Used car guide

2022 BMW 218I: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2022 BMW 218Is, from 4,789 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

4,789MOT tests in 2025
89%pass first time (all 2022 cars: 89%)
8,200typical miles a year
1.7×the usual rate for tyre condition

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2022 BMW 218Is than on all cars registered in 2022.

  • Tyre condition1.7× usual
    BMW 218I
    16.5% All 2022 cars
    9.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.9%, against 3.8% of all 2022 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £70–£150 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges. Uneven wear can point to tracking or suspension problems.

Better than most

Brake discs: 1.5% here, against 4.6% of all 2022 cars.

By area

The share of 2022 BMW 218I MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    29% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    7% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Lights and electrics
    4% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    3% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    3% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

  • Suspension
    1% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2023363Tyres 16%
20218,010Tyres 27%
20204,345Tyres 30%
20194,410Tyres 30%
20181,829Tyres 29%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2022 BMW 218Is registered in 2022. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score