Mercedes-Benz S-Class
From 57,528 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer S-Classs fare better: 2021 models pass at 89.6% vs 72.2% for 2001.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements and a tyre seriously damaged. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 1,540 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 1,540 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 969 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 663 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 481 |
| brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 391 |
| engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction | 390 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 334 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 330 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 274 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 267 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 59.3% of S-Class failures are safety items (worn brakes, tyre damage, steering play). The car still drives, but you shouldn't. Only 6.9% are the kind that would actually strand you. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £115.
The warranty question
A new S-Class passes its MOT 95.4% of the time. By 7 years old that drops to 90.1%, a 5.3 percentage point fall, right as the manufacturer warranty runs out. At 10 years it's down to 85%. With an average repair bill of £115 when things go wrong, an extended warranty can make sense on a S-Class that's past its third birthday.
Fuel type matters
Hybrid versions pass at 92.4% while Petrol versions pass at 86.3%, a 6 percentage point gap.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 1,362 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 378 newly registered, a net loss of 984. At this rate, roughly 30.9 years until none remain. Now at 88.8% of its peak (34,179 in 2017 Q2).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 22,031 | 8,330 | +153 | -280 | -127 |
| 2025 Q2 | 22,265 | 8,223 | +37 | -338 | -301 |
| 2025 Q1 | 22,625 | 8,164 | +132 | -264 | -132 |
| 2024 Q4 | 22,822 | 8,099 | +56 | -480 | -424 |
| 2024 Q3 | 23,369 | 7,976 | +107 | -336 | -229 |
| 2024 Q2 | 23,679 | 7,895 | +182 | -307 | -125 |
| 2024 Q1 | 23,871 | 7,828 | +130 | -415 | -285 |
| 2023 Q4 | 24,311 | 7,673 | +145 | -317 | -172 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| S320 Cdi Auto | Diesel | 2,026 | 15% |
| S 350 D L Amg Line Executive A | Diesel | 1,395 | 10% |
| S350 Bluetec B-Fcy Cdi Auto | Diesel | 1,097 | 8% |
| S350 Bluetec B-Fcy L Cdi Auto | Diesel | 1,036 | 8% |
| S 350 D L Amg Line Auto | Diesel | 979 | 7% |
| S 350 D Amg Line Auto | Diesel | 682 | 5% |
| S500 Amg Line Premium Auto | Petrol | 529 | 4% |
| S 580 L Amg Ln Prem + Exec E A | Plug-In Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 526 | 4% |
| S 350 D L Amg Line Exec Prem A | Diesel | 522 | 4% |
| S320 Cdi L Auto | Diesel | 496 | 4% |
| S350 L Amg Line Exec B-Tec A | Diesel | 462 | 3% |
| S350 L Se Line Bluetec Auto | Diesel | 448 | 3% |
| S500 L Auto | Gas | 439 | 3% |
| S500 Auto | Diesel | 422 | 3% |
| S 350 D L Amg Line Exec Prem+A | Diesel | 419 | 3% |
| S 350 L Grand Ed Executive D A | Diesel | 400 | 3% |
| S500 L Amg Ln Prm+Exc Mhev4M A | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 390 | 3% |
| S350 Amg Line Bluetec Auto | Diesel | 373 | 3% |
| S 350 D Amg Line Premium Auto | Diesel | 370 | 3% |
| S 350 D L Se Auto | Diesel | 366 | 3% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 89.6% | a tyre seriously damaged, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2020 | 95.4% | a tyre seriously damaged, windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen |
| 2019 | 93.7% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2018 | 93.6% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
26 earlier years
| 2017 | 91.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2016 | 90.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2015 | 90.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2014 | 91.1% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2013 | 85% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2012 | 84.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2011 | 83.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2010 | 84.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2009 | 77.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2008 | 81.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, smoke opacity levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limit |
| 2007 | 81.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2006 | 83% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2005 | 81.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2004 | 78.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2003 | 78.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced |
| 2002 | 77.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2001 | 72.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2000 | 74.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen |
| 1999 | 75.1% | wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 1998 | 77% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 1997 | 84.6% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer |
| 1996 | 82.4% | lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 1995 | 79.2% | 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, a door will not open using the relevant control or close properly |
| 1994 | 87.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 1991 | 87.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 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 |
| 1990 | 85% | a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources, emissions levels exceed default limits |
Typical mileage
Half of all S-Classs tested had between 35,522 and 125,113 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 56,956 median miles, the S-Class has 0.022 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Mercedes-Benz models
Common questions
What is the Mercedes-Benz S-Class MOT pass rate?
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has a 87.4% MOT pass rate based on 57,528 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Mercedes-Benz S-Class?
The most common MOT failure on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 1,540 failures. Other common issues include tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements.
How many Mercedes-Benz S-Classs are on UK roads?
There are 22,031 Mercedes-Benz S-Classs currently licensed on UK roads, with 8,330 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Mercedes-Benz S-Class at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Mercedes-Benz S-Class is 56,956 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 35,522 and 125,113 miles.
Buying a used S-Class?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
Some links are to services we may earn from. Disclosure.
MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.