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

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

The Mercedes-Benz Gl passed on its first attempt in 84.0%, and its overall record sits +4.8 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Mercedes-Benz Gl in the 2023–2025 data: 12,012 tests across 15 model years (2006–2020). 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 Gl MOT Problems by Failure Category

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

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

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Mercedes-Benz Gl, each with how many of the model's 12,012 tests it was noted on.

• "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 613 Mercedes-Benz Gl tests, 5.1% of the model's MOT record.
• "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 416 Mercedes-Benz Gl tests, 3.5% of the model's MOT record.
• "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 248 Mercedes-Benz Gl tests, 2.1% of the model's MOT record.
• "Malfunction indicator lamp inoperative or indicates a malfunction" (Major) — noted on about 161 Mercedes-Benz Gl tests, 1.3% of the model's MOT record.
• "Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" (Major) — noted on about 142 Mercedes-Benz Gl tests, 1.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Rear reflectors defective or damaged by up to 50% of the reflecting surface" (Minor) — noted on about 133 Mercedes-Benz Gl tests, 1.1% of the model's MOT record.

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

The strongest Mercedes-Benz Gl model year on record is 2020 (93.7% across 79 tests), and the weakest is 2009 (81.2%). The gap between them is 12.5 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Mercedes-Benz Gl reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 1.0 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 Gl Owners

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

• 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 lights — “registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources”

  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.

• the tyre tread — “tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm”

  Check all four tyres cold, including the inner shoulder where wear hides — 1.6mm across the central three-quarters is the legal limit, and most testers fail at 1.6mm without argument.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Mercedes-Benz Gl MOT & Reliability