BMW 5 Series: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The BMW 5 Series passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 8.6 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 73,483 individual BMW 5 Series tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate85.3%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+8.6 points
Tests analysed73,483
Average mileage at test78,434 miles
Average year of manufacture2016
Reliability rank1,218 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 85.3% first-time pass rate means roughly 15 in every 100 BMW 5 Series presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average BMW 5 Series tested had covered 78,434 miles and was built around 2016.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The BMW 5 Series sits 8.6 points above the national average, ranked 1,218 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific BMW 5 Series rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see the median recorded closing bid for a damaged BMW 5 Series: £625 at UK salvage auction, from 58 ended listings, not independently confirmed sales.

Most common MOT failures on a BMW 5 Series

  1. Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel, 0.7% of tests (12.26x the national rate for this defect)
  2. A wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud, 0.5% of tests (1.55x 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, 1.4% of tests (1.49x the national rate for this defect)
  4. A tyre seriously damaged, 3.9% of tests (1.4x the national rate for this defect)
  5. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2.2% of tests (1.34x the national rate for this defect)
  6. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 0.8% of tests (1.22x the national rate for this defect)
  7. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 2.5% of tests
  8. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 1.3% of tests
  9. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 1% of tests
  10. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 0.9% of tests

From 73,473 DVSA-tracked BMW 5 Series tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 8.24% of these flagged BMW 5 Series defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a BMW 5 Series

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a BMW 5 Series before it actually fails on it.

  1. A transmission shaft flexible coupling excessively deteriorated, 1.5% of tests (24.13x the national rate for this advisory)
  2. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 7.8% of tests (2x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
  3. A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, 0.7% of tests (1.17x the national rate for this advisory)
  4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 25.7% of tests, also fails
  5. A tyre seriously damaged, 7.7% of tests, also fails
  6. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 5.9% of tests
  7. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 4.6% of tests
  8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 4.1% of tests, also fails
  9. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 2.7% of tests
  10. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 2.3% of tests

From 73,473 DVSA-tracked BMW 5 Series tests, 2024.

BMW 5 Series pass rate by model year

From its 2005 to its 2022 model year, the BMW 5 Series's first-time pass rate has risen 24.1 points, from 72.5% to 96.6%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each BMW 5 Series year:

BMW 5 Series by fuel type

The BMW 5 Series's two most-tested fuel types split by 4.1 points: diesel passes first time 84.2% of the time (45,445 tests) against 88.3% for petrol (14,237 tests).

Other BMW models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

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BMW 5 Series MOT pass rate badge: 85.3%

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BMW 5 Series most common MOT failure: Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel (0.7% of tests)

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate