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Pass Your MOT

2005 Mercedes 500 MOT Pass Rate

Pass rate for 500 models manufactured in 2005, based on 168 real MOT test results.

86.3%
Pass Rate
13.7%
Fail Rate
168
Total Tests
52,024
Avg Mileage

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

2005 Mercedes 500 MOT Analysis

The 2005 Mercedes 500 has an MOT pass rate of 86.3% based on 168 tests — well above the UK average for UK vehicles. Cars of this vintage present for MOT with an average of 52,024 miles on the odometer. With a 13.7% failure rate, the 2005 500 is rated as "Excellent" for MOT reliability.

The leading cause of MOT failure for the 2005 Mercedes 500 is Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, responsible for 0.6% of failures. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs range from £5–50. Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems is the second most common issue at 0.6%.

Top failures specific to 2005 models only. The overall 500 page may show different rankings.

What Fails Most

What Fails on This Car?

Click a category to see specific failure items.

View as table
MOT failure categories ranked by failure rate
RankFailure CategoryRate (%)Count
1Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment0.6%1
2Seat Belts And Supplementary Restraint Systems0.6%1

Failures per 10,000 Miles

avg. 52,024 mi

For 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.

Lamps & Electrical0.11% per 10K miSeat Belts0.11% per 10K mi
View as table
Mileage-normalised failure rates by category
CategoryRate / 10K miRaw %Count
Lamps & Electrical0.110.6%1
Seat Belts0.110.6%1

Mileage Statistics

52,024
Mean
49,843
Median
33,510
25th Percentile
85,194
75th Percentile
2.63% failures per 10K miles

Mileage-adjusted failure rate — accounts for how much this model year is typically driven.

About This Data

The 2005 Mercedes 500 has an MOT pass rate of 86.3% based on 168 tests — well above the UK average for UK vehicles. Cars of this vintage present for MOT with an average of 52,024 miles on the odometer. With a 13.7% failure rate, the 2005 500 is rated as "Excellent" for MOT reliability.

If you own or are considering buying a 2005 Mercedes 500, you can expect reliable MOT performance overall. Before your MOT, pay particular attention to lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test. At 52,024 average miles, these vehicles are in the mid-range where component wear starts to become a factor.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 0.6% of failures

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment issues account for 0.6% of MOT failures on 2005 Mercedes 500 models. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.

Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems — 0.6% of failures

Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems issues account for 0.6% of MOT failures on 2005 Mercedes 500 models. Seat belt failures include frayed or cut webbing, faulty retractors, buckles that don't latch properly, and missing or damaged anchorages. All fitted seat belts must be functional. Typical repair costs: £50–200 per belt. Pre-MOT check: Pull each seat belt fully out and check for fraying, cuts, or fading. Ensure each belt retracts smoothly and the buckle clicks securely. Check the pre-tensioner warning light on the dashboard.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.

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