2016 BMW 3 Series — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 178,796 MOT tests, the 2016 BMW 3 Series recorded an 89.2% pass rate. Against executive cars of a similar age (12.7% fail rate), the 2016 3 Series comes out 1.9pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.7%) and lighting & signalling (3.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and brake pads — tread depth alone was recorded 5,381 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 5.3% in the 0-30k band and 14.9% in the 150k+ band, a 9.7-point spread — more than double.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 10.3% of the time against 11.6% for hybrid.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 21.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 9.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.7% | 10,165 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.6% | 6,473 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.2% | 3,999 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.6% | 2,890 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.5% | 2,646 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.6% | 1,119 |
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 | 5,381 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 4,338 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 2,946 |
| 4 | Washers | 2,145 |
| 5 | Shock absorbers | 1,792 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 1,638 |
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 | 21.7% | 38,878 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.3% | 25,573 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.6% | 13,530 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.8% | 10,326 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.3% | 5,959 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.0% | 5,362 |
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 | 10,831 | 5.3% |
| 30-60k | 62,020 | 8.9% |
| 60-90k | 62,123 | 11.7% |
| 90-120k | 29,675 | 13.4% |
| 120-150k | 9,924 | 14.0% |
| 150k+ | 4,209 | 14.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 129,832 | 10.9% |
| Petrol | 32,767 | 10.3% |
| Hybrid | 16,175 | 11.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 36,252 | 9.1% |
| 2022 | 35,765 | 9.9% |
| 2023 | 35,842 | 11.1% |
| 2024 | 35,730 | 11.9% |
| 2025 | 35,207 | 12.3% |
What to check before buying a 2016 3 Series
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 5.7% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (5.7% 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 (3.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (2.2% 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 2016 BMW 3 Seriess pass their MOT?
89.2% of the 178,796 2016 BMW 3 Series MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 BMW 3 Series?
Tyres, recorded in 5.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.6%).
Does the 2016 3 Series get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.3% in the 0-30k band to 14.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 178,796 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.