BMW 5 Series: lighting & signalling MOT failures
Lighting & signalling was recorded as a failure area in 5.3% of BMW 5 Series MOT tests — 65,646 tests out of 1,245,662. It shows up most on 1992 and 2000 cars.
Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair cost: £10–£150 (rough UK ballpark, not a quote).
Lighting & signalling failures by year
| Model year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 487 | 12.9% |
| 1986 | 706 | 13.3% |
| 1987 | 931 | 11.8% |
| 1988 | 516 | 9.7% |
| 1989 | 560 | 9.1% |
| 1990 | 501 | 10.8% |
| 1991 | 431 | 9.3% |
| 1992 | 513 | 13.5% |
| 1993 | 847 | 11.8% |
| 1994 | 1,336 | 12.1% |
| 1995 | 2,000 | 11.3% |
| 1996 | 1,901 | 11.1% |
| 1997 | 2,986 | 11.0% |
| 1998 | 5,829 | 12.1% |
| 1999 | 7,222 | 12.4% |
| 2000 | 8,386 | 13.3% |
| 2001 | 11,787 | 12.4% |
| 2002 | 16,716 | 12.3% |
| 2003 | 18,237 | 11.4% |
| 2004 | 23,272 | 11.3% |
| 2005 | 35,030 | 10.9% |
| 2006 | 47,556 | 9.3% |
| 2007 | 55,779 | 8.7% |
| 2008 | 47,176 | 8.2% |
| 2009 | 47,771 | 7.9% |
| 2010 | 55,660 | 7.5% |
| 2011 | 76,172 | 8.4% |
| 2012 | 87,131 | 8.2% |
| 2013 | 86,552 | 5.8% |
| 2014 | 93,158 | 2.5% |
| 2015 | 95,906 | 1.7% |
| 2016 | 87,773 | 1.6% |
| 2017 | 86,195 | 1.5% |
| 2018 | 109,330 | 1.3% |
| 2019 | 74,494 | 1.3% |
| 2020 | 30,518 | 1.0% |
| 2021 | 13,954 | 1.3% |
| 2022 | 8,879 | 1.3% |
| 2023 | 735 | 0.9% |
| 2024 | 302 | 0.7% |
Methodology & source. 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.