Does the BMW M3 fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The BMW M3 records 0.59 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 4.58 expected for a car of the same age mix: less than expected for its class and age (−3.99, 95% interval −4.12 to −3.85). It ranks 595 of 640 models on steering (1 = most failures above expected).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on steering · check a BMW M3 by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the BMW M3 is “Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc”, recorded 177 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 177 | 0.18 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 171 | 0.17 |
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 101 | 0.10 |
| Power steering fluid leaking or system malfunctioning | 59 | 0.06 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 97,728 (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 M3 gets a steering advisory, how often does it fail next time?
2.6% of BMW M3 MOTs with a steering advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12.7 months and 1,309 miles later (620 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 620 (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 M3 1998 · BMW M3 1999 · BMW M3 2001 · BMW M3 2002 · BMW M3 2003 · BMW M3 2004 · BMW M3 2005 · BMW M3 2006 · BMW M3 2007 · BMW M3 2008 · BMW M3 2009 · BMW M3 2010 · BMW M3 2011 · BMW M3 2012 · BMW M3 2013 · BMW M3 2014 · BMW M3 2015 · BMW M3 2016 · BMW M3 2017 · BMW M3 2018 · BMW M3 by postcode area · BMW M3 body, chassis and structure failures · BMW M3 brakes failures · BMW M3 vehicle identification failures · BMW M3 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · BMW M3 noise, emissions and leaks failures · BMW M3 road wheels failures · BMW M3 seat belts and airbags failures · BMW M3 suspension failures · BMW M3 tyres failures · BMW M3 visibility failures