BMW 7 Series 2011: MOT failure rate for its age
20.8% of 5,871 MOT tests of the BMW 7 Series first registered in 2011 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 101.7 (95% CI 96.0–107.4; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2011 build year is no different from other years of the same model at the same age.
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 20.8 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 5871 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 96.0–107.4) | 101.7 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 5871 |
| Rank among this model's 22 build years | 14 | of 22 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 5871 |
| Tested in 2024 | 846 | tests | median 117,791 miles | 2024 | 846 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2011 BMW 7 Series fail at each age?
Cars built in 2011 were tested at ages 8 to 13 between 2019 and 2024. Each row compares their first-time failure share with what this model normally shows at that age, after allowing for the overall failure level of each test year.
| Age | Tests | Failed, % | 95% interval | Normal for this model at that age, % | Index (100 = normal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 1,125 | 20 | 17.8–22.4 | 18.8 | 106.6 |
| 9 | 1,016 | 19.6 | 17.3–22.1 | 18.5 | 106.2 |
| 10 | 1,008 | 23.7 | 21.2–26.4 | 19.9 | 119 |
| 11 | 966 | 20.3 | 17.9–22.9 | 20.5 | 98.8 |
| 12 | 910 | 21 | 18.5–23.8 | 22 | 95.5 |
| 13 | 846 | 19.9 | 17.3–22.7 | 23.6 | 84.3 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 5,871 (initial tests) · Method: normal rate = this model's first-time failure share at that age across its build years (cells of 400+ tests), adjusted for each test year's overall level; cells of 30+ tests, under 500 marked rough · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
What fails most on the 2011 BMW 7 Series?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2011 is suspension: 15.6 items per 100 first tests, against 13.8 across all build years of the BMW 7 Series. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2011 were tested at ages 8 to 13.
| Failure group | Built 2011, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 15.6 | 13.8 | 917 |
| Tyres | 8.8 | 8.1 | 518 |
| Visibility | 6 | 6.9 | 355 |
| Brakes | 3.5 | 7.5 | 206 |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 3.5 | 7.4 | 204 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 5,871 (initial tests of this build year) · Method: failure items grouped by DVSA's top-level defect groups, per 100 initial tests; groups with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How does 2011 compare with the years around it?
Among the 22 published build years of the BMW 7 Series, 2011 ranks 14 (1 = fails least for its age). 2010: index 88.5. 2012: index 102.3.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 96.9 | 85.9–107.9 | no different (rough estimate) | 879 |
| 2000 | 95.4 | 86.5–104.2 | no different (rough estimate) | 1,361 |
| 2001 | 95.9 | 88.0–103.7 | no different (rough estimate) | 1,775 |
| 2002 | 97.4 | 88.3–106.4 | no different (rough estimate) | 1,394 |
| 2003 | 100.6 | 94.0–107.1 | no different (rough estimate) | 2,833 |
| 2004 | 102.4 | 95.6–109.3 | no different (rough estimate) | 2,654 |
| 2005 | 102.5 | 97.0–107.9 | no different | 4,356 |
| 2006 | 104.9 | 100.3–109.4 | worse | 6,890 |
| 2007 | 101.7 | 96.0–107.5 | no different | 4,370 |
| 2008 | 102.7 | 97.0–108.5 | no different | 4,674 |
| 2009 | 92.0 | 85.7–98.2 | better (rough estimate) | 3,803 |
| 2010 | 88.5 | 82.8–94.1 | better | 4,842 |
| 2011 | 101.7 | 96.0–107.4 | no different | 5,871 |
| 2012 | 102.3 | 96.3–108.4 | no different | 5,772 |
| 2013 | 111.5 | 104.2–118.7 | worse | 4,776 |
| 2014 | 110.9 | 104.0–117.8 | worse | 5,826 |
| 2015 | 105.8 | 97.8–113.9 | no different | 4,690 |
| 2016 | 90.7 | 85.2–96.1 | better | 9,755 |
| 2017 | 90.1 | 84.3–95.9 | better | 9,447 |
| 2018 | 91.1 | 83.9–98.3 | better | 6,707 |
| 2019 | 93.4 | 84.9–101.9 | no different | 5,256 |
| 2020 | 83.5 | 70.2–96.8 | better (rough estimate) | 2,022 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 99,953 (initial tests) · Method: observed failures against those expected for the same model at the same ages, test-year level adjusted; verdict follows the printed one-decimal bound · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How to cite this page
MOT Risk Index (2026). BMW 7 Series 2011 MOT statistics (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 30 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/bmw-7-series/2011/
How every figure is calculated: methodology. Age, test year and build year are tied together (age = test year − build year), so the test-year level is taken as observed, not estimated.
Other pages for this model
BMW 7 Series 1999 · BMW 7 Series 2000 · BMW 7 Series 2001 · BMW 7 Series 2002 · BMW 7 Series 2003 · BMW 7 Series 2004 · BMW 7 Series 2005 · BMW 7 Series 2006 · BMW 7 Series 2007 · BMW 7 Series 2008 · BMW 7 Series 2009 · BMW 7 Series 2010 · BMW 7 Series 2012 · BMW 7 Series 2013 · BMW 7 Series 2014 · BMW 7 Series 2015 · BMW 7 Series 2016 · BMW 7 Series 2017 · BMW 7 Series 2018 · BMW 7 Series 2019 · BMW 7 Series 2020 · BMW 7 Series in Finland · BMW 7 Series by postcode area · BMW 7 Series body, chassis and structure failures · BMW 7 Series brakes failures · BMW 7 Series vehicle identification failures · BMW 7 Series lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · BMW 7 Series noise, emissions and leaks failures · BMW 7 Series road wheels failures · BMW 7 Series seat belts and airbags failures · BMW 7 Series steering failures · BMW 7 Series suspension failures · BMW 7 Series tyres failures · BMW 7 Series visibility failures