Mercedes-Benz M8 MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Mercedes-Benz M8 MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Mercedes-Benz M8 passed on its first attempt in 68.6%, and its overall record sits −5.3 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Mercedes-Benz M8 in the 2023–2025 data: 832 tests across 3 model years (2017–2019). 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 M8 MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Mercedes-Benz M8, 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 M8's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Mercedes-Benz M8 DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Mercedes-Benz M8, each with how many of the model's 832 tests it was noted on.

• "Coil spring fractured or broken" (Major) — noted on about 33 Mercedes-Benz M8 tests, 4.0% of the model's MOT record.
• "Linkage ball joint dust cover ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (Major) — noted on about 29 Mercedes-Benz M8 tests, 3.5% of the model's MOT record.
• "Rbt (sp) efficiency below requirements" (Major) — noted on about 24 Mercedes-Benz M8 tests, 2.9% of the model's MOT record.
• "Service brake performance excessively binding" (Major) — noted on about 24 Mercedes-Benz M8 tests, 2.9% of the model's MOT record.
• "Malfunction indicator lamp inoperative or indicates a malfunction" (Major) — noted on about 19 Mercedes-Benz M8 tests, 2.3% of the model's MOT record.
• "Ball joint excessively worn" (Major) — noted on about 11 Mercedes-Benz M8 tests, 1.3% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Mercedes-Benz M8 Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Mercedes-Benz M8 model year on record is 2019 (82.8% across 157 tests), and the weakest is 2017 (73.8%). The gap between them is 9.0 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Mercedes-Benz M8 reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 4.5 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 M8 Owners

These checks follow this Mercedes-Benz M8's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Mercedes-Benz M8.

• 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 suspension joints — “linkage ball joint dust cover ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt”

  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 lights — “malfunction indicator lamp inoperative or indicates a malfunction”

  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 M8. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Mercedes-Benz M8 MOT & Reliability