Mercedes-Benz Motor/ Home MOT pass rate & common failures
The Mercedes-Benz Motor/ Home appears in 1,538 MOT tests spanning model years 1981–2018, and 77.9% of them passed. All cars of a similar age fail 25.6% of the time, so this is 3.5pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 16.1% of all tests — 4.1 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, service brake performance and position lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 99 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 14.5% in the 0-30k band and 24.6% in the 150k+ band, a 10.1-point spread.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 28.6% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Motor/ Home model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 31 | 71.0% | 29.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1988 | 45 | 80.0% | 20.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1989 | 43 | 60.5% | 39.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1990 | 42 | 69.0% | 30.9% | Brakes |
| 1993 | 48 | 70.8% | 29.2% | Brakes |
| 1998 | 39 | 74.4% | 25.6% | Brakes |
| 1999 | 58 | 77.6% | 22.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 93 | 74.2% | 25.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 206 | 75.7% | 24.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 178 | 77.0% | 23.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 95 | 87.4% | 12.6% | Brakes |
| 2005 | 109 | 82.6% | 17.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 112 | 83.9% | 16.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 90 | 77.8% | 22.2% | Brakes |
| 2008 | 66 | 77.3% | 22.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 57 | 86.0% | 14.0% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 16.1% | 247 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.0% | 184 |
| 3 | Visibility | 5.3% | 81 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.8% | 59 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.1% | 48 |
| 6 | Steering | 2.6% | 40 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 2.1% | 33 |
| 8 | Tyres | 1.9% | 30 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 99 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 77 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 65 |
| 4 | Wipers | 55 |
| 5 | Outline marker lamp | 54 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 54 |
| 7 | Rear fog lamp | 51 |
| 8 | Rigid brake pipes | 48 |
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 | 28.6% | 440 |
| 2 | Suspension | 20.1% | 309 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 12.9% | 199 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.6% | 178 |
| 5 | Tyres | 9.8% | 150 |
| 6 | Steering | 9.1% | 140 |
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 | 124 | 14.5% |
| 30-60k | 521 | 20.0% |
| 60-90k | 399 | 21.6% |
| 90-120k | 194 | 25.8% |
| 120-150k | 106 | 31.1% |
| 150k+ | 191 | 24.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 328 | 21.9% |
| 2022 | 314 | 20.7% |
| 2023 | 326 | 23.0% |
| 2024 | 283 | 21.9% |
| 2025 | 287 | 23.0% |
What to check before buying a Mercedes-Benz Motor/ Home
- Lighting & signalling (16.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (12.0% 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.
- Visibility (5.3% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 Motor/ Home?
77.9% of the 1,538 Mercedes-Benz Motor/ Home MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 22.1% fail rate, across model years 1981–2018.
What does the Mercedes-Benz Motor/ Home most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.1% of tests, then brakes (12.0%).
How much does mileage affect Motor/ Home MOT results?
Fail rates run at 14.5% for cars in the 0-30k band and 24.6% for 150k+, a 10.1-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,538 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.