2019 BMW 3 Series — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 116,624 MOT tests, the 2019 BMW 3 Series recorded an 89.7% pass rate. Executive cars of a similar age fail at 10.3%, so the 2019 3 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 6.8% of all tests — 5.3 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 3,097 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 16.5% once past 150k.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 9.6% of the time against 11.0% for hybrid.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 19.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 4.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.8% | 7,963 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.6% | 1,837 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.4% | 1,629 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.2% | 1,376 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 810 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.6% | 671 |
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 | 3,097 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 1,506 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 1,337 |
| 4 | Washers | 990 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 745 |
| 6 | Registration plates | 589 |
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 | 19.9% | 23,235 |
| 2 | Brakes | 8.8% | 10,220 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.3% | 6,136 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.6% | 2,999 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.1% | 2,422 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 885 |
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 | 36,866 | 8.3% |
| 30-60k | 56,107 | 10.7% |
| 60-90k | 18,584 | 12.6% |
| 90-120k | 4,036 | 12.7% |
| 120-150k | 780 | 12.3% |
| 150k+ | 230 | 16.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 51,418 | 10.8% |
| Petrol | 47,241 | 9.6% |
| Hybrid | 17,965 | 11.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,361 | 4.9% |
| 2022 | 29,823 | 10.7% |
| 2023 | 29,223 | 10.2% |
| 2024 | 28,259 | 10.4% |
| 2025 | 27,958 | 10.4% |
What to check before buying a 2019 3 Series
On a 2019 3 Series, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (6.8% 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 (1.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (1.4% 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 3 Seriess pass their MOT?
89.7% of the 116,624 2019 BMW 3 Series MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 BMW 3 Series?
Tyres, recorded in 6.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.6%).
Does the 2019 3 Series get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.3% in the 0-30k band to 16.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 116,624 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.