Does the Mercedes-Benz R-Class fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The Mercedes-Benz R-Class records 1.30 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 4.63 expected for a car of the same age mix: less than expected for its class and age (−3.33, 95% interval −3.74 to −2.91). It ranks 567 of 640 models on steering (1 = most failures above expected).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on steering · check a Mercedes-Benz R-Class by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Mercedes-Benz R-Class is “Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc”, recorded 59 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 59 | 0.58 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 30 | 0.29 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 10,206 (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 R-Class 2006 · Mercedes-Benz R-Class 2007 · Mercedes-Benz R-Class 2008 · Mercedes-Benz R-Class 2009 · Mercedes-Benz R-Class 2010 · Mercedes-Benz R-Class 2011 · Mercedes-Benz R-Class by postcode area · Mercedes-Benz R-Class body, chassis and structure failures · Mercedes-Benz R-Class brakes failures · Mercedes-Benz R-Class vehicle identification failures · Mercedes-Benz R-Class lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Mercedes-Benz R-Class noise, emissions and leaks failures · Mercedes-Benz R-Class road wheels failures · Mercedes-Benz R-Class seat belts and airbags failures · Mercedes-Benz R-Class suspension failures · Mercedes-Benz R-Class tyres failures · Mercedes-Benz R-Class visibility failures