The picture
5 Series: above-average pass rates, with caveats
Across 83,777 MOT tests, the 5 Series returns 85.0% first-time pass — above the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is windscreen damage. Tyre tread under the limit and a seriously damaged tyre round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 73,334, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
2,306 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
- 02
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
1,837 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
- 03
A tyre seriously damaged
1,691 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 04
A tyre cords visible or damaged
1,638 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 05
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
1,078 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 06
A tyre seriously damaged
1,011 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
- 07
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
740 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 08
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
616 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
- 09
Wiper blade defective
506 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 10
A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
497 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£200–£430
If every one of this 5 Series's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Buying or keeping a 5 Series?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a 5 Series and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.