MOT fail rates by first-use year

2021 BMW 5 Series MOT fail rate and common faults

How BMW 5 Series cars first used in 2021 did at their MOTs from 2024 to 2025, against all cars of the same age. From 12,301 DVSA MOT tests of these cars. First use is usually the date the car was first registered.

MOT data updated 28 September 2026

At 4 years, tested in 2025

MOT fail rate at age 4 (n=6,052)12.1%

All cars at 4 years (n=8,699,937)13.4%

Difference−1.2 pts

MOT tests of 2021 cars, 2024 to 202512,301

What stands out

In 2025, at 4 years old, BMW 5 Series cars first used in 2021 failed 12.1% of MOTs (6,052 tests), 1.2 points below the 13.4% for all cars that age.
From 2024 to 2025, as these cars went from 3 to 4 years old, the fail rate moved from 13.0% to 12.1%.
BMW 5 Series cars first used a year earlier, in 2020, failed 11.1% at the same age of 4 years (9,066 tests, in 2024).
The most common fail item that is not a wear item, for the BMW 5 Series at 4 years, is road wheel condition: fractured, at 0.7 per 100 MOTs (all cars: 0.0).

MOT fail rate by test year

BMW 5 Series cars first used in 2021: share of MOT tests that failed, by test year, against all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.
Test year	Age	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars	Difference
2024	3 years	13.0%	6,249	12.1%	+0.9 pts
2025	4 years	12.1%	6,052	13.4%	−1.2 pts

Most common faults at 4 years

These figures cover all BMW 5 Series MOTs at 4 years: cars first used 2018 to 2021, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=52,688). The list uses every first-use year so it has enough tests. Wear items (tyres, brake pads, wipers, bulbs) say more about upkeep than about the design.

MOT fail items

Fail item	Per 100 MOTs	All cars
Tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Wear	2.5	1.5
Tyre with cords exposed Wear	1.9	0.9
Tyre condition: has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Wear	1.3	0.4
Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Wear	1.3	1.4
Road wheel condition: fractured	0.7	0.0
Engine warning lamp at the diesel emissions check: not working or showing a fault	0.6	0.3
Headlight aimed too high Wear	0.5	0.6
Side repeaters: not working Wear	0.5	0.1
Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Wear	0.4	0.7
Wipers not clearing screen Wear	0.3	2.5

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=52,688). A test with two items counts once for each.

Advisories

Advisory	Per 100 MOTs	All cars
Tyre tread close to the legal limit or worn on the edge Wear	11.8	12.4
Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Wear	2.9	6.3
Brake pads wearing thin Wear	2.7	6.9
Tyre condition: has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords Wear	2.3	1.8
Non-component advisories: Nail in tyre	2.2	2.1
Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt	2.0	2.2
Windscreen: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view	2.0	1.5
Tyre tread close to the legal limit, under the 1.0 mm rule Wear	1.7	1.8
Shock absorber misting oil	1.6	1.2
Flexible couplings: slightly deteriorated	1.4	0.0

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=52,688). A test with two items counts once for each.

Fuel type at 4 years

These figures cover all BMW 5 Series MOTs at 4 years: cars first used 2018 to 2021, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=52,688). Each fuel is set against all cars of the same fuel and age. Fuels with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

Fuel	Share of tests	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars, same fuel	Median mileage
Hybrid	40.1%	13.3%	21,148	11.3%	43,018 miles
Diesel	38.4%	11.0%	20,210	16.5%	40,599 miles
Petrol	21.5%	10.0%	11,327	12.0%	30,013 miles

Fail rate by mileage at 4 years

These figures cover all BMW 5 Series MOTs at 4 years: cars first used 2018 to 2021, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=52,688). At 4 years, BMW 5 Series cars at 90,000 to 120,000 miles failed more often (15.1%, n=1,728) than those at under 30,000 miles (8.6%, n=15,400). Bands with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

Mileage at test	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars
Under 30,000 miles	8.6%	15,400	10.2%
30,000 to 60,000 miles	12.5%	27,047	15.5%
60,000 to 90,000 miles	14.3%	7,458	20.7%
90,000 to 120,000 miles	15.1%	1,728	23.1%

Car tax rules for a 2021 car

Cars first registered from 1 April 2017 pay a first-year rate set by CO2 emissions, then the standard rate each year. A petrol, diesel or hybrid car with a list price over £40,000 also pays the expensive car supplement for five years, from the second tax payment.

These are the rules, not the amount for a specific car. Car tax check

ULEZ and clean air zones

Petrol cars first registered from 2006 usually meet Euro 4, the petrol standard for the London ULEZ, so they usually do not pay the daily charge.
Diesel cars first registered from September 2015 usually meet Euro 6, the diesel standard for the London ULEZ, so they usually do not pay the daily charge.
Hybrids follow the Euro standard of their petrol or diesel engine.
The clean air zones in Birmingham and Bristol use the same Euro 4 petrol and Euro 6 diesel standards. The low emission zones in Scotland use them too, but enforce them with fines, not a daily charge.

The Euro standard of the car decides, not the year alone. ULEZ checker

Other years of the BMW 5 Series

2020 BMW 5 Series 2022 BMW 5 Series

Other BMW models first used in 2021

Model	Age at test	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars
BMW 3 Series (2021)	4 years in 2025	12.7%	25,479	13.4%
BMW 1 Series (2021)	4 years in 2025	9.4%	19,255	13.4%
BMW 2 Series (2021)	4 years in 2025	11.1%	11,590	13.4%
BMW X3 (2021)	4 years in 2025	11.4%	10,707	13.4%
BMW X1 (2021)	4 years in 2025	8.4%	7,642	13.4%
BMW 4 Series (2021)	4 years in 2025	11.7%	6,932	13.4%
BMW X5 (2021)	4 years in 2025	14.0%	6,348	13.4%
BMW i3 (2021)	4 years in 2025	8.9%	3,515	13.4%

More on the BMW 5 Series

Read this with care. A fail rate is not a measure of build quality. How far cars are driven, how they are used and how well owners maintain them all change it, and wear items such as tyres and brake pads are common fails. Compare a model only with cars of the same age. Methodology and limits.

Found one you might buy? Vet the specific car.

These figures describe 2021 BMW 5 Series cars as a group, not any one car. The VetTheCar Buying Report looks at the car you are buying: its MOT history, what similar cars did next, and what to ask the seller.

See an example Buying Report All car tools

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 28 September 2026.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources

Car tax and clean air zone rules are summarised from GOV.UK and Transport for London guidance. They are general rules and are not drawn from the MOT data.