2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter passed 81.3% of its 8,343 recorded MOT tests. Vans of a similar age fail 23.2% of the time, so this is 4.4pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (11.3%) and lighting & signalling (8.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rbt (sp), rigid brake pipes and headlamp aim — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 517 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 10.9% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 19.2% once past 150k.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 25.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 16.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 20.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 11.3% | 940 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 8.6% | 716 |
| 3 | Visibility | 4.0% | 335 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.7% | 310 |
| 5 | Tyres | 2.4% | 200 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.2% | 187 |
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) | 517 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 331 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 246 |
| 4 | Wipers | 187 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 183 |
| 6 | Washers | 175 |
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 | 25.9% | 2,164 |
| 2 | Suspension | 16.4% | 1,365 |
| 3 | Other defects | 14.7% | 1,226 |
| 4 | Tyres | 12.2% | 1,020 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 7.9% | 661 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 7.2% | 604 |
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 | 607 | 10.9% |
| 30-60k | 959 | 13.8% |
| 60-90k | 1,175 | 18.6% |
| 90-120k | 1,355 | 20.0% |
| 120-150k | 1,261 | 23.9% |
| 150k+ | 2,982 | 19.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,494 | 16.3% |
| 2022 | 1,602 | 16.9% |
| 2023 | 1,559 | 17.6% |
| 2024 | 1,890 | 21.4% |
| 2025 | 1,798 | 20.7% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Sprinter
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 11.3% of tests. Start there.
- 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.
- Lighting & signalling (8.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (4.0% 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
How many 2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinters pass their MOT?
81.3% of the 8,343 2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter?
Brakes, recorded in 11.3% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (8.6%).
Does the 2014 Sprinter get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.9% in the 0-30k band to 19.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 8,343 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.