448,721 tests in 2025
BMW 3 Series reliability and MOT pass rate
80.2% passed first time. The 19.8% fail rate is 2.8 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 12 years old with 95,106 miles.
Pass rate
80.2%
22.6% of all cars failed; 19.8% of these did.
Fixed on the day
4.4%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
95,106 mi
12 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 55,071 | 11.5% |
| 6-9 years | 103,522 | 12.8% |
| 10-13 years | 119,273 | 20.8% |
| 14+ years | 170,325 | 25.9% |
What the 3 Series fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Tyres33,492 dangerous35%
- Suspension2,011 dangerous34.5%
- Brakes10,127 dangerous28.1%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment319 dangerous28%
- Visibility36 dangerous12%
- Noise, emissions and leaks130 dangerous11.8%
- Body, chassis, structure551 dangerous5.9%
- Road Wheels2,264 dangerous4.7%
Is the 3 Series getting worse?
The fail rate fell 0.8 points to 19.9% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 516,318 | — | 20.7% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 504,678 | — | 20.7% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 436,604 | — | 20.7% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 440,327 | — | 19.9% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical 3 Series at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a 3 Series in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak11,231 tests
- 2Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm10,375 tests
- 3Condition: has ply or cords exposed7,973 tests
- 4Position lamp: not working7,344 tests
- 5Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements7,152 tests
- 6Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords6,808 tests
- 7Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick5,675 tests
- 8Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn5,454 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical 3 Series collects 2.68 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm79,228 tests
- 2Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick32,527 tests
- 3Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine31,973 tests
- 4Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened31,520 tests
- 5Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn29,107 tests
- 6Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak27,310 tests
- 7Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure18,357 tests
- 8Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded17,815 tests
Questions
What is the BMW 3 Series MOT pass rate?
80.2% of the 448,721 BMW 3 Series first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 19.8% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 4.4% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a BMW 3 Series usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak", recorded on 11,231 failed tests, followed by "Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" and "Condition: has ply or cords exposed". By section, tyres appears in 35% of failures, suspension appears in 34.5% of failures, brakes appears in 28.1% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 11.5%; at 14+ years it was 25.9%. The median BMW 3 Series tested in 2025 was 12 years old with 95,106 miles.
Is the BMW 3 Series getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 0.8 points to 19.9% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every 3 Series trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 48 safety recalls naming the BMW 3 Series: BMW 3 Series recalls.
Other BMW models
Checking a particular 3 Series?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.