Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive MOT pass rate & common failures
877 MOT tests on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive (2020–2025) give it an 88.5% pass rate. That is 3.7 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 7.8%. Its most common failure areas are brakes, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (7.1%) and lighting & signalling (5.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, rbt (sp) and wipers — headlamp aim alone was recorded 32 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 13.9% once past 150k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 15.5% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Sprinter 315 Progressive model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 122 | 84.4% | 15.6% | Brakes |
| 2021 | 343 | 84.0% | 16.0% | Brakes |
| 2022 | 285 | 92.3% | 7.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2023 | 77 | 96.1% | 3.9% | Brakes |
| 2024 | 49 | 95.9% | 4.1% | Brakes |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 7.1% | 62 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.7% | 50 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.0% | 26 |
| 4 | Tyres | 3.0% | 26 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.3% | 11 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.1% | 10 |
| 7 | Suspension | 0.9% | 8 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.5% | 4 |
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 | 32 |
| 2 | Rbt (sp) | 30 |
| 3 | Wipers | 22 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 15 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 11 |
| 6 | Lever | 11 |
| 7 | Tread depth | 10 |
| 8 | Brake discs | 10 |
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 | 15.5% | 136 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.6% | 102 |
| 3 | Visibility | 5.8% | 51 |
| 4 | Other defects | 4.8% | 42 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.2% | 28 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.2% | 19 |
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 | 258 | 8.5% |
| 30-60k | 287 | 9.4% |
| 60-90k | 182 | 17.0% |
| 90-120k | 81 | 11.1% |
| 120-150k | 33 | 21.2% |
| 150k+ | 36 | 13.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 121 | 9.9% |
| 2024 | 301 | 13.0% |
| 2025 | 444 | 11.3% |
What to check before buying a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive
- 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.
- Lighting & signalling (5.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (3.0% 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 Sprinter 315 Progressive?
88.5% of the 877 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 11.5% fail rate, across model years 2020–2025.
What does the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 315 Progressive most often fail its MOT on?
Brakes, recorded in 7.1% of tests, then lighting & signalling (5.7%).
How much does mileage affect Sprinter 315 Progressive MOT results?
Fail rates run at 8.5% for cars in the 0-30k band and 13.9% for 150k+, a 5.4-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 877 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.