Mercedes-Benz Viano: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Mercedes-Benz Viano fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 6 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 5,397 individual Mercedes-Benz Viano tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 70.7% first-time pass rate means roughly 29 in every 100 Mercedes-Benz Vianos 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 Viano tested had covered 149,200 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 Viano sits 6 points below the national average, ranked 1,738 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 Viano 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 Vianos at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Mercedes-Benz Viano

1. Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value, 2.6% of tests (7.12x the national rate for this defect)
2. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 4.3% of tests (6.6x the national rate for this defect)
3. An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction, 2.7% of tests (6.47x the national rate for this defect)
4. Parking brake inoperative on one side, 2.3% of tests (3.92x the national rate for this defect)
5. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 2.3% of tests (3.8x the national rate for this defect)
6. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 4.2% of tests (3.19x the national rate for this defect)
7. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 2.5% of tests (2.51x the national rate for this defect)
8. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 2.4% of tests (2.29x the national rate for this defect)
9. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 3.4% of tests (1.85x the national rate for this defect)
10. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 3.9% of tests (1.67x the national rate for this defect)

From 5,440 DVSA-tracked Mercedes-Benz Viano tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 4.77% of these flagged Mercedes-Benz Viano 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 Viano

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 Viano before it actually fails on it.

1. A shock absorber bush excessively worn, 3.2% of tests (6.71x the national rate for this advisory)
2. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 5.5% of tests (3.99x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
3. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 4.2% of tests (3.4x the national rate for this advisory)
4. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 4% of tests (2.65x the national rate for this advisory)
5. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 2.9% of tests (2.59x the national rate for this advisory)
6. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 15.4% of tests (2.49x the national rate for this advisory)
7. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 6.6% of tests (2.33x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
8. 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)
9. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 3.4% of tests (1.7x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
10. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 17.8% of tests (1.33x the national rate for this advisory)

From 5,440 DVSA-tracked Mercedes-Benz Viano tests, 2024.

Mercedes-Benz Viano pass rate by model year

From its 2005 to its 2014 model year, the Mercedes-Benz Viano's first-time pass rate has risen 10.3 points, from 65.9% to 76.2%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Mercedes-Benz Viano year:

• 2004 Mercedes-Benz Viano - 70.6% first-time pass, 269 tests
• 2005 Mercedes-Benz Viano - 65.9% first-time pass, 384 tests
• 2006 Mercedes-Benz Viano - 65% first-time pass, 374 tests
• 2007 Mercedes-Benz Viano - 69.9% first-time pass, 459 tests
• 2008 Mercedes-Benz Viano - 69.3% first-time pass, 486 tests
• 2009 Mercedes-Benz Viano - 69.1% first-time pass, 431 tests
• 2010 Mercedes-Benz Viano - 75.6% first-time pass, 434 tests
• 2011 Mercedes-Benz Viano - 71.6% first-time pass, 497 tests
• 2012 Mercedes-Benz Viano - 71.7% first-time pass, 580 tests
• 2013 Mercedes-Benz Viano - 73.1% first-time pass, 662 tests
• 2014 Mercedes-Benz Viano - 76.2% first-time pass, 661 tests

Mercedes-Benz Viano by fuel type

The Mercedes-Benz Viano's two most-tested fuel types split by 4.1 points: diesel passes first time 70.9% of the time (4,855 tests) against 75% for petrol (535 tests).

• Diesel Mercedes-Benz Viano - 70.9% first-time pass, 4,855 tests
• Petrol Mercedes-Benz Viano - 75% first-time pass, 535 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

• Chrysler 300 - 70.9%
• Volkswagen Transporter - 70.8%
• Skoda Roomster - 70.8%
• Mazda Rx-8 - 70.7%
• Volkswagen Motor Caravan - 70.7%
• Rover 216 - 70.7%

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