Pass rate, every year
80.3% Around average
81,825 tests across 25 model years, 2000–2024.
−0.7 pts vs the national average
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics
Best year to buy
2023 97.9%
The strongest of the 25 years on record. See the 2023 page →
Worst year to buy
2002 72.7%
25.2 points below the 2023 peak. See the 2002 page →
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOT pass rate is 80.3%, −0.7 percentage points below the UK average. That is 81,825 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2000 and 2024. This page lists the most common Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.
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MOT pass rates are national — type your postcode to see how Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOT pass rates does in your corner of the country.
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter passed on its first attempt in 76.6%, and its overall record sits −0.7 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter in the 2023–2025 data: 81,825 tests across 25 model years (2000–2024). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 81,825 |
| Overall pass rate | 80.3% |
| Passed on first attempt | 76.6% |
| Average mileage at test | 113,883 mi |
| Model years covered | 2000–2024 (25 years) |
| Versus UK national average | −0.7 pts below |
Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.
Most Common Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOT Problems by Failure Category
Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.
| Inspection section | Share of failures |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 31% |
| Visibility | 28% |
| Brakes | 27% |
| Suspension | 5% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 4% |
| Steering | 3% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 0% |
| Tyres | 0% |
Shares are over the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Around 31% of the recorded Mercedes-Benz Sprinter failures fall in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (3.1%), "Position lamp not working" (1.3%), "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (1.2%) among the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter's lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment faults.
Visibility
Around 28% of the recorded Mercedes-Benz Sprinter failures fall in the Visibility section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (5.5%), "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (1.5%), "Wipers blade defective" (0.5%) among the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter's visibility faults.
Brakes
Around 27% of the recorded Mercedes-Benz Sprinter failures fall in the Brakes section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Rbt (sp) efficiency below requirements" (4.1%), "Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded" (1.8%), "Service brake performance excessively binding" (0.5%) among the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter's brakes faults.
Top Recorded Mercedes-Benz Sprinter DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, each with how many of the model's 81,825 tests it was noted on.
- "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 4,488 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter tests, 5.5% of the model's MOT record.
- "Rbt (sp) efficiency below requirements" (Major) — noted on about 3,359 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter tests, 4.1% of the model's MOT record.
- "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 2,527 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter tests, 3.1% of the model's MOT record.
- "Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded" (Major) — noted on about 1,488 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter tests, 1.8% of the model's MOT record.
- "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (Major) — noted on about 1,240 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter tests, 1.5% of the model's MOT record.
- "Position lamp not working" (Major) — noted on about 1,066 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter tests, 1.3% of the model's MOT record.
What Sprinter fails on more than most
6 failure items are recorded at least 1.5 times the UK rate on this model.
| Failure item | This model | UK | × UK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linkage pin or bush excessively worn | 4.3% | 0.5% | 8.6× | £40–£150 |
| Play in steering rack inner joint | 9.1% | 1.6% | 5.7× | £120–£300 |
| Brake efficiency below requirements | 4.1% | 0.9% | 4.6× | £45–£110 |
| Rear fog lamp not working | 1.4% | 0.4% | 3.5× | £3–£15 |
| Ball joint excessively worn | 10.5% | 3.1% | 3.4× | £18–£45 |
| Shock absorber has no damping | 1.0% | 0.4% | 2.5× | £30–£75 |
Rates are a share of this model's own tests (81,825 for the top row), so a big seller cannot outrank a rare one. The UK figure is the same item's share of every test in our data. Items Sprinter records at or below the UK rate are not listed — this is where it is unusual, not a full inventory. All failure items · parts and costs
Best and Worst Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Model Years by Pass Rate
The strongest Mercedes-Benz Sprinter model year on record is 2023 (97.9% across 423 tests), and the weakest is 2002 (72.7%). The gap between them is 25.2 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 2.0 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Sprinter | 269 | 97.0% |
| 2023 Sprinter | 423 | 97.9% |
| 2022 Sprinter | 1,206 | 93.5% |
| 2021 Sprinter | 1,927 | 87.7% |
| 2020 Sprinter | 3,336 | 89.6% |
| 2019 Sprinter | 3,783 | 89.1% |
| 2018 Sprinter | 4,003 | 88.6% |
| 2017 Sprinter | 4,381 | 87.6% |
| 2016 Sprinter | 4,332 | 83.3% |
| 2015 Sprinter | 5,607 | 83.1% |
| 2014 Sprinter | 5,141 | 80.2% |
| 2013 Sprinter | 4,343 | 80.2% |
| 2012 Sprinter | 4,442 | 77.4% |
| 2011 Sprinter | 3,806 | 78.3% |
| 2010 Sprinter | 3,857 | 78.0% |
| 2009 Sprinter | 3,021 | 78.2% |
| 2008 Sprinter | 4,208 | 76.4% |
| 2007 Sprinter | 3,791 | 75.3% |
| 2006 Sprinter | 3,239 | 75.1% |
| 2005 Sprinter | 3,352 | 74.4% |
| 2004 Sprinter | 3,555 | 72.9% |
| 2003 Sprinter | 3,192 | 73.0% |
| 2002 Sprinter | 3,054 | 72.7% |
| 2001 Sprinter | 2,257 | 75.3% |
| 2000 Sprinter | 1,300 | 73.5% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Owners
These checks follow this Mercedes-Benz Sprinter's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.
-
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 brake pipes — “rigid brake pipes excessively corroded”
Brake pipes run under the car, usually in front of the rear wheels. Flaking or crusty metal is what fails; a light dusting of surface rust does not. Worth asking a garage to look while it is on a ramp.
Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOT & Reliability
What is the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOT pass rate?
80.3% of the 81,825 recorded Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOT tests ended in a pass, −0.7 percentage points below the national average. 76.6% of those passed on the first attempt.
Which Mercedes-Benz Sprinter model years pass the MOT most often?
2023 is the strongest Mercedes-Benz Sprinter year on record at 97.9%, while 2002 is the weakest at 72.7%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
What are the most common Mercedes-Benz Sprinter MOT failures?
The most recorded Mercedes-Benz Sprinter failures are "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" and "Rbt (sp) efficiency below requirements" — together around 10% of tests, mostly in the Visibility section.