Diesel BMW 114: MOT pass rate

78% of diesel BMW 114s pass the MOT first time, measured across 1,503 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 100,352.

Diesel against the other BMW 114 versions

Why the fuel type changes the number

Diesels carry DPFs, EGR valves and stricter smoke limits, so emissions and exhaust faults account for failures petrol cars never see.

On the BMW 114 specifically, petrol is the strongest at 80%, and this diesel version sits 1.1 points below the 79.1% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The diesel BMW 114 fails more often than the model average, so budget for the items that catch this fuel type and treat a fresh MOT as worth paying for. Buying a damaged one? run it through the analyzer, check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.

Mileage is part of the answer

The average diesel BMW 114 had covered 100,352 miles at test, against 79,300 for the petrol. That is above average and into the range where cambelts and water pumps are due if they have not already been done, so ask for the service history rather than take the mileage on trust.

Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the BMW 114 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a diesel BMW 114

1. A wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud, 2.3% of tests (7.49x the national rate for this defect)
2. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 6.1% of tests (2.73x the national rate for this defect)
3. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 1.6% of tests (2.42x the national rate for this defect)
4. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 4.8% of tests (2.25x the national rate for this defect)
5. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 1.7% of tests (2.17x the national rate for this defect)
6. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 3.4% of tests (2x the national rate for this defect)
7. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 1.9% of tests (1.95x the national rate for this defect)
8. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 5.5% of tests (1.72x the national rate for this defect)
9. A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED, 2.1% of tests (1.67x the national rate for this defect)
10. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2% of tests (1.18x the national rate for this defect)

From 1,512 DVSA-tracked diesel BMW 114 tests, 2024, split out from the BMW 114's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 7.69% of these flagged defects as "dangerous", against 5.11% nationally. See which fuel type fails on the most dangerous defects nationally for how that compares across the whole fleet.

Most common MOT advisories on a diesel BMW 114

Flagged but doesn't fail the car, a different list from the failures above.

1. Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution., 1.8% of tests (2.11x the national rate for this defect)
2. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 1.8% of tests (1.67x the national rate for this defect)
3. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 43% of tests (1.61x the national rate for this defect), also fails
4. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 13.8% of tests (1.47x the national rate for this defect), also fails
5. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 17.6% of tests (1.44x the national rate for this defect)
6. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 4.5% of tests (1.41x the national rate for this defect), also fails
7. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 1.7% of tests (1.24x the national rate for this defect)
8. A tyre seriously damaged, 9.3% of tests
9. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 8.2% of tests
10. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 3.8% of tests, also fails

From 1,512 DVSA-tracked diesel BMW 114 tests, 2024.

Other BMW 114 fuel types

• Petrol BMW 114 - 80%

All BMW 114 MOT data · Every model