2019 BMW 1 Series — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2019 BMW 1 Series passed 90.3% of its 128,289 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail at 9.6%, so the 2019 1 Series sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Tyres dominates the failure mix at 6.0% of all tests — 3.6 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and brake pads — tread depth alone was recorded 2,573 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 12.8% once past 150k.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 9.4% of the time against 10.9% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 20.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 4.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.0% | 7,691 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.4% | 3,110 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.6% | 2,013 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.6% | 2,018 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 924 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.5% | 691 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 2,573 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 2,514 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 1,927 |
| 4 | Washers | 1,294 |
| 5 | Wipers | 994 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 718 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 20.0% | 25,677 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.5% | 13,427 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.3% | 6,868 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.8% | 3,527 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.7% | 2,134 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.5% | 1,963 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 54,912 | 7.1% |
| 30-60k | 59,445 | 11.2% |
| 60-90k | 11,941 | 13.8% |
| 90-120k | 1,704 | 14.5% |
| 120-150k | 236 | 14.8% |
| 150k+ | 47 | 12.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 96,823 | 9.4% |
| Diesel | 31,466 | 10.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,082 | 4.3% |
| 2022 | 32,114 | 8.7% |
| 2023 | 31,771 | 9.4% |
| 2024 | 30,998 | 10.4% |
| 2025 | 31,324 | 10.9% |
What to check before buying a 2019 1 Series
On a 2019 1 Series, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (6.0% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (2.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (1.6% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2019 BMW 1 Seriess pass their MOT?
90.3% of the 128,289 2019 BMW 1 Series MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 BMW 1 Series?
Tyres, recorded in 6.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.4%).
Does the 2019 1 Series get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.1% in the 0-30k band to 12.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 128,289 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.