Mercedes-Benz Ml: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Mercedes-Benz Ml fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 0.5 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 32,258 individual Mercedes-Benz Ml tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 76.2% first-time pass rate means roughly 24 in every 100 Mercedes-Benz Mls presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average Mercedes-Benz Ml tested had covered 109,931 miles and was built around 2010.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Mercedes-Benz Ml sits 0.5 points below the national average, ranked 1,582 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

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. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Mercedes-Benz Ml 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 Mls at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Mercedes-Benz Ml

1. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 2.2% of tests (3.3x the national rate for this defect)
2. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 5.6% of tests (2.45x the national rate for this defect)
3. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 2.4% of tests (2.27x the national rate for this defect)
4. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 2% of tests (1.57x the national rate for this defect)
5. Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 1.9% of tests (1.39x the national rate for this defect)
6. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 1.7% of tests (1.37x the national rate for this defect)
7. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2.2% of tests (1.28x the national rate for this defect)
8. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 2.9% of tests
9. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 2.7% of tests
10. A tyre seriously damaged, 2.4% of tests

From 32,211 DVSA-tracked Mercedes-Benz Ml tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 4.55% of these flagged Mercedes-Benz Ml 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 Ml

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 Ml before it actually fails on it.

1. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 16.7% of tests (3.01x the national rate for this advisory)
2. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 15.2% of tests (2.46x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
3. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 2.2% of tests (1.96x the national rate for this advisory)
4. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 2% of tests (1.45x the national rate for this advisory)
5. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 4.5% of tests (1.42x the national rate for this advisory)
6. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 1.5% of tests (1.23x the national rate for this advisory)
7. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 32.2% of tests (1.21x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 13.6% of tests, also fails
9. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 9.9% of tests
10. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 8.8% of tests

From 32,211 DVSA-tracked Mercedes-Benz Ml tests, 2024.

Mercedes-Benz Ml pass rate by model year

From its 2000 to its 2015 model year, the Mercedes-Benz Ml's first-time pass rate has risen 20.6 points, from 64.2% to 84.8%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Mercedes-Benz Ml year:

• 2000 Mercedes-Benz Ml - 64.2% first-time pass, 405 tests
• 2001 Mercedes-Benz Ml - 69% first-time pass, 480 tests
• 2002 Mercedes-Benz Ml - 71.2% first-time pass, 860 tests
• 2003 Mercedes-Benz Ml - 65.4% first-time pass, 934 tests
• 2004 Mercedes-Benz Ml - 65.6% first-time pass, 1,301 tests
• 2005 Mercedes-Benz Ml - 67.2% first-time pass, 975 tests
• 2006 Mercedes-Benz Ml - 74% first-time pass, 1,732 tests
• 2007 Mercedes-Benz Ml - 73.7% first-time pass, 2,146 tests
• 2008 Mercedes-Benz Ml - 72.9% first-time pass, 2,214 tests
• 2009 Mercedes-Benz Ml - 72.2% first-time pass, 1,978 tests
• 2010 Mercedes-Benz Ml - 74.2% first-time pass, 2,624 tests
• 2011 Mercedes-Benz Ml - 75.1% first-time pass, 2,591 tests
• 2012 Mercedes-Benz Ml - 80.8% first-time pass, 2,277 tests
• 2013 Mercedes-Benz Ml - 84.7% first-time pass, 4,211 tests
• 2014 Mercedes-Benz Ml - 83.1% first-time pass, 3,859 tests
• 2015 Mercedes-Benz Ml - 84.8% first-time pass, 3,165 tests

Mercedes-Benz Ml by fuel type

The Mercedes-Benz Ml's two most-tested fuel types split by 4.2 points: diesel passes first time 77.2% of the time (29,086 tests) against 73% for petrol (2,842 tests).

• Diesel Mercedes-Benz Ml - 77.2% first-time pass, 29,086 tests
• Petrol Mercedes-Benz Ml - 73% first-time pass, 2,842 tests

Other Mercedes-Benz models

• Mercedes-Benz C - 77.4%
• Mercedes-Benz A-Class - 78.7%
• Mercedes-Benz E - 79.2%
• 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%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Lexus Rx400h - 76.3%
• Mercedes-Benz 190 E - 76.3%
• Lexus Ls400 - 76.3%
• BMW 728 - 76.2%
• Volvo V40 - 76.1%
• Mercedes-Benz Cls - 76.1%

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?

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate