Diesel BMW 218: MOT pass rate

84.9% of diesel BMW 218s pass the MOT first time, measured across 20,656 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 67,497.

Diesel against the other BMW 218 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 218 specifically, petrol is the strongest at 86.8%, and this diesel version sits 1.1 points below the 86% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The diesel BMW 218 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 218 had covered 67,497 miles at test, against 47,562 for the petrol. That is a shade above the middle of the range, still ordinary wear rather than a red flag, but worth checking against the service book for the car's age.

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

Most common MOT failures on a diesel BMW 218

1. A wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud, 0.6% of tests (1.86x the national rate for this defect)
2. A tyre seriously damaged, 3.7% of tests (1.31x the national rate for this defect)
3. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 1.1% of tests (1.2x the national rate for this defect)
4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 2.9% of tests
5. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 1.8% of tests
6. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 1.8% of tests
7. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.5% of tests
8. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 1.4% of tests
9. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 1.3% of tests
10. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 0.9% of tests

From 20,718 DVSA-tracked diesel BMW 218 tests, 2024, split out from the BMW 218's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 7.73% 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 218

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

1. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 1.3% of tests (1.26x the national rate for this defect)
2. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 3.8% of tests (1.21x the national rate for this defect)
3. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 28.7% of tests, also fails
4. A tyre seriously damaged, 11.7% of tests, also fails
5. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 10.6% of tests, also fails
6. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 10% of tests
7. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 9% of tests, also fails
8. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 2.4% of tests, also fails
9. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 2.2% of tests
10. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 1.1% of tests

From 20,718 DVSA-tracked diesel BMW 218 tests, 2024.

Other BMW 218 fuel types

• Petrol BMW 218 - 86.8%

All BMW 218 MOT data · Every model