BMW 7 Series, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls
16,606 BMW 7 Series are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 84.5% of initial MOT tests, 12.2 points above the 72.3% UK average.
Looking at a specific 7 Series? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
BMW 7 Series at the MOT
84.5% of 18,601 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the 7 Series 127th of 575 models. BMW 7 Series aged 3 to 5 years passed 92.1% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 77.5%.
First-time pass rate, 2025
Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.
Pass rate by age at test
BMW 7 Series tests in 2025.
Where 7 Series fail
Share of all failure items recorded on BMW 7 Series tests in 2025.
The items testers recorded most often were pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn (6%), tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5%) and ball joint excessively worn (4.6%).
The MOT page lists every common 7 Series MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.
What to look at on a viewing
The 7 Series's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.
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Suspension
Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters.22.6% of 7 Series failure items
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Tyres
Check tread depth across the full width of every tyre (the legal minimum is 1.6mm), and look for cuts, bulges and uneven wear.18% of 7 Series failure items
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Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting.15.3% of 7 Series failure items
BMW 7 Series in the UK
16,606 were licensed at the end of June 2026. The number licensed has fallen 21% since the end of 2014.
- Change since 2014
- −21%from 20,961 licensed
- Typical year of first use
- 2017half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2017 or earlier
- Declared off the road
- 7,67632% of those registered, under SORN
Licensed BMW 7 Series since 2014
Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.
Show the figures
| Date | Licensed |
|---|---|
| End of 2014 | 20,961 |
| End of 2015 | 20,586 |
| End of 2016 | 21,007 |
| End of 2017 | 21,302 |
| End of 2018 | 21,162 |
| End of 2019 | 20,757 |
| End of 2020 | 19,956 |
| End of 2021 | 20,098 |
| End of 2022 | 19,627 |
| End of 2023 | 18,278 |
| End of 2024 | 17,196 |
| End of 2025 | 16,817 |
| End of June 2026 | 16,606 |
How old they are
Licensed BMW 7 Series by year of first use.
A further 2,120 were first used before 2006.
Show the figures
| First used | Licensed, end 2025 |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,617 |
| 2024 | 777 |
| 2023 | 460 |
| 2022 | 619 |
| 2021 | 826 |
| 2020 | 790 |
| 2019 | 1,351 |
| 2018 | 1,238 |
| 2017 | 1,390 |
| 2016 | 1,317 |
| 2015 | 646 |
| 2014 | 807 |
| 2013 | 635 |
| 2012 | 657 |
| 2011 | 650 |
| 2010 | 445 |
| 2009 | 351 |
| 2008 | 418 |
| 2007 | 396 |
| 2006 | 513 |
7 Series engines and fuel
3.0 litre engines made up 81% of BMW 7 Series MOT tests in 2025, followed by 4.4 litre at 5.1%. Diesel accounts for 60% of licensed 7 Series and petrol for 20%.
Engine size at MOT, 2025
Share of 18,590 initial MOT tests in 2025.
Fuel type, licensed 7 Series
DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.
| Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 3,300 | 20% |
| Diesel | 10,039 | 60% |
| Plug-in hybrid | 2,412 | 15% |
| Hybrid electric | 824 | 5% |
| Gas | 31 | 0.2% |
BMW 7 Series recalls
46 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the BMW 7 Series. The 8 most recent are below. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every 7 Series is affected.
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Mar 2026 R/2026/092
Checking and re-securing the air-conditioning wiring harness
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The Safety Recall relates to the air-conditioning wiring harness located behind the dashboard. On the affected vehicles the wiring harness was fixed very close to a screw connection on the interior microfilter housing cover. The microfilter of the air conditioning system will be regularly replaced as part of the oil service. It cannot be ruled out that cables may be damaged when replacing the microfilter during a workshop visit. The filter cover has to be removed from the lower part of the instrument panel. After replacing the filter the cover has to be refitted at which point the wires may become damaged or trapped. If the wiring harness is damaged this could lead to malfunctions of the air conditioning system as well as to a short circuit. In case of a short circuit a sensor may overheat while the vehicle is in operation. As a result smoke may develop from the instrument panel and subsequently a fire cannot be ruled out.
- Remedy
- On the affected vehicles the air-conditioning wiring harness will be checked repaired if necessary and re-secured in a modified fixing.
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Oct 2025 R/2025/405
Replace the Engine Starter Motor
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- For affected vehicles there is a concern involving water ingress and corrosion to the starter motor for where a short circuit cannot be ruled out. It is strongly recommended to park the vehicle outdoors and not in the immediate vicinity of buildings until the repair has been carried out.
- Remedy
- Replacement of the starter motor.
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Oct 2024 R/2024/414
Hydraulic Brake System Unit Replacement
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles the brake servomotor was improperly welded. The weld seam might not withstand the stresses caused under high brake pressure leading to a requirement for a higher brake effort increasing the braking distance.
- Remedy
- Affected vehicles will have the hydraulic unit of the brake system replaced.
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Oct 2024 R/2024/409
Replace Double Universal Joint (Steering)
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles there may have been a deviation in the production of the double universal joint on the steering column. Certain steering movements could result in the component failing.
- Remedy
- Affected vehicles will have the double universal joint replaced.
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Sep 2024 R/2024/383
Integrated Braking System
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On certain vehicles the Integrated Brake (IB) system may be impaired due to contamination between electrical contacts.
- Remedy
- Vehicles that may be affected by contamination are required to have the vehicle's software updated which can detect signal interference before it occurs. If symptoms are detected you should refrain from use of the vehicle and the affected Integrated Brake (IB) system component will be replaced.
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May 2024 R/2024/191
Replace VANOS bolts N51 N52 N55
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles overtime the aluminium screws can loosen or break on the adjustable variable camshaft timing (VANOS) units potentially resulting in engine emergency mode being activated.
- Remedy
- On affected vehicles the eight aluminium screws will be replaced if evidence of faulty screws is found then the VANOS adjustment unit will also be replaced.
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Mar 2024 R/2024/119
Integrated Braking System
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles an unexpected loss of hydraulic brake assistance may occur and may result in a different pedal behaviour under specific conditions an extended braking distance may be experienced and ABS/Stability control may be impaired
- Remedy
- On the affected vehicles the Integrated Brake System will be replaced
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Nov 2023 R/2023/332
Check Steering Wheel and Rework Ground Connection
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles the steering wheel ground connection may have been insufficiently fastened during production which may result in the system detecting the hands are on the steering wheel even though they are not
- Remedy
- On affected vehicles the steering wheel ground connection will be checked and if required reworked.
Other BMW models
The most-tested BMW models in 2025, against the 7 Series's 84.5% MOT pass rate.
BMW 7 Series FAQs
How many BMW 7 Series are there in the UK?
16,606 BMW 7 Series were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 7,676 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.
Is the BMW 7 Series reliable?
MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is an 84.5% first-time pass rate for the BMW 7 Series across 18,601 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.
Has the BMW 7 Series had any recalls?
46 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the BMW 7 Series. The most recent was published in March 2026. A recall applies to vehicles built in a set period, so check a specific car on the GOV.UK vehicle recall checker.
What should I check before buying a used BMW 7 Series?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: suspension, tyres and lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment. Then check the individual car's own records. Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and police stolen markers are not part of the MOT record, so they take a history check.
How do I check a BMW 7 Series's history?
Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.
Already found a 7 Series?
Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.
Across the 1,548 vehicles of every make Carpeep has checked since November 2025, 19% had outstanding finance recorded and 13% an insurance write-off. More on the BMW history check. To confirm a car's identity, see the BMW VIN check.
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off records
- Stolen markers
- Mileage history
- Previous keepers
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), which also gives the engine sizes. Licensed, SORN, fuel and registration figures are from the Department for Transport vehicle licensing statistics (VEH0120, VEH0124, VEH0160). Recalls are from the DVSA vehicle recalls data, with recalls launched up to October 2026. Government data is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability. History-check findings are anonymous counts from reports bought on Carpeep, each vehicle counted once, and are published only where at least 100 vehicles returned an answer.