BMW 5 Series reliability, MOT pass rate and rarity

Time Period & Model

Time period snapshot: Last 5 years

Manufacturer: BMW

Model: 5 Series

Model reliability rank

MOT-based rank from 421,454 selected-period tests.

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Overall MOT pass rate

85.5%

Share of this model's 421,454 selected-period MOT tests that pass.

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Efficiency, emissions & tax

Average MPG

241 mpg

CO2 emission

107 g/km

Euro emissions

Euro 6

Tax cost

£165/yr

Vehicle list price over £40,000?NoYes

Average vehicle miles

92,196

Moderate average mileage in the current pool.

Life expectancy miles

142,172

Healthy mature-fleet mileage expectation.

Average vehicle age

9.0

Average age sits in the mid-fleet band.

Vehicles represented

66,171

66,167 valid MOT, 4 under 3 years.

Tests analysed

421,454

421,454 MOT tests in the selected period.

Rarity ranking

Based on Make & Model

Uncommon

66,171On the road

Insight summary

BMW 5 Series is an uncommon model in this snapshot, with 66,171 represented vehicles and 0.16% of the active UK pool tracked by AutoRank. For the last 5 years, it has a pass rate of 85.5% from 421,454 MOT tests, with a reliability score of 58. The current pool shows an average of 92,196 miles and an average age of 9.0 years, while mature-fleet mileage is estimated at 142,172 miles. Diesel leads the fuel split, followed by petrol, and the most frequent defect themes are windscreen damage, tyre condition and engine warning light. The practical read is that the BMW 5 Series looks a little better than average, but still rewards careful checks on mileage and maintenance.

Fuel type breakdown (by model)

Fuel	Vehicles
DIESEL	40,485
PETROL	13,473
HYBRID ELECTRIC (CLEAN)	12,129
ELECTRIC DIESEL	77
ELECTRIC	4
OTHER	2
LPG	1

Euro NCAP Safety

NCAP rating

5 / 5

Adult

89%

Children

85%

Pedestrian

86%

Safety systems

78%

Top 25 most common defects (by model)

Defect	Count
Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))	6,346
Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	3,569
Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	3,094
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.2.2 (g))	1,994
Nearside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))	1,878
Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))	1,849
Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))	1,703
Offside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))	1,657
Offside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))	1,644
Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	1,531
Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))	1,519
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))	1,515
Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	1,426
Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	1,424
Nearside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))	1,398
Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	1,365
Offside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))	1,327
Offside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))	1,311
Nearside Front Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii))	1,215
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))	1,208
Front Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))	1,198
Tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative (5.2.3 (h))	1,160
Offside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))	1,116
Nearside Side repeater not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))	1,043
Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	966

All 25 defects ranked by recorded countShowing 44,456 defects across this top 25 set

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

6,346

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

3,569

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

3,094

Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.2.2 (g))

1,994

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

1,878

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

1,849

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

1,703

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

1,657

Offside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

1,644

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

1,531

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

1,519

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

1,515

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

1,426

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

1,424

Nearside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

1,398

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

1,365

Offside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

1,327

Offside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

1,311

Nearside Front Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

1,215

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

1,208

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

1,198

Tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative (5.2.3 (h))

1,160

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

1,116

Nearside Side repeater not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

1,043

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

966

BMW 5 Series reliability and MOT data