BMW 3 Series reliability: what 1.1m MOT tests show
Across 1,086,478 MOT tests on BMW 3 Series cars first used between 2000 and 2020, 72.4% passed first time. The figure for all cars is 71.7%. Allowing for age, the 3 Series beats a typical car tested at the same age by 6.4 points. That is the fairer test, and it puts the model well above average. At its first MOT, at three years old, 85.6% of 3 Seriess pass; the national figure for three-year-old cars is 87.9%. A shaky first test, then better than average as the years go on. When a 3 Series does fail, tyre tread below the legal minimum is the item recorded most often.
What fails a BMW 3 Series at its MOT
The 3 Series's failures cluster around tyres and suspension: tyre tread below the legal minimum on 10.1% of fails, a leaking shock absorbers on 9.5%. Percentages can add to more than 100 because one failed test often records several defects.
Tread is the one item a driver can check at home with a 20p coin: if the outer band of the coin shows above the tread, the tyre is close to the 1.6mm limit.
Warning signs on the certificate
An advisory is the tester telling you what fails next year. On the 3 Series the usual suspects are tyre tread below the legal minimum (18.8% of tests) and an engine oil leak (6.2%). How often each category of advisory turns into a failure is measured across the whole dataset.
Does fuel type matter on a 3 Series?
Among BMW 3 Series cars, hybrid versions pass 82.9% of the time and petrol versions 71.5%, a gap of 11.4 points. Hybrid versions are newer cars on average, so some of that gap is age rather than engineering.
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 72.6% | 717,300 |
| Petrol | 71.5% | 357,721 |
| Hybrid | 82.9% | 10,916 |
Pass rate by year of first use
Between 2000 (64.8%) and 2020 (86.2%) the pass rate moves mostly with age. Among years with a decent sample, 2019 is the strongest at 86.4% and 2001 the weakest at 64.4%.
| First used | Pass rate | Tests | Miles a year | First MOT pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMW 3 Series 2020 | 86.2% | 9,746 | 10,144 | 85.6% |
| BMW 3 Series 2019 | 86.4% | 34,699 | 9,666 | – |
| BMW 3 Series 2018 | 86.2% | 25,378 | 9,407 | – |
| BMW 3 Series 2017 | 85.4% | 10,861 | 9,890 | – |
| BMW 3 Series 2016 | 83.8% | 73,088 | 10,017 | – |
| BMW 3 Series 2015 | 81.2% | 90,637 | 9,880 | – |
| BMW 3 Series 2014 | 76.9% | 89,805 | 10,018 | – |
| BMW 3 Series 2013 | 74% | 97,327 | 9,562 | – |
| BMW 3 Series 2012 | 69.2% | 95,509 | 9,295 | – |
| BMW 3 Series 2011 | 69.3% | 81,275 | 9,214 | – |
| BMW 3 Series 2010 | 67.7% | 74,865 | 8,732 | – |
| BMW 3 Series 2009 | 66.4% | 67,004 | 8,034 | – |
| BMW 3 Series 2008 | 67.3% | 66,079 | 7,773 | – |
| BMW 3 Series 2007 | 67.5% | 76,458 | 7,630 | – |
| BMW 3 Series 2006 | 66.6% | 56,486 | 7,512 | – |
| BMW 3 Series 2005 | 65.3% | 35,990 | 7,000 | – |
| BMW 3 Series 2004 | 65.1% | 27,473 | 6,184 | – |
| BMW 3 Series 2003 | 65.6% | 29,064 | 5,816 | – |
| BMW 3 Series 2002 | 65.5% | 22,568 | 5,503 | – |
| BMW 3 Series 2001 | 64.4% | 14,485 | 5,117 | – |
| BMW 3 Series 2000 | 64.8% | 7,681 | 4,836 | – |
Mileage matters more than the badge
On the 2013 cars, a 3 Series under 40,000 miles passes 88.2% of the time; one over 100,000 passes 70.5%. When comparing two used 3 Seriess, the odometer tells you more than the year.
| Mileage at test (2013 cars) | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88.2% | 2,815 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 82.5% | 8,116 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 77.6% | 15,807 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 74.5% | 20,645 |
| Over 100,000 | 70.5% | 49,932 |
How the 3 Series compares
Set against the rest of the BMW range, which averages 78.8%, the 3 Series at 72.4% is below par. Within the family, see how the X1 does (82.6%), the X3 (80.1%), BMW X5 MOT pass rate (79.2%) and BMW 1 Series MOT pass rate (78.2%), or the BMW range at the MOT. Buyers weighing a 3 Series against other cars of similar popularity often compare it with the Mercedes-Benz A-Class (78.1%) and Fiat 500 (68.3%). The reliability index for all makes and models puts them side by side, and the national MOT statistics give the baseline.
Year by year
Each year opens to show its own failure list and pass rate by mileage.
BMW 3 Series 2020 86.2% pass 9,746 tests85.6% at first MOT
On a 2020 BMW 3 Series, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 17.7% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 16.5%.
2020 cars pass 87.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 74.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 87.5% | 5,616 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 85.3% | 2,673 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 83.5% | 990 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 84.7% | 314 |
| Over 100,000 | 74.5% | 153 |
By fuel: diesel 85.4% (7,078 tests), petrol 88.3% (2,630 tests).
BMW 3 Series 2019 86.4% pass 34,699 tests
On a 2019 BMW 3 Series, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 15.7% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 14.1%.
2019 cars pass 88.6% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 83.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88.6% | 14,149 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 86% | 11,938 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 83.5% | 5,645 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 83.6% | 2,010 |
| Over 100,000 | 83.5% | 947 |
By fuel: diesel 85.8% (23,861 tests), petrol 87.9% (10,832 tests).
BMW 3 Series 2018 86.2% pass 25,378 tests
On a 2018 BMW 3 Series, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 15.1% of failed tests, with a bulging tyre next at 15%.
2018 cars pass 90.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 80% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 90.4% | 6,620 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 86.4% | 9,151 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 84.3% | 5,846 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 81.5% | 2,506 |
| Over 100,000 | 80% | 1,253 |
By fuel: diesel 85.9% (14,320 tests), petrol 87.4% (8,286 tests), hybrid 83.6% (2,772 tests).
BMW 3 Series 2017 85.4% pass 10,861 tests
On a 2017 BMW 3 Series, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 13.2% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 12.6%.
2017 cars pass 92.1% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 80.9% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 92.1% | 1,277 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 87.2% | 3,202 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 84.5% | 3,224 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 82.5% | 1,889 |
| Over 100,000 | 80.9% | 1,269 |
By fuel: diesel 85.3% (8,045 tests), hybrid 84% (1,512 tests), petrol 87.6% (1,300 tests).
BMW 3 Series 2016 83.8% pass 73,088 tests
On a 2016 BMW 3 Series, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 14.3% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 9.1%.
2016 cars pass 91.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 79.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91.8% | 5,871 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 87.2% | 14,977 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 84.4% | 19,986 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 81.7% | 15,469 |
| Over 100,000 | 79.5% | 16,782 |
By fuel: diesel 83.8% (52,752 tests), petrol 84.7% (13,693 tests), hybrid 82.4% (6,632 tests).
BMW 3 Series 2015 81.2% pass 90,637 tests
On a 2015 BMW 3 Series, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 13.1% of failed tests, with a sidelight not working next at 8.7%.
2015 cars pass 91.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 76.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91.4% | 4,574 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 86.5% | 13,303 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 83.2% | 22,178 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 80.2% | 21,456 |
| Over 100,000 | 76.4% | 29,122 |
By fuel: diesel 80.8% (78,606 tests), petrol 84.2% (12,014 tests).
BMW 3 Series 2014 76.9% pass 89,805 tests
On a 2014 BMW 3 Series, a sidelight not working appears on 14.2% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 12.5%.
2014 cars pass 89.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 72.9% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 89.8% | 2,999 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 85.2% | 8,349 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 80.3% | 16,523 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 76.8% | 20,989 |
| Over 100,000 | 72.9% | 40,937 |
By fuel: diesel 76.3% (79,747 tests), petrol 81.4% (9,901 tests).
BMW 3 Series 2013 74% pass 97,327 tests
On a 2013 BMW 3 Series, a sidelight not working appears on 12.8% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 11%.
2013 cars pass 88.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 70.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88.2% | 2,815 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 82.5% | 8,116 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 77.6% | 15,807 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 74.5% | 20,645 |
| Over 100,000 | 70.5% | 49,932 |
By fuel: diesel 73% (78,627 tests), petrol 78.1% (18,548 tests).
BMW 3 Series 2012 69.2% pass 95,509 tests
On a 2012 BMW 3 Series, a sidelight not working appears on 13.3% of failed tests, with a leaking shock absorbers next at 13%.
2012 cars pass 83.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 66.2% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 83.5% | 2,304 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 78.8% | 6,487 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 73.9% | 12,675 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 69.6% | 18,215 |
| Over 100,000 | 66.2% | 55,819 |
By fuel: diesel 68.3% (79,505 tests), petrol 73.6% (15,941 tests).
BMW 3 Series 2011 69.3% pass 81,275 tests
On a 2011 BMW 3 Series, a leaking shock absorbers appears on 19.4% of failed tests, with a sidelight not working next at 15.2%.
2011 cars pass 84.9% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 66.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 84.9% | 1,420 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 80.2% | 3,970 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 75.4% | 8,556 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 71.2% | 13,609 |
| Over 100,000 | 66.7% | 53,709 |
By fuel: diesel 68.7% (61,646 tests), petrol 71.4% (19,629 tests).
BMW 3 Series 2010 67.7% pass 74,865 tests
On a 2010 BMW 3 Series, a leaking shock absorbers appears on 17.3% of failed tests, with a sidelight not working next at 14.8%.
2010 cars pass 84.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 65.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 84.4% | 1,138 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 80.4% | 3,472 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 73.9% | 7,480 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 69.7% | 11,635 |
| Over 100,000 | 65.1% | 51,128 |
By fuel: diesel 66.7% (52,646 tests), petrol 70% (22,219 tests).
BMW 3 Series 2009 66.4% pass 67,004 tests
On a 2009 BMW 3 Series, a leaking shock absorbers appears on 16.9% of failed tests, with a sidelight not working next at 14.3%.
2009 cars pass 83.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 64% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 83.2% | 1,313 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 78.1% | 3,172 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 72.2% | 6,927 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 67.5% | 10,810 |
| Over 100,000 | 64% | 44,770 |
By fuel: diesel 65.3% (40,443 tests), petrol 68.2% (26,561 tests).
BMW 3 Series 2008 67.3% pass 66,079 tests
On a 2008 BMW 3 Series, a leaking shock absorbers appears on 12.9% of failed tests, with a sidelight not working next at 10.8%.
2008 cars pass 83.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 65.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 83.4% | 947 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 78.1% | 2,649 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 74.1% | 5,873 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 69.3% | 10,221 |
| Over 100,000 | 65.1% | 46,378 |
By fuel: diesel 66.7% (35,553 tests), petrol 68.1% (30,526 tests).
BMW 3 Series 2007 67.5% pass 76,458 tests
On a 2007 BMW 3 Series, a leaking shock absorbers appears on 11.8% of failed tests, with a sidelight not working next at 10.2%.
2007 cars pass 86% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 65% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 86% | 1,015 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 80.6% | 2,812 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 75.5% | 6,249 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 70.8% | 10,646 |
| Over 100,000 | 65% | 55,709 |
By fuel: diesel 66.2% (38,890 tests), petrol 68.9% (37,565 tests).
BMW 3 Series 2006 66.6% pass 56,486 tests
On a 2006 BMW 3 Series, a leaking shock absorbers appears on 10.1% of failed tests, with parking brake efficiency below the limit next at 9.4%.
2006 cars pass 80.6% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 64.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 80.6% | 692 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 79% | 1,722 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 74.3% | 4,063 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 69.6% | 6,905 |
| Over 100,000 | 64.7% | 43,083 |
By fuel: diesel 65.6% (30,483 tests), petrol 67.7% (25,996 tests).
BMW 3 Series 2005 65.3% pass 35,990 tests
On a 2005 BMW 3 Series, parking brake efficiency below the limit appears on 12.3% of failed tests, with a worn suspension bush next at 8.1%.
2005 cars pass 84% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 62.9% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 84% | 538 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 75.5% | 1,371 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 73.7% | 2,912 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 68% | 4,833 |
| Over 100,000 | 62.9% | 26,322 |
By fuel: petrol 67.4% (19,125 tests), diesel 62.8% (16,847 tests).
BMW 3 Series 2004 65.1% pass 27,473 tests
On a 2004 BMW 3 Series, parking brake efficiency below the limit appears on 14.7% of failed tests, with a dashboard warning light next at 9.7%.
2004 cars pass 86.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 62.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 86.3% | 554 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 74.7% | 1,290 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 71.5% | 2,672 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 67% | 4,429 |
| Over 100,000 | 62.4% | 18,511 |
By fuel: petrol 66.8% (19,266 tests), diesel 61.1% (8,194 tests).
BMW 3 Series 2003 65.6% pass 29,064 tests
On a 2003 BMW 3 Series, parking brake efficiency below the limit appears on 14.4% of failed tests, with a worn ball joint next at 9.3%.
2003 cars pass 81.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 63.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 81.8% | 528 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 77% | 1,378 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 71.5% | 2,873 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 67.3% | 4,571 |
| Over 100,000 | 63.1% | 19,702 |
By fuel: petrol 66.7% (23,496 tests), diesel 61.1% (5,554 tests).
BMW 3 Series 2002 65.5% pass 22,568 tests
On a 2002 BMW 3 Series, parking brake efficiency below the limit appears on 11.9% of failed tests, with a worn ball joint next at 9.5%.
2002 cars pass 81.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 63.2% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 81.2% | 510 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 72.7% | 956 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 69.7% | 2,274 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 68.3% | 3,585 |
| Over 100,000 | 63.2% | 15,211 |
By fuel: petrol 65.9% (19,729 tests), diesel 62.4% (2,820 tests).
BMW 3 Series 2001 64.4% pass 14,485 tests
On a 2001 BMW 3 Series, parking brake efficiency below the limit appears on 11.2% of failed tests, with a worn ball joint next at 11.2%.
2001 cars pass 81.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 61.2% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 81.2% | 287 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 72.4% | 821 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 70.5% | 1,669 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 67.7% | 2,415 |
| Over 100,000 | 61.2% | 9,282 |
By fuel: petrol 64.7% (13,313 tests), diesel 60.9% (1,160 tests).
BMW 3 Series 2000 64.8% pass 7,681 tests
On a 2000 BMW 3 Series, a worn ball joint appears on 13.5% of failed tests, with parking brake efficiency below the limit next at 9.8%.
2000 cars pass 89.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 62.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 89.2% | 166 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 73.9% | 510 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 68.8% | 837 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 64% | 1,360 |
| Over 100,000 | 62.5% | 4,801 |
By fuel: petrol 64.9% (7,151 tests), diesel 63.7% (523 tests).
Questions people ask
Is the BMW 3 Series reliable?
On MOT evidence the BMW 3 Series is well above average. It passes 72.4% of tests against 71.7% for all cars, and beats cars of the same age by 6.4 points. 85.6% pass their first MOT at three years old. Figures from 1,086,478 DVSA tests.
What are the most common BMW 3 Series MOT failures?
Tyre tread below the legal minimum (10.1% of failed tests), a leaking shock absorbers (9.5%) and a sidelight not working (9.1%). Tread is the one item a driver can check at home with a 20p coin: if the outer band of the coin shows above the tread, the tyre is close to the 1.6mm limit.
Which BMW 3 Series year is the most reliable?
Among years with a large sample, 2019 cars have the highest pass rate at 86.4% and 2001 cars the lowest at 64.4%. Newer years pass more because they are younger, so compare a specific car's year against the table above rather than against the overall figure.
What advisories does a BMW 3 Series usually get?
Tyre tread below the legal minimum is the most frequent, noted on 18.8% of all 3 Series tests, then an engine oil leak (6.2%). An advisory passes the car today but marks the item most likely to fail next year.
How many miles a year does a BMW 3 Series do?
About 8,665 miles a year on average, calculated from the odometer readings recorded at consecutive MOTs. That is close to the UK average of roughly 7,400.
How do I check a particular BMW 3 Series?
The figures describe the whole fleet. For one car, enter its registration in the free MOT check to see its own test history, advisories and mileage, set against these averages for its year.
Own a 3 Series?
Enter the registration to see its own MOT history, advisories and mileage set against these figures, including whether it has done more or fewer than the 8,665 miles a year typical of the model.
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 to 2025. Class 4 cars, normal tests only; a pass after rectification counts as an initial failure. Age-adjusted figures compare the model's pass rate at each age with the national rate at the same age. Methodology.