23,000 tests in 2025
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter reliability and MOT pass rate
76.2% passed first time. The 23.8% fail rate is 1.2 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 12 years old with 117,091 miles.
MOT pass rates / Mercedes-Benz
Pass rate
76.2%
22.6% of all cars failed; 23.8% of these did.
Fixed on the day
5.1%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
117,091 mi
12 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 2,282 | 11.4% |
| 6-9 years | 4,747 | 15.4% |
| 10-13 years | 5,291 | 24.4% |
| 14+ years | 10,221 | 31.1% |
What the Sprinter 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.
- Brakes846 dangerous54.6%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment49 dangerous41.5%
- Suspension167 dangerous27.9%
- Body, chassis, structure123 dangerous18.5%
- Visibility2 dangerous17.2%
- Noise, emissions and leaks14 dangerous12.8%
- Steering28 dangerous11.8%
- Tyres555 dangerous11.3%
Is the Sprinter getting worse?
The fail rate rose 1.4 points to 24.7% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years. Ageing alone would predict about 4.1 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 22,377 | 11 | 23.3% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 22,249 | 12 | 23.9% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 21,550 | 12 | 24.8% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 21,526 | 13 | 24.7% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Sprinter 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 Sprinter in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements1,126 tests
- 2Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded510 tests
- 3Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively484 tests
- 4Position lamp: not working446 tests
- 5Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn403 tests
- 6Rbt (sp): efficiency less than 50% of the required value402 tests
- 7Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play370 tests
- 8Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction341 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Sprinter collects 3.12 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.
- 1Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded3,488 tests
- 2Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened2,484 tests
- 3Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn2,127 tests
- 4Non-component advisories: Play in steering rack inner joint(s)2,062 tests
- 5Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine1,681 tests
- 6Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1,642 tests
- 7Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure974 tests
- 8Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn816 tests
Questions
What is the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOT pass rate?
76.2% of the 23,000 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 23.8% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 5.1% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements", recorded on 1,126 failed tests, followed by "Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded" and "Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively". By section, brakes appears in 54.6% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 41.5% of failures, suspension appears in 27.9% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 11.4%; at 14+ years it was 31.1%. The median Mercedes-Benz Sprinter tested in 2025 was 12 years old with 117,091 miles.
Is the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 1.4 points to 24.7% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years. Ageing alone would predict about 4.1 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 Sprinter 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 80 safety recalls naming the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter recalls.
Other Mercedes-Benz models
Checking a particular Sprinter?
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.