Does the Mercedes-Benz Viano fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The Mercedes-Benz Viano records 3.25 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 3.77 expected for a car of the same age mix: less than expected for its class and age (−0.52, 95% interval −0.73 to −0.31). It ranks 292 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 Viano by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Mercedes-Benz Viano is “A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play”, recorded 331 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 331 | 1.01 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 314 | 0.96 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 240 | 0.73 |
| Power steering fluid leaking or system malfunctioning | 61 | 0.19 |
| Free play in the steering, measured at the rim of the steering wheel is excessive | 33 | 0.10 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 32,805 (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 Viano gets a steering advisory, how often does it fail next time?
9.2% of Mercedes-Benz Viano MOTs with a steering advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12.3 months and 7,004 miles later (666 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 666 (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 Viano 2004 · Mercedes-Benz Viano 2005 · Mercedes-Benz Viano 2006 · Mercedes-Benz Viano 2007 · Mercedes-Benz Viano 2008 · Mercedes-Benz Viano 2009 · Mercedes-Benz Viano 2010 · Mercedes-Benz Viano 2011 · Mercedes-Benz Viano 2012 · Mercedes-Benz Viano 2013 · Mercedes-Benz Viano 2014 · Mercedes-Benz Viano 2015 · Mercedes-Benz Viano in Norway · Mercedes-Benz Viano in Finland · Mercedes-Benz Viano in the Netherlands · Mercedes-Benz Viano by postcode area · Mercedes-Benz Viano body, chassis and structure failures · Mercedes-Benz Viano brakes failures · Mercedes-Benz Viano vehicle identification failures · Mercedes-Benz Viano lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Mercedes-Benz Viano noise, emissions and leaks failures · Mercedes-Benz Viano road wheels failures · Mercedes-Benz Viano seat belts and airbags failures · Mercedes-Benz Viano suspension failures · Mercedes-Benz Viano tyres failures · Mercedes-Benz Viano visibility failures