2022 BMW i3 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2022 BMW i3 passed 93.2% of its 3,255 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.1 percentage points better than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 7.9%. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.7%) and lighting & signalling (4.5%) 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 234 times.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 19.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.7% | 153 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.5% | 147 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.7% | 56 |
| 4 | Road wheels | 0.2% | 7 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.1% | 5 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.1% | 5 |
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 | 234 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 60 |
| 3 | Washers | 52 |
| 4 | Side repeaters | 15 |
| 5 | Size/type | 12 |
| 6 | Wipers | 10 |
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 | 19.0% | 617 |
| 2 | Other defects | 4.0% | 129 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.8% | 59 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.8% | 58 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 1.5% | 48 |
| 6 | Steering | 0.3% | 11 |
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 | 2,714 | 6.3% |
| 30-60k | 513 | 9.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 169 | 7.1% |
| 2025 | 3,082 | 6.8% |
What to check before buying a 2022 i3
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.7% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (4.7% 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 (4.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (1.7% 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 2022 BMW i3s pass their MOT?
93.2% of the 3,255 2022 BMW i3 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2022 BMW i3?
Tyres, recorded in 4.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (4.5%).
Does the 2022 i3 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.3% in the 0-30k band to 9.0% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,255 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.