Does the BMW 8 Series fail the MOT on suspension more than it should?
The BMW 8 Series records 8.31 suspension failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 8.44 expected for a car of the same age mix: about as expected for its class and age (the difference is within its interval or under 0.5 items per 100 tests) (−0.13, 95% interval −0.58 to +0.32). It ranks 267 of 701 models on suspension (1 = most failures above expected).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on suspension · check a BMW 8 Series by registration
What exactly fails on suspension?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the BMW 8 Series is “A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated”, recorded 474 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated | 474 | 2.94 |
| A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 297 | 1.84 |
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 296 | 1.84 |
| The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired | 102 | 0.63 |
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 63 | 0.39 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 16,114 (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 8 Series gets a suspension advisory, how often does it fail next time?
18.8% of BMW 8 Series MOTs with a suspension advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12.1 months and 731 miles later (1,081 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 1,081 (advisories followed) · Method: the same vehicles followed to their next ordinary MOT · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
Other pages for this model
BMW 8 Series 2018 · BMW 8 Series 2019 · BMW 8 Series 2020 · BMW 8 Series by postcode area · BMW 8 Series body, chassis and structure failures · BMW 8 Series brakes failures · BMW 8 Series vehicle identification failures · BMW 8 Series lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · BMW 8 Series noise, emissions and leaks failures · BMW 8 Series road wheels failures · BMW 8 Series seat belts and airbags failures · BMW 8 Series steering failures · BMW 8 Series tyres failures · BMW 8 Series visibility failures