Petrol BMW 525: MOT pass rate

74.9% of petrol BMW 525s pass the MOT first time, measured across 3,552 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 124,200.

Petrol against the other BMW 525 versions

Why the fuel type changes the number

Petrol cars avoid the DPF and emissions failures that catch diesels, and usually fail on the same consumables as any other car.

On the BMW 525 specifically, diesel is the strongest at 76.8%, and this petrol version sits 1.4 points below the 76.3% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The petrol BMW 525 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 petrol BMW 525 had covered 124,200 miles at test, against 146,139 for the diesel. That is high mileage, so timing belts, clutches, suspension bushes and corrosion are the items worth budgeting for rather than the MOT itself.

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

Most common MOT failures on a petrol BMW 525

1. An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction, 2.1% of tests (5.07x the national rate for this defect)
2. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 5.9% of tests (3.2x the national rate for this defect)
3. Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 1.8% of tests (2.38x the national rate for this defect)
4. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 2.3% of tests (2.15x the national rate for this defect)
5. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 4.9% of tests (2.1x the national rate for this defect)
6. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 2.5% of tests (1.91x the national rate for this defect)
7. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 2.9% of tests (1.71x the national rate for this defect)
8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 8.2% of tests (1.64x the national rate for this defect)
9. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 2% of tests (1.56x the national rate for this defect)
10. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2.2% of tests (1.32x the national rate for this defect)

From 3,614 DVSA-tracked petrol BMW 525 tests, 2024, split out from the BMW 525's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 3.72% 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 petrol BMW 525

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

1. A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, 8.2% of tests (14.61x the national rate for this defect)
2. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 24.5% of tests (4.41x the national rate for this defect)
3. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 4.7% of tests (4.28x the national rate for this defect)
4. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 19.1% of tests (3.08x the national rate for this defect), also fails
5. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 3.4% of tests (2.5x the national rate for this defect)
6. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 28.2% of tests (2.11x the national rate for this defect), also fails
7. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 4.6% of tests (1.73x the national rate for this defect)
8. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 23.8% of tests
9. A tyre seriously damaged, 12.6% of tests
10. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 11% of tests

From 3,614 DVSA-tracked petrol BMW 525 tests, 2024.

Other BMW 525 fuel types

• Diesel BMW 525 - 76.8%

All BMW 525 MOT data · Every model