Mercedes-Benz 320 MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Mercedes-Benz 320 MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Mercedes-Benz 320 passed on its first attempt in 68.9%, and its overall record sits −6.0 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Mercedes-Benz 320 in the 2023–2025 data: 1,098 tests across 7 model years (2000–2009). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.

Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.

Most Common Mercedes-Benz 320 MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Mercedes-Benz 320, the Suspension section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.

Shares are over the Mercedes-Benz 320's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Mercedes-Benz 320 DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Mercedes-Benz 320, each with how many of the model's 1,098 tests it was noted on.

• "Ball joint excessively worn" (Major) — noted on about 57 Mercedes-Benz 320 tests, 5.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 46 Mercedes-Benz 320 tests, 4.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Coil spring fractured or broken" (Major) — noted on about 34 Mercedes-Benz 320 tests, 3.1% of the model's MOT record.
• "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 29 Mercedes-Benz 320 tests, 2.6% of the model's MOT record.
• "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 27 Mercedes-Benz 320 tests, 2.5% of the model's MOT record.
• "Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded" (Major) — noted on about 26 Mercedes-Benz 320 tests, 2.4% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Mercedes-Benz 320 Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Mercedes-Benz 320 model year on record is 2007 (78.5% across 275 tests), and the weakest is 2009 (70.4%). The gap between them is 8.1 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.

Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Mercedes-Benz 320 Owners

These checks follow this Mercedes-Benz 320's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Mercedes-Benz 320.

• the suspension joints — “ball joint excessively worn”

  With the car parked on level ground, rock the top of each front wheel in and out while someone watches the suspension arm. Clunks, or rubber boots split and greasy, are what testers record here.

• the windscreen — “windscreen damaged”

  Check the driver’s side of the screen within the swept area for chips and cracks; anything larger than 10mm in the driver’s central view is a fail. Most chips can be resin-repaired for far less than a new screen.

• the coil springs — “coil spring fractured or broken”

  Look up inside each wheel arch with a torch, all the way round the spring. A snapped spring usually breaks at the very bottom coil, where a quick glance will not reach.

Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Mercedes-Benz 320. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Mercedes-Benz 320 MOT & Reliability