2019 BMW 5 Series — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2019 BMW 5 Series passed 90.1% of its 74,494 recorded MOT tests. Executive cars of a similar age fail at 10.3%, so the 2019 5 Series sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
Tyres dominates the failure mix at 6.6% of all tests — 5.2 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and malfunction indicator lamp — tread depth alone was recorded 1,505 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2019 5 Series fails 8.3% of the time in the 0-30k band and 10.2% at 150k+, a spread of only 2.0 points.
Split by fuel, hybrid examples fail 3.2pp more often than petrol ones (11.5% vs 8.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 18.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 7.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.6% | 4,880 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.3% | 993 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.0% | 715 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 687 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 0.9% | 640 |
| 6 | Brakes | 0.7% | 522 |
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 | 1,505 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 681 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 649 |
| 4 | Washers | 437 |
| 5 | Shock absorbers | 398 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 382 |
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 | 18.5% | 13,782 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.4% | 4,013 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.2% | 3,844 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.3% | 2,425 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 2,069 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.0% | 1,498 |
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 | 21,570 | 8.3% |
| 30-60k | 33,705 | 10.3% |
| 60-90k | 13,252 | 10.9% |
| 90-120k | 3,987 | 11.2% |
| 120-150k | 1,184 | 9.5% |
| 150k+ | 547 | 10.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 36,080 | 10.0% |
| Petrol | 20,685 | 8.3% |
| Hybrid | 17,725 | 11.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,396 | 7.3% |
| 2022 | 19,147 | 10.2% |
| 2023 | 18,648 | 9.6% |
| 2024 | 17,814 | 9.7% |
| 2025 | 17,489 | 10.2% |
What to check before buying a 2019 5 Series
On a 2019 5 Series, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (6.6% 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 (1.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (1.0% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 5 Seriess pass their MOT?
90.1% of the 74,494 2019 BMW 5 Series MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 BMW 5 Series?
Tyres, recorded in 6.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.3%).
Does the 2019 5 Series get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.3% in the 0-30k band to 10.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 74,494 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.