2021 BMW 7 Series — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 2,644 MOT tests, the 2021 BMW 7 Series recorded a 93.7% pass rate. Executive cars of a similar age fail 9.3% of the time, so this is 2.9pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and road wheels.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 4.2% of tests against 1.1% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and registration plates — tread depth alone was recorded 27 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2021 7 Series fails 5.2% of the time in the 0-30k band and 2.9% at 120-150k, a spread of only 2.3 points.
Fuel type barely separates them — hybrid fails 5.7% of the time against 6.7% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 12.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 0.0% of tests failed in 2022 against 7.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.2% | 112 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.1% | 29 |
| 3 | Road wheels | 0.8% | 21 |
| 4 | Visibility | 0.5% | 14 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.3% | 9 |
| 6 | Brakes | 0.3% | 9 |
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 | 27 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 26 |
| 3 | Registration plates | 12 |
| 4 | Wipers | 11 |
| 5 | Side repeaters | 10 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 9 |
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 | 12.6% | 333 |
| 2 | Other defects | 2.7% | 72 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.7% | 45 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.3% | 34 |
| 5 | Brakes | 1.1% | 29 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.9% | 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 | 1,019 | 5.2% |
| 30-60k | 1,090 | 6.6% |
| 60-90k | 378 | 9.5% |
| 90-120k | 100 | 3.0% |
| 120-150k | 35 | 2.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 1,222 | 5.7% |
| Diesel | 1,144 | 6.7% |
| Petrol | 278 | 7.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 96 | 0.0% |
| 2023 | 278 | 1.8% |
| 2024 | 1,134 | 6.9% |
| 2025 | 1,117 | 7.1% |
What to check before buying a 2021 7 Series
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.2% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (4.2% 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 (1.1% 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 2021 BMW 7 Seriess pass their MOT?
93.7% of the 2,644 2021 BMW 7 Series MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 BMW 7 Series?
Tyres, recorded in 4.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.1%).
Does the 2021 7 Series get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.2% in the 0-30k band to 2.9% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,644 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.