Does the Mercedes-Benz 420 fail the MOT on suspension more than it should?
The Mercedes-Benz 420 records 19.76 suspension failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 19.39 expected for a car of the same age mix: about as expected for its class and age (the difference is within its interval or under 0.5 items per 100 tests) (+0.37, 95% interval −1.14 to +1.88). It ranks 247 of 701 models on suspension (1 = most failures above expected).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on suspension · check a Mercedes-Benz 420 by registration
What exactly fails on suspension?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Mercedes-Benz 420 is “A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated”, recorded 271 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated | 271 | 8.16 |
| A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 146 | 4.40 |
| The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired | 127 | 3.83 |
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 45 | 1.36 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 3,320 (initial tests) · Method: failure items (major and minor) grouped by DVSA's defect tree; wordings with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
Other pages for this model
Mercedes-Benz 420 by postcode area · Mercedes-Benz 420 body, chassis and structure failures · Mercedes-Benz 420 brakes failures · Mercedes-Benz 420 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Mercedes-Benz 420 noise, emissions and leaks failures · Mercedes-Benz 420 steering failures · Mercedes-Benz 420 tyres failures · Mercedes-Benz 420 visibility failures