Diesel BMW 116: MOT pass rate

79.9% of diesel BMW 116s pass the MOT first time, measured across 70,263 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 88,487.

Diesel against the other BMW 116 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 116 specifically, diesel is the strongest at 79.9%, and this diesel version sits 0.8 points above the 79.1% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

There is little to choose between fuel types on this model, so decide on running costs and mileage rather than MOT record. 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 116 had covered 88,487 miles at test, against 85,739 for the petrol. That is above average, the point where suspension bushes, drop links and exhaust corrosion start showing up as advisories before they become failures.

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 116 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a diesel BMW 116

1. A wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud, 1.2% of tests (3.88x the national rate for this defect)
2. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 2.3% of tests (2.46x the national rate for this defect)
3. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 5% of tests (1.57x the national rate for this defect)
4. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 2.7% of tests (1.57x the national rate for this defect)
5. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 1% of tests (1.55x the national rate for this defect)
6. A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED, 1.6% of tests (1.29x the national rate for this defect)
7. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 2.7% of tests (1.24x the national rate for this defect)
8. A tyre seriously damaged, 2.9% of tests
9. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 2.4% of tests
10. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 2.3% of tests

From 70,581 DVSA-tracked diesel BMW 116 tests, 2024, split out from the BMW 116's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 7.22% 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 116

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

1. A shock absorber which has negligible damping effect, 1% of tests (2.91x the national rate for this defect)
2. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 5.3% of tests (1.67x the national rate for this defect)
3. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 1.6% of tests (1.53x the national rate for this defect)
4. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 13.2% of tests (1.41x the national rate for this defect), also fails
5. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 35.1% of tests (1.32x the national rate for this defect), also fails
6. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 5.1% of tests (1.31x the national rate for this defect), also fails
7. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 14.5% of tests (1.19x the national rate for this defect)
8. A tyre seriously damaged, 10.1% of tests, also fails
9. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 6.9% of tests
10. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 3.4% of tests

From 70,581 DVSA-tracked diesel BMW 116 tests, 2024.

Other BMW 116 fuel types

• Petrol BMW 116 - 77.5%

All BMW 116 MOT data · Every model