Mercedes-Benz Clc MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 48,197 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 41.9%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Mercedes-Benz Clc MOT Reliability Overview
The Mercedes-Benz Clc is a relatively common sight on UK roads, with 48,197 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 5 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 58.1% and a failure rate of 41.9%, which is slightly below the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Mercedes-Benz Clc earns a "Below Average" reliability rating. The average Mercedes-Benz Clc presents for MOT with approximately 89,224 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2011 models achieve the highest pass rate at 65.4%, while 2007 models have the lowest at 51.2%. This 14.2 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Mercedes-Benz Clc is Suspension, affecting 55.0% of all tests. Suspension failures typically involve worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers, broken coil springs, and damaged suspension arms. These affect ride quality, tyre wear, and road holding. The second most common issue is Brakes at 42.1%. Tyres rounds out the top three at 34.2%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Best Year to Buy
Based on MOT data, 2010 models have the highest pass rate at 61.6%.
Based on 2024 MOT test results only — the most recent data available. "Built" = year of manufacture. Cars need their first MOT at 3 years old, so the newest cars shown are from ~3 years ago.
Bar chart showing pass rate by manufacture year from 2008 to 2011
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
Tracking how each manufacture year's MOT pass rate changes as the car ages. Showing 4 vintages — click year chips to highlight.
Multi-line chart showing how different Mercedes-Benz Clc vintages degrade over time, from age 3 to 20 years.
Only vintages with 100+ tests in at least 3 different test years are shown. Fleet average is the UK-wide pass rate for all cars at each age.
📉 How Age Affects Reliability
MOT failure rate by vehicle age for the Mercedes-Benz Clc. The dashed red line marks when the manufacturer warranty typically expires (3 years).
Line chart showing MOT failure rate by vehicle age from 6 to 16 years, with warranty expiry marked at 3 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The Mercedes-Benz Clc shows a relatively stable failure rate after warranty — the change of 0% is negligible. Peak failure occurs at age 13 (44.8% fail rate).
Note: pass rates may improve for very old vehicles due to survivorship bias — only well-maintained cars remain on the road.
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 55.0% | 26,530 |
| 2 | Brakes | 42.1% | 20,292 |
| 3 | Tyres | 34.2% | 16,474 |
| 4 | Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment | 33.3% | 16,074 |
| 5 | Visibility | 9.2% | 4,456 |
| 6 | Body, Chassis, Structure | 5.6% | 2,682 |
| 7 | Noise, Emissions And Leaks | 5.1% | 2,435 |
| 8 | Steering | 4.9% | 2,364 |
| 9 | Non-component Advisories | 4.1% | 1,957 |
| 10 | Road Wheels | 2.9% | 1,409 |
| 11 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 1.7% | 842 |
| 12 | Seat Belts And Supplementary Restraint Systems | 1.5% | 704 |
| 13 | Driver's View Of The Road | 0.8% | 386 |
| 14 | Exhaust, Fuel And Emissions | 0.2% | 113 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 89,224 miFor every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 6.17 | 55.0% | 26,530 |
| Brakes | 4.72 | 42.1% | 20,292 |
| Tyres | 3.83 | 34.2% | 16,474 |
| Lamps & Electrical | 3.74 | 33.3% | 16,074 |
| Visibility | 1.13 | 10.0% | 4,842 |
| Body & Structure | 0.62 | 5.6% | 2,682 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.57 | 5.1% | 2,435 |
| Steering | 0.55 | 4.9% | 2,364 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.46 | 4.1% | 1,957 |
| Wheels | 0.33 | 2.9% | 1,409 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.20 | 1.7% | 842 |
| Seat Belts | 0.16 | 1.5% | 704 |
| Emissions & Exhaust | 0.03 | 0.2% | 113 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Mercedes-Benz Clc has 89,224 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The Mercedes-Benz Clc has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 4.70% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is better than average.
About Mercedes-Benz Clc MOT Data
The Mercedes-Benz Clc is a relatively common sight on UK roads, with 48,197 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 5 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 58.1% and a failure rate of 41.9%, which is slightly below the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Mercedes-Benz Clc owners, these results suggest average reliability — some preparation before MOT can improve pass chances. Focus your pre-MOT checks on suspension and brakes for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific Clc is likely to perform.
Suspension — 55.0% of failures
Suspension issues account for 55.0% of MOT failures on the Mercedes-Benz Clc. Suspension failures typically involve worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers, broken coil springs, and damaged suspension arms. These affect ride quality, tyre wear, and road holding. Typical repair costs: £200–500. Pre-MOT check: Look for uneven tyre wear, listen for clunking over bumps, and check if the car pulls to one side. A bouncy ride suggests worn shock absorbers. Visually inspect coil springs for cracks.
Brakes — 42.1% of failures
Brakes issues account for 42.1% of MOT failures on the Mercedes-Benz Clc. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. Typical repair costs: £150–400. Pre-MOT check: Listen for squealing or grinding noises. Check brake pedal feel — if it feels spongy or goes to the floor, have the system inspected immediately. Look at brake pad thickness through the wheel spokes (minimum 3mm).
Tyres — 34.2% of failures
Tyres issues account for 34.2% of MOT failures on the Mercedes-Benz Clc. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. Typical repair costs: £50–200 per tyre. Pre-MOT check: Check tread depth with a 20p coin — if the outer band is visible, the tyre is too worn. Look for bulges, cuts, or embedded objects. Ensure all tyres match the recommended size and load rating.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Mercedes-Benz Clc?
Based on 48,197 MOT tests in our database, the Mercedes-Benz Clc has an overall pass rate of 58.1% (41.9% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Mercedes-Benz Clc?
The top 3 reasons a Mercedes-Benz Clc fails its MOT are: 1. Suspension (55.0%), 2. Brakes (42.1%), 3. Tyres (34.2%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Mercedes-Benz Clc reliable?
With a 41.9% MOT failure rate, the Clc is about average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Mercedes-Benz Clc?
Based on failure data, focus on: Suspension (55.0%); Brakes (42.1%); Tyres (34.2%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.