BMW 6 Series MOT pass rate & common failures
The BMW 6 Series appears in 134,382 MOT tests spanning model years 1980–2021, and 84.5% of them passed. Coupes & convertibles of a similar age fail at 15.5%, so the 6 Series sits squarely on the average. Its most common failure areas are tyres, suspension and lighting & signalling.
Best and worst 6 Series years
Ranked across 6 Series years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
The strongest year on this record is 2019 (91.5% pass rate); the weakest is 2004 (78.3%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
No single area dominates — tyres (6.6%) and suspension (4.9%) 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 headlamp aim — coil spring alone was recorded 3,267 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 9.7% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 20.9% once past 150k — 2.2× the risk.
The diesel cars hold up better: 14.2% fail against 17.5% for petrol, a 3.4-point gap across 134,376 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 20.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Versions & engines
MOT records broken out by the engine designations buyers actually search for.
By model year
Every 6 Series model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 38 | 81.6% | 18.4% | Suspension |
| 1982 | 78 | 84.6% | 15.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1983 | 124 | 80.7% | 19.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1984 | 161 | 78.3% | 21.7% | Visibility |
| 1985 | 426 | 84.7% | 15.3% | Brakes |
| 1986 | 479 | 86.0% | 14.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1987 | 311 | 82.3% | 17.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1988 | 494 | 84.8% | 15.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1989 | 764 | 85.3% | 14.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1990 | 190 | 85.3% | 14.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 121 | 77.7% | 22.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 7,221 | 78.3% | 21.7% | Suspension |
| 2005 | 8,305 | 78.9% | 21.1% | Suspension |
| 2006 | 9,152 | 79.7% | 20.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 7,602 | 81.4% | 18.6% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 6,783 | 82.2% | 17.8% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 3,656 | 82.4% | 17.6% | Suspension |
| 2010 | 3,340 | 82.9% | 17.1% | Tyres |
| 2011 | 3,814 | 83.7% | 16.3% | Tyres |
| 2012 | 9,232 | 84.1% | 15.9% | Tyres |
| 2013 | 11,882 | 84.4% | 15.6% | Tyres |
| 2014 | 11,826 | 85.3% | 14.7% | Tyres |
| 2015 | 11,395 | 87.0% | 13.0% | Tyres |
| 2016 | 10,514 | 87.9% | 12.1% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 7,668 | 87.7% | 12.3% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 13,157 | 89.1% | 10.8% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 4,782 | 91.5% | 8.5% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 818 | 90.7% | 9.3% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.6% | 8,896 |
| 2 | Suspension | 4.9% | 6,551 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 4.0% | 5,413 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.6% | 3,561 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.5% | 3,391 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.4% | 1,885 |
| 7 | Steering | 1.0% | 1,353 |
| 8 | Road wheels | 1.0% | 1,359 |
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 | 3,267 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 2,592 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 2,117 |
| 4 | Washers | 2,062 |
| 5 | Ball joint | 1,810 |
| 6 | Wipers | 1,671 |
| 7 | Position lamp | 1,641 |
| 8 | Headlamp | 1,581 |
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 | 20.2% | 27,180 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.5% | 19,535 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.8% | 14,557 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 7.6% | 10,185 |
| 5 | Other defects | 5.8% | 7,728 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.4% | 4,547 |
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 | 11,131 | 9.7% |
| 30-60k | 32,857 | 12.0% |
| 60-90k | 37,442 | 15.3% |
| 90-120k | 29,577 | 18.1% |
| 120-150k | 15,457 | 19.6% |
| 150k+ | 7,782 | 20.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 82,305 | 14.2% |
| Petrol | 52,071 | 17.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 27,942 | 15.9% |
| 2022 | 28,060 | 15.1% |
| 2023 | 27,419 | 15.4% |
| 2024 | 26,084 | 15.6% |
| 2025 | 24,877 | 15.4% |
What to check before buying a BMW 6 Series
- 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.
- Suspension (4.9% 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 (4.0% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the BMW 6 Series?
84.5% of the 134,382 BMW 6 Series MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 15.5% fail rate, across model years 1980–2021.
What does the BMW 6 Series most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 6.6% of tests, then suspension (4.9%).
Which 6 Series years are best and worst for MOT results?
2019 has the best pass rate at 91.5% and 2004 the weakest at 78.3%, from 4,782 and 7,221 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect 6 Series MOT results?
Fail rates run at 9.7% for cars in the 0-30k band and 20.9% for 150k+, a 11.2-point difference.
Is the diesel or petrol 6 Series more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the diesel fails 14.2% of the time against 17.5% for the petrol. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 134,382 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.