MOT performance
Mercedes-Benz S-Class petrol: MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 14,498 MOT tests on petrol Mercedes-Benz S-Classs in 2023–2024 (on average 14.4 years old at test, median 72,387 miles), 81.4% passed first time, against 82.6% of 38,634 diesel Mercedes-Benz S-Class tests. Allowing for age, mileage and fuel, petrol Mercedes-Benz S-Classs failed 42% less often than comparable cars — 0.58× against 0.58× for the Mercedes-Benz S-Class as a whole.
14,498 MOT tests on 7,919 vehicles, 2023–2024 · Source: DVSA (Open Government Licence) · Analysis: 73 Auto
Check a specific car's MOT history and running costsAt a glance
| Figure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| First-time pass rate | 81.4% | ±0.6 pts (95%), n = 14,498 |
| All Mercedes-Benz S-Classs | 82.6% | n = 55,571 |
| Failures vs similar cars | 0.58× | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00; Mercedes-Benz S-Class overall 0.58× |
| Tests with a dangerous defect | 5.7% | n = 14,498 |
| Average age at test | 14.4 years | n = 14,498 |
| Registration years covered | 1972–2021 | DVSA first-use date |
Petrol against the other Mercedes-Benz S-Class fuels
Official DVSA test results by fuel, with 73 Auto's adjusted ratio (failures against cars of the same age, mileage and fuel). The petrol cars were tested 4.9 years older on average than the diesel ones, so the raw pass rates partly reflect age; the adjusted column doesn't.
| Fuel | Tests | Average age | First-time pass | vs similar cars | Dangerous |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 38,634 | 9.5 yrs | 82.6% | -42% | 6.5% |
| Petrol | 14,498 | 14.4 yrs | 81.4% | -42% | 5.7% |
| Hybrid | 2,393 | 6 yrs | 89.0% | -30% | 4.9% |
Where petrol Mercedes-Benz S-Classs differ
- Noise, emissions and leaks: petrol Mercedes-Benz S-Classs failed 49% less often than the Mercedes-Benz S-Class overall, relative to comparable cars (0.39× vs 0.76×).
- Body, chassis and structure: petrol Mercedes-Benz S-Classs failed 32% more often than the Mercedes-Benz S-Class overall, relative to comparable cars (0.29× vs 0.22×).
- Lights, reflectors and electrical: petrol Mercedes-Benz S-Classs failed 27% more often than the Mercedes-Benz S-Class overall, relative to comparable cars (0.43× vs 0.34×).
| Area | Petrol (vs similar) | All Mercedes-Benz S-Classs (vs similar) |
|---|---|---|
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 6.0% (-57%) | 4.1% (-66%) |
| Suspension | 5.1% (-51%) | 4.7% (-50%) |
| Brakes | 4.7% (-45%) | 4.3% (-43%) |
| Tyres | 4.5% (-21%) | 5.3% (-18%) |
| Driver's view of the road | 2.8% (-51%) | 2.2% (-54%) |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 2.1% (-61%) | 2.7% (-24%) |
| Body, chassis and structure | 1.5% (-71%) | 0.9% (-78%) |
| Seat belts and airbags | 1.4% (-14%) | 1.0% (-26%) |
Most common petrol Mercedes-Benz S-Class failure items
2 of these 5 items are not among the Mercedes-Benz S-Class's ten most common failures overall.
| Item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn | Suspension | 2.17% |
| Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 1.56% |
| Position lamp: not working | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 1.20% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction | Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.99% |
| Condition: has ply or cords exposed | Tyres | 0.98% |
Pass rate by age, by fuel
| Age at test (years) | petrol pass rate (tests) | diesel pass rate (tests) |
|---|---|---|
| 3-4 | 92.0% (1,092) | 91.9% (4,966) |
| 5-6 | 89.3% (1,976) | 88.9% (7,550) |
| 7-8 | 88.9% (1,754) | 86.2% (6,826) |
| 9-10 | 88.9% (808) | 81.8% (4,444) |
| 11-12 | 81.8% (515) | 78.0% (3,881) |
| 13-15 | 79.8% (908) | 74.4% (4,894) |
| 16+ | 75.2% (7,363) | 71.8% (5,541) |
Mercedes-Benz S-Class by registration year
Registration-year pages cover every fuel of that year.
- 2006 Mercedes-Benz S-Class · 76.3%
- 2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class · 73.9%
- 2008 Mercedes-Benz S-Class · 73.8%
- 2012 Mercedes-Benz S-Class · 77.0%
- 2013 Mercedes-Benz S-Class · 79.7%
- 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class · 86.4%
- 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class · 86.4%
- 2016 Mercedes-Benz S-Class · 87.2%
- 2017 Mercedes-Benz S-Class · 87.4%
- 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class · 90.5%
- 2019 Mercedes-Benz S-Class · 92.0%
What this does and doesn't tell you
Fuel is DVSA's recorded fuel type; plug-in and self-charging hybrids are grouped as hybrid. A difference between fuels can come from the engines themselves, or from how the cars are used — diesels typically cover more miles, and the adjusted ratio allows for mileage band but not for every difference in use. For one car, its own MOT history is the better guide: see MOT check.
Check a specific petrol Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Enter a UK registration to see that car's own MOT history and what it is likely to cost to own. Your first check is free and shows the vehicle summary and its headline ownership cost. The category-by-category breakdown is part of a paid check.
UK number plate or 17-character VIN
About this data. These are MOT test results, not a measure of mechanical reliability: a car's MOT outcome reflects its condition on the day, which depends on how it has been maintained and driven as well as how it was built. Figures cover class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans), normal tests only (retests excluded), outcomes pass, fail and pass after rectification at the station; vehicles at least 2.5 years old at test. Tests from 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-30. “Compared with similar cars” means compared with the national rate for cars of the same age, mileage band and fuel. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Makes and models are matched to 73 Auto's vehicle catalogue; tests that can't be matched are left out rather than guessed. See how the MOT figures are produced.