Know Your MOT

MOT failure rate and common problems for the Mercedes-Benz S600, and how to check your own car by registration.

Updated 05 September 2026.

11.8%fail rate

Mercedes-Benz S600 MOT failure rate

What a Mercedes-Benz S600 fails its MOT on, and the part that fixes each.

What it fails on, and why

Lamps & electrical33.3% of failures

Lighting is the single most common MOT failure and the cheapest to put right. A blown headlight, brake-light or number-plate bulb, a cracked lens, or a headlamp beam that points too high or low will all fail. Most are a two-minute bulb swap.

Suspension33.3% of failures

Suspension failures usually mean a worn or snapped coil spring, a leaking shock absorber, or play in a lower arm ball joint or bush. The tester checks for corrosion, fractures and excessive movement. A broken front spring is one of the most common failures on higher-mileage cars and is a straightforward replacement.

Other16.7% of failures

This covers a range of smaller items, from a non-working horn to a warning light left on.

Seat belts16.7% of failures

Seat-belt failures are frays, cuts, corroded anchorages, or a belt that will not lock under a sharp pull or retract properly.

Brakes16.7% of failures

Brake failures cover worn pads and discs, an imbalance between wheels, corroded or scored discs, or a binding caliper. Braking efficiency is measured on a rolling road, so a spongy or pulling brake shows up as a low reading.

Visibility/wipers16.7% of failures

Visibility failures include torn or smearing wiper blades, a washer jet that does not reach the screen, and chips or cracks in the driver's swept area. Blades and washer fluid are quick, cheap fixes.

The parts that fix each

If your car has just failed, you have 10 working days to fix the items and get a free partial retest. Confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying.

For the lamps & electrical failure: Mercedes-Benz S600 headlight and indicator bulbsShop Mercedes-Benz S600 headlight and indicator bulbs on AmazonaffiliateFind Mercedes-Benz S600 headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Mercedes-Benz S600 suspension springs and shock absorbersShop Mercedes-Benz S600 suspension springs and shock absorbers on AmazonaffiliateFind Mercedes-Benz S600 suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the seat belts failure: Mercedes-Benz S600 seat beltsShop Mercedes-Benz S600 seat belts on AmazonaffiliateFind Mercedes-Benz S600 seat belts on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Mercedes-Benz S600 brake pads and discsShop Mercedes-Benz S600 brake pads and discs on AmazonaffiliateFind Mercedes-Benz S600 brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the visibility/wipers failure: Mercedes-Benz S600 wiper bladesShop Mercedes-Benz S600 wiper blades on AmazonaffiliateFind Mercedes-Benz S600 wiper blades on eBayaffiliate

Other models

All Mercedes-Benz models MOT failure rates comparedRanked worst to bestMercedes-Benz C-Class MOT failures22.4% failure rateMercedes-Benz E-Class MOT failures20.5% failure rateFord Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rate

Questions and answers

What is the MOT failure rate of the Mercedes-Benz S600?

It fails 11.8% of its MOT tests across the DVSA record, from 51 tests.

What do these cars fail their MOT on most?

The most common failure area is lamps & electrical, at 33.3% of this model's failures.