BMW 840i — MOT pass rate & failures
The BMW 840i recorded a 86.9% MOT pass rate across 14,131 tests in this dataset (model years 1993–2023), with tyres, lighting & signalling and suspension its most common failure areas.
How it compares
By model year
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 40 | 80.0% | 20.0% |
| 1994 | 289 | 77.2% | 22.8% |
| 1995 | 717 | 80.8% | 19.3% |
| 1996 | 527 | 81.0% | 19.0% |
| 1997 | 1,005 | 82.7% | 17.3% |
| 1998 | 691 | 85.8% | 14.2% |
| 1999 | 628 | 83.9% | 16.1% |
| 2019 | 1,152 | 87.0% | 13.0% |
| 2020 | 4,709 | 89.1% | 10.9% |
| 2021 | 3,018 | 88.7% | 11.3% |
| 2022 | 1,268 | 87.5% | 12.5% |
| 2023 | 58 | 93.1% | 6.9% |
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 7.3% | 1,035 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.7% | 523 |
| 3 | Suspension | 2.1% | 301 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.9% | 266 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.7% | 245 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.3% | 190 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.0% | 138 |
| 8 | Road wheels | 0.7% | 102 |
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 | 386 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 223 |
| 3 | Ball joint dust cover | 161 |
| 4 | Washers | 159 |
| 5 | Registration plates | 141 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 138 |
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 | 15.7% | 2,211 |
| 2 | Brakes | 8.9% | 1,252 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.6% | 1,216 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.4% | 902 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.4% | 760 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.8% | 400 |
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 | 5,993 | 10.3% |
| 30-60k | 4,179 | 12.3% |
| 60-90k | 1,227 | 14.3% |
| 90-120k | 1,268 | 19.9% |
| 120-150k | 940 | 18.9% |
| 150k+ | 518 | 21.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 895 | 21.6% |
| 2022 | 1,246 | 14.4% |
| 2023 | 2,762 | 12.5% |
| 2024 | 4,069 | 12.2% |
| 2025 | 5,159 | 12.4% |
What to check before buying a BMW 840i
Focus on the areas it most often fails on — and remember MOT data covers testable defects only, not engine or gearbox health.
- Tyres (7.3% 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 (3.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (2.1% 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.
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 reliable is the BMW 840i at MOT time?
86.9% of the 14,131 BMW 840i MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.1% fail rate, in line with the 12.9% average across all 8 Series versions.
What is the most common MOT failure on a BMW 840i?
Tyres, recorded in 7.3% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.7%).
Does the 840i get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.3% in the 0-30k band to 21.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 14,131 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-06. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.