The picture
7 Series: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 3,812 MOT tests, the 7 Series returns 87.7% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is windscreen damage. Tyre tread under the limit and a tyre with the cords showing round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 75,093, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
102 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 02
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
71 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
- 03
A tyre cords visible or damaged
62 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 04
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
52 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 05
A tyre seriously damaged
49 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 06
A tyre seriously damaged
48 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 07
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
42 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 08
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
41 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 09
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
26 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
- 10
Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel
24 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£200–£430
If every one of this 7 Series's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Buying or keeping a 7 Series?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a 7 Series and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.