2007 BMW 7 Series — MOT failures & pass rate
3,695 MOT tests on the 2007 BMW 7 Series are in this dataset, and 82.0% of them passed. That is 5.2 percentage points better than executive cars of a similar age, which fail at 23.1%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (9.2%) and lighting & signalling (7.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint, pins and bushes and position lamp — ball joint alone was recorded 153 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 12.3% in the 30-60k band and 17.0% in the 150k+ band, a 4.7-point spread.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 17.6% of the time against 18.0% for diesel.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 27.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 19.6% in 2021 to 16.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 9.2% | 341 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 7.5% | 276 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.7% | 211 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.9% | 180 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.0% | 147 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 3.6% | 133 |
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 | 153 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 139 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 130 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 117 |
| 5 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 114 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 109 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 27.9% | 1,029 |
| 2 | Tyres | 26.9% | 992 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 24.3% | 897 |
| 4 | Brakes | 19.2% | 708 |
| 5 | Other defects | 7.7% | 285 |
| 6 | Visibility | 6.9% | 253 |
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 | 122 | 12.3% |
| 60-90k | 441 | 18.1% |
| 90-120k | 794 | 19.8% |
| 120-150k | 948 | 18.4% |
| 150k+ | 1,359 | 17.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 3,179 | 18.0% |
| Petrol | 516 | 17.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 894 | 19.6% |
| 2022 | 844 | 18.4% |
| 2023 | 761 | 18.0% |
| 2024 | 646 | 16.9% |
| 2025 | 550 | 16.0% |
What to check before buying a 2007 7 Series
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 9.2% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (9.2% 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 (7.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.7% 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.
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 2007 BMW 7 Seriess pass their MOT?
82.0% of the 3,695 2007 BMW 7 Series MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2007 BMW 7 Series?
Suspension, recorded in 9.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (7.5%).
Does the 2007 7 Series get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.3% in the 30-60k band to 17.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,695 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.