MOT fail rates
BMW i3 MOT fail rate by age
How often the BMW i3 fails its MOT at each age, compared with all cars of the same age, and what it fails on. From 85,743 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.
MOT data updated
At 4 years, the most tested age
65 of 348 model groups with enough tests fail less often at 4 years.
What stands out
- At 3 years the BMW i3 fails 11.7% of MOTs (14,952 tests), about the same as the 12.1% for all cars that age. At 11 years it fails 20.5% (1,292 tests), 12.7 points below the 33.3% average.
- The gap is widest at 11 years: 12.7 points below all cars.
- At 4 years its listed fail items are all wear items, led by Headlight aimed too high at 3.1 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 | 11.7% | 14,952 | 12.1% | −0.4 pts | 17,503 miles |
| 4 years | 9.7% | 15,002 | 13.4% | −3.6 pts | 23,308 miles |
| 5 years | 10.8% | 14,457 | 15.3% | −4.5 pts | 30,278 miles |
| 6 years | 12.1% | 12,501 | 17.8% | −5.7 pts | 37,776 miles |
| 7 years | 13.0% | 10,422 | 20.6% | −7.6 pts | 44,877 miles |
| 8 years | 15.0% | 8,485 | 23.8% | −8.8 pts | 51,523 miles |
| 9 years | 17.4% | 5,420 | 27.1% | −9.7 pts | 55,593 miles |
| 10 years | 17.8% | 3,212 | 30.3% | −12.6 pts | 59,823 miles |
| 11 years | 20.5% | 1,292 | 33.3% | −12.7 pts | 65,160 miles |
Most common fail items at 4 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 |
|---|---|
| Headlight aimed too high Major | 3.1 |
| Tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Major | 2.6 |
| Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Dangerous | 1.9 |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Major | 1 |
| Tyre with cords exposed Dangerous | 0.8 |
| Wipers not clearing screen Major | 0.5 |
| Tyre condition: has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Dangerous | 0.4 |
| Side repeaters: not working Major | 0.4 |
| Tyre condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Dangerous | 0.4 |
| Headlamp aim: too low Major | 0.3 |
Out of 15,002 MOTs. A test with two faults counts twice.
Other models at 4 years
| Model | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMW 1 Series | 11.2% | 101,480 | 13.4% |
| BMW 3 Series | 12.5% | 100,649 | 13.4% |
| BMW 2 Series | 11.4% | 64,335 | 13.4% |
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 | 20.6% | 1,175 | 33.3% |
| 2015 | 10 years in 2025 | 17.8% | 1,894 | 30.3% |
| 2016 | 9 years in 2025 | 18.2% | 2,161 | 27.1% |
| 2017 | 8 years in 2025 | 15.7% | 3,174 | 23.8% |
| 2018 | 7 years in 2025 | 11.2% | 3,118 | 20.6% |
| 2019 | 6 years in 2025 | 11.5% | 4,062 | 17.8% |
| 2020 | 5 years in 2025 | 11.3% | 4,118 | 15.3% |
| 2021 | 4 years in 2025 | 8.9% | 3,515 | 13.4% |
More on the BMW i3
Looking at one BMW i3?
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