7,781 tests in 2025
BMW I3 reliability and MOT pass rate
86.8% passed first time. The 13.2% fail rate is 9.4 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 8 years old with 57,326 miles.
Petrol, diesel and hybrid versions. The electric version has its own page: BMW I3 Electric.
Pass rate
86.8%
22.6% of all cars failed; 13.2% of these did.
Fixed on the day
2.7%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
57,326 mi
8 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 5,721 | 12.3% |
| 10-13 years | 2,060 | 15.6% |
| 14+ years | 0 | — |
What the I3 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.
- Tyres341 dangerous38.1%
- Suspension12 dangerous20.4%
- Visibility19.7%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment15.6%
- Brakes76 dangerous13.6%
- Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems6.4%
- Road Wheels33 dangerous5.3%
- Noise, emissions and leaks4%
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a I3 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords144 tests
- 2Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm134 tests
- 3Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively113 tests
- 4Coil spring: fractured or broken108 tests
- 5Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak68 tests
- 6Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid68 tests
- 7Condition: has ply or cords exposed67 tests
- 8Side repeaters: not working61 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical I3 collects 2.3 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 1.6mm1,149 tests
- 2Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure993 tests
- 3Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened884 tests
- 4Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick467 tests
- 5Condition: badly distorted269 tests
- 6Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened167 tests
- 7Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm137 tests
- 8Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords129 tests
Questions
What is the BMW I3 MOT pass rate?
86.8% of the 7,781 BMW I3 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 13.2% 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 I3 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords", recorded on 144 failed tests, followed by "Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" and "Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively". By section, tyres appears in 38.1% of failures, suspension appears in 20.4% of failures, visibility appears in 19.7% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was n/a%; at 10-13 years it was 15.6%. The median BMW I3 tested in 2025 was 8 years old with 57,326 miles.
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 I3 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 7 safety recalls naming the BMW I3: BMW I3 recalls.
Other BMW models
Checking a particular I3?
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.