2020 BMW 7 Series — MOT failures & pass rate
3,340 MOT tests on the 2020 BMW 7 Series are in this dataset, and 94.1% of them passed. Against executive cars of a similar age (9.8% fail rate), the 2020 7 Series comes out 3.9pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and road wheels.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.8%) and lighting & signalling (1.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, tread depth and registration plates — headlamp aim alone was recorded 38 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 4.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 20.0% once past 120-150k — 4.4× the risk.
Fuel type barely separates them — hybrid fails 5.7% of the time against 5.9% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 13.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 0.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 6.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.8% | 128 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.3% | 44 |
| 3 | Road wheels | 0.8% | 27 |
| 4 | Visibility | 0.7% | 22 |
| 5 | Other defects | 0.5% | 16 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 12 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 38 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 34 |
| 3 | Registration plates | 24 |
| 4 | Side repeaters | 13 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 12 |
| 6 | Washers | 11 |
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 | 13.8% | 461 |
| 2 | Other defects | 3.2% | 106 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.5% | 85 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.2% | 72 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.3% | 43 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.7% | 24 |
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 | 1,220 | 4.6% |
| 30-60k | 1,459 | 6.7% |
| 60-90k | 447 | 4.5% |
| 90-120k | 158 | 8.2% |
| 120-150k | 45 | 20.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 2,048 | 5.9% |
| Hybrid | 923 | 5.7% |
| Petrol | 369 | 6.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 44 | 0.0% |
| 2022 | 138 | 1.5% |
| 2023 | 1,083 | 6.7% |
| 2024 | 1,044 | 5.4% |
| 2025 | 1,031 | 6.4% |
What to check before buying a 2020 7 Series
On a 2020 7 Series, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 3.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (3.8% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (1.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Road wheels (0.8% of tests): Damaged or corroded wheels, missing/loose fixings — generally a moderate fix. Typical repair: £80–£250.
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 2020 BMW 7 Seriess pass their MOT?
94.1% of the 3,340 2020 BMW 7 Series MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 BMW 7 Series?
Tyres, recorded in 3.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.3%).
Does the 2020 7 Series get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.6% in the 0-30k band to 20.0% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,340 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.