2015 BMW 4 Series — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2015 BMW 4 Series passed 86.9% of its 104,823 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.2 percentage points worse than coupes & convertibles of a similar age, which fail at 11.9%. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 7.6% of tests against 3.1% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, brake pads and washers — tread depth alone was recorded 3,110 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 18.5% versus 7.8%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 12.1% of the time against 13.4% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 11.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 7.6% | 7,988 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.1% | 3,221 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.4% | 2,559 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.9% | 2,025 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.9% | 1,995 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.8% | 830 |
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 | 3,110 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 1,788 |
| 3 | Washers | 1,599 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 1,495 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 1,168 |
| 6 | Shock absorbers | 1,099 |
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 | 22.9% | 23,979 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.5% | 17,274 |
| 3 | Other defects | 9.0% | 9,490 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.8% | 6,096 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.1% | 3,307 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.7% | 2,843 |
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 | 5,184 | 7.8% |
| 30-60k | 33,876 | 11.0% |
| 60-90k | 38,691 | 13.6% |
| 90-120k | 19,183 | 15.8% |
| 120-150k | 5,911 | 16.5% |
| 150k+ | 1,967 | 18.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 80,644 | 13.4% |
| Petrol | 24,179 | 12.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 21,070 | 11.3% |
| 2022 | 21,070 | 12.4% |
| 2023 | 20,955 | 13.0% |
| 2024 | 21,018 | 14.2% |
| 2025 | 20,710 | 14.7% |
What to check before buying a 2015 4 Series
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 7.6% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (7.6% 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 (3.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (2.4% 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 2015 BMW 4 Seriess pass their MOT?
86.9% of the 104,823 2015 BMW 4 Series MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 BMW 4 Series?
Tyres, recorded in 7.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.1%).
Does the 2015 4 Series get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.8% in the 0-30k band to 18.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 104,823 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.