2019 BMW 4 Series — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2019 BMW 4 Series passed 89.1% of its 47,660 recorded MOT tests. That is 2.3 percentage points worse than coupes & convertibles of a similar age, which fail at 8.6%. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 7.7% of tests against 1.8% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and brake pads — tread depth alone was recorded 931 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 25.7% versus 8.5%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 10.5% of the time against 11.3% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 18.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 5.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 7.7% | 3,660 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.8% | 865 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.5% | 693 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.1% | 511 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 0.5% | 263 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.5% | 247 |
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 | 931 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 624 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 579 |
| 4 | Washers | 316 |
| 5 | Wipers | 244 |
| 6 | Registration plates | 227 |
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 | 18.7% | 8,911 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.3% | 5,360 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.9% | 2,336 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.7% | 1,289 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.4% | 1,143 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.1% | 547 |
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 | 19,595 | 8.5% |
| 30-60k | 22,055 | 12.0% |
| 60-90k | 5,077 | 13.8% |
| 90-120k | 781 | 15.8% |
| 120-150k | 112 | 17.9% |
| 150k+ | 35 | 25.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 26,640 | 10.5% |
| Diesel | 21,020 | 11.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 672 | 5.1% |
| 2022 | 12,167 | 10.0% |
| 2023 | 11,934 | 10.8% |
| 2024 | 11,454 | 11.0% |
| 2025 | 11,433 | 12.0% |
What to check before buying a 2019 4 Series
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 7.7% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (7.7% 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 (1.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (1.5% 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 4 Seriess pass their MOT?
89.1% of the 47,660 2019 BMW 4 Series MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 BMW 4 Series?
Tyres, recorded in 7.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.8%).
Does the 2019 4 Series get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.5% in the 0-30k band to 25.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 47,660 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.