2000 Mercedes-Benz Cl 500 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2000 Mercedes-Benz Cl 500 passed 77.1% of its 965 recorded MOT tests. That is 3.8 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 26.7%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (11.9%) and lighting & signalling (10.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, rigid brake pipes and ball joint dust cover — position lamp alone was recorded 50 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2000 Cl 500 fails 19.4% of the time in the 30-60k band and 18.8% at 150k+, a spread of only 0.6 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 33.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 26.0% in 2021 to 23.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 11.9% | 115 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 10.8% | 104 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.1% | 69 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.3% | 51 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 4.9% | 47 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.0% | 39 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 50 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 43 |
| 3 | Ball joint dust cover | 42 |
| 4 | Shock absorbers | 42 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 41 |
| 6 | Ball joint | 38 |
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 | 33.2% | 320 |
| 2 | Suspension | 32.5% | 314 |
| 3 | Tyres | 22.3% | 215 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 18.1% | 175 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 14.0% | 135 |
| 6 | Other defects | 12.0% | 116 |
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 | 67 | 19.4% |
| 60-90k | 231 | 22.9% |
| 90-120k | 322 | 20.8% |
| 120-150k | 218 | 28.0% |
| 150k+ | 117 | 18.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 269 | 26.0% |
| 2022 | 217 | 22.6% |
| 2023 | 181 | 18.2% |
| 2024 | 165 | 23.0% |
| 2025 | 133 | 23.3% |
What to check before buying a 2000 Cl 500
On a 2000 Cl 500, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 11.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (11.9% 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 (10.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.1% 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
How many 2000 Mercedes-Benz Cl 500s pass their MOT?
77.1% of the 965 2000 Mercedes-Benz Cl 500 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 22.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2000 Mercedes-Benz Cl 500?
Suspension, recorded in 11.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (10.8%).
Does the 2000 Cl 500 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 19.4% in the 30-60k band to 18.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 965 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.