Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOT pass rate & common failures
135,203 MOT tests on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (1984–2025) give it a 79.9% pass rate. Against vans of a similar age (24.9% fail rate), the Sprinter comes out 4.8pp better. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
Best and worst Sprinter years
Ranked across Sprinter 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
The strongest year on this record is 2021 (93.4% pass rate); the weakest is 2000 (72.1%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (12.4%) and brakes (11.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rbt (sp), headlamp aim and rigid brake pipes — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 7,556 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 10.1% in the 0-30k band and 23.5% in the 150k+ band, a 13.4-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 29.2% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Sprinter model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 31 | 83.9% | 16.1% | Brakes |
| 1992 | 40 | 67.5% | 32.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1993 | 53 | 77.4% | 22.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1994 | 59 | 66.1% | 33.9% | Brakes |
| 1995 | 75 | 66.7% | 33.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1996 | 366 | 74.3% | 25.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 914 | 70.0% | 30.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 1,368 | 72.9% | 27.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 1,441 | 73.0% | 27.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 2,361 | 72.1% | 27.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 4,107 | 74.1% | 25.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 5,563 | 72.9% | 27.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 5,782 | 72.6% | 27.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 6,511 | 72.9% | 27.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 5,994 | 74.3% | 25.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 5,686 | 75.3% | 24.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 6,581 | 75.2% | 24.8% | Brakes |
| 2008 | 7,150 | 76.6% | 23.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 5,140 | 78.8% | 21.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 6,596 | 78.9% | 21.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 6,439 | 79.2% | 20.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 7,274 | 78.3% | 21.7% | Brakes |
| 2013 | 7,033 | 81.5% | 18.5% | Brakes |
| 2014 | 8,343 | 81.3% | 18.8% | Brakes |
| 2015 | 8,961 | 84.8% | 15.2% | Brakes |
| 2016 | 6,883 | 84.8% | 15.2% | Brakes |
| 2017 | 7,224 | 88.9% | 11.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 6,583 | 89.7% | 10.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 5,460 | 90.2% | 9.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 3,671 | 91.4% | 8.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 1,039 | 93.4% | 6.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2022 | 389 | 94.9% | 5.1% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 12.4% | 16,821 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.3% | 15,280 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.7% | 7,688 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.4% | 5,906 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.8% | 5,162 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.8% | 3,723 |
| 7 | Steering | 2.4% | 3,237 |
| 8 | Tyres | 2.4% | 3,210 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rbt (sp) | 7,556 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 6,302 |
| 3 | Rigid brake pipes | 5,163 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 4,455 |
| 5 | Wipers | 4,305 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 4,160 |
| 7 | Headlamp | 3,856 |
| 8 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 3,442 |
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 | 29.2% | 39,530 |
| 2 | Suspension | 21.9% | 29,600 |
| 3 | Other defects | 13.5% | 18,220 |
| 4 | Tyres | 13.2% | 17,810 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 11.9% | 16,127 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 8.1% | 10,955 |
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 | 11,731 | 10.1% |
| 30-60k | 18,351 | 13.8% |
| 60-90k | 18,742 | 17.8% |
| 90-120k | 18,957 | 21.7% |
| 120-150k | 18,883 | 24.0% |
| 150k+ | 48,076 | 23.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 134,822 | 20.1% |
| Petrol | 375 | 27.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 25,569 | 19.7% |
| 2022 | 26,742 | 19.6% |
| 2023 | 26,696 | 20.0% |
| 2024 | 28,800 | 20.5% |
| 2025 | 27,396 | 20.5% |
What to check before buying a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
- Lighting & signalling (12.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (11.3% 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.
- Suspension (5.7% 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.
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?
79.9% of the 135,203 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 20.1% fail rate, across model years 1984–2025.
What does the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.4% of tests, then brakes (11.3%).
Which Sprinter years are best and worst for MOT results?
2021 has the best pass rate at 93.4% and 2000 the weakest at 72.1%, from 1,039 and 2,361 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Sprinter MOT results?
Fail rates run at 10.1% for cars in the 0-30k band and 23.5% for 150k+, a 13.4-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 135,203 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.