20,189 tests in 2025
BMW 6 Series reliability and MOT pass rate
82.4% passed first time. The 17.6% fail rate is 5.0 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 12 years old with 87,576 miles.
Pass rate
82.4%
22.6% of all cars failed; 17.6% of these did.
Fixed on the day
2.7%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
87,576 mi
12 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 224 | 10.3% |
| 6-9 years | 5,913 | 12.2% |
| 10-13 years | 6,650 | 17.8% |
| 14+ years | 7,402 | 22.1% |
What the 6 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.
- Tyres1,414 dangerous37.5%
- Suspension31 dangerous35.1%
- Brakes235 dangerous17.9%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment6 dangerous17.6%
- Visibility3 dangerous11.8%
- Noise, emissions and leaks2 dangerous9.1%
- Road Wheels184 dangerous7%
- Steering26 dangerous6.1%
Is the 6 Series getting worse?
The fail rate rose 0.3 points to 17.7% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 24,280 | — | 17.4% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 23,715 | — | 17.8% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 19,955 | — | 18.1% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 20,156 | — | 17.7% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical 6 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 6 Series in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Coil spring: fractured or broken591 tests
- 2Condition: has ply or cords exposed374 tests
- 3Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords313 tests
- 4Condition: has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure289 tests
- 5Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm235 tests
- 6Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn220 tests
- 7Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction190 tests
- 8Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements182 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical 6 Series collects 2.42 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 1.6mm2,761 tests
- 2Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine1,609 tests
- 3Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn1,157 tests
- 4Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened1,129 tests
- 5Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1,035 tests
- 6Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure758 tests
- 7Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded708 tests
- 8Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn509 tests
Questions
What is the BMW 6 Series MOT pass rate?
82.4% of the 20,189 BMW 6 Series first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 17.6% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 2.7% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a BMW 6 Series usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded on 591 failed tests, followed by "Condition: has ply or cords exposed" and "Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords". By section, tyres appears in 37.5% of failures, suspension appears in 35.1% of failures, brakes appears in 17.9% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 10.3%; at 14+ years it was 22.1%. The median BMW 6 Series tested in 2025 was 12 years old with 87,576 miles.
Is the BMW 6 Series getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 0.3 points to 17.7% 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 6 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 19 safety recalls naming the BMW 6 Series: BMW 6 Series recalls.
Other BMW models
Checking a particular 6 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.