Mercedes-Benz E: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Mercedes-Benz E passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 2.5 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 231,232 individual Mercedes-Benz E tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 79.2% first-time pass rate means roughly 21 in every 100 Mercedes-Benz Es presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average Mercedes-Benz E tested had covered 94,621 miles and was built around 2014.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Mercedes-Benz E sits 2.5 points above the national average, ranked 1,471 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. See how it stacks up against the Ford Fiesta.

Looking at a specific Mercedes-Benz E rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see recorded closing bids for damaged Mercedes-Benz Es at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Mercedes-Benz E

1. Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel, 1% of tests (16.28x the national rate for this defect)
2. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 2.4% of tests (2.2x the national rate for this defect)
3. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 0.6% of tests (1.81x the national rate for this defect)
4. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2.9% of tests (1.71x the national rate for this defect)
5. A tyre seriously damaged, 3.9% of tests (1.41x the national rate for this defect)
6. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 1.6% of tests (1.24x the national rate for this defect)
7. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 3.9% of tests (1.22x the national rate for this defect)
8. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 2.2% of tests (1.19x the national rate for this defect)
9. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 4.1% of tests
10. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 2.2% of tests

From 231,064 DVSA-tracked Mercedes-Benz E tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 7.53% of these flagged Mercedes-Benz E defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Mercedes-Benz E

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Mercedes-Benz E before it actually fails on it.

1. A wheel bearing with excessive play, 4.5% of tests (7x the national rate for this advisory)
2. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 14.8% of tests (2.39x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
3. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 5% of tests (1.58x the national rate for this advisory)
4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 30.3% of tests, also fails
5. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 10.5% of tests, also fails
6. A tyre seriously damaged, 9.8% of tests, also fails
7. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 9.4% of tests
8. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 9.4% of tests
9. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 4.2% of tests
10. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 1.9% of tests

From 231,064 DVSA-tracked Mercedes-Benz E tests, 2024.

Mercedes-Benz E pass rate by model year

From its 1994 to its 2021 model year, the Mercedes-Benz E's first-time pass rate has risen 12.8 points, from 76% to 88.8%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Mercedes-Benz E year:

• 1994 Mercedes-Benz E - 76% first-time pass, 666 tests
• 1995 Mercedes-Benz E - 75.3% first-time pass, 732 tests
• 1996 Mercedes-Benz E - 74% first-time pass, 497 tests
• 1997 Mercedes-Benz E - 72.4% first-time pass, 293 tests
• 1998 Mercedes-Benz E - 79.8% first-time pass, 524 tests
• 1999 Mercedes-Benz E - 75.9% first-time pass, 468 tests
• 2000 Mercedes-Benz E - 76.4% first-time pass, 526 tests
• 2001 Mercedes-Benz E - 73.1% first-time pass, 707 tests
• 2002 Mercedes-Benz E - 73.9% first-time pass, 1,010 tests
• 2003 Mercedes-Benz E - 72.5% first-time pass, 2,964 tests
• 2004 Mercedes-Benz E - 72.1% first-time pass, 4,108 tests
• 2005 Mercedes-Benz E - 71.7% first-time pass, 4,064 tests
• 2006 Mercedes-Benz E - 72% first-time pass, 3,627 tests
• 2007 Mercedes-Benz E - 74.5% first-time pass, 5,429 tests
• 2008 Mercedes-Benz E - 72.4% first-time pass, 4,342 tests
• 2009 Mercedes-Benz E - 72.2% first-time pass, 6,742 tests
• 2010 Mercedes-Benz E - 72.1% first-time pass, 11,357 tests
• 2011 Mercedes-Benz E - 73.5% first-time pass, 13,334 tests
• 2012 Mercedes-Benz E - 73.8% first-time pass, 14,505 tests
• 2013 Mercedes-Benz E - 74.5% first-time pass, 18,656 tests
• 2014 Mercedes-Benz E - 78.3% first-time pass, 20,261 tests
• 2015 Mercedes-Benz E - 81.1% first-time pass, 21,463 tests
• 2016 Mercedes-Benz E - 84.9% first-time pass, 20,666 tests
• 2017 Mercedes-Benz E - 86.2% first-time pass, 22,557 tests
• 2018 Mercedes-Benz E - 86.5% first-time pass, 21,505 tests
• 2019 Mercedes-Benz E - 87.5% first-time pass, 19,076 tests
• 2020 Mercedes-Benz E - 87.8% first-time pass, 6,672 tests
• 2021 Mercedes-Benz E - 88.8% first-time pass, 2,135 tests

Mercedes-Benz E by fuel type

The Mercedes-Benz E's two most-tested fuel types split by 1.9 points: diesel passes first time 79.3% of the time (193,962 tests) against 81.2% for petrol (26,387 tests).

• Diesel Mercedes-Benz E - 79.3% first-time pass, 193,962 tests
• Petrol Mercedes-Benz E - 81.2% first-time pass, 26,387 tests
• Hybrid Mercedes-Benz E - 88% first-time pass, 3,503 tests

Other Mercedes-Benz models

• Mercedes-Benz C - 77.4%
• Mercedes-Benz A-Class - 78.7%
• Mercedes-Benz A - 89.5%
• Mercedes-Benz Vito - 72.7%
• Mercedes-Benz Gla - 85.2%
• Mercedes-Benz Glc - 87.8%
• Mercedes-Benz B-Class - 74.7%
• Mercedes-Benz Cla - 82.8%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Fiat Doblo 16v Tecnico Multijet Ii - 79.4%
• Honda Cr-V - 79.3%
• Vauxhall Cascada - 79.3%
• Fiat 500x - 79.2%
• Citroen C4 Cactus - 79.2%
• Subaru Outback - 79.2%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

Embed this data

Run a site about the Mercedes-Benz E? Embed the real DVSA pass-rate badge free, linked back to this page.

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/mercedes-benz-e"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/mercedes-benz-e.svg" width="340" height="92" alt="Mercedes-Benz E MOT Pass Rate: 79.2% - Salvage Prophet"></a>

Run a garage or parts site? Embed the Mercedes-Benz E's top real failure reason instead, linked back here.

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/mercedes-benz-e"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/failure/mercedes-benz-e.svg" width="340" height="106" alt="Mercedes-Benz E most common MOT failure: Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel (1% of tests) - Salvage Prophet"></a>

All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate