BMW X3 2012: MOT failure rate for its age
26.6% of 42,021 MOT tests of the BMW X3 first registered in 2012 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 107.1 (95% CI 105.2–109.1; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2012 BMW X3 fails more often than other build years of the same model at the same age.
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 26.6 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 42021 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 105.2–109.1) | 107.1 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 42021 |
| Rank among this model's 17 build years | 16 | of 17 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 42021 |
| Tested in 2024 | 6759 | tests | median 103,445 miles | 2024 | 6759 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2012 BMW X3 fail at each age?
Cars built in 2012 were tested at ages 7 to 12 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 7,294 | 22 | 21.1–23 | 22.1 | 99.9 |
| 8 | 6,938 | 24.6 | 23.6–25.6 | 22.9 | 107.3 |
| 9 | 7,060 | 26.8 | 25.8–27.8 | 24.4 | 109.7 |
| 10 | 7,008 | 27.8 | 26.8–28.9 | 25.4 | 109.6 |
| 11 | 6,962 | 28.9 | 27.9–30 | 26.7 | 108.5 |
| 12 | 6,759 | 29.8 | 28.7–30.9 | 27.8 | 107.2 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 42,021 (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 2012 BMW X3?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2012 is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 16.5 items per 100 first tests, against 8.7 across all build years of the BMW X3. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2012 were tested at ages 7 to 12.
| Failure group | Built 2012, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 16.5 | 8.7 | 6,923 |
| Tyres | 9.1 | 8.5 | 3,809 |
| Visibility | 7 | 7 | 2,953 |
| Suspension | 6.1 | 7.3 | 2,559 |
| Brakes | 5.2 | 6 | 2,196 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 42,021 (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 2012 compare with the years around it?
Among the 17 published build years of the BMW X3, 2012 ranks 16 (1 = fails least for its age). 2011: index 92.2. 2013: index 106.2.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 101.0 | 98.7–103.3 | no different | 19,720 |
| 2005 | 103.4 | 101.2–105.7 | worse | 22,383 |
| 2006 | 99.8 | 97.7–101.8 | no different | 26,172 |
| 2007 | 102.7 | 100.1–105.2 | worse | 18,454 |
| 2008 | 96.3 | 93.1–99.4 | better | 11,719 |
| 2009 | 96.8 | 93.2–100.4 | no different | 9,583 |
| 2010 | 88.9 | 84.4–93.3 | better | 5,972 |
| 2011 | 92.2 | 89.9–94.5 | better | 25,503 |
| 2012 | 107.1 | 105.2–109.1 | worse | 42,021 |
| 2013 | 106.2 | 104.1–108.2 | worse | 43,616 |
| 2014 | 109.6 | 107.2–111.9 | worse | 37,128 |
| 2015 | 103.2 | 100.9–105.5 | worse | 42,481 |
| 2016 | 101.1 | 98.9–103.2 | no different | 55,126 |
| 2017 | 92.5 | 90.1–95.0 | better | 43,016 |
| 2018 | 86.9 | 84.1–89.8 | better | 33,119 |
| 2019 | 89.7 | 87.1–92.2 | better | 48,161 |
| 2020 | 105.2 | 100.1–110.3 | worse | 15,487 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 499,661 (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 X3 2012 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-x3/2012/
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 X3 2004 · BMW X3 2005 · BMW X3 2006 · BMW X3 2007 · BMW X3 2008 · BMW X3 2009 · BMW X3 2010 · BMW X3 2011 · BMW X3 2013 · BMW X3 2014 · BMW X3 2015 · BMW X3 2016 · BMW X3 2017 · BMW X3 2018 · BMW X3 2019 · BMW X3 2020 · BMW X3 in Norway · BMW X3 in Finland · BMW X3 in the Netherlands · BMW X3 by postcode area · BMW X3 body, chassis and structure failures · BMW X3 brakes failures · BMW X3 vehicle identification failures · BMW X3 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · BMW X3 noise, emissions and leaks failures · BMW X3 road wheels failures · BMW X3 seat belts and airbags failures · BMW X3 steering failures · BMW X3 suspension failures · BMW X3 tyres failures · BMW X3 visibility failures