2014 BMW i3 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 6,756 MOT tests, the 2014 BMW i3 recorded an 87.8% pass rate. Small family cars of a similar age fail 17.5% of the time, so this is 5.3pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.1%) and lighting & signalling (3.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, wipers and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 176 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 21.4% once past 150k — 2.7× the risk.
Split by fuel, hybrid examples fail 1.7pp more often than electric ones (12.9% vs 11.2%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 27.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 10.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.1% | 341 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.5% | 238 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.4% | 231 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.0% | 134 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.8% | 118 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.9% | 60 |
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 | 176 |
| 2 | Wipers | 151 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 143 |
| 4 | Washers | 112 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 71 |
| 6 | Side repeaters | 66 |
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 | 27.0% | 1,821 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.0% | 1,146 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.1% | 347 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.0% | 271 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 3.4% | 229 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.6% | 176 |
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 | 1,092 | 8.1% |
| 30-60k | 2,793 | 11.0% |
| 60-90k | 2,030 | 14.2% |
| 90-120k | 646 | 15.3% |
| 120-150k | 151 | 22.5% |
| 150k+ | 42 | 21.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 4,191 | 12.9% |
| Electric | 2,565 | 11.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,385 | 10.3% |
| 2022 | 1,337 | 10.7% |
| 2023 | 1,355 | 12.5% |
| 2024 | 1,332 | 13.1% |
| 2025 | 1,347 | 14.5% |
What to check before buying a 2014 i3
On a 2014 i3, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.1% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (5.1% 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 (3.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (3.4% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£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 2014 BMW i3s pass their MOT?
87.8% of the 6,756 2014 BMW i3 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 BMW i3?
Tyres, recorded in 5.1% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.5%).
Does the 2014 i3 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.1% in the 0-30k band to 21.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,756 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.