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

In 2025, DVSA recorded 231,022 initial MOT tests on the Mercedes-Benz E-Class in Great Britain, and 77.4% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Mercedes-Benz E-Class at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 231,022
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 77.4%
Failed at firstIncluding 2.8% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 22.6%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 8.7%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 43,010 off the road (SORN): 206,798

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

Failure areas

Where the E-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
8.1%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
2Suspension
7.9%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
3Brakes
5.4%
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
4.0%
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
2.8%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
6Visibility
1.7%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
7Road wheels
1.3%
Damaged or loose wheels, wheel nuts and hubsAll cars and vans: 0.4%
8Body, chassis and structure
0.9%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
9Seat belts and airbags
0.6%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
10Steering
0.6%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%

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.

ConditionTyres5.4%
Suspension armsSuspension3.5%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks2.6%
Tread depthTyres2.6%
Brake performanceBrakes2.4%
SpringsSuspension2.1%
Anti-roll barsSuspension1.8%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics1.7%

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
2024	361	97.2%	1.1%
2023	259	94.2%	3.5%
2022	3,334	87.7%	7.3%
2021	6,471	87.8%	7.8%
2020	10,431	86.3%	8.7%
2019	20,931	85.6%	7.8%
2018	20,796	83.8%	7.9%
2017	21,820	83.0%	6.8%
2016	19,987	81.0%	7.6%
2015	20,729	77.8%	8.1%
2014	19,455	75.2%	9.7%
2013	17,845	70.9%	10.8%
2012	13,699	68.9%	10.8%
2011	12,437	69.6%	10.6%
2010	10,477	69.0%	10.5%
2009	6,062	70.0%	9.5%
2008	3,849	69.9%	9.3%
2007	4,714	71.0%	8.8%
2006	3,077	68.8%	9.9%
2005	3,391	66.2%	9.3%
2004	3,369	68.4%	8.5%
2003	2,433	68.2%	8.0%
2002	800	67.1%	7.3%
2001	582	66.0%	7.6%
2000	435	72.4%	4.8%

Mileage

E-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
1 year	31,000 miles	282
2 years	26,100 miles	2,187
3 years	37,100 miles	4,844
4 years	43,900 miles	9,349
5 years	52,600 miles	15,962
6 years	61,300 miles	20,861
7 years	72,400 miles	20,391
8 years	81,200 miles	20,524
9 years	85,900 miles	20,912
10 years	91,600 miles	19,629
11 years	96,400 miles	18,638
12 years	102,600 miles	15,504
13 years	107,300 miles	13,413
14 years	109,700 miles	11,550
15 years	115,700 miles	8,326
16 years	126,900 miles	4,286
17 years	131,800 miles	4,428
18 years	132,900 miles	3,914
19 years	133,000 miles	3,391
20 years	133,700 miles	3,069
21 years	133,000 miles	3,014
22 years	123,300 miles	1,496
23 years	106,100 miles	585
24 years	103,800 miles	545
25 years	103,700 miles	391

Checking a particular E-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 E-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 E-Class?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Mercedes-Benz E-Class was tyres: 8.1% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 6.2% for all cars and vans. Next came suspension (7.9%) and brakes (5.4%).

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

77.4% of 231,022 initial MOT tests on the Mercedes-Benz E-Class in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 2.8% 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 E-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. 8.7% of initial tests on the Mercedes-Benz E-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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