2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 22,550 MOT tests, the 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class recorded a 74.7% pass rate. Executive cars of a similar age fail 24.3% of the time, so this is 1.0pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (15.3%) and lighting & signalling (12.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, ball joint and headlamp aim — coil spring alone was recorded 1,536 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 28.8% versus 11.5%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 24.9% fail against 26.5% for diesel, a 1.6-point gap across 22,550 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 37.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 26.8% in 2021 to 24.2% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 15.3% | 3,445 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 12.8% | 2,875 |
| 3 | Brakes | 8.2% | 1,842 |
| 4 | Visibility | 6.4% | 1,451 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.9% | 1,325 |
| 6 | Tyres | 5.2% | 1,172 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 1,536 |
| 2 | Ball joint | 1,508 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 1,423 |
| 4 | Wipers | 1,020 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 950 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 925 |
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 | 37.3% | 8,412 |
| 2 | Brakes | 35.0% | 7,901 |
| 3 | Tyres | 26.7% | 6,014 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 18.5% | 4,178 |
| 5 | Other defects | 15.0% | 3,389 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 12.4% | 2,792 |
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 | 313 | 11.5% |
| 30-60k | 2,539 | 19.5% |
| 60-90k | 5,686 | 23.7% |
| 90-120k | 6,677 | 26.4% |
| 120-150k | 4,349 | 27.9% |
| 150k+ | 2,856 | 28.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 16,710 | 24.9% |
| Diesel | 5,840 | 26.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,134 | 26.8% |
| 2022 | 5,428 | 24.8% |
| 2023 | 4,237 | 24.7% |
| 2024 | 3,242 | 24.8% |
| 2025 | 2,509 | 24.2% |
What to check before buying a 2002 C-Class
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 15.3% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (15.3% 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 (12.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (8.2% 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 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Classs pass their MOT?
74.7% of the 22,550 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 25.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class?
Suspension, recorded in 15.3% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (12.8%).
Does the 2002 C-Class get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.5% in the 0-30k band to 28.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 22,550 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.