MOT fail rates
BMW 2 Series MOT fail rate by age
How often the BMW 2 Series fails its MOT at each age, compared with all cars of the same age, and what it fails on. From 478,855 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.
MOT data updated
At 6 years, the most tested age
119 of 340 model groups with enough tests fail less often at 6 years.
What stands out
- At 3 years the BMW 2 Series fails 11.3% of MOTs (54,049 tests), about the same as the 12.1% for all cars that age. At 11 years it fails 25.0% (5,268 tests), 8.3 points below the 33.3% average.
- The gap is widest at 10 years: 8.6 points below all cars.
- At 6 years its listed fail items are all wear items, led by Tyre tread below 1.6 mm at 2.4 per 100 MOTs.
MOT fail rate by age
Solid line: this model. Dashed line: all cars at the same age.
| Age | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars | Difference | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 11.3% | 54,049 | 12.1% | −0.7 pts | 21,544 miles |
| 4 years | 11.4% | 64,335 | 13.4% | −1.9 pts | 27,846 miles |
| 5 years | 12.9% | 70,286 | 15.3% | −2.4 pts | 34,658 miles |
| 6 years | 14.7% | 79,099 | 17.8% | −3.1 pts | 42,682 miles |
| 7 years | 16.5% | 78,101 | 20.6% | −4.1 pts | 50,844 miles |
| 8 years | 18.2% | 62,053 | 23.8% | −5.5 pts | 58,978 miles |
| 9 years | 20.1% | 43,661 | 27.1% | −7.1 pts | 66,121 miles |
| 10 years | 21.7% | 22,003 | 30.3% | −8.6 pts | 72,563 miles |
| 11 years | 25.0% | 5,268 | 33.3% | −8.3 pts | 81,224 miles |
Most common fail items at 6 years
Split into structural or mechanical items and wear items. Wear items (tyres, brake pads, wipers, bulbs) say more about upkeep than about the design.
Structural and mechanical
None among the ten most common fail items.
Wear and upkeep
| Fail item | Per 100 MOTs |
|---|---|
| Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Dangerous | 2.4 |
| Tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Major | 2.3 |
| Tyre with cords exposed Dangerous | 1.6 |
| Brake pads under 1.5 mm Dangerous | 1.4 |
| Tyre condition: has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Dangerous | 1.3 |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect Major | 1 |
| Headlight aimed too high Major | 0.9 |
| Headlamp aim: too low Major | 0.8 |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Major | 0.8 |
| Dipped headlight not working Major | 0.7 |
Out of 79,099 MOTs. A test with two faults counts twice.
Other models at 6 years
| Model | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMW 1 Series | 15.5% | 122,018 | 17.8% |
| BMW 3 Series | 13.4% | 114,167 | 17.8% |
| BMW 5 Series | 12.9% | 67,176 | 17.8% |
MOT fail rate by first-use year
Each year has its own page: the fail rate for cars first used that year at each MOT from 2022 to 2025 with at least 1,000 tests, the most common faults at that age, and the car tax and ULEZ rules for that year.
First-use year data updated .
| First used | Age at test | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 11 years in 2025 | 25.0% | 5,263 | 33.3% |
| 2015 | 10 years in 2025 | 21.3% | 16,692 | 30.3% |
| 2016 | 9 years in 2025 | 20.0% | 21,406 | 27.1% |
| 2017 | 8 years in 2025 | 17.2% | 18,172 | 23.8% |
| 2018 | 7 years in 2025 | 16.0% | 21,366 | 20.6% |
| 2019 | 6 years in 2025 | 13.6% | 17,820 | 17.8% |
| 2020 | 5 years in 2025 | 12.2% | 12,373 | 15.3% |
| 2021 | 4 years in 2025 | 11.1% | 11,590 | 13.4% |
| 2022 | 3 years in 2025 | 9.9% | 10,838 | 12.1% |
More on the BMW 2 Series
Looking at one BMW 2 Series?
These are figures for the model, not for one car. The VetTheCar Buying Report looks at a single car: its MOT tests, defects, advisories and mileage readings.
Source
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 22 September 2026.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources