2002 BMW 7 Series — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2002 BMW 7 Series passed 78.4% of its 1,145 recorded MOT tests. Against executive cars of a similar age (24.3% fail rate), the 2002 7 Series comes out 2.7pp better. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (10.7%) and lighting & signalling (9.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint, srs malfunction indicator lamp and pins and bushes — ball joint alone was recorded 58 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 16.5% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 25.4% once past 150k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: emissions & environmental was flagged on 33.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 24.6% in 2021 to 20.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 10.7% | 123 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 9.1% | 104 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.6% | 75 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 5.6% | 64 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 5.1% | 59 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.8% | 55 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint | 58 |
| 2 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 54 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 50 |
| 4 | Rigid brake pipes | 46 |
| 5 | Coil spring | 41 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 41 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emissions & environmental | 33.0% | 378 |
| 2 | Brakes | 27.1% | 310 |
| 3 | Suspension | 26.7% | 306 |
| 4 | Tyres | 24.7% | 283 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 13.0% | 149 |
| 6 | Other defects | 7.2% | 83 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 91 | 16.5% |
| 60-90k | 235 | 22.6% |
| 90-120k | 390 | 20.8% |
| 120-150k | 238 | 22.3% |
| 150k+ | 165 | 25.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 309 | 24.6% |
| 2022 | 263 | 20.9% |
| 2023 | 225 | 18.7% |
| 2024 | 193 | 22.3% |
| 2025 | 155 | 20.0% |
What to check before buying a 2002 7 Series
On a 2002 7 Series, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (10.7% 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 (9.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.6% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
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 2002 BMW 7 Seriess pass their MOT?
78.4% of the 1,145 2002 BMW 7 Series MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 21.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2002 BMW 7 Series?
Suspension, recorded in 10.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (9.1%).
Does the 2002 7 Series get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 16.5% in the 30-60k band to 25.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,145 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.