MOT pass rates / Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz CLK MOT pass rate and common failures

Of 25,412 class-4 normal initial MOT tests in 2024, 62.4% passed without an initial fail or PRS repair — below the 71.2% UK average.

Pass rate by vehicle age

Common initial failure categories

These are the items that most often caused a Mercedes-Benz CLK to fail its first test, with what each one usually means for a buyer.

• Suspension Arms — 9.2% of tests. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
• Springs — 6.2% of tests. A broken or sagging coil spring. Replaced in pairs, so it is not the cheapest failure.
• Headlamp Aim — 5.8% of tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
• Brake Performance — 5.7% of tests. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
• Anti-roll Bars — 5.6% of tests. Worn anti-roll bar links or bushes. Inexpensive but often recurring.
• Condition — 5.1% of tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.

What this does and does not tell you

A pass rate describes how a population of cars behaved on test day. It says nothing about how one car was driven, serviced or repaired, and an MOT does not cover the engine, clutch or gearbox at all.

Use it to know what to look for: if tyres and brakes dominate the list, price those in; if corrosion or suspension appears, get underneath the car. Then check the individual vehicle — its MOT history shows whether these same items have been advised year after year, and its mileage record shows whether the reading is consistent.

Before you buy

• Suspension Arms — 9.2% of tests in 2024. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
• Springs — 6.2% of tests in 2024. A broken or sagging coil spring. Replaced in pairs, so it is not the cheapest failure.
• Headlamp Aim — 5.8% of tests in 2024. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
• Brake Performance — 5.7% of tests in 2024. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
• Check the actual CLK — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.

Other Mercedes-Benz models

• Mercedes-Benz C — 74.4% pass
• Mercedes-Benz A-class — 74.6% pass
• Mercedes-Benz E — 76.9% pass
• Mercedes-Benz A — 87.8% pass
• Mercedes-Benz Vito — 66.8% pass
• Mercedes-Benz GLC — 86.5% pass

See every Mercedes-Benz model MOT pass rate

Common questions

What is the Mercedes-Benz CLK MOT pass rate?

62.4% of 25,412 class-4 initial MOT tests on the Mercedes-Benz CLK passed first time in 2024 — below the 71.2% UK average.

Why does the CLK fail its MOT?

The most common initial failure categories are suspension arms (9.2% of tests), springs (6.2% of tests), headlamp aim (5.8% of tests), brake performance (5.7% of tests).

Does this tell me whether one particular CLK is a good buy?

No. These are population statistics. Enter that car's registration for its own MOT, tax and mileage record, then check outstanding finance, write-off and stolen markers before buying.

Methodology and limitations

MOT outcomes describe testable items at the time of inspection. They are not a measure of overall mechanical reliability.

Scope: Class 4 normal initial MOT tests completed in 2024. Models require at least 1,000 qualifying tests. Duplicate source rows are removed using official DVSA test IDs.

Source: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency anonymised MOT tests and results, 2024, published 2025-05-23 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.