BMW 520I MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

BMW 520I MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The BMW 520I passed on its first attempt in 90.5%, and its overall record sits +10.3 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the BMW 520I in the 2023–2025 data: 2,043 tests across 3 model years (2020–2022). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.

Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.

Most Common BMW 520I MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the BMW 520I, the Tyres section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.

Shares are over the BMW 520I's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded BMW 520I DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the BMW 520I, each with how many of the model's 2,043 tests it was noted on.

• "Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" (Major) — noted on about 70 BMW 520I tests, 3.4% of the model's MOT record.
• "Has ply or cords exposed" (Major) — noted on about 27 BMW 520I tests, 1.3% of the model's MOT record.
• "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 24 BMW 520I tests, 1.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure" (Major) — noted on about 21 BMW 520I tests, 1.0% of the model's MOT record.
• "Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" (Major) — noted on about 15 BMW 520I tests, 0.7% of the model's MOT record.
• "Headlamp aim too high" (Rectified) — noted on about 14 BMW 520I tests, 0.7% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst BMW 520I Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest BMW 520I model year on record is 2021 (92.3% across 1,070 tests), and the weakest is 2022 (89.3%). The gap between them is 3.0 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

BMW 520I reliability is declining in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 1.2 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.

Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.

Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for BMW 520I Owners

These checks follow this BMW 520I's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a BMW 520I.

• 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 lights — “headlamp aim too high”

  Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.

Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the BMW 520I. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: BMW 520I MOT & Reliability