BMW 3 Series reliability, MOT pass rate and rarity

Time Period & Model

Time period snapshot: Last 5 years

Manufacturer: BMW

Model: 3 Series

Model reliability rank

MOT-based rank from 2,528,621 selected-period tests.

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Overall MOT pass rate

77.9%

Share of this model's 2,528,621 selected-period MOT tests that pass.

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Efficiency, emissions & tax

Average MPG

425.9 mpg

CO2 emission

102 g/km

Euro emissions

Euro 6

Tax cost

£165/yr

Vehicle list price over £40,000?NoYes

Average vehicle miles

120,978

Solid average mileage for this model.

Life expectancy miles

124,438

Moderate mature-fleet mileage expectation.

Average vehicle age

15.2

Older average age in the represented fleet.

Vehicles represented

321,930

321,927 valid MOT, 3 under 3 years.

Tests analysed

2,528,621

2,528,621 MOT tests in the selected period.

Rarity ranking

Based on Make & Model

Common

321,930On the road

Insight summary

BMW 3 Series is a common model in this snapshot, with 321,930 represented vehicles and 0.77% of the active UK pool tracked by AutoRank. For the last 5 years, it has a pass rate of 77.9% from 2,528,621 MOT tests, with a reliability score of 57. The current pool shows an average of 120,978 miles and an average age of 15.2 years, while mature-fleet mileage is estimated at 124,438 miles. Diesel leads the fuel split, followed by petrol, and the most frequent defect themes are windscreen damage, parking brake and tyre condition. The practical read is that the BMW 3 Series looks a little better than average, but still rewards careful checks on mileage and maintenance.

Fuel type breakdown (by model)

Fuel	Vehicles
DIESEL	209,743
PETROL	108,736
HYBRID ELECTRIC (CLEAN)	3,399
LPG	27
ELECTRIC	9
ELECTRIC DIESEL	7
OTHER	5
GAS BI-FUEL	3
GAS DIESEL	1

Euro NCAP Safety

NCAP rating

5 / 5

Adult

97%

Children

87%

Pedestrian

87%

Safety systems

76%

Top 25 most common defects (by model)

Defect	Count
Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))	55,995
Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))	42,025
Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	28,435
Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	27,210
Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	26,095
Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	24,163
Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	23,141
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))	21,781
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))	20,726
Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	19,937
Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))	18,194
Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	14,609
Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))	14,445
Offside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	12,168
Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))	11,069
Nearside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))	10,918
Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))	10,857
Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))	10,306
Offside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))	10,223
Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))	9,501
Front Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))	9,242
Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))	9,011
Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))	8,895
Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii))	8,715
Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))	8,521

All 25 defects ranked by recorded countShowing 456,182 defects across this top 25 set

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

55,995

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

42,025

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

28,435

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

27,210

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

26,095

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

24,163

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

23,141

Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))

21,781

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

20,726

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

19,937

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))

18,194

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

14,609

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

14,445

Offside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

12,168

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

11,069

Nearside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

10,918

Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

10,857

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

10,306

Offside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

10,223

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

9,501

Front Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

9,242

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

9,011

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

8,895

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii))

8,715

Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

8,521

BMW 3 Series reliability and MOT data