27,008 tests in 2025
Mercedes-Benz Ml reliability and MOT pass rate
77.9% passed first time. The 22.1% fail rate is 0.5 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 14 years old with 111,319 miles.
MOT pass rates / Mercedes-Benz
Pass rate
77.9%
22.6% of all cars failed; 22.1% of these did.
Fixed on the day
5.7%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
111,319 mi
14 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 7 | — |
| 10-13 years | 12,394 | 16.3% |
| 14+ years | 14,607 | 27.1% |
What the Ml fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment30 dangerous35.6%
- Suspension115 dangerous32.5%
- Brakes853 dangerous32.1%
- Tyres1,584 dangerous24.3%
- Noise, emissions and leaks36 dangerous16.2%
- Body, chassis, structure50 dangerous14.9%
- Visibility1 dangerous9.8%
- Steering35 dangerous7.8%
Is the Ml getting worse?
The fail rate fell 1.3 points to 22.1% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years. Ageing alone would predict about 3.7 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 39,241 | 12 | 23.4% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 35,859 | 13 | 23.2% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 28,760 | 14 | 23.4% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 26,941 | 14 | 22.1% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Ml at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a Ml in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Coil spring: fractured or broken1,208 tests
- 2Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction512 tests
- 3Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm503 tests
- 4Position lamp: not working493 tests
- 5Condition: has ply or cords exposed449 tests
- 6Stop lamp: not working440 tests
- 7Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt396 tests
- 8Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick367 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Ml collects 2.89 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm4,885 tests
- 2Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine4,560 tests
- 3Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded2,539 tests
- 4Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened1,982 tests
- 5Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1,935 tests
- 6Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn1,408 tests
- 7Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure1,111 tests
- 8Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened1,099 tests
Questions
What is the Mercedes-Benz Ml MOT pass rate?
77.9% of the 27,008 Mercedes-Benz Ml first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 22.1% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 5.7% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Mercedes-Benz Ml usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded on 1,208 failed tests, followed by "Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction" and "Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm". By section, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 35.6% of failures, suspension appears in 32.5% of failures, brakes appears in 32.1% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was n/a%; at 14+ years it was 27.1%. The median Mercedes-Benz Ml tested in 2025 was 14 years old with 111,319 miles.
Is the Mercedes-Benz Ml getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 1.3 points to 22.1% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years. Ageing alone would predict about 3.7 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every Ml trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 8 safety recalls naming the Mercedes-Benz Ml: Mercedes-Benz Ml recalls.
Other Mercedes-Benz models
Checking a particular Ml?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.