10,445 tests in 2025
BMW Z3 reliability and MOT pass rate
74.8% passed first time. The 25.2% fail rate is 2.6 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 26 years old with 84,081 miles.
Pass rate
74.8%
22.6% of all cars failed; 25.2% of these did.
Fixed on the day
4.5%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
84,081 mi
26 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 1 | — |
| 6-9 years | 1 | — |
| 10-13 years | 3 | — |
| 14+ years | 10,440 | 25.2% |
What the Z3 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.
- Brakes233 dangerous37.3%
- Suspension67 dangerous35.8%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment46 dangerous34.4%
- Noise, emissions and leaks4 dangerous29%
- Visibility2 dangerous20.1%
- Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems1 dangerous13.4%
- Body, chassis, structure33 dangerous12.2%
- Tyres353 dangerous12%
Is the Z3 getting worse?
The fail rate fell 3 points to 25.1% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (-3.2 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 13,256 | 23 | 28.1% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 12,572 | 24 | 27.2% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 10,157 | 25 | 26.4% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 10,443 | 26 | 25.1% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Z3 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 Z3 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1SRS malfunction indicator lamp: warning lamp indicates a fault298 tests
- 2Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits269 tests
- 3Position lamp: not working262 tests
- 4Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn246 tests
- 5Coil spring: fractured or broken213 tests
- 6Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded208 tests
- 7Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements207 tests
- 8Anti-lock braking system: warning lamp indicates an ABS fault202 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Z3 collects 3.75 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.
- 1Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded1,940 tests
- 2Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine1,281 tests
- 3Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure991 tests
- 4Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened935 tests
- 5Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm892 tests
- 6Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn747 tests
- 7Suspension arm: corroded and seriously weakened587 tests
- 8Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened557 tests
Questions
What is the BMW Z3 MOT pass rate?
74.8% of the 10,445 BMW Z3 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 25.2% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 4.5% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a BMW Z3 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "SRS malfunction indicator lamp: warning lamp indicates a fault", recorded on 298 failed tests, followed by "Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits" and "Position lamp: not working". By section, brakes appears in 37.3% of failures, suspension appears in 35.8% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 34.4% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 100%; at 14+ years it was 25.2%. The median BMW Z3 tested in 2025 was 26 years old with 84,081 miles.
Is the BMW Z3 getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 3 points to 25.1% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (-3.2 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
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 Z3 trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
Other BMW models
Checking a particular Z3?
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.