1993 Mercedes-Benz 220 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1993 Mercedes-Benz 220 passed 80.0% of its 545 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 23.4% of the time, so this is 3.4pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.0% of tests against 8.1% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, position lamp and rigid brake pipes — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 56 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 4.0% of 60-90k cars fail, rising to 25.6% once past 150k — 6.5× the risk.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 32.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 25.4% in 2021 to 14.9% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.0% | 71 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 8.1% | 44 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.2% | 39 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.0% | 38 |
| 5 | Suspension | 5.7% | 31 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.4% | 24 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 56 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 34 |
| 3 | Rigid brake pipes | 22 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 21 |
| 5 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 20 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 17 |
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 | 32.8% | 179 |
| 2 | Suspension | 26.8% | 146 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 22.0% | 120 |
| 4 | Tyres | 18.9% | 103 |
| 5 | Other defects | 11.9% | 65 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.4% | 62 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 60-90k | 76 | 4.0% |
| 90-120k | 113 | 17.7% |
| 120-150k | 129 | 21.7% |
| 150k+ | 195 | 25.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 138 | 25.4% |
| 2022 | 121 | 19.8% |
| 2023 | 111 | 19.8% |
| 2024 | 88 | 17.1% |
| 2025 | 87 | 14.9% |
What to check before buying a 1993 220
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 13.0% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (13.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (8.1% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Brakes (7.2% 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
How many 1993 Mercedes-Benz 220s pass their MOT?
80.0% of the 545 1993 Mercedes-Benz 220 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1993 Mercedes-Benz 220?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.0% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (8.1%).
Does the 1993 220 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.0% in the 60-90k band to 25.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 545 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.