BMW Z4, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls
31,383 BMW Z4s are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 77.7% of initial MOT tests, 5.4 points above the 72.3% UK average.
Looking at a specific Z4? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
BMW Z4 at the MOT
77.7% of 35,179 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the Z4 228th of 575 models. BMW Z4s aged 3 to 5 years passed 90.5% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 74.2%.
First-time pass rate, 2025
Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.
Pass rate by age at test
BMW Z4 tests in 2025.
Where Z4s fail
Share of all failure items recorded on BMW Z4 tests in 2025.
The items testers recorded most often were condition has ply or cords exposed (5.4%), wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively (4.3%) and tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.2%).
The MOT page lists every common Z4 MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.
What to look at on a viewing
The Z4's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.
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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.18.6% of Z4 failure items
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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.17.9% of Z4 failure items
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Brakes
Make sure the pedal feels firm, the car stops in a straight line, the handbrake holds on a slope and no brake warning light is showing.17.2% of Z4 failure items
BMW Z4s in the UK
31,383 were licensed at the end of June 2026. The number licensed is roughly where it was at the end of 2014, after peaking at 33,269 at the end of 2016.
- Change since 2014
- −1.6%from 31,888 licensed
- Typical year of first use
- 2011half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2011 or earlier
- Declared off the road
- 5,67115% of those registered, under SORN
Licensed BMW Z4s since 2014
Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.
Show the figures
| Date | Licensed |
|---|---|
| End of 2014 | 31,888 |
| End of 2015 | 32,817 |
| End of 2016 | 33,269 |
| End of 2017 | 32,839 |
| End of 2018 | 31,824 |
| End of 2019 | 32,083 |
| End of 2020 | 32,362 |
| End of 2021 | 32,390 |
| End of 2022 | 32,144 |
| End of 2023 | 31,606 |
| End of 2024 | 30,576 |
| End of 2025 | 29,896 |
| End of June 2026 | 31,383 |
How old they are
Licensed BMW Z4s by year of first use.
A further 5,305 were first used before 2006.
Show the figures
| First used | Licensed, end 2025 |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 601 |
| 2024 | 772 |
| 2023 | 768 |
| 2022 | 792 |
| 2021 | 945 |
| 2020 | 1,407 |
| 2019 | 1,847 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2017 | 131 |
| 2016 | 1,172 |
| 2015 | 1,504 |
| 2014 | 1,811 |
| 2013 | 1,471 |
| 2012 | 1,708 |
| 2011 | 1,798 |
| 2010 | 1,757 |
| 2009 | 2,178 |
| 2008 | 1,440 |
| 2007 | 2,494 |
| 2006 | 2,181 |
Z4 engine sizes
2.0 litre engines made up 46% of BMW Z4 MOT tests in 2025, followed by 3.0 litre at 25%. Petrol accounts for 100% of licensed Z4s.
Engine size at MOT, 2025
Share of 35,172 initial MOT tests in 2025.
BMW Z4 recalls
14 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the BMW Z4. The 8 most recent are below. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every Z4 is affected.
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Mar 2026 R/2026/054
Replace the Engine Starter Motor
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The Safety Recall relates to the engine starter motor. The fault relates to the RSW22 starter RWT (reinforced water tightness). It was found that with RWT starters an increased abrasion of the magnetic contact can cause the growth of deposits at the lowest point of the relay interior. This in turn may increase the relay contact resistance resulting in false starts or even causing short circuits and possibly a thermal reaction. In case of a short circuit the possibility of a thermal event cannot be excluded. This may happen while attempting to start the vehicle or while driving due to vibrations causing a short circuit due to moving deposits.
- Remedy
- On the affected vehicles the starter motor will be replaced with a variant by another supplier with a different design. Until the repair has been completed it is recommended to not leave the vehicle running unattended after starting the engine.
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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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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 2021 R/2021/085
Affected vehicles may be fitted with brake discs which are not to specification
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Affected vehicles may be fitted with brake discs which were not produced according to the specifications
- Remedy
- On the affected vehicles the brake discs will be checked and if necessary replaced
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Nov 2020 R/2020/347
On affected vehicles there is a possible failure of the fuel tank welding joint which could lead to leakage
Defect and remedy
- Remedy
- Replace the fuel tank
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Aug 2020 R/2020/219
Steering tie rod can become broken in the 'kink' groove area of the rod
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- A steering tie rod with an earlier design configuration can become broken in the kink groove area of the rod.
- Remedy
- Both of the steering tie rods will be replaced on the affected vehicles.
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Dec 2019 R/2019/368
The pressing force of the bearing bushing into the crankcase may be out of specification
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The engine counterbalance shaft bearing bushing into the crankcase may be out of specification
- Remedy
- Replace the engine of affected vehicles
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Jun 2018 R/2018/132
Plug in contact cable may malfunction
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The positive battery cable to the front distribution box behind the glove box can become damaged by vibrations and frictional corrosion. This may cause a loss of electrical connection to the distributions box. Symptoms include being unable to gain entry or start the car but the most common are a flickering instrument panel or uneven engine performance. However if the electrical connection is completely lost this will also affect the operation of the vehicles lighting systems; e.g. sidelights or hazard warning lamps.
- Remedy
- On affected vehicles carry out a suitable repair to the battery cable positive cable.
Other BMW models
The most-tested BMW models in 2025, against the Z4's 77.7% MOT pass rate.
BMW Z4 FAQs
How many BMW Z4s are there in the UK?
31,383 BMW Z4s were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 5,671 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.
Is the BMW Z4 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 a 77.7% first-time pass rate for the BMW Z4 across 35,179 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.
Has the BMW Z4 had any recalls?
14 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the BMW Z4. 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 Z4?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, suspension and brakes. 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 Z4'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 Z4?
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.