Pass rate, every year
87.8% Above average
43,485 tests across 9 model years, 2013–2021.
+6.8 pts vs the national average
BMW 430 MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics
Best year to buy
2021 91.8%
The strongest of the 9 years on record. See the 2021 page →
Worst year to buy
2013 85.6%
6.2 points below the 2021 peak. See the 2013 page →
The BMW 430 MOT pass rate is 87.8%, +6.8 percentage points above the UK average. That is 43,485 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2013 and 2021. This page lists the most common BMW 430 MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.
Check your postcode
MOT pass rates are national — type your postcode to see how BMW 430 MOT pass rates does in your corner of the country.
BMW 430 MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average
The BMW 430 passed on its first attempt in 86.2%, and its overall record sits +6.8 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the BMW 430 in the 2023–2025 data: 43,485 tests across 9 model years (2013–2021). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 43,485 |
| Overall pass rate | 87.8% |
| Passed on first attempt | 86.2% |
| Average mileage at test | 62,666 mi |
| Model years covered | 2013–2021 (9 years) |
| Versus UK national average | +6.8 pts above |
Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.
Most Common BMW 430 MOT Problems by Failure Category
Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the BMW 430, the Tyres section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.
| Inspection section | Share of failures |
|---|---|
| Tyres | 50% |
| Visibility | 29% |
| Suspension | 11% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 5% |
| Brakes | 4% |
| Road Wheels | 1% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0% |
Shares are over the BMW 430's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Tyres
Around 50% of the recorded BMW 430 failures fall in the Tyres section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" (1.9%), "Has ply or cords exposed" (1.6%), "Has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure" (1.1%) among the BMW 430's tyres faults.
Visibility
Around 29% of the recorded BMW 430 failures fall in the Visibility section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (2.4%), "Washers provides insufficient washer liquid" (0.5%), "Wipers blade defective" (0.4%) among the BMW 430's visibility faults.
Suspension
Around 11% of the recorded BMW 430 failures fall in the Suspension section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak" (0.9%), "Pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn" (0.3%), "Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (0.0%) among the BMW 430's suspension faults.
Top Recorded BMW 430 DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the BMW 430, each with how many of the model's 43,485 tests it was noted on.
- "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 1,053 BMW 430 tests, 2.4% of the model's MOT record.
- "Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" (Major) — noted on about 811 BMW 430 tests, 1.9% of the model's MOT record.
- "Has ply or cords exposed" (Major) — noted on about 680 BMW 430 tests, 1.6% of the model's MOT record.
- "Has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure" (Major) — noted on about 481 BMW 430 tests, 1.1% of the model's MOT record.
- "Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" (Major) — noted on about 431 BMW 430 tests, 1.0% of the model's MOT record.
- "Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak" (Major) — noted on about 393 BMW 430 tests, 0.9% of the model's MOT record.
What 430 fails on more than most
1 failure item is recorded at least 1.5 times the UK rate on this model.
| Failure item | This model | UK | × UK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyre has a bulge | 2.1% | 0.9% | 2.3× | £45–£95 |
Rates are a share of this model's own tests (43,485 for the top row), so a big seller cannot outrank a rare one. The UK figure is the same item's share of every test in our data. Items 430 records at or below the UK rate are not listed — this is where it is unusual, not a full inventory. All failure items · parts and costs
Best and Worst BMW 430 Model Years by Pass Rate
The strongest BMW 430 model year on record is 2021 (91.8% across 61 tests), and the weakest is 2013 (85.6%). The gap between them is 6.2 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 430 | 61 | 91.8% |
| 2020 430 | 1,480 | 89.9% |
| 2019 430 | 4,619 | 88.6% |
| 2018 430 | 7,509 | 89.1% |
| 2017 430 | 7,783 | 88.3% |
| 2016 430 | 9,284 | 87.5% |
| 2015 430 | 8,780 | 86.4% |
| 2014 430 | 3,802 | 86.0% |
| 2013 430 | 167 | 85.6% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for BMW 430 Owners
These checks follow this BMW 430's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a BMW 430.
-
the windscreen — “windscreen damaged”
Check the driver’s side of the screen within the swept area for chips and cracks; anything larger than 10mm in the driver’s central view is a fail. Most chips can be resin-repaired for far less than a new screen.
-
the tyre tread — “tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm”
Check all four tyres cold, including the inner shoulder where wear hides — 1.6mm across the central three-quarters is the legal limit, and most testers fail at 1.6mm without argument.
-
the shock absorbers — “shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak”
Press down hard on each corner of the car and let go. It should settle in one bounce; if it keeps rocking, or you can see oil weeping down a shock absorber, that is the fault a tester will find.
Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the BMW 430. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions: BMW 430 MOT & Reliability
What is the BMW 430 MOT pass rate?
87.8% of the 43,485 recorded BMW 430 MOT tests ended in a pass, +6.8 percentage points above the national average. 86.2% of those passed on the first attempt.
Which BMW 430 model years pass the MOT most often?
2021 is the strongest BMW 430 year on record at 91.8%, while 2013 is the weakest at 85.6%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
What are the most common BMW 430 MOT failures?
The most recorded BMW 430 failures are "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" and "Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" — together around 4% of tests, mostly in the Visibility section.