Pass rate, every year
74.5% Below average
298 tests across 3 model years, 2010–2012.
−6.5 pts vs the national average
Mercedes-Benz Traveliner MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics
Best year to buy
2012 78.4%
The strongest of the 3 years on record. See the 2012 page →
Worst year to buy
2011 69.8%
8.6 points below the 2012 peak. See the 2011 page →
The Mercedes-Benz Traveliner MOT pass rate is 74.5%, −6.5 percentage points below the UK average. That is 298 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2010 and 2012. This page lists the most common Mercedes-Benz Traveliner 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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Mercedes-Benz Traveliner MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average
The Mercedes-Benz Traveliner passed on its first attempt in 67.4%, and its overall record sits −6.5 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Mercedes-Benz Traveliner in the 2023–2025 data: 298 tests across 3 model years (2010–2012). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 298 |
| Overall pass rate | 74.5% |
| Passed on first attempt | 67.4% |
| Average mileage at test | 191,345 mi |
| Model years covered | 2010–2012 (3 years) |
| Versus UK national average | −6.5 pts below |
Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.
Most Common Mercedes-Benz Traveliner MOT Problems by Failure Category
Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Mercedes-Benz Traveliner, 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% |
| Brakes | 21% |
| Suspension | 15% |
| Visibility | 10% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 6% |
| Tyres | 5% |
| Steering | 4% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 4% |
Shares are over the Mercedes-Benz Traveliner's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Around 31% of the recorded Mercedes-Benz Traveliner 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" (5.0%), "Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect" (2.7%), "Horn not working" (2.0%) among the Mercedes-Benz Traveliner's lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment faults.
Brakes
Around 21% of the recorded Mercedes-Benz Traveliner failures fall in the Brakes section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Rbt (sp) efficiency below requirements" (6.4%), "Lever has excessive movement indicating incorrect adjustment" (1.3%), "Flexible brake hoses slightly damaged" (1.0%) among the Mercedes-Benz Traveliner's brakes faults.
Suspension
Around 15% of the recorded Mercedes-Benz Traveliner failures fall in the Suspension section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Coil spring fractured or broken" (3.7%), "Pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn" (1.0%), "Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (1.0%) among the Mercedes-Benz Traveliner's suspension faults.
Top Recorded Mercedes-Benz Traveliner DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Mercedes-Benz Traveliner, each with how many of the model's 298 tests it was noted on.
- "Rbt (sp) efficiency below requirements" (Major) — noted on about 19 Mercedes-Benz Traveliner tests, 6.4% of the model's MOT record.
- "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 15 Mercedes-Benz Traveliner tests, 5.0% of the model's MOT record.
- "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 13 Mercedes-Benz Traveliner tests, 4.4% of the model's MOT record.
- "Coil spring fractured or broken" (Major) — noted on about 11 Mercedes-Benz Traveliner tests, 3.7% of the model's MOT record.
- "Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect" (Major) — noted on about 8 Mercedes-Benz Traveliner tests, 2.7% of the model's MOT record.
- "Horn not working" (Major) — noted on about 6 Mercedes-Benz Traveliner tests, 2.0% of the model's MOT record.
Best and Worst Mercedes-Benz Traveliner Model Years by Pass Rate
The strongest Mercedes-Benz Traveliner model year on record is 2012 (78.4% across 139 tests), and the weakest is 2011 (69.8%). The gap between them is 8.6 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.
Mercedes-Benz Traveliner reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 2.4 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 Traveliner | 139 | 78.4% |
| 2011 Traveliner | 106 | 69.8% |
| 2010 Traveliner | 53 | 73.6% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Mercedes-Benz Traveliner Owners
These checks follow this Mercedes-Benz Traveliner's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Mercedes-Benz Traveliner.
-
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 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.
Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Mercedes-Benz Traveliner. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions: Mercedes-Benz Traveliner MOT & Reliability
What is the Mercedes-Benz Traveliner MOT pass rate?
74.5% of the 298 recorded Mercedes-Benz Traveliner MOT tests ended in a pass, −6.5 percentage points below the national average. 67.4% of those passed on the first attempt.
Which Mercedes-Benz Traveliner model years pass the MOT most often?
2012 is the strongest Mercedes-Benz Traveliner year on record at 78.4%, while 2011 is the weakest at 69.8%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
What are the most common Mercedes-Benz Traveliner MOT failures?
The most recorded Mercedes-Benz Traveliner failures are "Rbt (sp) efficiency below requirements" and "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" — together around 11% of tests, mostly in the Brakes section.