2019 BMW i3 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 17,895 MOT tests, the 2019 BMW i3 recorded a 92.4% pass rate. Small family cars of a similar age fail 9.6% of the time, so this is 2.0pp 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 (5.0%) and lighting & signalling (2.8%) 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 washers — headlamp aim alone was recorded 653 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 6.4% in the 0-30k band and 12.1% in the 90-120k band, a 5.8-point spread.
Fuel type barely separates them — hybrid fails 6.8% of the time against 7.6% for electric.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 5.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 8.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.0% | 893 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.8% | 497 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.6% | 278 |
| 4 | Suspension | 0.8% | 141 |
| 5 | Brakes | 0.3% | 50 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.3% | 49 |
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 | 653 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 396 |
| 3 | Washers | 226 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 119 |
| 5 | Wipers | 82 |
| 6 | Side repeaters | 77 |
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 | 24.1% | 4,322 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.2% | 937 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.2% | 756 |
| 4 | Road wheels | 2.4% | 430 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.2% | 394 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.8% | 143 |
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 | 10,716 | 6.4% |
| 30-60k | 6,165 | 8.9% |
| 60-90k | 885 | 11.8% |
| 90-120k | 99 | 12.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Electric | 16,829 | 7.6% |
| Hybrid | 1,066 | 6.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 246 | 5.3% |
| 2022 | 4,520 | 7.1% |
| 2023 | 4,442 | 6.8% |
| 2024 | 4,302 | 7.7% |
| 2025 | 4,385 | 8.9% |
What to check before buying a 2019 i3
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 5.0% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (5.0% 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 (2.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (1.6% 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 2019 BMW i3s pass their MOT?
92.4% of the 17,895 2019 BMW i3 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 BMW i3?
Tyres, recorded in 5.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.8%).
Does the 2019 i3 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.4% in the 0-30k band to 12.1% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 17,895 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.