Mercedes-Benz Viano MOT pass rate & common failures
34,978 MOT tests on the Mercedes-Benz Viano (1992–2023) give it a 77.7% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail 23.4% of the time, so this is 1.2pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
Best and worst Viano years
Ranked across Viano 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 — 80.3% of 2014 examples pass against 74.2% of 2005 ones.
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 14.1% of all tests — 4.7 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, rbt (sp) and position lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 1,847 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 22.9% versus 17.9%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.1pp more often than petrol ones (22.5% vs 20.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 27.5% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Viano model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 1,725 | 75.0% | 25.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 2,556 | 74.2% | 25.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 2,517 | 75.5% | 24.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 2,948 | 76.9% | 23.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 3,221 | 76.5% | 23.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 2,889 | 77.1% | 22.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 2,788 | 79.2% | 20.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 3,046 | 78.3% | 21.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 3,638 | 78.6% | 21.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 4,153 | 79.3% | 20.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 4,151 | 80.3% | 19.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 897 | 78.6% | 21.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 116 | 78.5% | 21.6% | Suspension |
| 2017 | 99 | 75.8% | 24.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 55 | 83.6% | 16.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 49 | 87.8% | 12.2% | Visibility |
| 2020 | 55 | 76.4% | 23.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 43 | 86.1% | 14.0% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.1% | 4,919 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.4% | 3,284 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.9% | 2,421 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.1% | 1,795 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.1% | 1,425 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.9% | 1,349 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 3.3% | 1,161 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 3.2% | 1,122 |
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 | 1,847 |
| 2 | Rbt (sp) | 1,583 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 1,175 |
| 4 | Side repeaters | 1,158 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 1,140 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 1,014 |
| 7 | Washers | 885 |
| 8 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 879 |
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 | 27.5% | 9,628 |
| 2 | Tyres | 24.9% | 8,710 |
| 3 | Suspension | 19.8% | 6,908 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 12.9% | 4,521 |
| 5 | Other defects | 10.8% | 3,770 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 10.6% | 3,699 |
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 | 809 | 17.9% |
| 30-60k | 3,218 | 17.2% |
| 60-90k | 5,175 | 20.9% |
| 90-120k | 5,663 | 23.3% |
| 120-150k | 5,629 | 23.8% |
| 150k+ | 14,224 | 22.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 31,801 | 22.5% |
| Petrol | 3,174 | 20.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,525 | 21.4% |
| 2022 | 7,367 | 22.4% |
| 2023 | 7,194 | 22.6% |
| 2024 | 6,685 | 22.9% |
| 2025 | 6,207 | 22.0% |
What to check before buying a Mercedes-Benz Viano
- Lighting & signalling (14.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.4% 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.
- Suspension (6.9% 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.
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 Viano?
77.7% of the 34,978 Mercedes-Benz Viano MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 22.3% fail rate, across model years 1992–2023.
What does the Mercedes-Benz Viano most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.1% of tests, then brakes (9.4%).
Which Viano years are best and worst for MOT results?
2014 has the best pass rate at 80.3% and 2005 the weakest at 74.2%, from 4,151 and 2,556 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Viano MOT results?
Fail rates run at 17.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 22.9% for 150k+, a 5.0-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Viano more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 20.3% of the time against 22.5% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 34,978 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.