BMW 3 Series: lighting & signalling MOT failures
Lighting & signalling was recorded as a failure area in 7.7% of BMW 3 Series MOT tests — 230,913 tests out of 2,987,237. It shows up most on 1984 and 1994 cars.
Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair cost: £10–£150 (rough UK ballpark, not a quote).
Lighting & signalling failures by year
| Model year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 383 | 11.0% |
| 1983 | 304 | 7.9% |
| 1984 | 317 | 13.6% |
| 1985 | 554 | 12.4% |
| 1986 | 1,201 | 11.5% |
| 1987 | 2,200 | 11.2% |
| 1988 | 3,500 | 9.7% |
| 1989 | 5,697 | 10.2% |
| 1990 | 7,674 | 12.1% |
| 1991 | 4,536 | 11.7% |
| 1992 | 2,978 | 11.9% |
| 1993 | 3,088 | 13.0% |
| 1994 | 3,279 | 14.3% |
| 1995 | 5,311 | 12.4% |
| 1996 | 7,892 | 12.9% |
| 1997 | 11,104 | 13.2% |
| 1998 | 14,306 | 12.6% |
| 1999 | 19,712 | 12.4% |
| 2000 | 22,083 | 12.1% |
| 2001 | 39,593 | 12.6% |
| 2002 | 59,483 | 11.5% |
| 2003 | 78,535 | 10.2% |
| 2004 | 75,296 | 9.8% |
| 2005 | 92,143 | 10.0% |
| 2006 | 137,664 | 9.9% |
| 2007 | 181,353 | 9.7% |
| 2008 | 155,384 | 8.8% |
| 2009 | 153,968 | 9.9% |
| 2010 | 171,763 | 9.5% |
| 2011 | 181,620 | 9.6% |
| 2012 | 207,604 | 11.3% |
| 2013 | 207,466 | 9.3% |
| 2014 | 188,788 | 8.4% |
| 2015 | 181,444 | 5.7% |
| 2016 | 178,796 | 3.6% |
| 2017 | 173,376 | 2.4% |
| 2018 | 139,847 | 1.6% |
| 2019 | 116,624 | 1.6% |
| 2020 | 75,041 | 1.7% |
| 2021 | 58,623 | 1.9% |
| 2022 | 15,837 | 1.7% |
| 2023 | 670 | 1.3% |
Methodology & source. 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.