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

In 2025, DVSA recorded 54,181 initial MOT tests on the Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class in Great Britain, and 71.9% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 54,181
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 71.9%
Failed at firstIncluding 3.6% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 28.1%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 6.9%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 10,977 off the road (SORN): 48,362

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

Failure areas

Where the SLK-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
12.4%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
2Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
8.2%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
3Tyres
6.2%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
4Brakes
6.1%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
5Visibility
3.3%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
6Noise, emissions and leaks
2.6%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
7Seat belts and airbags
1.4%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
8Body, chassis and structure
1.4%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
9Steering
0.9%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
10Road wheels
0.4%
Damaged or loose wheels, wheel nuts and hubsAll cars and vans: 0.4%

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.

SpringsSuspension5.1%
Suspension armsSuspension4.7%
ConditionTyres4.3%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics3.0%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks2.5%
Brake performanceBrakes2.5%
HeadlampsLamps and electrics2.1%
Tread depthTyres2.0%

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
2016	1,249	82.3%	5.5%
2015	4,848	80.0%	7.0%
2014	4,791	76.4%	7.7%
2013	4,488	74.3%	8.4%
2012	5,481	73.7%	6.7%
2011	2,487	75.2%	6.8%
2010	2,031	70.6%	7.0%
2009	2,449	69.3%	7.8%
2008	3,115	67.9%	6.7%
2007	3,389	67.3%	6.3%
2006	3,473	67.0%	7.4%
2005	4,422	67.9%	7.0%
2004	2,761	66.2%	6.8%
2003	1,519	67.9%	6.7%
2002	1,639	71.1%	6.9%
2001	1,845	70.8%	5.9%
2000	1,513	69.5%	5.9%

Mileage

SLK-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
8 years	40,400 miles	456
9 years	47,000 miles	3,283
10 years	52,400 miles	4,762
11 years	59,700 miles	4,602
12 years	64,200 miles	5,429
13 years	62,400 miles	4,026
14 years	63,200 miles	1,864
15 years	67,500 miles	2,299
16 years	72,500 miles	2,666
17 years	75,000 miles	3,373
18 years	77,700 miles	3,307
19 years	80,000 miles	3,841
20 years	81,600 miles	4,109
21 years	81,400 miles	1,643
22 years	81,900 miles	1,638
23 years	84,600 miles	1,651
24 years	87,000 miles	1,881
25 years	85,200 miles	1,390

Checking a particular SLK-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 SLK-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 SLK-Class?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class was suspension: 12.4% 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 (8.2%) and tyres (6.2%).

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

71.9% of 54,181 initial MOT tests on the Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 3.6% 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 SLK-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. 6.9% of initial tests on the Mercedes-Benz SLK-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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