Mercedes-Benz 220 MOT pass rate & common failures
The Mercedes-Benz 220 appears in 5,091 MOT tests spanning model years 1983–2025, and 78.9% of them passed. All cars of a similar age fail at 21.7%, so the 220 sits squarely on the average. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (10.2%) and lighting & signalling (8.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint, rigid brake pipes and tread depth — ball joint alone was recorded 253 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 12.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 26.2% once past 150k — 2.2× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 19.4% fail against 21.5% for diesel, a 2.1-point gap across 5,087 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 29.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 22.2% in 2021 to 19.6% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every 220 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 545 | 80.0% | 20.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1994 | 54 | 72.2% | 27.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 95 | 87.4% | 12.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 49 | 75.5% | 24.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 84 | 65.5% | 34.5% | Suspension |
| 2004 | 99 | 73.7% | 26.3% | Suspension |
| 2005 | 332 | 72.0% | 28.0% | Suspension |
| 2006 | 260 | 74.6% | 25.4% | Suspension |
| 2007 | 368 | 71.7% | 28.3% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 379 | 71.8% | 28.2% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 366 | 74.9% | 25.1% | Suspension |
| 2010 | 143 | 74.8% | 25.2% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 146 | 76.7% | 23.3% | Suspension |
| 2012 | 250 | 76.0% | 24.0% | Brakes |
| 2013 | 166 | 72.3% | 27.7% | Suspension |
| 2014 | 337 | 84.0% | 16.0% | Tyres |
| 2015 | 352 | 84.9% | 15.1% | Tyres |
| 2016 | 425 | 88.0% | 12.0% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 220 | 88.2% | 11.8% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 161 | 86.3% | 13.7% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 92 | 96.7% | 3.3% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 10.2% | 521 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 8.5% | 435 |
| 3 | Brakes | 8.1% | 412 |
| 4 | Tyres | 6.3% | 321 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.8% | 192 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.2% | 165 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.1% | 106 |
| 8 | Steering | 1.4% | 73 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint | 253 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 218 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 202 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 182 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 182 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 117 |
| 7 | Rbt (sp) | 114 |
| 8 | Washers | 101 |
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 | 29.7% | 1,512 |
| 2 | Tyres | 24.7% | 1,259 |
| 3 | Suspension | 23.3% | 1,184 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.0% | 405 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 6.6% | 337 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 6.4% | 324 |
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 | 182 | 12.1% |
| 30-60k | 654 | 11.5% |
| 60-90k | 1,089 | 18.2% |
| 90-120k | 1,272 | 22.8% |
| 120-150k | 843 | 25.6% |
| 150k+ | 1,042 | 26.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 4,221 | 21.5% |
| Petrol | 866 | 19.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,179 | 22.2% |
| 2022 | 1,101 | 20.8% |
| 2023 | 1,027 | 21.5% |
| 2024 | 904 | 21.1% |
| 2025 | 880 | 19.6% |
What to check before buying a Mercedes-Benz 220
- Suspension (10.2% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (8.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (8.1% 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 220?
78.9% of the 5,091 Mercedes-Benz 220 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 21.1% fail rate, across model years 1983–2025.
What does the Mercedes-Benz 220 most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 10.2% of tests, then lighting & signalling (8.5%).
How much does mileage affect 220 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 12.1% for cars in the 0-30k band and 26.2% for 150k+, a 14.1-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel 220 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 19.4% of the time against 21.5% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,091 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.