3,553 tests in 2025
BMW M5 reliability and MOT pass rate
89.4% passed first time. The 10.6% fail rate is 12.0 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 13 years old with 77,434 miles.
Pass rate
89.4%
22.6% of all cars failed; 10.6% of these did.
Fixed on the day
1.9%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
77,434 mi
13 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 70 | — |
| 6-9 years | 438 | 11% |
| 10-13 years | 1,378 | 10.2% |
| 14+ years | 1,666 | 11.2% |
What the M5 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.
- Suspension3 dangerous30.5%
- Tyres113 dangerous27.6%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment1 dangerous21.2%
- Brakes16 dangerous20.2%
- Noise, emissions and leaks19.6%
- Visibility11.7%
- Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems6.4%
- Body, chassis, structure4.5%
Is the M5 getting worse?
The fail rate fell 1.5 points to 10.7% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 6.8 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 4,238 | 10 | 12.2% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 4,049 | 11 | 11.9% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 3,470 | 12 | 10.6% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 3,508 | 13 | 10.7% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical M5 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 M5 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Coil spring: fractured or broken50 tests
- 2Condition: has ply or cords exposed35 tests
- 3Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords30 tests
- 4Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm26 tests
- 5Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction22 tests
- 6Side repeaters: not working18 tests
- 7SRS malfunction indicator lamp: warning lamp indicates a fault17 tests
- 8Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits17 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical M5 collects 2.53 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 1.6mm282 tests
- 2Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened226 tests
- 3Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded162 tests
- 4Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure125 tests
- 5Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick107 tests
- 6Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine78 tests
- 7Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn77 tests
- 8Transmission oil leaks: leaking excessively from transmission70 tests
Questions
What is the BMW M5 MOT pass rate?
89.4% of the 3,553 BMW M5 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 10.6% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 1.9% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a BMW M5 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded on 50 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, suspension appears in 30.5% of failures, tyres appears in 27.6% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 21.2% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 2.9%; at 14+ years it was 11.2%. The median BMW M5 tested in 2025 was 13 years old with 77,434 miles.
Is the BMW M5 getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 1.5 points to 10.7% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 6.8 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
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 M5 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 9 safety recalls naming the BMW M5: BMW M5 recalls.
Other BMW models
Checking a particular M5?
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.