BMW 4 Series MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 13 model years and 567,497 tests, the BMW 4 Series passes its MOT 88.2% of the time. Against coupes & convertibles of a similar age (10.5% fail rate), the 4 Series comes out 1.2pp worse. Its most common failure areas are tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
Best and worst 4 Series years
Ranked across 4 Series years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
The strongest year on this record is 2022 (91.3% pass rate); the weakest is 2013 (85.2%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 7.3% of tests against 2.4% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, brake pads and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 14,183 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 7.7% in the 0-30k band and 18.3% in the 150k+ band, a 10.6-point spread — more than double.
The hybrid cars hold up better: 9.0% fail against 12.4% for diesel, a 3.4-point gap across 371,042 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 21.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 10.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Versions & engines
MOT records broken out by the engine designations buyers actually search for.
By model year
Every 4 Series model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 9,180 | 85.2% | 14.8% | Tyres |
| 2014 | 73,613 | 85.4% | 14.6% | Tyres |
| 2015 | 104,823 | 86.9% | 13.1% | Tyres |
| 2016 | 104,730 | 88.3% | 11.7% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 98,064 | 89.3% | 10.7% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 88,802 | 89.8% | 10.2% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 47,660 | 89.1% | 10.8% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 16,014 | 90.4% | 9.6% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 15,529 | 90.2% | 9.8% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 8,709 | 91.3% | 8.7% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 369 | 93.2% | 6.8% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 7.3% | 41,291 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.4% | 13,814 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.9% | 10,881 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.6% | 9,006 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.4% | 8,010 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.7% | 4,165 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 2,512 |
| 8 | Other defects | 0.4% | 2,520 |
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 | 14,183 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 8,023 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 7,701 |
| 4 | Washers | 6,846 |
| 5 | Shock absorbers | 4,982 |
| 6 | Registration plates | 4,045 |
| 7 | Attachment | 3,384 |
| 8 | Headlamp | 3,062 |
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 | 21.2% | 120,057 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.4% | 75,981 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.5% | 42,680 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.5% | 25,824 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 16,015 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.8% | 10,269 |
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 | 108,875 | 7.7% |
| 30-60k | 221,798 | 10.8% |
| 60-90k | 149,698 | 13.5% |
| 90-120k | 62,546 | 15.9% |
| 120-150k | 18,576 | 16.7% |
| 150k+ | 5,961 | 18.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 366,604 | 12.4% |
| Petrol | 196,451 | 10.6% |
| Hybrid | 4,438 | 9.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 98,446 | 10.4% |
| 2022 | 108,948 | 10.9% |
| 2023 | 113,499 | 11.9% |
| 2024 | 120,072 | 12.6% |
| 2025 | 126,532 | 12.7% |
What to check before buying a BMW 4 Series
- Tyres (7.3% 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 (1.9% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the BMW 4 Series?
88.2% of the 567,497 BMW 4 Series MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 11.8% fail rate, across model years 2013–2025.
What does the BMW 4 Series most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 7.3% of tests, then lighting & signalling (2.4%).
Which 4 Series years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 91.3% and 2013 the weakest at 85.2%, from 8,709 and 9,180 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect 4 Series MOT results?
Fail rates run at 7.7% for cars in the 0-30k band and 18.3% for 150k+, a 10.6-point difference.
Is the hybrid or diesel 4 Series more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the hybrid fails 9.0% of the time against 12.4% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 567,497 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.