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

In 2025, DVSA recorded 20,834 initial MOT tests on the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class in Great Britain, and 83.0% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Mercedes-Benz SL-Class at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 20,834
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 83.0%
Failed at firstIncluding 2.4% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 17.0%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 4.4%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 6,118 off the road (SORN): 15,697

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

Failure areas

Where the SL-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.

1Suspension
5.1%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
2Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
4.8%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
3Tyres
4.2%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
4Brakes
3.4%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
5Visibility
2.2%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
6Noise, emissions and leaks
2.0%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
7Body, 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%
8Seat belts and airbags
0.7%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
9Steering
0.7%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
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.

ConditionTyres3.6%
Suspension armsSuspension2.5%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks1.9%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics1.5%
Brake performanceBrakes1.4%
Direction indicatorsLamps and electrics1.2%
SpringsSuspension1.2%
WashersVisibility1.1%

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
2019	406	91.1%	4.9%
2018	406	90.6%	3.9%
2017	637	92.5%	2.8%
2016	766	89.2%	3.3%
2015	788	86.7%	4.7%
2014	1,078	85.5%	5.1%
2013	1,153	81.0%	5.7%
2012	415	83.6%	4.8%
2011	252	84.9%	4.4%
2010	358	80.2%	6.7%
2009	468	81.0%	5.6%
2008	752	84.3%	5.9%
2007	772	81.3%	4.9%
2006	783	82.2%	4.6%
2005	1,100	82.1%	4.4%
2004	1,756	82.9%	4.3%
2003	2,249	81.3%	4.8%
2002	912	80.4%	6.3%
2001	289	83.4%	2.4%
2000	476	81.3%	4.0%

Mileage

SL-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
5 years	20,800 miles	301
6 years	23,300 miles	414
7 years	29,400 miles	505
8 years	34,200 miles	752
9 years	39,600 miles	736
10 years	43,500 miles	893
11 years	47,800 miles	1,182
12 years	49,300 miles	795
13 years	52,500 miles	268
14 years	50,800 miles	319
15 years	61,400 miles	416
16 years	59,200 miles	545
17 years	68,800 miles	777
18 years	68,400 miles	742
19 years	72,700 miles	1,055
20 years	73,900 miles	1,261
21 years	74,200 miles	2,159
22 years	73,900 miles	1,665
23 years	73,200 miles	421
24 years	79,100 miles	365
25 years	81,600 miles	560

Checking a particular SL-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 SL-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 SL-Class?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class was suspension: 5.1% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 9.0% for all cars and vans. Next came lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (4.8%) and tyres (4.2%).

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

83.0% of 20,834 initial MOT tests on the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 2.4% 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 SL-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. 4.4% of initial tests on the Mercedes-Benz SL-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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