2025 MOT results
BMW I4 common problems
The most common reason a BMW I4 fails its MOT is a tyre worn through to the cords, on 33.5% of its 1,102 failed tests in 2025. Against other cars of the same age, 6 faults stand out, the widest gaps being: a tyre worn through to the cords at 33.5% of failures against 10.6% expected; a tyres ply or cords damaged at 1.5% of failures against 0.5% expected; a non-standard number plate at 3.4% of failures against 1.4% expected.
- Tests in 2025 6,690 Cars aged three and over
- Failed first time 16.5% 1,102 tests
- Found a dangerous defect 8.4% Unsafe to drive away
- Ended with an advisory 32.9% A problem to watch, not a failure
What fails a BMW I4 MOT
Each bar is the share of failed BMW I4 tests with that defect. Where we can compare it with cars of the same registration years, the marker shows what an average car of those ages records (12 of the 12 items below).
Most common reasons for failure
A test can fail for more than one defect, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 33.5% |
| Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 31.0% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 9.3% |
| Headlamp aim: too high Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 7.8% |
| Tyres: bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Tyres | 6.4% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility | 6.2% |
| Registration plates: does not conform to the specified requirements Identification of the vehicle | 3.4% |
| Tyres: tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Tyres | 3.0% |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility | 3.0% |
| Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 2.0% |
| Tyres: ply or cords damaged Tyres | 1.5% |
| Washers: not working Visibility | 1.5% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
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Tyre worn through to the cords
33.5% of failures 10.6% expected 3.2 times as often
The tyre is worn or damaged far enough to expose the cords underneath, which is a dangerous defect.
Run a hand round the inner and outer walls of each tyre, which is where kerbing shows.
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Cut tyre
31.0% of failures 20.0% expected 1.6 times as often
A cut in the tyre deep or long enough to reach the structure underneath, usually from a kerb or debris.
Run a hand round the inner and outer walls of each tyre, which is where kerbing shows.
-
Tyre worn below the legal limit
9.3% of failures 11.1% expected somewhat less often
A tyre worn past the 1.6mm legal minimum across the middle three quarters of the tread.
A 20p coin in the main grooves: if the outer band of the coin is visible, the tyre is close to the limit.
-
Headlamp aim set too high
7.8% of failures 7.4% expected about as expected
The dipped beam points higher than it should, which dazzles oncoming drivers.
Nothing to do at the roadside, but a garage resets the aim in minutes; a sagging suspension corner or a heavy boot load can throw it out.
-
Bulge in a tyre
6.4% of failures 4.1% expected 1.6 times as often
A bulge in the sidewall, where the casing inside the tyre has failed after an impact.
Run a hand round the inner and outer walls of each tyre, which is where kerbing shows.
-
Wiper blades that do not clear the screen
6.2% of failures 13.8% expected 2.5 times less often
Wiper blades that leave the windscreen smeared or streaked across the area the driver looks through.
Look for split or hardened rubber, and lift each blade to see whether it still sits flat.
Which parts of the car fail
Tyres is the area that most often fails a BMW I4, on 77.4% of failed tests. That is also where it differs most from cars of the same registration years, which record 47.9%.
Failure categories
DVSA's own sections of the test. The marker is what cars of the same registration years record.
| Defect category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Tyres | 77.4% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 11.4% |
| Visibility | 11.2% |
| Identification of the vehicle | 3.7% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 1.6% |
| Brakes | 1.3% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What testers warn about
32.9% of BMW I4 tests ended with at least one advisory: a fault the tester found that did not fail the test. On BMW I4s, these are the items to ask about on a car you are viewing, because they are what the last tester expected to go next.
Most common advisories
Share of all tests, passes included.
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 24.2% |
| Tyres: cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 4.3% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 2.6% |
| Nail in tyre Non-component advisories | 2.6% |
| Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt Non-component advisories | 2.2% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged Tyres | 1.8% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 0.6% |
| Road wheels: slightly distorted Road wheels | 0.4% |
| Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle | 0.4% |
| Items removed from driver's view prior to test Non-component advisories | 0.4% |
| Service brake performance: fluctuating, but not excessively Brakes | 0.3% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
BMW I4 problems: common questions
What is the most common problem with a BMW I4?
Of the faults that fail an MOT, “Tyres: ply or cords exposed” is the most common: it appears on 33.5% of failed BMW I4 tests. Across categories, tyres is the area that most often fails one, on 77.4% of failed tests.
How often does a BMW I4 fail its MOT?
16.5% of BMW I4 tests in 2025 were not passed first time, from 6,690 tests of cars aged three and over.
Does anything fail more often on a BMW I4 than on other cars?
Yes. “Tyres: ply or cords exposed” appears on 33.5% of its failures against 10.6% for cars of the same age, and “Tyres: ply or cords damaged” appears on 1.5% of its failures against 0.5% for cars of the same age. Where an item is missing from the national figures for a year, we use the smallest share those figures show, so the comparison never overstates the difference.
Are these the same as breakdowns or known faults?
No. These are the items a tester recorded at the MOT, which covers condition and safety: lamps, brakes, tyres, suspension, corrosion and emissions. A gearbox that is unpleasant, an infotainment screen that has died, or a car that will not start on a cold morning are not part of the test, so they are not in these figures.
Where do the figures come from?
Every normal MOT test of a BMW I4 aged three and over in Great Britain in 2025, from DVSA's anonymised MOT results. Retests are excluded, and the same fault on more than one wheel counts once.
Data stories to read next
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT defects and advisories | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 6,690 MOT tests | 19 September 2026 |
- Shares for defects are of failed tests; shares for advisories are of all tests. A test can carry several defects, so shares add to more than 100%.
- The expected share is what an average car of the same registration years records, weighted by where this model’s failures fall. Where an item is outside the national figures for a year, the smallest share those figures show is used in its place, which is an upper bound, so the comparison never overstates a model’s problems. No expectation is published where less than 80% of the model’s failures can be compared.
- Great Britain only: DVSA does not run MOT testing in Northern Ireland. Cars under three years old are not tested.
- The descriptions of what each part does are general and the same on every model. Every figure comes from the MOT data.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.