Mercedes-Benz R350 MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Mercedes-Benz R350 MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Mercedes-Benz R350 passed on its first attempt in 77.8%, and its overall record sits −0.2 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Mercedes-Benz R350 in the 2023–2025 data: 52 tests across 1 model years (2011–2011). 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 R350 MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Mercedes-Benz R350, 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 R350's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Mercedes-Benz R350 DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Mercedes-Benz R350, each with how many of the model's 52 tests it was noted on.

• "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 9 Mercedes-Benz R350 tests, 17.3% of the model's MOT record.
• "Joints constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (Major) — noted on about 4 Mercedes-Benz R350 tests, 7.7% of the model's MOT record.
• "Wipers blade defective" (Minor) — noted on about 3 Mercedes-Benz R350 tests, 5.8% of the model's MOT record.
• "Malfunction indicator lamp inoperative or indicates a malfunction" (Major) — noted on about 2 Mercedes-Benz R350 tests, 3.8% of the model's MOT record.
• "Rbt (sp) efficiency below requirements" (Major) — noted on about 2 Mercedes-Benz R350 tests, 3.8% of the model's MOT record.
• "Rear reflectors defective or damaged by up to 50% of the reflecting surface" (Minor) — noted on about 2 Mercedes-Benz R350 tests, 3.8% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Mercedes-Benz R350 Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Mercedes-Benz R350 model year on record is 2011 (80.8% across 52 tests), and the weakest is 2011 (80.8%). 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 R350 Owners

These checks follow this Mercedes-Benz R350's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Mercedes-Benz R350.

• 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.

• 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.

• the windscreen — “driver's view of the road through the swept area of the windscreen significantly affected by an obstruction”

  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.

Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Mercedes-Benz R350. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Mercedes-Benz R350 MOT & Reliability