Mercedes-Benz B180 MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Mercedes-Benz B180 MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Mercedes-Benz B180 passed on its first attempt in 73.3%, and its overall record sits −2.5 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Mercedes-Benz B180 in the 2023–2025 data: 465 tests across 4 model years (2009–2012). 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 B180 MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Mercedes-Benz B180, 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 B180's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Mercedes-Benz B180 DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Mercedes-Benz B180, each with how many of the model's 465 tests it was noted on.

• "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 19 Mercedes-Benz B180 tests, 4.1% of the model's MOT record.
• "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 16 Mercedes-Benz B180 tests, 3.4% of the model's MOT record.
• "Linkage ball joint dust cover ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 15 Mercedes-Benz B180 tests, 3.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Coil spring fractured or broken" (Major) — noted on about 15 Mercedes-Benz B180 tests, 3.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Joints constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (Major) — noted on about 12 Mercedes-Benz B180 tests, 2.6% of the model's MOT record.
• "Headlamp aim too low" (Rectified) — noted on about 9 Mercedes-Benz B180 tests, 1.9% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Mercedes-Benz B180 Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Mercedes-Benz B180 model year on record is 2012 (82.9% across 199 tests), and the weakest is 2009 (71.9%). The gap between them is 11.0 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Mercedes-Benz B180 reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 3.6 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.

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

Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Mercedes-Benz B180 Owners

These checks follow this Mercedes-Benz B180's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Mercedes-Benz B180.

• the suspension joints — “ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated”

  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 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.

• the lights — “headlamp aim too low”

  Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.

Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Mercedes-Benz B180. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Mercedes-Benz B180 MOT & Reliability