2009 · 15 years old at test · Diesel mostly

2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class MOT pass rate and common faults

13,539 MOT tests in 2024. 63.6% passed first time, compared with 58.4% for all cars the same age.

109Well above average
Passed first time63.6%
Failed or needed repairs36.4%
Typical mileage at test115,000

Most common reasons for failing

Share of all 13,539 tests where this item caused a failure.

  1. Suspension arms - ball joint: ball joint excessively worn8.4%
  2. Coil spring: fractured or broken4.0%
  3. Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded4.0%
  4. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm3.5%
    825 marked dangerous
  5. Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt2.9%
  6. Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements2.5%
  7. Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction2.1%
  8. Position lamp: not working1.9%
  9. Suspension arms - pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn1.5%
  10. Tyres - condition: has ply or cords exposed1.5%
    287 marked dangerous

Problem areas

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

  1. Suspension25.0%
  2. Brakes17.4%
  3. Lights & electrics16.5%
  4. Tyres8.7%
  5. Emissions & leaks4.8%
  6. Visibility (wipers, screen, mirrors)3.6%
  7. Body & chassis1.9%
  8. Seat belts & airbags1.5%

Most common advisories

Not failures yet, but things the tester warned about.

  1. Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded21.1%
  2. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm19.2%
  3. Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened10.6%
  4. Suspension arms - pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn9.0%
  5. Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick7.7%

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.

← 2008 C-ClassAll C-Class years2010 C-Class →

Questions

What is the MOT pass rate for a 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class?

In 2024, 63.6% of 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class cars passed their MOT first time, across 13,539 tests. The average for all 15-year-old cars was 58.4%.

What are the most common MOT failures on a 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class?

The most common failure reasons were suspension arms - ball joint: ball joint excessively worn; coil spring: fractured or broken; rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded. The biggest problem area was suspension.

Is the 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class reliable at MOT time?

Its MOT Rank score is 109, which is well above average for a car of its age (100 means exactly average).