2025 MOT results
BMW IX3 common problems
The most common reason a BMW IX3 fails its MOT is a cut tyre, on 37.4% of its 1,391 failed tests in 2025. Against other cars of the same age, 3 faults stand out: an indicator repeater out at 7.2% of failures against 0.7% expected; a tyre worn through to the cords at 20.9% of failures against 10.0% expected; a cut tyre at 37.4% of failures against 19.0% expected.
- Tests in 2025 9,481 Cars aged three and over
- Failed first time 14.7% 1,391 tests
- Found a dangerous defect 5.0% Unsafe to drive away
- Ended with an advisory 29.2% A problem to watch, not a failure
What fails a BMW IX3 MOT
Each bar is the share of failed BMW IX3 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: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 37.4% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 20.9% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility | 12.9% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 8.7% |
| Side repeaters: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 7.2% |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility | 5.1% |
| Headlamp aim: too high Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 3.9% |
| Tyres: bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Tyres | 2.7% |
| Shock absorbers: serious fluid leak Suspension | 1.6% |
| Washers: not working Visibility | 1.6% |
| Tyres: tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Tyres | 1.4% |
| Registration plates: does not conform to the specified requirements Identification of the vehicle | 1.4% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
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Cut tyre
37.4% of failures 19.0% expected 2 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 through to the cords
20.9% of failures 10.0% expected 2.1 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.
-
Wiper blades that do not clear the screen
12.9% of failures 15.1% expected about as expected
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.
-
Tyre worn below the legal limit
8.7% of failures 11.0% 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.
-
Indicator repeater out
7.2% of failures 0.7% expected 10.3 times as often
The small indicator lamp in the wing or mirror not working.
Walk round the car with the lights on and the hazards going; these are the cheapest failures to avoid.
-
Washers that do not work
5.1% of failures 4.8% expected about as expected
The washers cannot deliver enough liquid to clean the windscreen with the wipers.
Top the bottle up and check both jets reach the glass; the pump is often fine and the jet blocked.
Which parts of the car fail
Tyres is the area that most often fails a BMW IX3, on 67.0% of failed tests. That is also where it differs most from cars of the same registration years, which record 46.3%.
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 | 67.0% |
| Visibility | 19.7% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 13.9% |
| Suspension | 3.2% |
| Identification of the vehicle | 1.9% |
| Brakes | 1.4% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 1.4% |
| Road wheels | 1.1% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What testers warn about
29.2% of BMW IX3 tests ended with at least one advisory: a fault the tester found that did not fail the test. On BMW IX3s, 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 | 19.0% |
| Tyres: cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 3.9% |
| Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt Non-component advisories | 3.2% |
| Nail in tyre Non-component advisories | 3.1% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 2.7% |
| Shock absorbers: light misting of oil Suspension | 1.4% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged Tyres | 1.0% |
| Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle | 0.5% |
| Items removed from driver's view prior to test Non-component advisories | 0.4% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 0.2% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 0.2% |
| Suspension arms: ball joint has slight play Suspension | 0.2% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
BMW IX3 problems: common questions
What is the most common problem with a BMW IX3?
Of the faults that fail an MOT, “Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords” is the most common: it appears on 37.4% of failed BMW IX3 tests. Across categories, tyres is the area that most often fails one, on 67.0% of failed tests.
How often does a BMW IX3 fail its MOT?
14.7% of BMW IX3 tests in 2025 were not passed first time, from 9,481 tests of cars aged three and over. Allowing for the age and mileage of the cars tested, that gives it a UK Motoring Reliability Score of 54 out of 100, where 50 is as expected.
Does anything fail more often on a BMW IX3 than on other cars?
Yes. “Side repeaters: not working” appears on 7.2% of its failures against 0.7% for cars of the same age, and “Tyres: ply or cords exposed” appears on 20.9% of its failures against 10.0% 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 IX3 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 | 9,481 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.