Mercedes-Benz G-Class MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

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

The Mercedes-Benz G-Class passed on its first attempt in 86.7%, and its overall record sits +6.9 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Mercedes-Benz G-Class in the 2023–2025 data: 3,982 tests across 10 model years (2011–2020). 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 G-Class MOT Problems by Failure Category

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

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

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, each with how many of the model's 3,982 tests it was noted on.

• "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 86 Mercedes-Benz G-Class tests, 2.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Coil spring fractured or broken" (Major) — noted on about 75 Mercedes-Benz G-Class tests, 1.9% of the model's MOT record.
• "Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" (Major) — noted on about 53 Mercedes-Benz G-Class tests, 1.3% of the model's MOT record.
• "Wipers blade defective" (Minor) — noted on about 38 Mercedes-Benz G-Class tests, 1.0% of the model's MOT record.
• "Malfunction indicator lamp inoperative or indicates a malfunction" (Rectified) — noted on about 31 Mercedes-Benz G-Class tests, 0.8% of the model's MOT record.
• "Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt" (Minor) — noted on about 30 Mercedes-Benz G-Class tests, 0.8% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Mercedes-Benz G-Class Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Mercedes-Benz G-Class model year on record is 2020 (96.2% across 52 tests), and the weakest is 2015 (83.5%). The gap between them is 12.7 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Mercedes-Benz G-Class reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 2.1 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 G-Class Owners

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

• 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.

• the wipers and washers — “wipers blade defective”

  Run the wipers with the screen wet: they should clear it in one sweep without smearing or juddering. Top the washer bottle up and check both jets hit the screen.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Mercedes-Benz G-Class MOT & Reliability