2012 Mercedes-Benz Ml 250 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2012 Mercedes-Benz Ml 250 passed 83.2% of its 1,758 recorded MOT tests. That is 4.8 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 21.7%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (7.7%) and lighting & signalling (5.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, malfunction indicator lamp and headlamp aim — coil spring alone was recorded 132 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 11.8% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 22.1% once past 150k.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 23.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 7.7% | 136 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.6% | 98 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.4% | 77 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 3.5% | 61 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.7% | 48 |
| 6 | Brakes | 1.8% | 31 |
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 | 132 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 56 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 47 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 30 |
| 5 | Joints | 29 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 27 |
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 | 23.8% | 419 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.4% | 289 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.1% | 178 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.2% | 144 |
| 5 | Other defects | 7.6% | 133 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.5% | 97 |
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 | 110 | 11.8% |
| 60-90k | 610 | 14.8% |
| 90-120k | 661 | 18.6% |
| 120-150k | 269 | 17.5% |
| 150k+ | 104 | 22.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 371 | 17.3% |
| 2022 | 349 | 14.6% |
| 2023 | 367 | 19.1% |
| 2024 | 345 | 16.8% |
| 2025 | 326 | 16.3% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Ml 250
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 7.7% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (7.7% 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 (5.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.4% 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.
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 2012 Mercedes-Benz Ml 250s pass their MOT?
83.2% of the 1,758 2012 Mercedes-Benz Ml 250 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Mercedes-Benz Ml 250?
Suspension, recorded in 7.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.6%).
Does the 2012 Ml 250 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.8% in the 30-60k band to 22.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,758 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.