MOT fail rates by first-use year

2002 Mercedes-Benz SLK MOT fail rate and common faults

How Mercedes-Benz SLK cars first used in 2002 did at their MOTs from 2022 to 2025, against all cars of the same age. From 7,957 DVSA MOT tests of these cars. First use is usually the date the car was first registered.

MOT data updated 28 September 2026

At 23 years, tested in 2025

MOT fail rate at age 23 (n=1,645)28.8%

All cars at 23 years (n=619,531)39.6%

Difference−10.9 pts

MOT tests of 2002 cars, 2022 to 20257,957

What stands out

In 2025, at 23 years old, Mercedes-Benz SLK cars first used in 2002 failed 28.8% of MOTs (1,645 tests), 10.9 points below the 39.6% for all cars that age.
From 2022 to 2025, as these cars went from 20 to 23 years old, the fail rate moved from 30.7% to 28.8%.
Mercedes-Benz SLK cars first used a year earlier, in 2001, failed 30.3% at the same age of 23 years (2,106 tests, in 2024).
The most common fail item that is not a wear item, for the Mercedes-Benz SLK at 23 years, is rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded, at 2.0 per 100 MOTs (all cars: 2.2).

MOT fail rate by test year

Mercedes-Benz SLK cars first used in 2002: 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	20 years	30.7%	2,301	42.8%	−12.1 pts
2023	21 years	29.5%	2,098	42.1%	−12.6 pts
2024	22 years	30.4%	1,913	41.0%	−10.6 pts
2025	23 years	28.8%	1,645	39.6%	−10.9 pts

Most common faults at 23 years

These figures cover all Mercedes-Benz SLK MOTs at 23 years: cars first used 1999 to 2002, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=7,658). 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
Brake light not working Wear	5.5	3.4
Side/position light not working Wear	3.2	4.2
Wipers not clearing screen Wear	2.6	3.5
Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect Wear	2.5	2.7
Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Wear	2.3	2.0
Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded	2.0	2.2
Dipped headlight not working Wear	1.8	1.5
Washers: not working Wear	1.7	1.3
Coil spring broken	1.7	1.8
Electronic stability control: warning lamp indicates a fault	1.7	0.3

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=7,658). 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	16.8	15.4
Tyre tread close to the legal limit or worn on the edge Wear	12.8	12.6
Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Wear	10.1	10.3
Wheel bearings: has slight play	7.6	2.7
Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive	7.2	15.2
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened	7.1	9.9
Coil spring: corroded	6.6	7.7
Brake pads wearing thin Wear	6.1	4.7
Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened	5.8	3.9
Flexible brake hoses: slightly deteriorated	5.3	2.5

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=7,658). A test with two items counts once for each.

Fuel type at 23 years

These figures cover all Mercedes-Benz SLK MOTs at 23 years: cars first used 1999 to 2002, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=7,658). 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
Petrol	100.0%	30.4%	7,653	39.1%	86,620 miles

Fail rate by mileage at 23 years

These figures cover all Mercedes-Benz SLK MOTs at 23 years: cars first used 1999 to 2002, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=7,658). At 23 years, Mercedes-Benz SLK cars at 90,000 to 120,000 miles failed more often (35.6%, n=2,229) than those at 30,000 to 60,000 miles (21.2%, n=1,347). Bands with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

Mileage at test	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars
30,000 to 60,000 miles	21.2%	1,347	32.7%
60,000 to 90,000 miles	27.8%	2,439	38.4%
90,000 to 120,000 miles	35.6%	2,229	42.0%

Car tax rules for a 2002 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

Many petrol cars first registered from 2001 to 2005 already meet Euro 4, but not all of them. For a 2002 petrol car the Euro standard of that car decides.
Diesel cars first registered before September 2015 usually do not meet Euro 6, so a 2002 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 SLK

2001 Mercedes-Benz SLK 2003 Mercedes-Benz SLK

Other Mercedes-Benz models first used in 2002

Model	Age at test	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars
Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2002)	23 years in 2025	36.1%	2,036	39.6%
Mercedes-Benz CLK (2002)	23 years in 2025	34.1%	1,336	39.6%
Mercedes-Benz E-Class (2002)	22 years in 2024	32.2%	1,021	41.0%
Mercedes-Benz A-Class (2002)	21 years in 2023	44.2%	1,264	42.1%
Mercedes-Benz M-Class (2002)	21 years in 2023	39.0%	1,165	42.1%
Mercedes-Benz SL (2002)	21 years in 2023	18.9%	1,063	42.1%

More on the Mercedes-Benz SLK

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 2002 Mercedes-Benz SLK 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.