2017 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter passed 88.9% of its 7,224 recorded MOT tests. That is 6.8 percentage points better than vans of a similar age, which fail at 17.9%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.3%) and brakes (5.8%) 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 malfunction indicator lamp — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 249 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2017 Sprinter fails 8.2% of the time in the 0-30k band and 9.2% at 150k+, a spread of only 1.0 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 13.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 9.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 13.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.3% | 455 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.8% | 419 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.0% | 219 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 2.7% | 193 |
| 5 | Tyres | 1.6% | 112 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.3% | 94 |
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) | 249 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 208 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 172 |
| 4 | Wipers | 150 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 92 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 89 |
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 | 13.8% | 997 |
| 2 | Tyres | 9.1% | 660 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.6% | 622 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.8% | 493 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 5.7% | 413 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.0% | 364 |
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 | 1,137 | 8.2% |
| 30-60k | 1,374 | 10.9% |
| 60-90k | 1,325 | 12.8% |
| 90-120k | 937 | 14.3% |
| 120-150k | 627 | 14.0% |
| 150k+ | 1,824 | 9.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,406 | 9.0% |
| 2022 | 1,390 | 8.7% |
| 2023 | 1,374 | 10.0% |
| 2024 | 1,561 | 13.7% |
| 2025 | 1,493 | 13.6% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Sprinter
On a 2017 Sprinter, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (6.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.8% 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 (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
How many 2017 Mercedes-Benz Sprinters pass their MOT?
88.9% of the 7,224 2017 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.3% of tests, followed by brakes (5.8%).
Does the 2017 Sprinter get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.2% in the 0-30k band to 9.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 7,224 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.