2010 BMW 5 Series — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 55,660 MOT tests, the 2010 BMW 5 Series recorded an 80.7% pass rate. Executive cars of a similar age fail 20.7% of the time, so this is 1.4pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (9.4%) and lighting & signalling (7.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, tread depth and ball joint — coil spring alone was recorded 3,536 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 10.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 19.5% once past 150k.
The petrol cars hold up better: 16.8% fail against 19.4% for diesel, a 2.6-point gap across 55,660 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 9.4% | 5,233 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 7.5% | 4,160 |
| 3 | Tyres | 6.0% | 3,328 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.9% | 1,641 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.9% | 1,608 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.5% | 825 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 3,536 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 2,033 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 1,839 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 1,737 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 1,585 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 1,253 |
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 | 25.3% | 14,099 |
| 2 | Brakes | 18.4% | 10,227 |
| 3 | Suspension | 17.4% | 9,710 |
| 4 | Other defects | 9.4% | 5,253 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 7.9% | 4,414 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.9% | 2,710 |
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 | 278 | 10.8% |
| 30-60k | 2,466 | 16.3% |
| 60-90k | 8,000 | 18.4% |
| 90-120k | 14,922 | 19.6% |
| 120-150k | 15,134 | 19.8% |
| 150k+ | 14,843 | 19.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 51,880 | 19.4% |
| Petrol | 3,780 | 16.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 12,975 | 19.9% |
| 2022 | 12,223 | 19.4% |
| 2023 | 11,282 | 19.3% |
| 2024 | 10,120 | 18.9% |
| 2025 | 9,060 | 18.5% |
What to check before buying a 2010 5 Series
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 9.4% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (9.4% 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 (7.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.0% 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 2010 BMW 5 Seriess pass their MOT?
80.7% of the 55,660 2010 BMW 5 Series MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 BMW 5 Series?
Suspension, recorded in 9.4% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (7.5%).
Does the 2010 5 Series get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.8% in the 0-30k band to 19.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 55,660 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.