Does the Mercedes-Benz Vito fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The Mercedes-Benz Vito records 2.58 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 4.67 expected for a lcv of the same age mix: less than expected for its class and age (−2.09, 95% interval −2.15 to −2.03). It ranks 490 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 Vito by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Mercedes-Benz Vito is “A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play”, recorded 4,966 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 4,966 | 1.05 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 2,963 | 0.62 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 1,940 | 0.41 |
| Power steering fluid leaking or system malfunctioning | 546 | 0.12 |
| A steering ball joint worn to the extent there is a serious risk of detachment | 355 | 0.07 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 474,483 (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 Vito gets a steering advisory, how often does it fail next time?
9.0% of Mercedes-Benz Vito MOTs with a steering advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12.1 months and 6,232 miles later (7,433 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 7,433 (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 Vito 1999 · Mercedes-Benz Vito 2000 · Mercedes-Benz Vito 2001 · Mercedes-Benz Vito 2002 · Mercedes-Benz Vito 2003 · Mercedes-Benz Vito 2004 · Mercedes-Benz Vito 2005 · Mercedes-Benz Vito 2006 · Mercedes-Benz Vito 2007 · Mercedes-Benz Vito 2008 · Mercedes-Benz Vito 2009 · Mercedes-Benz Vito 2010 · Mercedes-Benz Vito 2011 · Mercedes-Benz Vito 2012 · Mercedes-Benz Vito 2013 · Mercedes-Benz Vito 2014 · Mercedes-Benz Vito 2015 · Mercedes-Benz Vito 2016 · Mercedes-Benz Vito 2017 · Mercedes-Benz Vito 2018 · Mercedes-Benz Vito 2019 · Mercedes-Benz Vito 2020 · Mercedes-Benz Vito in Norway · Mercedes-Benz Vito in Finland · Mercedes-Benz Vito in the Netherlands · Mercedes-Benz Vito by postcode area · Mercedes-Benz Vito body, chassis and structure failures · Mercedes-Benz Vito brakes failures · Mercedes-Benz Vito vehicle identification failures · Mercedes-Benz Vito lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Mercedes-Benz Vito noise, emissions and leaks failures · Mercedes-Benz Vito road wheels failures · Mercedes-Benz Vito seat belts and airbags failures · Mercedes-Benz Vito suspension failures · Mercedes-Benz Vito tyres failures · Mercedes-Benz Vito visibility failures