2%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

4.3%

Retest Rate

18.3%

2001

Based on 316 vehicles

75.9%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

4.4%

Retest Rate

19.9%

2000

Based on 218 vehicles

65.1%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

4.9%

Retest Rate

45.5%

1999

Based on 252 vehicles

65.1%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

2.3%

Retest Rate

28.0%

1998

Based on 55,000 vehicles

0.8%Poor

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

0.0%

Retest Rate

0.1%

Mileage at 3yr

30k mi

Mileage at 5yr

52k mi

Mileage at 10yr

100k mi

1997

Based on 120 vehicles

73.3%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

3.7%

Retest Rate

14.6%

1996

Based on 73 vehicles

75.3%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

2.1%

Retest Rate

17.0%

1995

Based on 77 vehicles

77.9%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

1.9%

Retest Rate

15.4%

1994

Based on 65 vehicles

86.2%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

2.1%

Retest Rate

8.5%

1989

Based on 39 vehicles

71.8%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

3.1%

Retest Rate

12.5%

1987

Based on 127 vehicles

74.0%Average

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

2.0%

Retest Rate

14.1%

1986

Based on 111 vehicles

83.8%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

0.0%

Retest Rate

7.7%

1985

Based on 108 vehicles

83.3%Good

BMW average: 89.9%

Dangerous Defects

3.9%

Retest Rate

16.9%

0

Based on 83,777 vehicles

87.0%Excellent

BMW average: 89.9%

Mileage at 5yr

73k mi

Top MOT Failures — BMW 5 Series

The most common reasons a BMW 5 Series fails its MOT, aggregated across all year ranges.

Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded

4.7%

Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen

3.2%

Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen

3.1%

A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened

2.5%

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

2.3%

BMW 5 Series Common Faults & Repair Costs

Where Failures Occur

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

Front Nearside

1.1%

Front Offside

1.1%

Front Offside Lower

1.1%

Typical Mileage — BMW 5 Series

Average mileage readings recorded at MOT tests for the 1998 model year range. Use these benchmarks to evaluate a used 5 Series.

At 3 Years

30,000

miles

At 5 Years

52,000

miles

At 10 Years

100,000

miles

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 5 Series

BMW 5 Series — Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about the BMW 5 Series MOT and reliability.

What is the MOT pass rate for the BMW 5 Series?

The average MOT pass rate for the BMW 5 Series is 78.7% 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 5 Series?

The most common MOT failures on the BMW 5 Series are: Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded (4.7%), Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen (3.2%), Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen (3.1%). These are the components most likely to cause an MOT failure.

Is the BMW 5 Series reliable?

With an average MOT pass rate of 78.7%, the BMW 5 Series 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 5 Series?

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 5 Series?

Typical mileage for the BMW 5 Series: 73,490 miles at 3 years. Use these benchmarks when evaluating a used 5 Series to spot vehicles with unusually high or low mileage.

Check Your BMW 5 Series's MOT History

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