2022 BMW 5 Series — MOT failures & pass rate
8,879 MOT tests on the 2022 BMW 5 Series are in this dataset, and 89.7% of them passed. Executive cars of a similar age fail at 9.6%, so the 2022 5 Series sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in tyres, road wheels and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
Tyres dominates the failure mix at 7.5% of all tests — 5.9 points clear of road wheels, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and wipers — tread depth alone was recorded 105 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2022 5 Series fails 8.9% of the time in the 0-30k band and 11.2% at 90-120k, a spread of only 2.3 points.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.1pp more often than hybrid ones (11.3% vs 9.2%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 16.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 2.9% of tests failed in 2022 against 10.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 7.5% | 662 |
| 2 | Road wheels | 1.6% | 141 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.3% | 115 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.0% | 91 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 49 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.3% | 22 |
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 | 105 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 104 |
| 3 | Wipers | 56 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 46 |
| 5 | Washers | 39 |
| 6 | Registration plates | 35 |
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 | 16.1% | 1,425 |
| 2 | Other defects | 4.2% | 369 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.8% | 244 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.2% | 199 |
| 5 | Brakes | 1.0% | 90 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.9% | 76 |
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 | 3,931 | 8.9% |
| 30-60k | 3,992 | 11.1% |
| 60-90k | 806 | 12.3% |
| 90-120k | 125 | 11.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 4,420 | 11.3% |
| Hybrid | 3,853 | 9.2% |
| Petrol | 604 | 9.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 35 | 2.9% |
| 2023 | 211 | 2.8% |
| 2024 | 775 | 5.8% |
| 2025 | 7,858 | 10.9% |
What to check before buying a 2022 5 Series
On a 2022 5 Series, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (7.5% 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.
- Road wheels (1.6% of tests): Damaged or corroded wheels, missing/loose fixings — generally a moderate fix. Typical repair: £80–£250.
- 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.
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 2022 BMW 5 Seriess pass their MOT?
89.7% of the 8,879 2022 BMW 5 Series MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2022 BMW 5 Series?
Tyres, recorded in 7.5% of tests, followed by road wheels (1.6%).
Does the 2022 5 Series get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.9% in the 0-30k band to 11.2% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 8,879 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.