Diesel BMW 225: MOT pass rate

83.4% of diesel BMW 225s pass the MOT first time, measured across 823 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 67,706.

Diesel against the other BMW 225 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 225 specifically, petrol is the strongest at 90%, and this diesel version sits 2.8 points below the 86.2% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The diesel BMW 225 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 225 had covered 67,706 miles at test, against 64,594 for the hybrid and 48,256 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 225 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a diesel BMW 225

1. Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel, 2.1% of tests (34.89x 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, 2.7% of tests (2.8x the national rate for this defect)
3. A tyre seriously damaged, 5.7% of tests (2.03x the national rate for this defect)
4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 3.5% of tests
5. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 2.3% of tests
6. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.6% of tests
7. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 1% of tests
8. Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator, 1% of tests (4.85x the national rate for this defect)
9. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 0.7% of tests
10. Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution., 0.7% of tests (1.98x the national rate for this defect)

From 828 DVSA-tracked diesel BMW 225 tests, 2024, split out from the BMW 225's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 12.54% 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 225

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, 2.5% of tests (2.38x 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, 5.6% of tests (1.42x the national rate for this defect), also fails
3. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 24.9% of tests, also fails
4. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 10.3% of tests, also fails
5. A tyre seriously damaged, 8.2% of tests, also fails
6. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 7% of tests
7. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 3% of tests
8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 1.8% of tests
9. A shock absorber which has negligible damping effect, 1.3% of tests (3.93x the national rate for this defect)
10. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 1.1% of tests

From 828 DVSA-tracked diesel BMW 225 tests, 2024.

Other BMW 225 fuel types

• Hybrid BMW 225 - 86.7%
• Petrol BMW 225 - 90%

All BMW 225 MOT data · Every model