2024 BMW 5 Series — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 302 MOT tests, the 2024 BMW 5 Series recorded a 98.7% pass rate. Executive cars of a similar age fail 4.3% of the time, so this is 3.0pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (0.7%) and emissions & environmental (0.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, wipers and malfunction indicator lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 2 times.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 0.7% | 2 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 0.3% | 1 |
| 3 | Visibility | 0.3% | 1 |
| 4 | Tyres | 0.3% | 1 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 0.3% | 1 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 2 |
| 2 | Wipers | 1 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 1 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 1 |
| 5 | Attachment | 1 |
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 | 5.6% | 17 |
| 2 | Suspension | 0.7% | 2 |
| 3 | Other defects | 0.3% | 1 |
| 4 | Steering | 0.3% | 1 |
| 5 | Visibility | 0.3% | 1 |
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 | 222 | 0.9% |
| 30-60k | 73 | 2.7% |
What to check before buying a 2024 5 Series
On a 2024 5 Series, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 0.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (0.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (0.3% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Visibility (0.3% 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 2024 BMW 5 Seriess pass their MOT?
98.7% of the 302 2024 BMW 5 Series MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 1.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2024 BMW 5 Series?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 0.7% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (0.3%).
Does the 2024 5 Series get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 0.9% in the 0-30k band to 2.7% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 302 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.