Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
VanFrom 327,362 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Sprinters fare better: 2022 models pass at 83.7% vs 66.8% for 1997.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, a lamp missing and inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 16,154 failures in 2024. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 16,154 |
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 14,844 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 10,522 |
| brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 8,339 |
| engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction | 7,549 |
| parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value | 7,175 |
| windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view | 6,135 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 5,749 |
| a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 5,663 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 5,520 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 16.8% of Sprinter failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 51.3% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £133.
The warranty question
A 3-year-old Sprinter passes its MOT 79.9% of the time. By 7 years old that drops to 74.8%, a 5.1 percentage point fall, right as the manufacturer warranty runs out. At 10 years it's down to 70.2%. With an average repair bill of £133 when things go wrong, an extended warranty can make sense on a Sprinter that's past its third birthday.
Fuel type matters
Diesel versions pass at 73.4% while Petrol versions pass at 65.2%, a 8 percentage point gap.
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter on UK roads
The fleet is growing: 13,570 newly registered in the past year with 11,399 leaving, a net gain of 2,171. Currently at its highest numbers ever.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 234,040 | 45,790 | +3,540 | -2,570 | +970 |
| 2025 Q2 | 233,974 | 44,886 | +2,895 | -2,648 | +247 |
| 2025 Q1 | 233,528 | 45,085 | +2,743 | -3,202 | -459 |
| 2024 Q4 | 235,170 | 43,902 | +4,392 | -2,979 | +1,413 |
| 2024 Q3 | 235,264 | 42,395 | +5,068 | -3,214 | +1,854 |
| 2024 Q2 | 234,437 | 41,368 | +4,392 | -3,011 | +1,381 |
| 2024 Q1 | 233,655 | 40,769 | +4,618 | -4,429 | +189 |
| 2023 Q4 | 234,418 | 39,817 | +4,308 | -3,408 | +900 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sprinter 313 Cdi | Diesel | 51,821 | 24% |
| Sprinter 315 Progressive Cdi | Diesel | 38,564 | 18% |
| Sprinter 314 Cdi | Diesel | 32,445 | 15% |
| Sprinter 314Cdi | Diesel | 22,227 | 10% |
| Sprinter 316 Cdi | Diesel | 13,150 | 6% |
| Sprinter 314 Progressive Cdi | Diesel | 8,888 | 4% |
| Sprinter 315 Premium Cdi | Diesel | 7,825 | 4% |
| Sprinter 311 Cdi Lwb | Petrol | 7,817 | 4% |
| Sprinter 315 Pro Cdi | Diesel | 5,666 | 3% |
| Sprinter 311 Cdi Mwb | Petrol | 4,172 | 2% |
| Sprinter 310 Cdi | Diesel | 3,891 | 2% |
| Sprinter 317 Progressive Cdi | Diesel | 3,612 | 2% |
| Sprinter 315 Pro Cdi Auto | Diesel | 2,899 | 1% |
| Sprinter 315 Cdi Auto | Diesel | 2,627 | 1% |
| Sprinter 311 Cdi | Diesel | 2,400 | 1% |
| Esprinter Progressive | Battery Electric | 2,204 | 1% |
| Sprinter 315 Cdi | Diesel | 2,027 | <1% |
| Sprinter 314 Cdi Auto | Diesel | 1,913 | <1% |
| Sprinter 311Cdi | Diesel | 1,723 | <1% |
| Sprinter 316 Progressive Cdi | Diesel | 1,201 | <1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 83.7% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2021 | 79.3% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2020 | 79.9% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2019 | 78.9% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction |
23 earlier years
| 2018 | 78% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2017 | 74.8% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2016 | 74.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2015 | 72.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2014 | 72.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2013 | 70.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2012 | 69% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2011 | 67.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2010 | 69.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2009 | 69% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2008 | 68.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2007 | 68.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2006 | 68.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2005 | 67.1% | 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 suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2004 | 65.8% | 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, vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced |
| 2003 | 67.7% | 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, vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced |
| 2002 | 66% | 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 suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2001 | 67.1% | 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, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2000 | 68.2% | 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, vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced |
| 1999 | 64.9% | 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 lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 1998 | 62.7% | 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, vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced |
| 1997 | 66.8% | 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, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 1996 | 69.2% | 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, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
Typical mileage
Half of all Sprinters tested had between 112,696 and 243,017 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 169,617 median miles, the Sprinter has 0.016 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Mercedes-Benz models
Common questions
What is the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOT pass rate?
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has a 73.4% MOT pass rate based on 327,362 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter?
The most common MOT failure on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 16,154 failures. Other common issues include parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement.
How many Mercedes-Benz Sprinters are on UK roads?
There are 234,040 Mercedes-Benz Sprinters currently licensed on UK roads, with 45,790 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is 169,617 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 112,696 and 243,017 miles.
Buying a used Sprinter?
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.
With a 73.4% pass rate and an average repair bill of £133 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
Van insurance works differently to car insurance. Make sure you're comparing like-for-like quotes for your use case. Compare van insurance.
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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.