BMW M5, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls
7,356 BMW M5s are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 87.6% of initial MOT tests, 15.3 points above the 72.3% UK average.
Looking at a specific M5? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
BMW M5 at the MOT
87.6% of 3,829 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the M5 80th of 575 models. BMW M5s aged 6 to 10 years passed 89% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 86.9%.
First-time pass rate, 2025
Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.
Pass rate by age at test
BMW M5 tests in 2025.
Where M5s fail
Share of all failure items recorded on BMW M5 tests in 2025.
The items testers recorded most often were coil spring fractured or broken (5.9%), condition has ply or cords exposed (5.1%) and tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.9%).
The MOT page lists every common M5 MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.
What to look at on a viewing
The M5'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.19.4% of M5 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.17.8% of M5 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.16.9% of M5 failure items
BMW M5s in the UK
7,356 were licensed at the end of June 2026. The number licensed has grown 55% since the end of 2014.
- Change since 2014
- +55%from 4,738 licensed
- Typical year of first use
- 2018half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2018 or earlier
- First registered in 2025
- 827against 1,267 in 2019
- Declared off the road
- 2,44125% of those registered, under SORN
Licensed BMW M5s since 2014
Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.
Show the figures
| Date | Licensed |
|---|---|
| End of 2014 | 4,738 |
| End of 2015 | 4,862 |
| End of 2016 | 5,123 |
| End of 2017 | 4,874 |
| End of 2018 | 5,052 |
| End of 2019 | 5,933 |
| End of 2020 | 6,080 |
| End of 2021 | 6,229 |
| End of 2022 | 6,292 |
| End of 2023 | 6,210 |
| End of 2024 | 6,065 |
| End of 2025 | 6,603 |
| End of June 2026 | 7,356 |
How old they are
Licensed BMW M5s by year of first use.
- Licensed at the end of 2025
- First registered that year
A further 605 were first used before 2004.
Show the figures
| First used | Licensed, end 2025 | First registered that year |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 288 | 258 |
| 2022 | 467 | 436 |
| 2021 | 560 | 567 |
| 2020 | 368 | 439 |
| 2019 | 1,018 | 1,267 |
| 2018 | 438 | 590 |
| 2017 | 22 | 44 |
| 2016 | 342 | 490 |
| 2015 | 307 | 457 |
| 2014 | 368 | |
| 2013 | 392 | |
| 2012 | 232 | |
| 2011 | 54 | |
| 2010 | 8 | |
| 2009 | 12 | |
| 2008 | 60 | |
| 2007 | 146 | |
| 2006 | 147 | |
| 2005 | 164 | |
| 2004 | 1 |
M5 engines and fuel
4.4 litre engines made up 56% of BMW M5 MOT tests in 2025, followed by 5.0 litre at 21%. Petrol accounts for 80% of licensed M5s and plug-in hybrid for 20%.
Engine size at MOT, 2025
Share of 3,827 initial MOT tests in 2025.
Fuel type, licensed M5s
DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.
| Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 5,854 | 80% |
| Diesel | 1 | <0.1% |
| Plug-in hybrid | 1,494 | 20% |
| Hybrid electric | 7 | 0.1% |
BMW M5 recalls
10 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the BMW M5. The 8 most recent are below. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every M5 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 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.
-
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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Aug 2022 R/2022/257
Screw connections of some seats and seatbelts may not have been properly tightened during vehicle production
Defect and remedy
- Remedy
- : Inspect and ensure all affected seats and belts are correctly secured and tightened to specification.
-
Dec 2021 R/2021/442
The material quality of the screws used for seat belts and rear seats may not be to specifications
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The material quality of seat and seatbelt screws may not be according to specification.
- Remedy
- On the affected vehicles the screws will be replaced in specific locations on the seat belts or rear seats.
-
Feb 2020 R/2019/443
Incorrect routing of the gearbox wiring harness
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- An incorrect routing of the gearbox wiring harness could lead to wiring harness damage
- Remedy
- On the affected vehicles the transmission wiring harness will be reworked
-
Jul 2019 R/2019/369
The flange of the high pressure fuel pumps may not have been attached to the cylinder head correctly
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The flange of the HPFP may not have been attached to the cylinder head according to specifications.
- Remedy
- Both High Pressure Fuel Pumps will be replaced.
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Aug 2018 R/2018/215
Distance between sensor and in-tank fuel line could be too small
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The fault affects the fuel level sensor within the fuel tank.The distance between the sensor and an in-tank fuel line could be too small which could allow the sensor to contact the fuel line and in some cases become stuck. If the fuel sensor becomes stuck the fuel gauge in the instrument cluster displays a larger amount of fuel than is actually in the tank. Therefore the tank could become empty leading to the engine stalling without prior warning.
- Remedy
- On the affected vehicles the fuel line supply unit system will be reworked.
Other BMW models
The most-tested BMW models in 2025, against the M5's 87.6% MOT pass rate.
BMW M5 FAQs
How many BMW M5s are there in the UK?
7,356 BMW M5s were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 2,441 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.
Is the BMW M5 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 87.6% first-time pass rate for the BMW M5 across 3,829 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.
Has the BMW M5 had any recalls?
10 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the BMW M5. 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 M5?
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 M5'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 an M5?
Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.
Across the 1,389 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 July 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.