Does the BMW 1 Series fail the MOT on lamps, reflectors and electrics more than it should?
The BMW 1 Series records 10.18 lamps, reflectors and electrics failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 15.12 expected for a car of the same age mix: less than expected for its class and age (−4.94, 95% interval −4.99 to −4.89). It ranks 523 of 729 models on lamps, reflectors and electrics (1 = most failures above expected).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on lamps, reflectors and electrics · check a BMW 1 Series by registration
What exactly fails on lamps, reflectors and electrics?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the BMW 1 Series is “The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements”, recorded 43,593 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 43,593 | 1.94 |
| A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 34,638 | 1.54 |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 32,509 | 1.44 |
| A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED | 21,363 | 0.95 |
| A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 17,782 | 0.79 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 2,252,061 (initial tests) · Method: failure items (major and minor) grouped by DVSA's defect tree; wordings with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
If a BMW 1 Series gets a lamps, reflectors and electrics advisory, how often does it fail next time?
18.4% of BMW 1 Series MOTs with a lamps, reflectors and electrics advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12.1 months and 6,276 miles later (21,806 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 21,806 (advisories followed) · Method: the same vehicles followed to their next ordinary MOT · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
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