MOT fail rates by first-use year

2013 Mercedes-Benz CLS MOT fail rate and common faults

How Mercedes-Benz CLS cars first used in 2013 did at their MOTs from 2022 to 2025, against all cars of the same age. From 12,544 DVSA MOT tests of these cars. First use is usually the date the car was first registered.

MOT data updated 28 September 2026

At 12 years, tested in 2025

MOT fail rate at age 12 (n=2,994)27.6%

All cars at 12 years (n=7,303,151)36.0%

Difference−8.4 pts

MOT tests of 2013 cars, 2022 to 202512,544

What stands out

In 2025, at 12 years old, Mercedes-Benz CLS cars first used in 2013 failed 27.6% of MOTs (2,994 tests), 8.4 points below the 36.0% for all cars that age.
From 2022 to 2025, as these cars went from 9 to 12 years old, the fail rate moved from 25.3% to 27.6%.
Mercedes-Benz CLS cars first used a year earlier, in 2012, failed 25.5% at the same age of 12 years (1,136 tests, in 2024).
The most common fail item that is not a wear item, for the Mercedes-Benz CLS at 12 years, is coil spring broken, at 5.6 per 100 MOTs (all cars: 3.9).

MOT fail rate by test year

Mercedes-Benz CLS cars first used in 2013: share of MOT tests that failed, by test year, against all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.
Test year	Age	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars	Difference
2022	9 years	25.3%	3,250	27.1%	−1.8 pts
2023	10 years	24.7%	3,221	30.3%	−5.6 pts
2024	11 years	25.5%	3,079	33.3%	−7.8 pts
2025	12 years	27.6%	2,994	36.0%	−8.4 pts

Most common faults at 12 years

These figures cover all Mercedes-Benz CLS MOTs at 12 years: cars first used 2010 to 2013, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=6,689). The list uses every first-use year so it has enough tests. Wear items (tyres, brake pads, wipers, bulbs) say more about upkeep than about the design.

MOT fail items

Fail item	Per 100 MOTs	All cars
Coil spring broken	5.6	3.9
Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded	3.6	0.8
Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Wear	3.2	2.9
Tyre with cords exposed Wear	3.1	1.7
Tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Wear	1.9	1.2
Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt	1.9	1.2
Tyre condition: has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Wear	1.1	0.4
Suspension ball joint worn	1.1	2.4
Brake pads under 1.5 mm Wear	1.0	2.1
Tyre condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Wear	1.0	0.7

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=6,689). A test with two items counts once for each.

Advisories

Advisory	Per 100 MOTs	All cars
Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material	19.2	4.5
Tyre tread close to the legal limit or worn on the edge Wear	18.7	18.0
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened	8.8	10.4
Brake pads wearing thin Wear	7.8	7.6
Suspension pin or bush worn, without excessive movement	5.6	7.3
Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive	5.3	6.0
Wheel bearings: has slight play	5.0	0.5
Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Wear	4.1	8.9
Brake discs: worn, but not excessively	3.4	2.5
Tyre tread close to the legal limit, under the 1.0 mm rule Wear	2.9	2.4

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=6,689). A test with two items counts once for each.

Fuel type at 12 years

These figures cover all Mercedes-Benz CLS MOTs at 12 years: cars first used 2010 to 2013, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=6,689). Each fuel is set against all cars of the same fuel and age. Fuels with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

Fuel	Share of tests	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars, same fuel	Median mileage
Diesel	93.8%	27.9%	6,276	36.9%	99,848 miles

Fail rate by mileage at 12 years

These figures cover all Mercedes-Benz CLS MOTs at 12 years: cars first used 2010 to 2013, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=6,689). At 12 years, Mercedes-Benz CLS cars at 120,000 to 150,000 miles failed more often (31.3%, n=1,219) than those at 60,000 to 90,000 miles (26.8%, n=1,889). Bands with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

Mileage at test	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars
60,000 to 90,000 miles	26.8%	1,889	36.2%
90,000 to 120,000 miles	28.6%	2,147	40.2%
120,000 to 150,000 miles	31.3%	1,219	41.2%

Car tax rules for a 2013 car

Cars first registered from 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017 are taxed by CO2 emissions band, from band A (the lowest emissions) to band M. The band is set by the CO2 figure on the V5C logbook.

These are the rules, not the amount for a specific car. Car tax check

ULEZ and clean air zones

Petrol cars first registered from 2006 usually meet Euro 4, the petrol standard for the London ULEZ, so they usually do not pay the daily charge.
Diesel cars first registered before September 2015 usually do not meet Euro 6, so a 2013 diesel usually pays the ULEZ daily charge. A few models met Euro 6 early.
The clean air zones in Birmingham and Bristol use the same Euro 4 petrol and Euro 6 diesel standards. The low emission zones in Scotland use them too, but enforce them with fines, not a daily charge.

The Euro standard of the car decides, not the year alone. ULEZ checker

Other years of the Mercedes-Benz CLS

2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLS

Other Mercedes-Benz models first used in 2013

Model	Age at test	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars
Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2013)	12 years in 2025	30.0%	23,624	36.0%
Mercedes-Benz E-Class (2013)	12 years in 2025	28.8%	17,998	36.0%
Mercedes-Benz A-Class (2013)	12 years in 2025	31.2%	15,616	36.0%
Mercedes-Benz B-Class (2013)	12 years in 2025	28.8%	7,030	36.0%
Mercedes-Benz SLK (2013)	12 years in 2025	25.7%	4,510	36.0%
Mercedes-Benz M-Class (2013)	12 years in 2025	20.1%	4,120	36.0%
Mercedes-Benz CLA (2013)	12 years in 2025	30.0%	2,095	36.0%
Mercedes-Benz Citan (2013)	12 years in 2025	47.9%	1,380	36.0%

More on the Mercedes-Benz CLS

Read this with care. A fail rate is not a measure of build quality. How far cars are driven, how they are used and how well owners maintain them all change it, and wear items such as tyres and brake pads are common fails. Compare a model only with cars of the same age. Methodology and limits.

Found one you might buy? Vet the specific car.

These figures describe 2013 Mercedes-Benz CLS cars as a group, not any one car. The VetTheCar Buying Report looks at the car you are buying: its MOT history, what similar cars did next, and what to ask the seller.

See an example Buying Report All car tools

Source

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 28 September 2026.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources

Car tax and clean air zone rules are summarised from GOV.UK and Transport for London guidance. They are general rules and are not drawn from the MOT data.