Know Your MOT
16.9%fail rate

Mercedes Ml250 common MOT failures and failure rate

What a Mercedes Ml250 fails its MOT on, from real DVSA test data, and the part that resolves each item.

Based on 260 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 16.9% of MOT tests recorded on the Mercedes Ml250 in DVSA data end in a failure. The same handful of items account for most of them.

Its most common failure is tyres, which makes up 40.9% of the Mercedes Ml250's failures, followed by tyres, suspension, other, brakes. Each item below links to the part that resolves it. Confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying, and have safety-critical work done by a competent mechanic.

What it fails on, and why

Tyres40.9% of failures

Tyres fail for tread below the 1.6mm legal limit across the central three-quarters, uneven or exposed-cord wear, or sidewall damage. The tester inspects all four; a single illegal tyre is a fail.

Suspension18.2% 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.

Other15.9% of failures

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

Brakes11.4% 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.

Lamps & electrical11.4% 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.

Visibility/wipers6.8% 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. These are the usual parts; confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying.

For the tyres failure: Mercedes Ml250 tyresSearch Amazon for Mercedes Ml250 tyresaffiliate searchFind Mercedes Ml250 tyres on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Mercedes Ml250 suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Mercedes Ml250 suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Mercedes Ml250 suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Mercedes Ml250 brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Mercedes Ml250 brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Mercedes Ml250 brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Mercedes Ml250 headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Mercedes Ml250 headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Mercedes Ml250 headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the visibility/wipers failure: Mercedes Ml250 wiper bladesSearch Amazon for Mercedes Ml250 wiper bladesaffiliate searchFind Mercedes Ml250 wiper blades on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Mercedes Ml MOT failures21.9% failure rateMercedes Motorhome MOT failures23.4% failure rateMercedes Unknown MOT failures20.7% failure rateFord Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rate

Sources: DVSA MOT History API: MOT test results and defect data ยท DVSA MOT testing data for Great Britain