MOT Risk Index.co.uk

Mercedes-Benz Vito — MOT statistics 2024

The Mercedes-Benz Vito failed 33.37% of 86,846 first MOT attempts in 2024 ("first-time", excluding retests). Adjusted for the age of the fleet, its initial-failure ratio is 117.7 (100 = expected for its age profile). This van fails its MOT about 18% more often than expected for its age.

MOT risk index 117.7, 95% CI 116.6–118.8 (100 = national average) 100 117.7 0 200
Index
117.7
100 = age-normal
Raw fail rate
33.37%
n = 86,846
Dangerous /100
13
national ≈11
Rank
631 of 761
lower index = better

Age-adjusted peer: Ford Transit (index 127.2) — the two published results are 9.5 index points apart.

Mercedes-Benz Vito common problems: what actually fails the MOT

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment are well below the reference at 24.5 per 100 tests, against 30.0 per 100 tests across UK vans and pickups of the same ages.

higher bar = fails more oftenrate per 100 tests

Mercedes-Benz Vito common problems: what actually fails the MOT — 2024 UK MOT data

family vs national — matched to UK vans and pickups of the same ages — top component groups, per 100 tests. Legend: This family · National avg. Combined labels: family / national average. A gap here reflects how these vehicles are driven, used and maintained as well as how they were built — an MOT defect is a test outcome, not a breakdown.

Component-group comparison table

Each ratio carries a 95% interval. With 6 groups compared here, roughly one apparent difference in twenty is chance alone.

GroupThis familyCases behind itUK, same agesFamily / national
Lamps & electrical24.5116,11729.90.82×0.81–0.82
Brakes23.4111,03218.41.27×1.26–1.28
Suspension17.884,69122.60.79×0.78–0.80
Visibility14.669,32814.90.98×0.98–0.99
Tyres8.640,7328.11.06×1.05–1.07
Body & structure8.439,96312.00.70×0.70–0.71
Named defects — items per 100 initial tests, this family vs UK national average; this model measured on 474,483 tests, 2019-2024, national column 2024
What failedper 100 tests (this family)per 100 tests (UK average)ratio family / UKWhat to check
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously…Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view5.012.362.12×Check wipers, washers and windscreen chips in the driver's view
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirementParking brake efficiency below minimum requirement3.741.243.02×Feel for brake judder and pulling on the test drive
Strength or continuity of the load bearing…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 repaired2.821.122.52×Look underneath for rust or cracks around subframe and suspension mountings
Windscreen washers not working or not providing…Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen2.741.621.69×Check wipers, washers and windscreen chips in the driver's view
Spring or spring component fractured or seriously…A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened3.972.861.39×Ask the seller about: A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
Aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down…The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements3.312.571.29×Try every light and switch — lamps are a top failure
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the…Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen2.812.221.26×Check wipers, washers and windscreen chips in the driver's view
Rear registration plate lamp or light source…A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources3.122.831.10×Try every light and switch — lamps are a top failure
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the…Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements3.563.590.99×Check tyre tread depth across the full width
Suspension pin, bush or joint excessively wornA suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn4.514.870.93×Listen for knocks over bumps — worn joints show up on the test

Named defects ranked by how much more often they appear than the national average — not by raw rate.

Mercedes-Benz Vito MOT advisories: what gets flagged

Brakes are highest at 43.1 per 100 tests; Non-component advisories are lowest at 6.7 per 100 tests — the gap is 36.4 per 100 tests.

higher bar = flagged more oftenadvisory items per 100 initial tests

Mercedes-Benz Vito MOT advisories: what gets flagged — 2024 UK MOT data
Advisory rates table
GroupAdvisories per 100
Brakes43.1
Tyres33.7
Suspension18.6
Body & structure7.5
Emissions & leaks7.3
Non-component advisories6.7

Advisories are wear the tester noted but didn't fail — what will need money soon.

Tyres, brakes and suspension: Mercedes-Benz Vito against cars of the same age

AgePartMercedes-Benz VitoSame age, petrol and dieselDifference
3 yearsTyres7.034.172.86
3 yearsBrakes5.841.774.07
3 yearsSuspension2.150.631.52
4 yearsTyres6.524.541.98
4 yearsBrakes7.242.434.81
4 yearsSuspension3.851.212.64
5 yearsTyres6.255.061.19
5 yearsBrakes7.883.094.79
5 yearsSuspension5.182.192.99
6 yearsTyres5.925.540.38
6 yearsBrakes9.253.815.44
6 yearsSuspension6.73.722.98
7 yearsTyres6.035.950.08
7 yearsBrakes10.164.555.61
7 yearsSuspension8.145.682.46
8 yearsTyres6.036.31-0.28
8 yearsBrakes11.345.385.96
8 yearsSuspension8.57.780.72

Failing items per 100 initial tests, 2019-2024. The comparison group is every petrol or diesel car tested at the same age, so weight and drivetrain show up rather than fleet age.

If a van like this fails, does it fail again?

A failure rate does not say whether a failure is a one-off or the start of something. This follows the same vehicles into their next ordinary MOT a year later — retests after a repair are excluded, because they follow a failure by definition. 2019-2024.

After this year's testFails next yearVehicles followed
It failed37.1%35,942
It passed28.1%229,511

A failed test raises next year's chance of failing again by 9.0 percentage points. The failure most likely to come back is visibility — 36.0% of those vehicles fail again next year. Some of this is the vehicle and some is the owner: a car that was let go once tends to be let go again. One caveat: a car that fails may be sold or scrapped rather than tested again, so these figures describe the vehicles that came back.

Adjusted for how much these are actually driven

The headline index adjusts for the fleet's age. Wear, though, follows mileage: a three-year-old taxi and a three-year-old garage queen sit in the same age band. These two rows compare every van with vehicles of the same age, and then with vehicles of the same age and the same annual mileage, 2019-2024, on 467,250 tests. Both stand on the six-year corpus so they are measured on identical data — compare them with each other, not with the headline index above, which is measured on 2024 alone.

Standardised forIndexReading
Age only117.4fails more often than expected
Age and annual mileage101.5fails more often than vehicles driven as much
Share doing under 3,000 miles a year1.1%a normal spread of use

Mileage matters here: matching on how much these are driven moves the figure by 15.9 points — this fleet works harder than the vehicles it is measured against, so the age-only view penalises it — but it does not change which side of normal the van sits on. One limit to keep in mind: mileage is partly a result of how often a car breaks down — one that spends weeks in the workshop covers fewer miles — so the mileage-matched figure can understate a real weakness. Tests with no usable odometer reading are left out of it.

How the Mercedes-Benz Vito compares with cars of its own age and size

Not against the whole fleet — against other light commercials tested at the same age, 2019-2024.

AgeMercedes-Benz VitoSame class, same ageDifferenceTests
3 years21.7%19.89%+1.81 pp40,600
4 years24.78%22.91%+1.86 pp40,277
5 years25.84%25.46%+0.39 pp39,940
6 years27.83%28.95%-1.13 pp35,715
7 years30.85%32.4%-1.54 pp34,624
8 years32.64%35.74%-3.1 pp29,845
9 years35.46%38.53%-3.07 pp27,785
10 years36.9%41.01%-4.12 pp26,998
11 years38.54%43.24%-4.7 pp26,780
12 years40.69%45.05%-4.36 pp26,551
13 years42%46.22%-4.21 pp26,333
14 years43.35%46.98%-3.63 pp26,245
15 years44.67%47.49%-2.82 pp23,909
16 years46.15%47.62%-1.47 pp19,723
17 years46.87%47.52%-0.66 pp15,055
18 years47.37%47.45%-0.08 pp9,834
19 years50.33%46.86%+3.47 pp5,384
20 years50.37%46.02%+4.36 pp3,081

Raw first-time failure rates within each age, so fleet age cannot flatter either side. A positive difference means this model fails more often than its own class at that age.

How does the Mercedes-Benz Vito perform as it gets older?

The Vito at age 4 stands out at 26.5%, against 13.1% for all vehicles of the same age.

higher = larger sharecompare shares in percentage points

How does the Mercedes-Benz Vito perform as it gets older? — 2024 UK MOT data

Chart axes: van age, years · failure-rate scale 0–52%.

Takeaway: a 10-year-old Vito has roughly a 35% chance of failing its MOT; from about age 18 it stays above the national age curve.

Data table
AgeMercedes-Benz VitoAll vehiclesGap
321.5%12.4%+9.1 pp
426.5%13.1%+13.4 pp
525.0%15.1%+9.9 pp
625.2%17.5%+7.7 pp
727.7%20.2%+7.5 pp
830.5%23.3%+7.1 pp
932.9%26.5%+6.3 pp
1035.2%30.1%+5.1 pp
1134.8%33.2%+1.6 pp
1237.3%35.7%+1.6 pp
1339.2%38.2%+1.0 pp
1440.3%40.4%-0.1 pp
1540.2%41.6%-1.4 pp
1643.2%43.1%+0.1 pp
1743.0%43.1%-0.2 pp
1844.2%43.9%+0.3 pp
1947.7%43.5%+4.2 pp
2045.4%41.0%+4.4 pp

Is a Mercedes-Benz Vito ULEZ compliant?

The share of classifiable 2024 Mercedes-Benz Vito MOT tests likely ULEZ compliant by first-registration date is 48.4%.

Based on 86,422 classifiable initial MOT tests. This describes the tested fleet, not a specific car. MOT data do not record Euro class, so likely compliance is inferred from fuel and first-registration date. For the only authoritative answer, check the registration with TfL's official ULEZ checker.

higher = larger share likely compliantinferred from fuel and first-registration date; not a recorded Euro class

Age-band estimate from classifiable initial MOT tests
Vehicle age at testLikely ULEZ-compliant shareTests
Under 3 yearsSuppressed — sample below publication threshold
Check a registration with TfL
n = 432
3–5 years100.0%
Check a registration with TfL
n = 17,499
6–7 years100.0%
Check a registration with TfL
n = 15,255
8 years100.0%
Check a registration with TfL
n = 6,145
9 years48.4%
Check a registration with TfL
n = 5,040
10–14 years0.1%
Check a registration with TfL
n = 21,798
15–17 years0.2%
Check a registration with TfL
n = 12,673
18 years0.2%
Check a registration with TfL
n = 3,601
19 years0.0%
Check a registration with TfL
n = 1,922
20+ years0.0%
Check a registration with TfL
n = 2,057

How dangerous are Mercedes-Benz Vito MOT failures?

Major defects stand out at 76.0 per 100 tests, against 52.8 per 100 tests nationally.

higher bar = fails more oftenrate per 100 tests

How dangerous are Mercedes-Benz Vito MOT failures? — 2024 UK MOT data
Severity table
SeverityThis family /100National /100Family / national
Minor18.9814.221.33×
Major76.0052.751.44×
Dangerous12.6711.151.14×

Chart values: Minor 19.0 · Major 76.0 · Dangerous 12.7.

Per 100 tests on this family. National average: Minor 14.2 · Major 52.8 · Dangerous 11.2 per 100.

Does the month of a Mercedes-Benz Vito MOT matter?

Jan is highest at 36.3%; Dec is lowest at 32.9% — the gap is 3.4 percentage points.

higher = larger sharecompare shares in percentage points

Does the month of a Mercedes-Benz Vito MOT matter? — 2024 UK MOT data

Chart scale: 27%–38%.

bars: Mercedes-Benz Vito · dashed: all class-4 cars

Month-by-month table
MonthMercedes-Benz VitoAll vehiclesGap
Jan36.29%31.12%+5.2 pp
Feb35.01%29.99%+5.0 pp
Mar34.1%28.26%+5.8 pp
Apr34.34%29.78%+4.6 pp
May33.24%28.79%+4.5 pp
Jun33.44%28.15%+5.3 pp
Jul34.73%29.33%+5.4 pp
Aug34.55%29.2%+5.3 pp
Sep33.56%28.19%+5.4 pp
Oct34.04%30.34%+3.7 pp
Nov34.07%30.58%+3.5 pp
Dec32.94%29.33%+3.6 pp

Takeaway: the spread between best and worst month is 3.4 percentage points — noticeable seasonality. Seasonality partly reflects registration-date clustering, not weather.

Before reading the shape: most of it is not about cars. Britain changes its registration plates twice a year, and 18.9% of these cars were first registered in March with another17.1% in September — 36% in two months against the 17% an even spread would give. An MOT falls due three years after first registration, so the buying calendar becomes the testing calendar. That shapes how many cars are tested each month — not how often they fail: the busiest months here are not the worst ones, so read the failure line on its own and the volume behind it separately.

Mercedes-Benz Vito average mileage by age

At age 8, the middle half of Vitos runs from 81,256 miles to 160,098 miles, against 113,105 miles as the median.

further right = more milesmedian is the typical car; band is p25–p75

Bars: Mercedes-Benz Vito · dashed: all class-4 cars — 2024 UK MOT data

Chart axes: van age, years · odometer scale 0–234k mi.

Does high mileage mean more Mercedes-Benz Vito MOT failures at the same age?

Within the same age group, split by odometer (2024 MOTs), so this separates wear from age: at ages 6–9, 18.1% of those with under 40,000 miles failed first time versus 28.1% of those with over 140,000 miles.Inside this age group, higher mileage goes with more failures.

Does high mileage mean more Mercedes-Benz Vito MOT failures at the same age? — 2024 UK MOT data
Mercedes-Benz Vito: first-time failure by mileage within each age group (2024)
AgeOdometer% failing95% intervalTests
3–5<40k miles18.6%17.4–19.9%3,520
3–540-70k miles24.5%23.4–25.7%5,533
3–570-100k miles27.6%26.2–29%3,877
3–5100-140k miles26.1%24.5–27.9%2,635
3–5140k+ miles25.9%24–27.9%1,928
6–9<40k miles18.1%15.8–20.6%985
6–940-70k miles26.1%24.7–27.4%4,148
6–970-100k miles29.4%28.2–30.6%5,864
6–9100-140k miles31.7%30.6–32.9%6,337
6–9140k+ miles28.1%27.2–29.1%8,889
10–14<40k miles24.2%19.2–30%240 (rough estimate)
10–1440-70k miles25.8%23.3–28.4%1,122
10–1470-100k miles32.5%30.7–34.3%2,622
10–14100-140k miles39%37.7–40.3%5,153
10–14140k+ miles38.5%37.6–39.3%12,536
15+<40k miles33.6%26.2–41.8%137 (rough estimate)
15+40-70k miles32.7%29.2–36.5%617
15+70-100k miles39.6%37.3–41.9%1,713
15+100-140k miles43.9%42.5–45.3%4,630
15+140k+ miles44%43.2–44.9%12,688

line: median · band: middle half of the fleet (p25–p75)

Mileage by age (p25 / median / p75)
Agep25Medianp75Tests
334,16149,79374,1354,731
441,21560,87185,8434,088
557,72085,096122,2058,680
663,04492,700136,8826,272
781,170117,180166,9868,983
881,256113,105160,0986,145
989,006125,211179,1325,041
1099,136138,154192,3384,756
11109,264153,348222,6634,935
12112,448151,526209,0714,397
13118,860157,937202,4463,483
14125,053164,352220,2474,227
15123,384160,953207,8714,128
16128,181165,189204,0664,283
17132,067166,791206,1204,263
18131,978165,952205,6913,601
19115,873147,971184,6901,922
20+97,895129,296163,7502,059

A typical 8-year-old Vito has ~113,105 miles on the clock. Much more — ask why; much less — check for gaps in the MOT history.

Where in Britain the Mercedes-Benz Vito fails its MOT most

Kirkcaldy area is highest at 52.3%; London W area is lowest at 16.4% — the gap is 35.9 percentage points.

higher = larger sharecompare shares in percentage points

Where in Britain the Mercedes-Benz Vito fails its MOT most — 2024 UK MOT data
Toughest areas% failingvs model overall
Kirkcaldy (KY)52.27%+18.1 pp
Dundee (DD)50.69%+16.5 pp
Falkirk (FK)47.29%+13.1 pp
Llandrindod Wells (LD)46.88%+12.7 pp
Truro (TR)46.76%+12.6 pp
Easiest areas% failingvs model overall
London W (W)16.41%-17.8 pp
Sutton (SM)21.9%-12.3 pp
Twickenham (TW)22.49%-11.7 pp
Ilford (IG)22.65%-11.6 pp
London SE (SE)22.78%-11.4 pp

Why do areas differ?

For each external factor we correlate the area fail rate with the factor across postcode areas that have ≥800 tests of this family, then compare the bottom vs top fifth (quintile) of the factor. Correlation, not causation — factors travel together (the north is colder and often poorer; urban areas are denser and less salted). Road surface condition is joined now, for the 91 English areas the DfT publishes, and it explains nothing: the correlation with suspension failures is −0.01 and with body and structure failures 0.07. Potholes wreck wheels and tyres between tests, but by the time a car reaches the bay the road it drives on leaves no measurable trace.

In areas with the highest mot centre density this model fails 14.0 pp more often than in the lowest fifth (r=0.70, n=113 areas with ≥800 tests).

In areas with the highest urban share this model fails 13.6 pp less often than in the lowest fifth (r=-0.61, n=113 areas with ≥800 tests).

In areas with the highest road-salt proxy this model fails 7.7 pp more often than in the lowest fifth (r=0.39, n=113 areas with ≥800 tests).

Mercedes-Benz Vito Why do areas differ? — 2024 UK MOT data
Values shown in the quintile chart
FactorLow QHigh QGapCorrelation
MOT centre density27.3%41.3%+14.0 ppr=0.70
Urban share40.1%26.6%-13.5 ppr=-0.61
Road-salt proxy31.6%39.4%+7.8 ppr=0.39

Factors that only mean something combined

Some conditions are useless on their own and informative multiplied together. Frost days alone say little — Britain barely freezes. Salt tonnage alone says little — it tracks frost. Distance to the sea alone says little. Multiply the first two and divide by the third and you get an index of how hard an area attacks a car's underside, and it lines up with the corrosion defects we actually record. We built five such combinations and tested each against our own data. Three survived; two did not, and the failures are listed here on purpose — a proxy that was never checked is decoration. One survivor only survived on the second attempt: built from a crude stand-in for street parking it failed outright, and rebuilt from the census — terraced streets carrying more cars than they have driveways — it works, and carries information the salt index does not.

Composite area indicators, each tested against a defect rate we measure
CompositeBuilt fromTested againstrVerdict
Underbody corrosionfrost days × salt load ÷ (distance to coast + 1)share of tests with a corrosion defect+0.42holds (116 areas)
Tyre wearrain days × annual miles ÷ age at first tyre advisoryshare of tests failing on tyres+0.45holds (116 areas)
Overnight corrosionterraced housing × cars per household × frost daysshare with a corrosion defect+0.41holds (102 areas) — and adds signal beyond the first index
Deferred maintenancedeprivation × advisory-to-failure conversion ÷ labour ratecars repeating the same advisory−0.26fails (118 areas)
Powertrain stressengine capacity ÷ kerb weightsuspension, brake and emissions failures−0.16fails (22 models)

The deprivation result is the one worth dwelling on. The intuition that poorer areas defer repairs is strong enough that most people treat it as established. We tested it twice — once on raw failure rates (r = 0.04) and again, more fairly, on whether an advisory turns into a failure — and it did not hold any of the three times we tried it — on raw failure rates, on advisory-to-failure conversion, and again with deprivation measured properly inside each nation rather than England alone. We are closing it. What does predict local failure rates is the density of test centres, which is a statement about testing, not about cars.

All external-factor correlations (machine-readable)
Factorrn areasLow-Q fail %High-Q fail %Gap ppLow-Q factorHigh-Q factor
MOT centre density (per 10k vehicles)0.70211327.341.3+14.058.5
Urban share (0–1)-0.60911340.126.6-13.60.41
Road-salt proxy (g/m²-yr)0.38611331.639.4+7.7221.2670.1
Frost days (days/year)0.38011333.939.1+5.211.638
Distance to coast (km)-0.29411340.935.0-5.96.279.5
Terrain gradient (% grade)0.2256734.739.3+4.60.53.7
Income deprivation (score)-0.1029734.433.1-1.30.10.2

Deprivation uses England IMD 2019 income score only (Scotland SIMD is a different scale). Salt proxy is a simplified NWSRG-style dry-salt sum from air Tmin; coastalness is distance from the area centroid to the nearest coastline.

Every dot is a postcode area — size = how many were tested there, colour = share failing. These figures are not age-adjusted: coastal and rural areas often run older fleets and salted roads, so higher raw fail rates do not automatically mean a worse local stock of this model.

Map labels: Scotland · N. England · Wales · London · S. West. Colour scale: 23%–47% failing.

Mercedes-Benz Vito survival: which cars are still on the road

By age 19 is well below the reference at 13.9%, against 100.0% at the ages 4–6 reference level.

higher = larger sharecompare shares in percentage points

Mercedes-Benz Vito survival: which cars are still on the road — 2024 UK MOT data

Chart axes: van age, years · survival vs ages 4–6 · scale 0–105%.

Survival vs fail rate by age
AgeTestsSurvival vs ages 4–6Fail %
340,600100%21.7%
440,277100%24.78%
539,940100%25.84%
635,71592.4%27.83%
734,62489.6%30.85%
829,84577.2%32.64%
927,78571.9%35.46%
1026,99869.9%36.9%
1126,78069.3%38.54%
1226,55168.7%40.69%
1326,33368.1%42%
1426,24567.9%43.35%
1523,90961.9%44.67%
1619,72351%46.15%
1715,05539%46.87%
189,83425.4%47.37%
195,38413.9%50.33%

By age 19, only about 14% as many cars of this family present for MOT as at ages 4–6 (reference n≈38,644); survivors still fail at 50.3% vs 24.8% at age 4. Older cars that still appear are a selected subset — weaker ones have already left.

How many miles does a Mercedes-Benz Vito last?

100,000+ miles is highest at 59.8%; 200,000+ miles is lowest at 15.2% — the gap is 44.6 percentage points.

higher = larger sharecompare shares in percentage points

OdometerTests ≥ thresholdShare of sample
100,000+ miles279,70859.76%
150,000+ miles155,57733.24%
200,000+ miles70,96015.16%

Of 468,029 tests of this family with a usable odometer in 2024, 59.8% had reached 100k miles, 33.2% had reached 150k miles, 15.2% had reached 200k miles. This is a cross-section of cars still presenting for MOT, not a full birth cohort.

How many years is a Mercedes-Benz Vito likely to last?

Bought at age 5 is highest at 9.2 years; Bought at age 15 is lowest at 2.6 years — the gap is 6.6 years.

bigger number = longer remaining lifeyears on the observed survival curve

Age nowTypical mileage (p50)Expected years left
5—9.2
8—8.4
10—7.2
12—5.3
15—at least 2.6

estimateEstimate only — not a warranty: a typical 10-year-old example of this family has about 7.2 expected years of further MOT-present life on the 2024 survival curve. Derived from how many cars of each age still appear for test, not from a longitudinal panel.

Mercedes-Benz Vito faults that come together

Identification + Road Wheels stand out at 6.77×, against 1.00× if the faults were independent.

above 1.0× = more than expectedbelow 1.0× = less

Group AGroup BTogetherLift
Identification of the vehicleRoad Wheels356.77× (rough estimate)
Identification of the vehicleSeat belts and supplementary restraint systems2085.13× (rough estimate)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentSpeedometer and speed limiter304.87× (rough estimate)
Body, chassis, structureSteering2,6374.83×
Road WheelsSeat belts and supplementary restraint systems1224.83× (rough estimate)
Body, chassis, structureSeat belts and supplementary restraint systems2,4264.72×
BrakesSpeedometer and speed limiter264.65× (rough estimate)
Body, chassis, structureIdentification of the vehicle4794.55× (rough estimate)
Buses and coaches supplementary testsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment214.54× (rough estimate)
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systemsSteering9294.42×
Road WheelsTyres3424.4× (rough estimate)
Road WheelsSteering1154.29× (rough estimate)
BrakesSeat belt installation check304.21× (rough estimate)
Noise, emissions and leaksSeat belts and supplementary restraint systems1,5804.12×
Body, chassis, structureRoad Wheels2674.07× (rough estimate)
Speedometer and speed limiterSuspension204.01× (rough estimate)
Identification of the vehicleSteering1703.94× (rough estimate)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentSeat belts and supplementary restraint systems5,3013.91×
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentSeat belt installation check303.83× (rough estimate)
SteeringSuspension4,4453.81×
BrakesIdentification of the vehicle9443.74×
Body, chassis, structureNoise, emissions and leaks3,7153.73×
Identification of the vehicleNoise, emissions and leaks2933.72× (rough estimate)
Identification of the vehicleLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment1,0333.71×
BrakesSeat belts and supplementary restraint systems4,5663.7×
Body, chassis, structureLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment12,8803.66×
Identification of the vehicleTyres4543.63× (rough estimate)
BrakesNoise, emissions and leaks8,5923.59×
Body, chassis, structureSuspension10,1923.58×
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systemsSuspension3,9363.58×
Noise, emissions and leaksRoad Wheels1743.55× (rough estimate)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentSteering5,1123.54×
Body, chassis, structureBrakes11,2763.52×
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentRoad Wheels6083.51×
Seat belt installation checkSuspension223.47× (rough estimate)
BrakesSteering4,4753.42×
BrakesRoad Wheels5383.42×
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentNoise, emissions and leaks8,7593.33×
Noise, emissions and leaksTyres3,9263.32×
Road WheelsSuspension4553.25× (rough estimate)
BrakesLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment26,9223.19×
Identification of the vehicleSuspension7063.14×
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systemsTyres1,8373.01×
BrakesSuspension20,1212.94×
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentSuspension22,0712.93×
Noise, emissions and leaksSteering1,1972.93×
BrakesTyres10,8892.87×
Identification of the vehicleVisibility6692.81×
Noise, emissions and leaksSuspension5,9302.78×
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentTyres11,5882.77×
Road WheelsVisibility4032.72× (rough estimate)
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systemsVisibility3,1002.67×
Body, chassis, structureTyres4,1412.62×
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentVisibility20,0132.51×
Noise, emissions and leaksVisibility5,6382.5×
Body, chassis, structureVisibility7,5012.49×
SuspensionTyres8,1522.41×
SteeringTyres1,5552.4×
TyresVisibility8,2572.31×
BrakesVisibility16,2822.25×
SteeringVisibility2,7072.19×
SuspensionVisibility12,9482.01×
Body, chassis, structureSpeedometer and speed limiter19too few (rough estimate)
Body, chassis, structureSeat belt installation check19too few (rough estimate)
Speedometer and speed limiterVisibility19too few (rough estimate)
Seat belt installation checkVisibility19too few (rough estimate)
Seat belt installation checkTyres15too few (rough estimate)
Speedometer and speed limiterTyres12too few (rough estimate)
BrakesBuses and coaches supplementary tests11too few (rough estimate)
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systemsSpeedometer and speed limiter10too few (rough estimate)
Seat belt installation checkSeat belts and supplementary restraint systems8too few (rough estimate)
Buses and coaches supplementary testsSuspension8too few (rough estimate)
Body, chassis, structureBuses and coaches supplementary tests7too few (rough estimate)
Speedometer and speed limiterSteering6too few (rough estimate)
Noise, emissions and leaksSeat belt installation check6too few (rough estimate)
Buses and coaches supplementary testsVisibility6too few (rough estimate)
Buses and coaches supplementary testsSeat belts and supplementary restraint systems5too few (rough estimate)

Defects in «Body, chassis, structure» and «Steering» appear together 4.83× more often than chance (2,637 co-occurrences in the same test; lift≥1.3, n≥500).

Lift = how many times more often both groups appear on the same test than if independent. A pair is listed from 5 tests with both faults; the lift is shown from 20, and called above chance only when its 95% interval excludes 1 (see rough estimates).

Is low mileage better for a Mercedes-Benz Vito?

Cars driven under 5,000 miles a year is well below the reference at 23.9%, against 34.6% for cars driven 8,000–12,000 miles a year.

higher = larger sharecompare shares in percentage points

BandFail %Tests
<5k miles/year23.93%9,059
8–12k miles/year34.62%72,724
Gap (low − normal)-10.69 pp—
By fuel and age

Diesel

AgeLow-use fail %nNormal fail %nGap pp
517.051,12024.317,005-7.26 pp
618.2995726.076,594-7.78 pp
721.390629.026,746-7.72 pp
820.183630.736,456-10.64 pp
922.6878534.116,151-11.43 pp
1024.4978436.116,319-11.62 pp
1124.4176639.367,025-14.95 pp
1229.0586440.877,949-11.82 pp
1329.3893642.938,701-13.55 pp
1432.691,03744.669,723-11.97 pp

At matched ages 5–14, cars averaging under 5k miles/year fail at 23.9% vs 34.6% for 8–12k miles/year — 10.7 pp lower (n_low=9,059, n_normal=72,724). In this family low annual use is associated with fewer MOT fails, not more — the ‘garage queen’ penalty is not visible in overall fail rates. Diesel alone: 23.9% low-use vs 34.6% normal (-10.7 pp).

Which Mercedes-Benz Vito engine is best?

diesel 1.5–1.8 is highest at 122.9; petrol over 2.0 is lowest at 78.7 — the gap is 44.2 points.

below 100 is betterabove 100 is worse100 = normal for this model at that age

Engine bands against this model's own failure rate at the same ages
FuelCapacityvs own age normRaw fail %Tests
petrolover 2.0 litre78.733.39%578 (rough estimate)
diesel1.8–2.0 litre86.123.58%16,028
dieselover 2.0 litre98.534.92%407,231
petrol1.8–2.0 litre107.652.85%1,001 (rough estimate)
diesel1.5–1.8 litre122.931.2%48,713

Splitting this model by fuel alone hides the thing that actually differs. Within the same badge, the diesel 1.5–1.8 runs at 122.9 against this model's own age norm while the diesel 1.8–2.0 runs at 86.1 — a spread of 36.8 points between two cars that share a name.

Read this one with more care than the rest of the page. Age is held constant, but who buys which engine is not: the largest capacity in a range is often a performance or executive variant that is garaged, cherished and lightly driven, while the smallest is frequently a fleet or entry car worked hard from new. The gap below is real in the test records; how much of it is the engine and how much is the owner, this data cannot separate. Bands under 100 tests are not shown; bands under 5,000 tests are rough estimates.

Best year for a Mercedes-Benz Vito, and the years to avoid

Build year 2020 is highest at 111.2; Build year 2017 is lowest at 92.0 — the gap is 19.2 points.

below 100 is betterabove 100 is worse100 = normal for this model at that age

build year vs the same model at the same age · 100 = as expected

Mercedes-Benz Vito build year vs the same model at the same age · 100 = as expected — 2024 UK MOT data
Mercedes-Benz Vito by build year, tests 2019–2024. Below 100 is better than the model's own age norm.
Every build year with its confidence interval
Build yearvs own age norm95% CIRaw fail %TestsVerdict
2020111.2106.4–11625.03%8,223worse
2019104.8102.3–107.424.46%26,775worse
201899.496.9–101.924.26%25,552no different
20179290.3–93.723.55%46,586better
2016104.2102.2–106.228.28%37,708worse
201598.696.6–100.729.04%31,051no different
201499.997.8–10231.56%27,962no different
201399.297.2–101.133.41%29,217no different
2012101.399.4–103.336.17%28,911no different
2011101.599.4–103.738.14%22,784no different
2010100.898.8–102.739.74%26,285no different
200998.396.4–100.240.26%26,194no different
20089997.2–100.842.05%27,931no different
200710199.3–102.844.31%28,846no different
2006100.898.9–102.745.35%24,778no different
2005104.4102.1–106.848.27%16,326worse
2004105.6102.6–108.750.03%9,128worse
2003110.9106.6–115.253.36%4,818worse
2002107.5102.7–112.352.53%3,737worse
2001106.599.8–113.252.74%1,843no different
2000106.494.9–117.953.86%609no different
199994.681.4–107.848.89%405no different

The best build year here is 2017 and the weakest is 2020. Comparing build years sounds simple and is not: within a single year of testing, a car's build year and its age are the same number, so a naive comparison of years is a comparison of ages wearing a disguise. Each year below is measured against the same model at the same age in other cohorts, across six years of testing — 7 of 22 years come out distinguishable from their own model's age norm.

Two limits worth knowing before you act on this. Age, test year and build year are locked together by arithmetic, so the test-year effect is taken from the observed national failure level of each year rather than estimated — it is an adjustment, not a solution.

Mercedes-Benz Vito MOT repair costs

The MOT-failure repair budget per test runs from £109.18 to £207.44, against £54.85 for the test itself.

bigger number = costs morepounds per test, MOT-failing faults only

MOT repairs, budget
£109–207
per test, repairs only
The test itself
£54.85
statutory cap, unchanged since 2010
How the figure is built: chance of failing × typical price of that repair
ComponentFails per 100 testsTypical repairIts priceContribution
Brakes23.4 (nat. 11.25)Front brake pads (parts + labour, typical hatchback)£150£35.10
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment24.5 (nat. 18.09)Battery replacement (standard 12V lead-acid)£140£34.30
Suspension17.8 (nat. 15.36)Suspension coil spring (single corner)£180£32.04
Tyres8.6 (nat. 8.7)Tyre (single mid-range 16" fitted)£90£7.74

Multiply how often each component fails on this model by what that repair usually costs, and you get the amount an owner should expect to budget per test for MOT-failing faults only — roughly £109 to £207, on top of the test fee itself. It is a budgeting figure, not a quote: the spread between a set of pads and a set of discs is most of the range.

Prices are modal quotes from a hand-kept catalogue of published UK garage guides — we do not scrape the booking sites, their terms forbid it, so this list is short and updated by hand with a source and date against each line. Each line prices one typical repair in that group, not a full remedy, and only groups our catalogue actually covers are counted. The contrast worth noticing is the second card: the legal maximum for the test has been £54.85 since 2010, while the repairs it uncovers have followed inflation the whole time.

For scale from a different direction: Warrantywise, which sees used-car warranty claims rather than test failures, puts the average claim at £2,052 across the ten highest-claim models it ranks and £539 for Honda, the lowest-claim make in its index (Warrantywise index 2026, 1.6 million claims, cars aged 3–15). Those sit an order of magnitude above the figures in this table, and the gap is the point: a warranty claim is a gearbox or an engine, which almost never fails an MOT, while the faults that do fail one are corrosion, lamps and tyres, which no warranty pays for. The two numbers answer different questions and neither replaces the other.

Mercedes-Benz Vito running costs for a fleet

Vehicles failing at age 10 stand out at 35.0%, against 25.0% at age 5, tested in the same year.

higher = larger sharecompare shares in percentage points

Fails per 100 at age 5
25
vehicles needing work
At age 10
35
other cars of this model tested at age 10 in 2024
Repairs per 100
£10,918
plus £5,485 in test fees
Off the road
1d
median; 32.59% cleared same day
Failure rate and typical odometer by age
AgeFailsMedian odometerTestsGap vs age 5
321.48%49,7934,731-3.5 pp
426.49%60,8714,088+1.5 pp
525.02%85,0968,680+0.0 pp
625.18%92,7006,272+0.2 pp
727.7%117,1808,983+2.7 pp
830.48%113,1056,145+5.5 pp
932.85%125,2115,041+7.8 pp
1035.16%138,1544,756+10.1 pp
1134.77%153,3484,935+9.8 pp
1237.25%151,5264,397+12.2 pp
1339.16%157,9373,483+14.1 pp
1440.34%164,3524,227+15.3 pp
1540.19%160,9534,128+15.2 pp
1643.24%165,1894,283+18.2 pp
1742.97%166,7914,263+17.9 pp
1844.18%165,9523,601+19.2 pp
1947.71%147,9711,922+22.7 pp

The number a fleet manager needs is not the failure rate, it is the year the car starts costing more. Between cars aged 3 and cars aged 4, both tested in 2024, the failure rate of this model is 5.01 percentage points higher — the steepest one-year step in this cross-section of different cars, and a natural planning point for replacement.

Repair spend uses the same modal prices as the section above, so it inherits the same limits: one typical repair per component group, not a full remedy. Downtime is the gap between the failed test and the passed re-test, which is the window a vehicle is legally off the road.

Mercedes-Benz Vito rust problems: where they corrode

Age-standardised corrosion susceptibility stands out at 2.86×, against 1.00× for the national age-standardised rate.

above 1.0× = rusts more than averagebelow 1.0× = rusts less

How it rusts
2.86×
2.19% of tests record a corrosion defect vs 0.77% typical — age-standardised
Salt Belt exposure
37th
percentile among the models published here, from its tests across 113 postcode areas

This Mercedes-Benz Vito fails on corrosion far more often than average once age is held constant, and its owners live in areas that are about typical for the models we publish. Those two point in opposite directions, which is the informative case: it rusts more than average despite living in gentler places, so the cause is the car, not the postcode.

Corrosion is the one failure mode that is as much about geography as about the car. We keep the two apart on purpose: a model can look rusty simply because it is popular in Scotland, and a model can look clean simply because it is bought in Surrey. Blending them into a single score would hide which of the two is doing the work.

Exposure is this model's tests weighted by an area corrosion index built from frost days, salt load and distance to the coast — the composite validated at r = 0.42 against corrosion defects we actually record. It is published as a rank, not a raw score, because every mainstream model skews towards low-corrosion areas for the simple reason that most of Britain's cars are in the south. Susceptibility is standardised to the national age profile, so an old fleet does not get labelled a rusty model.

Does a Mercedes-Benz Vito advisory become a failure?

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment are highest at 29.2%; Road wheels are lowest at 0.8% — the gap is 28.5 percentage points.

higher = more likelypercentage is the observed transition probability

chance the same component fails at the next MOT, given an advisory now

Mercedes-Benz Vito chance the same component fails at the next MOT, given an advisory now — 2024 UK MOT data
Mercedes-Benz Vito, advisory → failure conversion by component group, chained tests 2019–2024. Chart labels and rates: Lamps & electrical 29.2% · Suspension 20.4% · Brakes 18.8% · Body & chassis 16.3% · Steering 9% · Tyres 8.8% · Noise, emissions, leaks 6.9% · Seat belts & restraints 5.3%.
Advisory today → failure at the next test, with how long you have
ComponentFails next timeTypical lead timeMiles of warningAdvisories tracked
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment29.2%12.1 months6,79512,631
Suspension20.4%12 months7,10938,729
Brakes18.8%12.1 months6,91584,332
Body, chassis, structure16.3%12.1 months5,25118,110
Steering9.0%12.1 months6,2327,433
Tyres8.8%12.1 months8,36978,592
Noise, emissions and leaks6.9%12 months8,84022,613
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems5.3%12.2 months6,5543,905
Identification of the vehicle3.4%12.1 months6,9668,265
Road wheels0.8%11.7 months12,1542,371

This is the question an advisory note actually raises, and it needs six years of test history to answer. We followed the same vehicles from one MOT to the next across 2019–2024 and measured how often a component that was merely advised came back as a genuine failure at the next test.

Read it as a budgeting horizon, not a prophecy: the most likely component above turns into a failure for about 29 in 100 cars, and the median gap is 12.1 months and roughly 6,795 miles. The rest were repaired, sold, scrapped, or simply held. Rows with fewer than 500 tracked advisories are not shown.

What will fail next on a Mercedes-Benz Vito?

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment after a failure at age 15-19 are highest at 32.8%; Tyres after a passed at age <3 are lowest at 4.4% — the gap is 28.4 percentage points.

higher = more likelypercentage is the observed transition probability

Probability of each component failing at the next test, by age and last result
AgeLast testMost likely next failuresCars tracked
<3passedVisibility 7.0% · Brakes 4.8% · Tyres 4.4%21,310
<3advisoryVisibility 10.8% · Brakes 7.2% · Tyres 6.9%5,969
<3failureVisibility 13.2% · Brakes 9.7% · Tyres 8.6%5,796
3-5passedVisibility 7.6% · Brakes 6.2% · Suspension 4.9%51,323
3-5advisoryVisibility 11.5% · Brakes 9.0% · Suspension 7.0%21,563
3-5failureVisibility 12.7% · Brakes 12.2% · Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 9.4%24,448
6-8passedBrakes 7.7% · Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 7.6% · Visibility 7.4%32,322
6-8advisoryVisibility 11.8% · Brakes 11.3% · Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 10.9%17,878
6-8failureBrakes 16.2% · Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 15.8% · Visibility 13.8%23,535
9-11passedLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 11.1% · Suspension 10.0% · Brakes 9.6%22,294
9-11advisoryLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 16.0% · Brakes 13.6% · Suspension 13.4%17,773
9-11failureLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 22.5% · Brakes 19.8% · Suspension 16.6%24,701
12-14passedLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 15.5% · Suspension 13.5% · Brakes 11.6%16,020
12-14advisoryLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 21.9% · Suspension 18.8% · Brakes 16.7%18,990
12-14failureLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 28.9% · Brakes 23.1% · Suspension 22.1%26,289
15-19passedLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 19.0% · Suspension 16.4% · Brakes 12.9%8,494
15-19advisoryLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 26.6% · Suspension 22.2% · Brakes 17.8%12,495
15-19failureLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 32.8% · Suspension 26.7% · Brakes 23.4%18,698
20+passedBody, chassis, structure 23.0% · Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 20.1% · Suspension 17.6%816
20+advisoryBody, chassis, structure 28.0% · Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 24.8% · Suspension 22.9%1,152
20+failureBody, chassis, structure 32.1% · Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 31.3% · Suspension 26.6%2,002

The same chains, cut differently: given a car's age and how its last test went, which component most often causes trouble at the following one.

The pattern that repeats across every family: a failure at one test roughly doubles the chance of a failure on the same component at the next one, and an advisory sits about half-way between a clean pass and a failure. Age bands in years; probabilities are per car, not per defect item.

Mercedes-Benz Vito ownership: what six years of MOTs show

The ten-day re-test pass rate is highest at 62.7%; The later re-test pass rate is lowest at 4.7% — the gap is 57.9 percentage points.

higher = larger sharecompare shares in percentage points

Fixed same day
32.59%
of failures re-tested
Fails /10k miles
0.306
miles actually driven
Clean streaks
34.4%
3+ tests, nothing noted
Odometer anomaly
1.985%
reading went backwards

Failing is usually a same-week event, not a disaster. Of 112,741 failures followed through to their re-test, 32.59% were repaired and passed the same day and 62.67% within ten days; the median gap is 1 day. 342,050 defect items were cleared in the process.

Per mile driven, not per year. Dividing failures by the miles that actually went onto the odometers between consecutive tests gives 0.306 failures per 10,000 miles, on a median of 8,760 miles a year across 93,773 chains. This is the number to compare between models — an annual rate quietly rewards cars that barely leave the drive.

Two populations hide inside one model. 34.4% of these cars strung together three or more tests with nothing recorded at all, while 29.73% carried the same advisory three times or more — the same fault, noted, ignored, noted again. When you buy used you are buying one of those two histories, and the MOT record shows which.

Odometer anomalies: 1.985% of 93,927 chains show a reading lower than the previous test, with a median drop of 48,050 miles. We call this an anomaly and not fraud on purpose — instrument swaps, imports, unit mix-ups and keying errors all land in the same bucket. Obvious typos (drops under 100 miles or over 90% of the reading) are already excluded.

Mercedes-Benz Vito safety recalls and how to check yours

DVSA recall campaigns stand out at 75.

bigger number = more recorded casescompare like-for-like scope, not sample size alone

recall campaigns launched per year

Mercedes-Benz Vito recall campaigns launched per year — 2024 UK MOT data
Campaigns launched per year for the Mercedes-Benz Vito. Source: DVSA vehicle safety recalls. Chart values: 2011: 2 · 2012: 2 · 2013: 0 · 2014: 0 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 8 · 2019: 6 · 2020: 9 · 2021: 8 · 2022: 9 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 0 · 2025: 3.
Most recent safety recall campaigns for the Mercedes-Benz Vito
ReferenceLaunchedVehiclesConcern
R/2025/23804/08/202517,349Check driver's airbag replace if necessary
R/2025/23904/08/20251,527Check driver's airbag replace if necessary
R/2025/11615/05/2025572Update software of control units
R/2023/01213/02/20237On affected vehicles the routing of the fuel filter drainpipe might not meet specification
R/2022/27128/09/202213,217The rear view camera could display frozen images due to a defect in a memory chip
All 75 campaigns
ReferenceLaunchedBuild datesVehiclesConcern
R/2025/23804/08/202509/10/2003 – 23/02/200617,349Check driver's airbag replace if necessary
R/2025/23904/08/202509/10/2003 – 23/02/20061,527Check driver's airbag replace if necessary
R/2025/11615/05/202515/09/2010 – 10/11/2014572Update software of control units
R/2023/01213/02/202301/12/2020 – 19/04/20227On affected vehicles the routing of the fuel filter drainpipe might not meet specification
R/2022/27128/09/202205/12/2014 – 22/06/202013,217The rear view camera could display frozen images due to a defect in a memory chip
R/2022/24416/09/202231/05/2005 – 31/05/20051CONFIGURATIONS WERE WRITTEN INTO ONE OR MORE CONTROL UNITS THAT MIGHT NOT MEET SPECIFICATI
R/2022/25801/09/202227/02/2006 – 24/09/20104,469THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG MAY NOT CORRECTLY DEPLOY IF ACTIVATED
R/2022/23308/08/202209/10/2019 – 19/11/20201,835On certain vehicles the gear recognition sensor could under certain circumstances while sh
R/2022/15714/06/202201/02/2006 – 30/07/201028,465VEHICLES FITTED WITH TAKATA DRIVER AIRBAGS EQUIPPED WHICH MAY NOT FUNCTION AS INTENDED WHE
R/2022/15630/05/202201/06/2010 – 11/12/201425,409VEHICLES FITTED WITH TAKATA DRIVER AIRBAGS EQUIPPED WHICH MAY NOT FUNCTION AS INTENDED WHE
R/2022/09207/04/202205/06/2021 – 09/07/20214THE ELECTRIC RESISTANCE IN THE CIRCUIT BOARD OF THE AIR BAG CONTROL UNIT MAY BE INTERRUPTE
R/2022/09104/04/202223/11/2020 – 06/11/20213,440VEHICLES WITH AN OM654 ENGINE MIGHT HAVE A LEAKAGE BETWEEN THE VACUUM SYSTEM AND THE COOLA
R/2022/04118/02/202201/09/2020 – 23/07/202110ON CERTAIN MODELS WITH AN OM654 CLASSIC DIESEL ENGINE THE CRANKSHAFT MIGHT NOT CORRESPOND
R/2021/41701/12/202112/04/2018 – 21/12/20202,533THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE EMERGENCY CALL SYSTEM MIGHT NOT MEET SPECIFICATIONS
R/2021/35119/10/202117/01/2011 – 25/11/201423,179UPDATE THE SOFTWARE IN THE ENGINE CONTROL UNIT
R/2021/31207/10/202110/10/2019 – 26/03/20212,889The gear recognition function in the transmission could not function as intended
R/2021/24401/07/202119/10/2020 – 18/11/20204THE MIDDLE FASTENING OF THE ROOF RAIL COULD COME LOOSE
R/2021/19108/06/202122/03/2018 – 09/12/202042,820THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE EMERGENCY CALL SYSTEM MIGHT NOT MEET SPECIFICATIONS
R/2021/19008/06/202128/03/2018 – 10/11/202027,214THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE EMERGENCY CALL SYSTEM MIGHT NOT MEET SPECIFICATIONS
R/2021/16407/05/202106/02/2021 – 10/03/202164A FRONT AXLE BRAKE CALIPER CARRIER COULD HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED OUTSIDE OF SPECIFICATIONS
R/2021/10013/04/202128/10/2020 – 29/10/20206THE ADDITIONAL LOCK FOR THE CONNECTOR OF THE SEAT BELT TENSIONER WIRING HARNESS IN THE CO
R/2020/36516/12/202023/01/2019 – 04/05/20201,797THE RIGHT HAND SIDE RADIATOR COOLANT HOSE MAY CHAFE AGAINST A SURROUNDING COMPONENT
R/2020/19303/09/202020/02/2020 – 20/02/20202THE SOLDER JOINTS ON THE PINS OF THE PLUG ON THE ENGINE MAY NOT BE TO SPECIFICATION
R/2020/23014/08/202024/11/2014 – 02/10/2018941SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF THE CALIBRATION OF THE ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM MAY NOT BE TO SPECIFICATI
R/2020/20414/08/202005/12/2014 – 03/06/20197,794ENGINE CONTROL UNIT SOFTWARE NEEDS UPDATING
R/2020/21814/08/202018/02/2020 – 19/02/20202THE THREADED CONNECTIONS OF THE LEFT SEAT BASES WITH THE FLOOR MAY NOT BE TIGHTENED CORREC
R/2020/07216/04/202015/04/2015 – 21/05/20195,838FAULTY PARAMETERIZATION OF EXHAUST GAS AFTERTREATMENT CONTROL UNIT
R/2020/09603/04/202009/10/2019 – 22/10/201948THE HEAD RESTRAINTS OF THE LUXURY BENCH SEATS IN THE REAR MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED INCORREC
R/2020/09503/04/202031/01/2019 – 04/02/201931THE HEAD RESTRAINT PADDING MAY SEPARATE FROM THE FASTENING RODS
R/2019/34318/03/202025/11/2014 – 30/05/20176,860VEHICLES WITH AN INTEGRATED BACKUP BATTERY HAVE BEEN DELIVERED WITHOUT A SEAT BASE COVER
R/2019/32112/12/201924/04/2019 – 04/05/201946VEHICLES MAY NOT HAVE BEEN DELIVERED WITH THE CURRENT VERSION OF THE OPERATOR'S MANUAL
R/2019/34513/11/201924/11/2014 – 23/09/201610,321STEERING GEAR HOUSING COVER AND POWER PACK ALUMINIUM BOLTS MAY CORRODE
R/2019/22309/08/201924/04/2019 – 24/04/20198AN INCORRECT BRAKE LINE VARIANT MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED
R/2019/22629/07/201915/02/2017 – 15/02/20171SEVERE CORROSION OF METAL COMPONENTS IN THE REAR AREA OF THE ROOF BED
R/2019/08428/03/201930/07/2018 – 30/08/20186ONE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SENSOR MAY BE INCORRECTLY MANUFACTURED
R/2018/38124/02/201918/07/2018 – 19/07/201816INCORRECT DOOR LOCK OPERATING LEVER ON RIGHT SIDE OF VEHICLE MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED
R/2018/28226/11/201802/12/2014 – 07/09/20165,274IMPROVE THE VEHICLE EMISSIONS VIA SOFTWARE UPDATES.
R/2018/28126/11/201822/05/2015 – 15/05/2018285IMPROVE THE VEHICLE EMISSIONS VIA SOFTWARE UPDATES.
R/2018/28326/11/201830/01/2015 – 11/05/20185,796IMPROVE THE VEHICLE EMISSIONS VIA SOFTWARE UPDATES.
R/2018/28026/11/201831/05/2016 – 03/09/20185,423IMPROVE THE VEHICLE EMISSIONS VIA SOFTWARE UPDATES.
R/2018/22314/11/201801/11/2013 – 23/04/20185,906AIRBAG OFF INDICATOR LAMP DOES NOT LIGHT UP IF FRONT PASSENGER SEAT IS RECOGNISED AS BEING
R/2018/16313/08/201801/05/2015 – 31/05/2017209ROTATING FRONT SEAT WIRE FIXINGS CAN LOOSEN
R/2017/34902/02/201801/11/2011 – 31/07/201713,752ELECTRICAL WIRING IN STEERING ASSEMBLY MAY BE INSUFFICIENTLY GROUNDED
R/2017/32302/01/2018232RETAINING RING OF THE FRONT BEARING MAY BE INCORRECTLY LOCATED
R/2017/23220/11/201701/11/2007 – 01/11/20074VEHICLE CONTROL UNIT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN CORRECTLY UPDATED
R/2017/24812/10/20173MISSING SPOT WELDS
R/2016/18906/09/201601/07/2014 – 31/03/20161,869FUEL MAY LEAK
R/2016/15602/08/201601/10/2013 – 30/04/20169,399BRAKING PERFORMANCE MAY BE REDUCED
R/2016/03309/03/20162RISK OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING AND/OR FIRE
R/2014/18416/01/201501/02/2014 – 30/11/20145,358OIL MAY LEAK
R/2012/00729/02/201216A PILLAR CHECK STRAP MAY DETACH
R/2011/17302/02/201201/01/2010 – 15/12/201162FUEL MAY LEAK
R/2011/06824/08/201101/01/2007 – 31/12/20102,924FIRE MAY OCCUR
R/2011/04216/06/201101/01/2007 – 31/12/201010,805RISK OF FIRE
R/2010/20315/12/2010108FUEL MAY LEAK
R/2010/12019/10/201001/01/2006 – 31/12/2006151REAR WINDOW MAY DETACH
R/2010/12604/10/201001/01/2009 – 31/12/2009260OIL MAY LEAK
R/2009/14219/01/201001/01/2005 – 31/12/2006731REAR VENT WINDOW COULD DETACH
R/2009/01815/04/200901/01/2003 – 31/12/200822,604SPARE WHEEL MAY DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE
R/2008/16003/03/20093AIRBAG MAY NOT FULLY INFLATE
R/2008/17302/03/2009362PARKING BRAKE MAY FAIL
R/2008/17612/02/200924/06/2008 – 15/10/200818AIRBAG MAY NOT DEPLOY
R/2008/12914/10/200801/01/2005 – 01/09/200813FULL FUNCTIONALITY OF THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRONICS CANNOT BE GUARANTEED
R/2008/13014/10/2008321INCREASED BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL
R/2008/14307/10/200801/01/2004 – 31/12/2006138FUEL MAY LEAK
R/2010/17406/08/20071ENGINE MAY FAIL
R/2007/01701/02/200772FUEL MAY LEAK
R/2006/14215/12/200601/01/2006 – 15/08/2006102FUEL MAY LEAK
R/2006/15305/12/20063,203AIRBAG MAY NOT DEPLOY
R/2007/02101/12/200677SHORT CIRCUIT MAY OCCUR
R/2005/05908/06/200501/11/2003 – 30/10/20049,212BRAKE PEDAL TO MASTER CYLINDER CLEVIS PIN CAN BECOME DETACHED
R/2004/12717/08/2004592ENGINE SPEED MAY REDUCE OR SHUT DOWN DUE TO SOFTWARE ERROR
R/2004/03230/07/2004779THE MOUNTING OF THE FOOT OPERATED PARKING BRAKE PEDAL MAY DETACH
R/2003/10108/08/200382POSSIBLE FAULT IN AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE
R/2000/14801/07/20006,386HANDBRAKE MAY SELF RELEASE

DVSA lists 75 safety recall campaigns for the Mercedes-Benz Vito, covering roughly 341,259 vehicles in total. A recall is the manufacturer fixing a fault for free, so an open recall on your car costs nothing to clear.

Counter-intuitive, and measured on our own data: across the 25 families published here, more recalls go with a lower MOT Risk Index (r = −0.52). Heavily recalled models are not worse cars in the test bay — an active manufacturer removes the fault before it becomes an MOT failure.

Check whether a specific car has an outstanding recall — free, by registration — at DVSA's recall service. Source: DVSA vehicle safety recalls (check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk), OGL.

Mercedes-Benz Vito technical service bulletins: what dealers are told

US market, Mercedes-Benz METRIS, model years 2016–2022 only (US name for the Vito). A count of bulletins, not a UK failure rate.

NHTSA manufacturer communications are 71.

bigger number = more recorded dealer communicationsnot affected vehicles or confirmed faults

These are the issues the manufacturer fixes quietly: service communications sent to dealers without a public recall campaign. They show what the service network has been told even when the issue never became news.

United States · NHTSA manufacturer communications

US technical service bulletins by communication year; leading subjects cover the full file
Communication yearBulletinsLeading subjects across all years
201410
  • Equipment (23)
  • Electrical system (9)
  • Powertrain (6)
  • Air Bags (4)
  • Engine (4)
  • Engine and cooling (4)
  • Structure (4)
  • Other / uncategorised (4)
20165
20176
20186
201911
20205
20217
20226
20233
20243
20255
20264

Caveat worth stating plainly: this is NHTSA data about US-specification cars. British cars sold under the same name often use different gearboxes, engines and equipment, so a bulletin may describe a component that was never fitted here. The file counts dealer communications, not affected vehicles or confirmed failures, and it cannot tell you whether an individual UK car has the issue. A communication can carry more than one subject tag, so topic counts do not have to add up to the total. Source: NHTSA Manufacturer Communications API (US-market vehicles; queried model years 2015-2022). Licence: U.S. Government work / public domain · retrieved 2026-09-25.

Mercedes-Benz Vito owner complaints: what goes wrong

US market, Mercedes-Benz METRIS, model years 2016–2022 only (US name for the Vito). A count of owner complaints, not a UK failure rate; NHTSA has no UK denominator.

Tyres are highest at 59; Restraints are lowest at 6 — the gap is 53.

bigger number = more recorded casescompare like-for-like scope, not sample size alone

Owner complaints (US) against actual MOT failures (UK) for the same component groups
ComponentComplaintsShareMOT fail items per 100MOT rankAgreement
Tyres5932.2%8.6#5complained about, fails occasionally
Visibility2312.6%14.6#4complained about, fails occasionally
Engine (not MOT-tested)2111.5%not in top 6—complained about, rarely an MOT failure
Steering179.3%not in top 6—complained about, rarely an MOT failure
Lamps & electrical147.7%24.5#1complained about and fails often
Restraints63.3%not in top 6—complained about, rarely an MOT failure

Two different populations answering two different questions: the MOT records what an inspector can measure once a year, the complaint file records what annoyed or frightened an owner on the road. A component high in one column and absent from the other is the interesting case — driver-assistance and electronics dominate complaints while almost never appearing as an MOT failure item.

What the reports actually say
position sensor for intake camshaft had a malfunction. Position of intake camshaft implausible. Intake camshaft pick up wheel was not in sync with timing. Antique camshaft was out of sync by 180°. This caused a loss of power and engine functionality while underway.
NHTSA complaint, filed 04/07/2025 · ENGINE
The fuel line is leaking again. I have had this replaced three times already. Once under warranty and twice out-of-pocket. Why wasn't the MY2016 included in the recall? The raw fuel smell permeates the cabin and is nauseating. This is a safety issue were something needs to be done for a permanent fix before someone dies in a fiery death.
NHTSA complaint, filed 12/20/2024 · FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

US owners have filed 183 complaints about the equivalent Mercedes-Benz Vito to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, including 0 that mention a crash, 2 a fire and 1 an injury. These are owner reports, not verified findings — but they are the only large public record of what drivers themselves notice, and they cover the years between MOT tests.

Caveat worth stating plainly: US-specification cars, self-selected reporters, no denominator — complaint counts scale with how many cars were sold there and how motivated owners are to file. The mechanical gap matters as much as the statistical one: American cars of the same name often carry different gearboxes, engines and equipment — automatics where Britain buys manuals — so a drivetrain complaint filed in Ohio may describe a part that was never fitted here. Read the ranking inside a model, not between models, and treat drivetrain entries with particular caution. Source: NHTSA ODI consumer complaints (US market, public domain) — US-spec vehicles, indicative only.

Mercedes-Benz Vito inspection results in other countries

Finland Katsastus stands out at 41.7%, against 26.3% nationally.

higher = larger sharecompare shares in percentage points

Same model, different national inspection regimes
CountryTestThis model failsNational averagePositionSample
United KingdomMOT (class 4)33.37%26.01%+7.4 pp86,846
NorwayPKK41%33.7%+7.3 pp2,030
NetherlandsAPK61.6%50.8%+10.8 pp1,941
FinlandKatsastus41.7%26.3%+15.4 pp1,869

The verdict is consistent across every regime where the difference is clear, which is the strongest form this comparison takes: independent inspectorates, different rulebooks, same direction of travel.

What Finland fails it for — share of recorded faults
Fault areaShare
Brake systems37.4%
Axles, wheels and suspension28.6%
Chassis and body16.8%
Environmental hazards4.8%
Other equipment and accessories4.5%

Useful as a cross-check on the UK defect table above: the categories are named differently, but a component that dominates in both regimes is a genuine weak point of the model rather than an artefact of one country's testing style.

The exact faults Netherlands records — APK defect codes, 2024
CodeFaultRecordedType
210Tyre pressure not at the correct value336failure
205Tyre with insufficient tread214failure
RA1Airbag or seat-belt warning light showing a fault198advisory
516Dipped headlight incorrectly aimed181failure
RA2Excessive leak of other fluids166advisory
576Indicator colour wrong or not permitted127failure
AC1Tyre down to 1.6–2.5 mm of tread100advisory
497Number-plate light not working or missing94failure

Worth dwelling on how mundane the top of that list is: tyre pressure, tread depth, headlight aim. The Dutch APK records 1.687 defects per inspection against a much higher national failure rate than Britain's, and the reason is not that Dutch cars are worse — it is that the two regimes draw the line between "note it" and "fail it" in different places. Codes are the RDW's own; the English wording here is our translation of the Dutch original.

Britain is not the only country that inspects every car every year, and the Mercedes-Benz Vito is on the road in all of them. Each national regime writes its own rules, so the pass rates below are not comparable to each other — what does travel across a border is whether a model sits above or below its own country's average.

Rows with fewer than 500 inspections are not published. Sources: Statens vegvesen — Periodisk kjøretøykontroll (PKK) 2024, CC BY 4.0; RDW open data — Meldingen Keuringsinstantie + Geconstateerde Gebreken + Gekentekende voertuigen (2024), CC0. Not an RDW endorsement.; Traficom — Periodic inspections of cars by model / by model and fault object 2024, CC BY 4.0. Adapted; licences and full notice.

Mercedes-Benz Vito MOT: quick answers

Mercedes-Benz Vito MOT Risk Index stands out at 117.7, against 100 for a car with the same age profile.

below 100 is betterabove 100 is worse100 = normal for this model at that age

What is the Mercedes-Benz Vito first-time MOT pass rate?
66.63% of first attempts passed in 2024 (86,846 tests). This is the first-time figure: retests after repair are excluded. Basis: first-time, excluding retests.
Why does this number differ from other sites?
Other sites often report a pass rate that includes retests or counts all attempts. Our 33.37% figure is the first-time initial failure rate, using 86,846 primary tests as the denominator (first-time, excluding retests). The age-adjusted MOT initial-failure ratio 117.7 is shown separately because raw rates compare fleet age as well as cars.

Compare the Mercedes-Benz Vito with other cars

Vauxhall Corsa is highest at 118.7; Hyundai i30 is lowest at 117.2 — the gap is 1.5 points.

below 100 is betterabove 100 is worse100 = normal for this model at that age

Same brand

All Mercedes-Benz MOT statisticsMercedes-Benz CLA MOT statsMercedes-Benz A-Class MOT stats

Similar risk

Hyundai i30 (index 117.2)Nissan Qashqai (index 118.2)Vauxhall Corsa (index 118.7)

Same size class

how Toyota C-HR compareshow Mercedes-Benz GLA compareshow Mitsubishi L200 compares

By build year

Mercedes-Benz Vito 1999Mercedes-Benz Vito 2000Mercedes-Benz Vito 2001Mercedes-Benz Vito 2002Mercedes-Benz Vito 2003Mercedes-Benz Vito 2004Mercedes-Benz Vito 2005Mercedes-Benz Vito 2006Mercedes-Benz Vito 2007Mercedes-Benz Vito 2008Mercedes-Benz Vito 2009Mercedes-Benz Vito 2010Mercedes-Benz Vito 2011Mercedes-Benz Vito 2012Mercedes-Benz Vito 2013Mercedes-Benz Vito 2014Mercedes-Benz Vito 2015Mercedes-Benz Vito 2016Mercedes-Benz Vito 2017Mercedes-Benz Vito 2018Mercedes-Benz Vito 2019Mercedes-Benz Vito 2020

By area

Mercedes-Benz Vito MOT failure rate by postcode area

By failure group

Mercedes-Benz Vito body, chassis and structure failuresMercedes-Benz Vito brakes failuresMercedes-Benz Vito vehicle identification failuresMercedes-Benz Vito lamps, reflectors and electrics failuresMercedes-Benz Vito noise, emissions and leaks failuresMercedes-Benz Vito road wheels failuresMercedes-Benz Vito seat belts and airbags failuresMercedes-Benz Vito steering failuresMercedes-Benz Vito suspension failuresMercedes-Benz Vito tyres failuresMercedes-Benz Vito visibility failures

Inspections abroad

Mercedes-Benz Vito in NorwayMercedes-Benz Vito in FinlandMercedes-Benz Vito in the Netherlands


Data details & how to cite

Scope: class-4 vehicles (cars), initial tests only, outcomes pass / fail / fixed-on-the-spot at the station (PRS counts towards the failure rate — the defect was present at arrival). Index = observed initial failures ÷ failures expected for this fleet's exact age profile, ×100; margin of error is a 95% confidence interval. Covers ALL generations together — a 3-year-old and a 15-year-old are very different cars; a generation split is on the roadmap. Dataset release dataset_release_id=dvsa-2024-v2, frozen baseline; headline claim_id=family-stats:mercedes-vito:dvsa-2024-v2. Full method: methodology.

Cite: MOT Risk Index (2026). Mercedes-Benz Vito MOT statistics 2024 (data release dvsa-2024-v2; downloadable dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, doi:10.5281/zenodo.22975051). https://motriskindex.co.uk/cars/mercedes-vito/ · Published 2026-07-30.