2008 BMW 5 Series — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2008 BMW 5 Series passed 80.6% of its 47,176 recorded MOT tests. That is 3.0 percentage points better than executive cars of a similar age, which fail at 22.5%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (9.2%) and lighting & signalling (8.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are linkage ball joint dust cover, tread depth and headlamp aim — linkage ball joint dust cover alone was recorded 2,178 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 20.0% versus 8.6%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 1.5pp more often than petrol ones (19.6% vs 18.1%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 26.8% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 9.2% | 4,353 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 8.2% | 3,872 |
| 3 | Tyres | 6.3% | 2,955 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.4% | 2,079 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.9% | 1,378 |
| 6 | Steering | 2.6% | 1,240 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 2,178 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 1,688 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 1,443 |
| 4 | Track rod end | 1,231 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 1,174 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 1,149 |
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 | 26.8% | 12,652 |
| 2 | Suspension | 25.2% | 11,886 |
| 3 | Brakes | 22.3% | 10,503 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 12.8% | 6,043 |
| 5 | Other defects | 10.7% | 5,026 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 7.5% | 3,533 |
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 | 81 | 8.6% |
| 30-60k | 965 | 15.5% |
| 60-90k | 3,524 | 15.8% |
| 90-120k | 9,129 | 19.3% |
| 120-150k | 13,312 | 20.0% |
| 150k+ | 20,144 | 20.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 42,724 | 19.6% |
| Petrol | 4,452 | 18.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11,627 | 19.2% |
| 2022 | 10,750 | 19.9% |
| 2023 | 9,556 | 19.6% |
| 2024 | 8,197 | 19.5% |
| 2025 | 7,046 | 18.8% |
What to check before buying a 2008 5 Series
On a 2008 5 Series, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 9.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (9.2% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (8.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.3% 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.
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 2008 BMW 5 Seriess pass their MOT?
80.6% of the 47,176 2008 BMW 5 Series MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2008 BMW 5 Series?
Suspension, recorded in 9.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (8.2%).
Does the 2008 5 Series get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.6% in the 0-30k band to 20.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 47,176 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.