2025 MOT results
BMW M3 common problems
The most common reason a BMW M3 fails its MOT is a tyre worn through to the cords, on 9.4% of its 2,163 failed tests in 2025. Against other cars of the same age, 5 faults stand out, the widest gaps being: a tyre worn through to the cords at 9.4% of failures against 4.1% expected; the airbag light on at 4.3% of failures against 2.3% expected; a cut tyre at 6.7% of failures against 4.0% expected.
- Tests in 2025 16,315 Cars aged three and over
- Failed first time 13.3% 2,163 tests
- Found a dangerous defect 3.2% Unsafe to drive away
- Ended with an advisory 28.5% A problem to watch, not a failure
What fails a BMW M3 MOT
Each bar is the share of failed BMW M3 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 | 9.4% |
| Coil spring: fractured or broken Suspension | 7.3% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks | 7.0% |
| Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 6.7% |
| Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 6.3% |
| Catalyst emissions: lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits Noise, emissions and leaks | 5.6% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 5.3% |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility | 4.8% |
| Headlamp aim: too high Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 4.4% |
| SRS malfunction indicator lamp: warning lamp indicates a fault Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 4.3% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility | 4.0% |
| Washers: not working Visibility | 3.8% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
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Tyre worn through to the cords
9.4% of failures 4.1% expected 2.3 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.
-
Broken coil spring
7.3% of failures 6.9% expected about as expected
A broken suspension spring, which usually snaps in the bottom coil and often fails on both sides within a year.
Look at each corner for a sagging ride height, and listen for a knock over speed bumps.
-
Engine management light on
7.0% of failures 5.6% expected somewhat more often
The engine management light is on, or has been disconnected. Either fails the test.
A cheap code reader on the diagnostic socket will say what the car has stored before you pay for a test.
-
Cut tyre
6.7% of failures 4.0% expected 1.7 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.
-
Headlamp aim set too low
6.3% of failures 4.1% expected 1.5 times as often
The dipped beam points lower than it should, so it lights too little of the road.
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.
-
Emissions above the limit
5.6% of failures 3.7% expected 1.5 times as often
The exhaust gases are outside the limits for the car, which can be the catalytic converter, a sensor, or simply a poor state of tune.
A long run before the test helps a catalyst get hot; a persistent failure usually needs a diagnosis.
Which parts of the car fail
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment is the area that most often fails a BMW M3, on 31.4% of failed tests. The widest gap against cars of the same registration years is tyres, on 25.1% against 18.7% expected.
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 |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 31.4% |
| Tyres | 25.1% |
| Suspension | 21.5% |
| Brakes | 19.2% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 17.0% |
| Visibility | 13.1% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 5.8% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 5.1% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What testers warn about
28.5% of BMW M3 tests ended with at least one advisory: a fault the tester found that did not fail the test. On BMW M3s, 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 | 8.9% |
| Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material Brakes | 5.5% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 4.2% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 3.5% |
| Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 3.1% |
| Transmission oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 2.3% |
| Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension | 1.6% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 1.5% |
| Exhaust system: minor leak of exhaust gases Body, chassis, structure | 1.3% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 1.3% |
| Coil spring: corroded Suspension | 1.2% |
| Nail in tyre Non-component advisories | 1.1% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
BMW M3 problems: common questions
What is the most common problem with a BMW M3?
Of the faults that fail an MOT, “Tyres: ply or cords exposed” is the most common: it appears on 9.4% of failed BMW M3 tests. Across categories, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment is the area that most often fails one, on 31.4% of failed tests.
How often does a BMW M3 fail its MOT?
13.3% of BMW M3 tests in 2025 were not passed first time, from 16,315 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 79 out of 100, where 50 is as expected.
Does anything fail more often on a BMW M3 than on other cars?
Yes. “Tyres: ply or cords exposed” appears on 9.4% of its failures against 4.1% for cars of the same age, and “SRS malfunction indicator lamp: warning lamp indicates a fault” appears on 4.3% of its failures against 2.3% 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 M3 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 | 16,315 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.