Mercedes-Benz Sprinter: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter fails its first MOT more often than the average UK vehicle, by 2.4 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 24,425 individual Mercedes-Benz Sprinter tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate74.3%
UK national average76.7%
Difference-2.4 points
Tests analysed24,425
Average mileage at test130,082 miles
Average year of manufacture2011
Reliability rank1,639 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 74.3% first-time pass rate means roughly 26 in every 100 Mercedes-Benz Sprinters 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 Sprinter tested had covered 130,082 miles and was built around 2011.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter sits 2.4 points below the national average, ranked 1,639 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 Sprinter 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 Sprinters at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

  1. Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value, 3.5% of tests (9.67x the national rate for this defect)
  2. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 7.2% of tests (5.53x the national rate for this defect)
  3. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 4% of tests (3.75x the national rate for this defect)
  4. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 1.9% of tests (3.27x the national rate for this defect)
  5. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 2.1% of tests (3.18x the national rate for this defect)
  6. Parking brake inoperative on one side, 1.8% of tests (3.07x the national rate for this defect)
  7. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 3.8% of tests (3x the national rate for this defect)
  8. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 5.2% of tests (2.35x the national rate for this defect)
  9. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 2.9% of tests (2.2x the national rate for this defect)
  10. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 8% of tests (1.59x the national rate for this defect)

From 190,391 DVSA-tracked Mercedes-Benz Sprinter tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 4.14% of these flagged Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 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 Sprinter

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 Sprinter before it actually fails on it.

  1. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 5.8% of tests (4.34x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
  2. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 19.9% of tests (3.22x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
  3. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 4.4% of tests (3.2x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
  4. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 11.7% of tests (2.1x the national rate for this advisory)
  5. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 26.9% of tests (2.01x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
  6. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 2.3% of tests (1.85x the national rate for this advisory)
  7. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 4.3% of tests (1.64x the national rate for this advisory)
  8. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 2.6% of tests (1.29x the national rate for this advisory)
  9. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 3.8% of tests (1.19x the national rate for this advisory)
  10. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 19.1% of tests

From 190,391 DVSA-tracked Mercedes-Benz Sprinter tests, 2024.

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter pass rate by model year

From its 1998 to its 2021 model year, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter's first-time pass rate has risen 14.8 points, from 63.3% to 78.1%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Mercedes-Benz Sprinter year:

Other Mercedes-Benz models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this van is a salvage or write-off

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Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOT pass rate badge: 74.3%

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Mercedes-Benz Sprinter most common MOT failure: Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (3.5% of tests)

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate