1990 Mercedes-Benz 500 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1990 Mercedes-Benz 500 passed 85.5% of its 609 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (21.8% fail rate), the 1990 500 comes out 7.4pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.7%) and brakes (5.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint dust cover, non catalyst emissions and headlamp aim — ball joint dust cover alone was recorded 30 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 13.8% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 19.2% once past 150k.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 20.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 16.6% in 2021 to 12.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.7% | 47 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.1% | 31 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.8% | 29 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 4.4% | 27 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.5% | 15 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.3% | 14 |
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 dust cover | 30 |
| 2 | Non catalyst emissions | 20 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 15 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 13 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 11 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 10 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 20.2% | 123 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.5% | 119 |
| 3 | Tyres | 10.2% | 62 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 9.8% | 60 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.4% | 45 |
| 6 | Steering | 6.6% | 40 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 58 | 13.8% |
| 60-90k | 146 | 9.6% |
| 90-120k | 167 | 14.4% |
| 120-150k | 137 | 16.8% |
| 150k+ | 78 | 19.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 139 | 16.6% |
| 2022 | 130 | 13.9% |
| 2023 | 128 | 15.6% |
| 2024 | 106 | 13.2% |
| 2025 | 106 | 12.3% |
What to check before buying a 1990 500
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 7.7% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (7.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.1% 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.
- Suspension (4.8% 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.
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 1990 Mercedes-Benz 500s pass their MOT?
85.5% of the 609 1990 Mercedes-Benz 500 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1990 Mercedes-Benz 500?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.7% of tests, followed by brakes (5.1%).
Does the 1990 500 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.8% in the 30-60k band to 19.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 609 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.