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

In 2025, DVSA recorded 26,411 initial MOT tests on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class in Great Britain, and 83.9% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Mercedes-Benz S-Class at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 26,411
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 83.9%
Failed at firstIncluding 2.7% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 16.1%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 5.6%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 9,010 off the road (SORN): 21,814

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

Failure areas

Where the S-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
4.9%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
2Suspension
4.7%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
3Brakes
3.8%
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
3.4%
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
2.6%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
6Visibility
2.3%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
7Body, chassis and structure
0.8%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
8Seat belts and airbags
0.8%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
9Road wheels
0.7%
Damaged or loose wheels, wheel nuts and hubsAll cars and vans: 0.4%
10Steering
0.5%
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.

Suspension armsSuspension3.8%
ConditionTyres3.1%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks2.4%
Brake performanceBrakes1.9%
Tread depthTyres1.8%
WashersVisibility1.5%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics1.2%
Mechanical brake componentsBrakes1.1%

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
2023	427	95.3%	3.7%
2022	724	92.7%	5.0%
2021	684	89.6%	6.6%
2020	656	92.2%	3.2%
2019	2,307	90.5%	3.8%
2018	2,184	90.5%	3.8%
2017	2,271	87.2%	5.0%
2016	2,634	85.7%	5.0%
2015	2,124	86.9%	4.8%
2014	1,583	87.7%	4.7%
2013	945	81.8%	7.3%
2012	1,150	80.3%	6.1%
2011	889	78.4%	7.2%
2010	776	78.2%	7.6%
2009	753	72.1%	8.9%
2008	814	72.9%	8.5%
2007	1,125	75.7%	8.4%
2006	881	77.8%	7.3%
2005	424	71.7%	9.0%
2004	532	76.3%	6.6%
2003	520	73.1%	7.7%
2002	296	73.0%	6.8%
2001	297	75.1%	6.1%

Mileage

S-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	32,500 miles	344
2 years	39,100 miles	681
3 years	37,200 miles	616
4 years	47,900 miles	681
5 years	65,600 miles	1,572
6 years	71,500 miles	2,259
7 years	67,400 miles	2,119
8 years	67,700 miles	2,576
9 years	76,000 miles	2,278
10 years	84,700 miles	1,830
11 years	96,400 miles	1,261
12 years	102,000 miles	1,010
13 years	105,800 miles	1,085
14 years	108,800 miles	852
15 years	108,400 miles	695
16 years	110,300 miles	804
17 years	112,700 miles	998
18 years	110,200 miles	1,001
19 years	111,700 miles	622
20 years	113,600 miles	449
21 years	117,000 miles	520
22 years	112,300 miles	412
23 years	101,800 miles	273
24 years	99,500 miles	275

Checking a particular S-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 S-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 S-Class?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class was tyres: 4.9% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 6.2% for all cars and vans. Next came suspension (4.7%) and brakes (3.8%).

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

83.9% of 26,411 initial MOT tests on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 2.7% 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 S-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. 5.6% of initial tests on the Mercedes-Benz S-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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