Reliability report
BMW Z4 reliability and common faults
Based on 38,950 roadworthiness tests, led by the UK MOT. Each country is compared only with its own average for cars of the same age.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · MOT
19.1%
fail rate · average 28.0%
much better than average
34,929 MOT tests (DVSA)
🇳🇱 Netherlands · APK
28.2%
with defects · average 48.6%
much better than average
3,469 APK inspections (RDW)
🇱🇹 Lithuania · inspection
61.2%
first-time pass · average 48.5%
much better than average
552 inspections
Testing regimes differ from country to country – don’t compare the figures between countries; compare each one only with its own average. MOT data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Weak spots
What goes wrong on the BMW Z4
How often each area fails compared with the average car of the same age (vertical line = average, 100%). Red – more often than average.
Wheels
Seat belts and airbags
Plates and identification
Tyres
Exhaust and emissions
Visibility
Brakes
Suspension
Lights and electrics
Steering
Body and structure
Most common test failures
- 1Excessive leakage of other fluids
- 2Airbag / seatbelt system warning light indicates a fault
- 3Tyre pressure not at correct value
- 4Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm
- 5Low beam incorrectly adjusted
Results by vehicle age
| Age | 🇬🇧 MOT fail rate | 🇳🇱 APK defects |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 7.6% avg 9.9% | 17.2% avg 27.0% |
| 6–8 years | 10.3% avg 15.3% | 17.2% avg 36.7% |
| 9–11 years | 16.0% avg 22.9% | 22.2% avg 44.4% |
| 12–15 years | 17.1% avg 30.3% | 25.7% avg 55.4% |
| 16–20 years | 23.6% avg 34.6% | 52.2% avg 64.7% |
| 21+ years | 25.7% avg 31.4% | 56.0% avg 68.4% |
🇱🇹 First-time pass rate in Lithuania – by year of manufacture
| Year | Z4 | Average for year | Inspections |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 60.7% | 61.2% | 56 |
| 2009 | 78.0% | 54.5% | 59 |
| 2008 | 48.6% | 52.4% | 35 |
| 2007 | 54.8% | 50.6% | 42 |
| 2006 | 51.2% | 48.7% | 41 |
| 2005 | 60.4% | 46.6% | 53 |
| 2004 | 62.8% | 44.5% | 86 |
| 2003 | 61.8% | 42.9% | 170 |
BMW Z4 – FAQs
How reliable is the BMW Z4?+
In the UK the BMW Z4 fails 19.1% of MOT tests, against an average of 28.0% for cars of the same age – much better than average. In the Netherlands, inspectors found defects at 28.2% of APK inspections (average there 48.6%) – much better than average. In Lithuania 61.2% pass their roadworthiness test first time (average for those years there 48.5%) – much better than average.
What goes wrong most often on the BMW Z4?+
Compared with the average car of the same age, testers find faults more often in these areas: wheels, seat belts and airbags.
What should I check when buying a used BMW Z4?+
The most common inspection failures: Excessive leakage of other fluids; Airbag / seatbelt system warning light indicates a fault; Tyre pressure not at correct value; Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm; Low beam incorrectly adjusted. Before you buy, also check the free MOT history on GOV.UK and the car’s history by reg or VIN (mileage, damage, theft).
More BMW models
Sources: anonymised MOT test results (DVSA) – contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0; APK inspection defects (RDW, open data); Lithuanian roadworthiness test results (data.gov.lt). Initial tests only; retests are not counted. Photo: Alexander-93, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons (licence).