Mercedes-Benz C-Class MOT pass rate and common failures

74% of Mercedes-Benz C-Class MOTs passed first time, above the 71% for all cars at the same ages.

74%passed first time (cars its age: 71%)
3.0mMercedes-Benz C-Class MOTs counted since May 2018
6,500typical miles a year at 10 years old

First-time pass rate by year registered

Each year's Mercedes-Benz C-Classs against every car first registered the same year, at the same ages. Newer cars have only had their first few MOTs, so they look better. Years with fewer than 5,000 MOTs are left out.

Share of MOTs passed first time, by year first registered. All cars: every car first registered that year, at the same ages.
Registered	C-Class	All cars	MOTs
2021	87%	86%	5k
2020	87%	86%	29k
2019	87%	85%	119k
2018	86%	83%	170k
2017	85%	83%	286k
2016	83%	80%	295k
2015	82%	78%	298k
2014	80%	74%	222k
2013	75%	71%	211k
2012	72%	68%	239k
2011	71%	65%	182k
2010	68%	63%	131k
2009	66%	61%	125k
2008	64%	59%	131k
2007	61%	58%	123k
2006	59%	56%	107k
2005	57%	56%	103k
2004	55%	55%	84k
2003	56%	55%	66k
2002	58%	55%	41k
2001	58%	57%	22k
2000	62%	59%	11k
1999	65%	62%	12k
1998	67%	64%	13k
1997	68%	65%	10k
1996	69%	65%	6k

Compare two years of the C-Class, age for age.

First-time pass rate by age

Share of MOTs at each age that passed first time. Ages with fewer than 10,000 Mercedes-Benz C-Class MOTs are left out.

Commonest reasons for failure

Suspension ball joint excessively wornOther cars its age: 1.43.8
Tyre tread below the legal limitOther cars its age: 2.63.5
Coil spring fractured or brokenOther cars its age: 2.42.6
Tyre has ply or cords exposedOther cars its age: 1.31.6
Brake pipe excessively corrodedOther cars its age: 0.81.5
Engine warning light on or not workingOther cars its age: 1.01.5
Tyre cut deep enough to reach the plyOther cars its age: 1.21.4
Brake pads less than 1.5mm thickOther cars its age: 1.91.4

Out of every 100 Mercedes-Benz C-Class MOTs, against other cars at the same ages.

Where it comes up more than other cars its age

Wheel bearing has slight playAdvisory. Other cars its age: 0.63.0
Prop shaft flexible coupling slightly deterioratedAdvisory. Other cars its age: 0.00.4
Road wheel more than one fixing missingFail. Other cars its age: 0.00.0
Parking (secondary brake) grabbing slightlyAdvisory. Other cars its age: 0.00.0
Electronic stability control warning lamp not workingAdvisory. Other cars its age: 0.00.0
Road wheel fractured at bridge over valveAdvisory. Other cars its age: 0.00.0

Out of every 100 Mercedes-Benz C-Class MOTs. Only items noted well above other cars of the same ages.

Miles a year

Typical miles a year between one MOT and the next: 7,500 at 3 years old, 3,500 at 20. Rounded to the nearest 1,000.

Counted from DVSA records of 286,058,652 MOTs, 20 May 2018 to 18 October 2026. A test and its retests count as one MOT, and a fail put right at the test counts as a first-time fail, as the DVSA counts it. About Mercedes-Benz C-Classs in general, not a prediction for any one car. Spotted a mistake? Email fuzzyreguk@gmail.com.

Check a Mercedes-Benz C-Class's MOT history

Every test and advisory, free, from the registration.