Pass rate, every year
83.3% Around average
765 tests across 7 model years, 2005–2014.
+2.3 pts vs the national average
BMW 550 MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics
Best year to buy
2014 89.3%
The strongest of the 7 years on record. See the 2014 page →
Worst year to buy
2006 80.3%
9.0 points below the 2014 peak. See the 2006 page →
The BMW 550 MOT pass rate is 83.3%, +2.3 percentage points above the UK average. That is 765 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2005 and 2014. This page lists the most common BMW 550 MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.
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BMW 550 MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average
The BMW 550 passed on its first attempt in 80.6%, and its overall record sits +2.3 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the BMW 550 in the 2023–2025 data: 765 tests across 7 model years (2005–2014). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 765 |
| Overall pass rate | 83.3% |
| Passed on first attempt | 80.6% |
| Average mileage at test | 98,147 mi |
| Model years covered | 2005–2014 (7 years) |
| Versus UK national average | +2.3 pts above |
Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.
Most Common BMW 550 MOT Problems by Failure Category
Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the BMW 550, the Suspension 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 |
|---|---|
| Suspension | 41% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 18% |
| Visibility | 16% |
| Brakes | 10% |
| Steering | 6% |
| Tyres | 6% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 2% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 1% |
Shares are over the BMW 550's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Suspension
Around 41% of the recorded BMW 550 failures fall in the Suspension section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Coil spring fractured or broken" (2.2%), "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (1.6%), "Pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn" (1.4%) among the BMW 550's suspension faults.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Around 18% of the recorded BMW 550 failures fall in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (0.9%), "Stop lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning" (0.8%), "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (0.5%) among the BMW 550's lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment faults.
Visibility
Around 16% of the recorded BMW 550 failures fall in the Visibility section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (3.0%), "Mirrors slightly damaged" (0.3%), "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (0.3%) among the BMW 550's visibility faults.
Top Recorded BMW 550 DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the BMW 550, each with how many of the model's 765 tests it was noted on.
- "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 23 BMW 550 tests, 3.0% of the model's MOT record.
- "Coil spring fractured or broken" (Major) — noted on about 17 BMW 550 tests, 2.2% of the model's MOT record.
- "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 12 BMW 550 tests, 1.6% of the model's MOT record.
- "Pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn" (Major) — noted on about 11 BMW 550 tests, 1.4% of the model's MOT record.
- "Has ply or cords exposed" (Major) — noted on about 8 BMW 550 tests, 1.0% of the model's MOT record.
- "Linkage ball joint dust cover ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 8 BMW 550 tests, 1.0% of the model's MOT record.
Best and Worst BMW 550 Model Years by Pass Rate
The strongest BMW 550 model year on record is 2014 (89.3% across 56 tests), and the weakest is 2006 (80.3%). The gap between them is 9.0 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.
BMW 550 reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 1.9 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 550 | 56 | 89.3% |
| 2011 550 | 55 | 89.1% |
| 2010 550 | 106 | 86.8% |
| 2008 550 | 71 | 80.3% |
| 2007 550 | 135 | 83.7% |
| 2006 550 | 238 | 80.3% |
| 2005 550 | 104 | 81.7% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for BMW 550 Owners
These checks follow this BMW 550's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a BMW 550.
-
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 coil springs — “coil spring fractured or broken”
Look up inside each wheel arch with a torch, all the way round the spring. A snapped spring usually breaks at the very bottom coil, where a quick glance will not reach.
-
the suspension joints — “ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated”
With the car parked on level ground, rock the top of each front wheel in and out while someone watches the suspension arm. Clunks, or rubber boots split and greasy, are what testers record here.
Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the BMW 550. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions: BMW 550 MOT & Reliability
What is the BMW 550 MOT pass rate?
83.3% of the 765 recorded BMW 550 MOT tests ended in a pass, +2.3 percentage points above the national average. 80.6% of those passed on the first attempt.
Which BMW 550 model years pass the MOT most often?
2014 is the strongest BMW 550 year on record at 89.3%, while 2006 is the weakest at 80.3%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
What are the most common BMW 550 MOT failures?
The most recorded BMW 550 failures are "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" and "Coil spring fractured or broken" — together around 5% of tests, mostly in the Visibility section.