Mercedes-Benz A-Class: lighting & signalling MOT failures

Of the 1,863,616 Mercedes-Benz A-Class MOT tests in this dataset, 5.1% recorded at least one lighting & signalling failure. It shows up most on 1999 and 2000 cars.

Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair cost: £10–£150 (rough UK ballpark, not a quote).

Lighting & signalling failures by year

Lighting & signalling fail rate by model year — Mercedes-Benz A-Class
Model year Tests Fail rate
1999 1,635 19.0%
2000 2,428 19.0%
2001 5,544 17.4%
2002 8,705 18.3%
2003 11,674 17.2%
2004 11,021 18.4%
2005 23,999 14.6%
2006 34,980 14.0%
2007 43,406 14.6%
2008 46,843 12.6%
2009 46,758 11.9%
2010 40,839 13.1%
2011 34,761 11.9%
2012 33,415 10.6%
2013 97,105 6.4%
2014 143,415 6.3%
2015 158,855 5.4%
2016 221,222 3.4%
2017 232,506 2.9%
2018 230,140 1.9%
2019 230,028 1.6%
2020 118,106 1.4%
2021 65,243 1.3%
2022 19,931 1.2%
2023 773 0.9%

Methodology & source. 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.

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