BMW 3 Series: reliability by registration year
1988-2023 · 33 registration years · 455,659 first tests
Registration years
First-attempt MOT results for every 3 Series registration year with at least 500 first tests in 2025. Pass rates rise with newer cars, so read a year against its neighbours rather than against the top of the table. Years without their own report are listed here with the same figures.
| Year | First tests | First-attempt pass | Incl. PRS | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 581 | 88.6% | 90.0% | |
| 2022 | 12,310 | 85.1% | 87.0% | Tyre condition (front) 38.7% |
| 2021 | 23,580 | 86.8% | 88.4% | Tyre condition (front) 31.9% |
| 2020 | 20,095 | 87.0% | 88.6% | Tyre condition (front) 26.1% |
| 2019 | 24,151 | 86.9% | 88.4% | Tyre condition (front) 24.8% |
| 2018 | 23,137 | 85.6% | 87.4% | Tyre condition (rear) 19.5% |
| 2017 | 29,056 | 84.3% | 86.7% | Tyre condition (rear) 14.8% |
| 2016 | 29,997 | 83.1% | 86.1% | Tyre condition (rear) 13.3% |
| about 1 in every 100 better than the years either side. What most often failed a 2016 3 Series: Tyre condition (rear) (13.3%) · Tyre tread depth (rear) (9.9%) · Shock absorbers (front) (9.6%) | ||||
| 2015 | 30,018 | 79.5% | 83.6% | Tyre condition (rear) 12.6% |
| 2014 | 30,147 | 75.5% | 80.7% | Individual sidelight or tail light (front) 12.3% |
| 2013 | 32,095 | 72.8% | 78.0% | Individual sidelight or tail light (front) 11.7% |
| 2012 | 30,011 | 67.8% | 73.5% | Individual sidelight or tail light (front) 12.4% |
| about 3 in every 100 worse than the years either side. What most often failed a 2012 3 Series: Individual sidelight or tail light (front) (12.4%) · Shock absorbers (rear) (9.1%) · Tyre condition (rear) (8.8%) | ||||
| 2011 | 24,338 | 69.0% | 74.5% | Individual sidelight or tail light (front) 15.5% |
| 2010 | 22,182 | 67.6% | 73.5% | Individual sidelight or tail light (front) 14.6% |
| 2009 | 19,579 | 66.5% | 72.6% | Individual sidelight or tail light (front) 13.3% |
| 2008 | 18,398 | 67.6% | 73.9% | Handbrake efficiency below minimum (roller test) 10.7% |
| 2007 | 20,883 | 68.0% | 74.5% | Tyre condition (rear) 10.4% |
| 2006 | 15,148 | 67.1% | 74.1% | Handbrake efficiency below minimum (roller test) 12.2% |
| 2005 | 9,502 | 66.0% | 72.7% | Handbrake efficiency below minimum (roller test) 15.5% |
| 2004 | 7,975 | 66.5% | 72.7% | Handbrake efficiency below minimum (roller test) 18.0% |
| 2003 | 8,626 | 66.7% | 72.8% | Handbrake efficiency below minimum (roller test) 17.2% |
| 2002 | 6,585 | 66.2% | 72.7% | Handbrake efficiency below minimum (roller test) 14.2% |
| 2001 | 4,303 | 65.1% | 71.9% | Handbrake efficiency below minimum (roller test) 13.9% |
| 2000 | 2,300 | 66.0% | 72.6% | Suspension arm ball joint (front) 11.9% |
| 1999 | 2,275 | 68.8% | 74.8% | Airbag warning light 13.1% |
| 1998 | 1,807 | 68.0% | 75.3% | Petrol emissions (with catalyst) 20.2% |
| 1997 | 1,403 | 69.9% | 75.5% | Petrol emissions (with catalyst) 19.9% |
| 1996 | 1,034 | 68.2% | 73.9% | Petrol emissions (with catalyst) 20.3% |
| 1995 | 698 | 66.6% | 73.8% | |
| 1991 | 694 | 79.7% | 83.9% | |
| 1990 | 1,211 | 79.1% | 82.8% | |
| 1989 | 956 | 81.3% | 84.7% | |
| 1988 | 584 | 80.5% | 84.1% | |