Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 22,400 initial MOT tests on the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class in Great Britain, and 74.6% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 22,400
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 74.6%
Failed at firstIncluding 3.0% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 25.4%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 10.3%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 4,681 off the road (SORN): 19,933

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

Failure areas

Where the CLS-Class fails its MOT

The share of initial tests in 2025 with at least one fail or PRS item in each part of the MOT. A test can fail in more than one area, so these do not add up to the fail rate.

1Tyres
9.4%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
2Suspension
8.7%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
3Brakes
6.1%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
4Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
5.0%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
5Noise, emissions and leaks
3.0%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
6Visibility
1.9%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
7Road wheels
1.8%
Damaged or loose wheels, wheel nuts and hubsAll cars and vans: 0.4%
8Steering
1.2%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
9Body, chassis and structure
1.1%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
10Registration plates and VIN
0.5%
Number plates and the vehicle identification numberAll cars and vans: 0.3%

This modelAll cars and vans

Parts

The parts that fail most

Share of initial tests with a fail or PRS item on each part, 2025.

ConditionTyres7.0%
SpringsSuspension3.5%
Suspension armsSuspension2.9%
Tread depthTyres2.8%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks2.7%
Brake performanceBrakes2.2%
Rigid brake pipesBrakes2.2%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics2.1%

By age

Pass rate by year first used

Older cars fail more often, so compare a car with others of its year. Cars up to 25 years old; years with fewer than 250 tests are left out.

First used	Tests	Passed first time	Dangerous defect
2020	274	80.7%	14.6%
2019	1,073	82.8%	10.7%
2018	948	82.3%	8.2%
2017	1,465	79.9%	9.3%
2016	2,087	79.6%	8.6%
2015	2,856	78.6%	9.2%
2014	1,729	74.7%	10.6%
2013	2,962	72.1%	10.8%
2012	1,063	73.8%	10.5%
2011	1,094	73.9%	9.3%
2010	980	66.0%	12.1%
2009	949	66.5%	12.4%
2008	1,169	68.8%	9.3%
2007	1,444	67.7%	11.4%
2006	1,144	70.5%	11.5%
2005	828	71.3%	9.4%

Mileage

CLS-Class mileage by age

The median reading at the test: half the cars of that age had covered more, half less. Estimated from 1,000-mile bands, for cars up to 25 years old.

A car well above or below the typical figure is not a problem in itself, but the readings should rise steadily from one MOT to the next. A fall, or a long gap, is worth asking about.

Check a car's mileage record

Age at test	Median mileage	Readings
4 years	34,700 miles	267
5 years	44,600 miles	626
6 years	52,400 miles	1,151
7 years	59,700 miles	1,015
8 years	69,900 miles	1,917
9 years	80,400 miles	2,469
10 years	88,200 miles	2,200
11 years	97,400 miles	2,431
12 years	100,800 miles	2,000
13 years	102,100 miles	1,063
14 years	110,100 miles	1,001
15 years	115,000 miles	1,019
16 years	117,600 miles	951
17 years	122,300 miles	1,417
18 years	120,300 miles	1,253
19 years	110,800 miles	1,031
20 years	103,700 miles	327

Checking a particular CLS-Class?

Averages tell you what to look at. The registration tells you about this car: every MOT since 2005 with its failures and advisories, each mileage reading, and whether it is taxed.

Questions

Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class: common questions

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class was tyres: 9.4% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 6.2% for all cars and vans. Next came suspension (8.7%) and brakes (6.1%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class?

74.6% of 22,400 initial MOT tests on the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 3.0% passed after small repairs made at the test station within the hour (PRS). Across all cars and vans, 72.1% passed first time.

Does a lower pass rate mean the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class is unreliable?

Not on its own. MOT results depend on age, mileage and upkeep as much as on design, so a model with many older cars on the road will usually fail more often. The table by year compares cars of a similar age. What matters most is the record of the car you are looking at, so check its MOT history before you buy.

What counts as a dangerous defect?

One the tester judges to be a direct and immediate risk to road safety, or to have a serious impact on the environment. The car fails and should not be driven until it is repaired. 10.3% of initial tests on the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class found at least one, against 7.3% for all cars and vans.

Where do these figures come from?

From DVSA's anonymised MOT test data for 2025, published under the Open Government Licence. We count initial tests on cars and light vans in Great Britain, as DVSA does in its own statistics: retests, appeals and abandoned tests are left out, and so are advisories and minor defects.

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