2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter passed 93.4% of its 1,039 recorded MOT tests. That is 5.4 percentage points better than vans of a similar age, which fail at 12.0%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (3.9%) and brakes (2.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, wipers and rbt (sp) — headlamp aim alone was recorded 32 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2021 Sprinter fails 5.3% of the time in the 0-30k band and 4.3% at 150k+, a spread of only 0.9 points.
The trend is worsening — 2.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 7.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 3.9% | 40 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.8% | 29 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.9% | 20 |
| 4 | Tyres | 1.4% | 15 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 8 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.7% | 7 |
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 | Wipers | 16 |
| 3 | Rbt (sp) | 14 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 7 |
| 5 | Washers | 6 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 6 |
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 | 7.3% | 76 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.1% | 53 |
| 3 | Other defects | 3.1% | 32 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.0% | 31 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 1.8% | 19 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.7% | 18 |
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 | 455 | 5.3% |
| 30-60k | 242 | 9.5% |
| 60-90k | 160 | 8.1% |
| 90-120k | 77 | 5.2% |
| 120-150k | 57 | 5.3% |
| 150k+ | 46 | 4.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 42 | 2.4% |
| 2022 | 128 | 2.3% |
| 2023 | 151 | 5.3% |
| 2024 | 361 | 8.3% |
| 2025 | 357 | 7.6% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Sprinter
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 3.9% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (3.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (2.8% 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 (1.9% 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 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinters pass their MOT?
93.4% of the 1,039 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 3.9% of tests, followed by brakes (2.8%).
Does the 2021 Sprinter get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.3% in the 0-30k band to 4.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,039 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.