Does the BMW X5 fail the MOT on suspension more than it should?
The BMW X5 records 13.05 suspension failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 16.56 expected for a car of the same age mix: less than expected for its class and age (−3.51, 95% interval −3.62 to −3.40). It ranks 444 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 X5 by registration
What exactly fails on suspension?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the BMW X5 is “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn”, recorded 34,894 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 34,894 | 6.68 |
| A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated | 10,422 | 2.00 |
| A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 9,222 | 1.77 |
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 6,368 | 1.22 |
| A suspension pin, bush or joint likely to become detached | 1,073 | 0.21 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 522,338 (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 X5 gets a suspension advisory, how often does it fail next time?
17.9% of BMW X5 MOTs with a suspension advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12.1 months and 5,794 miles later (48,217 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 48,217 (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
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