MOT pass rates / Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 19,997 class-4 normal initial MOT tests in 2024, 70.2% passed without an initial fail or PRS repair — below the 71.2% UK average. Pass rate moves with age: 84.1% of cars aged 3–5 years passed first time, against 62.4% aged 15–30 years.
Checking a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter?
Model-level statistics cannot reveal the condition or provenance of one car.
Check its registration free for the actual MOT, tax and mileage record. Before buying, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.
Pass rate by vehicle age
| Age | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 2,180 | 84.1% |
| 6–9 years | 4,720 | 78.7% |
| 10–14 years | 5,253 | 68.6% |
| 15–30 years | 7,844 | 62.4% |
Common initial failure categories
These are the items that most often caused a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter to fail its first test, with what each one usually means for a buyer.
- Brake Performance — 9.8% of tests. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
- Headlamp Aim — 4.1% of tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Exhaust Emissions — 3.6% of tests. The car exceeded its emissions limits. Can be a sensor or a service, but on a diesel it can also mean an expensive filter or catalyst.
- Position Lamps — 3.2% of tests. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
- Wipers — 3% of tests. Worn wiper blades. Minutes to fix, and a fair hint that servicing was skipped.
- Rigid Brake Pipes — 3% of tests. Corroded brake pipes. Safety-critical and a sign of underbody corrosion.
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.
How many Mercedes-Benz Sprinter are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 259,076 licensed and 55,379 SORN vehicles in the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter generic-model group.
Licensed and SORN trend for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
Before you buy
- Brake Performance — 9.8% of tests in 2024. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
- Headlamp Aim — 4.1% of tests in 2024. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Exhaust Emissions — 3.6% of tests in 2024. The car exceeded its emissions limits. Can be a sensor or a service, but on a diesel it can also mean an expensive filter or catalyst.
- Position Lamps — 3.2% of tests in 2024. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
- Check the actual Sprinter — 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 Sprinter MOT pass rate?
70.2% of 19,997 class-4 initial MOT tests on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter passed first time in 2024 — below the 71.2% UK average.
Why does the Sprinter fail its MOT?
The most common initial failure categories are brake performance (9.8% of tests), headlamp aim (4.1% of tests), exhaust emissions (3.6% of tests), position lamps (3.2% of tests).
How many Mercedes-Benz Sprinter are left in the UK?
259,076 were licensed and 55,379 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.
Does this tell me whether one particular Sprinter 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.
Check the actual car
Enter the registration for that car's own free MOT, tax and mileage record. Before money changes hands, the £9.99 full history check adds outstanding finance, insurance write-off and stolen checks.