Diesel BMW 5 Series: MOT pass rate

84.2% of diesel BMW 5 Series pass the MOT first time, measured across 45,445 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 92,298.

Diesel against the other BMW 5 Series 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 5 Series specifically, hybrid is the strongest at 88.5%, and this diesel version sits 1.6 points below the 85.8% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The diesel BMW 5 Series 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 5 Series had covered 92,298 miles at test, against 53,793 for the petrol and 64,074 for the hybrid. 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 5 Series page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a diesel BMW 5 Series

1. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 1.5% of tests (1.61x the national rate for this defect)
2. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 1% of tests (1.52x the national rate for this defect)
3. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2.2% of tests (1.32x the national rate for this defect)
4. A tyre seriously damaged, 3.4% of tests (1.21x the national rate for this defect)
5. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 2.8% of tests
6. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 2% of tests
7. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 1.5% of tests
8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 1.2% of tests
9. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 1% of tests
10. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 1% of tests

From 45,660 DVSA-tracked diesel BMW 5 Series tests, 2024, split out from the BMW 5 Series'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 5 Series

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

1. A transmission shaft flexible coupling excessively deteriorated, 2.1% of tests (33.23x 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, 8.1% of tests (2.06x the national rate for this defect), also fails
3. A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, 0.8% of tests (1.47x the national rate for this defect)
4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 28.3% of tests, also fails
5. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 7.2% of tests
6. A tyre seriously damaged, 7% of tests, also fails
7. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 6.1% of tests
8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 5.6% of tests, also fails
9. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 3.4% of tests
10. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 3% of tests

From 45,660 DVSA-tracked diesel BMW 5 Series tests, 2024.

Other BMW 5 Series fuel types

• Petrol BMW 5 Series - 88.3%
• Hybrid BMW 5 Series - 88.5%

All BMW 5 Series MOT data · Every model