2017 Mercedes-Benz Vito — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Mercedes-Benz Vito passed 83.1% of its 54,175 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as vans of a similar age (17.8% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in brakes, suspension and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (6.7%) and suspension (6.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, malfunction indicator lamp and ball joint — coil spring alone was recorded 2,245 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2017 Vito fails 12.1% of the time in the 0-30k band and 15.8% at 150k+, a spread of only 3.7 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 19.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 14.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 6.7% | 3,632 |
| 2 | Suspension | 6.6% | 3,577 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 5.9% | 3,224 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.5% | 2,999 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.3% | 2,355 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.2% | 2,280 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 2,245 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 2,143 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 1,660 |
| 4 | Wipers | 1,658 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 1,458 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 1,425 |
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 | 19.1% | 10,322 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.7% | 9,058 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.8% | 3,698 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.8% | 3,125 |
| 5 | Other defects | 4.5% | 2,444 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.0% | 2,143 |
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 | 1,762 | 12.1% |
| 30-60k | 8,774 | 15.4% |
| 60-90k | 13,358 | 18.3% |
| 90-120k | 11,101 | 18.1% |
| 120-150k | 7,310 | 17.1% |
| 150k+ | 11,838 | 15.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,717 | 14.8% |
| 2022 | 10,843 | 16.6% |
| 2023 | 10,850 | 16.8% |
| 2024 | 10,909 | 17.8% |
| 2025 | 10,856 | 18.6% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Vito
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 6.7% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (6.7% 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.
- Suspension (6.6% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (5.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 Vitos pass their MOT?
83.1% of the 54,175 2017 Mercedes-Benz Vito MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Mercedes-Benz Vito?
Brakes, recorded in 6.7% of tests, followed by suspension (6.6%).
Does the 2017 Vito get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.1% in the 0-30k band to 15.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 54,175 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.