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BMW X5 seat belts and airbags problems

DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 29,231 MOT tests · Updated

At 3 years, 0.4 in 100 MOT tests of the BMW X5 failed on seat belts and airbags, against 0.3 for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 29,231 MOT tests) [1].

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  • Against all class 4 vehicles the same age: about average for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years), 107 MOT tests with a fail
  • By age: seen at 21 ages from 3 to 23 years, 366,311 MOT tests
  • Most common fail: Seat belt condition: buckle not functioning as intended, 0.3 per 100 MOT tests

Figures are for the model as a whole, not for one car.

What the MOT tests show

What we know

0.4 fails per 100 MOT tests at 3 years, against 0.3 for all class 4 vehicles tested at 3 (all test years). That is about average.

Why it matters

A seat belts and airbags fail stops the car passing until it is fixed; the most common one is rated major by DVSA.

What to check

Pull every seat belt out fully and let it retract, check each buckle latches and releases, and make sure the airbag light goes out after start-up.

BMW X5 seat belts and airbags fails by age

BMW X5 seat belts and airbags fails per 100 MOT tests by ageSolid line: the BMW X5. Dashed line: all cars the same age. The table below lists every value.0243 years: 0.4 per 100 (all cars 0.3), 29,231 MOT tests34 years: 0.4 per 100 (all cars 0.3), 27,686 MOT tests5 years: 0.3 per 100 (all cars 0.3), 26,945 MOT tests56 years: 0.3 per 100 (all cars 0.4), 28,252 MOT tests7 years: 0.3 per 100 (all cars 0.4), 26,671 MOT tests78 years: 0.3 per 100 (all cars 0.5), 24,834 MOT tests9 years: 0.5 per 100 (all cars 0.6), 22,071 MOT tests910 years: 0.4 per 100 (all cars 0.7), 19,840 MOT tests11 years: 0.5 per 100 (all cars 0.9), 16,912 MOT tests1112 years: 0.7 per 100 (all cars 1.0), 15,388 MOT tests13 years: 0.6 per 100 (all cars 1.2), 15,867 MOT tests1314 years: 0.7 per 100 (all cars 1.5), 15,130 MOT tests15 years: 0.9 per 100 (all cars 1.7), 14,855 MOT tests1516 years: 1.7 per 100 (all cars 2.1), 14,495 MOT tests17 years: 2.8 per 100 (all cars 2.5), 16,441 MOT tests1718 years: 3.1 per 100 (all cars 2.7), 15,773 MOT tests19 years: 3.9 per 100 (all cars 2.9), 13,850 MOT tests1920 years: 3.7 per 100 (all cars 3.1), 11,131 MOT tests21 years: 3.7 per 100 (all cars 3.1), 6,407 MOT tests2122 years: 4.6 per 100 (all cars 3.1), 3,208 MOT tests23 years: 4.2 per 100 (all cars 3.2), 1,324 MOT tests23
Fails per 100 MOT tests by age, all first-use years pooled. BMW X5 All class 4 vehicles the same age Shaded: over 18 years, survivors only.
AgeMOT testsFails per 100All class 4 vehicles the same age
329,2310.40.3
427,6860.40.3
526,9450.30.3
628,2520.30.4
726,6710.30.4
824,8340.30.5
922,0710.50.6
1019,8400.40.7
1116,9120.50.9
1215,3880.71.0
1315,8670.61.2
1415,1300.71.5
1514,8550.91.7
1614,4951.72.1
1716,4412.82.5
1815,7733.12.7
19*13,8503.92.9
20*11,1313.73.1
21*6,4073.73.1
22*3,2084.63.1
23*1,3244.23.2

All first-use years of the BMW X5 pooled at each age, against all class 4 vehicles at that age over all 2022–2025 test years. * Only survivors are still tested at this age.

What fails in the seat belts and airbags at 3 years

Fails

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  • Model risks for this year and fuel
  • What similar cars did at their next MOT
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See a sample report

By engine and fuel

  • 3.0 diesel: 0.3 per 100 at 3 years, about average for diesel class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 10,631 MOT tests)

How to check on a test drive

Pull every seat belt out fully and let it retract, check each buckle latches and releases, and make sure the airbag light goes out after start-up.

Check one BMW X5, not the average

The figures here describe BMW X5 cars as a group. These free tools answer for one car. Each line says what the tool reads.

  • Check a BMW X5's MOT history Every MOT test, fail item, advisory and mileage reading DVSA holds for that registration.
  • MOT advisory checker Paste an advisory or defect to read DVSA's wording, its grade and what tends to happen at the next MOT.

Other BMW X5 problems

Seat belts and airbags on rival models

Questions people ask

Does the BMW X5 have more seat belts and airbags problems than other cars?

0.4 in 100 MOT tests at 3 years, against 0.3 for all class 4 vehicles the same age: about average by our test (all test years; 29,231 MOT tests).

How common are BMW X5 seat belts and airbags problems?

0.4 in 100 MOT tests at 3 years failed on seat belts and airbags, against 0.3 for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 29,231 MOT tests).

What is the most common BMW X5 seat belts and airbags fail?

0.3 in 100 MOT tests at 3 years: Seat belt condition: buckle not functioning as intended (75 MOT tests with it).

Sources

  1. Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 366,311 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.

Parts: against all class 4 vehicles at the same age, all 2022–2025 test years pooled, not adjusted for mileage. Breakdowns and non-MOT faults are not in this data. How we compare