MOT Risk Index.co.uk

Does the Mercedes-Benz V-Class fail the MOT on brakes more than it should?

The Mercedes-Benz V-Class records 8.14 brakes failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 5.23 expected for a car of the same age mix: more than expected for its class and age (+2.91, 95% interval +2.67 to +3.15). It ranks 182 of 712 models on brakes (1 = most failures above expected).

Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on brakes · check a Mercedes-Benz V-Class by registration

What exactly fails on brakes?

The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Mercedes-Benz V-Class is “a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm”, recorded 985 times in 2019–2024.

Mercedes-Benz V-Class: most frequent brakes defect wordings, 2019–2024 (30+ items each)
DVSA defect wordingItemsPer 100 tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm9851.87
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement4250.81
Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value3700.70
Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn3170.60
Parking brake inoperative on one side2520.48

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 52,659 (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

If a Mercedes-Benz V-Class gets a brakes advisory, how often does it fail next time?

8.2% of Mercedes-Benz V-Class MOTs with a brakes advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12 months and 6,956 miles later (5,774 advisories followed).

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 5,774 (advisories followed) · Method: the same vehicles followed to their next ordinary MOT · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV

Other pages for this model

Mercedes-Benz V-Class 2015 · Mercedes-Benz V-Class 2016 · Mercedes-Benz V-Class 2017 · Mercedes-Benz V-Class 2018 · Mercedes-Benz V-Class 2019 · Mercedes-Benz V-Class 2020 · Mercedes-Benz V-Class in Norway · Mercedes-Benz V-Class in the Netherlands · Mercedes-Benz V-Class by postcode area · Mercedes-Benz V-Class body, chassis and structure failures · Mercedes-Benz V-Class vehicle identification failures · Mercedes-Benz V-Class lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Mercedes-Benz V-Class noise, emissions and leaks failures · Mercedes-Benz V-Class road wheels failures · Mercedes-Benz V-Class seat belts and airbags failures · Mercedes-Benz V-Class steering failures · Mercedes-Benz V-Class suspension failures · Mercedes-Benz V-Class tyres failures · Mercedes-Benz V-Class visibility failures