2011 BMW 7 Series — MOT failures & pass rate
5,178 MOT tests on the 2011 BMW 7 Series are in this dataset, and 84.6% of them passed. Against executive cars of a similar age (19.6% fail rate), the 2011 7 Series comes out 4.2pp better. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
Suspension dominates the failure mix at 8.3% of all tests — 3.0 points clear of tyres, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, pins and bushes and ball joint — coil spring alone was recorded 206 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2011 7 Series fails 12.8% of the time in the 0-30k band and 13.4% at 150k+, a spread of only 0.6 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 21.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 17.4% in 2021 to 13.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 8.3% | 431 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.3% | 275 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 3.1% | 161 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.8% | 143 |
| 5 | Brakes | 2.2% | 112 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 1.6% | 82 |
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 | 206 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 185 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 176 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 103 |
| 5 | Washers | 87 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 73 |
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 | 21.1% | 1,095 |
| 2 | Suspension | 16.9% | 876 |
| 3 | Brakes | 13.3% | 690 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 10.3% | 534 |
| 5 | Other defects | 4.7% | 243 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.2% | 215 |
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 | 39 | 12.8% |
| 30-60k | 326 | 15.6% |
| 60-90k | 1,024 | 16.1% |
| 90-120k | 1,672 | 16.4% |
| 120-150k | 1,271 | 14.7% |
| 150k+ | 845 | 13.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 4,932 | 15.5% |
| Petrol | 245 | 13.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,191 | 17.4% |
| 2022 | 1,108 | 14.3% |
| 2023 | 1,050 | 16.1% |
| 2024 | 981 | 15.4% |
| 2025 | 848 | 13.1% |
What to check before buying a 2011 7 Series
On a 2011 7 Series, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 8.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (8.3% 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.
- Tyres (5.3% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (3.1% 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
How many 2011 BMW 7 Seriess pass their MOT?
84.6% of the 5,178 2011 BMW 7 Series MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 BMW 7 Series?
Suspension, recorded in 8.3% of tests, followed by tyres (5.3%).
Does the 2011 7 Series get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.8% in the 0-30k band to 13.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,178 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.