BMW 6 Series common problems and MOT failures
The BMW 6 Series has a first-time MOT pass rate of 85.7%, from 11,671 tests on cars dating from 2012 to 2019. All cars together manage 71.7%. Raw pass rates flatter young models and punish old ones, so we also compare each 6 Series with cars of the same age: on that basis it does 7.8 points better than a typical car, which makes it well above average. Top of the failure list: a tyre worn or cut to the cords, on 14.4% of failed tests.
What fails a BMW 6 Series at its MOT
Of every hundred 6 Seriess that fail, about 14 are marked down for a tyre worn or cut to the cords and 11 for a tyre worn or cut to the cords. Percentages can add to more than 100 because one failed test often records several defects.
A tyre fail usually means a tyre that was already an advisory last year. Worth looking at the previous certificate before booking.
What testers flag before it fails
These are the advisories most often recorded on a BMW 6 Series: items that passed on the day but were wearing. Tyre tread below the legal minimum is noted on 12.6% of all tests. If one of these is on a car's last certificate, it is the next repair. The advisory conversion table shows which of these are worth acting on first.
Does fuel type matter on a 6 Series?
The petrol 6 Series has the better record at 89.9%; the diesel manages 84.6%. 5.3 points is a real difference.
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 84.6% | 8,861 |
| Petrol | 89.9% | 2,546 |
Pass rate by year of first use
Pass rates run from 79.9% for 2012 cars to 88.9% for 2019 cars. Most of that spread is age: a car tested at ten years old has had far more chances to wear something out than one tested at four.
| First used | Pass rate | Tests | Miles a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMW 6 Series 2019 | 88.9% | 3,142 | 10,000 |
| BMW 6 Series 2018 | 88.5% | 4,880 | 9,233 |
| BMW 6 Series 2013 | 78.8% | 2,100 | 8,329 |
| BMW 6 Series 2012 | 79.9% | 1,549 | 7,838 |
How mileage changes the 6 Series's odds
Take the 2018 6 Series, the year with the most tests: cars with under 40,000 miles on the clock pass 91% of the time, and that falls to 84.2% over 100,000. A 7-point drop across the mileage range is a bigger effect than the difference between most makes.
| Mileage at test (2018 cars) | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91% | 1,343 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 89.8% | 1,783 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 85.5% | 1,070 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 85.7% | 421 |
| Over 100,000 | 84.2% | 234 |
How the 6 Series compares
The average BMW passes 78.8% of tests, so the 6 Series is one of the stronger cars in the range. Within the family, see 3 Series common problems (72.4%), BMW X1 MOT pass rate (82.6%), X3 common problems (80.1%) and how the X5 does (79.2%), or every BMW model compared. For a cross-make comparison, the Skoda Enyaq and Mercedes-Benz AMG have similar test volumes and their own pages. The ranking of every make 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 6 Series 2019 88.9% pass 3,142 tests
On a 2019 BMW 6 Series, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 19.8% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 14.6%.
2019 cars pass 90.6% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 85.2% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 90.6% | 1,227 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 89.5% | 1,032 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 85.2% | 542 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 87.6% | 209 |
| Over 100,000 | 85.2% | 128 |
By fuel: diesel 88.4% (2,250 tests), petrol 90.2% (892 tests).
BMW 6 Series 2018 88.5% pass 4,880 tests
On a 2018 BMW 6 Series, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 16% of failed tests, with a dashboard warning light next at 12.5%.
2018 cars pass 91% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 84.2% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91% | 1,343 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 89.8% | 1,783 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 85.5% | 1,070 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 85.7% | 421 |
| Over 100,000 | 84.2% | 234 |
By fuel: diesel 87.9% (3,224 tests), petrol 89.7% (1,654 tests).
BMW 6 Series 2013 78.8% pass 2,100 tests
On a 2013 BMW 6 Series, a broken coil spring appears on 32.7% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 11%.
2013 cars pass 81.6% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 77.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 81.6% | 87 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 83.3% | 264 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 80.4% | 439 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 76.4% | 543 |
| Over 100,000 | 77.6% | 767 |
BMW 6 Series 2012 79.9% pass 1,549 tests
On a 2012 BMW 6 Series, a broken coil spring appears on 21.5% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 14.4%.
2012 cars pass 77.9% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 77.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 77.9% | 77 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 77.8% | 162 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 82.4% | 289 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 83.3% | 365 |
| Over 100,000 | 77.7% | 655 |
Questions people ask
How reliable is the BMW 6 Series?
On MOT evidence the BMW 6 Series is well above average. It passes 85.7% of tests against 71.7% for all cars, and beats cars of the same age by 7.8 points. Figures from 11,671 DVSA tests.
What fails a BMW 6 Series MOT most often?
A tyre worn or cut to the cords (14.4% of failed tests), a tyre worn or cut to the cords (10.9%) and tyre tread below the legal minimum (9.6%). A tyre fail usually means a tyre that was already an advisory last year. Worth looking at the previous certificate before booking.
What advisories does a BMW 6 Series usually get?
Tyre tread below the legal minimum is the most frequent, noted on 12.6% of all 6 Series tests, then brake pads worn below 1.5mm (6.6%). An advisory passes the car today but marks the item most likely to fail next year.
How many miles a year does a BMW 6 Series do?
About 9,092 miles a year on average, calculated from the odometer readings recorded at consecutive MOTs. That is above the UK average of roughly 7,400, which is typical of a car bought for commuting or work.
Does the BMW 6 Series pass rate apply to my car?
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 6 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 9,092 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.