2018 BMW 2 Series — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 BMW 2 Series passed 90.4% of its 118,306 recorded MOT tests. Coupes & convertibles of a similar age fail at 9.1%, so the 2018 2 Series sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.5%) and lighting & signalling (3.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, tread depth and brake pads — headlamp aim alone was recorded 2,950 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 6.9% in the 0-30k band and 15.0% in the 150k+ band, a 8.2-point spread — more than double.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 9.2% of the time against 10.4% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 21.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 8.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 11.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.5% | 6,549 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.5% | 4,127 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.5% | 1,718 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.5% | 1,713 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 962 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.8% | 931 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 2,950 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 2,116 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 1,623 |
| 4 | Washers | 1,249 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 854 |
| 6 | Wipers | 611 |
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 | 21.4% | 25,278 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.5% | 12,472 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.4% | 7,535 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.6% | 3,082 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.2% | 2,553 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.9% | 1,061 |
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 | 50,012 | 6.9% |
| 30-60k | 52,003 | 10.9% |
| 60-90k | 13,095 | 13.7% |
| 90-120k | 2,420 | 15.8% |
| 120-150k | 585 | 16.8% |
| 150k+ | 186 | 15.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 67,606 | 9.2% |
| Diesel | 41,450 | 10.4% |
| Hybrid | 9,250 | 9.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 24,039 | 8.2% |
| 2022 | 23,570 | 8.0% |
| 2023 | 23,684 | 9.9% |
| 2024 | 23,397 | 10.8% |
| 2025 | 23,616 | 11.3% |
What to check before buying a 2018 2 Series
On a 2018 2 Series, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (5.5% 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 (3.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (1.5% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 2018 BMW 2 Seriess pass their MOT?
90.4% of the 118,306 2018 BMW 2 Series MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 BMW 2 Series?
Tyres, recorded in 5.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.5%).
Does the 2018 2 Series get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.9% in the 0-30k band to 15.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 118,306 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.