Mercedes-Benz V-Class MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 44 model years and 68,358 tests, the Mercedes-Benz V-Class passes its MOT 86.6% of the time. That is effectively the same as MPVs of a similar age (14.1% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Its most common failure areas are tyres, suspension and brakes.
Best and worst V-Class years
Ranked across V-Class 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
Not every year is equal — 89.3% of 2019 examples pass against 85.4% of 2015 ones.
No single area dominates — tyres (5.9%) and suspension (4.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, wipers and coil spring — tread depth alone was recorded 1,854 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the V-Class fails 10.1% of the time in the 0-30k band and 13.5% at 150k+, a spread of only 3.4 points.
Split by fuel, petrol examples fail 9.5pp more often than diesel ones (22.5% vs 13.1%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 19.4% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every V-Class model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 198 | 67.7% | 32.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 353 | 69.7% | 30.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 523 | 69.8% | 30.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 365 | 71.0% | 29.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 499 | 71.1% | 28.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 864 | 71.4% | 28.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 525 | 68.8% | 31.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 50 | 68.0% | 32.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 44 | 81.8% | 18.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 167 | 81.4% | 18.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 176 | 84.1% | 15.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 137 | 86.9% | 13.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 147 | 84.4% | 15.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 117 | 91.5% | 8.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 120 | 85.8% | 14.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 113 | 85.8% | 14.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 68 | 82.3% | 17.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 6,148 | 85.4% | 14.6% | Suspension |
| 2016 | 9,256 | 86.3% | 13.7% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 13,050 | 86.1% | 13.9% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 13,847 | 87.6% | 12.4% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 14,158 | 89.3% | 10.7% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 3,367 | 87.9% | 12.1% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 1,500 | 87.1% | 12.9% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 901 | 89.6% | 10.4% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 719 | 93.2% | 6.8% | Tyres |
| 2024 | 656 | 95.4% | 4.6% | Tyres |
| 2025 | 257 | 98.0% | 1.9% | Seat belts & restraints |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.9% | 4,040 |
| 2 | Suspension | 4.5% | 3,055 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.7% | 2,557 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.7% | 1,849 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 2.4% | 1,640 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.3% | 875 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 1.3% | 858 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.6% | 398 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 1,854 |
| 2 | Wipers | 1,542 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 1,414 |
| 4 | Ball joint | 1,232 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 1,146 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 862 |
| 7 | Headlamp aim | 799 |
| 8 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 630 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 19.4% | 13,294 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.3% | 9,794 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.5% | 4,428 |
| 4 | Other defects | 4.8% | 3,292 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.0% | 2,723 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.0% | 1,379 |
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 | 12,466 | 10.1% |
| 30-60k | 17,199 | 13.7% |
| 60-90k | 12,803 | 14.4% |
| 90-120k | 8,979 | 14.8% |
| 120-150k | 6,295 | 14.1% |
| 150k+ | 10,414 | 13.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 66,058 | 13.1% |
| Petrol | 2,295 | 22.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,628 | 12.6% |
| 2022 | 12,960 | 13.1% |
| 2023 | 13,930 | 13.3% |
| 2024 | 14,863 | 14.2% |
| 2025 | 15,977 | 13.5% |
What to check before buying a Mercedes-Benz V-Class
- Tyres (5.9% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Suspension (4.5% 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.
- Brakes (3.7% 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.
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 V-Class?
86.6% of the 68,358 Mercedes-Benz V-Class MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 13.4% fail rate, across model years 1982–2025.
What does the Mercedes-Benz V-Class most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 5.9% of tests, then suspension (4.5%).
Which V-Class years are best and worst for MOT results?
2019 has the best pass rate at 89.3% and 2015 the weakest at 85.4%, from 14,158 and 6,148 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect V-Class MOT results?
Fail rates run at 10.1% for cars in the 0-30k band and 13.5% for 150k+, a 3.4-point difference.
Is the diesel or petrol V-Class more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the diesel fails 13.1% of the time against 22.5% for the petrol. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 68,358 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.