BMW X4 Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the BMW X4 fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 36,284 MOT tests across 8 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: premium performance | Fuel: Petrol, Diesel
91%
BMW X4 pass rate
88%
BMW average
82%
All-model average
The BMW X4 has an average MOT pass rate of 91%, which is 3 points above the BMW average and 9 points above the average across all models in our data. Newer BMW X4s pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 5 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the BMW X4 Fails Its MOT On
Of the 2,398 MOT tests on the BMW X4 that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Tyres
35%Cars and vans the same age: 28% · Typical repair £50-£300
Suspension
24%Cars and vans the same age: 25% · Typical repair £150-£600
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
21%Cars and vans the same age: 16% (the X4 fails on this more often) · Typical repair £10-£350
Lights and electrics
18%Cars and vans the same age: 29% (the X4 fails on this less often) · Typical repair £15-£200
Brakes
12%Cars and vans the same age: 20% (the X4 fails on this less often) · Typical repair £80-£450
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Coil spring: fractured or broken (16% of failed tests, suspension)
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively (14% of failed tests, windscreen, wipers and mirrors)
- Tyre tread depth below the 1.6mm limit (11% of failed tests, tyres)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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BMW X4 Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each X4 year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points less often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
BMW X4 Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
BMW X4 Running Costs
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BMW X4 FAQ
What are the most common BMW X4 problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the BMW X4 that failed at the first attempt most often failed on tyres (35% of the 2,398 failed tests), suspension (24%) and windscreen, wipers and mirrors (21%). The single most common fault was "Coil spring: fractured or broken" (16%). Across 36,284 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 91% ended in a pass.
Is the BMW X4 reliable?
The BMW X4 has an average MOT pass rate of 91%, from 36,284 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed 3 points more often on average, a better than average result for its age.
Which BMW X4 years should I avoid?
No BMW X4 year with 1,000+ tests passed 3 or more points less often than all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). The years that passed most often for their age were the 2014 (89% of 1,863 tests passed, against 82% for all 2014 cars), the 2015 (88% of 5,099 tests passed, against 84% for all 2015 cars) and the 2018 (93% of 4,985 tests passed, against 89% for all 2018 cars). A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common BMW X4 faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a BMW X4 typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other BMW Models
Common problems pages for other BMW models