2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter passed 89.7% of its 6,583 recorded MOT tests. Vans of a similar age fail 16.3% of the time, so this is 6.0pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.8%) and brakes (4.2%) 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 217 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2018 Sprinter fails 7.4% of the time in the 0-30k band and 6.7% at 150k+, a spread of only 0.6 points.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 11.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 8.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.8% | 449 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.2% | 278 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.6% | 174 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 1.8% | 118 |
| 5 | Tyres | 1.7% | 112 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.3% | 88 |
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 | 217 |
| 2 | Rbt (sp) | 149 |
| 3 | Wipers | 140 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 104 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 92 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 81 |
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 | 11.5% | 754 |
| 2 | Tyres | 9.0% | 591 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.2% | 473 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.1% | 401 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.2% | 345 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 4.2% | 274 |
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 | 1,273 | 7.4% |
| 30-60k | 1,602 | 11.9% |
| 60-90k | 1,189 | 11.5% |
| 90-120k | 810 | 13.8% |
| 120-150k | 623 | 10.8% |
| 150k+ | 1,083 | 6.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,261 | 8.5% |
| 2022 | 1,221 | 8.9% |
| 2023 | 1,223 | 9.9% |
| 2024 | 1,468 | 11.1% |
| 2025 | 1,410 | 12.5% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Sprinter
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 6.8% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (6.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.2% 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 (2.6% 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 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinters pass their MOT?
89.7% of the 6,583 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.8% of tests, followed by brakes (4.2%).
Does the 2018 Sprinter get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.4% in the 0-30k band to 6.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,583 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.