Mercedes-Benz E-Class common problems by mileage
What UK MOT testers flag on the Mercedes-Benz E-Class at each age and mileage, compared with all cars.
In 248,342 UK MOT tests of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class in 2023, the problem that most sets it apart from other cars is wheels (fractured): recorded on 3.1% of tests of 2020–2022 cars at 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km), 31× the rate for all cars of that age and mileage. Other stand-out issues: wheel bearings (slight play) (19×); ball joint (ball joint has slight play) (12×); rigid brake pipes (corroded, covered in grease or other material) (4.9×). The most common reasons a Mercedes-Benz E-Class fails its MOT are tyres (tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm); tyres (ply or cords exposed); ball joint (ball joint excessively worn).
Last updated: · Source: DVSA anonymised MOT data 2023
What stands out on the Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Parts that MOT testers flag clearly more often on the Mercedes-Benz E-Class than on all cars of the same age at the same mileage (at least 1.5× the rate and 3% of tests).
| Issue | Type | First used | Mileage | Share of tests | All cars this age | Ratio | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheels (condition): fractured | MOT fail | 2020–2022 | 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) | 3.1% | 0.1% | 31× | 5,714 |
| Wheel bearings: has slight play | Advisory | 2014–2016 | 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) | 3.7% | 0.2% | 19× | 14,909 |
| Ball joint: ball joint has slight play | Advisory | 2018–2020 | 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 3.6% | 0.3% | 12× | 13,135 |
| Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material | Advisory | 2012–2014 | 100k–120k mi (161k–193k km) | 16% | 3.3% | 4.9× | 8,277 |
| Tyres (condition): has ply or cords exposed | MOT fail | 2017–2019 | 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) | 3% | 0.8% | 3.8× | 20,673 |
| Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn | MOT fail | 2004–2006 | 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 4.9% | 1.1% | 4.5× | 508 |
| Tyres (condition): has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Advisory | 2010–2012 | 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 3% | 1.1% | 2.7× | 3,929 |
| Headlamp: has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output | Advisory | 2000–2002 | 160k+ mi (257k+ km) | 8.4% | 2.3% | 3.7× | 475 |
Mercedes-Benz E-Class by mileage (2018–2020 cars)
The most-tested first-use years. For each mileage band: how many MOT tests, the most common item, and the item that stands out most against other cars.
| Mileage | Tests | Most common | Stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) | 7,515 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (9.7%) | — |
| 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) | 21,647 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (13%) | Tyres (condition): has ply or cords exposed (3.4%, 3.4×) |
| 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 13,135 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (14%) | Ball joint: ball joint has slight play (3.6%, 12×) |
| 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) | 5,697 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (15%) | Ball joint: ball joint has slight play (3.5%, 7×) |
| 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) | 2,733 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (13%) | — |
| 100k–120k mi (161k–193k km) | 1,544 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (13%) | — |
| 120k–140k mi (193k–225k km) | 929 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (11%) | — |
| 140k–160k mi (225k–257k km) | 547 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (8.4%) | — |
| 160k+ mi (257k+ km) | 868 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (9.2%) | — |
Mercedes-Benz E-Class by first-use year
| First used | Tests | Biggest stand-out issue |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 740 | Flexible brake hoses: slightly deteriorated at 160k+ mi (257k+ km) (2×) |
| 1995 | 839 | Flexible brake hoses: slightly deteriorated at 100k–120k mi (161k–193k km) (2.3×) |
| 1996 | 553 | Flexible brake hoses: slightly deteriorated at 160k+ mi (257k+ km) (2.4×) |
| 1999 | 598 | Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened at 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) (2.5×) |
| 2000 | 656 | Linkage pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement at 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) (2.7×) |
| 2001 | 877 | Wheel bearings: has slight play at 100k–120k mi (161k–193k km) (3.8×) |
| 2002 | 1,240 | Shock absorbers: has light misting of oil at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (3.7×) |
| 2003 | 3,684 | Wheel bearings: has slight play at 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) (3.9×) |
| 2004 | 4,981 | Wheel bearings: has slight play at 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) (4.2×) |
| 2005 | 4,942 | Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (4.5×) |
| 2006 | 4,290 | Wheel bearings: has slight play at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (6.2×) |
| 2007 | 6,249 | Wheel bearings: has slight play at 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) (6.8×) |
| 2008 | 4,842 | Wheel bearings: has slight play at 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) (8×) |
| 2009 | 7,490 | Wheel bearings: has slight play at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (11×) |
| 2010 | 12,280 | Wheel bearings: has slight play at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (12×) |
| 2011 | 14,346 | Wheel bearings: has slight play at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (20×) |
| 2012 | 15,246 | Wheel bearings: has slight play at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (20×) |
| 2013 | 19,558 | Wheel bearings: has slight play at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (20×) |
| 2014 | 20,924 | Wheel bearings: has slight play at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (19×) |
| 2015 | 22,078 | Wheel bearings: has slight play at 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) (19×) |
| 2016 | 21,351 | Wheel bearings: has slight play at 160k+ mi (257k+ km) (4.4×) |
| 2017 | 23,301 | Ball joint: ball joint has slight play at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (7.8×) |
| 2018 | 21,900 | Ball joint: ball joint has slight play at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (11×) |
| 2019 | 21,912 | Ball joint: ball joint has slight play at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (12×) |
| 2020 | 10,803 | Ball joint: ball joint has slight play at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (11×) |
| 2021 | 997 | Wheels (condition): fractured at 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) (31×) |
| 2022 | 289 | Nothing stands out |
How these numbers are made
From the DVSA anonymised MOT data for 2023: every normal MOT test of a car in Great Britain, with its mileage and every advisory and failure item. For each first-use year (pooled with the years either side) and 20,000-mile band we count the share of tests where a part was recorded, and compare it with the same share for every car of that age at that mileage. A cell is shown only with 300 or more tests. Advisories are tester notes, not failures. Figures describe UK-market cars; engines and equipment can differ in other countries.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (DVSA anonymised MOT data, 2023).
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the Mercedes-Benz E-Class?
In 248,342 UK MOT tests of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class in 2023, the problem that most sets it apart from other cars is wheels (fractured): recorded on 3.1% of tests of 2020–2022 cars at 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km), 31× the rate for all cars of that age and mileage. Other stand-out issues: wheel bearings (slight play) (19×); ball joint (ball joint has slight play) (12×); rigid brake pipes (corroded, covered in grease or other material) (4.9×). The most common reasons a Mercedes-Benz E-Class fails its MOT are tyres (tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm); tyres (ply or cords exposed); ball joint (ball joint excessively worn).
Why do Mercedes-Benz E-Classs fail the MOT?
Across 248,342 MOT tests in 2023, the most common failure items on the Mercedes-Benz E-Class were tyres (tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm) (3.2% of tests); tyres (ply or cords exposed) (2.7% of tests); ball joint (ball joint excessively worn) (6.8% of tests).
At what mileage do Mercedes-Benz E-Class problems start?
The clearest Mercedes-Benz E-Class-specific issue, wheels (fractured), peaks against other cars at 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) on 2020–2022 cars (3.1% of tests vs 0.1% for all cars that age).
Where does this Mercedes-Benz E-Class data come from?
From the UK government's anonymised MOT test data (DVSA, 2023, Open Government Licence v3.0): 248,342 tests of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. VinSnap shows the same numbers for your own car's age and mileage in the app.