2017 BMW 7 Series — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 BMW 7 Series passed 91.7% of its 9,422 recorded MOT tests. That is 3.2 percentage points better than executive cars of a similar age, which fail at 11.5%. Failures cluster in tyres, body, structure & corrosion and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
Tyres dominates the failure mix at 4.8% of all tests — 3.6 points clear of body, structure & corrosion, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, joints and registration plates — tread depth alone was recorded 154 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2017 7 Series fails 6.3% of the time in the 0-30k band and 7.5% at 150k+, a spread of only 1.2 points.
Split by fuel, hybrid examples fail 2.3pp more often than petrol ones (9.8% vs 7.5%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 15.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 7.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 9.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.8% | 452 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.2% | 116 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.1% | 100 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 1.0% | 94 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 0.9% | 83 |
| 6 | Brakes | 0.9% | 80 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 154 |
| 2 | Joints | 131 |
| 3 | Registration plates | 93 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 87 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 67 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 56 |
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 | 15.4% | 1,448 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.0% | 659 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.3% | 406 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.2% | 302 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.0% | 283 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.6% | 150 |
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 | 1,386 | 6.3% |
| 30-60k | 3,919 | 8.1% |
| 60-90k | 2,549 | 9.3% |
| 90-120k | 958 | 9.0% |
| 120-150k | 341 | 9.1% |
| 150k+ | 239 | 7.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 7,004 | 8.3% |
| Petrol | 1,446 | 7.5% |
| Hybrid | 972 | 9.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,028 | 7.0% |
| 2022 | 1,918 | 7.8% |
| 2023 | 1,910 | 9.0% |
| 2024 | 1,796 | 8.8% |
| 2025 | 1,770 | 9.3% |
What to check before buying a 2017 7 Series
On a 2017 7 Series, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (4.8% 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.
- Body, structure & corrosion (1.2% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
- Lighting & signalling (1.1% 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 2017 BMW 7 Seriess pass their MOT?
91.7% of the 9,422 2017 BMW 7 Series MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 BMW 7 Series?
Tyres, recorded in 4.8% of tests, followed by body, structure & corrosion (1.2%).
Does the 2017 7 Series get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.3% in the 0-30k band to 7.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 9,422 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.