Mercedes-Benz 200 MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 43 model years and 3,823 tests, the Mercedes-Benz 200 passes its MOT 78.9% of the time. All cars of a similar age fail at 21.8%, so the 200 sits squarely on the average. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (10.9%) and suspension (9.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, position lamp and ball joint dust cover — headlamp aim alone was recorded 187 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 25.1% versus 7.1%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 20.9% of the time against 22.1% for diesel.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 26.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 22.9% in 2021 to 18.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every 200 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 35 | 71.4% | 28.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1981 | 49 | 69.4% | 30.6% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1982 | 184 | 75.5% | 24.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1983 | 249 | 81.9% | 18.1% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1984 | 237 | 75.5% | 24.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1985 | 223 | 77.6% | 22.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1986 | 50 | 74.0% | 26.0% | Suspension |
| 1987 | 30 | 80.0% | 20.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1988 | 108 | 78.7% | 21.3% | Brakes |
| 1989 | 156 | 79.5% | 20.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1990 | 132 | 80.3% | 19.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1991 | 178 | 78.6% | 21.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1992 | 284 | 78.9% | 21.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1993 | 226 | 79.2% | 20.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 33 | 78.8% | 21.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 37 | 73.0% | 27.0% | Suspension |
| 2002 | 79 | 83.5% | 16.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 45 | 77.8% | 22.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 63 | 76.2% | 23.8% | Suspension |
| 2005 | 71 | 76.1% | 23.9% | Suspension |
| 2006 | 135 | 74.1% | 25.9% | Suspension |
| 2007 | 205 | 76.6% | 23.4% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 159 | 74.8% | 25.2% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 94 | 80.8% | 19.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 111 | 73.9% | 26.1% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 41 | 78.0% | 21.9% | Suspension |
| 2012 | 51 | 74.5% | 25.5% | Suspension |
| 2013 | 38 | 86.8% | 13.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 52 | 92.3% | 7.7% | Visibility |
| 2016 | 129 | 85.3% | 14.7% | Suspension |
| 2017 | 84 | 91.7% | 8.3% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 35 | 91.4% | 8.6% | Brakes |
| 2020 | 32 | 84.4% | 15.6% | Road wheels |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.9% | 416 |
| 2 | Suspension | 9.4% | 361 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.3% | 280 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 5.2% | 198 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.1% | 156 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.8% | 146 |
| 7 | Tyres | 3.3% | 127 |
| 8 | Steering | 1.8% | 69 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 187 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 120 |
| 3 | Ball joint dust cover | 120 |
| 4 | Rigid brake pipes | 120 |
| 5 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 113 |
| 6 | Ball joint | 109 |
| 7 | Service brake performance | 105 |
| 8 | Non catalyst emissions | 99 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 26.9% | 1,027 |
| 2 | Suspension | 24.0% | 916 |
| 3 | Tyres | 18.1% | 693 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 11.0% | 421 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.5% | 401 |
| 6 | Other defects | 8.8% | 336 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 140 | 7.1% |
| 30-60k | 564 | 17.4% |
| 60-90k | 839 | 20.1% |
| 90-120k | 896 | 23.5% |
| 120-150k | 616 | 20.3% |
| 150k+ | 764 | 25.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 3,095 | 20.9% |
| Diesel | 723 | 22.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 963 | 22.9% |
| 2022 | 845 | 21.9% |
| 2023 | 766 | 21.4% |
| 2024 | 663 | 19.6% |
| 2025 | 586 | 18.1% |
What to check before buying a Mercedes-Benz 200
- Lighting & signalling (10.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (9.4% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Brakes (7.3% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Mercedes-Benz 200?
78.9% of the 3,823 Mercedes-Benz 200 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 21.1% fail rate, across model years 1980–2022.
What does the Mercedes-Benz 200 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.9% of tests, then suspension (9.4%).
How much does mileage affect 200 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 7.1% for cars in the 0-30k band and 25.1% for 150k+, a 18.0-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel 200 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 20.9% of the time against 22.1% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,823 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.