Mercedes-Benz GLC MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 16 model years and 374,720 tests, the Mercedes-Benz GLC passes its MOT 90.6% of the time. Against mid-size SUVs of a similar age (10.7% fail rate), the GLC comes out 1.3pp better. Its most common failure areas are tyres, suspension and brakes.
Best and worst GLC years
Ranked across GLC years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Not every year is equal — 93.2% of 2022 examples pass against 87.5% of 2015 ones.
No single area dominates — tyres (4.6%) and suspension (2.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint, tread depth and brake pads — ball joint alone was recorded 9,522 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 16.8% once past 150k — 2.7× the risk.
The hybrid cars hold up better: 6.3% fail against 9.8% for diesel, a 3.5-point gap across 317,703 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 21.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 8.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Versions & engines
MOT records broken out by the engine designations buyers actually search for.
By model year
Every GLC model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 7,637 | 87.5% | 12.4% | Suspension |
| 2016 | 52,148 | 88.6% | 11.3% | Suspension |
| 2017 | 70,860 | 89.5% | 10.5% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 107,567 | 90.5% | 9.5% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 76,596 | 91.7% | 8.3% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 37,137 | 92.6% | 7.4% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 14,581 | 92.9% | 7.1% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 7,964 | 93.2% | 6.8% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 191 | 98.4% | 1.6% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.6% | 17,223 |
| 2 | Suspension | 2.6% | 9,778 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.5% | 5,486 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.1% | 4,280 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.0% | 3,879 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.0% | 3,821 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.5% | 2,014 |
| 8 | Other defects | 0.4% | 1,466 |
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 | 9,522 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 7,733 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 5,548 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 3,960 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 3,777 |
| 6 | Washers | 2,547 |
| 7 | Registration plates | 2,345 |
| 8 | Wipers | 1,815 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 21.6% | 80,844 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.7% | 43,693 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.5% | 24,300 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.7% | 21,397 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.2% | 11,978 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.5% | 1,846 |
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 | 105,478 | 6.1% |
| 30-60k | 181,340 | 9.5% |
| 60-90k | 68,906 | 12.6% |
| 90-120k | 15,308 | 14.5% |
| 120-150k | 2,869 | 15.9% |
| 150k+ | 780 | 16.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 302,123 | 9.8% |
| Petrol | 57,000 | 8.2% |
| Hybrid | 15,580 | 6.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 49,422 | 8.1% |
| 2022 | 67,452 | 8.0% |
| 2023 | 79,610 | 9.0% |
| 2024 | 85,646 | 10.2% |
| 2025 | 92,590 | 10.8% |
What to check before buying a Mercedes-Benz GLC
- Tyres (4.6% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Suspension (2.6% 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.
- Brakes (1.5% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Mercedes-Benz GLC?
90.6% of the 374,720 Mercedes-Benz GLC MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 9.4% fail rate, across model years 2010–2025.
What does the Mercedes-Benz GLC most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 4.6% of tests, then suspension (2.6%).
Which GLC years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 93.2% and 2015 the weakest at 87.5%, from 7,964 and 7,637 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect GLC MOT results?
Fail rates run at 6.1% for cars in the 0-30k band and 16.8% for 150k+, a 10.7-point difference.
Is the hybrid or diesel GLC more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the hybrid fails 6.3% of the time against 9.8% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 374,720 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.