2006 · 18 years old at test · Petrol mostly

2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class MOT pass rate and common faults

10,187 MOT tests in 2024. 58.6% passed first time, compared with 56.1% for all cars the same age.

104Above average
Passed first time58.6%
Failed or needed repairs41.4%
Typical mileage at test114,000

Most common reasons for failing

Share of all 10,187 tests where this item caused a failure.

  1. Suspension arms - ball joint: ball joint excessively worn9.8%
  2. Coil spring: fractured or broken4.9%
  3. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm3.6%
    621 marked dangerous
  4. Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt3.4%
  5. Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect3.3%
  6. Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction3.3%
  7. Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play3.3%
  8. Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded2.4%
  9. Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements2.4%
  10. Suspension arms - pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn2.3%

Problem areas

Failure items found per 100 tests, by part of the car.

  1. Suspension32.3%
  2. Lights & electrics21.5%
  3. Brakes17.0%
  4. Tyres9.2%
  5. Emissions & leaks8.3%
  6. Visibility (wipers, screen, mirrors)7.0%
  7. Steering4.4%
  8. Body & chassis3.3%

Most common advisories

Not failures yet, but things the tester warned about.

  1. Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded20.2%
  2. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm19.8%
  3. Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened14.9%
  4. Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened9.4%
  5. Sub-frame: corroded and seriously weakened8.4%

What this means if you are buying one

This model year does better than most cars its age, so it is a reasonable used buy on MOT record alone. Before buying, check the area that fails most: suspension arms - ball joint: ball joint excessively worn. Then look up the car's own MOT history on GOV.UK with its number plate, and look for repeat advisories.

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Questions

What is the MOT pass rate for a 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class?

In 2024, 58.6% of 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class cars passed their MOT first time, across 10,187 tests. The average for all 18-year-old cars was 56.1%.

What are the most common MOT failures on a 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class?

The most common failure reasons were suspension arms - ball joint: ball joint excessively worn; coil spring: fractured or broken; tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. The biggest problem area was suspension.

Is the 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class reliable at MOT time?

Its MOT Rank score is 104, which is above average for a car of its age (100 means exactly average).