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CarsBMW 5 Series

MOT results · tests in 2025 · Great Britain

BMW 5 Series reliability: what the MOT shows

192,697 5 Series cars had an MOT in 2025. 80.5% passed first time, against 69.2% for other cars of the same age and mileage. That is 11.3 points better than comparable cars. Those registered from 2022 onwards pass as often as other cars their age.

80.5%passed first time

+11.3points against cars of the same age and mileage

2.4×as many road wheels failures as comparable cars

Report card

BMW 5 Series MOT results by registration year

Each dot compares how often 5 Series cars of that year failed on one area of the test with cars of the same age and mileage.

Much betterBetterAbout the sameWorseMuch worse

Year	Passed first time	Against same age and mileage	MOTs
2005	68.5%	+13.8	3,738
2006	68.5%	+14.1	5,411
2007	69.4%	+14.5	6,767
2008	72.2%	+17.6	5,876
2009	71.1%	+15.8	6,403
2010	73.5%	+16.7	7,626
2011	74.6%	+16.1	10,815
2012	73.3%	+12.9	13,201
2013	76.0%	+13.3	13,871
2014	81.0%	+15.5	15,627
2015	83.5%	+14.7	16,563
2016	84.8%	+12.6	15,342
2017	84.5%	+8.6	14,961
2018	86.5%	+7.7	18,765
2019	87.5%	+5.9	15,967
2020	87.8%	+3.3	8,662
2021	87.8%	+1.9	6,025
2022	86.7%	−0.1	7,077

Much worse: failed on that area at least 1.5 times as often. Worse: 1.15 to 1.5 times. Better: up to 0.87 times. Much better: two-thirds as often or less. Gaps under half a percentage point count as about the same. Registration year is the year the car was first used.

BMW 5 Series years to avoid, going by the MOT

Ahead2005 to 2021+1.9 to +17.6 ptsMost common failures: srs malfunction indicator lamp (warning lamp indicates a fault) in 2005; track rod end (ball joint has excessive play) in 2006 and 2007; linkage ball joint dust cover (ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt) in 2008 and 2009; coil spring (fractured or broken) in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014; tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm in 2015 and 2016; shock absorbers (has a serious fluid leak) in 2017; condition (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. 185,620 MOTs.

Level2022−0.1 ptsMost common failure: condition (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords). 7,077 MOTs.

Well behind: 5 or more points below cars of the same age and mileage. Behind: 1.5 to 5 points below. Level: within 1.5 points. Ahead: 1.5 or more points above.

What fails

BMW 5 Series common faults at the MOT

1.2% of 5 Series MOTs failed on road wheels, against 0.5% for cars of the same age and mileage, and 6.8% on tyres, against 7.1%.

Most common failures

Coil spring: fractured or broken2.1%Cars of the same age and mileage: 2.8%

Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.1%Cars of the same age and mileage: 2.8%

Condition: has ply or cords exposed1.9%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.6%

Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords1.6%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.4%

Position lamp: not working1.3%Cars of the same age and mileage: 3.0%

Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak1.3%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.1%

Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid1.0%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.6%

Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick0.8%Cars of the same age and mileage: 2.2%

5 SeriesSame age and mileage

Fails more often than other cars

Condition: fractured8.8×0.59% of 5 Series MOTs (1,140) against 0.07% for cars of the same age and mileage

Flexible brake hoses: excessively deteriorated4.3×0.23% of 5 Series MOTs (437) against 0.05% for cars of the same age and mileage

Condition: has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure1.8×0.79% of 5 Series MOTs (1,520) against 0.45% for cars of the same age and mileage

Attachment: fixing missing1.5×0.54% of 5 Series MOTs (1,039) against 0.36% for cars of the same age and mileage

Headlamp levelling device: inoperative1.5×0.22% of 5 Series MOTs (431) against 0.15% for cars of the same age and mileage

Registration plates: does not conform to the specified requirements1.3×0.21% of 5 Series MOTs (414) against 0.16% for cars of the same age and mileage

Mileage

Pulls ahead after 30,000 miles

Up to 30,000 miles, 5 Series cars pass as often as cars of the same age and mileage. Ahead from there: 30–60,000 miles 5.1 points, 60–90,000 miles 10.6 points, 90–120,000 miles 14.4 points, 120,000+ miles 14.8 points.

5 Series, first-time pass rateCars of the same age and mileage

Petrol, diesel or hybrid 5 Series

Diesels passed 78.6% first time, 13.0 points above comparable cars; petrols passed 84.7%, 9.4 points above comparable cars. Diesels had a median of 113,041 miles at the test, against 56,790 for petrols.

Fuel	MOTs	Passed first time	Same age and mileage	Gap (pts)	Median miles
Diesel	144,337	78.6%	65.6%	+13.0	113,041
Petrol	20,330	84.7%	75.3%	+9.4	56,790
Hybrid	16,894	86.9%	81.2%	+5.7	61,816
Other	11,123	86.5%	85.5%	+1.0	41,711

Against rivals

5 Series against other executive cars

Cars registered 2014 to 2021, each against cars of the same age and mileage. The 5 Series ranks 1 of 11.

Model	MOTs	Passed first time	Same age and mileage	Gap (pts)
1. BMW 5 Series	111,912	85.1%	75.4%	+9.7
2. BMW 3 Series	220,543	83.4%	76.2%	+7.2
3. VW Passat	86,106	79.6%	73.1%	+6.5
4. Jaguar XF	47,799	80.2%	74.1%	+6.1
5. Mercedes E-Class	140,596	81.9%	75.8%	+6.0
6. Mercedes C-Class	204,560	81.2%	76.0%	+5.2
7. Skoda Superb	49,005	80.1%	76.0%	+4.2
8. Jaguar XE	42,769	81.0%	77.2%	+3.8
9. Audi A4	117,487	79.1%	75.3%	+3.8
10. Tesla Model 3	67,557	84.1%	84.4%	−0.3
11. Vauxhall Insignia	110,320	70.7%	72.0%	−1.4

Check these before you buy a used 5 Series

What testers most often noted as advisories on 5 Series cars in 2025: wear that passed but was close to failing. Figures in brackets are for cars of the same age and mileage.

Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge17% (18%)
Brake pads: wearing thin6% (9%)
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened6% (10%)
Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive5% (6%)
Shock absorbers: has light misting of oil5% (4%)
Pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement4% (7%)
Condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing3% (7%)
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge3% (3%)

Questions about 5 Series reliability

Is the BMW 5 Series reliable?

At the MOT, 80.5% of 192,697 5 Series MOTs in 2025 passed first time, against 69.2% for cars of the same age and mileage. 2005 to 2021: ahead (+1.9 to +17.6 points). 2022: level (−0.1 points).

Which BMW 5 Series years should I avoid?

None stand out: every registration year is within 1.5 points of cars of the same age and mileage, or ahead of them.

What is the most common MOT failure on a 5 Series?

Coil spring: fractured or broken: 2.1% of 5 Series MOTs, against 2.8% for cars of the same age and mileage.

Is a diesel or petrol 5 Series more reliable?

Petrol 5 Series cars passed 84.7% first time and diesels 78.6%. Against cars of the same age and mileage, petrols were 9.4 points above and diesels 13.0 points above.

Is the 5 Series more reliable than the BMW 3 Series?

For cars registered 2014 to 2021, the BMW 3 Series passed 83.4% first time, +7.2 points against comparable cars. The 5 Series passed 85.1%, +9.7 points.

How we measure

Data. Every car MOT in Great Britain in 2025 (31,475,521 first tests on cars first used 2005 to 2022), from DVSA's anonymised MOT test data. Retests are left out.

Passed first time. A car passed if its first test that year ended in a pass. Cars that failed and were fixed within the hour count as fails, as DVSA counts them.

Same age and mileage. We group every car by the year it was first used and its mileage (under 30k, 30–60k, 60–90k, 90–120k, over 120k). The comparison figure is what those groups scored, weighted to match the 5 Series's mix of ages and mileages.

Model. Every car DVSA records as a BMW 5 Series: 73 recorded model names, from "5 SERIES" to trims such as "520".

The full method, including how each report-card dot and year group is decided.