Mercedes Benz 310 MOT Failures
An analysis of 1,381 real DVSA MOT tests on the Mercedes Benz 310 — what fails, how often, and how that compares to every other car on UK roads.
Where the Mercedes Benz 310 fails its MOT
The single biggest MOT failure point on the Mercedes Benz 310 is light unit fault — this model is 15 times more likely to fail on this item than the average car on UK roads. That makes it a significant weak point for anyone buying or owning this model. Across 1,381 MOT tests, 6.7% of all Mercedes Benz 310 tests recorded this as a failure.
Lighting faults are usually straightforward to fix (bulbs, connectors, earth points) but can indicate deeper wiring issues on older cars. Check all lights including fog lamps, number plate lights, and dashboard warning lights.
Other notable weak points include parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement (13x the fleet average), anti-roll bar links worn (8.7x the fleet average), parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the r... (8.6x the fleet average), and abs fault (7.1x the fleet average). These ratios compare the Mercedes Benz 310's failure rate on each item against the national average for all cars tested — a ratio of 10x means this model fails ten times more often than a typical car.
The failures span 4 categories: Lights & Electrics, Brakes, Suspension, Wipers & Windscreen. If you're inspecting a Mercedes Benz 310 before purchase, these are the areas to focus on — and if any have been flagged as advisories on a previous MOT, they're likely to become failures in the near future.
What to check before buying a Mercedes Benz 310
Based on the MOT failure data and known issues above, here's what to prioritise when inspecting a Mercedes Benz 310:
Lights & Electrics — check for light unit fault. Brakes — check for parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the r.... Suspension — check for anti-roll bar links worn, abs fault.
Always check the car's full MOT history for patterns — recurring advisories often become failures within 12 months. Enter any reg into our free car check to see the complete picture.
Looking at a specific Mercedes Benz 310?
Enter the reg to see its full MOT history, mileage records, write-off status, and finance checks.
Mercedes Benz 310 MOT FAQs
What are the most common MOT failures on a Mercedes Benz 310?
Based on 1,381 DVSA MOT tests, the most common failure is light unit fault — at 15x the national fleet average. Other frequent failures include parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement and anti-roll bar links worn.
Is the Mercedes Benz 310 reliable based on MOT data?
The Mercedes Benz 310 has 6 categories where it fails more often than average. The main concern is light unit fault. Always check a specific car's full history before buying.
What MOT failures should I expect at high mileage?
Above 100,000 miles, the Mercedes Benz 310 most commonly fails on light unit fault and parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement. Under 60,000 miles, the main issues are .
How do I check a Mercedes Benz 310's MOT history?
Enter the registration number into our free car check above. You'll see every MOT test result, advisories and failures, mileage readings, write-off status, and finance checks.
MOT failure data sourced from DVSA bulk test records via data.gov.uk. Ratios compare this model's failure rate against the national fleet average. Known issues sourced from manufacturer bulletins, specialist workshops, and verified owner reports.