Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOT pass rate and common failures

67% of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOTs passed first time, below the 74% for all cars at the same ages.

67%passed first time (cars its age: 74%)
1.7mMercedes-Benz Sprinter MOTs counted since May 2018
7,500typical miles a year at 10 years old

First-time pass rate by year registered

Each year's Mercedes-Benz Sprinters 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	Sprinter	All cars	MOTs
2023	78%	88%	9k
2022	77%	88%	31k
2021	78%	86%	62k
2020	77%	86%	84k
2019	75%	85%	120k
2018	75%	84%	111k
2017	74%	83%	135k
2016	73%	81%	134k
2015	70%	78%	153k
2014	68%	75%	139k
2013	64%	71%	117k
2012	59%	68%	93k
2011	59%	66%	76k
2010	59%	63%	70k
2009	58%	61%	49k
2008	57%	59%	58k
2007	56%	58%	52k
2006	57%	56%	32k
2005	56%	56%	28k
2004	54%	55%	26k
2003	54%	56%	22k
2002	54%	56%	19k
2001	55%	58%	13k
2000	54%	60%	8k
1999	54%	63%	5k

Compare two years of the Sprinter, 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 Sprinter MOTs are left out.

Commonest reasons for failure

Parking brake efficiency too lowOther cars its age: 1.06.7
Position lamp not workingOther cars its age: 1.83.5
Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required valueOther cars its age: 0.32.9
Wiper does not clear the windscreenOther cars its age: 2.32.9
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunctionOther cars its age: 0.52.5
Brake pipe excessively corrodedOther cars its age: 0.62.4
Stop lamp (brake light) not workingOther cars its age: 1.72.3
Headlamp not working on dipped beamOther cars its age: 1.32.2

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

Where it comes up more than other cars its age

Brake pipe corrodedAdvisory. Other cars its age: 3.011.3
Oil leak, but not excessiveAdvisory. Other cars its age: 3.78.7
Suspension ball joint has slight playAdvisory. Other cars its age: 1.07.9
Parking brake efficiency too lowFail. Other cars its age: 1.06.7
Anti-roll bar link pin or bush wornAdvisory. Other cars its age: 0.34.9
Anti-roll bar pin or bush wornAdvisory. Other cars its age: 0.33.6

Out of every 100 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 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: 21,500 at 3 years old, 2,500 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 Sprinters in general, not a prediction for any one car. Spotted a mistake? Email fuzzyreguk@gmail.com.

Check a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter's MOT history

Every test and advisory, free, from the registration.