Does the BMW M5 fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The BMW M5 records 0.80 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 3.81 expected for a car of the same age mix: less than expected for its class and age (−3.01, 95% interval −3.25 to −2.77). It ranks 551 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 M5 by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the BMW M5 is “A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play”, recorded 82 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 82 | 0.32 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 57 | 0.22 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 31 | 0.12 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 25,897 (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
Other pages for this model
BMW M5 2011 · BMW M5 2012 · BMW M5 2013 · BMW M5 2014 · BMW M5 2015 · BMW M5 2016 · BMW M5 in the Netherlands · BMW M5 by postcode area · BMW M5 body, chassis and structure failures · BMW M5 brakes failures · BMW M5 vehicle identification failures · BMW M5 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · BMW M5 noise, emissions and leaks failures · BMW M5 road wheels failures · BMW M5 seat belts and airbags failures · BMW M5 suspension failures · BMW M5 tyres failures · BMW M5 visibility failures